How to Find Graduate Jobs

Whether you’re just starting your tertiary journey, are graduating soon, or have recently completed your studies, the idea of finding a career job using these new skills can be so daunting! And it doesn’t matter if you’re graduating from university, TAFE, an online diploma course, or even from school! Age has nothing to do with, nor does the level of your qualifications. If you’re unsure how to find a graduate job, we’ve got you! Today’s blog should have you feeling confident and prepared in no time…

Experience means so much more than a piece of paper

If you’re a current student, this one is especially for you. 

Make sure you accept any opportunity to gain valuable real-world experience. This may be in the form of work experience or an internship. Or if you’ve already finished your studies, this experience could even be in the form of a project you worked on with real client interaction or a strong correlation with workplace practices. If you’ve studied something with practical applications, you may even be able to submit a portfolio of work to show your expertise and skillset.

You can refer to these experiences on your resume in both your career history and your skills. Being a student is hard work, and there’s no reason why you can’t use this to your advantage too. In your skillset, think about including things such as:

• strong research and writing abilities
• demonstrated ability to work to tight deadlines
• self-motivated and hardworking 

Don’t forget that any jobs you’ve held whilst studying matter too. Even if they are in customer service, retail, hospitality, or something else unrelated to your study area. So many of these part-time jobs provide you with such critical skills, including:

• communication and interpersonal skills
• relationship management 
• calculating invoices and taking payments
• working effectively in a team environment

I so often see graduates believe that they don’t already have plenty to offer. This is a mistake! And it’s also an easy way to be overlooked by a potential employer. It’s even more important as a graduate to have a really strong application so that companies can see through the “no career experience” and really be aware of the skills and knowledge you can provide.

Research doesn’t end when your degree does

Look, I don’t want to be repetitive (if you’re a regular on my socials and blogs you’ll know I ALWAYS say this)… but research is KEY! Yes, we can help you to sort out your goals and help you gain clarity and direction, but when it comes down to it the only person who knows how you work and what you want is you. Sometimes it just takes a little digging.

If you still have time before you finish your studies, finding a graduate job will definitely benefit from extensive research. You’ve got the time to focus on finding the right roles.

But if you’ve already graduated and are feeling quite discouraged, this still applies! Ensure that any role you do apply for is one that you align with and feel confident in undertaking. Take the time to find out as much as you can about the company so that when your phone rings, you’ve got lots to say and ask.

This brings me to my next point…

Ensure your resume and application is tailored and effectively communicates your potential

SO important.

Sending out the same resume and cover letter to every role is not going to get you anywhere. Subtle changes and adjustments are a must. It shows you’ve taken the time and used your attention to detail to demonstrate how you can meet the role requirements.

As a new or recent graduate, your skillset will be the most important thing to get right. Potential employers will be looking for certain keywords which match the job advertised and will want to see that you have what it takes so excel.

My advice here is to consciously spend time carefully reading the position description for each role you apply for, making sure that you really highlight what they’re after. Your cover letter will be of extra importance. This is where you can communicate your up to date industry knowledge and prove you are skilled in occupational best practice. There’s a chance you may even be able to link here to key projects you worked on during your studies too.

Be sure to really communicate your passion and drive to succeed in this field.

And if you can’t confidently match what they need, well…

When it comes to applications, quality is more important than quantity!

If you’ve got the time and the freedom to be a little more picky with your jobs, don’t get caught up in applying for any and every posting you see. If you are more strategic about finding a graduate job, you have a much greater chance of finding one which will genuinely make you happy.

I think that graduate jobs have the potential to really make or break your career. If you find yourself in an uncomfortable, unsupportive environment when you’re brand new to the industry, this can be so offputting. It is definitely related to the very high early drop off rates that many fields see.

Where do I look for and find a graduate job?

I’ve been speaking about this recently on my videos and FB lives, but Seek should really be the last place you look. It’s a good research tool to see what’s out there, but right now there are thousands of people applying for most jobs and as a graduate your opportunities will most likely be found elsewhere.

(This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look on Seek and apply for roles that interest you – by all means, go for it! Just make sure to really target your application, and follow up!)

Try Googling the role title you’re after and adding your location to see what pops up. Speak to professional connections you made during your studies to find out about where they work and what they do. So often graduates have better outcomes through networking than they do with applying along with the masses.

So, how can KLCC help with finding you a graduate job?

We have helped thousands of clients apply for hundred of different roles – including some of the more obscure professions! Graduates deserve quality support and professional guidance, just as much (if not more!) as seasoned workers.

Our services include resumes and cover letters, selection criteria responses, LinkedIn profiles, job seeker secrets, and SO much more!

If your starting to worry about your next move and are feeling stressed about finding a graduate job, talk to us. Read our reviews. Give it a go.

You can start with a free chat and see what you think!

This is such an exciting time in your life. Do it right and you will be reaping the rewards for years to come…

Kate.