Skills you should work on before graduating

College life is exciting, and everyone can admit that they look back at it with fondness. What with the hangouts and parties, new social experiences and adventures, making new friends and expanding your social network. The only worry that students normally have is that concerning grades – and sometimes finances. Such a lively time makes them not want college to end. But, no matter how clichéd it sounds, every good thing comes to an end. And so does college. Before you know it you have graduated and are ready to step into the professional world. And everyone is not always ready for it.

Graduation Skills
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After you graduate you have to work on finding opportunities and managing that successfully requires certain savvy skills. Not only do you need to have had engaged in several extracurricular activities during college time but work experience before graduation is a plus as well. You have to have real world experiences while still at college to gain a competitive edge that would make you stand you out among the numerous candidates. College is a safe place, warm and protective like a womb. It is only when you step out that you actually get to know about the real world. By blending your college time with real-life experiences you prepare yourself to face the real world. It is highly suggested that you gain certain common skill sets to polish yourself before graduating and avoid facing any trouble when you enter the professional world.

Communication skills

It is only through effective communication that you can put forward your point. Improper communication, both verbal and nonverbal, may lead to several misunderstandings which, in turn, can cause problems later on. Communicating effectively is an art you need to master. In the professional world it is very important to present your thoughts properly and persuasively. Your communication skills determine how well of an opportunity you manage to get and how effectively you can meet the organizational goals.

Market yourself

Today it has become extremely easy to market yourself, what with the extensive use of social media such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Make full use of social media; meet new people and catch up with old acquaintances; grow relationships. Take social engagement seriously; this skill set is something that several companies seek. No matter what your field or degree, you will always need to sell yourself for which you have to build a brand of yourself.

Gain work experience

Before stepping into the professional world, if you have a part-time job during your college time you will be able to polish your skills. You will learn how to behave professionally and what employers expect of you. Work experience is always a plus on your résumé and employers are increasingly looking for work experience rather than a degree.

Office and web skills

Again, no matter what your degree, you will need to have certain common office and web skills and companies will expect you to have them. Using Microsoft Office and sending professional emails come under these kinds of skills. Researching online effectively should be a must to know and you should have the ability to use current technology.

Time management

Whatever your job title, you just have to know how to manage your time. Prioritizing your work is extremely necessary to make sure that tasks are completed in a timely manner. During college you must have had some work or the other that you particularly disliked, yet you had to complete it. Such will be the case in the professional world as well. There will be work you will need to get done even if you do not want to and you will be responsible for it since it is the company as a whole who would suffer unlike just yourself, as had been the case during college.

Working in a team

More often than not you will need to work with several other people from your workplace even if you do not get along with them well. You must have had group assignments and projects during college too and would have probably come across quite unmanageable people. You have to learn this skill as well. You have to learn how to deal with the various kinds of people having diverse personalities if you are to contribute to your team. This also helps build up your communication.

Managing your finances

If you lived on our own during college you must have faced with financial issues. You would have realized how important it is to budget your money and keep your spending in limits to save money for the more important items and not purchasing something you just wanted out of whim. If college life did not help you gain this skill, start now. It is never too late to start managing your money. You will need your money management skills desperately when your grace period after graduation ends and it is time to start making the repayments for the student loans you took out during college.

Here’s a bigger list of career skills.

About the Author: Rachael Everly is a passionate blogger who loves to write on the topics related to personal finance and money management. Follow @RachaelEverly for further updates.

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