So you have finally made it – you are all set to graduate from university, hopefully with some nice grades to boot.
The next step in your life might be finding that perfect graduate job that will kick start your career. If you are currently in your last year of university, there is already plenty you can do to ensure that you snag the right job once you finish.
Know your options
You don’t actually have to go for the traditional graduate job if that is not what you want to do. Other options such as internships and graduate schemes are completely viable and a respectable way of entering an industry or profession. Do your research and see what you think the perfect path for you looks like.
Sort out the paperwork
Start looking at job listings and note what employers are looking for and how they are asking for it. You can then start working on perfecting your CV as well as drafting a few cover letters for your future job search. Keep in mind that some industries expect CVs to look slightly different from others. The more tailor-made your application is, the bigger the chance is that the recruiter who picks it up will take a closer look.
Work on your skills
While you will have a shiny new degree on your CV, without anything else on there it can look a bit bare. What else have you been up to? Things like volunteering, part-time jobs, societies and clubs, are perfect ways of showing recruiters that you are ambitious and a self-starter.
Soft skills are also becoming more and more popular, with employers asking for certain characteristics from their candidates rather than degrees in certain subjects. Think about what you are good at, be it critical thinking, presentations, teamwork, or problem-solving, and include them in your CV or cover letter. Additionally, if you have a second language, make sure you mention it.
Do some networking
You will hopefully have made lots of friends at university – make sure you keep them. Who knows whether someone you hung out with a few times will end up being a CEO one day? Keep in touch with people, students and tutors alike, and you should have a nice network of contacts that could help you if you are ever in a situation where you need a reference or tips on available positions.
Start today
Finally, make sure you start preparing yourself as soon as possible. When you are preoccupied by a potential house move, leaving a university you spent years at, and saying goodbye to friends, your job search can look really far away and insignificant. On the contrary, it will be your next adventure. By preparing as much as you can now, you will have less to do later. Your CV will be perfect and tailor-made for a few different types of jobs, you will have a number of cover letters ready to go, and you will know more or less what you want to do and how you are going to achieve it.
Upload your CV to JobsGraduate today, allowing you to be searched by thousands of potential recruiters and employers!
What’s next?
Once you’ve perfected your CV, be sure to upload it to CV-Library so that employers can get in touch with you about relevant jobs!
For more career advice, along with 100s of graduate jobs and schemes, visit Milkround.