Starting out in the working world is never easy. But if your parents opened a junior ISA account for you, you could be in luck. Having some savings backing you can really help to accelerate your career when used wisely.
Whether you’re finishing university, in the middle of your degree or opting out of higher education altogether, here are some ways that your savings can help you find your dream job.
Unpaid Internships
Some industries are notorious for offering unpaid internships to young hopefuls looking to get a foot in the door. While finding paid work is always preferable, you may come across an incredible opportunity that’s too good to pass up. Your savings could help to cover accommodation and travel for a few weeks while you undertake a placement. And who knows, you might get a job offer at the end of it.
Training Courses
Even if you have completed a degree, sometimes it’s just not enough. Many jobs require further training or qualifications that can be pricey. Whether you need an NCTJ qualification, a food hygiene certificate or an insight into coding, your savings could help you to complete any extra courses in record time.
If you didn’t have these funds, you might have had to work in a less than ideal job to save up. Savings can allow you to focus completely on your extra education to get you into the work you’re looking for more quickly.
Volunteering
Depending on the job you want to go into, volunteering can be an essential part of your career journey. Industries like environmental conservation often require applicants to have volunteer experience before undertaking a paid role. Your savings may allow you to go abroad and take part in longer volunteer programmes, which will not only look impressive on your CV, but will also be a fantastic experience.
Starting a Business
One difficulty many budding entrepreneurs face is money. Lots of people have business ideas they believe in but lack the funds to put their ideas into action. Having savings at the ready can help you to launch your online shop or app years earlier than you could have while trying to build up this cash yourself. But don’t rush into things, make sure your idea is solid and you’ve done all your research before taking the plunge. Just because the savings are there doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use them sensibly.
If you have extra time and money, you could consider talking with an advisor before setting up your business. This is especially helpful for someone with no prior business experience, as they can show you all the hidden costs you might not have been aware of before.
Investments
Your savings might not be quite enough to fund the training you need for your career yet, in which case you can consider investing what you have. This will help you to grow your funds while you work, allowing you to really make the most of your cash a little further down the line.