Students often need that first nudge to get on the path to their career but sometimes it can be a struggle to find the person with the solid advice. On April 12th, students from the International Students Rotterdam association were able to attend an online seminar by Micky and Linky on the three essential steps they have to take now to build their future careers. In forty five minutes, Micky and Linky broke down the process into useful tips and explained why every step mattered, illustrated by their study, and working experience. Here they are below:

1. Extracurricular activities are the key to soft skills and unlocking the confidence that will allow them to be used to their full potential.

Extracurriculars like societies, side-jobs, volunteering, and internships teach organisational skills, as well as effective communication within the team and with the outside world. As a student Micky founded the New Fashion Society, contacting a ton of vendors to give it the best start. That’s perseverance!

2.  Freelancing is a great way to step out of your comfort zone and get that real working experience outside of the bubble of academia or part-time jobs.

Part-time freelancing, which Minite promotes, is a venue to get multiple experiences with many different companies to really discover what you would enjoy in your working life.

3.  Networking

a particular hit with the students, based on the number of questions asked, because who really knows how to do it right? It is important to take every opportunity to connect with people, send personalised LinkedIn requests and think ahead. Fellow alumni are often going to be happy to help, if you make it easy for them. Find personal touch points, ask them questions, tell them why you want to connect and join their industry.

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In a poll during the presentation, a whopping 80% of students said they didn’t know what they wanted to do after graduation, a missed opportunity for everyone involved. The greatest fear for students is making the wrong choice, but without getting that experience early and being proactive, it is all too likely that that is exactly what will happen. Choosing according to your favorite show may not be as great an idea as it seems in the moment.  Micky’s main takeaway is this: you can never start too early, so take on the experiences, talk to people and get the real life exposure to find out what it is that you really want.

If you're a student ready to start building a strong CV, sign up as a freelancing High-flyer with Minite.

If you want to book Micky and Linky for a speaking engagement please fill out the contact form below.

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