How to find a graduate job

Introduction

We know there are lots of options for advice from lots of different sources. But we'd like to think this is grass roots practical advice which has worked for many of us who work for graduate-jobs.com and who have also worked at other SME's, large companies and who joined graduate training schemes not so long ago!

Identifying your skills

This will help you define your strengths and weaknesses. It will also help you identify if there are any areas where you are particularly strong compared to your mates at Uni.

Personal branding

Personal Brand is the springboard you use to start your graduate job hunt and the foundations you lay to impress employers. Understanding what your Personal Brand is can be extremely important for helping you make a strong case to employers for why you are the ideal candidate for that particular position.

Work experience

The trick with understanding the context of work experience is understanding what you have done to date and presenting it in a way which relates directly to a potential employer. To do this it would help to create a work experience audit.

Identifying your work experience

It's a question that students are now starting to consider. What makes my degree special? What makes me stand out from the thousands of others graduating from universities up and down the country? Well the answer is simple, it's you!

Job hunting with a 2.2

By now you'll have a rough idea of what classification you expect to receive, if you haven't received it already. Don't let it panic you. Fretting over what has already happened is not going to help, its time to take stock of what you've got and formulate your strengths for the application slog.

Big company or small?

The official definition of a small company or SME (Small to Medium Enterprise) is a company whose staff count does not exceed 250 people. These are usually in niche areas like Marketing, Advertising or Architecture, but if you look hard enough they can be found in any sector.

Graduate training schemes

The application process can be daunting and highly competitive, but Graduate Training Schemes are an excellent way to jump start your career.

Commercial awareness

Commercial awareness is an absolutely essential part of graduate job hunting. While it is rarely mentioned in job descriptions or statements of work, it is something that can go a long way to improving your chances of sealing that graduate job.

What do employers want?

Now that you know more about yourself it's time to take a look at how these skills, ambitions and experience relate to what employers actually want.

The employment market

Don't panic! There are lots of other suitable roles which form the majority of employment for most graduates. Obviously the market is stacked in the recruiters' favour. What differentiates one candidate with a 2.1 from another?

Graduate CV advice

Your CV is in a nutshell your first opportunity to sell yourself - take it! Sell yourself to an employer with the skills and aspirations that you have identified in the previous exercises.

Cover letters

There are any number of covering letter templates that you can use, however be warned that graduate employers will be receiving thousands of applications and it does not take them long to spot those who have simply used a template with all the "buzz" words that go along with them.

Mistakes to avoid

Many graduates are their own worst enemy when it comes to applying for jobs, hindering their own progress by making stupid mistakes and easily corrected errors.

Where to look

Well, given that we are a graduate job board of course we are going to say that you are in the right place! However to be quite fair there are many sources of information you can turn to.

How to apply

Making a good application should take a lot of time and effort on your part, so you should be sure that you really do want to work for that company and are prepared to work at your application.

When to apply

The graduate recruitment season can be a minefield. With graduate schemes, graduate jobs and also work placements and internships to consider, it's no wonder we find many graduates getting caught out. In this section we have given you a general guide to the application processes for these roles.

Be realistic in your search

There's no need to be downbeat on the prospect of heading out there. It's not going to be easy, but graduates should be realistic, enthusiastic and ambitious with their job hunting.

Interview techniques

Interviews shouldn't be viewed as incredibly daunting ordeals. Granted, the graduate employer does hold to some extent the key to your future, but by carefully reading this section you will have all the tools you need to make them as enjoyable as they possibly can be.

Disasters to avoid

If you avoid these interview disasters you'll be giving yourself half a chance.

Assessment centres

Assessment centres are the last part of your recruitment process and by now you can be confident that they think you are pretty good. They are however, pretty tough but we hope that this section will help you.

Managing rejection

The problem with rejections is that they are not always the clearest. Sometimes they create more questions than they answer. It could be a letter, an email, a phone call or no response at all, the message remains the same - you're not the one for them.

Taking risks

The biggest hurdle facing graduates in their approach to job hunting is standing out from the crowd. Graduates often blur into one.

Accepting job offers

So they've offered you the job. Well done to you. You should be extremely pleased with yourself. The next question to pose is do you take it?

Graduate salaries

Graduate starting salaries are influenced by lots of different factors including, company, location and industry sector so its difficult to put an exact figure on the real graduate starting salary in the UK.

Understanding your payslip

The time will come around when you do get a job and receive your first payslip. Oh it's a glorious day as that fat load of cash flies into your account. You'll struggle to believe this happens every month.

Student loans

Student Loans are complicated, especially when it comes to paying them back. Many graduates are often confused or unsure about when, how and how much of their student loan they will be or should be paying off.