Unfortunately, graduating university in the 21st century no longer guarantees a six-figure job in your chosen field. If you’re one of the many students struggling to figure it all out after graduation, here are three alternative suggestions to finding a job.
Apply to graduate school. If you are truly passionate about what you studied in university, you may consider going into academia as a career. Applying to grad school is a long and grueling process but many find the outcome very rewarding. Take what you’ve learned in your undergraduate education and apply it to a larger thesis or research project to study in a master’s or doctorate program.
Take a gap year to travel. Maybe you were able to save some extra money waiting tables the past few years. If that’s the case, why not expand your horizons with a trip to a new and exotic destination? Go somewhere exciting, learn the language, and embrace the local culture.
Volunteer at a local organization. With that extra time you have now, try doing some good in your community. Check out a local soup kitchen, animal shelter or international organization and spend a few hours a day making a difference — you may even get a great reference out of it.
If volunteer work seems like the right decision for you, check out Toronto-based charity Beautiful World Canada. Working with partners in Uganda, Rwanda and Sierra Leone, the organization provides scholarships to young women to attend post-secondary school. Their work helps women to graduate with a better chance of finding employment and to focus on bettering themselves and their community.
Find more information at www.beautifulworldcanada.org.
