What you should do in University to prepare for the job market
If you're studying Computer Science or anything related, you've probably heard that the job market is "cooked". To be completely honest, it is looking rough, but it's not as bad as a lot of people make it seem. In this blog I'll explain what you can do to give yourself the best possible chance in this new market.
Networking
GET OUT OF YOUR ROOM! I'll be honest, this is probably the most important thing, more important than doing well academically, yet it's something people do very little of. So many people finish university without having done any networking, then wonder why they aren't getting jobs. Here's the thing: getting a job is a networking game. Not knowing anyone in the field you want to work in is career sabotage.
You might question why networking is so important. Well, ask yourself this: who are you going to ask if anyone at their company is hiring? Who are you going to ask for a referral? You see the point I’m making. You need to make an effort to build meaningful connections with other people in your field. You never know, the person you teamed up with at some random hackathon could be the one who gives you that referral.
Also remember that you need to build connections without expecting anything in return. I’m saying just go out there and actually make friends, if they want to help you career wise then they'll help you out, if not then you've got an extra friend :D
How to network?
There are many ways you can network, here's a few you can do:
- Computing social events.
- Hackathons
- Networking events
- Online communities
You don't need to go to every event, but make an effort to go to most. Even if you're an introvert like me, just force yourself to go — it's not as bad as you're probably making it out to be. Also, for anyone who's shy, networking will really improve your confidence, which will benefit you when you start working in industry, because you're going to be talking to a lot of people, attending meetings, presenting, etc.
Here are some cool people I found at my university:
Give these guys a follow, they're absolutely cracked.
Go Beyond and Above
The work you do at university is probably not enough to get you hired. It's enough to give you a decent understanding of what you're learning, but most jobs require deeper knowledge, and you need to dive into your field in your spare time.
For example, if you want to work in cyber security, follow your professors on LinkedIn, watch YouTube videos about cyber security, read relevant newsletters, earn certifications, network with cyber security professionals, and attend industry events. You get the idea.
The job market is very competitive right now. You can’t afford to do the bare minimum at university and expect to land a job. You need to show genuine enthusiasm for your field, employers notice that. It demonstrates that you’re invested and capable of providing value.
Research whatever you need to do to get ahead of most people.
Conclusion
I hope I was able to give some useful insights, the job is tough at the moment but there are definitely things you can do to help yourself, just keep trying no matter what anyone says. Like usual, I always gotta promote my Discord Server lol. But yeah, thanks for reading and have a good one! ❤️