Jobseeking...
1) Be flexible- You may have a very clear idea of what field you want to work in, and
you might even know down to the specific job title you want to secure,
but that 'r'' word has come to cast a cloud over your best laid plans-
meaning it might be tricky to slip into your ideal career straight
away. Be prepared to look further afield, outside of your desired
career if necessary, it doesn't have to be for long term but it will
reward you with some experience and money. You can always change career
paths- you're a shiny new graduate, you have years to settle into your
dream job, and just because you don't start there doesn't mean you
never will. So don't be afraid to divert away from the grand plan, if
only in the short term.
2) Be... more
flexible- Of course it's lovely to come home from uni and have your
clothes washed and see a fully stocked fridge again; but being prepared
to
leave the nest for a second time might just secure you an amazing job.
Why not cast your net a bit wider and consider other locations? Being
unrestricted by location allows you to have your pick of the job
vacancies, which also means you might not have to settle for a job
outside of your desired field. A friend of mine spent most of last year
despairing
about his lack of post-graduation job prospects until he broadened his
location horizons; he now no longer resides on the couch in front of
diagnosis murder, he secured himself a great job in Dublin, with a
pretty nice wage packet to match!
3)
Smart interview clothes- check, CV- check, thick skin-...check?- Even
before the media started frightening us with recession horror stories,
jobseeking was no picnic. There's one job and there's certainly more
than one applicant, so there are going to be disappointed candidates.
Jobseeking isn't easy, you do get rejections; and it is heartbreaking.
That one interview you managed to line up just didn't go to plan and
you feel like screaming, crying and curling up into a ball all at once.
Be resilient, be tough and be prepared for some knockbacks- people say
it's character building, I say it's an unfortunate, crappy part of the jobseeking process, but eventually things will
go your way. With enough determination and resilience- some interviewer
somewhere will see your passion and know you are right for the job.
At Interview...
4)
Be prepared- Ok so this isn't boy scouts but it is still a good motto.
Doing your research pre-interview can help you get the edge on your
competition. Research the company: their values, key clients, it's
structure, etc and demonstrate your knowledge when asked. This will
show enthusiasm and that you have put the time and effort into your
interview preparation. Reading around common interview questions can
also be helpful so that you don't get caught out by a tricky question.
Long interview silences are something you should avoid experiencing at
all costs.
5) Dazzle the employer with your attributes- You're
fresh out of uni and although you've got tonnes of knowledge swimming
around that brain of yours, you might not have the 'experience factor'
which often leaves graduates feeling like they've earned a direct
ticket to the bottom of the job pile- do not pass go, do not collect 100 pounds.
The most important thing to remember is that everyone has to start
somewhere. You may not have experience in the job role, but you do have
an interview, which is the perfect opportunity to show off your
enthusiasm, your drive, your flexibility and your commitment to
learning the new skills that will help you succeed in the task at hand.
Just because you don't currently possess the right skills doesn't mean
you won't work damn hard to get them, so let that show at interview,
and prove that the 'x factor' doesn't always win!
Congratulations...
6)
Finally all of your resilience and hard work has paid off, landing you
with the graduate's holy grail- a job!! ...But what if it's not ideal?
-You may have been offered a job in Central London, but you'd rather work in Surrey.
-You may have been offered a job that's in a completely different field than the career you want to pursue.
-You may have been offered a job that's at the very bottom of the corporate ladder.
-Or you may have been offered a job with a slightly lower wage than you'd hoped for.
BUT:
Don't despair yet! Remember the old adage that a dog is for life and
not just for christmas? Well the exact opposite is true for jobs! There
is no harm in accepting a job that you may not see yourself doing long
term. Times are tough and riding the recession may mean that you start
in a job that isn't perfect. Any experience is better than none, and
taking the job just might open your eyes to new prospects, things you
hadn't considered before, and if nothing else will reaffirm that the
9-5 is the right choice for you.
So there you have it, my
top tips for beginning your job hunt. But they don't end there, so
check back for more advice soon! Now it's up to you, so dust yourself
off and prepare for your jobhunt- you're a graduate, you're amazing
and that perfect job is out there, you just need to dig that little bit
deeper to find it. And if you still need cheering up, take a look at
this really cool Pepsi Max ad, you never know, maybe one of your
friends will do this for you!
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