These days, developing the skills for a graduate position starts when you are studying. The facts about finding a job after you have completed your course can sometimes be grim, with an average of 85 applicants for every graduate position. Fortunately, there are numerous skills that you can develop while studying that future employers are looking for when you apply for graduate jobs.
When studying your course, look to build upon and develop these skills:
Your Leadership Skills
Kent has numerous programs and workshops that students can attend in order to develop their leadership and management skills. Our LEAD program is the perfect answer for any student looking to take leadership roles and develop their professional skillset while studying here at Kent. The program encourages students to volunteer, assist and inform other students in various environments. Email lead@kent.staging-sites.com.au if the program sounds like something you would be interested in.
Other activities and programs that Kent offer its students include:
- Joining the Student Representative Group (SRG)
- Weekly Workshops and Events for Professional Development
- Volunteering
Your Soft Skills
By studying your chosen degree course, you automatically develop some of the key skills that recruiters are looking for when hiring candidates for graduate roles. Most of the courses at Kent require students to take part in group assignments, encouraging collaboration and teamwork from students in order to achieve an acceptable grade. Communication is also a very important part to group work, with other soft skills such as time management and critical thinking playing pivotal roles in achieving success. By developing these soft skills as part of your study requirements, you will be well on your way to honing the skills that recruiters are looking for when hiring graduates.
Your Professional Experience
Seeking part-time work or an internship in a professional environment is pretty much a given these days for students looking to grow their professional skills. As competition grows for graduate roles, you need to look at finding ways of separating yourself from the competition. Recruiters look very favourably on students who have taken the initiative to find an internship in a professional office while they are still studying. Not only does this grow your professional development, but also in a lot of cases employers will look to hire their interns should they show a level of commitment and effort for the job.
By acting today, you can take the steps necessary to securing your first professional job upon your graduation. By studying your chosen course, you are well on the way to excelling in your career, however, you should always keep in mind the other avenues open to you to improve your overall professional and social skillset while studying here at Kent.
