“Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” Few people already know what they want and have a clear plan on how to achieve it. But the sooner you know what you want, the better. Here are 5 reasons why you should start investing in your future today, and 6 ways how to do so.

1. Gain experience

How many times have you been asked: “What past experience do you have?” Experience matters so much because it’s not what you studied and learnt, but what you’ve done that makes you who you are, and most companies are looking for someone who can transition smoothly into working life.

However, it can be a real challenge to find valuable experience opportunities, especially during your studies. So where do you even start? Minite is a great way to kickstart your career early, and make sure you're ahead of the curve.

2. The importance of networking

Networking is creating a web of contacts and connections that you can reach out to any day and rely on. It is an art and a skill that is incredibly useful and will serve you not just now, but also in the future. While you’re making connections today, you’re also building bridges for tomorrow. Who knows? You could one day encounter your future business partner or one of your biggest investors!

Networking requires (self)awareness and dedication, because it is not enough to just have met someone once: you have to make sure that the connection and mutual recognition remains through time and with distance. If you make the right impression today, and make yourself reachable in the future, you stay in the back of someone’s mind. You might get a call for a job opening in any of your networks’ companies in the near future, or you might take the initiative yourself and reach out to them directly!

3. Soft skill development

Transitioning from student to professional working life can be difficult in many aspects, but especially in terms of environment and etiquette. In the work environment you will be required to follow certain rules, schedules and adapt to a certain mentality that is still unknown to you as a student. You’re expected to communicate professionally, whether that is writing a strong email, having a conversation with your manager or collaborating with different types of colleagues on a team project.Investing efforts now will boost your soft skills, and you’ll benefit from it for the rest of your life. You can learn to be more adaptive when working in a team, and you can already start refining your communication skills.

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4. Personal Growth

There is more to growth than professional development alone. If anything, personal development fuels professional growth.

With personal development comes clarity. And clarity means knowing where and how to focus. It helps keep your mind focused on where you want to head to. You don’t need to see the end goal yet, though.

You just need to have enough determination to see the next step. Growing on a personal level helps you identify that next step. Moreover, it helps you identify hidden talents or passions: maybe you have a knack for numbers and aspire to have a career in accountancy. Perhaps you’re a creative wizard who would make a fantastic artist. These are all small steps in your journey to self discovery and figuring out what you’re good at and what you want to do next. Added bonus: it also helps you be more confident and outgoing!

5. Understanding what you want

Did you know that 44% of students don’t know what they want to do after graduation? Are you one of them? Taking the first step in your career, whether it’s deciding what Master to choose, if you want to get straight to work or take a gap year can be the hardest challenge of all. If you have invested time and energy during your studies in order to gain a better understanding of where you see yourself in a couple of years, then you are definitely a step ahead.

Do you already know if you want to work for a corporation or a start-up? Are you considering entrepreneurship? Participating in various events and initiatives can help broaden your mind and open you to all the opportunities available. The more you know, the better you can decide what your passion is and what strengths you need to further develop to land your dream job.

Finding the right path can be hard, but with some extra effort now, you can really land your dream job someday! Remember to always keep your eyes open because investment opportunities are all around you. And you certainly are not the only one struggling. Look up interesting initiatives, find your first opportunity and start building your future success right now!

Convinced? Here's 6 ways how to invest in your future.

Get started today at Minite