UCSI Co-Operative Report 2009

Career preparations
Year 2 Year 3
The penultimate year of your university life is a strategic time
for career planning. Aim to have a career plan, or at least a
draft ready by the end of the year. Don’t wait till the final year
because by then, all your peers will have already done their
homework, and you will find yourself lagging behind.
Explore your options – Look for ways to identify your
career interests and gain some real work experience. Attend
job fairs, recruitment events and company visits to know
more about different industries. Once you start exploring the
world of work, you won’t be apprehensive or scared of what’s
to come.
Get equipped – No one is born with a set of job search
skills. Attend workshops that train you in handling interviews
and presentations. Business etiquette, personal grooming and
work ethics are also important things to pick up. Familiarising
yourself with these skills will help you gain confidence and
reduce anxiety.
Plan ahead – Give yourself an honest assessment of what
you have done and what still needs to be done. If it all seems
too much to handle, you can always make an appointment
with one of the CECS staff. We will help you prioritise and
focus on what’s urgent and important.
This is it – the final year! Of course, you will be taking the Co-
Op Programme at this point. As well as the Co-Op experience,
you should take advantage of this crucial time to lay some
important groundwork for your future career.
Build your network – Be creative in your job search. Expand
your network through family members, relatives, friends,
classmates, ex-colleagues, acquaintances, alumni and other
sources. Effective channels include joining a professional
organisation as a student member and attending events,
conferences, competitions and social gatherings. Social
networking websites like LinkedIn and even Facebook are also
effective platforms through which you can build connections.
Don’t be shy. People you meet through different channels
in university may become your future business partners,
customers, supervisors or colleagues.
Get ready – Early birds always catch the worm. Make yourself
available to meet up with employers at recruitment talks and
job fairs. Make sure you have a few presentable templates of
your résumé and cover letter on hand, and customise them
according to individual jobs. Polish your interview skills by
getting real interview experience. Keep abreast of current
affairs, the economic situation and industry trends by reading
newspapers and magazines.
UCSI University Co-Operative Education Report 2009 I 21