a’llttportmThe UK’s graduate job market is competitive. This can make it challenging for recent graduates to land their first role after university. In fact, of the 56% of graduates who found full-time employment in 2018/2019, it took an average of 15 months. Fortunately, the number of graduate job vacancies is on the rise, making this an opportune time to start the search. To help you, we’re breaking down five tips to find graduate jobs UK.
From polishing your CV to looking in the right place, these hacks will put you ahead of the pack and help you land your dream role.
How To Find Graduate Jobs UK: 5 Tips For Success
Finding a job in UK after graduation can be tough, but it’s important to stay positive. The number of graduate job opportunities is on the rise, so your dream graduate job could be just around the corner.
To help you find graduate jobs in the UK, we’ve rounded up our 5 top tips.
1. Research thriving industries
While some graduates have a clear career path mapped out, many others aren’t sure what industry or job role they want to pursue. This is perfectly normal, especially for graduates who studied a generalist degree (or who want to move away from their field of study).
If you fall into the second category and you aren’t sure what path to take, our advice is to research thriving industries. Many industries currently have skills shortages, and as such, they are crying out for talented graduates to plug those gaps. Even if your degree is totally unrelated to the field.
So, put your feelers out and get to know the best sectors for graduate employability and the top trending jobs in 2023. That way, you can get inspiration and get your foot in the door in a sector that is currently enjoying a boom.
What’s more, sectors that are thriving or experiencing skills shortages are more likely to provide graduates with competitive salaries and training opportunities. As such, you have more opportunities to advance your career and upskill.
2. Sign up for specialist graduate job boards
If you want to find graduate jobs UK, you need to look in the right place. Your standard job sites may not cut the mustard when it comes to graduate opportunities. So, make sure you sign up for specialist graduate job websites.
These websites are perfect because they are specifically tailored to graduates and work with top graduate employers to match the best emerging talent with the right role. Plus, you know that every listing on the site is graduate-friendly, so you don’t waste time applying for unsuitable roles.
Developing a Student is one of the best websites to find graduate jobs UK. On top of a jam-packed live graduate job board, it has a wealth of valuable resources for graduate job seekers and employers. With advice on everything from finding graduate fashion jobs to graduate remote jobs, it guides graduates through every step of the job-hunting process.
3. Build your personal brand
As we’ve already mentioned, the graduate job market is competitive. However, that’s not a reason to be disheartened. Instead, figure out ways to stand out from the crowd.
A great way to do this is to work on building your personal brand. By creating an online presence and a clear identity, you will be easier for employers to find and for recruiters to decide if you’re the right fit.
There are lots of ways to grow your personal brand. For instance, you could start by attending networking events in your target industry and connecting with industry professionals on LinkedIn. This includes engaging with their content online and participating in conversation threads, events, and conferences. Essentially, the more time you invest in getting to know how the industry and its major players, the more likely you are to hear about a great opportunity when it arises.
4. Consider a professional course
Once you have decided which industry or job role you want to pursue, you need to make sure you have the employability skills to get an entry-level position. You can do this by scanning job descriptions and highlighting the common skills, qualifications, and experience they ask for.
If you discover that you are lacking some soft or technical skills, consider taking a professional course to build those competencies. There is a wide array of short professional courses available in the UK to help you gain new skills, first-hand experience, and the confidence to find your first graduate role.
5. Write a killer graduate CV
Of course, an up-to-date and compelling graduate CV will greatly improve your chances of landing your dream job. If you lack professional experience (as most graduates do), it’s a great idea to focus on your skills.
What valuable soft skills have you developed over the years? Whether that’s from school, volunteering, or part-time work, this skill set is likely transferable to a wide range of job roles and tasks.
The type of CV you build will depend on your skills and sector. For instance, most creative jobs for graduates will require a graduate portfolio. The more research you do into your target industry, the easier it will be to write a CV that showcases your abilities. So, when the time comes, you can nail your first graduate interview.
In Closing: Find Graduate Jobs UK
It’s important to know how to find graduate jobs UK. We hope this guide has given you some actionable advice on where to look and how to prepare.
Graduating is an incredible achievement, but deciding what’s next can be daunting. At Developing a Student, our goal is to support students and graduates as they start their career journey. We work with the top graduate employers to connect the finest new talent with the best graduate jobs.
Check out our Graduate Jobs Board for the latest opportunities near you.
Looking for career advice? Our resource hub is packed with up-to-date information on graduate jobs, industry trends, and advice for graduate job seekers. From working abroad to the best UK cities for graduate jobs, we have you covered.
You can also catch what’s new on our blog every Wednesday.
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