Starting your job search
You’ve got a degree (or are about to get a degree) but you don’t know what to do now. You are not alone – thousands of other graduates break out in a cold sweat when they realise that their university career is almost over and they don’t know what to do next.
It is perfectly normal to be confused when faced with so many options. There is an initial procedure you need to go through before you can start applying to specific organisations. Take a deep breath and get ready to examine yourself and your options!
Self-assessment
It is important that you don’t just start applying frantically for the first jobs you see. Take a step back and begin by evaluating yourself and your skills – are you ready and sufficiently equipped to enter the job market? What do you have to offer future employers? And ultimately, what kind of job will send you home satisfied?
Things to consider about yourself:
What are you good at?
What kind of work environment do you enjoy?
How do you interact with others?
What industries interest you?
What are your priorities? (Consider work/life/money balance)
Have you done your research into various jobs?
What are your personal circumstances and values?
Are you making your own choices or just taking the advice of other people?
Review your skills:
- Evaluate your skills and experiences – consider your non-academic achievements and talents, e.g. computer skills, languages, and put together a skills portfolio
- Decide what you need – analyse what skills a potential employer is looking for (study job advertisements, etc), and identify which of these skills you may be lacking
- Prepare examples – you need to make sure you can demonstrate your skills. Draw up a list of solid examples of your experiences
- Gain experience – take opportunities to up your skills, taking extra courses, doing more extracurricular activities or doing work placements.
Find out about reviewing your skills in more detail.
- Build your skills
The UK benefits from a highly-trained workforce, but that means there is a lot of competition for popular jobs. You have to stand out from the crowd.
What skills are you missing? There are many ways to boost your skills profile while you are still at uni. Extra-curricular activities such as sports, writing for the student paper or forming societies are great for showing evidence of teamwork, creativity and leadership skills respectively.
Work experience is another great way to build your skills and confidence, and to get yourself noticed.
Types of work experience:
part-time work
voluntary work
work placements.
If you find yourself working in a dead-end job after graduation, think about doing some relevant part-time work in addition, or doing some volunteering. This will show a real dedication to boosting your skills and making yourself as employable as possible.
Alternatively, you could do a summer placement at a company you are interested in, or take some time out to work or volunteer abroad.
Target employers
You may be thinking, ‘this is all very well, but where should I start looking for jobs?’ Be informed about your options and do your research.
Sources of job vacancies:
your university careers service
national newspapers (look out for supplements, such as the Media Guardian on Mondays)
local newspapers
contacts, eg from work experience
employment agencies – look out for some that specialise also
professional bodies
specialist publications, eg New Scientist, Marketing Weekly
Job centre.
You could also think about making speculative applications to firms you are interested in. Sending off your CV with an enthusiastic covering letter shows initiative and is often very effective. Even if there are no positions currently available, you may get an offer of work experience.
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