The job market is changing all the time, but there are a few rules to follow that will ensure your survival/success. Firstly, there is the importance of including work and volunteer experience on your list of activities and subsequent job applications, then there is the importance of engaging in some sort of entrepreneurial activity, and then generally accumulating activities, courses, or experiences that show you are progressive and have an opinion on what your field needs to succeed.

Remember that it is important to build practical experience and community involvement into whatever career path you are building. Even if you don’t know what you want to do, it is important to get experience doing a variety of practical tasks (work/volunteer) or other interesting activities (work/volunteer). When you have work or volunteer experience to supplement your school activities, you are ahead of the game and that much closer to getting a job because you show that you are actively engaged in your world and care about helping your community.

Recently, the importance of entrepreneurial activities has been brought to the attention of popular media such as CBC Radio 1. They have reported on the importance of having entrepreneurial activities to supplement or even replace education in an unpredictable market like today’s, where an education doesn’t necessarily mean a job. This aspect has been brought to the foreground due to the 13.5% unemployment rate among young people (Career Options, 2013). There are many people who have graduated with university degrees and are left without a job. This situation is not something you would expect when you look at all the advice supporting a university education, so beware and consider initiating or joining some sort of entrepreneurial activity. Consider your interests and search for something well-suited that will teach you new things and increase your hire-ability.

Also, accumulating some experience that shows that you are aware of current issues in your field of interest is important for getting jobs that are really out there, like the trades. If you need to take an environmental studies course to show your employer that you are aware of the realities of a changing climate and an emerging “green economy”, do this. It is important to show that you are current and aware of a changing world when you are trying to get the jobs that are out there.

Remaining a competitive candidate on the job market and getting the jobs that are out there can be assured by accumulating volunteer/work experience in your field of interest, taking on some entrepreneurial activities and taking a few courses relevant to important topics for your field of interest. Good luck!