School looked very different for many students this past year and a half due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For recent college grads, the future of work may seem like it’s filled with even more of the same uncertainty as the job market evolves and heals in the aftermath of 2020.
But despite what’s occurred, it’s important to move forward and find ways to begin your career in a way that will set you up for success. To provide some guidance on how to do that, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council offered their best advice for recent graduates looking to start their careers during this unprecedented time.
1. Continue Learning
Just because you graduated does not mean your education is over. Always look for ways to continue learning. Read and research daily. Become an absolute expert in your chosen path. Choose a career that is fascinating to you, knowing you will spend a huge portion of your life involved in it. If you're passionate about what you're doing and you're constantly learning to improve yourself, you will thrive and surpass what you thought possible! - Nic DeAngelo, Saint Investment Group
2. Research Your Industry
When starting your career journey, make sure you set realistic expectations about your industry and the workforce. Of course, a lot has changed, but that doesn't mean you can't prepare yourself for what's to come. Researching your industry with the latest information is the best way to guarantee that you're prepared to join the job market and start your career. Nothing is certain, but reading about others' experiences can point you in the right direction. It also helps to ask as many questions you can to those who have gone through it or who are experiencing it currently. - Jared Atchison, WPForms
3. Start Building Your Portfolio
The past year has been a difficult one for fresh grads. But instead of being demotivated and upset about the situation, use it to your advantage to build a strong portfolio for your career. You don't have to wait for the situation to get better. Start a blog today. It can be about anything you're really passionate about. If it's photography, go ahead and use your blog to show off your photography skills. If you're into writing, use it to display your writing skills. It can be a great resource for you to attract some leads who might later convert into a customer. And by the time the world’s situation becomes normal, you might have a strong client base that brings you a steady income. And if not, you'll have a powerful portfolio that you can use to get the job you dreamt about. - Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster
4. Hone Your Remote Work Skills
The best advice I can give to recent grads for getting on the path to career success is learning to work in a distributed workforce. The reality is, more and more companies are realizing the benefits of a distributed workforce, along with asynchronous task schedules. Teams can easily collaborate across multiple time zones with the vast array of team tools that are available at a low cost to organizations. The barriers are low for distributing a workforce, so once a company is sold on the concept, employees who don’t like this model are, unfortunately, at the mercy of market forces. Adapting to this inevitable future of work sooner rather than later is wise for recent grads entering the job market. - Richard Fong, ABCDreamUSA.com...