You have spent the biggest part of your life preparing for this moment. You have spent years sitting for exams, listening to endless lectures, doing an infinite amount of assignments.
You have spent years to shape yourself into the person you are today. You are full of doubts, fears and uncertainties. At the same time, you are confident, full of adrenalin and ready to conquer the world. You have made huge plans for this day. Other people might have also made plans for you.
You're out of school! But guess what? While a part of your life is over, a whole new world is opening in front of you. One full of challenges and exciting possibilities.
The challenge most students face as soon as they are out of school, is looking for a way of jump-starting their professional lives. While this might seem like a daunting task, there is no reason to give up. There are many people that can help you, that can give you valuable advice based on professional knowledge and experience. There are also many services at your disposal which you could, and should, take advantage of.
Let's take this step by step and tackle the various issues involved in the start of your career one at a time.
1. Your academic training. The first point to get hold of - and that most students find hard to accept - is that your academic training does not stop here. Just because you finished school does not mean that you will never open a book again. The competition in the job market is intense, and only the best can hope to survive and achieve a successful fruitful career.
This means that your training must be ongoing, intensifying your academic training in more specialised sections - keeping up to date with the latest developments in your market. Keep on attending courses, achieve more academic qualifications, improve yourself and always aim to be the most qualified and knowledgeable.
2. Your private life. Depending on the career you are aiming for, there might be consequences to your private life. While you might still be quite young at this point in your life, some of you might already be engaged in a serious relationship and planning on building a future with their respective partner.
The further you advance in your career and the more responsibilities you assume, the bigger the effect on your private and social life. It is important to find a career that also conforms with your private and social objectives. Make sure you are fully aware of the consequences and that you are not starting your professional life on the wrong foot.
3. Make the right first choice. Making the right choice in choosing your first position within the professional industry cannot be stressed enough. Most students find themselves strapped for money, and tend to grab the first job offer. Don't do this! Your first position is often the determining factor in shaping your future.
When going into your first job, make sure you are fully informed about your prospective employer, you are aware of the pros and cons of such a position on your career. Does this job offer you the career development you need? Does your prospective employer understand you future plans? Have you taken advice from the right people before getting engaged in something that could damage your career before it begins?
4. Talk to the right people. In some of our previous articles (which you can find on our Website www.vacancycentre.com) we discussed the importance of 'networking'. This practice is not only relevant to the seasoned professionals and executive, but also for the newcomers.
Before going out in that chaotic world called 'job-hunting', make sure you take advice from the right people. Talk to people that not only have the knowledge you require, but also the experience of dealing with upstarts like yourself - seek every means of starting on the right path to a bright professional future, full of proud achievements within the industry sector of your choice.
5. Use the right tools. Nowadays there are various tools available to the career seeker. These range from human resources consultancies to on-line publicly available tools. Go through this material. Absorb as much knowledge as possible. Talk to as many people as you can, and arm yourself with this valuable knowledge.
6. We invite you to let us help you. In our long history of excellent service delivery, there are many career seekers whom we have had the privilege to assist and consult. Of course we cannot make any guarantees. What we can promise however is our utmost commitment to assist you in your search for the right job in the course of your career.
It is good to note that most employers prefer to recruit personnel with some kind of job experience. That is why we suggest to school leavers to take up any relevant job experience and additional training that may add value to their curriculum.
7. A Web of choices. The widespread easy access of the Web has made it the first point of reference for many people. Our continuous development in using the latest technology in assisting job seekers has pushed us towards becoming the leaders in the dissemination of knowledge and on-line help.
Our Website has gradually grown to become a meeting point for job seekers. Both extremes of this professional spectrum have a wide array of tools at their disposal. You - the former student, the future executive - can avail yourself of information articles, a variety of job opportunities and an excellent level of customer service and assistance.
CSB Employment Agency has been supporting the local business community with its services since 1987. For further information you can write to us at Vincenti Buildings, 14/19 Strait Street, Valletta VLT 08, or call us on tel. 2122-5800 or 2124-6543, fax: 2123-0520, e-mail: jobs@vacancycentre.com, or visit www.vacancycentre.com.