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Top tips for international students this Summer

Most students have had a challenging time during this academic year. It’s important to take time to recharge over the summer break, it’s also a great time to take stock of the past year and consider the next steps in your employability. If you want to feel more confident in your skills and ability when you graduate, there are several things you can do while not studying that will help accelerate your success.

Work on your skills

While you learn an incredible amount at university, the skills that employers are looking for can be different to the ones you have harnessed while studying. The best way to bridge that gap is to find work experience or an internship. Using your Summer vacation to increase your skills or to research how you can boost your experience next year will help you prepare for your career. Don’t forget, your institution is still open to students across the Summer. If you’re looking for experience, see what services are available at your institution. Start with your careers team, they’ll be able to help you determine what type of roles will help you meet the requirements of potential employers.

Network

Connecting with your peers and those in your industry is a vital part of your career journey. For many worldwide, face-to-face contact isn’t the best option at the moment but thankfully the virtual options have become more commonplace than ever before. LinkedIn isn’t just a platform for job hunting, but connecting to those in your future industry. It’s a great opportunity to absorb conversations and articles around the type of job you’re interested in. This also helps when it comes to interviews, by being part of the online conversation about topics and issues affecting certain industries, it shows commercial awareness which many students struggle to

Connect the dots

What’s the big picture for you? It can feel a little early to start planning so far into the future, but deciding where you’re heading can help you make good choices along your student journey. If you have a clear career path, great! Try to work backwards from your dream job and think about what skills and experience you need to get there. Who could you connect within the industry or speak to at your institution about the best way for you to succeed? If you’re not sure of the direction of your career, don’t worry! You still have plenty of time, just start making a plan. Think about roles that line up to the degree you’re working towards and the skills that would be useful in those industries. Work experience that increases your soft skills will always be useful, so don’t worry too much about finding a role that perfectly matches your dream career. For the latest news, global jobs and advice register with GradLink today!