Career building: where to start for a beginner
Many undergraduates and university graduates feel confused and anxious about their careers. What if the university didn’t teach me anything? How to apply knowledge at work? How long will you have to work in the starting position? These and other questions are quite natural. There are a few rules that apply when building a career in any professional field.
Unfortunately, education now really leaves much to be desired. Well, that is why HR specialists recommend starting a career before graduating from university: this way, you will understand earlier what is needed to work in your specialty, learn to apply the knowledge gained in practice, and acquire many useful skills. Therefore, the first step in a career is to find a job in your specialty. While it is certainly difficult for full-time students to find a part-time job, it is possible. Also, don’t forget about the summer internships run by large companies.
A future careerist should not get a job outside of his specialty: this way, you will waste time. It is better to look for a job longer, but get a job as a legal assistant if you are a lawyer by training, but not a secretary.
We also learn at work, no matter how paradoxical it sounds. Once you get a job, start learning new skills, even the simplest ones. Even doing the most basic, technical work can help you develop useful skills.
Employers understand that there is nothing to expect professionally from a senior student or yesterday’s graduate, so your main trump cards for the first time are diligence, efficiency, attentiveness, activity. Without these qualities, it is impossible to establish oneself even as a capable junior specialist.
Feel free to ask for additional assignments or participation in projects where your participation is not supposed to be expected. The boss is unlikely to deny you the opportunity to attend the negotiations, and you will be able to observe how to negotiate correctly and remember something. New assignments will help you quickly gain the experience necessary for your future career.
If you need any knowledge in your work that you do not have in principle and cannot master in the work process (for example, knowledge of a foreign language), then it is better to sign up for courses. Sooner or later, you will need to work with this language. It is better to learn it beforehand than in a higher position with more work and household chores. Do not neglect the training offered by the company.
