When it comes to choosing what you want to do after university, then it can seem like there are a lot of questions but not very many answers. There is a range of different graduate jobs available working in various industries. So how do you know where to start?
The first thing to do is to remember that many graduate schemes offer the chance to experience different parts of the business, so you’ll get the opportunity to find out what it’s like to work in fields such as marketing, sales and customer service as well as to develop important transferable soft skills. These are great opportunities for you to develop.
Then, try and break it down. Instead of focusing on the question ‘What should I do for the rest of my life’ take a blank sheet of paper and write down the answers to these nine questions.
Questions you should ask
- Who is the one person you’d want to trade jobs with and why?
- What job have you always been curious about doing? Why?
- If your skills and education didn’t limit you, what would like to try?
- Are there any classes you wish you’d taken at university?
- What do your friends think you are really good at?
- What three things have you loved most about your work experience or internships so far?
- Which skill do you really wish you’d had the time to develop at university?
- If you had to work on a Saturday, what would you most like to be doing?
- How would you like your colleagues to remember you when you retire?
These nine questions form the basis of your brainstorm. Take a look at your answers and try and group them together into categories. You might notice some patterns emerging. It might be that you like working with the public, or enjoy being outdoors. This doesn’t quite give you a list of careers, but it does show you what you are passionate about.
Match these with the skills you have and your brainstorm will be looking more like the start of a cover letter or CV than a simple list. If you’re struggling then ask a mentor or career advisor for some help.
Are you currently looking for a graduate job and want something that gives you the chance to develop your skills in a number of different areas including business and management? Take a look at our graduate management scheme vacancies.
Another way to find out what it’s like to work for Enterprise is to join as an intern. Our internships last anything from a few weeks to a whole year.