The Graduate Conundrum

Nearing the end of your degree can be a worrying prospect and not always for the reasons you might expect. Some people are simply overwhelmed with the amount of options available whilst others shy away from the 'real' working world deeming the conventional post-graduate routes unappealing or unsuitable for them. In many cases getting into a post-grad job scheme can feel a bit like signing your whole life away to a world of competition, promotions and career ladders. If you don't feel ready to pick a particular vocation just yet, but you would like to try something new and gain some new skills, there is another way.

Post-graduate further education doesn't necessarily have to mean a masters degree or a PhD. It could be a quick two month course in IT or in office skills to get you on your way, it could be a commercial internship based in a particular business area that you think might interest you but you're not quite willing to commit to fully or it could be a Teaching English as a Foreign Language qualification which could lead to teaching opportunities abroad. There are many forms of further education available that can help you decide which career options are best for you and which can open your eyes to the possibilities and the realities of working in certain professions.

Useful tools for researching kinds of education which will increase your employability often include job searching agencies and websites, such as Reed.co.uk. Reed not only features a mammoth database of all kinds of jobs, it also provides detailed information and links to different kinds of skills and work qualifications. From short training courses to online degree courses to free online and home learning courses there are a multitude of educational options available. Sometimes it's even possible to work and study part time - particularly when participating in an online course which can usually be organised around your lifestyle and commitments.

From commercial skills, such as management and accounting, to basic skills, such as grammar and numeracy, there are many courses available that could open up new job opportunities for you. In addition to this, Reed's website also offers other advice on building up your CV, how to practise and prepare for an interview and how relevant and useful work experience can be gained through part-time temping and contract work, without having to commit fully to one particular area of work just yet.

So, if you're still unsure of making that big step into the professional world of work or committing yourself to one particular company for a contracted number of years, don't rule out the many different kinds of further education, whether it be a two week IT course or a year long internship.