Are you getting ready to step into the professional world? It can be a nerve-wracking experience, but having the right tools in your arsenal will give you the confidence to take risks and tackle any challenge. The big question is how to build a professional toolkit that will give you the employability skills you need. That’s what we explore in this guide. From developing your soft skills to networking like a pro, we walk you through the steps necessary to build a toolkit for your dream career.
What Is A Professional Toolkit?
A professional toolkit is a set of skills and experiences that you have developed in your academic, personal, and professional life. The goal is to list everything you have learned so far, including your skills, technological capabilities, and tools. This gives you a clear view of your current skills and allows you to spot knowledge gaps.
Next up, how to build a professional toolkit to kickstart your career.
How To Build A Professional Toolkit In 6 Steps
It’s never too soon to learn how to develop employability skills. In fact, the sooner you know the skills that student jobseekers should hone, the sooner you can start developing your skills. All of this will serve you well when it comes to applying for graduate jobs. Plus, graduate employers will be blown away at your drive and preparation, setting you apart from the competition.
Are you ready to start tracking and building your skills? Follow these six steps to create a professional development toolkit that will enhance your future career.
1. Define your professional goals
Start by reflecting on what you want to achieve in your career, short and long-term. For instance, is your goal to become a Manager? Or perhaps you eventually want to start your own design business.
Once you’ve defined your goals, research the industry-specific requirements to reach them. What soft and technical skills do you need to develop? Are there specific tools you need? How much experience do you need to get under your belt to reach your objectives?
Knowing this information lets you map out any additional training or experience you need. For example, would completing a design boot camp during the summer speed up the process and get you the experience you need?
Additional reading ?? Top Graduate Employers
2. Hone your soft skills
While many of the skills that student jobseekers should hone depend on the target role and industry, there are some transferable soft skills that will serve you well in any career.
Soft skills are extremely valuable for employers because they’re hard to train. In general, they come with experience. That means the sooner you develop essential soft skills, the more employable you will be.
These are some valuable soft skills you should develop:
- Communication: The ability to convey your thoughts to others and actively listen to theirs is invaluable in a team environment. You can start honing this skill by joining public speaking or debate clubs, working on your written communication, and seeking other good communication resources.
- Teamwork: Almost every career requires you to work effectively with others. So, start working on your ability now by enrolling in clubs and organisations or working on group projects. It will show prospective employers that you are a team player and a good collaborator.
- Time management: No matter the field, being able to manage your time is an asset. Not only will you be a more productive employee, but you’ll be better able to juggle a hectic workload. Start now by using calendars and apps to track your time and stay organised.
- Problem-solving: Finding creative solutions to problems is a hugely desirable skill in any profession. So, it’s a good idea to start honing that skill by researching different approaches and finding a mentor to learn from.
3. Hone your technical skills
As well as soft skills, you will need to develop some technical skills to be successful in the workplace. Technical skills are industry or role-specific know-how, such as how to use certain tools, equipment, or technology. You typically learn these skills on-the-job or through formal training.
Examples of technical (or hard) skills include data analysis, computer programming, web design, and electrical engineering. They help you perform your job correctly, troubleshoot problems, and innovate.
So how do you go about developing technical skills?
Start by doing research into your target profession. What technical skills do you need to develop? Next, seek out training opportunities. Can you learn online or teach yourself? If not, how can you build the skill set? Professional courses, internships, volunteering, and work experience, are excellent ways to build hard skills.
You may also be interested in ?? Creative jobs for graduates in 2023
4. Build your network
Networking is a massively important part of your skills toolkit. Growing a network of like-minded professionals can open doors and give you access to valuable resources, job opportunities, and insights to achieve your career goals. It’s also an excellent opportunity to hone your ability to build relationships and promote your personal brand.
The first step in expanding your professional network is to attend industry events and join professional organisations. These will give you an opportunity to connect with other professionals in your field. You’ll also find plenty of opportunities to network online.
Remember, meeting people is just the first step. Once you have made connections, it’s important to nurture the relationship. So, make sure you get their contact details or LinkedIn information and stay in touch. This could be as simple as sending a quick follow-up message or offering your help and advice on some work. It could even be simply engaging with their content online.
The golden rule is to be authentic. That way, you can foster genuine relationships that will help you achieve your professional goals.
5. Invest in industry tools and resources
Familiarising yourself with essential industry tools will give you a competitive edge and help you develop the skills you need. In addition, many employers will favour candidates who already know how to use industry-specific and general corporate tools to streamline their workflows and be more efficient.
Of course, we’re not suggesting that you fork out for licenses to a bunch of different software. But it’s a good idea to research standard tools in your industry and see if you can get a free demo or trial. Many SaaS products like Adobe Photoshop or Sublime Text offer free versions or trial periods so you can get a feel for how the tool works and what it does.
You could also read up on books and papers by thought leaders in your field. This will help you stay up-to-scatch on the latest trends and give you something to talk about during your job interview.
Worth a read ?? Best UK cities for graduate jobs
6. Keep learning
Continuously investing in your professional development is one of the best ways to show employers what you’re all about. Employees that prioritise learning and development tend to be more engaged and productive and higher performers. So naturally, employers are always on the hunt for candidates with learning agility.
Keeping your finger on the pulse is a good place to start. Stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends and actively seek out learning opportunities, such as webinars, training courses, and conferences. While formal training is great, it can be costly. Fortunately, plenty of free online resources and events will help you learn without breaking the bank.
Including these learning activities on your CV will showcase your commitment to your professional development.
How To Build A Professional Toolkit: Next Steps
We hope these tips on how to build a professional toolkit empower you to take charge of your future career path. In addition, building a solid set of transferable skills will boost your confidence and employability, preparing you to take your first steps in the professional world.
With an increasingly competitive job market, building a professional toolkit is a chance to stand out from the crowd and boost your chances of landing your dream graduate job.
Once you’ve built the necessary graduate skills, the next step is to start the job hunt. Our dedicated Graduate Jobs Board is full of the latest career opportunities in your area.
Explore our weekly blog for the latest industry insights, guides, and tips to help you land your first graduate role.
If you’re a graduate employer, our services page has information on advertising on our specialist jobs board, creating a company profile, and more.
To see how we can support your business, get in touch or sign up for our free Developing a Student email newsletter with the form below.
