1. It sounds obvious but spend time preparing you CV and covering letter – a weak CV with spelling and grammatical mistakes will not do you any favours!
2. Research companies that interest you and send off a few speculative applications – if positions have not been advertised publicly, the chances of you succeeding are much higher.
3. Find new ways to search for jobs – There are many creative ways to find jobs online such as job boards and job crawlers, but also through social media such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Many companies actively use these platforms providing an alternative way to get into contact with businesses.
4. Tailor your CV to each specific application. Research the company and write your CV around their needs. It may take a little longer but your efforts will be rewarded!
5. The art of networking – ask family, friends and professors if they know of any leads. A perfect opportunity may arise from where you least expect it.
6. Follow up all of your application with a phone call, even visit your prospective employer personally. It shows you are eager, motivated and may make you stand out over other candidates.
7. Present sample work – Portfolio’s are now common in many industries and provide a means of highlighting specific examples of your work to get you noticed.
8. Subscribe to RSS feeds from job websites – You will get the latest vacancies delivered directly to your inbox saving you time and providing you with new vacancy information.
9. Take a very proactive approach to the situation. Visit career fairs and open days, talk to people to get yourself noticed and begin to build your personal network.
10. Stay focused and be persistent – a half-hearted approach will most likely attract the same result!
