Job hunting
As you start to think about choosing a job, you will not know about all the jobs available in particular industries, but a good starting point is to think about what you enjoy, where your interests lie and what you are good at. The more clearly you know what interests you, what you like doing, what your talents are and which skills and strengths you want to use in your working life, the easier it is to recognise the opportunities that best suit you.
Once you have an idea of the type of work you would like to do and the industry you would like to work in, it is important to research the jobs available in that industry. Remember you can never do too much research - visit your university careers centre, use search engines and read job adverts.
Ask yourself what is really important to you and what you are willing to do. Everyone has unique motivations and ambitions and yours may be different from those of people you know. Writing your ideas down or talking them through may bring out more possibilities. Your friends and family may help you identify the key deciding factors for your career planning and may point out strengths that you take for granted.
Try what jobs would suit me?, a tool designed to help you with the decision-making process. After answering a series of questions, it will suggest jobs that might best match your preferences. Compare two jobs side-by-side or start by considering an employment sector at industry insights.
Your careers services at your university have a wealth of resources to support career research and planning. As well as talking to a careers adviser, you may gain insights from psychometric tests, which focus on aptitude, ability or personality. Ask what psychometric tests are available or have a look at psychometric tests.
Learning what people actually do on a day-to-day basis is a crucial step in your job search. Understanding jobs is the best way to ensure you make the right decision for you. It is also essential for writing strong applications to persuade a company or organisation that you are a good fit for the job.
Get more details about jobs you are considering at types of jobs. Be sure to read the case studies. Alternatively, you may start your job search by looking at all the related jobs in a sector by checking industry insights.
You may want to apply your subject-related knowledge and skills directly to the world of work.
Ask your university careers service for the results of surveys that provide some insight into what people with your degree have gone on to do. Visit what do graduates do? to view national survey results of what students on your course have pursued. Also, check options with your subject for suggestions about what to do with your degree.
There are many suitable opportunities for graduates, but not all of them include ‘graduate’ in the job title.
Some organisations regularly hire graduates into training schemes. However, due to the 2008/9 recession, a third of top employers cut their graduate recruitment budget and vacancies by 7% as compared with graduate recruitment in 2007. Not all graduates go straight into employment - 16% of 2007/8 graduates went on to further study.
The range of starting salaries for graduates is broad. Although the number of graduate vacancies is falling, starting salaries in some industries are set to increase by an impressive 6% in 2010. The average graduate salary is around £18,000, but be aware that many graduates are paid a lot less.
Graduate entrants should expect to develop their skills and industry knowledge quickly. As well as individual employees’ skills and experience, levels of pay are determined by many factors, including:
Though the large employers may be more visible, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with up to 250 employees have become more important in the graduate market, offering variety, responsibility and rewards to rival the big names.
Finding an organisation that suits you is as important as choosing the right occupation. There are pros and cons with any employer.
These are often household names and traditionally key graduate recruiters. They tend to offer structured career development and support for employees studying for professional qualifications.
A whole cohort of graduates may be recruited together, with planned social events. Graduate entrants may earn high salaries and gain early responsibility. There may also be scope to experience different business functions.
On the other hand, the hours may be long and the work highly pressured. Some new entrants may also find their career development options restricted by the organisation’s long-term plans.
SMEs may provide the chance to enjoy a wider involvement in issues affecting the whole organisation from the start. They may also offer variety of workload and flexible conditions. In smaller organisations, you may get to know all your colleagues rather than just those in your own department.
The down side is there may be less frequent opportunities for advancement without changing employers, and starting salaries may be slightly lower.
Setting up a business or self-employment is likely to suit self-motivated and well-organised graduates who value autonomy. The freedom to choose assignments and make independent decisions is balanced by the need to take responsibility for all tasks, including mundane or difficult ones. Find out more at self-employment.
