Millions of students graduate every year and except for a few, most are apprehensive about life after graduation. Initially what may seem like a relief turns into a virtual terror as you stand on the periphery of an uncertain future. As is it the stress of searching for the right jobs, planning your finances and looking for a place to stay can take the wind out of your sails and if you haven’t planned for it beforehand, the reality can hit you very hard.

The first thing to do is to plan ahead at least a year in advance before you graduate. It depends entirely on you whether you want to continue your studies and do your post graduation, take a gap year or apply for a graduate scheme. You need to asses your priorities, whether you need to support yourself immediately or if you afford another couple of years of education expenditure. Many students prefer to do their masters before jumping into the job market.

Taking a gap year has many advantages. You can work and travel aboard, take up volunteer work or even take up an academic course in one of the foreign universities. Even in the UK there are many opportunities for the gap year students and these years can be utilized to gather relevant experience and skills for future jobs prospects.

However, if you have taken the decision to plunge yourself into the rat race straight away then a graduation scheme may be the perfect way to start your career. A university career office is a great place to begin as you can explore various options and plan your career accordingly. An appointment with the career counsellor can help you to create a good CV and get an internship.

An internship is a usually a vacation or a summer placement and a wonderful way to kick start your career.  Usually for a time period of 4- 10 weeks, it gains you an insight into the working of the company and if your record is impressive, it augments your entry into graduate jobs and other opportunities. It is offered both by corporate and government agencies looking for students with exceptional merits. These are typically offered to penultimate year students.

Job fairs, advertisements, job boards and internet are great sources for learning about the companies and their requirements. The process of applying for a graduate scheme can be long winding, you need to fill up hundreds of applications, take tests, go through interview rounds and do everything possible to get the coveted job of your dreams.

There are many benefits of the graduate scheme, you get a good pay (£ 24 k) plus perks and intense training programmes, mentoring and hands on training. As you are rotated through various departments, you learn to adapt quickly to the changing environment and in the process develop team spirit, leadership and communication skills. You can get absorbed into the organization if you work hard and turn out to be an exceptional employee.

Many students do not stick to the first graduate scheme they take up, but the experience they gain here helps them to chalk out a great career graph in the later years. As they develop the expertise and confidence they move on to more lucrative opportunities that complement their new found skills and move up the corporate ladder very quickly.