May 10, 2022, by Leah Sharpe

Looking for Work Now You Have Graduated?

By Peter Kay, Senior Careers Adviser

At the time of writing, May 2022, it is safe to say that there are a lot of jobs being advertised for graduates. What you have to do is become a skilled job hunter.

To do that there are a few simple rules to follow and questions to ask of yourself:

1. Embrace the space and time graduation affords you to think about what your next step will be. There is no need to rush to apply for roles (any roles) just for the sake of it.

2. Ask yourself what really interests you and begin to explore what this means in terms of employers and opportunities. There is a lot more out there than you realise. Try our 30-minute interactive exercise designed to help you explore and understand why your values, preferences, interests, strengths, and motivations are key to making good career decisions.

3. Get to know your sector whether it be health, finance, sport, etc. By doing this you will locate organisations and jobs that could be open to you. If you know what you want to do but aren’t sure how to get into it, visit our Career in mind? webpages.

4. Thinking about a graduate scheme? A lot of students will seek out a graduate scheme, but the truth is they are a significant minority and can skew how you view the graduate job market. Graduate schemes tend to be found amongst leading employers and are a structured training programme.

5. Do you want a graduate role? The greatest number of graduate jobs are those that require a graduate level of education. These jobs often involve training but will be very specific to the role you are employed to carry out.

6. Be open to opportunities and treat the opportunity as a starting point. Your first job will not be a job for life whether you are on a graduate scheme or not. As your experience grows and training and development leads to greater experience, new roles and opportunities will open for you.

7. To do or not to do a masters degree? Do you undertake further study to improve your employability? Lots of jobs will recruit you without a masters so think carefully before jumping in. A masters course may not enhance your employability. Ask yourself, “is it necessary?” Most employers will offer training and development on the job, and this may well be more relevant to your future career than a masters degree. That said, some careers will require you to do postgraduate study before you will be considered for a job, and this will be made clear to you.

8. Postgraduate study could open doors for you if it provides you with a specific skill or knowledge that is in demand. But have a think and do your research into whether you should pursue a masters or not.

Have questions?

Talk to us and explore our website. Whether you are unclear about your options, already focused on what you want to do or somewhere in between, we’re here to help, even after graduation. 

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