Whatever size of employer you prefer, there are three main sectors of employment for you to choose from, each with its own characteristics:
Your dream job is unlikely to be on your doorstep, so you may need to move to a new area. Metropolitan areas have a greater concentration of businesses, offering more opportunities. However, there are certain types of work or specialism that are clustered in specific places. For example, there are jobs in ports and airports that do not exist elsewhere. Always take into account how you will get to work and the time it will take. If you are considering relocating, remember to research the local area; this can easily be done by reading the local newspaper and researching online.
Once you have decided on the job role, sector and type of employer that are most suited to you, make a list of organisations that interest you. Check out the following to help you get started:
local employers known to recruit graduates;
There are several directories of graduate employers, available from your university careers service and online, that contain vacancies for the year ahead and background information on featured employers. They include:
If you already have particular employers in mind, visit their websites, which are likely to include all the details you need and an online application facility. Many organisations recruit through their sites.
You can search for vacancies in a variety of sources:
Graduate recruitment has changed in recent years. Traditional approaches, such as campus recruitment visits, are still important to employers, but organisations are increasingly using more creative and diverse approaches to reach new talent.
Websites are the principal source of information about employers and provide the main (or sometimes only) route for applications. You may be able to apply at any time of year, but it is essential to confirm application dates if you want to avoid missing out.
Large employers often have an annual graduate recruitment scheme, planned far in advance, to meet operational and business development needs. This type of recruitment is aimed at both finalists and recent graduates. These schemes are popular and attract lots of applicants every year. When applying for graduate schemes be sure to know the application deadlines as intake is usually within the autumn term, between September and January.
It is important to know that employers do also recruit throughout the year, as and when vacancies occur, and often advertise these vacancies on their website. They evaluate the application form or CV according to the criteria they have set for the role. Applicants must address all the employer’s needs, providing evidence to indicate how they match these criteria. For further information about applications go to job application advice and CVs and covering letters.
It is sometimes possible to obtain a non-advertised job by approaching the employer directly with a carefully targeted CV and covering letter. Use speculative job applications to find out about recruitment practices for jobs that interest you. For further information, go to networking.
Some employers use recruitment agencies to fill vacancies at all levels, from temporary staff to executives with greater responsibilities. This means you should consider registering with a recruitment agency to get into the organisation you want.
Many agencies specialise in particular industries or sectors. Using a specialist agency will benefit you as they have industry insight and a good grasp of current issues and industry requirements. They will be able to explain what is happening in the industry and also advise on interview techniques. The flipside of this is that consultants manage the vacancies they are working on and they may not tell you about a job if they have already found a suitable number of candidates.
You can use the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), Agency Central and Jobfit to search for agencies by specialism and location.
Recruitment agencies also advertise online recruitment and their websites give a good indication of the roles they recruit for.
Never register with more than four agencies, as many recruitment agencies have the same clients and will be working to fill the same positions. It is good to find agencies who work with different companies, potentially giving you exposure to lots of different jobs, but you may not have access to this information before you register. Check that the agency is a member of the REC. Even if you find a good agency, it is still important for you to keep track of all of your applications.
Agencies normally ask you to submit your CV before they sign you up. Phone first to check whether they deal with your work sector. Agency contact is likely to be positive if you have particular in-demand skills that make you a good candidate. If you are a generalist or have limited experience, they may not be interested in registering you at all.
When registering, it is important to make a good impression, so prepare as if you were being interviewed for a job to ensure that the recruitment consultant takes you seriously. For best results, build a relationship with your consultant and keep in touch to remind them about your skills, abilities and goals, so they represent you accurately.
If you are not happy with the agency representing you and their service does not improve after you discuss it with them, you can ask them to remove you from their books and not to act for you. Remember that agencies’ main clients are the employers, not the candidates, so do not expect them to do all the research and work on your behalf.
You should network in order to:
Remember to pursue networking opportunities. Networking opportunities include:
Work experience is a great way to become familiar with working practices and business cultures. Add even the most basic administration tasks to your CV as this shows prospective employers that you are proactive and have an understanding of a working environment.
