After graduation fresh graduates are expected to find a job as soon as possible. This is especially true now that that the whole world is experiencing recession. Money is a little bit scarce and finding a good source of income is very challenging. That is why it is often recommended to start the job search as soon as possible so that more companies could notice and interview you.

But being productive at work is not only on applying what you learn as soon as you step out of the classroom. There are some things for a fresh graduate could do before looking for a new job. These activities aim to help the fresh graduate be ready for work with full concentration at hand and a better chance in getting hired.

A Short and Quick Vacation

Getting into the job market right after graduation is often the reaction of fresh graduates. They need the enthusiasm so they will be aggressive in looking for a new job. But finding work right after school could have negative effects once the fresh graduate finds work. He or she will find out that there was no vacation at all and this thought will affect the productivity on the first job.

Before going into the job market, get yourself a short vacation. It could be a week or two in your home or a day or two in your favorite vacation destination. No matter where you prefer to go, just make sure that you rest your mind so that you don’t have to look for this relaxing state when you are already working.

Work on Networking

Getting into the job market without any idea of networking is like finding a job without a cover letter and a resume. The importance of networking is now highlighted more than ever. Because everyone is trying to get into the job has almost the same experience and qualifications, the only way you could be “better” compared to the pool of the same qualification is through networking. Start in getting introduced by your friends and family to some persons they know in a company. This will eventually spread out like wildfire that you eventually have a good contact in every company that you want to work for.

Additional Skills Required

After you have rested a bit and you’re ready to work, spend some time honing some of your skills which could be useful someday. Sometimes, a simple skill such as typing skills could greatly improve when you practice at least 30 minutes a day.  If you consistently practice, you might be one of those persons who can crack 100 words per minute.

There are other skills that you can practice on – they don’t have to be formal education. Another example is HTML coding.   It’s not the most powerful programming language for website design but if you’re proficient through constant practice, you can use this to have an edge when compared to other candidates. You might even use this as your small business during the weekends.