Few students entering Manipal have an idea of what they want to do after finishing with their university studies. Most begin to think about this closer to the fourth year and often realize that the university years were not used as effectively as it could be.
At the end of fourth year students often find themselves in a situation where some of them require professional experience and it seems a grave situation to them. Can you avoid this unfortunate situation? How to use the university years to be a stepping stone? Let’s try …
At the beginning of each academic year
- Write your own updated version of the summary of what you have gained in the past year, your inclinations towards certain subjects, your pathological dislike towards other subjects and so forth;
- Compare your actual resume with that of a picture-perfect candidate is in your interests, plan what you want to experience during the coming year;
- Join professional associations in your interests and obtain useful contacts, In Manipal you are lucky enough to have various useful organizations;
- Find a student organization in the area of your interests and join it;
- Subscribe to and read the journals of your professional direction.
The First Year
- Test yourself. Find out what you like more to do, why you enjoy that more areas for you. You can use tests from www.similarminds.com and www.9types.org;
- Learn more about trends in the labor market and possible ways of your professional development. You can use information from McKinsey or view analysis from some of the best recruiting companies via various magazines;
- Create a separate file to record all the plans and events in your professional life for the next four years;
- Decide for yourself at least four professional qualities required by potential employers and Plan how you will develop these qualities;
- Visit training in resume writing and other workshops of this type. Similar training sessions conducted by different organizations. In any case, you can always find many interesting materials on the Internet;
- Write your first resume. Even if there are more white spots, this is a very useful exercise. It helps you understand your weaknesses and begin to work on them;
- Visit the Career guidance counsellor at Manipal.edu building and gather information on professional development, potential employers and the requirements for successful candidates;
- Do not forget to pay enough attention to your academics. Develop theoretical and factual knowledge;
- Join a student organization, work which will help you develop the necessary skills.
- Gather information about internships, summer universities, programs, projects …
- Think about the volunteer activities that will help gain professional experience and improve your resume.
The second step
- Analyze the progress in the development of professional skills that you identified earlier;
- Visit the presentations, simulations and training, which companies conduct in universities (your own or other);
- Attempt to gain leadership positions in student organizations you join;
- Collect letters of recommendation from professors, leaders of organizations and employers.
The Third Step
- More professionally identify areas in which you want to develop;
- Visit training / interviews;
- Try to get some training interviews;
- Analyze the progress in the development of professional skills that you identified earlier;
- Visit the presentations, simulations and training, which companies suit in universities;
- Work on leadership positions in student / volunteer organizations;
- If you think about the master’s program, begin to gather information about schools, programs, tests and requirements for candidates;
- Collect letters of recommendation from professors, leaders of organizations and employers.
The Fourth Step
- Make a list of employers that interest you with full contact information, positions, requirements and other information that is important to you;
- Conduct research on salaries to form realistic expectations;
- Write a new version of resume and cover letter, which can be easily adapted to different positions and companies;
- Try to get some training interviews;
- Complete the application form or send your resume;
- Follow the progress of each application form – be active and not wait two months until you call;
- Successfully complete the interview and start your professional activities.
Be the first to comment