Totaljobs.com > Career Advice > Jobseeking plus > Tips for students, graduates jobseeking
Tips for students, graduates jobseeking
If you're a student at school, college or university and you're ready to enter the world of work, gathering all the information available to help you work out your options can pay off.
Starting out
If you haven't decided what you want to do yet, have a think about the things you enjoy. Whether it's a hobby in your personal life or a subject you enjoyed studying, you can start to form a career path based on this.
Usually you will enter your first job at the lowest level. Whilst these jobs often ask for experience, if you can demonstrate the key skills they're asking for based on examples of things you've done -- either personally or during your studies -- you're in with a great shot.
It's a testament to your willingness to learn and work hard that you've achieved qualifications, so don't undersell yourself. Talk about the skills you use to organise and complete your studies and your hobbies. These might include communication, organisational or budgeting skills. If you've entered competitions mention this too, it shows that you have determination. You need to demonstrate that you could add value to an organisation by working hard and that you are people-skilled.
If you're still unsure about what type of work will suit you best, you might like to try our Knowing You psychometric questionnaire.
Part time work
Juggling money, study and career paths can be stressful. But you're not alone. There are thousands of students just like you who are feeling the pressure of getting good grades and finding a job to help financially.
Part time work is a great way to balance money and education. Check out totaljobs.com and the newspapers for any forthcoming national recruitment campaigns. You could apply locally for a job near your place of study.
You should also look out for "teaser advertisements", which start to appear around October and November. These are from the retail sector, announcing that a big recruitment drive is coming soon for the build-up to Christmas and the New Year sales.
Try not to commit yourself to so many shifts or hours that your studies suffer.
If you're at university, find out if the Student Union bars and on-campus clubs have jobs up for grabs. You won't make a fortune, but it will serve as handy pocket money.
Other options
There are loads of other ways to get your career off the ground, too.
Temporary work - Temporary jobs and short term contracts give you a chance to learn a bit more about the day-to-day aspects of the jobs you're going for, as well as giving you more relevant experience to add to your CV. Our Jobs Now section has a list of roles currently available in your area.
Networking - Many jobs are never advertised, so it's worth letting everyone you know that you're on the hunt for a job. You never know who may be able to help out. Industry fairs are also great places to meet people in your chosen sector.
Another method is to go for a more junior role in a company you really want to work for. It's much easier for companies to promote people from their current pool of employees and you'll be one of the first to know when the job you're really after becomes available.
Finding a job can take time. The right job for you is out there; you just have to find it. Check out the totaljobs.com Graduate Zone for all the latest roles in every sector, or for more top tips, we've tons of expert advice, too.
Totaljobs.com > Career Advice > Jobseeking plus > Tips for students, graduates jobseeking
Search for a job with totaljobs.com.
