It’s that time of year where the sudden realisation hits you as a final year student – what next?! One of the biggest struggles after graduating is actually finding a job you’re passionate about or that relates to your degree – so we’ve come up with a few tips to help you along the way!
Start looking now
Although it may seem early, the application process for most jobs can be extremely long and it’s always worth getting started ahead of time. It’s also worth searching early because the deadline date for applications isn’t usually very far in advance – you don’t want to let your dream job slip away!
Work on your CV
Make sure your CV is as good as it can be – remember that employers could be looking at hundreds of CVs a day, so you need to make sure yours stands out. Check out our blog post all about how to make your CV stand out!
Get people to look over your application
Get people to check over your application before submitting it. It always helps to have a fresh pair of eyes look over what you have written as it’s so easy to accidentally skim over spelling and grammatical errors.
Don’t rush your application
It’s always worth taking a bit of extra time when writing an application to increase your chances of getting through to the next stage. Additionally, tailor your application to the specific job post. Employers will often be able to tell when you have created general application and sent it off to multiple companies advertising a range of different jobs…
Don’t leave applications to the last minute
Going back to the previous point, leaving applications until right before the deadline results in rushing and therefore submitting something which isn’t as good as it could have been. You always want to be sure to show yourself in the best possible light.
Research, research, research!
It’s always a good idea to research into the companies you’re applying for and then trying to incorporate this research into your application. This shows that you’re genuinely interested in them and passionate about what they do. Perhaps use your findings to talk about what you like about their company already and the ways in which you would expand and improve on these things.
Develop your network
Networking is increasingly becoming more and more important when it comes to finding a job. As the saying goes, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know (although we think both definitely helps)! Always grasp opportunities with both hands and go along to any networking events you may come across – you never know who you might meet!
Make yourself more employable
It’s so important these days to set yourself apart from other graduates. Use your time outside of university wisely and develop on important and useful skills which will make you stand out from the crowd.
Have a good social media presence
Social media plays a big part in today’s society and quite often, employers will look you up on different social media platforms to get a better idea of you. It’s always a good idea to go through your social media platforms and have a ‘clear up’ to make sure nothing is there that shoudn’t be. As well as this, having a LinkedIn profile is great, particularly when job hunting, because so many companies now post their job listings on LinkedIn. You can also edit your profile to let employers know exactly what kind of jobs you are looking for and what your skill set is.
Present yourself well at interviews
Remember that this is the first impression your possible future colleagues are going to have of you, so you want to leave a good impression. This means both dressing for the part as well as showing off your skills during the interview. Another thing that interviewers love is when you share your ideas you have for the company if you were to get the job, so be sure to come up with plenty of great ideas before your interview!
Look at graduate schemes
As well as normal jobs, looking into graduate schemes specifically for those fresh out of university can put you ahead in the game. There are so many graduate schemes out there and graduate scheme employers are a lot more understanding when it comes to having a lack of out of university experience.
Don’t give up!
Finally, don’t let job rejections or not hearing back get you down. Persistence is key when it comes to finding your dream job so keep going and don’t let anything get in your way!
So there we have it, our top tips to help you find a graduate job after university! We also have a careers team here at the university based in the Elm Grove Conference Centre so be sure to head over, or email them at careers@roehampton.ac.uk for extra advice.