Blog by Anish Vadgama
During the time of the coronavirus, lockdown, many job opportunities have somewhat been limited and even cancelled by companies which therefore leaves final year students as well as university graduates uncertain about their future career prospects. The lockdown has presented higher challenges and hurdles for graduate employment especially in an economic impact. If you’re a final year student or recent graduate facing this situation, please understand that you are not alone and that many others are in the same boat as you.
I was in a similar position last summer. Having graduated with a digital media degree from Portsmouth University, months before the coronavirus pandemic started, I was a bit unsure of what path I wished to follow. I researched several IT and media companies to get a glimpse of the sort of work they do (such as BT, Sky, TUI and King) while also applying for roles I found interesting within them. However, I’ve had no luck and it was mainly due to the high competition of candidates going after the same role at one time.
One of the things I did however manage to do was a few online IT courses (such as cyber security and business admin) while also pursuing a hobby at the same time (this was photography). Not only did all this help me boost up my motivation skills but also my employability skills. Normally, many employers would appreciate that you’ve done something useful in your spare time and would also look great on your CV.
While many graduate opportunities are limited at the moment, here is a list of many great things you can do during this difficult time in which employers will truly appreciate:
- Pick up a hobby (e.g. photography, art)
- Take an online course (useful sites: LinkedIn Learning, Linux Academy, Vision2Learn)
- Learn a new language (e.g. Spanish, French)
- Learn to code
- Update your online presence
- Craft the perfect CV
- Try virtual internships
For more information, please visit http://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/getting-a-job/7-ways-to-improve-graduate-employability-in-lockdown
