SAYING goodbye to friends, moving back in with parents and paying off student debt loans are all common problems that most graduates have to deal with after they leave university.
Next year, the biggest challenge that I – and the majority of other graduates – will have to face will be, undoubtedly, trying to find a job.
Nowadays, it’s common knowledge that it’s almost impossible to start climbing the career ladder without any relevant experience.
With so much competition around, it’s now more important than ever for us students to start gaining experience whilst still at university; otherwise we may be faced with months – or even years – of job hunting.
Thankfully for me, I will graduate from Robert Gordon University (RGU) next year with one year’s work experience already under my belt, as I’ve recently completed my third year work placement with employment law, HR and HSEQ firm, Empire HR.
Last summer, when I was searching for a placement, I - alongside many of my fellow students - struggled to secure work experience due to the downturn in the oil and gas industry.
After almost giving up hope, I was offered a placement opportunity for a digital marketing assistant at Empire HR, and started work in October 2015.
I’m extremely thankful for the experience, as it has helped me realise that I definitely want to pursue a career in marketing after I graduate.
Throughout my time at Empire, I learnt invaluable new skills, as there were so many elements to digital marketing that I couldn’t have learned at university, such as using search engine optimisation tools and Linkedin.
I’ve also been able to utilise the skills I already have, as my placement experience enabled me to implement what I’ve learned at university in a real business environment.
As well as this, I also learned useful administration skills, which I feel are essential for anyone wishing to work in an office.
It was great that I got to experience working in a corporate environment, as when I joined Empire I had never sent a business email before.
My professional writing skills have developed and my interpersonal skills have improved considerably, as well as my time management and my ability to manage deadlines.
As well as this, the digital marketing assistant role has exposed me to a wide range of marketing tools and processes, which will be invaluable to me when I start writing my thesis.
I’m really thankful to everyone at Empire HR for all the help and guidance they provided me with throughout my time there.
The work experience and additional skills I’ve gained have provided me with a fantastic advantage and will be so beneficial to me when I eventually begin to look for a full-time job.