Just look at the Job Description
A modern-day compass for undergrads
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To give some context, I graduated from a local Singapore university. As an undergrad, I was constantly bombarded with the mainstream media saying how companies are shifting from the traditional GPA approach to a holistic evaluation of their candidates. Even during my university application, I was constantly asked how I demonstrated leadership capabilities and traits of that sort. With all these cues, I developed a mindset that GPA is not as important and “leadership experiences” is yet another thing I had to put on my resume before dishing them out to companies.
When I started applying for jobs, I quickly realised how wrong I was and how there are so many other things that mattered but were not communicated to undergrads. Alongside, I realised the grim realities of adulting concerns like true friends and finance.
Here are some things I wish I knew earlier:
1. Do internships, not CCAs
Co-curricular activities (CCAs) are great avenues to make friends and an awesome platform to meet like-minded individuals. However, if you are going into CCAs with the mindset of taking on a leadership position for resume’s sake, I would suggest you spend the time doing an internship instead.
It was only when I was reading through the job descriptions (JD) of full-time positions that I came to realise the importance of relevant working experiences. The truth is, a lot of companies have very limited resources. Most would rather hire someone with a relevant/proven working experience than a fresh graduate who is the president of a school society.
And frankly, why would you need a fresh grad with leadership experience but no knowledge of the working world?
2. Take the initiative to learn
Your default skillset from university is not going to make the cut. Especially not when the world is evolving so rapidly that the school’s syllabus is lagging behind.
Take the initiative and learn the tools and languages that are required of your desired industry. Your employers will appreciate it and this is going to make you stand out in your job application.
Again, look at a few JDs for the role you are going for to get a sensing on the required skills.
3. Learn to learn
Let’s face it, looks matter on Tinder. Likewise, your GPA will play a significant role when it comes to the initial selection of candidates. Since the bulk of your job in university is to score a decent enough GPA for you to get a job somewhere, why not make things easier by learning to learn.
Many students learn by reviewing the same content over and over again, but there are numerous studies out there which proved that it is the least effective method of learning. Employ methods like active recall and spaced repetition to help you internalise content more effectively instead.
Allocate half an hour to learn about these strategies and another half an hour thinking about how you can integrate it in your revision and you will thank yourself afterwards.
4. Make friends, not group mates
Whenever I catch up with my friends from university, the common consensus is that they don’t regard their colleagues as friends. Either because of a difference in background, age gap or even the company’s culture.
In some companies/departments it is not a norm for employees to eat together. I came to realise though, it is only if you entered a company as a batch or you work for a relatively young age group company that you are more likely to have colleagues as friends.
That said, instead of spending your time entirely on studies alone during your university days or regarding your peers as a means (group mate) to an end (higher grades), consider getting to know them and develop some quality friendships.
5. Evaluate financing decisions
If you are financing your education as I did, spend a day to look up for the various available means of financing — government loans, bank loans, parent loan, etc.
For each means of financing, take note on the interest rates (per annum or month, fixed-rate or market dependent), when the interest is expected to start rolling (upon graduation or upon the semester when you made payment), and when is payment due.
With a realistic outlook on your expected salary and monthly expenditure, work backwards and determine how much you can spare per month to repay your loans. With that, you can make a better decision on which type of loan to go for or switch to.
Note: You can have a gauge on your expected salary by 1. Talking to seniors 2. Looking at the graduate employment survey. But take only~80% of the mean salary. Remember that the statistics are skewed because of the high earners in the cohort.
While the pointers of this article revolve much around undergrads, the main premise of this article is just as applicable to individuals looking to transit into a new industry.
TL;DR: Just do yourself a favour and read the job description of your desired job right now.
