Jumping from Uni to the Real World

Written by Rebecca Hart, an Online Marketer at StudentJob UK.

So you have finished university. Congratulations! Having spent the past few years in a mix of partying, studying and sleeping, you deserve a rest. However, moving from university to ‘the real world’ is something that people often forget. Where are you going to live? Will you get a full-time job? These are just some of the questions to ask yourself when thinking about your next step.

There will be plenty of changes, but don’t panic – here are some things that you may be worried about. 

Friends

One of the main changes is who you surround yourself with. You won’t be with your friends 24/7. Many of you will move back home or to different places altogether. 

You may think this is saying goodbye to your social life, but not all is lost! If you start a new job or move to a new area, then you will meet new people. You also have new things to look forward to, such as staff events and even stag/hen dos in the future! 

Getting a Grad Job

There are lots of misconceptions about life after uni. You are ready to start your new grad job and get your first hefty income. But being realistic is something you need to focus on when leading up to graduation. It can take months to find a grad job, so know that you are not alone if you are finding the job search tricky.

Even if you get a job doing something you don’t want to do, this is still fine! All in all, it is just a stepping stone to finding the perfect job, and at least you are earning some cash. Don’t forget the work experience too!

When you do land your first job, be open to being taught new things. Yes, you have spent the past three years at uni, and the past 18 years learning. But education is never-ending. When you enter a new job, you will probably have several training days! So set goals on what you would like to achieve. You should discuss this with your supervisor, so you get the most out of your job.

Other Options

If you aren’t ready to enter work, and if you have the funds saved up, why not travel or volunteer? Volunteering will help you stand out from other graduates and is something you can talk about in your CV and interviews. 

There is the option to continue your learning, so why not look at starting a Masters? Who knows, your dream job might not even be invented yet. 

If you are not yet graduated, then applying for internships during your uni holidays are worthwhile. It highlights your work ethic and that you are keen to learn some more skills before your grad job. Also, keep in contact with your tutors from university and make sure to get references, they could be useful in the future. 

Budgeting

You are entering the rewarding lifestyle of a first paycheck. A big step when you have been living off student loans. But you will still need to think about budgeting. Downloading a budgeting app is useful if you want to keep track of this and set weekly targets. 

It is okay to move back home if this is a better option for you! A lot of graduates do this to save money and for the local job opportunities. Also, if you were feeling homesick during university, this could be an excellent thing for you to do. 

Another key tip is to take advantage of the student discounts for as long as you can – your student ID doesn’t last forever!

With all this being said, don’t think that all the fun is over. Uni was just the beginning; you’ve got your whole life ahead of you!