How to Beat the Time-gap between Graduation and Working
Here is a common problem faced by many youths. It is something that happens over and over again. A young lad is out of school, searching for a job, any job, to take them in and give them at least the basic earning they need to live independently. Somehow, they can’t seem to get a job. Is there really no one employing at the time of this young lad’s graduation? Well, the truth is that another young lad in the other neighbourhood got a job but, we don’t know how they did it.
This problem turns out to be a pattern at different stages of life; finishing an undergraduate programme or masters programme. Sometimes, the problem stems from a pandemic that results in company closures. Other times, it’s some other kind of economic challenge resulting in layoffs. But most times, the real problem is that you are doing the job search all wrong.
Know what you want or at least where you fit in. I agree that it can be quite challenging trying to figure out the next phase of once’s life or even knowing what we want. However, if you plan to graduate in 6 months time, you should not wait until your graduation day before starting to think about what you want to do next. You might be lucky to have a genie bring you this idea at the flick of fingers on graduation day and the genie might even go as far as opening a vacancy for you to fill. But genies are not real and lucks require some effort. Neither genies nor lucks are easy to come by and genies actually cost a fortune. Ask the Witcher.
While your study is on and you are beginning to anticipate graduation, begin to plan your next career trajectory. Begin your job search. Don’t put your eggs in one basket or your hopes on one genie. At the beginning or early into your final year, identify the skills you have acquired through the course of your study, think of a potential employer, ask google where the people who studied your programme are working. Identify these potential employers, scan through their job openings, see what skills and requirements they ask for.
If they require many years of experience, move on from them, you might not be able to buy that in a jiffy. But, don’t let that discourage you. Keep going through those job listing websites. Search for startups. Startups understand the concept of starting a life and so do have roles that do not require many years of experience. Except for managerial roles which I believe is not the target of a fresh graduate.
If the job positions you find require specific skills that you lack, go online and take courses that equip you with the skills. Sometimes, pay a little more to get certification as long as you are confident that you can comprehend the responsibilities that these skills come with. By skilling yourself up before graduation, you are strategically positioning yourself as a smart and proactive individual which is what employers want in their employees. Sometimes even, your skills and potentials can buy you some years of experience.
So, if you are intending to enter the job market in 6 to 8 months time and you haven’t begun preparing yourself, this is your sign to go over your study programme and years of study, identify what you have acquired and can be offered — your transferable skills and what more you can equip yourself with before applying for your next job.
If all the above points don’t help you beat that time-gap and find you a job, then, you should take a break from searching for your dream job. Instead, take that job that gives you the experience and/or skills that will eventually land you your dream job.
