Life After Uni :( How to prepare...

Char_pdc

I would advise doing something with your gap year, not just travelling. Once you have decided what you want to, maybe getting some experience in that field, if its relevant?

For example job shadowing or something.

While I would advice also against taking a year out, now you are doing it I think it will be fine, as long as you do something. I graduated last year and while I've gone straight into further study, some of my friends took a year out and then decided to apply for further study. Then have since been rejected and now are not sure what to do

FreheitOverture

Personally I'm doing everything I can to prepare for life after University. At the moment I am on my placement year, have started freelance web development, and am building up loads of business contacts for after I graduate. My CV has been completed since my first year (we had a module on how to write a decent one and it didnt fail to get me an interview in any job i applied for) and I plan on traveling for three months after university to work in Africa

TDQO

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Your situation seems to be far from typical; can you tell us more?

I'm a mining engineer... like hens teeth over here in Oz! I'm taking a year out between my 2nd yr and my 3rd yr at the moment to get some industry experience and I've had 3 job offers since I got here and every time I meet anyone from a mine they ask me to send them my CV so they can contact me as soon as I graduate. Next week I'm moving to a coal mine south fo Sydney to become a process engineer there. Did I mention that the starting salary for a graduate with no experience is $90k AUD???


This is my second gap year and I would definitely reccomend them to people BUT only if you work!! My first before uni I worked for an engineering firm nr Bristol and now I'm in Oz. My CV looks far, far better with all this relevant experience on it rather than "travelled for 12 months".

TDQO

Oh and I'm far from being an over achiever, I work damn hard but I slack off at uni and miss lectures, party all week and will be lucky to get a 2:1.

kr15snw

Find a job before you graduate (well try).

I started applying for jobs at Christmas, explaining I would be available on a part time basis until June when I would be available full time.

Ive known of friends who have graduated, started looking and took months to find ANYTHING. Meaning no cash.

Oh and get as much work experience as physically possible, expecially the volenteer stuff. I was told at various meetings my CV was much more promising than my classmates as I had done 3 weeks within a company, as well as a year doing 1 day a week for another company. Where as they had 1 weeks with a company (which was the minimum amount for the degree). Apparently this showed I wanted to get into the industry, but they werent that bothered.