Searching for a graduate job can be a scary prospect for any graduate, after working incredibly hard on three years of study, it’s now time to start thinking about what you want to do afterwards.

Before you start your job hunt, you need to pay close attention to your online profiles. Making yourself look professional online is extremely important. Some employers will head straight to your online presence opposed to your CV, so make sure your social media is professional. An easy way to identify this is asking yourself whether you would let your mum see your profile, if the answer is no, then don’t post it.

You also want to research the companies you are interested in, there is nothing worse than attending an interview where you, the interviewee, doesn’t know the fundamentals of the company. You will look very professional if you can list off key facts which aren’t found on the job outline.

Before you start looking for your dream job, work experience tailored around your chosen career path will help you along the way. There are plenty of internship and work shadowing schemes you can take part in, all of which will help you stand out from the crowd.

So you’ve got your experience, done some research in the companies, and are ready to apply, Where do you find these jobs?:

  • Newspapers; although this could be deemed as quite old fashioned, some of the best jobs are still being advertised in Newspapers.
  • Social Media: a sharp contrast from Newspapers, social media is a key tool for finding jobs. Employers tend to share their upcoming jobs with a link to the application site.
  • Websites: sites such as indeed.com can be the be all and end all the job hunt. Most companies will post their jobs on accumulation sites, giving you all your opportunities in one place.
  • Careers fairs: Fairs are an ideal way to find prospective jobs, not only that, but you can also be networking and gaining contacts for any future opportunities. Most universities run these events towards the end of the academic year.

After researching and finding the ideal job you’d like to apply for, it’s time to start thinking about what you have to offer. This is referring to your personal brand, who you are and what skills you have. Make sure you tailor your skills and experiences to what the company is looking for.

Tip: Stay organised, write down all the jobs you have applied for and the contact for that job. You don’t want to lose track of the applications you have sent your tailored applications into. An easy way of doing this is by creating a folder in your documents, only for the different stages of application; CV, interview prep, covering letters.

And finally, you need to make sure that the job is right for you, be truly interested in the job, and make it something you can imagine doing for a long time. Don’t worry about wanting to do something totally new and unrelated to your degree, this can be scary, but if it’s something you are excited to pursue then why not!

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