Looking for an entry-level job as a recent graduate can play a major role in setting your career trajectory. We understand looking for a job as a recent graduate can be daunting, so we have put together some helpful advice to make your life a little bit easier!
1. Hands-On Experience
Hiring managers won’t expect graduates to have a lot of hands-on experience, but having some can help your application stand out. Hiring managers want to see initiative and evidence of clear passion for the work you do/want to do.
Experience doesn’t have to be full-time jobs, just relevant experience that demonstrates your skills. This can include volunteering for unpaid opportunities with local organisations or having short-term internships where you can learn from experienced professionals.
You may also have gained some hands-on experience during your time in education, for example working on sample projects or case studies. Whilst these are educational projects, they double as hands-on experience that showcases your recent qualifications.
2. Crafting a Winning CV
Before applying for roles, you must have a strong CV that highlights your skills.
It might be tempting to mass send out CVs to different companies, but it is best to spend the time tailoring your CV to the roles you are applying for. This makes it easier for hiring managers or recruiters to make the connection between your application and the job specification.
A great way to tailor your CV is to look for technical terms in the job spec that you can repeat in your CV. Also, make sure you highlight your unique value as a potential hire!
3. Stick to What You're Good At
When applying for graduate roles, you might find you don’t know which kinds of roles to go for!
Daniel Brown, one of our experienced recruitment consultants, advises that when applying for graduate roles, it is best to stick to what you’re good at. You will likely finish your studies with a language/skill that you prefer or are strongest at!
“If the main experience you picked up during college/university is Java, for example, and you feel Java is your strongest skill, focus on applying for Java roles”
4. Additional Certifications and Continuous Learning
For some roles, it may not be enough to just have a degree. In the tech industry, there are thousands of certifications and further qualifications that could help you secure an entry-level role.
Pay attention to job requirements and note which specialisations are repeatedly preferred on job specs. From there, you can focus on gaining some additional certifications or training in these areas.
Demonstrating commitment to taking on new qualifications, participating in courses or taking on projects to further your skills/experience, shows your passion and your willingness to learn!
5. Build a Network
Networking is often a great ‘in’ for job seekers. Being visible to and connecting with managers, recruiters and HR professionals in tech firms gives you a huge advantage over competing graduates.
LinkedIn is a great place to start building an online network. You could consider writing relevant blog posts to start conversations and encourage discussions, or engaging with your connections' thoughts and articles!
You may also want to attend networking events through your University or an event management website such as Eventbrite!
Don’t underestimate the power of a network – the people you know can play a huge role in helping you land your first role!
6. Interview, Interview & Interview Again!
You may not nail your first interview but think of every interview as an opportunity to improve your skills and become more comfortable and confident in recruitment processes.
Interview best practices are pretty similar across the board, but different roles and companies will have different questions and processes. If you are going for a Software Development role, you are likely to go through a technical interview, but if you’re interviewing for data scientist roles, the process may include a case study on machine learning and data manipulation, for example.
Some other interview preparation tips:
- Look the part - Research by psychologists has shown that people decide what they think of you within the first four minutes of a first meeting, so make sure that you look the part and have the perfect interview attire.
- Research the company – Learn about the company from sources such as information published on social media, their website and news articles. Familiarise yourself with the company's products, services, and recent achievements.
- Come prepared with examples that showcase your technical abilities
- Ask questions - Prepare a list of thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer to demonstrate your interest and engagement. We have a useful blog post giving you some inspiration on what questions to ask - 10 Questions to Ask at the End of an Interview | Reperio Human Capital | IT Recruitment
- Follow-up - Send an email or note after the interview to thank them for their time express your gratitude and reiterate your interest in the position.
At Reperio we help job seekers find great jobs every day, making our consultants experts in recruitment processes! Check out some of the other helpful information we have for job seekers:
A Recruiters Tips for Job Hunting (with Daniel Brown)
Why Job Seekers Should Create a LinkedIn Profile
5 myths: Searching for a New Tech Job
(Written By Elise Ralph)