Graduation dates are looming across the world, which means that so too will be a much scarier prospect: choosing your future career. There are a million things that you could choose to do with your time. Whether or not these things will make you happy, however, is an all too different type of question.
With that in mind, here are a few career paths for you to take if you are looking for something a little different than your typical grad job:
1) Traveller
People pay you to go on holiday? It sounds like a far-fetched dream, but there are plenty of situations where people are genuinely paid to be a bit of globetrotter. There are a number of ways that you can make this happen.
Starting your own YouTube channel and recording your travels, if you get the followers, can result in quite a nice income for yourself. Of course, this takes dedication and you won’t get paid straight away. If you have a good social media following already, then this may be achievable in a shorter amount of time. Essentially, you have to spend money to make money as a travelling YouTuber in the first instance.
Options that mean you are paid from day one include teaching English (or whatever language you are proficient in) abroad or being some sort of guide.
2) Childcare/Nannying
Working with children can be a very rewarding career, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be as intense or even full time as you might expect. There are plenty of options for looking after children on a part-time basis, you could even help to offer emergency relief care for foster agencies – as the fostering allowance is quite generous – that allows you to be flexible with everything else that you do.
Of course, you could do these things as a lead-up to a more full-time position in the future. If in the future you want to be a teacher or something along those lines, then you can find yourself with an impressive CV thanks to this experience.
3) Research
Do you really enjoy the lead-up to producing an essay? The thrill of hitting the books, scanning the net and finding the best sources or newest information to impress in your essays? Then you might actually suit a life of researching. Becoming a research assistant can be a great thing for a recent grad to do, as it means you can work in your university and not even have to leave your student town. Particularly good if you are not sure what you want to do moving forward.
Research assistants are often recommended by professors, also. So if you have a good standing relationship in your department then you may be able to get a good position as a result of them vouching for you.
4) Pursue Your Hobbies
Of course, sometimes all we want to do with our time is something that we love. Our hobbies are our passions, but they can also
A few examples of hobbies that can make you money, include:
- Photography – people pay a lot of money for well-shot photographs, both as portraits and of events. Put together a portfolio and invest in a good camera. This is a hobby with serious money-earning potential.
- Writing – whether you like to write about dragons, romance or androids that like to dream about sheep. You can make money from your writing in a variety of ways, even through non-fiction!
- Fitness – no really, getting fit can make you money. Personal trainers make a killing on a per hour basis. So, why not make sure you get that instead of paying that to someone else?
- Blogging – Blogging isn’t necessarily writing orientated, as you can blog about any one of your favourite hobbies no matter how good of a writer you are. You can write 300 words every day about your favourite windsurfing moves and make money via Google AdSense. It isn’t always the most lucrative of ways to monetize your hobby, but it can be one of the most fun.
- Social Media – do you love Facebook, Instagram or Twitter? Then you could make some money by managing these accounts for someone else. Small businesses don’t have time to update Facebook, so they often hire someone to do that for them on a freelance basis. Get really good at this and it could lead to a full-blown career in marketing!
5) Go Part-Time
After graduation, there’s nothing saying that you have to jump into a full-time career. It’s what people expect you to do, sure, but not exactly something you have to do. A part-time job can help you to take a minute to step back, think about your future career path and just have a little time to breathe following completing your degree. All the while earning money. What’s not to love?
A part-time job can also be a stepping stone to the career that you actually want. Either as much-needed experience before a hiring manager will take you seriously, or as a way to learn invaluable skills that you need moving forward. It doesn’t all have to be the standard shop or restaurant work that you had to put up as a teen.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, being able to say you know what you are doing when it comes to graduation is a valuable asset. It can also put your parent’s mind at ease, as it shows you are being proactive and thinking ahead about your life.
So, take the time now and have a thought about your future career steps. Who knows, you could make your first step to the job of your dreams! Or at least make some money, either option is good.
