For those who work well and consistently put in maximum effort at uni, the rewards are two-fold. Firstly, it will be reflected in your grades, but secondly, it’ll also set you up better for the world of work.

Strong work ethic is an extremely employable quality, and seeing it reflected with proof on a CV will give employers a great impression of you. This discipline will also come in handy when job hunting, starting your own business, freelancing or even applying for postgraduate degrees.

University (and particularly the holidays in between semesters) is a perfect time to gain some work experience in your chosen field. Whether it be assisting in an office or a short internship, it will always make your CV stand out among other, experience-less graduates.

If you haven’t had a chance to gain relevant work experience to the field you want to work in, there are still ways to bulk out that CV section. If you’ve had a service job to pay your way at uni, that shows valuable employable skills, even if they aren’t in your ideal career sector.

Also, if you’ve been involved in extra-curricular activities at university, these will provide you with attributes and experiences which you can use to boost your chances as a job candidate.

Things to do after graduation

You’ll likely have a couple of tutors or seminar leaders who you really connected with. Before you leave, ask for their non-university email address so you can contact them in the future.

They’ll likely be more than happy to give you a leg up on the career ladder, or at least be a useful person to chat to about any post-uni problems you encounter.

This may sound silly in an article about preparing for the real world, but trying to keep your post-grad life as cheap as possible is a really smart thing to do.

There’s a chance you’ll start work at a low salary, or even find yourself working for free in an unpaid internship. So, getting discounts on travel, food, drink and shopping will help you make ends meet in those tough first few months.

Finishing university can be really daunting. You may feel you have no idea what you want to do, or that your chances of making it to where you want to be are nigh-on impossible. Try to stay calm and keep perspective. Your career path is going to be long and multifaceted. Not knowing exactly the first step to take is not only non-disastrous – it’s extremely common.

Remaining positive and trying out a few different things is the best way to get a grip on what exactly it is you want to do. And remember: you have tons of time to do it.

Annie Walton Doyle writes for Inspiring Interns, which helps career starters find the perfect job, in everything from sales jobs to marketing internships. To browse our graduate jobs London listings, visit our website.

Lead image: Chandler Abraham (Flickr)