Finding a graduate job in 2021
With the pandemic changing the face of the workforce fairly dramatically, the job market might feel even more daunting than before. As a student searching for the perfect graduate job, the process of job hunting is an important but potentially stressful task - on top of the stress you already feel as a student nearing graduation!
So, we’re here to help. We’ve put together our tips for finding a graduate job in 2021 - one that puts you firmly on the path to your dream career!
First up, think about what you really want
After spending many years of your life in education, scrimping and saving on a student budget, the temptation to take a well-paying job is strong. We get that. But, it’s important to not let your decision be guided solely by finances.
What we recommend is taking a step back and thinking about what you actually want before you even start job hunting.
Consider how you want your life and career to look in 12 months and 5 years down the line. Keeping your longer-term goals in mind can help steer you towards a graduate job that will be a solid first step on the career ladder for you. Re-engage with your why - why did you choose to study what you’re studying? What were you hoping to do with your degree? What sort of lifestyle do you want for yourself?
It’s important to be realistic here (we all want to live on a private island and get paid to drink rum all day long, but it’s just not going to happen, sorry!), but keep your dreams big. If you want to be the next Bill Gates in the tech industry, what sort of graduate job might lead you there? If you dream of starting your own business, how can you choose a graduate job now that allows you to develop the skills you’ll need when you take the leap?
Try putting together a list of job features that are non-negotiable for you. For example:
I need to have flexible working hours
I need a job that lets me work with other people
I need to be in a young, dynamic environment
I need to see a clear career path onwards in the company
Try not to be too specific about the job role itself, but focus on its features. Finding a job that aligns with your wider desires will be much more satisfying than working just for the money!
Invest some time and energy into sprucing up your CV
While the job market has changed a lot in the last few years, your CV is still hugely important. In almost every application process, your CV will play an important role - even if that’s supplemented by video interviews, application questions and even psychometric tests. So, it’s a good idea to put some time and energy into making your CV the best it can be.
While some people may tell you that your CV needs to be hand-painted onto a bar of chocolate or arrive at a company with signing balloons attached (it happens, believe us!), it’s more important that your CV reflects you, your experience and your personality.
There are plenty of guides out there for writing the perfect CV, but the key points to bear in mind are:
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple, Stupid. Recruiters receive thousands of CVs, so yours needs to be clear, simple and communicate the main points QUICKLY. That means avoiding huge paragraphs of text, making your headings clear and concise, and quickly communicating how you’re different from the other candidates. If in doubt, get a friend or family member to read through your CV and check it’s easy to understand - if they can’t tell you three reasons why someone would hire you, it’s not clear enough yet!
If your CV is thin on employment history, expand on your education. Pull out particular projects or achievements from your academic career that have taught you skills that can be utilised in the workplace. Focus on the transferable skills, rather than where you learnt them!
While it’s important to convey your personality, don’t spend too much time and space on “Personal Interests”. Recruiters want to see who you are, but they won’t be overly interested in whether or not you binge-listen to true crime podcasts (unless you’re applying for a crime-related role, of course!)
Don’t be afraid to approach employers and agencies directly
While job boards (such as Give A Grad A Go or Milkround) are a great way to quickly and easily see what’s on the market, it’s easy to spend hours and hours trawling job boards and getting disheartened when you can’t find your ideal role. But what’s stopping you from approaching your dream companies directly? Answer: nothing!
There’s nothing wrong with sending speculative applications to companies you feel you could excel with. While they may not be advertising for a particular role publicly, you never know what their business needs internally - and you might be the perfect employee they didn’t know they needed!
If you are reaching out speculatively, try to do so as personally as possible. Do some digital-sleuthing to find the most relevant person in the business to contact - and then reach out personally. LinkedIn is a great tool for finding the right person to contact. Reach out via email in the first instance, making sure you’re being persuasive and sharing why you’re contacting them. Remember, they’ll likely get hundreds of emails a week - so try to stand out!
The same goes for recruitment agencies. Don’t be afraid to reach out to agencies and let them work on your behalf to find your dream job. They’re there to help you get employed, and often have access to contacts and roles that aren’t publicly advertised.
Ban yourself from copy and paste
Seriously, stay away from the copy-and-paste button! As far as possible, tailor every application to the company, the role and the particular reasons you’re applying. A personal touch is important; not only does it show that you’re a conscientious person, it also shows that you’re deliberately choosing to apply for that role, rather than simply applying to everything you come across.
It takes a little more time, yes - but personalising each application is the only way to maximise your chances of getting a response. As we’ve said before, businesses will likely receive hundreds of applications for any given role. The first of those to be sifted out will be those that haven’t read the job description properly, haven’t proof-read their applications or aren’t showing any personality or enthusiasm.
Make sure you’ve done your research and know a little about the company. If you can reference the company’s goals, their history or one of their latest social media posts, it shows you’ve put a little time and thought into your application. Those are the kinds of people who make for good employees, so you’ll be far more likely to make it to the shortlist.
Use your network
Make sure your friends and family know you’re on the hunt for a job. You’ve heard the saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” - now make the most of it!
While nothing may come of it, it’s an important avenue to utilise. Ask your friends and family to keep an eye and an ear out for any roles that might be suitable for you - try to be fairly specific about what you’re looking for, but keep an open mind! You never know, your long-lost great Uncle Fred might have a friend of a friend who’s looking for someone exactly like you to help in their company - and that role might be your dream role!
Also make sure you’re using your digital network. LinkedIn is a great place to be when you’re job hunting. Post regularly (and not just copies of your CV - think creatively about how you can demonstrate your suitability for your dream job), interact with others on the platform, and check out the Jobs page regularly too.
Speaking of social media… remember, everything is public!
Sharing dog videos to your Instagram Story is fine, but remember that there are ways for potential employers to find you online! In fact, many employers now use social media presence as a screening tool. If there’s a skeleton in your closet, don’t be surprised if a savvy employer finds it…
What’s important here is not that you’re 100% professional 100% of the time on 100% of the social media platforms out there. It’s that you’re conscious of the fact that you’re leaving a digital footprint with every interaction. On most social media platforms, you can lock down your profile so that only friends or followers can see what you post - doing so gives you a safe-space online where you can share memes to your heart’s content, without worrying about potential employers finding it.
Obviously, that doesn’t give you carte blanche to post whatever you want online, but it does mean that an employer doing a quick screening of your online presence is unlikely to find something that will scare them off. Just be sensible with what you do online - and check your privacy settings to be safe!
So, there we have it! Our top tips for finding a graduate job in 2021. Focus on finding something that contributes to your wider goals, and then do everything you can to stand out from the masses. Good luck on your job search!
