Graduating is always worth getting excited about, but it’s just the beginning. To turn that diploma into a paycheck and start building a future, young adults need more than just a résumé; they need real-world habits that build work readiness, job experience and confidence in their career direction.
Whether you're preparing for the workforce or just beginning to explore entry-level jobs for college grads, the habits you form right after graduation can define your early career. The job market moves fast, and for those looking for jobs for high school graduates or wondering how to get your first job, it's important to approach your career like you would any important goal—with strategy, consistency and tools like pepelwerk to guide you.
Set and Review Career Milestones Regularly
It's easy to lose momentum without direction. Set clear short-term and long-term career goals, then check in every few weeks to track your progress. Maybe your first milestone is to get your first entry-level job within 60 days. From there, you might set a goal to move into a leadership role, upskill in a technical area or land a position in a specific industry. pepelwerk helps by providing a goal job roadmap, where young adults can get matched to jobs for recent college grads or high school grads, and receive personalized learning plans to develop the skills needed to reach those goals faster.
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Talk to a Career Coach Early On
Many recent grads wait until they're stuck to talk to someone about their career. But building a relationship with a career coach early helps you identify your natural strengths, avoid common mistakes and align your job search with your lifestyle goals. Through pepelwerk’s talent development marketplace, grads can access coaching sessions with experienced career professionals who understand how to translate school experiences into work readiness and help students discover which industries and roles fit them best.
Learn to Communicate Your Skills
Your ability to land the best jobs for a teenager or jobs for recent college grads depends on how well you communicate your value. Skill translation for students—especially those without work experience—is key. Focus on how to turn your volunteer work, team projects, internships or extracurricular activities into language that matters to employers. For example, saying "I led a student fundraiser" becomes “I managed logistics, communications and a $2,000 budget.” Tools like pepelwerk’s AI Career Assistant can help grads refine how they present themselves for specific job roles.
Commit to Upskilling and Staying Relevant
Today’s workforce rewards those who are constantly learning. Whether it's brushing up on Excel, taking micro courses in customer service or exploring emerging job trends, staying up to date is essential. This habit of continuous improvement doesn’t just help you find jobs after high school—it makes you a better candidate for promotions and higher pay. pepelwerk’s monthly and preferred memberships give you access to discounted courses, free career events and automated goal learning plans so you can keep your skills sharp without spending thousands on traditional college credit.
Start Building Your Professional Network
Your network can be one of your biggest assets—especially when you're just starting out. Connect with teachers, family friends, coaches, past employers and classmates. Let people know you're looking for your first job or trying to find direction. Social platforms can help, but so can showing up to in-person or virtual career events hosted by platforms like pepelwerk. These are spaces where companies are actively looking for work-ready talent like you.
To get started on your path to work readiness and career success, here’s how you can use pepelwerk right now:
- Create a free pepelwerk account and explore the Talent Development Marketplace.
- Choose your goal job and get matched to jobs for high school graduates or college grads.
- Enroll in a monthly or preferred membership for exclusive benefits like coaching sessions and discounted upskilling.
- Use your AI Career Assistant to create your learning path and start applying.
- Get feedback, track your progress and keep moving toward your career milestone.
The sooner you start building these habits, the sooner you’ll reach your goals. Whether you're a student looking for your first job or a parent helping your child prepare for the workforce, pepelwerk is the tool to help make that transition successful. With affordable monthly plans and everything you need in one place—career coaching, job matching, skills training and real-time assistance—there’s no better way to get ahead than starting today.
Looking for more ways to get ready for your future career? Click below!
