11 Top Tips for School-Leavers
Mon, September 27, 2010 at 12:00 
Today's blog is written by Position Ignition Career Guide Jessica Higgs.
If you are leaving school clutching your hard-earned bag of A Levels this year, you’ll be making the big leap into the un-known world of University or work. Maybe you missed out on a place at University and you’re struggling to know what to do? However you got stuck, if you’re stuck, think about these top tips for the next step in your career...
1. BE HONEST
Be honest with yourself about what you’re great at, and what you’re rubbish at. If you get a job that plays to your strengths you will succeed more quickly, earn more money and live a happier, better balanced life.
2. BE CLEAR
You may have done a school careers test that gave you some ideas about what you should do for a job, you may not. Either way, you need to find out where to focus your energies for your University course search or job hunt. A scattergun approach will likely miss your target.
3. BE QUICK
Did your parents say annoying things to you like “The early bird catches the worm!”? Well, in this case, your parents were right! You’ll be competing for Uni places or jobs with oodles of other very organised people and you’ve got to get in there quick. Job applications may only be open for a very short while, and the UCAS University system has very strict deadlines for entry.
4. BE yoUNIQUE
Try to think about what sort of person you appear to be to someone who doesn’t know you. What is it about you that makes you you? You know you’re unique, now you’ve got to prove you’re unique to an interviewer for Uni’ or a job. They won’t want another clone – they’ll want someone who will do things differently, break new ground and new frontiers-show them that that’s you.
5. GET ‘WITH IT’
The world will never stand still, so you can’t either. If somehow your I.T. lessons passed you by at school and you’ve found yourself as good on a computer as your mother, it’s time to get up to date. Do a touch-typing course, start tweeting, get a smart phone.
6. CONNECT
Schooling rarely teaches current affairs well but as you enter the job market, you’ll find it essential that you’re up to date with what’s going on in your field of interest. So, whether you’re reading the latest Apple blog, Farming Weekly magazine or The Economist tweets, stay connected with the world that you want to be a part of.
7. GET FEEDBACK
Often it’s hard to be objective and look at yourself and say what’s good about you, but you’ll need to get good at talking and writing about what you’re great at. You may be able to imagine this on your own, if not, ask your friends, teachers, family or other adults to be honest about how you come across. Be brave and ask them all to write down three things you’re great at, and three things you’re not so great at, so you know what needs practice!
8. LEARN TO SELL
You’re going to have to develop that skill because you’ll be selling yourself in interviews and for job promotions for ever more! Even if you decide to set up your own business you’ll be selling your services to your customers – you can’t get out of it, so get into it!
9. SHARE YOUR PLAN
You know how if you secretly make a plan to go for a run, but no-one will know if you don’t, so when it rains it’s an easy decision (not to!) Don’t let your career planning go un-heard of either. Tell your parents, your friends, or a career guide what your plans are to ensure you’re held accountable and are motivated to achieve your goals.
10. VOLUNTEER
It’s a competitive market so it’s highly likely you’ll have to spend some time working for free in order to gain the experience that lets you stand out from the crowd. So volunteer on a cancer helpline, crew a yacht for someone or do virtual research as a marketing intern. Whatever your target career, give your time for free and it’ll often blossom into opportunity.
11. NETWORK
“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” rings true now more than ever in a difficult market. Don’t be shy, be brave. Make a list of all the people you know (it’ll be a big list!) and then think about who they might know that might be able to help you get a foot in the door to your chosen career. Maybe your parent’s friend works in a Sea Life centre and you want to be a marine biologist, or your friend’s brother works for a Law firm you’d like to volunteer at? People are usually flattered to be asked and very glad to help.
Jessica Higgs is a Position Ignition Career Guide. As a guide, coach, teacher, mentor, inspirer and award-winning entrepreneur, Jessica possesses the wide range of experiences needed to help others in their careers. She has worked with teenagers, young adults and twenty-somethings as well as older adults. A qualified Coach and Mentor, Jessica is also a National Trainer; Authentic Business Consultant; Young Enterprise Business Adviser; a business start-up guest lecturer at the University of Bath; and a Revision Skills workshop trainer.
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