The Difference Between Work Life and University Life: 6 Tips for Making the Switch

So, you’re ready to make the transition from study to working life. Maybe you’ve completed your study in Australia or the UK and it’s now time to enter the workforce. There are many differences between work life and uni life, making this a significant but exciting switch. To help you with this change, we’ve listed our top six tips for your first job after university.

1. Keep an open mind

Working is very different to studying – the more you remember this, the more prepared you’ll be for your new career. Even if you have a good idea of what your new job will involve, remember that you can’t predict everything. The more flexible and open you are to new experiences, the easier it will be to adapt to new situations and challenges.

2. Refine your skills

Beyond the specific skills you learned in your course, it’s a good idea to refine other skills that will help you in your new role. For example, it may be worth improving your English language skills as it’s the most common language of employment in the world. The stronger your English language skills, the more employable you will be. Additionally, for certain jobs, you may need to sit an English test to demonstrate your skills.

It’s also important to focus on the English language skills you’ll need beyond writing an assignment or sitting a test. For instance, skills like interviewing, active listening, creativity and originality are essential. A well-developed skill set in these areas will help prepare you not only for your first job after university but for a global, long-term career.

Other skills that will help you in the workforce could include time management, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Skills like these are highly transferable, which means that you’ll be able to use them no matter your industry.

3. Create a new routine

A key difference between work life and uni life is the schedule. Those who study in the UK, Australia and many other countries often have classes at various different times, including in the evenings. During your studies, you may have even completed some of your coursework online from home, giving you even more flexibility. 

In the workforce, the standard workday runs from 9am–5pm. This will likely feel very different to your university schedule. For this reason, you’ll need to make some changes and create a new routine that aligns with your new schedule.

For example, if you’re going to be working onsite, you might need to get up earlier on weekdays, organise your exercise around your working day and consider doing some meal preparation on the weekends. It’s also important to plan time for self-care and socialisation, even if you have a busy work schedule. Doing so will help you learn how to balance your work life with your wellbeing. 

4. Set realistic career goals

Setting achievable and productive goals is a key step to progress in your chosen career. Effective goal-setting helps in planning for the future and developing relevant skills. It also helps with generating and maintaining motivation, which is the fuel that will get you where you want to go. 

It’s a great idea to come up with a set of goals that link together, where achieving one goal will naturally lead to working towards the next. It’s also important to set achievable goals. Using the SMART goals framework (i.e. goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) is an excellent way of doing this.

You can also use tools like calendars and daily to-do lists to manage your progress towards your goals.

5. Have confidence in yourself and your goals

As an international student, you will have already faced challenges and adapted to unfamiliar situations in creative ways. As a result, you should be confident in your ability to tackle other big life changes, including the differences between work life and uni life. After all, completing a university degree is already a huge achievement, which demonstrates that you can put your mind to something and achieve it. Moving onto your career is simply the next step in this process!

6. Do your research

Whatever your chosen field, it’s important to do your research to prepare yourself. Make sure you have a good understanding of the kinds of jobs available in your field, what those jobs involve and the kinds of traits successful candidates should have. This will help you to get the job you want as smoothly as possible. 

If you’re looking to relocate or move to a new country for work, make sure you understand the entry requirements and visa processes. For example, if you completed your study in the UK, look into employment opportunities for postgraduate students in the UK. If you completed your study in Australia, research these jobs of the future and make sure you understand the process of skilled migration to Australia.

Author: Sarah Pearce