Completing the course: now that you have finished… what’s next?
Once you’ve completed all of your exams and have finished your course, you may be thinking that you are ready for your next job role or career move. Before you start applying for new jobs, however, it is important to make sure that you are fully prepared. Having the right qualifications is only part of the reason you may get a job you apply to, so let's look at a few other important aspects to consider.
Getting Your CV Right
Before applying for a new job, the first thing you need to do is make sure your CV is up to date and that it demonstrates why you are the right candidate for the job to which you are applying. You need to make sure that you tailor your CV for the job that you are seeking and also need to make sure that it is void spelling mistakes, has proper formatting, and demonstrates your interests as well as your qualifications. It can often be tempting to just send off a standard CV, but showing why you are the right person for the job can begin before you’ve even turned up for an interview.
Interviewing
The next step will, hopefully, be attending the interview. Assuming you are selected, you need to make sure you are absolutely ready for the interview. Remember to dress appropriately and be prepared to talk about yourself, why you are interested in the role, and other topics surrounding questions that the interview panel may ask you. The panel are likely to be seeing several candidates during the day, so it is strategically important to try to be as engaging as possible and to let your passion and knowledge of the field show. You also need to be sure that you can show that you know about the job and company you are applying for, so make sure you know some details about the organisation and can say why you want to work both for the company and within the role.
Of course, after finishing your exams, you may not be sure what type of field you wish to work in next. Your course may have opened up a number of new options for you to consider and explore. In this case, it is often beneficial to seek a more general role within a large financial or auditing firm. By seeking a role in a larger organisation this can often allow you to gain a wide range of experience working within different areas and this will not only help you to decide which field you find most interesting and might want to specialise in, but it can also allow you to make a number of contacts and build your experience.
Thinking About Further Study
Alternatively, at the end of your exams you may decide that you want to learn more and take your studies further. In this case, there are a number of different options available to you for further study, including post-graduate study and a range of different professional courses that can allow you to further build on your knowledge and skills.
Congratulations!
Most importantly, remember that now you have finished your exams and have a qualification to be proud of. Take some time to enjoy your accomplishment, but consider all of the above to continue moving toward the role you truly desire.
Good luck!
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