Tips for graduates looking to take their first career step

So you’ve spent the last few years working hard to attain your degree and now you want to put it to good use by finding a job relevant to your qualification. You only need to ask a handful of graduates to find out just how difficult this can be, with many people being stuck in a job not relevant to their degree several years after graduating. This is why it’s important to be proactive and to begin your search for employment as early as possible.

Offering a full technical and industrial recruitment service, we have placed many graduates in various positions over the years, and we advise the following:

1)      Utilise your University’s careers department, find out what links they have within your industry and make sure they have your full contact details to get in touch when a position becomes available.

2)      Make sure your CV is up to date and that it emphasises the skills you have learnt during studying, don’t just put the name of the qualification you have attained. Simple bullet points are a clear way of showing exactly what you studied during your time at University.

3)      Join LinkedIn and start marketing yourself. Make connections with relevant people, join graduate groups and search for graduate positions in the industry you are looking to join.

4)      Utilise online job boards and graduate specific job sites, a quick Google search should bring up plenty of sites to register with. Upload your CV and start searching for positions.

5)      Register your details with agencies such as ourselves, making sure they are aware of the type of position or career you are looking for.

6)      Apply for relevant positions quickly, this can be done during your last year at University or just as you’ve graduated.

7)      Don’t be too fussy! You may not find your dream job straight away, but as long as a position is relevant to your degree, it could be a vital opportunity to build up your experience and develop your skills. You may also want to consider temporary or contract positions.

8)      If you are struggling to find that first career step, don’t be afraid to continue learning. Many industries have specific qualifications that you can work towards that will make you more attractive to potential employers. Training courses and working towards a qualification can also help to fill in gaps on your CV whilst you’re looking for employment.

If you are looking for a graduate position in engineering design, or any technical or industrial position, make sure to keep checking our own vacancies page! Many of our clients are often looking to take on graduates and our recruitment team will happily talk with you and assist you in your search. Historically we have operated as a CAD agency placing Design Engineers and Draughtspeople, but now fulfill several roles under the categories of technical and industrial recruitment.

Graduates

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