Weâve had an exciting two days at The Great British Business Show last week, speaking to many of Londonâs top employers, many of whom started out as fresh graduates just like you.
So we thought, what better way to get graduate advice than from the people who have successfully navigated the graduate job minefield.
We know that for many graduates it can be overwhelming attempting to juggle completing a degree with finding that great graduate job, especially if you are unsure of what career you actually want to pursue after graduation. For more tips, check out our blog on how to figure out what your ideal graduate job is.
But speaking to many employers itâs clear that whatever your first job, you may find your career trajectory changing overtime.
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Emelia, an Account Manager of a leading UK web hosting provider started out âworking for an art publishing company as a runner â it was like running around being the PA, it was hard work but good experienceâ.
Senior New Business Advisor, Rachel initially started out her career working in a contact centre, though previously pondered the idea of being a teacher, she then moved on to The Telegraph working in advertising and is now a Telesales Manager.
Kouliyad, Director of a video production company, on the other hand says âThis is exactly what I wanted to do [after university] but I couldnât find work that involved this so that is why we set up our own companyâ.
Whether searching for your first job or one-hundred-and-first job, navigating the job hunt and attempting to stand out from the crowd can a difficult and timely process.
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âGo bigâŠâ says Senior Business Development Manager Nadil â⊠people are doing weird and wacky things at the moment to get ahead of the competition.
Weâve had guys (who have joined our company now) ⊠who came prepared with knock-up business cards with their own name, our company brand, on a card to give to us. They would call us pretending to be a fake company just to learn more about usâ.
Rachel’s advice is, âDonât give up youâll get a lot of ânosâ before you get a yes and just go in there with everything youâve got. Youâve got to show personality. I got all my jobs by just having a joke with the person doing the interviewâ.
What does a resignation letter need to include?
- Details of the position you are leaving
- How much notice you are giving (this needs to be whatever is specified in your contract, usually 1 month for entry-level or graduate jobs)
- When your last day will be
- A thank you for the opportunity to work at the company
- Finally, wishing the company good luck / a concluding sentence
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Account Manager Emelia has observed that there is a tendency with some graduates, when âthey go into this process of applying for a job they always say âIâm so enthusiasticâ but I think from an employerâs point of view, we want someone who is enthusiastic about the company, the industry and where it could lead to in the futureâ
âYouâve got to have a bit of get up and goâ Nadil says âthere is no point having a Bachelors, Masters or PhD and being a bookworm, youâve got to be open to thinking outside the boxâ
While Rachel says employers often âdonât want someone who just sits there 9-5, especially in sales, youâve got to be eager all the timeâ, âdetermination, lots of ambition and driveâ are all key traits.
The transition from university to employment can be a confusing time for many graduates and there is no âone size fits allâ when it comes to completing those all-important applications. But, the key to setting yourself on the road to success is:
Be open minded about the types of opportunities to pursue
Be persistent and think about how you can show an employer you are different from all the other applicants
Understand the company you are applying to; their company culture, their industry and what you could bring to the team
The transition from university to employment can be a confusing time for many graduates and there is no âone size fits allâ when it comes to completing those all-important applications. But, the key to setting yourself on the road to success is:
Be open-minded about the types of opportunities to pursue
Be persistent and think about how you can show an employer you are different from all the other applicant
Understand the company you are applying to; their company culture, their industry and what you could bring to the team
