Transitioning from university to real life can be challenging, unpredictable and, ultimately, rewarding. Rajneet Chaggar, who graduated from BCU in 2025 with a First Class degree in Marketing, has negotiated rejections, career pivots, positions at global brands, extensive networking and more before landing her first marketing role. She shares the lessons she’s learned that new graduates should follow.
Find your own routine
Once the excitement of graduating had settled, the biggest emotion I felt was uncertainty. I don’t think you realise how much structure education gives you until it’s suddenly gone. You go from a world of lectures, seminars and deadlines to having to build your own routine. You have to create your own momentum.
I made searching for jobs my new routine, setting time aside for applications or preparing for interviews. I also carved out time for myself, as I didn’t want the job search to consume me 24/7. This transition from university life to seeking a job taught me a lot about self-discipline.
I was excited to start the next chapter, but there was also a lot of pressure because I knew I wanted to build a career in a specific industry – marketing – and wasn’t quite sure how or when that first opportunity would come.
I started searching for jobs thinking that if I worked hard, had a First Class Honours degree and put together some strong applications, I would clinch a job relatively quickly. The reality was much less straightforward.
There were applications I felt really positive about that didn’t progress. Interviews that I believed had gone well, only to receive a rejection. You naturally begin to question whether you’re doing enough.
What helped was trying to view every application and interview as experience rather than simply an outcome. Every interview taught me more and more about how to present myself, what employers were looking for and what I wanted from a role, too. It’s also important to remind yourself that one rejection isn’t a reflection of your ability – sometimes, you’re simply just not the right fit for that particular role at that particular time.
I began applying for opportunities outside of marketing, ones that would allow me to begin gaining corporate experience. I didn’t want to become fixated on finding the ‘perfect’ first job.
Don't be afraid of a little detour
It took a few months before I secured my first role. It wasn’t exactly a marketing position, but it was an opportunity to work at Lounge, a brand I have always greatly admired. I worked in a fast-paced environment, communicating with customers, resolving issues and working with a range of teams.
The biggest lesson I learned from the role was that experience doesn’t have to match your job title to be valuable. I developed my communication, problem solving, organisation and stakeholder management skills, all transferable attributes that gave me a strong foundation.
There’s a lot of pressure to find a job that perfectly matches your degree, but remember that careers rarely follow a straight line. I wanted my first job to be in marketing, but taking a role outside of that path didn’t mean I was moving backwards – if anything, it helped me gain experience I would have missed out on.
I think new graduates should be open-minded about where that first opportunity comes from. A role can take you somewhere you didn’t expect, introduce you to new skills or people, or simply help you understand what you do and don’t want from your career.
It’s also easy to compare yourself to other graduates. You see people announcing they’ve secured jobs on LinkedIn and it can make you feel like everyone else has stuff figured out, when in reality everyone is on a completely different timeline. Looking back, I think that accepting uncertainty really helped me.
Plus, if you haven’t got everything figured out immediately, it doesn’t mean you aren’t progressing. I focused on what I could control – applying for jobs, improving my CV, preparing for interviews and continuing to learn about the areas of marketing that interested me.
Stay connected
Another thing that helped me was staying connected to the industry I wanted to work in. I used LinkedIn to follow brands, marketers and industry conversations, as well as using the platform to build my personal brand. Sharing my experiences and reflecting on what I was learning gave me a way to document my journey rather than feeling like I was simply waiting for a job.
Also, don’t be afraid to network. I attended a number of networking events and met so many interesting people from different areas of the industry, including the CEO of Flight Story. But I also met people who were in a similar position to me, so being able to share experiences and listen to one another was very reassuring.
One year on, I am now working in a marketing position at Hain Celestial, learning about shopper marketing, a whole new side of the industry. My experience at Lounge definitely helped me secure the position, proving it wasn’t a detour, but part of the journey that got me to where I wanted to go.
I’m only at the start of my journey, but I know it’s not going to be a linear one. I’m still learning and figuring out my next steps. Just remember, you don’t need to have your whole career mapped out. Sometimes it’s about taking the opportunity that’s in front of you, learning as much as you can from it, and using it as a springboard.
New graduates need to be patient with themselves. Leaving university is a huge transition and I think sometimes you need to take a step back and look at what you’ve already achieved. Some graduates will secure a job before they finish uni, some will find one a few months later and others will take a completely different route. None of these timelines are more or less successful.