Adulting is no joke. For Generation Z’ers, once you finish college and enter the world as a working adult, there are a lot of changes to be made and you have to learn to adapt to a modern workplace. The problem is, you still feel like a college student!
According to a study from the University of Phoenix and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 53% of employers say that they are having a tough time finding people with the skills, training, and education that they need.
The good news is that Gen Z’ers are innately social, entrepreneurial and curious, and they thrive in innovative and collaborative environments. All of those are traits that are effective and desired in the modern workplace.
That means your skills, as well as your degree, are what these employers and recruiters are looking for. Here are some ways that an undergrad can develop a necessary skill set for modern jobs as you come out of college.
Get Better at Communicating
Communication is essential in the workplace after college. Even though you’ve done presentations before, having the emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills to deal with a boss and your colleagues is quite different.
Consider enrolling in a public speaking group or meetup in order to help you get accustomed to dealing with people who are coming from the professional work environment. This can teach you important skills such as team building, active listening, and how to best present your own ideas.
Join a Fraternity or Sorority
No, this isn’t for the party people. Organizations like these teach a sense of teamwork and responsibility that doesn’t come by too often in the regular college world.
Fraternities and sororities are often timeline driven and socially conscious. If you join one, then you will have the opportunity to learn about time management, scheduling, and fundraising for community causes which can help you in the workforce when you’re ready to give back at your job.
Get a Summer or Holiday Job
Before you dive into the work, please, give yourself a chance to get used to how the non-college world works.
If you haven’t done an internship, then getting a summer job can greatly help you adapt to the adult modern workforce. Even if you have completed an internship, you can still gain valuable skills by taking on a basic job and using it as a learning experience. There are skills you can build on the second time around.
Pro tip: If you are looking for a job at sales, for example, where your main role will be to clean up the prospect list and data and sell cold emails; you should prepare by
- Taking on a freelance gig on data entry and similar
- Researching the main tech tools and programs used today for sales and see if there is a free trial to try them out beforehand
If not, you can learn how to use them by finding tutorials, etc. Imagine that you can put on your resume that you already know how to use a program that your future company uses! They will spend less time onboarding you and you stand a higher chance of getting the job.
Play Up Your Generational Skills
Millennials have a special ability. It’s knowing the ins and out of technology just as well as they know how to write a term paper.
When you’re preparing to enter the modern workforce, remember that your skills and technology will be one of your best selling point in obtaining a job that you want to make a career out of. Since you use technology at home and at college as well, let future employers know how technology improved your soft skills. Tools like using social media in the classroom can show your collaborative skills as a student.
Don’t be afraid other people are starting to get used to the idea of new technologies! Play up your skills and show you’re willing to help others learn and adapt to these new ways of working and digital communication.
What Should You Do From Here?
If you’ve can’t join a sorority or fraternity, then look at similar organizations and see how you can get involved.
To prepare for job interviews and learn how to talk about your skills and how they relate to the modern workplace, contact your colleges work placement office and ask them if you can set up a mock interview where they can coach you through how to talk about your skills in a way that will keep him players interested.
These are a handful of ways that you can prepare for a modern workplace coming out of college.
It’s not about luck, it’s about preparation.