Did you know that only 8% of people stick to their New Year’s resolutions?
Every year we start out with the intention to reinvent ourselves. But all too quickly willpower dwindles and motivation subsides, and without a clear strategy in place, our resolution fails.
But the truth is that there’s nothing better than a new calendar year to kick-start a fresh outlook and change something for the better.
If you’ve got a plan in place and you’re clued up on the best ways to reach your goal, we’ve got every faith in you.
And if you only stick to one resolution for 2018, make it to find a graduate job you love.
As employers will be starting up their hiring process, there really is no better time to re-apply yourself to the job hunt.
So switch off Love Actually and sit down with a big cup of coffee – because now is prime time for getting a graduate job.
Last year, we gave you some tips on how to shake up your job search in the New Year.
This year, we want to focus on some top trends that are emerging in graduate hiring, so you’ll be up to scratch on what to expect in your graduate job interview.
So with that in mind – what’s big for 2018?
Clean up your social media
92% of companies use social media for hiring so it’s essential that you are using your social media presence to benefit your job hunt, and not impair it – especially as this is a figure that’s only set to rise in 2018.
Your social media profiles are an expression of your personal brand, and employers can learn a pretty scary amount about you within minutes of searching for your name.
So first of all, clean up your profiles.
You know the drill – remove any embarrassing photos, statuses’ or posts, and unfollow any pages that don’t quite fit with your professional persona.
We’d advise taking a look at how your profiles are viewed by the public, to make sure that you’re not sharing more than you’d like.
Now that you’ve cleaned up your online presence, you can begin to really use social media to your advantage. Join discussions on subjects you are interested in, ‘like’ pages of people you’re influenced by, and share articles you’ve found interesting.
Showing passion outside of the workplace is something that would be looked on favourably by employers – and it’s an easy way to up your credibility in a matter of minutes.
LinkedIn: your online CV
As important as your other profiles are, LinkedIn is still the most powerful professional social network.
It might be one that you’re not quite so familiar with – but as the network continues to grow it’s a platform you should really be on board with.
In fact, not being on LinkedIn might hinder your employability – you don’t want to look like you’re not up-to-date with technology, or even worse: that you’re hiding something.
You’ll be pleased to know that it doesn’t take long at all to optimise your LinkedIn and boost your employability.
We’d advise that you spend half an hour or so making sure that your personal details are up to date, uploading a profile photo, and adding your experiences, interests, and skills.
If you know that previous employers or colleagues would endorse your skills – reach out and ask them!
Your social media profiles should now be well and truly spruced up and ready to go.
Personal brand on point? Check.
Consistent and organised CV
We are living in a digital age – but that isn’t to say that CVs are redundant just yet.
And while this might not quite count as a new trend for 2018, it’s one thing you absolutely can’t overlook if you’re going to be successful in your job hunt this year.
January is the most popular month for job hunting, meaning that you’re going to be looking for a job alongside a whole lot of other candidates.
So, our top tip for this year is to make yourself stand out from the crowd.
How do we suggest you do this? By making sure that yours is clear, concise and coherent.
Employers are busy reading hundreds of CVs, and if yours is cluttered with long and irrelevant content, they’re likely to miss the important information.
If your CV is uncluttered and logically written, employers can recognise the vital information straight away.
That’s not to mention that a superbly succinct and well-written CV demonstrates that you’re organised and consistent – key skills that would be looked on favourably by employers.
So for 2018, make sure that your CV the best it can be.
Interview practice
The standard face-to-face interview is still popular, and in 2018 you should expect it to be at least one part of your interview process.
Nevertheless, you’re likely to have a few stages of interview, and modern technologies are bringing new methods of interviewing to the forefront.
In 2017, game-based assessments were a big trend, and our prediction for this year is that video interviews are going to be used more and more by employers.
You’re probably aware that Skype and other interview video chat applications are often used to interview candidates – but you might not be aware that there are a few other formats too.
These include pre-recorded video questions, where you’ll be required to answer questions posed by the company via a link or webpage.
You’ll be given a set amount of time to answer each one, before submitting your answers at the end.
And how about a recorded video?
This is when an employer will send you a set of questions beforehand – and you’ll need to record yourself on camera and send the video to the company using their preferred platform.
Super-convenient for you and the employer, video interviews allow employers to gain a valuable first impression of you before you meet in person – and as 2018 gets off to a busy start, they’re likely to be used more frequently by employers with a jam-packed schedule.
Now that you’re in the know about what’s going to be big in hiring this year, you’re well on your way to success. So this year, stick to your New Year’s resolution – and land the perfect graduate job.
Find more career advice on our Careers Advice Blog – or check out the latest graduate jobs!
