So you graduated from college but haven't landed that dream job, or any job for that matter. Starting to panic? Don't.
"A lot of people really say, ‘Well, I’ve had this map of where I’m going to go,’ and if things don’t fall into place straight away, they start to feel this pressure," says Nicholas Wyman, author of Job U.
Wyman is also the CEO of the Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation. He says rather than wait for a specific opening, young graduates should look out for any opportunity to get their foot in the door -even an entry level position, since being in the building could be half the battle.
"You get to network with people within the organization and you really get to take on these, what I describe as, real world workplace skills,” Wyman says. “So you’re actually getting to work with groups of people, you’re getting to see how the dynamics and personalities, and also learn about the culture of the organization, and decide if it’s an organization where you can see yourself mapping out a career."
He is also a fan of apprenticeships where you can learn a skill and make money, but what he does not suggest is taking unpaid internship. Volunteering? That is a path he recommends, especially if to leads to others corners of the globe.
"By getting out there and seeing what opportunities are available, see some different cultures, you’ll actually start to see how your education can relate to the real world, and I think that’s really important because it’s the type of skills that you need - you are going to get the dream job you want," Wyman explains.
And it's the type of skills employers - like himself - are looking for.
"I am looking for people who are motivated and for people who show up. So, if somebody attends something on the weekend and is really passionate about something and they have that burning desire, that’s the person I want in my company," Wyman says.
While every job involves certain skills, interpersonal skills are universal. Those are the skills, Wyman says, we should all be working to strengthen.
"It doesn’t matter if you’re in real estate, in law, in finance,” Wyman says. “Employers are looking for people who can communicate and who can work well in group situations. So these interpersonal skills are the skills that I'd personally be brushing up on."