Description: What to do after graduating from university when looking to secure your first placement. Advice on finding roles to pursue and how to better your chances of employment.
Depending on your University course, after completing your studies you may be immediately searching for employment. Some degrees will result in a clear career path, for example, a degree in medicine generally leads to becoming a doctor.
However, if you have a degree that doesn’t immediately link to a job role upon finishing you may be wondering what’s next. Below are some advice and options for employment for post-grads.
Where do I start?
As a post-grad, if you don’t already have a career in mind starting job hunting can seem like a daunting process. It’s best to take some time to think through potential options before starting the process. Remember that not all jobs ask for a specific degree and entry-level jobs can ask for a ‘graduate with x degree result’, rather than ‘maths graduates only’.
Ask yourself the following questions and write down the answers:
- Is there an area of my course I most enjoyed?
- Are there ‘typical’ roles for a graduate with my course?
- If yes, do any of these appeal to me? Write: Yes, no or maybe.
- What skills and personality traits do I have?
- Do these fit any type of roles?
Consider these responses:
You may find a few of the typical roles sound interesting to you and can start your job search there. Look through lots of applications and after reading the role responsibilities, go through your list again. You could find that a role that sounded appealing based on the title doesn’t consist of what you would like to do day-to-day. Look at roles that align with your skills and personality traits, if you are inexperienced in customer service and have a more introverted personality a role like sales might not be the one for you!
Large job sites
Browse
The more jobs you look at the more you will see that titles may differ, but role responsibilities are similar. The more you look through live roles you can see what sounds good to you and what doesn’t. Putting in the time at this point will be invaluable, do not shy away from setting aside big chunks of time for this. Your future is worth the graft!
Keep an ongoing list of the following:
- Job titles that caught your eye
- Responsibilities job specifications that sound good
- Responsibilities job specifications that do NOT sound good
- Key basics: your ideal working hours, locations and any perks
After doing this hopefully you have idea of some potential roles or focus area. If it takes time to get to this point, do not be disheartened. If you are struggling speak to people you know who graduated a few years ago, people who are in a role you consider to be successful and people who seem happy in their job.
Job hunting
Building & bettering your CV
When starting to apply for some chosen roles you will be submitting a CV. This is likely the first thing potential employers look at, so it is important that you feel it showcases you in the best possible way. Given that you are applying for your first ‘big’ job, your CV cannot be expected to be as full and impressive as someone who has been working for years. However, you don’t want it to appear empty.
- Contact: At the top of a CV always list your full name, address, email and contact number clearly.
- Personal Profile: Start with a few introductory sentences introducing yourself. Include your degree, grade and University. Reference the type of role you are looking to find and a few key attributes and skills.
- Education & Qualifications: List your degree, A-Levels and give a summation of your GCSE’s. For example – GCSE: A*-B including English, Maths and Science. If you have any additional qualifications list them here as well.
The large job sites listed above often provide short courses to help better your CV, these can be a great way to have your CV looking fuller and show interest in the area you are pursuing.
These courses can be available with huge sales and savings, so window shopping to purchase at the right time is advisable. Furthermore, if you have started the course but are yet to complete it, still list it on your CV with ‘ongoing’ beside it.
- Work history: Include part time work, summer work and any previous job roles. These roles may not seem relevant, but it will show you were able to balance work against your studies which speaks to your time management skills and shows you can have basic work place understanding.
Be sure you add a couple of bullet points underneath the listed job to show the key responsibilities and include dates.
- Activities & Interests: A few bullet points at the bottom of your CV to show your interests will give an insight into your personality. Be honest and feel free to brag a little. You can mention sports, mentoring, volunteering and other hobbies.
Cover letter
Most roles will ask for a cover letter. For some, it may be optional, but it is advisable to always include one where possible. In a cover letter you should introduce yourself as you do in your CV and go into more detail on:
- Why you’re interested in this particular role
- Your relevant experience
- Why you would be a good fit
Again, be sure to include your contact info at the top and in your sign off too. Always thank the employer for their time and consideration. It is advisable to keep a draft template cover letter saved that you can then edit for each role you apply to. It sounds like a lot of effort but once you’ve done a few it does become easier.
If you are applying to similar roles the template may not change as much as you may think. Furthermore, employers can spot someone who is mass applying without personalising anything. Taking the time to put in the individual job title and company will show you are making effort.
Jobsites, socials & working with recruiters
Once you narrow down your search you will be able to find specific job sites that cater to your chosen area, but the large sites listed above are a good place to start. Create profiles on your sites you sign up to and be sure to add a picture. You can set job alerts to get emails for roles you might like, which can be a good time saver.
Make sure you have a presentable LinkedIn profile and you can input the same information from your CV into it under their given sections. You can also set your LinkedIn profile to ‘looking for a job’ so that you are shown as actively seeking a role.
Recruiters are wonderfully helpful and free to work with as a candidate. As long as you know the kind of area and job roles you might be interested in they will be able to provide you with options. It is likely they will interview you themselves, so be prepared to sign up to agencies and have to go through a few interviews. However, these are usually conversational. Be yourself and talk openly.
Lastly, remember that job searching can be tough. To further your prospects, apply for lots of different roles consistently yourself as well as working with recruiters. Be kind to yourself and prepare for small rejections on the way to that big win when you get your first post-grad job.