Do not fret though, it is normal to feel this way. You are definitely not alone. Every single graduate, including you, has to have first hand experience venturing into this unchartered territory. While you are figuring out what your next step should be or in the midst of drafting your resumé, here are some steps that I’ve found helpful:
1. Know Your Self Worth
No matter whether you get an offer from a large corporate or get nothing from even the smallest SMEs, these do not and shouldn’t dictate your self worth. I came
into the working world rather late compared to my friends around me. While they have been working for a couple of months, I was still struggling to get a job.
Honestly, I was dying internally. I was constantly comparing myself with the people around me, feeling sorry for myself for not being able to land a job as good
as theirs and it made me question myself, ‘maybe I’m not as capable as I thought I was’. Truth is, each of us are blessed with different talents and capabilities
that will contribute to the working society one way or another. It is recognising this fact and looking for something or some place that you can not only use, but
grow these capabilities that you have, even developing some new ones. Know your self worth. Just in case you’re wondering, I’ve found a decent job and am happily
working right now.
2. Keep a Hobby
While job hunting, let’s face it, if you’re not doing anything, you have more than enough time to kill. This can either be a good or bad thing. If you’ve been restless
throughout your university life, then take this opportunity to relax and binge on whatever Netflix series that you didn’t have time to start. On the other hand, if you
used to being constantly on-the-move, suddenly having too much free time can be detrimental to your mental health. This gives your mind space to wander off to thinking
about unnecessary things and it can be dangerous. So, while you’re patiently applying and waiting on companies, be sure to keep a hobby. It can be anything, from
exercising to reading to writing, as long as you find joy in doing it. If you don’t already have a hobby, find one! 😉
3. Keep a Journal and a To-Do List
Remember the new year resolutions you make every year when the firework go off and ending up having no recollection of it at all by end of February? Yes, I’m talking
about that New Years. Well, it’s time to put it to good use! While you’re job seeking, you can start on your ‘I would exercise 3 days a week’ or ‘I’m gonna read 5 books’
goals you made last New Years. What I personally do is to have a to-do list every month that ties in with the New Years resolution I’ve made and try to journal everyday
to keep track of the progress. This will really help you to keep yourself motivated and productive while playing the job hunting game. Be sure to also add a ‘Things I’m
Grateful For’ column to count your blessings everyday. #blessed
At that point of time, I saw myself accepting the job in my hometown as a huge mistake. It not only got me nowhere to what I wanted to pursue, it put in a socially difficult position as I had to endure the never ending question of ‘Why did you quit your job so quickly?’ Despite that, this incident made me open up to working away from home, leading to where I am today. When you think you’ve made a bad decision, don’t feel discouraged. Take it as a lesson and make a better one when another comes around.
4. Learn a New Skill
Job hunting may be tough. You may think, ‘I’m a potato and I have nothing to write on my CV to show to employers and you start to panic. Don’t worry, it’s never too late. For the benefit of you and your future employer, it is always great to learn a new skill. You can always go on Youtube and start learning video editing or maybe go for singing lessons since you enjoy singing in the shower. Take a short course on management or maybe even take part in religious activities. It doesn’t matter what you choose, just encourage yourself to try something which is out of your comfort zone and you’ll definitely learn not only practical, but also life skills too.
5. Explore and Keep Your Options Open
Job seeking nowadays is made pretty convenient with the help of the advancement of technology. Just scrolling through a job portal on site will give you access to all the job vacancies employers are offering. Even so, don’t just confine yourself to the four walls of your room, go out and explore! You will never know what other things are in stored for you out of the confinements of your laptop screen. You can always engage yourself in other job opportunities like freelancing, internships or even voluntary work. It’ll add value to you and your CV. Additionally, you can always look out for any career fairs coming up like the Mega Careers and Study Fair in the coming September as they can help you to have a wider idea of how the job market is like.
‘When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too’ – Paulo Coelho
Article by Rebecca Koay