Published: 17 December 2020
The post-university job search can be a daunting thing to think about, whether you’re new to the world of work or you had a long career before joining the University of Sunderland in London.
It’s sometimes hard to know where to start, and even harder if you’ve made a few applications and not heard back yet. But with a few small changes to your approach, it won’t be long before you’re reaching your career goals.
Follow these five tips for finding the role for you.
1) Be professional on social media
One of the most common things companies do now is look through an applicant's social media.
According to a study by CareerBuilder, 70% of employers view a potential worker’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram pages to get an idea of the person they’re thinking of hiring.
That means you need to make sure your social media presence looks professional. But you don’t have to only wear smart clothes and tweet about business!
Just make sure you come off as respectful and trustworthy.
2) Edit your applications each time.
For most jobs, you’ll need to send in a CV and cover letter, or more often these days simply fill in a form on a company’s website.
When you’re applying to lots of roles, you might be tempted to just copy and paste everything to save some time.
While that means you’ll apply to lots of places, your chances of being hired by them does go down.
Instead, edit your CV and the answers to the questions they ask you to fit the role and company you're applying for each time.
3) Use your network
Actually looking for job openings can be a difficult task in itself if you’re not sure where to start. One thing you can do is ask your connections if they’ve heard of anything.
Use your networks to find people in companies you’re interested in working in and try and get some recommendations.
One way of doing this is through LinkedIn. You can search for a company, look at their employees and see connections with people you know.
4) Stand out from the crowd
The job market is getting busier. More people are graduating with degrees every year and employees tend to stay in work longer.
That means, for the best roles, you’ll need to make sure you stand out from the crowd.
Boost your CV by volunteering or doing some online education. Try popular skills like studying coding or learning another language to give yourself that something extra.
5) Research companies before applying for jobs
One reason a lot of the best candidates get rejected is because they don’t know much about the company they’re applying for.
It’s an easy thing to miss when sending in lots of applications, but it’s vital if you’re going to show that you’re the right candidate for the role.
Before writing an application, and definitely before going to the interview, look through the company’s website and social media.
Find out who they are, the new projects they’re talking about and how they want to be seen by their customers.
With a degree from the University of Sunderland in London, you’re positioning yourself for a brilliant career, whichever industry you want to work in.
For more information, go to our Careers and Employability page. You can read about employability skills on our news pages. Find out more by following #WeAreSunLon on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.