Some people decide to use university to have fun, hang out and sample the different flavors that life has to offer. More power to them, I say. Others, however, decide to use it to more professional ends. They use it to kick start their career.
And that too I can understand. After all, there really is no better place to start out your career than a university. After university, you’ll have to deal with being seen as young and inexperienced. And that is something you can only change by growing older and getting a bit more experience. That isn’t the case as Uni, however. For there the vast majority is around your age and you’re far more likely to get the credit you’re due.
And then, when you’ve kick started your career and hit the ground running, it will be that much harder for people to dismiss you.
The question, then, is how do you do that?
Work in a lab
If your goal is to stay in academia, you can certainly do worse than start off working in a professor’s lab. Particularly if you get along well with the professor, this is a great opportunity to both get a head start in learning how to do research, as well as build those connections that you’ll need to translate your education into an actual occupation.
One thing that you have to make sure of is that you don’t get star blinded. Some famous scientists are absolute horrors to work for. For that reason, before you decide to work in a lab, make sure that you get the full heads up about what it is like there. Some labs are fantastic opportunities to learn the ropes and get to know the people. Other labs are little more than slave labor. Fortunately, a few well-placed questions will get you the answers you are looking for.
Get some internships
A lot of people frown on internships. They see it as the new apprenticeships, which are only available to people that actually have money. Be that as it may (and there is some truth to that), they’re still a fantastic opportunity to learn the ropes in your chosen profession and, if you can make a good impression, can mean the difference between having to look on the open market for a job and having one offered to you by the people you work for.
If you are going to do an internship, make sure you take it seriously. It is better to take one internship and do a stellar job at it than do a bunch of internships and not shine in any of them. In the former case, you might actually get a job offer or at least a stellar letter of recommendation. In the latter case, however, the only real benefit you’ll get is a bit of experience and a line on your CV.
Volunteer
Particularly if you want to go into something service or socially oriented, volunteering is a great way to gain both experiences with people, enhance your empathy and get a real leg up when you do decide to apply.
Heck, you might even find that the place you volunteer at will offer you a position that pays if you’re committed enough and willing to put in the hours. And it always looks great on a CV when you manage to work your way up the employment ladder.
Don’t quite know where to start? Then try this list of the best student volunteer opportunities for upcoming holidays.
Start a Blog
Here I’m not just talking about any blog – I’m talking about something that is dedicated to the field that you’re actually hoping to pursue when you’re done. A personal blog will only serve you with your friends and family, while a blog that’s dedicated to your future field will allow you to learn a great deal about your field and – if you come across professionally enough – might even position you as an authority. That’s a great thing to have in your corner when you’re applying for jobs.
A few things to note: Make sure that your blog is specialized enough. The big boys already have all the broad categories covered and they’ve got serious budgets to write outstanding content. It’s going to be hard to compete with them. If you find the right niche, however, then you won’t have as much competition.
Concentrate on quality over quantity. If you manage to keep your blog going for a few years, then it doesn’t matter if you post once a week or twice. Nobody is going to read all that anyway. Instead, focus on making each entry as high-quality as possible. If you have a lack of inspiration you may use writing services asking for help. That is something they will notice. And high-quality articles are far more likely to position you as an authority.
Last words
And that’s only a few possibilities. There are plenty more. In large part, it’s just a matter of getting involved, pushing a little bit beyond your comfort zone and getting out there. When you’re meeting people – particularly if they’re busy in a professional capacity – and you’re willing to ask a lot of questions (like, ‘can I work here?’) a lot more doors might open than you expected.
The thing to realize is that life doesn’t give you anything. You’ve got to be willing to go out there and take it. At first, that might seem a bit depressing. But then you’ll realize if it gave everybody something than most of us wouldn’t get much. If on the other hand, you have to go out there and take it, well, since most people don’t do that, that means there is far more left over for those of us that are willing to try.
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