8 Ways To Bridge The Gap Between Academic Success And Professional Growth

Making the transition from student to paid employee is often a bit of a shock to the system - and can easily undo everything you thought you knew about “work”! Apart from the fact that your annual leave will shrink faster than cashmere in a washing machine, there’ll be a lot of other changes to navigate. As a student, your time is structured with clear and concise instructions. But as an employee, things are a whole lot messier and rely greatly on using your initiative. So although the classroom can give you armfuls of knowledge, it doesn’t actually prepare you for the real world.  But the good news is that this can be fully leveraged by adding a layer of experience to what you’ve learned.

1.  Build strong foundations beyond the classroom

There’s no denying that having a job can be stressful!  But it doesn’t always have to be. The key to success lies in preparation, and in developing good habits and strong discipline. As an employee, you’re constantly under scrutiny - and you don’t want to wait for your annual review to figure out how you’re doing. SAT tutoring is a great way of learning to plan ahead, review your work and monitor your progress. This can also build a bridge to support you as you move from student life to the working world.

2.    Develop communication skills that stick

When you’re squirrelled away in your dorm room working on an assignment, communication may not really be a thing - but it absolutely is in the professional arena. Having strong skills or brilliant ideas is great but it's how you communicate them to others that will get you ahead. Whether you’re prepping for an interview or leading a meeting, you need to be able to turn your thoughts into a cohesive story. This is absolutely vital for delivering your ideas (and preventing your audience from maybe falling asleep).  But, more importantly, communication is the key to transferring your passion to others.



Great communication skills don’t always come naturally - and that’s OK. Practice makes perfect so set aside time to rehearse and record yourself doing so and, also, you may want to consider taking a speaking course to really make your skills shine.

3.    Learn to work with others

If your school reports stated that you play well with others then good for you - but the workplace is a whole ‘nother thing. A successful project or assignment isn’t about showing off - it’s a matter of strong teamwork. Sharing the load - and the credit - is a power move that will serve you well throughout your career and, as such, you should get into the habit of doing this. An example might be the part where you’re summarising a successful project in a meeting - acknowledge who did what and when as well as outlining the nuts and bolts of how it went.

4.    Master the art of adaptability

Spoiler alert - in the big, bad world things don’t always go to plan - and that’s just fine. You’re being paid for your soft skills as well as the ones that earned you your degree and so learning to pivot and adapt is essential. The key to career longevity is to make yourself irreplaceable and this means adding strings to your bow at every opportunity. For example, while finance might be your thing, adding a related skill like analytics is a great way of broadening your horizons.

5.    Treat networking as a skill

Because it is! It’s now time to stop treating networking like it’s a dirty word when, in fact, it’s a survival skill!



We’re not talking about mindlessly collecting contact info but building a solid list of connections and you can start right now. Remember that great speaker that came to your college? Why not drop him or her a note to say thank you and sneak in a question or two? Chances are that you’ll be the only one doing so - and it will be remembered.

6.    Translate theory into practice

Practice not only makes perfect but it also turns a one dimensional idea into a living, breathing thing. When you attend a job interview, the hiring manager has already assessed your skills (otherwise you wouldn’t be there in the first place). What they’re after here is your ability to look at challenges from every angle and to then walk somebody else through the problems, strategies and results. You can start with this long before your graduation ceremony by taking on an internship or volunteering with a local business or organisation to pad out and give life to your knowledge and expertise.

7.    Stay curious and keep learning

Sorry to disappoint you but learning doesn’t stop once you’ve put away that cap and gown. These days, the world moves and evolves at lightning speed and you either keep up or get left behind. Get into the habit of periodically evaluating your skills and knowledge and comparing them against market standards. This will help you to keep up a learning routine that will become an integral part of your professional life.

8.    Welcome feedback without ego

Hey, we get it – noone actually enjoys criticism, constructive or otherwise. But at work, it’s very much a case of suck it up, buttercup! As an employee, you’re part of a team and this sometimes means checking your ego at the door. In practical terms, this is occasionally receiving feedback from colleagues and superiors.  Welcome or not.



Instead of immediately going on the defence, look at this as an opportunity to learn and grow. Take the suggestion on board - if it works, you’ve evolved your skills. If it doesn’t, learn to explain why in a constructive and smart way. Coachable people rise faster so get into the habit of not just welcoming but actively seeking feedback from those around you.

Conclusion

Getting your diploma or degree is super-exciting but this is the starting pistol not the chequered flag. While your education will get you the job, it’s up to you to turn it into something special. Developing a great work ethic is all about collecting good habits and saying something new. With that in mind, if you want a great and rewarding career, you need to keep feeding it with passion, curiosity and a willingness to learn and adapt.