Five things to remember when career hunting
Intro
A large majority of UWL graduates find themselves in full-time employment within six months of leaving the University, and soon that majority will include you! But before they got their jobs, every graduate had to go through the application process. We know this can feel a little daunting, but don’t worry. Take a deep breath and remember these five crucial things.
Main body
1. Make sure you have a plan
You can’t always predict exactly what job you’re going to get, or where you’re going to end up working, but it’s important to know the type of thing you’re looking for. What sort of job would you like? What kind of field? What matters to you in terms of working hours, location, and workplace culture?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, or even if you do, book an appointment with our careers team and they’ll show you how to start chasing that dream career.
2. Put the time in and tailor each application
It can be tempting to scattergun your applications, throwing CVs in left, right and center. But to really stand out, make your applications specific to the companies you’re applying to. Spend a little time altering your CV to showcase the talents those companies really need, and why you’re the best fit.
Do some research, make it clear why you want to work there, and what it is you bring to the table. Remember, ten personal applications a week is far better than a hundred generic ones.
3. You have more experience than you think!
Employers care a lot about experience, and it can be easy to feel that you don’t have any work experience when you’re fresh out of university. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Take a moment to think about the things you’ve done and the experiences they’ve given you. Just by doing your degree you’ll have acquired experience in collaboration, teamwork, presenting, researching, writing, managing projects and meeting deadlines.
Depending on your course, you might have even gained practical experience. Then there’s your society involvement or extracurricular activities. What skills did you gain there? What projects did you take on? All of this can be used as valuable, relevant experience!
4. Rejection is part of the process
Rejections sting, there’s no denying it, but they’re a part of life. You may have written a great application, the interview may have gone great, but there’s always more candidates than available positions. Everyone goes through this, and all you can do is keep going. View it as good practice, then keep tailoring your applications, keep preparing for interviews, and keep your eye on that goal. You’ll get there eventually!
5. We’re here to help!
For every step of the journey, UWL is here to help. From careers workshops and appointments to networking events and volunteering opportunities, we offer full support to our job-hunting graduates. Keep checking the graduate hub for employment opportunities, and make sure your details are up to date on My registry to access all of our wonderful Alumni benefits.
Find out more
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