All work experience is valuable - paid or unpaid, at any level, in any setting. Make the most of your time by taking on a range of tasks that help you learn new skills, and be flexible about the duties you take on. Find out more about work experience.
Temping is not just doing a temporary job. To become a temp, you register with a temping agency and they use you to fill positions for employers who need temporary cover. You will be paid by the agency, not by the employer - don’t be surprised if you find out that the employer is paying the agency a lot more than the agency is paying you! You may be sent on assignments as short as one day, or you may find yourself ‘temping’ with one employer for several weeks. Some agencies handle both permanent staff and temps.
Go to Temping Jobs London for some solid advice about temping, not just in London.
Temping has many benefits:
To find a job as a temp, you should:
People volunteer for various reasons - helping others and/or to help develop personal skills and gain background knowledge in different industry sectors. Whilst volunteering is unpaid, the experience you gain is valuable, helping you to build on the knowledge and skills you already have and to develop contacts.
There are lots of different volunteering options, from one or two hours a week or month to dedicating your time on a full time basis - all of which make a big difference to the organisation you are helping. Volunteering shows a future employer that you are a proactive and a self motivated candidate. For more information about the types of jobs and what options you have with your degree subject, go to charities and voluntary work.
Some jobs require specific qualifications, so you may need to complete some further study in order to pursue your chosen career. Browsing current and recent vacancy advertisements is a useful way to find out the levels and types of qualifications that employers in your field are looking for. For information on the qualifications you need for your chosen career, as well as resources for checking vacancies, go to types of jobs.
Further study may take the form of:
Courses can be expensive, so you may be surprised to know that the majority of postgraduate students are self-funding. What is more, successful completion of your Masters or PhD does not guarantee you a job. So you need to balance the cost, in terms of time and money, against the practical usefulness of the qualification. Find out about employers’ expectations so that you can decide whether further study provides you with the right kind of long-term return on your investment, and go to funding my further study for advice.
You may feel frustrated with your job search at times. Keep in mind that no one is successful with every job application - learn from each experience and move on. It is important to stay positive, especially when dealing with potential employers. Confidence and enthusiasm helps make a good impression, both in writing and in person.
To help stay motivated:
A career change may be a very positive experience. As time goes by, you may feel the need to move on for a range of reasons. It is not unusual for people to enjoy fulfilling work in several entirely different roles during their career, and it is increasingly rare for people to stick with the same job for their whole working life.
When you fancy a change, the first thing to do is to think about where you are now and the exact reason why you want to change your career. For example, you may want to leave your job because of your boss, the working environment or the work itself. Now think about the parts of your role you enjoy and what motivates you. It is important not to rush into anything and to explore all options. Try the Changing Careers Questionnaire to help you make your decision, or check out A Career Change or Careershifters for more advice.
After you have weighted up the pros and cons and you may decide you would like to stay put. It is important to consider what you can do to make the most of your job. Perhaps you can take on additional responsibilities or projects that push you to develop new skills. Many employers have regular reviews for staff and these are the ideal opportunity to put yourself forward for new challenges. Otherwise, if you feel comfortable about it, you can speak to your manager about your development at any time and express your interest in taking on more responsibility.
When you feel it is time for a change, you should think about what you would like to be different in your next role. It may be that you want a change of scenery and that a similar job with a different employer is all you need. More often, the itch for change comes when you need to do something more challenging and move upwards, not just sideways.
Sometimes moving on is not your own decision Redundancy is difficult, but may turn out to be the best thing that can happen to you. Seek free advice on all employment rights issues from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), or try your local Citizens Advice. If you are a member of a trade union, contact your representative for support and advice.
When you do move on, it is important to consider:
When you create your action plan, remember to think long term and then break the plan down into smaller, manageable short-term goals that are more achievable.
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