Posted: 15 Mar. 2018 5 min. read

Why keeping up-to-date is key in today's job hunt

Navigating your way through the job-hunting world can be a challenging quest. After graduating, though armed with a degree and the fresh drive to chase your career; qualifications will only put you on an equal level amongst a sea of many other hunters. Many graduates struggle to find full-time work after studying because qualifications are only the beginning of the story; the test is, how you use it. A pocket full of qualifications and dreams is only impactful when wielded with the wand of action.

No longer pushed by the encouraging support of tutors or the pressure of solid deadlines; now requires a new level of self-action in seizing your future, which also means taking responsibility for your own learning and development.

Whatever industry you set your ambitions on, you need to know about it. For example, take the ever-evolving world of Technology. You should keep up with the latest trends and be up to speed on the newest advances to really stand out in interviews. Understanding the industry can give you more to talk about and add weight to your answers. It’s not necessarily about what you know, but what and how you think; the more you understand about the industry, the stronger your views and ideas will become.

Spend some time every day (maybe 30 minutes) reading news from the industry. Follow the big leaders and thinkers: read their thoughts, pay attention to their progress, find out how they got there, watch what they do, and engage in their content. Extend this to other similar individuals and businesses. Most top companies will have their own blog where you can gain a wealth of industry insight.

And through your research you’ll get to understand the different companies out there and naturally discover the ones who share the same values as you; they’re the ones you should apply for. What you want in a job will differ from someone else, whether that’s money, purpose, or work-life balance. Have your own plan and requirements in mind and let that lead you in your discovery of your future career.

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