Top 10 Tips to Prepare your Students for the Future

A teacher plays a key role in preparing students for the future. It can be a daunting task for young people to make decisions about their career, however if they pick up as many skills as possible at school and university, the process is made easier. Here are some useful tips to help guide them along their way.

1) Extracurricular activities

Whether it is becoming a member of the school's Tennis Team or joining the Drama Society at university, it is important for students to show employers that they are enthusiastic and have interests outside of their working life. Joining a society or a sports club can also help them pick up transferable skills for the work place, such as communication and team work.

2) Technology

It is fundamental in today's society to be technologically savvy. Computers are becoming increasingly important in our everyday lives and a majority of jobs will expect employees to understand the basic programmes, such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. There are different forms of technology such as educational tablets, PC’s, laptops etc. so it is worth students getting to grips with all of them. Being IT literate can improve their chances of gaining employment and communicating with others.

3) Socialising

Networking is a fantastic way to build relationships with friends and potential employers. Social Media sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter are good platforms to put themselves out there and get their skills noticed. Blogging is also a way of interacting with others and improves their written skills. Students should be careful when it comes to using sites such as Facebook as it is more personal and they don't want future employers to know too much information about themselves.

4) Multi lingual

Speaking multiple languages can open a lot of doors as there are many careers that require you to speak more than one. Encourage your students to pay attention in their language classes as being multi lingual also gives them the freedom to travel and work abroad. It looks impressive on their CV and shows that they are willing to go the extra mile to broaden their horizons.

 5) Researching

Researching skills can be picked up from school or university. They are paramount as they show that students can obtain and acquire information for others, which again is attractive to an employer.

6) Knowledge

Advise your students to have a book/magazine/newspaper on the go. The more they read, the more knowledge they obtain, and this is an advantage when it comes to communicating with people. If your school or university is offering extra courses or certificates, they need to get involved as the more they learn, the more likely they are to succeed.

7) Curriculum Vitae

It is essential that they have a CV that is eye catching and stands out from the rest. Make sure they include their skills, hobbies and any work experience they have gained. They should not be shy and use their CV as a platform to boast about their attributes.

8) Work experience

Work experience is a way of gaining knowledge on the business world. The majority of schools will have a work experience programme so it is a good idea for students to embark on one of these, as it will help them gain confidence and give them an insight into working life. Work experience can also help give them a feel for which career path they want to go down. It shows employers that they have ambition and drive.

9) Organisation

Organisational skills are essential in every aspect of life. If they can pick these skills up early on, it will set them up for the future. Diaries and “to do lists” are effective as they will help them prioritise tasks and use time management effectively, which is important in a working environment.

10) Attitude

A positive mind set will get them far. Urge them to come across enthusiastically in job interviews, as prospective employers will notice their attitude and it will make them stand out from the crowd. Even if they don't think they have the skills for the job, if they show them they are willing to learn, they will get noticed.