07 Oct 2014

Ever heard the saying,  “work smarter, not harder?” 

Of course you have, we all heard lines like this at school as we were lectured in the different ways to study and how to prepare ourselves for our year 12 exams.For the students going through this ordeal now, you need to know that this is good advice, in fact it’s so good that you need to apply it to all facets of your life, not just exams.
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There’s one problem though.

We’re currently living in a society, where working harder AND smarter, doesn’t guarantee you anything. With the ever increasing amount of overly keen 18 year olds heading off to university every year, people are struggling more and more to find work when they finish.

It’s not all their fault, but unfortunately we’re living in an age where demand for graduate jobs far exceeds the demand for graduates. Long gone are the days where you would walk out of university and into your first job with ease. These days if you haven’t completed an internship (or four), a masters degree or a long period of unpaid work, then you find yourself at the back of the line.

Now for many people, this doesn’t phase them. Some people know what they want to do from a young age and are willing to work their arse off and wait to get the job they desire. But realistically many people go to university because they want to get PAID.

And guess what, that isn’t guaranteed any more.

28.7% of graduates don’t have a full time job within four months of leaving university. Let that sink in for a minute, more than a quarter of your packed exam room won’t have a job when they finish that last exam.

It almost doesn’t seem like the risk is worth the reward.

Which brings us back to that age old adage, “work smarter, not harder.”

What’s the smart way to look at the situation? If you’re after money or a stable career, there are other options out there.

I’m of the opinion that every high school student should seriously consider picking up a trade or a traineeship. It’s not for everyone (myself included), but if you really aren’t sure about university, then you’re shooting yourself in the foot by dismissing these other options.

Times have changed, people used to go to university because:

a. It was a lot cheaper than it is now

b. It was a lot easier to get a good job afterwards

Neither of these are accurate any more.

The opportunity to be educated in a field, and to be paid for it is something that can’t be underestimated. While many of your mates are at university paying to not be guaranteed a job, you could be earning a living and setting yourself up to own your own business or start a solid career.

Like I said before, many people know what they want to do and if that involves university then more power to them. But if you’re not sure, do yourself a favour and educate yourself to the opportunities out there.

You might find something that stands out.