Talk of the collapsing job markets, backed with the hitherto ubiquitous lurking menace of the ‘credit-crunch’, may be slowly receding, but that hasn’t necessarily made things any easier on the student jobs front. Indeed, only last month a survey indicated that University leavers are at their lowest ebb when it comes to post-education prospects. But don’t be too downhearted! With a bit of jiggery-pokery and a chameleonic approach to job hunting, you might find the opportunities reveal themselves a little more readily. Try the list below for a few pointers, and don’t forget to try our handy manual on getting the job you want. Plus, if all else fails, we know that Macdonald’s are always looking for bright young catering assistants and sales operatives…
1. Mine Twitter for job gold
We seem to be forever banging on about glorious Twitter and job-hunting treasure to be plundered among it’s 200 million users. Desperate times call for unconventional measures, so take another peak at our two part guide to finding a job on Twitter. Again, we shouldn’t need to remind you of the many advantages of actively using Twitter and other social media sites, whether job hunting or not. But don’t just take our word for it…
2. Be Pragmatic
Job prospects might be grim in the field that you thought you always wanted to work in. Of course, you could labour until you’re blue in the face (see below). But if the time comes that your desire to start earning tips the balance of your need to find the perfect job, then using your common sense to identify other avenues of employment could be extremely beneficial. For instance, just this week it was revealed that graduate opportunities in the City (in banking, finance and law, predominantly) are again soaring. Hedging your bets in a professional field where recruitment is steady will heighten your chances of employment, and there’s no reason why you couldn’t move sideways when things pick up elsewhere.
3. Get your applications right
This might seem like a no brainer, but with some 45 people competing for each graduate job, applications have never been more crucial. All the usual advice about spelling, grammar and reading the advertisement still apply, but it’s worth highlighting two other pillars of a good application. Firstly, don’t email it on deadline day if at all possible. With the number of applicants per place so high, interview places may quickly be filled by the early birds. Make sure you are one of them. Secondly, always always always write cover-letters from scratch and re-work your CV as appropriate. This will inevitably involve doing some detailed research on any company to whom you are applying for a position, which will also stand you in good stead at interview stage.
4. Work hard, and often
Should the pragmatist card not pay off, be prepared to work your socks off. This could entail two different approaches. If you are seeking employment in a profession which shamefacedly utilises free labour (i.e. journalism, PR, graphic design, social media), then know that you might need to do 6 months hard graft for little to no pay in a professional environment to further your prospects. Alternatively, if internship opportunities are limited in your chosen field, then steady the ship with some regular income (i.e. temping, working in bar etc) and focus the rest of your free time on doing things which might improve your ability to get the dream job. 6 months of 15 hour days at 21 will seem like a small penance once you start navigating the greasy pole. Now is not the time for lazy graduates!
5. Make friends, and keep them
It might be a peculiar British trait which makes us recoil at the thought of using others to further our career, but that stiff upper lip will soon begin to quiver when the bread and milk is running out. Remember that anyone you meet is a contact – whether for 5 minutes at a recruitment faire, during a two-week work experience stint, or even over dinner at a family friends’. Get their email address and make yourself known. Follow them on Twitter and LinkedIn. Don’t be afraid to strike up correspondence and ask for advice in a non-pushy way. And finally: never underestimate the value of saying ‘thank you’!
Have you managed to find a graduate job? Do you have any others tips for our readers? Please leave a comment below!
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