Abdussalam:
By this time in the next two years or so, you would have been rounding off your undergraduate programme. If you want to be sure you had prepared for life after campus, you’ve got to start these right from now! This is actually based on the notion that you’ve already taken a decision on what you want to be in future. As you get ready for that priced time regarded as ‘final year’, here are the top ten things you should consider doing ahead of then.
Participate in Career Advancement Events: They are many around. From conferences to seminars, workshops to symposia and from competitions to contests, from grants to scholarships, the list is endless. It only takes discerning minds to identify one. In line with your future aspiration most especially, it is important you attend such career advancement events. Use career advancement websites or google, ask a professional in the field to keep a tab on upcoming career advancement events ahead.
Earn the trust of others: Are you the cunning type? Do you possess some character that could portray you as a dishonest person? It’s high time you started getting rid of such characters. People around you are watching you. News of your good character or otherwise would spread to a place you never imagined in the nearest future. You’d better turn a new leaf today before it’s too late!
Volunteer: Volunteering involves you providing services to people based on your skills or expertise at little or no cost at all. The world is in need of helpful people and such people should be sure that their effort is not in vain. It is important to note that volunteering could even increase your chances of getting a job. In an age when work experience is one of the pre-requisite to get a job, your volunteering experience would be helpful. For example, consider using your leadership and organisational skills, editing, writing, publicity, ICT, social media, medical and child caring skills. Give to the society voluntarily and you would succeed!
Mop up your social media: Watch what you post on the social media. Your first job might be lost as a result of one status update in the same way another could get you a job right before you graduate. Remove that gangster picture of yours. Be equally careful of those who tag you in their status updates, especially if such wouldn’t present you in a good light. If it requires you ‘unfriending’ or ‘blocking’ such people, please do! Be as modest as possible in your posts. There is no crime talking about religion, politics, ethnicity, gender or other topics of diverse views. But if you must, you should thread the path with high level of intellectuality based on facts and avoid maligning other people indiscriminately.
Study Smartly: Studentship isn’t all about working hard to get the highest of grades but studying smartly. Smart studying emphasises you understanding the course content beyond examination situations. More often than not, most students read just to pass exams. Yours should be an exception! Irrespective of what the course is, it important you can apply its contents beyond examination situations. You don’t want to open your over five hundred page engineering textbook when asked to determine solution to a mechanical fault!
Learn some skills: A skill-based personality is the ideal professionally-prepared personality. Go beyond the lectures to learn new skills applicable in the industry generally. It is possible that that step could place you above your peers in future. Skills learnt should be however relevant to contemporary times. Your skills are your selling points!
Engage in fruitful journeys: Before you decide on embarking on any sojourn as a student, weigh the benefits. Ask yourself what you stand to lose by not participating as much as you consider what you stand to gain. You don’t want to found in the midst of street urchins nor would you want to be caught in the web of some controversy betraying your sparkling good character.
Get yourself a mentor: Career mapping comes to play here. Your career should be plan-based. You would need a trustworthy professional in the field to be your mentor. He is more likely aware of current trends relating to achieving career success. He can easily help you in material and technical support where necessary. Your mentor should be your adviser in making professionally-inclined decisions. There is no need for an aspiring lawyer having a physician as his mentor. Choose your mentor wisely!
Start practicing before graduating: Do you want to be a teacher? Start acting as one directly or indirectly. Clinch with a professional in your field of choice and request being his assistant/intern Don’t expect to be paid since you are not yet a graduate. They could consider paying you if they have the resources to cater for that. You know what? Practice makes perfect!
Be prayerful: God is the one who makes our plans materialise. Whatever we have in stock can only be successful combining dedication with prayer. There are stories of dedicated people who yet failed. That’s as a result of lack of God’s blessings in their acts. Think God first!
People generally see tertiary institution life as being full of freedom. Yes, it is! Everybody is free to do whatever they wish. Why not do something personally worthy of reverence and reference against the future? Choose to do something beneficial for yourself. Your future starts now!
