Tips for getting your dreamgraduate job

We are living in an age whereinformation is, quite literally, at thefingertips of students looking forcareers advice. As well as the moretraditional careers advisers and jobsfairs, this wealth of resources nowextends to smartphones via email,the internet and an ever-growingarray of social media networks. But itseems that university students still

see parents, friends and family as themost useful for counsel on their futurecareers.

A recently conducted survey of 1,400UK students at various stages of theirdegree from more than 100universities, exploring their attitudesto the world of work.

One of the standout findings was thatcurrent undergraduates, across allyears of study, rated their personalnetworks as the most helpful sourceof careers advice: parents and family(56%) or friends (52%).

Surprisingly, only a little more than athird (37%) said that they foundcareers advisers the most helpful,and even fewer cited employers(30%).

For employers, who want to attracttop talent to drive their business inthe future, this feedback is valuable.The same survey showed that by theend of university, only one in 10students still had hopes of landingtheir dream job after graduation. Itshows that businesses need to thinkharder about how to support studentsin their jump from academia to aprofessional career.

Following are the tips for getting yourdream graduate job

Start out by really understandingyourself

Identify your personal strengths,spend time reflecting on what reallymotivates you, on what you enjoy andon what you don’t like doing.

Ask those who know you well – yourteachers, friends and family – whatthey notice and value about you.There are also many online resourcessuch as quizzes and personality teststhat are a good starting point.

Challenge your assumptions

Keep an open mind when researchingdifferent careers; speak to as manypeople as you can, and challengeyour own perceptions. Don’t ruleyourself out of a sector or industryuntil you’ve really explored it.

Use the tools on offer

A key point that comes across in thesurvey is the need for companies tobe more specific about what a jobentails, and also that students would

like contact with those already doingthe job.

Many companies are creating onlinetools to help students understand atypical working day and to help guidethem through the sometimescomplex and unfamiliar recruitmentprocesses take advantage of them.

Look for an employer that fits bothyour skills and your values

Find an employer that will invest inyou; somewhere that you canleverage the skills you already haveand equip yourself with more that youneed to develop.

Does their overriding purpose, ethosand culture resonate with you?

Get as much work experience aspossible while you are still studying

Relevant or not, it doesn’t matter.Any work experience will help youthroughout the application processand provide you with valuableexperiences to draw upon when youstart work – not least a betterunderstanding of yourself and asense of how to work in a team withothers.

Focus on long-term goals

Don’t let perfection be the enemy ofstarting your career. Look for the job(and employer) that gives you themost options in the future.

It isn’t a disaster if your first employerisn’t ultimately the right choice foryou. Be prepared to work hard, seekout learning opportunities and keepfocused on your longer term goals.

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