College Pass out? Here’s What You Should Do for Jobs & Placements!

Welcome to real-life! What’s next? What to do after I graduate from college? A question posed by millions in India. And there are loads of articles, blogs, and other resources out there, that detail what we can do next or someone else’s experiences. Why waste time going through each and every one of them when this blog, a compilation of all these resources, will give you a clear-cut idea about what to do next.

While there are hundreds of different things one can do after graduating, this blog will only be talking about 5 routes that you can take and they are:

1. Find a Job
2. Higher Studies
3. Startups and Freelancing
4. Internships and Fellowships
5. Bootcamps

Finding a Job

Almost always, the goal of an Indian college student is to land a job by the end of their final year. You will have heard of the terms “on-campus and off-campus placements” and we are pretty sure you know what they mean. They each have their pros and cons and this page gives you a detailed view. While there is a hype among students for campus placements, not getting a job in them does not mean the end of the world.

Either way, there are a few things that are required, from a great resume to technical and soft skills, to land a job. Talking about a good resume, try using an online resume maker or sites with resume templates like Canva, Figma, etc. Resumes, CVs, and Cover Letters — These are resources from Harvard on resume making. A resume should have the following sections:

• Resume title and header section
• A summary of your achievements
• Work Experience
• Education
• Skills
• Optional sections: Certifications, Affiliations, Projects, Research and Publications, Activities and Interests and any other information you might think is relevant.
• Also, add in a good professional-looking photograph of yourself.

Colleges and Universities talk about 90% of placements while you see on the news about the rising unemployability. Why is that?… A few of the reasons are the lack of the right skills or skill gap, no Industry accountability, and no Adaptive curriculum. It is upon ourselves to develop the right skill set. It’s great if you had started skill-building from the 2nd or even the 1st year of college. But if you have not, it matters not because you can still develop your skillset through higher studies, internships, and certificate courses.

Another thing that you should do is to establish your presence on professional networks like LinkedIn, Naukri, Monster.com, etc. This makes it easy for employers to search and assess you as a potential candidate. Also, the best opportunities for you might not even be advertised. Writing speculative applications to organizations that you have your eyes on allows you to gain extremely valuable experience. We will be talking about the soft skills required at the end of this blog.

Higher Studies

Another option to the question “what next?”, is pursuing higher studies. People pursue this for many reasons like:

• Having extra flexibility
• One degree is often not enough for certain careers
• Postgraduate study can help you find a clear career goal
• Boosts your earning potential
• To develop a new skill or for personal enjoyment or satisfaction.
• To gain confidence
• To improve your social and business network and discipline.

Few of the trending courses and studies one can pursue are**:**

• MBA
• Tech
• Post Graduate Diploma in various subjects
• Short-Term Job Oriented Courses

Now, another question can arise, do we study in India or abroad? Again, people choose either due to different reasons, while 47% made decisions based on the Tuition Fees, 23% made decisions based on the University’s reputation among employers, 10% on the social life offered, 6% on the Diversity of students and staff, and so on. There are, yet again, pros and cons to each of these. The decision mainly depends on the field of study you opt for, your finances, and what you want to do in the future. Here is an article that explains the difference between education in India and abroad.

Another point to remember is that, as a growing number of companies have started working across borders and cultures, an international university degree on your resume will keep you a step ahead of the competition in the job market. Employers tend to associate such candidates with the following skills:

• International exposure
• Great social skills
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Advanced communication skills and language proficiency
• Self-reliance
• Risk-taking
• Understanding cross-cultural dynamics
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Global network

Studying in a foreign country is not without its difficulties. However, it is important to prepare and not get caught up in rumors.

Working with Startups and Freelancing

Freelancers and startups are now said to be a match made in paradise. Statistics have proved that startups find outsourcing work a better option than hiring permanent employees. So, here is another avenue to explore when faced with the question “what’s next?”.

The demand for hiring freelancers has boomed like never before. The uncertainty in the present world has made businesses value the flexibility that can be attained through freelancers. Freelancing allows you to gain experience in different sectors, be your own boss, value teamwork, and much more. It is definitely something worth exploring.

But there are a few hiccups, read them on this page and then make your decision. Remember, most freelancers rely on two or three skills.

A startup is a company or project undertaken by an entrepreneur to seek, develop, and validate a scalable business model. Startups refer to new businesses that intend to grow large beyond the solo founder. In the beginning, startups face high uncertainty and have high rates of failure, but a minority of them do go on to be successful and influential. Talking about startups, as with everything, there are pros and cons with working for a startup right after you graduate. These are greatly detailed in this article.

Internships and Fellowships

While the terms “internship” and “fellowship” are often used interchangeably, the two differ in the application process, the target applicant, the experience itself, the money, and more. They both can hold great value in your career road map.

Typically, a fellowship is offered to students at the graduate and post-graduate levels, but is also offered to other levels. The fellows use the fellowship time and funding to complete specific research or projects. These projects are done with the intention that they will help the participant succeed in their respective fields.

Internships have a duration from a few weeks to three or six months. They are mainly for undergraduate students and are intended to give the candidates industrial experience. But you can still do an internship after graduation, and it may give you a better shot at landing a full-time job later. Several organizations and companies have created internship programs specifically for people who have graduated. This is a link to an article called Fellowship vs. Internship: Definitions and Key Differences.

Bootcamps

Bootcamps are usually considered as an alternative to university and college programs. Because boot camps align their curriculum with enterprise needs, they focus on new tools that may have not been a part of your college studies. Boot camps also make it simpler for graduates to change their career paths without enrolling in every other degree program. There are a variety of models bootcamps like Full-time in person, Full-time remote, Self-paced online, Part-time career-focused, and so on. They each have their own pros and cons and the right fit will depend on your situation. Bootcamps are commonly offered in the areas of AI, Computer Coding, Data Analytics, Data Science, Digital Marketing, FinTech, IT, ML, UX/UI, Web Development, etc.

///Mulearn career labs

Soft skills

Soft skills are non-technical skills that relate to how you work. They include how you interact with colleagues, how you solve problems, and how you manage your work. They are general characteristics that help employees thrive in the workplace, no matter what their seniority level is or role, or industry. Soft skills can help you find, attract, and retain clients.

When applying for a new job, highlight your soft skills and job-specific skills. It is worth researching what values are important for the jobs and companies that you are applying to. Communication, Teamwork, Problem-solving, Time management, Critical thinking, Creativity, Openness to criticism are all soft skills, just to name a few.

Read this article to know more about soft skills: 10 skills India’s graduates need to lead a bright career.

References

• [What Are Soft Skills and Why Are They Important in the Workplace](https://www.mbopartners.com/blog/how-manage-small-business/why-are-soft-skills-important/#:~:text=Why Are Soft Skills Important,%2C attract%2C and retain clients.)
• What Are Soft Skills?
• What are soft skills?
• Internships vs. Fellowships: What’s the Difference?
• Startup company
• Freelance Marketplaces: The future of work in the business world
• 8 Myths Indians Have About Foreign Education
• How to Choose a Career: 7 Ways to Narrow Your Options
• Reasons To Consider Further Study After A Degree
• 7 Resume Headers and Sections You Need (+ Examples)
• Tech Bootcamps Overview