We’ve seen it all over social media: everyone is getting on the corporate grind, and the corporate girlie aesthetic is starting to seem more attractive than the grad jobs themselves. You wake up, pull out your heatless curls, whip out your Macbook Pro, and grab a matcha to slurp on the tube. The office becomes your second home, and Prêt a Manger feels like your kitchen. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t slightly drawn to this glamorised lifestyle. However, despite only being in my second year of university, selling my soul to stocks and shares makes me uneasy.
Like many, the attraction of a more significant starting salary than other graduate jobs is my counterargument, but working long hours and essentially giving yourself to a company cannot be the only way to live a prosperous and happy life. ‘Corporate girlies’ find themselves working for larger companies with multiple branches where the culture involves working long hours, often with expectations inside and outside the office. The glorification of company life continues to thrive amongst graduates and millennials alike, and having recently spent time with those working on grad schemes, I can confirm that for many, the structure and drive that comes from being part of a large organisation can be an excellent career choice. However, the pathways after university have become incredibly varied and can still provide the financial and personal stability that usually comes with a corporate job. Sound familiar? Knowing a few tips and tricks can help increase your chances of finding potential work experience, internships, and even jobs.
From my experience, although many would roll their eyes, LinkedIn is an excellent place to start looking for a range of career options, not just those in the corporate sector. Surprisingly, platforms like LinkedIn are even more critical for those looking to enter the creative sector, as starting networking early is paramount in these fields. Aside from sending you thousands of spam emails from all your contacts, the connections available from university alums, networking, and contacting those working in a field of interest are endless. Recently, after connecting and messaging someone from my high school, I gained vital insight into international language teaching in Paris. Whether it’s an answer to a question or an unexpected opportunity, you never know what can come from reaching out to someone working in a career that interests you.
Societies at all universities, including St Andrews, are essential to building a CV and providing networking opportunities to begin early. Whether you have an interest in journalism and join collectives such as Her Campus, or you find yourself becoming part of Lumsden or The Fellowship, there is no doubt that these organisations can provide invaluable skill sets and connections that will be of enormous aid to any graduate in their future. The St Andrews Law Society is a great place to start if you’re looking to begin training for your career directly.
Lastly, although an obvious resource, Saint Connect is often overlooked by many. Undergraduates and graduates alike can reach out to alums who may work in their field of interest, and many have received internships or practical advice through this platform.
If, like me, you’ve always wanted to explore a varied range of career prospects and opportunities while also embodying the working girlie aesthetic lifestyle, these options might just be what you’re looking for, and you never know, your new post-grad job could come from that one person that you reach out to. Whatever you choose to pursue, your outfits can still be Pinterest-worthy; just don’t forget that the possibilities are endless.