Career Opportunities for Freshers

Graduating from college is the official big step for students into the real world. But what happens when you are through?

While some freshers have a clear career path defined ever since they started college, others find themselves lost in the maze of career options waiting to be explored.

From higher education to taking that first job you get through the placement cell, career choices for new graduates are many, and getting confused in such situations is natural.

Wondering which career path is right for you? Read this blog to discover some of the best career options for freshers and choose how you want to get started wisely to build a successful career.

1. Pursue higher education

One of the most common career choices amongst college graduates in India is pursuing higher education today and rightly so.

Over the years, the importance of higher education has increased manifold as graduates often find themselves vying for opportunities that demand a postgraduate degree.

Unlike before, companies today look for employees who are skilled, self-starters, and ready to take on challenging roles with little training.

This is probably why India's student population in higher education grew by 800,000 in 2018-19.

There are several reasons why higher education could be the right choice for you after your college graduation. Here are the top 5:

Higher education can help students gain a deeper understanding of their area of interest & develop relevant and crucial skills
With higher education, you can have access to more career opportunities as it makes you more attractive to employers and increases your chances of getting hired
It prepares you to stand out from the competition and find great places to work as people with higher education are more likely to get jobs rather than those with only a graduate degree
Higher education allows you to learn new skills and enables better analytical and creative abilities
Higher education can provide you a better understanding of your field, making you self-confident and certain about your future

2. Apply for government jobs

Preparing for government jobs is another career opportunity for freshers that has promising potential.

Anyone who has ever considered their career options has thought of applying for government jobs at least once in their lifetime.

Popular sectors like IT, pharmaceutical, hospitality, banking, etc are flourishing today, but more and more students wish to get hired for government jobs. The reason is simple!

When compared to private jobs, government jobs are equally challenging with slightly less appealing salary prospects comparatively.

But the essence of esteem, value, and benefits like job security, etc trumps everything that a job in the private sector has to offer.

While it is extremely difficult to crack all those advanced exams, getting a government job in India is a dream come true for many student.

Being a college graduate, this is the right time for you to apply. If this is an option you are considering, here are the top 8 sectors of government jobs you can apply in:

UPSC Civil service jobs in the IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, and other such departments
PSU jobs or Public Sector Jobs
National Defence Academy jobs through which you can join the Army, Air Force, or Navy
Jobs in Bank PO
Staff Selection Commission (SSC) for roles like IT inspector, auditor, Junior CSS, examiners, etc
Jobs in the Railway sector
Public Service Commission (PSC) jobs
Jobs in the Banking sector (SBI, RBI)

3. Look out for jobs in the private sector

Getting a job as a fresher is one of the most challenging things you will face in your professional life.

With little to no work experience and basic knowledge, finding a suitable job can be tricky.

But the private sector has a vast range of career opportunities, because of which finding the right job can be made easy with some extra effort from your end.

To help you decide what type of job you want, we have made a list of high-paying jobs for freshers like you who are looking for a job in India’s private sector.

Tip: If you are preparing for campus placements, do it with these 5 effective tips.

4. Become an entrepreneur with your startup

Nothing compares to working on a venture of your own. Luckily for our generation, the current ecosystem has made it easy for us to become our boss.

All you need is a unique idea and a business plan to build your startup and become an entrepreneur.

If you are someone who is full of innovative ideas and has what it takes to become a successful leader, this career option is perfect for you.

But before you pursue this dream, you must know how to get started and where you can get help.

To support budding entrepreneurs and give young students a push, many colleges have their business incubators.

In case you don't know, a business incubator is where premature startup ideas come alive.

Entrepreneurs can get access to working space, guidance, mentorship, contacts & a list of investors, or any other help they may need to get their business started through business incubators.

If you are inclined towards becoming an entrepreneur, this list of incubators for students in India can help you explore your options.

5. Explore the possibility of going abroad

Have you ever felt like going to a different country to get a job or pursue higher education? If you have, this career opportunity is the one you should choose for yourself.

Going abroad can help you learn about different cultures, get exposure to different industries and get a better salary too.

You can even use this experience in the long run and leverage it to grab the opportunity that interests you.

The question that arises now is how to explore going abroad without disrupting your current career path? Here are some answers:

TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) programs that allows you to gain international work experience by teaching English as a second language to people in different countries
Student/Foreign exchange programs
Language programs for those with a certification in foreign languages. You can gain professional work experience and exposure by teaching various languages to people staying abroad
Career gaps that allow you to take some time to explore new avenues and roles to help you find a perfect professional fit in a foreign country

There has been a significant rise in the number of Indian students enrolling in universities in different countries as the Indian job ecosystem values a degree from international universities way more than one obtained from a college in India.

But there are other advantages too, like better quality of life, scholarship options for international students, understanding diversity, global recognition, and exposure,

If you plan on applying to a college in a foreign country, here is a list of colleges & scholarships popular colleges offer that you must consider.

Scholarships

Tata Scholarship- Cornell University, USA
Felix Scholarships- Oxford, UK
International Leader of Tomorrow Award Scholarship- University of British Columbia, Canada
Melbourne - India PG Scholarship - Australia
Chevening Scholarship- UK

Colleges

Boston University, Massachusetts
University of Illinois, Chicago
New York University (NYU)
Columbia University, New York
Stanford University, California
Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania
Cape Breton University, Canada
University of Newcastle, Australia
Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia
10.Trinity College, Dublin

6. Upskill with certifications and specializations

With everything going online today, education is now just a click away as well. Online websites like Udemy,<a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.coursera.org/" " rel="nofollow"> Coursera, etc., are well equipped with a wide range of courses to help you understand the nitty-gritty of the field you wish to pursue.

While getting certified sounds a lot like pursuing higher education, it is fundamentally different.

While a degree broadens your horizons in a field, a certification is more targeted and can help you get a position you may like.

There are many advantages of getting certified. You can learn the new skills required to get your dream job. You can even dive deep and gain a deeper understanding of the positions you are interested in.

Not to forget, the cost of certification is far less than a degree, making it the most inexpensive academic opportunity.

Certifications can work wonders for freshers as they offer skills, exposure, and experience, things freshers need the most to get a job of their liking.

7. Take up freelance projects

Another interesting career option for college freshers is freelancing.

College graduates waiting to find their dream job or applying for further education can use the extra time, and take up freelance projects to earn some extra dough and get experience & exposure in the process.

What makes it an even more appealing prospect is the monetary compensation that helps you stay afloat as you prepare to take on your dream project.

The big question that remains unanswered is how can you get freelance projects?

The answer lies in the face of websites that are dedicated to help people get freelance projects of their liking.

Websites that offer freelance projects/jobs

Some websites that can help you get a freelance job in India are:

1.Upwork
2.Truelancer
3.Fiverr
4.Freelancer
5.Youth4Work
6.Freelance India
7.On Contract
8.Working Nomads

In conclusion, these are some of the most popular career opportunities for freshers right out of college. We hope with this blog you will find your calling and will be able to make a decision that benefits your career in the long run.

All the best!