As the job market becomes more competitive, you can’t simply rely on academic qualifications alone to get hired.

While it’s not a must, having a track record in relevant areas of work is the number one criterion that employers look for in any candidate.

That’s why many fresh graduates find themselves getting lost in the job hunt battle even before it starts.

It’s not an impossible mission to gain valuable experience while studying. In fact, there are many things you can do to build a CV that will help secure your dream job.

Here’s how you can do so.

1. Work on your campus

Take advantage of your own institution before jumping into the job search jungle.

Although limited, some universities do offer on-campus jobs for students as a financial aid programme or an actual internship placement.

Besides the general positions like library receptionist or IT lab assistants, you can also find academic jobs as a research assistant or teaching assistant.

Visit the counsellor’s office to get the information that you’ll need or seek advice directly from your professors.

Also, don’t just look for paid career opportunities unless you really need some sort of income to pay for tuition.

Even if there is no official employment available in your university, you can still gain valuable experiences through volunteer work or other student activities.

Assuming that your goals are to work on your resume and build meaningful relationships, you should consider taking up a position in a student organisation.

Being a student ambassador can also help you develop competence, people skills and communication skills.

Tip: If you want to have more exposure to the global environment, do check out AIESEC. They are a non-profit organisation that focuses on building leadership potential in students through international exchange programmes and internships.

2. Choose your internship wisely

As soon as you decide on a course to major in, you’ll need to start exploring the career options that you are interested in.

While you can’t determine a career pathway to embark on immediately, you certainly can define the professions most central to what you study.

The most obvious way to kick-start your career before you officially graduate is through an internship. However, keep in mind that not all internships are created equal.

There will be programmes where you can put your knowledge into practice and there will also be those that merely require you to perform menial office tasks.

You should think of different ways to polish your resume to land an ideal internship. A rule of thumb is to keep up with changes in your field because textbooks are never going to be enough to prepare you for actual industry demands.

From there, you’ll be able to figure out the essential skills that you need to focus on in order to stay ahead of your peers in the workforce.

3. Develop in-demand skills and showcase them

The race for employment has changed a lot along with technological advancement. You don’t distribute your resumes door-to-door anymore, although some employers still practice walk-in interviews.

Today, it’s all about the digital race.

From job searches to personal development, the Internet is the ultimate resource to help you launch a career successfully.

Almost anyone has Facebook and knows a thing or two about the digitalisation trend across many businesses. If you can demonstrate the skills that are relevant to this digital age, you’ll instantly score a plus point in the eyes of recruiters.

This is also a part of personal branding, in which you showcase your resume or portfolio online instead of the conventional job application.

In brief, you may want to establish a personal website or blog to tell the world who you are.

Have a knack for writing? Demonstrate your talent through regular blog posts. Passionate about marketing? Market yourself!

How you manage your own social media platforms can reflect your capability when it comes to navigating the digital space.

Take the valuable time you have outside the classroom to pick up on these skills and try to practice them as much as you can.

4. Find part-time or freelance jobs that add value

Last but not least, spending your semester breaks on work will help to strengthen your future employability as well.

Many students actually regard part-time jobs as part of student life — not just as a way to earn monetary rewards but also to gain industrial experience.

However, there are only a handful of jobs that can benefit your career prospects after graduating.

While making money may sound tempting, try not to be occupied by those gigs. You must prioritise your study above all else.

For some IT-related professions, design jobs or public relations, you can even look for freelance opportunities as they are aplenty.

Whatever you decide to invest your time in, just make sure that you’ll get to learn something new. Don’t simply find a job without setting a specific goal.

The most important skills that you should aim to develop through working part-time or freelance are:

• Communications
• Teamwork
• Time management
• Work ethic
• Planning and organising

Experiences are often earned, so don’t limit yourself to paid jobs. There are so many wonderful things you can do as a student to improve yourself while helping the community.

This article first appeared in jobstore.com

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