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Applying for jobs after university

Applying for jobs after studying at university can seem daunting, especially after spending several years in academia.

It might be tempting to quickly put together your CV and start sending it out en masse, but more careful consideration can go a long way to helping you on your career path.

There are several steps to consider to help you successfully land a job interview, which we will discuss here.

Your visa status

Are you an international student who wishes to stay in the same country to work after finishing your degree?

If you needed to obtain a student visa to attend your university studies, it is highly likely that you need to secure some form of post-study work visa in order to stay in the country to seek employment.

Self-reflection

Before you start writing your final draft of your CV and applying to jobs, think about what your interests are, what skills you have developed throughout your university years, such as common skills like teamwork and time management, and more specific skills related to your area of study.

If you have formed specific career goals during your time at university, keep those in place and aim to work towards them!

Make a list of different strengths you have acquired, such as problem solving, communication, or even being organised. You might have acquired them during your high school years or even from a summer job or a job you had during university. The bigger the list, the better.

Networking

Networking can make a big difference in some industries, so try to connect with your professors, alumni, and professionals in your field; this could open so many doors for you.

As well as connecting in real life, take advantage of LinkedIn to get noticed by people in your industry, and engage with them. This will get you on their radar. 

Another great way to meet people in your industry is to attend job fairs, networking events and even webinars. Introduce yourself to people, get to know them and get insights from them. It’s also always nice to know how they got where they are in their career.

Research the job market

Whether you are looking for a job in a sector that enjoys great employability, or a more niche role, a good starting point is working out the shape of the job market in your chosen industry.

Use well-known platforms to search for jobs related to your degree. As there are many platforms to use in most countries, we recommend using as many as you can to look for job opportunities.

Setup job alerts when you create your account on these platforms to ensure that you don’t miss jobs that might interest you.

We have put together a list of job platforms that are popular in some of the top study destinations below:

Australia

Canada

France

Germany

Italy

New Zealand

United Kingdom

United States

Familiarise yourself with the different jobs you can go into, and make a list of which ones you think would suit you better or the ones you think you’d thrive at and enjoy the most.

If you have very specific training and experience, such as healthcare, you can look for more specialised job platforms.

For example, in the UK the national health service (NHS) has it’s own dedicated job search platform.

If you have your heart set on working for a specific company or group of companies, monitor websites for any roles that become available and perhaps contact them directly or via Linkedin.

After identifying which jobs you’re most interested in, pay attention to the most common skills they ask for and start considering how your education and work experience can be shown to meet these requirements.

Find out more about each job opportunity

When you find opportunities through popular job platforms, it can be very advantageous to go directly to the employers website to find further information.

This will give you the opportunity to learn more about the company and perhaps find the contact responsible for the job, which will help you to tailor your covering letter (more on this below).

In some cases, job postings you find on a job board may be outdated and have already been filled, whilst looking directly at the employer’s website may also reveal other job opportunities that you haven’t yet seen.

When Applying, tailor your CV and cover letter

When you have built up a shortlist of jobs that you are interested in, you should make sure that your application has the best chance possible of being shortlisted by the recruiter who read it.

Whilst it is possible to apply directly for jobs on job search websites such as Indeed and Linkedin, another option to consider is applying directly to the employer via either their own website or by contacting them directly.

We recommend against applying for multiple jobs with a generic CV and cover letter. Whilst it may be tempting, applying for jobs in this way means that you are not paying due care and attention to your applications and you won’t be putting yourself in the best possible light.

Most importantly, if you have the opportunity, make sure to tailor your CV and cover letter to suit the job role that you are applying for. If you don’t do this, it will come across in your application and you will be less likely to be shortlisted for an interview.

Look for key skills mentioned in the job specification and tailor your CV to suit the role. If there is not a specific list of key skills, work out the general skillset the job description is asking for.

In your CV, highlight your most relevant experiences, projects and internships that would be valued in the role that you are applying for. Mention what you have taken from these experiences, as well as what the employers gained from having you there and important achievements you made within the employing companies. 

When writing up your cover letter, try looking for the name of the hiring person and tailor your letter by addressing them by name.

Go over the skills you have listed in your CV, and talk about the ones the job ad highlights the most. Mention challenges you have overcome, and attempt to add your personal brand in the text.

Apply for internships/entry-level roles

As a recent graduate, it can be hard to stand out from other candidates, especially if you have no previous work experience.

So, you could start your job search by applying to entry-jobs or graduate schemes. Depending on your chosen industry, this may well be the accepted route into a full-time role. In any case, doing so can add valuable experience to your CV and help you to build your network.

Preparing for interviews

It’s now time for interviews. This part of the process doesn’t need to be nerve-wracking.

You should view this as a chance to talk about yourself, your studies and experience, and how well you would fit the company. Some interviews may include a small test for your future employers to evaluate your particular skills.

When preparing for an interview, it’s really important to research the company and the role thoroughly. Search for their goals and their principles and see how they align with yours, as this would be a good subject to mention in your interview.

And of course, don’t forget to practise common questions. Go and have a look on Glassdoor, where they have all the information, from questions asked in the interview, to reviews of workplaces and salary ranges.  

A good interview always ends better when you have questions for the interviewer. This is your chance to show that you understand the role and gain a little more insight.

This could be anything from holiday permission to what a day in your life would look like in the role. Use your questions to show that you are engaged and interested!

Stay organised

There can come a point in the application process that you’ve applied for so many, that you lose track of the jobs you’ve applied for.

If you find yourself in this position, the best way to keep on top of all your applications, deadlines and follow-up communications is to create a spreadsheet with all your information. 

When applying for jobs, it’s easier if you have a goal of how many applications you want to submit every week.

This will allow you to be consistent and send as many applications as you can. However, keep in mind that it does take a bit of time to complete each application, so keep this in mind when setting your goal and be realistic.

Manage rejection and stay resilient

Applying to jobs can at times feel demoralising, so don’t put extra pressure on yourself by expecting to get a yes on all applications.

You may get more rejections than interview offers, but you can treat these as an opportunity and use the feedback given to you in a positive way.

Reflect on it and use it to improve your approach and make your CV and cover letter better for the upcoming job applications you’ll be doing.

Consider further education or certifications

If you’re applying to jobs and most of them require further education, consider pursuing it or taking courses and certifications to boost your employability.

This can range from anything from a university degree to short courses online, professional training to workshops.

Anything you can add to your CV that’s relevant to the jobs you want to apply for, is a plus.

There are now many free or low-cost online courses available that many companies value.

Sometimes you might not have much experience in the field, but companies will be impressed at how much effort you put into further learning and how motivated you are.

Be flexible and open-minded

When looking for jobs fresh out of university, it’s important to keep an open mind to different job opportunities and different locations. Who knows, maybe you’ll even end up enjoying the work you do that you thought you wouldn’t, and end up living in a city you love.

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