September 10, 2015, by Laura Estrop

The First Steps Toward Your Career

By Laura Estrop, Social Media Officer

If you’re a recent graduate, or a postgraduate student who is coming to the end of your course, the end of summer can feel like the time where you should focus fully on your job search. However, if you’re unsure what the best plan of action is, follow our simple advice and set yourself on the path to getting your first graduate job. 

Apply for work experience opportunities

If you are at the very beginning of your job search and have no idea what sector or role you want to work in, work experience or volunteering at a company may be the best place to start. The advantage of this approach is that you can try working in the role without going through the whole process of applying for the job. This is a good idea even if you are sure of the career you want; building up experience within the field will look great for any future employer.

Research companies in your local area and apply speculatively

If you do have an idea of what role you would like to pursue then your first step should be to research companies that offer the kinds of jobs you are after. This will allow you to see the values and output of the company and if you don’t like what you see then you have saved yourself the time of applying. It will also help you when you start filling out your application, with the knowledge you have gained, you can tailor your answers and covering letter so that it relates to role.

Perfect your CV and covering letter

Being in the process of looking for and applying for jobs can also mean that you have a lot of free time on your hands. While it is tempting to spend your free-time having a TV box-set binge, you should use this time effectively. Try to set a certain amount of time aside each day for job-hunting activities, such as, updating your LinkedIn profile. It will save you time in the long-run and come in very handy if you find the perfect job just before the closing date.    

Bulk-up your skills

Following on from the previous point, another way to perfect your CV is by expanding and developing new or existing employability skills. You can do this in many ways, it could be anything from getting a part-time job to learning how to code.

Come and talk to us

If you are still completely unsure about what to do now, book an appointment to speak to one of our careers advisers. You may not know that as a member of the University alumni community, you can use our services for life. So regardless of if you graduated this year or five years ago, we are here to help you.

If you’re a recent graduate just starting your job search, sign up for our Jobs by email newsletter. If you would like to know more about the types of jobs that are out there, visit our website.

Featured image: Niekverlaan

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Google+
• Share on LinkedIn