Higher Ed Geek

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Making Sure That Your Education = Employment

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The main reasons most people pursue a degree is because they want to get a good job out of it. Of course there are other benefits, any kind of education you get is valuable and university can be a fun time to find your feet as an adult, make friends and do fun things. But at the end of it, you’re going to want a degree that opens doors to the kind of jobs you want to do. Here’s how you can ensure that your education will lead to a good chance of employment once you graduate

Choose a course with good employment prospects

When choosing your degree course, it’s important to go with something that interests you. You need to find what you’re leaning about to be rewarding and interesting or it’s going to be a very long and miserable three years. However, it’s worth thinking about different job prospects that come with different courses too. For example, your dream course might have very low employment rates at the end of it, or it might be in a field that’s so competitive that it’s hard to secure any kind of job unless you get the highest grades. You’ll want to find something you’re interested in, with the balance of a course which also provides good job prospects. Some courses such as English or Psychology can be good as they can lead to lots of different types of career paths. 

Get a good grade

This might be easier said than done, but getting a good grade will really help you to utilise your degree. Students with the highest grades will be prioritised when it comes to jobs, so make sure you’re always doing your best. Set out enough time to revise and get coursework done so you’re not rushing and panicking at the last minute. 

Go further with your education

Many people decide that an undergraduate degree is the end of the line when it comes to their education and that’s fine. However, for others, getting that degree is just the start. You could go on to do a masters or a PhD, even certificates and diplomas (which aren’t as high up as a degree) can be useful. This is because they allow you to specialise, for example you could get a degree in psychology but gain extra diplomas after in nutrition and counselling which would be good if you wanted to work with people with eating disorders. You could get a degree in politics but gain further certification in history and sociology to expand your knowledge, you can get everything from AP world history to quantum physics textbooks online to aid you with your exams if you’re studying online. 

Do some voluntary work

Use your evenings, weekends or free periods between classes wisely since voluntary work is highly valuable. Even an hour a week would look good on your resume and give you some great experience which employers will covet when you come to apply for jobs. Aim to do voluntary work in an area similar to what you want to work in. For example, if you plan on working in healthcare then voluntary work in a hospital would suit you.