Get and stay connected

Getting and staying connected seems easy to millennials. Staying connected with their communities is in their blood (or iPhone). But, it is important to be doing it in a way where you reap the benefits in creating personal networks, not just to share selfies. It’s also seen by Limelighters as a key skill in gaining employment, ranking third (16%).

“It’s important to think strategically about social media. Use platforms such as LinkedIn to start nurturing connections which are relevant to your present and future. Join like-minded communities to share ideas and ideals that can help you ‘nut out’ what you look for in a role, and what you need to be a valued employee,” said Hayes.

“At Aurecon, we urge emerging professionals to cast their net even wider when it comes to finding mentors and career development. By involving yourself in the broader Aurecon community or reading about other young professionals worldwide, you can learn from their highs, as well as their lessons learnt,” said Nugent.

What skills and experiences did you deem most valuable at university to obtain graduate employment?

Course work and related case studies: 23%
Work placement as part of course: 20%
Personal networks: 16%
Voluntary work experience: 10%
Self-reflection: 8%

Get hands-on with your experience

After University, your CV may look pretty slim. Sure, you can beef it up with skills and goals, and yes, there was that stint at the local supermarket you really enjoyed as a teenager, but this does not cut it in the real world. Employers need to know that you are hungry to build on any experience that you may have.

"Hands-on opportunities are an invaluable way for students to meet industry contacts. You never know, you may land a graduation job because of it."
Liam Hayes, Chief People Officer, Aurecon

In the Limelight Survey, millennials ranked work placement as the second (20%), and voluntary work experience as the fourth (10%) most important skill or experience at university effective in gaining graduate employment.

With some university degrees, work placement is an integral part of learning. Embrace it with vigour as it will not only give you a taste of what is to come but, you never know, it might be the stepping stone for a possible graduate position. Even if your degree does not offer it, seek it in any way you can.

Consider volunteering in areas which not only build your skillsets but also your CV. Not for profit organisations rely on your generosity of time and resources to sustain them. Let them return the favour to you. Your altruism will be a win for you in building your confidence, team building and communications skills. Furthermore, you will be able to apply the technical skills from university in real life situations, which your potential employer will value immensely. It shows you can walk the walk, and talk the talk.

Yes, technical skills are important

"Having the right balance of technical and complementary skills is paramount to increasing your opportunities for a graduate role."
Liam Hayes, Chief People Officer, Aurecon

Your time at university is sacred. You are systematically building up your core skills from course work and related content for that post-graduation role. According to the Limelight Survey, technical skills related to career discipline ranked at the top to be outstanding in your first role at 28%, while course work and related learning were the most effective skill to obtain graduate employment (23%).

The survey also found that knowledge about the application of digital technologies to be an increasingly important skill, but more work needs to be done around integrating it into the education framework. Overall, 48 per cent of Limelighters surveyed felt ‘less than prepared’ in terms of their digital skills to enter their profession after university.

In terms of digital skills, how prepared did you feel to enter the workforce?

felt less than prepared with digital skills: 48%
felt more than prepared with digital skills: 34%
felt prepared with digital skills: 18%

Where to from here?

Millennials have career ultramarathons ahead of them and seem to be paddling upstream after graduation to get themselves employer ready. However, as a passionate and driven generation, they are focused on developing their technical and soft skills to construct the career that is right for them. It is clear from the results that there remains a lack of alignment between university education and the necessary skills needed by millennials to excel in their first role.

It is also important for employers to create an environment in which emerging professionals can be inquisitive, be heard and learn early in their careers from their peers and colleagues. With experience, comes maturity and, in turn, graduates will build on skills and competencies to create a sound foundation for their career. A win-win situation!

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