How to find a job as a new graduate
It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for, to toss your cap into the air and celebrate! But once graduation day is over, you still have a long way to go before you get to accept the job offer you have your heart set on.
Find out the best ways of boosting your chances of getting hired and learn how to grasp the opportunities most suited to your future career
Present yourself to your best advantage
Write your CV and cover letters, and update your social media profiles, taking care to delete anything that’s potentially inappropriate or that might clash with your career aspirations.
Take great care over the image of yourself you are presenting, as all these elements make up your calling card and will form your profile in the eyes of recruiters.
Get some experience
Job advertisements often specify they are looking for people with experience. But how can you get experience if you haven’t found a job? The truth is, you might have built some experience up during your degree, through internships and volunteer work. That said, it’s never too late, and you can start right now to develop some transversal skills that will be useful in your future job.
Work on your Soft Skills
Soft skills are fast becoming as important to recruiters as your university qualifications. If you’re not good at communicating in front of an audience, you lack leadership or you need to work on conflict management or working as part of a team, invest some time into improving those aspects. You can read various books or sign up to specific training courses, but it’s always best to start actively practicing these soft skills. You don’t need to be in a formal work setting to develop these skills; you can even practice with your family and friends.
Start making connections
Answering job ads isn’t the only thing on your to-do list right now. You should also be connecting with contacts in your sector through the internet, particularly with the help of social media. This also means taking part in web conferences and online events, which increases your opportunities to get to know companies, fields and above all, the right people who might notice your courage and determination in showing up at such events, even though you don’t actually work in the sector yet.
Manage your expectations
Make sure you have realistic expectations for your first job after graduation. Just because you’ve built up some experience doesn’t mean you’re instantly going to become a company’s most valued employee. In financial terms too, don’t be in a rush: many new graduates expect a salary that’s not in line with corporate budgets set aside for new hires.
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