After 3+ years of going to lectures, one-too-many lie-ins, and occasionally pulling all-nighters in the library, graduation is finally here.
With your graduation certificate in-hand, the world is your oyster – and you’re ready to make your next move; whether that be getting a graduate job, becoming self-employed, pursuing postgraduate study, or taking a gap year after university.
For the majority of university graduates, it’s the time to find the graduate job of your dreams.
If, that is, you know what your dream job is.
All our lives, it’s been ingrained in us that there is a perfect job out there for everyone.
For thousands of university graduates all over the world, this isn’t the case – the first few years after graduation may be spent figuring out exactly what you want to do. Check out this career test for graduates to help you figure out your ideal job.
Even if you are set on your dream career, many graduate jobs want you to have some previous work experience in order to even be considered for the position – posing a problem to recent graduates with zero real work experience outside of work study.
How do they expect you to get real work experience if nobody is willing to hire you?
If you are a recent university graduate and are having trouble deciding exactly what you want to do, or getting your foot in the door of your career field, all is not lost.
There are plenty of great graduate jobs that may not be in the career field you end up in, but are great jobs to have on your resume and expand your graduate skill set.
3 graduate jobs you can do with any degree
Customer Service Representative
Customer service jobs have gained a bit of a bad reputation over the years; but the truth is, they can often be a great starting point for graduates.
Customer service graduate jobs will often have great opportunities for advancement and to cross-train in different departments; especially if you find the right company.
Customer Service jobs often go by various titles, such as Customer Service Representative, Customer Support Executive, Customer Service Assistant, Support Officer, Support Agent or Front Desk Agent. They tend to require skills such as:
- Conflict resolution
- Relationship building
- Problem-solving
- Sales
Administrative Assistant
There may once have been a time where Administrative Assistants were seen as the “runner” of the company – but today’s Administrative Assistant has a new world of responsibilities.
Depending on your responsibilities and who you’re reporting to, an Administrative Assistant is in prime position to learn the inner workings of how a business is run – and therefore has great opportunities for career progression.
An Administrative Assistant may also be known as a Team Assistant, an Office Assistant, Administrator, Receptionist or Data Entry Clerk.
Skills needed for a job as an Administrative Assistant include:
- Organisational skills
- Effective communication
- Ability to work under pressure
- Basic understanding of computers and computer programs
It can also be a great segway into an HR, office management or Executive Assistant role – check out our admin assistant jobs!
Account Executive / Account Manager
Account management graduate jobs are a great choice if you don’t know exactly what sector you want to work in, because they give graduates exposure to a world of different work environments and individuals.
As an Account Manager, you’d be responsible for managing different accounts, acting as the face of the company, and liaising with clients and internal employees.
Skills needed for a job as an Account Executive or Account Manager include:
- Effective communication
- Charm
- Problem-solving
- Product/client knowledge
- Client satisfaction
If this matches your skillset, check out our Pr Account Executive jobs!
Self-employment
For some graduates, the idea of working for themselves and starting up their own business is more attractive than getting a graduate job at a corporate.
If this is something you seriously are considering, there are a few things you need to do first.
If you’re thinking about entering the entrepreneurial world, the first thing you need to do is determine what you want your business to be.
Is your business going to be an E-commerce store, or is it going to be a “brick and mortar” store?
The next thing you would need to do is build your business a website.
Be sure to check the availability of domain names so you won’t have your heart set on one that’s already being used.
Once you have your website in place, you can transition your focus on the inner working of your business.
There’s tons of advice out there on setting up your own business post-university – so if you have your heart set on it, do your research.
There are several different routes to take after graduation; and if you choose to get a graduate job after university, you’ll quickly learn that the job hunt can be tough.
If you don’t know exactly what you want to do yet, why not consider entry level research jobs – they provide a great stepping stone for those unsure about whether they want to work in academia or the private sector.
Discover the latest Career Advice or check out our Graduate Jobs.
