Just graduated? Waiting for a job? Staying at home after graduation and while waiting for a job can be quite dull and frustrating if you do not have anything worthwhile to keep you busy. It can also set you back mentally if you do not engage in activities that will stimulate your IQ. It really does not have to be that way as there are a number of things you can actually do to make yourself valuable for the labor market or prepare you for self employment. There is nothing as impressive as attending an interview and wowing your prospective employers with responses that indicate you are ready for your next phase in life. Employers prefer to spend as little as possible in training of new employees. Here are the ten ways you can add value to yourself after school
1. READ BOOKS
Books are filled with knowledge. Whether fictional, real, motivational or on a particular subject, books will give you the kind of mental exercise most media will not. You get to learn so many things, open yourself to vast knowledge and build an admirable vocabulary. Reading books also guides you on how to put down your own thoughts if you intend to be an author. Aim to read a book every day. You can register in a library or avail yourself of online versions of thought-provoking literature. This is one of the best ways you can add value to yourself
2: ATTEND SEMINARS/WORKSHOPS
A seminar or workshop is a form of discussion or meeting with the aim of instructing or educating the attendees. It can also take the form of training. You can hardly lose out if you make it a habit of attending these forums anytime you are invited. Many of them are usually free because the aim may be to develop an indigent or struggling section of the society or they may be organized by a non-profit or such charity organization. They are usually very stimulating because the resource persons usually carry out research and you could buy an idea that may just set you on the path to building your business empire.
3. JOIN A SOCIAL/WELFARE CLUB
Instead of sitting out your time at home doing nothing, you could join a club where activities that interest you are carried out. It could be sports, music, charitable or other volunteer work or some other activity that suits your hobby. It could also be an association that mainly attends to the welfare of its members. A diligent search in your area will surely reveal one. Clubs provide a means of good relationships and networking which could have great impact in your future career. Clubs could also help you hone your hidden talents.
4. LEARN A SKILL OR TRADE
One of the best ways to add value to you is by learning a skill or a trade. We all like to have an impressive resume when applying for a job. When you have just graduated however, such a resume could be hard to come by since you have no working experience. One of the ways by which you can remedy this is by acquiring extra skills or learning how to run a trade. This is the foundation of entrepreneurship which in turn is the backbone of empowerment and wealth creation. Whether it is cinematography, graphic arts, events planning, fashion designing, cocktail making, web designing, programming etc, you can never go wrong here. In fact you may not need to attend job interviews because with the right skill and attitude you could just set yourself up for self employment.
5. MAKE A RESEARCH
Got something that has been bothering your mind? Well this is the time to find out all by yourself what it is that has been puzzling you. Making research involves painstaking investigation using a variety of methods. This is aimed at unraveling the causes or effects of something. Research will help you make discoveries. It will develop your analysis; improve critical thinking and your attention to detail. It will also help you in time management. These are attributes or skills you will need in your future career and which employers are on the lookout for. You may need someone to guide you through the rudiments.
6. TRAVEL
Another way to add value to you is by travelling. Apart from having to travel for work or a specific purpose, travel has mostly been seen as a tourist or pleasure-seeking activity. Many people do not realize that travelling is a form of education. You get to see places, meet different people and most often than not learn new cultures. When you leave your familiar environment to other places, you have acquired for yourself the ‘license’ to talk about that new place. If you can afford it, seeing a new place every now and then will certainly add value to you.
7. STAY UPDATED
With the availability of the internet and so many news apps to rely on, staying abreast of events in your country and indeed the entire world is much easier now. Do not miss out on the opportunity to stay updated on current affairs especially on the economy and world affairs. Things happen every day and changes keep taking place almost on a daily basis. You do not want prospective employers to think you have been in a dark cage for a while now, do you? Current information can be the big difference between peace and disaster. Do not forget that your future career could just depend on that bit of news to survive. Information is key.
8. FURTHER EDUCATION
If you can afford it, additional education will do you a lot of good. By education I am not just talking about the random Masters degree (Employers love degrees and certificates). I am talking about an education in a specified field, directed at what you intend to make a career out of. It does not have to be in the four walls of a classroom. There are so many online programs you can avail yourself of these days. Online sites such as Udemy, Coursera, Skillshare, and Udacity are some of the places where you can find what will best suit your needs. Many of them are quite affordable and offer discounts every now and then. Remember you can learn almost anything you want from an online education. And yes, many of them are certified!
9. KEEP FIT
We can never overemphasize the need to remain both mentally and indeed physically fit. You can only go so far with mental fitness if physically you are unfit. Physical fitness ensures that you remain mentally alert and that you build the stamina for your mental exercises. You do not want to suddenly collapse while pursuing your dreams or drop dead before enjoying the fruits of your labor now do you? Make it a habit to jog every morning. At least thirty minutes of exercise everyday is what is recommended. You can even do better than that by registering in a gym. Also, watch what you eat. Remember the saying ‘you are what you eat’. Be disciplined in your choice of food. Green is better. Eat lots of fresh vegetables. Avoid as much as possible processed foods, red meat and late meals.
10. ATTEND TO YOUR RELIGIOUS FAITH
You may think this is not necessary. I assure you it is. If you want to gain the trust of people, integrity is one virtue you should imbibe. Religious faiths generally are known for preaching morals. These morals are some of what makes you a gentle man or lady. They generally keep you sober and away from vices or habits that may make people avoid you. You tend to earn respect if people feel you are honest and trustworthy. Organizations will not want employees whose bad character precedes them. Again your faith can be a source of motivation for what you do. Whichever faith you belong to make sure you find time to attend to its activities, for in it you will develop the discipline which is required of one who wants to carve a niche for himself. Faith will certainly add value to you.

Source : www.mycoreneeds.com

There's no way to become a better person than this.

wilcox:
There's no way to become a better person than this.

Exactly Wilcox. Many things are usually within our reach. We are mostly lazy to reach out for them.