The end of university is really bittersweet, for three years I’ve been working hard, partying a bit and writing a lot of words, just to gain a degree. But now, as I’m almost half way through my final semester, with graduation just around the corner, I need to start looking for my first post degree job. But what will I be looking for in an employer?

For context, I am soon to become (fingers crossed) a journalism graduate. I’m looking to head into marketing or copywriting, but I don’t want to be another graduate heading into an office environment to sit at a desk all day. I’m looking for a ‘cool’ office environment, much like Google or YouTube, but I don’t want to search to find this information. I want to be told in the description or given a picture with the advert of the office environment. A picture tells a lot more than any words can, and it will stand out, making me want to apply for the role.

It’s really easy to be drawn into an amazing sounding job description, making you want to apply easily, but I have learnt the hard way to make sure to read the company reviews before applying. I use Glassdoor.co.uk, but there are a few other sites out there. If an employer doesn’t reply to negative reviews with some sort of understanding as to why an employee would post the review, then I don’t want to work for them. It’s really important that the employer engages with their reviews, making them seem more friendly and willing to understanding the employee’s needs. And this should be noticed within the description of the company which accompanies the advert.

I decided to go into the media/marketing industry for a few reasons, one being the flexibility of where I can live. My worst nightmare is being tied down to a place I hate because of the job I chose to go into. So, an employer needs to make it clear within the first couple of sentences of their description where they are placed. The location isn’t important for all graduates, but for many it’s a deal or no deal kind of factor before applying.

The above points are the main ideals which would draw me into applying or looking further into the role. But they aren’t the only important aspects which a company should keep in mind when curating their job adverts.

What about the actual advert itself? How can they make a job advert stand out?

This point links in with content of the advert but for almost everyone money is an important factor that needs to be previewed. Money makes the world go round. It can be a turn on or turn off towards a job, it can also be the enticing factor. For me personally, the money you can earn is quite important, as this can help me plan my future. This might not be ‘creative’ but it’s certainty important.

As I would like to head into marketing, I will be looking for innovative ways the company markets their job application. If they have decided on the bland, simple, plain black and white text, no image, then I am less likely to click to learn more.

I also know that most of my fellow final years are looking for something that correlates to their occupation. For example, wanting to go into Occupational Therapy, the advert should tailor itself to the industry.

Overall, there are many factors the employer needs to consider, however for me, an interesting and honest job description is a great place to start. In terms of the advert itself, the brighter the better, pictures, bold text, italics, any use of format is better than none at all.

My next blog will look at what I would like to see in a job offer.

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