Career readiness · Graduate employability

From Campus to Career.

Making Graduates Ready for the World of Work.

I’m Ashish Gupta, The First Job Specialist. I help make the transition from education to employment more informed, intentional and career-ready, with practical resources for students and insights for the institutions that prepare them.

Portrait of Ashish Gupta
Ashish GuptaThe First Job Specialist

At the intersection of education and employment

  • Career Building
  • First-job Readiness
  • Graduate Employability
  • Career Services
Cover of Your First Job Playbook by Ashish Gupta
Featured resource

Your first job deserves a plan.

Your First Job Playbook is the complete guide for students and fresh graduates to get hired and start strong. It covers the practical stages of first-job preparation, from building a resume and portfolio to navigating applications and interviews and settling into the first months at work.

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About the work

Understanding the journey from the inside.

My professional journey has been shaped by years of working across the higher education ecosystem in admissions, outreach, institutional growth, team development and student engagement.

That experience has given me a close view of the journey students take through education, and the gap that can exist between earning a qualification and feeling prepared to begin a career.

Today, my work and content focus on helping students build career clarity and first-job readiness, while encouraging institutions to make graduate employability a meaningful part of the student experience.

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The challenge

A degree is a beginning. Not the finish line.

Students need more than a qualification to navigate the world of work. They need clarity about their strengths, an understanding of workplaces, evidence of their abilities and the confidence to take the first step.

  • Knowing where to begin, and how to make informed career choices.
  • Translating classroom learning into skills employers can recognise.
  • Building a resume, portfolio and professional presence with purpose.
  • Preparing for applications, interviews and the realities of the first job.
For students

Make your next step a confident one.

Practical guidance and resources to help you move from college to the workplace, with greater clarity, stronger preparation and a plan you can act on.

Direction

Build Your Career Direction

Explore interests, strengths and career pathways.

Preparation

Prepare for Your First Job

Build a resume, portfolio and interview readiness.

Habits

Become Future-Ready

Develop communication, adaptability and professional habits.

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For universities

Make career readiness part of the student journey.

Graduate employability is strengthened when career development is intentional, connected to industry and embedded across the student experience.

The First Job Podcast

Conversations shaping the future of career services.

Thoughtful conversations with higher education and corporate leaders on employability, career development, the changing world of work and the bridge between campus and career.

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Experience and impact

Grounded in practice. Focused on what comes next.

My work is informed by a career in higher education and a continuing commitment to making career guidance and employability conversations more accessible.

Higher education

Years of experience across admissions, outreach and institutional growth.

Author

Books and practical playbooks on careers and higher education.

Conversations

Sessions, talks and podcast dialogues on employability and the world of work.

Let’s make the journey from campus to career more meaningful.

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