“My first jobs were all civil service. At 14, I worked for the Canadian National Railways. At 16, I worked for the Canadian Penitentiary Service.” – Dan Aykroyd
If Ghostbusters star Dan Aykroyd can achieve a sterling acting career from such humble beginnings, you can certainly make your dream job a reality too.
To give you a helping hand reaching your goal, we have compiled our top 10 tips for finding a job after university.
The only way is up
1. Find Your Focus
Before you do anything else, sit down and think about what your focus is. This means you need to have your CV sorted and you should know what kind of graduate job you are looking for.
2. Networking is your new favourite hobby
Network. Network. Network. When you want a job in any professional industry, perhaps your most important assets are your people skills, which can help you to break out from the crowd as you search for that dream job. Look online and in industry magazines to find out where events related to your chosen career are, attend, and talk to people.
3. Dress to Impress
Appearance is a really important factor when you’re looking for a job, particularly when you get to the interview. Make sure that everything you wear is clean and tidy, right down from your shoes up to your hair. You could even do some research on the company before you come so you know how smart to be, but remember that it’s always better to overdress than to under dress.
4. Aim High
Whatever your dream role may be, whether it’s High Court Judge or Detective, it can take several years of hard graft to get there. So don’t be disheartened if you’re not exactly where you planned at the very beginning.
5. Learn the rules of the game
We spend a fair amount of time being cool cats. But there’s no secret way to make your job searches exciting. Set aside some time to trawl through job sites, local newspapers, and business websites. You’ll soon find more opportunities come your way.
6. Grasp the power of how
Keep a hold of the inquisitive nature you nurtured at university. Whether that is finding out how something works or how a friend landed a sweet job, make it your duty to ask them how they did it. Chances are you will learn a trick or two.
7. Imitate high achievers
Not only can you pick up tips by talking to friends and networking, but there’s a fair amount you can learn from any successful people you admire. Simply pull techniques from their way of working and patch them into your own style.
8. Procrastination is your enemy
While you’re looking for that perfect job, it’s a good idea to stay away from the pub and any other distractions that will deter your attention from your goal.
9. Make yourself heard
When everyone else is making a din about how good they are, you have to be clear, confident and ready to make some noise too. There’s usually a bunch of stuff at you university to get involved with to expand your skill set, as well as plenty of guides on the internet, so get stuck in.
10. Don't be afraid to put in the hours
We might be blowing this slightly out of proportion but what we mean is: if you don’t put the effort into your job hunt, you’re going to have a bad time. But if you put as much effort into your search as possible, you’ll see the results quicker than you can say otorhinolaryngologist.
Achieve graduate success
Whether you’re just about to graduate or you’re going into third year in September, we hope that you’re time living in The Student Housing Company accommodation has given you the space to study and opportunity to make friends that you needed. If you’re looking for accommodation for next year, take a look at our locations around the UK including Edinburgh, Huddersfield and London.