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It’s always inspiring for youngsters to see people getting seven digits salaries in their 30s and sitting at top corporate positions. It is indeed a great deal, and not many achieve this feat, but there is something common to most top corporate leaders. The common factor is a degree from a top-notch university. This is something that creates a substantial difference between those who make it to these top institutions abroad and those who don’t. To bridge this gap, one needs to put in a great deal of effort, leading to a successful career starting at a very early age. However, even for those who are talented, there is always a mind-boggling thought somewhere in their heads about the future prospects.
It is very natural to be anxious about the future, and it is undoubtedly a big deal when one spends a considerable amount of money on an education loan for abroad studies. But in this blog, we will try and address these concerns and also suggest some additional tips that one should keep in mind while pursuing a course at a foreign university.
Job Prospects Post Completion of Abroad Education
Once the abroad education is complete, students go on the job hunt, and several factors determine the job prospect of a fresh graduate. One of the key concerns is to land up a job right after the completion of the degree. The second most important thing is regarding the place of job. Graduates seek jobs in the country where they received the education or any other high-income country. However, that doesn’t mean graduates don’t have good jobs domestically. It’s just about the standard of living, better job opportunities and other factors that make foreign countries a lucrative option.
In securing a job abroad, there are certain things that students must do to be assured of landing a top job right after completing the course. One of the things that graduate students should keep in mind is that nowadays, employers are seeking way more than college grades or discipline. A law student might get a better prospect in an FMCG brand than a law firm, or an engineering graduate may get better opportunities with a Venture Capital firm than the traditional sector-specific job. In the next section, we will focus on things that students should do in their graduate school that sets them apart from other international students and comfortably get a job right after the degree.
Things To Do For A Better Job Opportunity
There are certain things that most corporate leaders and recruitment managers always stress, and students must keep their strategy in line with these mantras from the leaders of the industry.
Build, Build and Build Contacts
Contacts made at the time of grad school are considered as the most strong and diverse. It doesn’t matter whether a student is seeking a job or not. The contacts made at the time of graduation can be of utmost help in the later course of professional life. It helps students know hidden opportunities and get close to a resource pool that can be accessed at any time. In globally recognised universities, one gets to know students from different countries that bring an infinite pool of cultural, ethical, business and thinking models.
Top Up The Resumé
It’s the time of career where resumé will matter the most as once time passes, it’s the experience that speaks. But when graduate students come out of college, their only asset is their resumé, which makes them a suitable choice for employers. The more one puts effort into making a strong resumé; the better are the chances of getting a top job right after completing the degree. It also helps students get internships and research opportunities as it reflects the kind of professional a student will be once they enter the real world. Students should grab every big and small opportunity while studying abroad as every experience, small or big, carries a certain weight and can be leveraged in a certain situation.
Always Keep in Touch With Admission Committees
There are certain situations wherein a student may get an opportunity to do a short-term or long-term course that might enhance their professional outlook. Keeping in touch with the admission committee helps students in grabbing these opportunities much before others. For instance, a management student with a short term course on supply chain systems will have way more prospects in the FMCG sector than others. So, students should always go on exploring these opportunities and augment their chances of getting the best jobs in the market.
Do Part-Time Work For Better Financials
It is one of the grossly underrated aspects while assessing job prospects. It is obviously not directly connected with getting a job, but it helps students focus on studies and don’t worry much about finances. Having a part-time job helps students manage their living expenses and helps them finance short-term programs or enrol in paid programs that have a substantial bearing on future job prospects. A short-term course in a computer language can be a big differentiator for a student studying biotechnology, but the cost of this course will not come under the education loan for abroad studies. So, having sound finances is way more than taking care of the living expenses.
Learn at least One New Language
Language plays a key role in getting jobs in many countries, and it gives an added advantage apart from academics and other experiences. For instance, while signing up for a job, if a student is well versed in any of the major languages spoken in Europe, e.g. French, German, Spanish, etc., it can be a big differentiator from those who are solely English speakers. It broadens the scope of getting a job and helps in long-term growth in professional life as it helps students blend in the work environment.
Getting a degree from a foreign university is certainly a big addendum in career prospects, but one needs to take the extra mile. Since the competition for top jobs is rising and there is no dearth of talented people, it becomes imperative for students from top institutions to do the extraordinary. Small changes and a slight tweak in strategy is all that is needed, and it can completely change the career prospects. As the old saying goes, “Winners don’t do different things. They do things differently.” So it’s not expected from anyone else to search for a philosopher’s stone to turn everything to gold. Some minor things in terms of academics, internships, research collaborations, and clerkships make the subtle difference between those who bag the top corporate jobs and those who don’t.
Abroad education is costly, so students need to realise the importance of future job prospects and make them industry-ready right from the start of the course. Many students also take gap years after completing the course, but these are colossal mistakes nobody should make if one has a corporate job in mind. There are career counsellors in all the universities abroad, and students should reach out to them to get a real outlook of the job scenario in their respective disciplines. It helps students ascertain if they are industry-ready right after college or need to do some other courses or training programs to get a good job. A concerted effort right from the beginning of academics is more than enough to have bright career prospects.
