Graduates usually start their job search well before their graduation date. It is known that looking for a job is, in fact, a job in itself. This process is quite tough and in order to overcome the difficulties it is essential to master how you can transform yourself into a high-calibre candidate the employers are seeking to find. Planning your job search and having a strategy in place is essential to achieve what you are looking for.

Life after university is something totally challenging and the realities of a working life may come as a shock to you unless you have prepared yourself for that very important transition in your life. Around 75% of your working hours each week will be spent in and around work. This can include commuting to and from work, or just being in office or thinking about work. Therefore, it is essential that you spend all the time in a job that you will really enjoy and get the satisfaction you always dreamt of. However, if you feel you are in a labyrinth and do not know how to get out of it, then we will help you by going through the main paths that you will need to take in order to reach your destination.

Recognise the changing face of graduate recruitment

The fast pace of the modern world has left the old thinking somewhat in the distant past, it was thought that a degree would guarantee a career after college, this mode of thinking has long expired and the modern employers want much much more from their newly graduates, such as, relevant work experience. If your plan is to be ahead of the pack and land an interview early, then you need to look at the skills you have developed, and whether these will assist you in getting the first-interview stage. This will allow you to think about and reconsider much of what you take for granted about what actually can get you a job.

Therefore, if you feel that you do not possess those relevant skills, then perhaps it is time for you to re-evaluate yourself and go back to the drawing board so that you can improve your outlook to the recruiter. It is very important for you to showcase what the employers are looking for and not what you think they are looking for. There is a huge difference. Additionally, the vast majority of the graduates who apply are rejected, this is because they are not demonstrating what the employers are looking for. It is important to remember that the graduate market is like a talent show and only those who are deemed to have the talent sought by the employers will be noticed and accepted.

Occupation versus ideal employer

It is common knowledge that a significant number of students change their course after the first year; therefore, it will be difficult for graduates to know exactly what career they want to pursue after leaving university, and those graduates who have little or no experience will have even more of a difficult time in making that very important decision. It is then that those employers who offer the traditional graduate training schemes can be attractive. They offer the opportunity to explore different organs of the business to gain experience and then the graduate can make an informed decision with no pressure applied from the employers.

Pinpoint your exact expectations

A graduate will need to have an effective plan in place in order to achieve the ultimate goal of achieving a graduate job. However, this will be after deciding what you would like to be doing, and this could be more of a generic role on a graduate scheme as stated above or going for a more clearly defined role. Therefore, you will need to have to think about what you would like to do and this can be something that you have done during your work experience placement or internship that you may have taken in the past, but it can be in a different industry, the type of company or organisation you want to work for, and also location that will suit you and your lifestyle.

You should also keep in mind the other key points which will determine your future job. These important points are salary, training opportunities, working hours, CPD, career progression, holidays, religious needs, and anything else that you feel is important for you can be included. Once you are armed with all this information, the path will be clearer for you, and it will allow you to gain a better understanding of exactly what you are looking for and then place your job search plan in place to begin your journey of finding a job.

Set a schedule

One should keep in mind that having a plan in place is well and good, but to action the plan or executing it is another thing. Therefore, it should be kept in mind that it can take anywhere between few weeks to months, and perhaps a year to find the right job of your choice. Therefore, you will need to set deadlines along the way, just as you would do so for your studies at university to complete some tasks.

It is important to ensure that your CV is kept up-to-date of any changes, and also to upload it to the major job boards which advertise the types of graduate vacancies you are looking for within the first week. You can also register on eimams and create a jobseeker account and set up alerts, which will inform you of any new jobs that have been added or advertised matching your criteria.

By the end of week one and beginning of week two, you could aim to have made contact with local recruitment agencies which specialise in your area of interest. You can also have one-to-one meeting with consultants who will help you with your search. You can also contact eimams and request for a consultant to contact you to guide and support you with your search as well as discuss your requirements in more detail. Moving to week 3, you can aim to have all your social media profiles updated which will also yield some results.

Choose the right job search tools

As you can see from the eimams search engine tools, there is a litany of tools available at your disposal, and, therefore, it will be important for you to focus on those tools which apply to you as they will eventually provide you with the best chance of finding that dream job.

Job Boards which offer graduate jobs are a great place to begin your search, but you should not limit your search only on Job Boards, instead you should expand the search to career pages of those graduate recruiters that you would like to work for; you should also include industry-specific publications such as newspapers, magazines, leaflets, and adverts which appear in your university career service and Student Union publications. You should also be conscious of the most powerful tool in the modern age which is social media, which can also help you with your search, therefore, update your profile and blogs which will build your profile and expose you to opportunities that may not be advertised in the traditional publications.

Lastly, it should always be kept in mind that you will need to review your plans. If your search is not yielding any result, then it is pertinent that you revisit your plan and make changes or modifications to tweak your plan, which may enhance your chances. Should you need more help, do not forget to contact eimams.

Conclusion

Finally, it is important to be aware that you can get side tracked and or becoming despondent because you are not getting the results you are looking for, but this is how it will be, it will not be an easy journey. You need to be resilient, positive, and do not allow your plan to fall by the wayside. If you keep going, then the obstacles that you may face will automatically move from your path because of your determination and hunger to reach to end. Therefore, although it is not easy, you must remain optimistic, tenacious and resilient.