5 things every graduate should be doing to make them more employable

Graduating is a bizarre feeling, on the one hand you feel relief, happiness (for the most part) and a true sense of achievement, but on the other you’re scared senseless by what is next to come, having to find a job and become a fully fledge adult. For some, the chosen career is already know and steps to achieve this have already been made, but for most, the next stage is nigh on impossible to predict. So here are our 5 words of wisdom to every graduate looking to stand out from the crowd and find their dream job.

1. FIND OUT WHAT YOU LOVE & CHASE IT, Chances are you will know by now what you love to do and what you’re good at. But if not, take time to find your passion and begin driving yourself towards those goals. There’s nothing like being lost to find your way. Don’t be scared if friends have moved away and landed a dream role, keep trying new things until you know what is right for you. After all, you only live once, so you as well be doing what you love from the get go.

2. WORK HARD ON HONING YOUR SKILLS, Once you’ve found what you want, start honing the skills required to succeed in your field. You’ve got a degree, so don’t underestimate the lesson learnt there; organisation, time management, working to deadlines – all things employers love. But to stand out from the crowd you need to show skills that go above and beyond. Think of vibrant and interesting ways of building your profile, and not only ones that will look great on the CV, but also ones you enjoy and can engage with in interviews.

3. IMPROVE YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE, We are living in a digital age, so people can find almost everything out about you. Make sure you have a formidable online presence that you can show to employers. A blog, for example, is a brilliant way to build your profile – discuss topical issues, share things that inspire you, use it as a tool to show employers your passion; for passion is, above all else, the key ingredient to succeeding.

4. APPLY FOR PLACEMENTS, WORK EXPERIENCE AND INTERNSHIPS, So you know what you want to do, you’ve worked on building the necessary skills but haven’t actually got any in-field experience. Now is your time to shine, apply for placements, internships and work experience to get a first hand lesson in the industry. There’s no pressure here, if you find out it’s not for you, you can easily move on, but if you love it, you can work incredibly hard, impress and potentially get a job. If not, then you’ll have some true experience to take forwards with you.

5. BE CONFIDENT, Now you’re ready for the big leagues, the interview for your dream job awaits, but you’re shy, nervous and rather intimidated. You’ve got to break these feelings down; you have to have belief in your capabilities and your desire to succeed. If you’re chasing what you want, then you must do so with unparalleled vigour. Be open and warming to your interviewer so they can see you’ll make a great colleague, be excited about working and your past experiences so they can see you have passion, and be flexible to their needs so they can see your open nature.

And wait, just wait for those four little words…

‘Congratulations, the job is yours.’