University is inevitably not only a place to study and have fun, but also to help get your desired graduate job. Each person's experience during university will vary, and so it is expected that graduates will have different views about the key skills that they have gained.
Recently, a survey by a recruitment agency has indicated that two thirds of graduates thought that their degree helped them to get a graduate job. To be more specific, 34% thought their degree was "indispensable" and another 32% referred to their degree as "somewhat useful". This demonstrates the overarching theme that despite the higher costs, university provides a solid start to a career. It seems that graduates who have a more positive view of university life were more proactive in their approach as a student, and really thought about which particular skills to develop to help impress prospective employers.
However, 34% of those surveyed stated that they had not used any of the skills or knowledge gained at university in their first graduate job. This is actually quite understandable, since there are not that many graduate jobs, which directly use knowledge that you have gained during university, apart from some specialist roles. Therefore, the key is to focus on the transferable skills gained, such as numeracy, writing, problem solving, teamwork and organisational skills, to name a few, that are more frequently used in the workplace. In most graduate jobs, you will find students from a wide range of degree disciplines and you are provided with training to help you to learn more about the company and industry.
So, how can you make the most of university life and turn the experience into a productive graduate job offer? One of the key points is to become involved in a breadth of extra-curricular activities, such as societies. This will give you the chance to work in some positions of responsibility, especially if you are on a committee, for example. Also, you need to start your search for graduate jobs early during university and consider doing summer internships or work experience. Networking at different events is another way of making new connections, perhaps with university alumni, who can give you an inside look into the career path that they have chosen.
Overall, you need to become immersed in university life by studying, doing extra-curricular activities and thinking about your career path early on. Attending a range of events will help you to make more contacts and should ultimately help you to make a decision about your career path. Still, it is important to realise that even though you may not directly use the knowledge gained during university in your career, the skills and experience that you have developed over those few years, will no doubt put you in a good position when you start your first graduate job.
Arnab Datta
