Finishing your degree and getting recognition for your achievement is a highlight of the student journey. After lots of hard work and long days in the library, it’s finally time to celebrate – and think about your next steps. Graduation is an exciting time that can bring with it endless opportunity, but it's understandable if you approach it with uncertainty over exactly what to do after university. Looking for a way ahead? Try our five top things to do after graduating.
Search for a graduate job
Now that you’ve finished your course, you might be thinking of starting a career. Getting professional work experience under your belt is a good idea once you graduate, even if you’re not completely sure about what job you want to do long-term. You could search for jobs that relate directly to your field of study, or ones that are totally unrelated.
Either way, you’ll need to think about what skills you have gained in education and any work experience you have undertaken. When looking and applying for jobs, focus on how these could benefit you. The careers advice service at your university could help you with this, and should also be able to point you towards possible routes into work. You can even take advice from us, with our guide to finding a graduate job.
As an international student, it is important that you understand the rules around work visas in your study destination. To help you with this, we have advice on getting a post-study work visa in:
Develop your CV
An important thing to do once you graduate is make sure that your CV is up-to-date, professional, and highlights the experience you've gained through your degree. Having this ready and waiting for a prospective employer or recruiter will be very useful when you see a job you like. For more tips, follow our useful guide to writing a CV.
Your university careers service should also be able to give good advice on CVs. They can use their employment expertise to go through yours with you line by line, or just offer general advice. In fact, the help they provide is diverse, and can be catered towards each individual student. Find out more about this with our explanation of career counselling – a great option for anyone wondering what to do after university.
Gain work experience
You don't have to go straight into a full-time or permanent job at the beginning of your career. Many employers seek graduates who have undertaken short-term work experience, as it shows they have taken careful steps towards preparing for a professional environment. It can also lead directly to great opportunities. If the people with whom you complete work experience like you, they may put you at the top of their list when looking for a full-time employee.
Work experience opportunities can be found via your university careers service, and are often advertised on employers' websites. If you can't find any with an organisation that interests you, don't give up. Many do not always publicise the opportunities they offer, and may be impressed by anyone who enquires about them directly. Initiative is one of many things employers look for in graduates.
While some work experience schemes and internships are unpaid, many do provide a wage, or at least expenses. Although this may amount to less than what a full-time job would offer, the skills and connections you gain from a good work experience scheme can pay off in the long run.
Apply for a postgraduate course
Looking to stay in education for a little longer? Postgraduate courses allow you to further develop your skills and knowledge in your chosen field. When it comes to getting a job, this can be an advantage – some roles actually require a master's qualification. For example, if you want to become an occupational therapist, you will need to complete a postgraduate course.
Other reasons to consider studying for a postgraduate degree include:
- Specialising in a field of interest
- Contributing to your field of interest
- Personal growth and development
If you are looking for proof that postgraduate degrees improve employment prospects, the UK government has it. According to their statistics, 73 per cent of postgraduates under 30 years old are in high-skilled roles, compared to 61 per cent of undergraduates.
Find out more about what studying at this level means with our guide to postgraduate education.
Do some travelling
After a big few years at university, you might be ready to take a break and head somewhere new. Travelling is a great way to expand your mind, gain perspective and relax. You could meet people from all over the world, further growing your ability to build relationships internationally. It's even possible that some of these connections could help when searching for jobs.
A common misconception is that travelling after graduation is disliked by employers. In fact, it can be used to impress them. If you use this time to think about what you want to do, or gain voluntary experience in a new environment, it will be clear that you have done more than just go on holiday. Travelling can help you grow many skills, from financial management to cross-cultural communication, and this can be of great benefit for your work and life in general.
Hopefully, this article will have set off your thinking about what to do after university. If you still want advice, we have plenty. Explore our list of top careers for graduates, and prepare to begin yours with our effective questions to ask at career fairs. If you're thinking about how your loved ones will feel about your plans, you might also benefit from our tips on telling your family that you want to stay abroad.
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