We get it – you probably don\u2019t want to be thinking about all the tough stuff when it\u2019s time for a break – us either!<\/p>\n
BUT, hear us out. We also know now is a great time to start doing just a little bit of prep work. Trust us, future, you will thank you for it!<\/p>\n
Planning for your future doesn\u2019t have to be all about HUGE decisions. It\u2019s often the tiny building blocks that lead us to where we want to be.<\/p>\n
While we definitely want you to grab some downtime this summer, if you do get bored – here are our top ten easy-to-implement ways to give your career a leg up.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re welcome.<\/em><\/p>\n First things first, in order to get anywhere with your career, you need to know what you\u2019re interested in!<\/p>\n This is no easy decision, but the good news is – it doesn\u2019t have to be set in stone.<\/p>\n Now is a perfect time to start getting some ideas together, and don\u2019t worry just yet about being completely practical. You can start with a simple list of all the different careers, roles or industry sectors you\u2019re interested in. Rank them from the ones you\u2019re most interested in into the ones you\u2019re maybe interested in.<\/p>\n Voila, you\u2019ve made a start!<\/p>\n Really unsure about what you\u2019re into? Check out our super <\/em><\/strong>Career Quiz<\/em><\/strong><\/a> for lots of spicy ideas!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Sitting down to write out a resume might feel like a slog – which is why now is the perfect time to work on it in small chunks. Set yourself a goal to complete one section per week, polishing to perfection as you go.<\/p>\n Rome wasn\u2019t built in a day, after all – neither does your resume have to be!<\/p>\n Want some top tips on what your resume should include? <\/em><\/strong>Hit up our informative blog here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Better yet – draft three!<\/p>\n Pick the top three jobs you\u2019re interested in and challenge yourself with writing a cover letter for each.<\/p>\n You could write these generally to help build your skills with this important (but let\u2019s face it, slightly tedious) task OR amp things up by finding a job online you like and drafting a cover letter for it.<\/p>\n Get help with <\/em><\/strong>what a cover letter should look like here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n No need to rush into creating a profile just yet (but we won\u2019t stop you). If you want to get a leg up into the world of professional social media, it\u2019s worth taking a peek!<\/p>\n LinkedIn can be a great resource to help uncover internships, work experience and entry-level jobs – as well as researching who\u2019s who (which will help with who you should be addressing your cover letters to when the time comes!)<\/p>\n Get started with LinkedIn by <\/em><\/strong>clicking here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n We\u2019ve said it before, and we\u2019ll say it again: volunteering ISN\u2019T all op shops and collecting rubbish. Whatever you\u2019re into – we bet there\u2019s a way to get some great experience through volunteering.<\/p>\n And if that draft resume is looking a bit bare, volunteering is a fantastic way to start padding it out with worthy accolades!<\/p>\n Find out more about <\/em><\/strong>volunteering for your career here<\/em><\/strong><\/a> and <\/em><\/strong>find opportunities here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Now is a great time to go back to your original list of ideas and pick your number one top-choice industry to work in – yup, we\u2019re making you!<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve settled on your number one, it\u2019s time to dive deep. Start exploring all the different roles available, the potential academic pathways, and what else you\u2019ll need to consider to crack into this chosen industry.<\/p>\n Already picked your number one? Dive straight in with our <\/em><\/strong>Industry Profiles<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Once you know the types of jobs you\u2019re interested in (Career Quiz, anyone?<\/a>) – you can start thinking about how to find out more.<\/p>\n A mentor can be anyone who works in the field you\u2019re interested in or who might be able to give you some more information in general, such as a family member, a teacher or a careers advisor.<\/p>\n Start by asking your parents, friends\u2019 parents, older siblings, aunts, uncles – anyone in your close network if they know who you could speak to and start learning more.<\/p>\n Another great way to start uncovering more about the roles, industries and organisations you\u2019re interested in is through job shadowing.<\/p>\n Narrow down where you could work in your local area and write to them, or pop in and ask, if you can spend the day job shadowing.<\/p>\n Let them know specifically why you\u2019re interested and what you hope to gain from the experience: whether it\u2019s just learning more about the day-to-day, a chance to ask some questions about what qualifications you should aim for or anything else.<\/p>\n Check out some <\/em><\/strong>inspiring employer profiles here<\/em><\/strong><\/a> for some ideas!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n This doesn\u2019t have to be a solo venture – in fact, we guarantee it\u2019ll be way more fun with some friends involved.<\/p>\n You could arrange some meet-ups to give each other feedback on your resumes or cover letters, do some job searching together or volunteer together.<\/p>\n Life\u2019s better (and way more motivating) with friends; you don\u2019t need us to tell you that!<\/p>\n Want a helping hand for what you and your mates could get up to together (career-focused, that is!) – <\/em><\/strong>check out our events page here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong> SMART goals are a great way to get clear on what you want to achieve, break down bigger goals into manageable chunks, and stay motivated to make some real progress!<\/p>\n Your career goals, once again, don\u2019t need to be big and lofty. Ideas 2 through 9 could easily be transformed into a SMART goal for the year ahead.<\/p>\n But don\u2019t see this as your limit – set a SMART goal for whatever you want to achieve, and you\u2019ll be well ahead.<\/p>\n1. Figure out where you\u2019re headed<\/strong><\/h5>\n
2. Work on your resume<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n
3. Draft a cover letter<\/strong><\/h5>\n
4. Check out LinkedIn<\/strong><\/h5>\n
5. Start volunteering<\/strong><\/h5>\n
6. Pick your number one<\/strong><\/h5>\n
7. Find a mentor<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n
8. Be a shadow for the day<\/strong><\/h5>\n
9. Chat with your mates<\/strong><\/h5>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n10. Set some SMART goals<\/strong><\/h5>\n