Started my journey about 6 years ago as an international student, and I'm now a software developer at one of the most popular HR software companies in Australia.
Whether you are still in school or recently graduated and seeking a job or are early in your career, this article is for you.
I've seen and learned important lessons in the last two years so I hope that sharing them with you can not only help you land your first job but also advance in your career.
But hey, keep in mind that the below tip is nothing if you don't take any action.
Honestly, I'm quite lazy and unmotivated from time to time (something I'm still working on). I just learn to put effort into the things that matter. And that's exactly what I'm going to share - strategic ways to get you in the game.
And this article is about the first one on the list.
Who you know > What you know
According to this survey, more than 85% of jobs are filled via networking. And, around 70% of jobs are not published online.
That's a LOT OF hidden jobs and you must be wondering why. The hiring process is not that cheap and it's not simple for a company to find someone that fits into the role and the company's culture. Therefore, it's way more cost-effective for companies to hire via referral.
And now you know this fact (something I didn't know 😕), you should start making your decisions to give yourself maximum exposure to the massive hidden market out there.
👷♂️Part-time job
This is something we have at some point in our university lives. But did we consider much when we apply for one?
For most of us, it's likely money 💰 which is the main reason to have a part-time job.
I know people who earn a decent amount of money with their part-time jobs, but the thing is the jobs are barely relevant or not relevant at all to the major they study at schools
They like it because it helps them pay bills and buy things; therefore, they keep it for years.
And when the time comes - graduation day, they struggle to find a full-time job because of no relevant experience. So they got to keep working hard at the same part-time job to pay the bills.
I almost got stuck in this cycle when I got a much higher salary than my peers made at that time. I enjoyed the money so much that sometimes I sacrificed my study to earn more.
It was until one early morning walking home from an internet coffee near my place after playing LoL from 10 pm (after work), it was my 20th birthday and I started wondering what the hell I was doing in my life.
I decided to give up that high-paid job and embraced the journey to find ones that were going to help me with my career.
At that time, I was not sure if it was the right decision but now I got paid much higher while having more freedom to do what I love (helping people taking a similar path).
It's critical that you are aware of this. I know that money might be important to some individuals, especially international students, but...
The ability to generate money in the long-term is more valuable than the money itself.
Questions you can ask yourself to guide your decisions:
- If you don't have a part-time job yet, what part-time job would equip you with the core skills required for your dream career?
- If you have one, is yours giving you access to the right people and teaching you the relevant skills?
- If you struggle to have the answers to the above questions. How about freelancing? Whatever you need to learn to start freelancing will still be relevant while looking for a full-time job. So why not shoot one arrow for two birds?
🧑💻Internships
This is how you get the first half of your foot into the industry and create connections with the professionals.
So make this your priority if you are in your last two years at university.
- Your school: Check if your schools offer any placement and put extra effort to secure the spots.
- GradConnection: where you can easily find internship opportunities.
🤝 Networking Events
What I regret most is not putting making friends as my top priority when I was in university even though it is the easiest place to start and build meaningful relationships.
Building meaningful rapport is not easy and takes a lot of practice. So where are the best places to practice networking?
Hackathons!!
I can't recommend this enough. Build skills and connections at the same time.
Where you can find hackathons:
Where you can find events that are relevant to:
Conclusion
Networking is not easy, I have to say, especially for introverts. I hope the tips and resources shared in this article somewhat put oil on the wheels. I still remember how hard it was for me to get the first step into the door. So please do reach out if you think there is anything I can help with.
All the best 🤞