Leaving university can be a daunting experience, and for many people is one of the first times the years ahead aren’t clearly mapped out.
The stress of deadlines and exams, followed by the elation of graduating (free at last!), and all of a sudden you’re floating untethered in the ‘real’ world, wishing you put a little bit more time into those graduate scheme applications last year – a tale as old as time.
But as much as being a graduate, and now an actual adult(!), can be intimidating, don’t let the sheer volume of options and choices unsettle you. Be proud of your degree and the skills it’s given you and be as proactive as possible in looking for opportunities.
But if you do find yourself struggling to find a job after university, here are a few options to consider.
Engage With the Services of a Recruitment Agency
Recruiters are not your enemy – I can understand why this may seem a biased opinion but hear me out on this one.
Recruitment agencies are quite literally experts in getting people jobs. Day in, day out, we talk to candidates and clients about the job market, interview processes, CVs – just about everything and anything to do with finding a role.
Registering with a recruitment agency is a fantastic way to get some expert guidance in your job search. Whether that’s refining your CV; finding tailored opportunities; prepping you for and guiding you through interview processes; or even just using them as a sounding board – contacting a recruiter can be a great place to start, particularly if the sheer expanse of the market seems especially formidable.
Consider Temporary Work to Gain Experience
Any experience is good experience – don’t underestimate the skills and valid experience that temporary work can give you.
In a sea of applicants, it could just be the edge that differentiates you from someone else. It’s an opportunity to network, learn, and shape your future career path, and can be invaluable to professional development.
Make sure to maximise the experience it gives you – take in as much as you can and treat all aspects of the role as an opportunity to learn and upskill.
Proactively Contact Businesses
Internships and graduate schemes are a fantastic way to get started in the professional world. Do your research into the opportunities available and be proactive in contacting businesses.
Experience, enthusiasm and desire to join a business go a long way, and you’d be surprised at how far an email or phone call can go, particularly to an SME.
Businesses want to hire people who believe in their ethos and values, and who have a genuine want to join their team. Although it may seem futile, chasing opportunities following a non-response, or even a rejection, and re-iterating your aspirations to work for a particular business, has a higher success rate than you may think!
Volunteer Locally Where Possible
Similar to temporary work, volunteer work can also give you some fantastic experience. Both in developing hard skills, which might be specific to your chosen career – and softer, transferable skills, which are equally as valuable in finding and subsequently succeeding in a role.
Showing that you’ve been proactively upskilling and gaining experience demonstrates work ethic and is evidence of an ambition to grow professionally.
Decide if Further Education Could Widen Your Options
Further education can be a great option, and often seems like a natural next step, but there is a lot to weigh up in your decision – don’t rush into it!
Although for more niche roles it is often incredibly useful, or even necessary, it’s certainly a decision that demands a pros and cons list (I’ll help you with a few here).
Further education such as a master’s degree just might give you the edge in a competitive job market and can help further guide what you’re looking for, as well as refine your skills.
However, on the other side, it can be difficult to finance, it’s an extra time commitment, and, particularly if you’re coming out of 16 years in education, you might just need a break from academia!
It really should be a decision based on your situation – think it through, do your research, consider what exactly it might or might not offer you, and go from there.
Consider Other Career Paths
This is not to say give up on what you want to do, more an encouragement to be open to alternate industries, or even other ways of getting to a similar end goal. Not everything is linear.
If you have a career in mind that you’ve always had your heart set on or are certain what you’re pursuing is right for you, then by all means continue chasing it.
But sometimes being blinkered to a specific goal or career path can limit your development, and close off options that might otherwise be a great fit for you. Don’t close yourself off to opportunities just because they don’t fit exactly what you think you’re looking for.
Develop Your CV Further & Seek Advice
Refining and developing your CV to make sure it’s representing you and your experience as best as possible can be key to finding the right role. The formatting, wording, and structure are just a few of a multitude of factors that can affect the way your CV is read and interpreted by a prospective employer.
Make sure to keep it clear and concise, and try to include specific achievements, i.e. where you may have gone above and beyond, or exceeded a certain target.
Writing a CV can be tough. So if it feels a bit of an insurmountable task, feel free to reach out to a recruiter for advice. We’re always happy to chat through your CV with you and see how we can help.
A Few Closing Words From an Experienced Recruitment Agency
Looking for the right role can be daunting, but it doesn’t need to be.
Alongside the steps outlined above, one of the most important things is to stay positive and motivated, and not to let rejections knock you. Have faith in yourself and what you feel you can bring to a business and remember that this is just the start of a career that will extend far past your first ever role (probably too far).
It only takes one yes in a sea of nos to secure a role, and there’s a role out there for everyone.
At Inclusive, we’re always happy to help, and, as well as investing in graduates to join our own team, have helped many a graduate in the past secure a role, so please do feel free to reach out if you’re feeling stuck.
