The job market for new graduates is becoming more and more competitive, but more and more rewarding. With each graduating year, there is a wave of talent all seeking one thing, a job in their chosen field; and with a finite amount of availability, competing for the roles can have a ‘survival of the fittest’ feel to it. But how do you put yourself in the best position? How do you give yourself the best chance of securing that role?
It might seem cheesy to say, but preparation is key. Now if you’re coming to the end of your education or a recent graduate, you’ve probably heard this word numerous times, but what does it actually mean? Being prepared is a word that is thrown around but very rarely explained. Being prepared is all dependent on the context that it’s used in, for example, being prepared for a test is studying and revising, but in the context of being a new graduate and preparing for the next steps means taking any and every advantage you can. This would include things like experience, accolations, networking, keeping up with relevant news in the sector, exploring all the options available and keeping an up-to-date CV.
In my experience, I was a graduate in 2022 coming out of a Creative Advertising course. I was lucky enough to win an award during my time at university but wasn’t able to get worthwhile experience in the industry. So what did I do to best prepare myself for what I soon found out to be an extremely competitive industry. I leant on my strengths and networked and networked (and to this day still do), I highlighted the fact that I had an award for my work and reached out to as many companies, businesses and agencies I could find. Spoke to other people who were in the same position as me, attended webinars, events and what we called ‘bookcrits’ constantly (this is where I would sit down with industry professionals and have them critique my work). All this preparation landed me with some great opportunities, and this is how I gained experience, which I then used to get more experience until I landed my job that I’m in now. None of this wouldn’t have been possible without hard work and preparation.
But how does this look in different fields? All that I listed previously could be used in some shape or form, but the best thing to do is to look at every opportunity for you to grow and go for it. If that be reaching out to the hiring manager, inviting a manager to the pub (this was my favourite), or doing a placement or work experience. My point is go out and make these opportunities that will prepare you for job hunting. Remember, thinking outside the box and approaching this challenge will help you to stand out, for example, I remember during a placement, in the bathrooms they had a poster frame that was empty, so I created a poster advertising myself and all that I worked at during my brief stint at the company.
During my job hunt, there were big ups and big downs, rejection is never easy no matter the context but those who persevere are usually met with reward. I’ve lost count with how many applications I have made, how many iterations of CV’s and portfolios I sent out, but if I didn’t, then I wouldn’t be where I am today. You never know where the next opportunity is going to come from, if that be an email, a social media post, a comment on linkedin or meeting someone at an event; the best thing you can do is give yourself every chance of being noticed by being as active as possible in your industry. I secured a great opportunity by going to an event, networking with all the agencies and got invited to go for a drink with some of them after, where I was given a placement. You never know where a friendly chat can take you.
I realise I’m speaking from my experience quite a lot, which may not be applicable for a lot of industries out there, but hopefully the point I’m trying to make is clear. As a graduate trying to land a job, it’s a numbers game, the more people you know, experience you have, events attended, social media pages you follow, posts you make, applications you send, the better chance you have. Don’t wait for an opportunity to find you, make your own!
Hopefully, by reading this you feel more prepared for what's to come, the job market today can feel like a maze with dead ends all over. But if you prepare as much as you can, you give yourself the best chance of getting out the other side. There will be times where you want to give up, but if you push through and keep going, this can be one of the most rewarding experiences and you will meet some amazing people and find some amazing opportunities you never knew existed.
