Careers adviser presentation on creative job search techniques

1. Careers & Employability
Centre
Job Search beyond Graduate
Schemes

2. Workshop will cover:
The different ways graduates find work in the UK
Creative approaches to job search
How the Careers and Employability Centre can support you in
your job search

3. Graduates in the Labour
Market
Non Graduate Jobs
35%
Graduate Jobs
65%
Non Graduate Jobs
All UK graduates responding Graduate Jobs
to survey 6 months after graduation

4. What sectors do graduates work in?
Public sector – civil service, local government, public
protection, health service, tax
Commercial sector – manufacturing, retailing, business
services, professional services, engineering, media,
Voluntary sector – charities, not for profit organisations,
community organisations

5. Who employs graduates?
Large graduate recruiters – household names, eg Tesco, Boots,
HSBC, Unilever, Rolls Royce, annually recruit
Professional firms – e.g accountancy- year round recruitment;
law firms- training contracts two years ahead; engineering-varies
Public sector- civil service, teaching, HMR&C, NHS, armed
forces- annually recruit

6. Who employs graduates cont:
Small & Medium sized companies
– less than 250 employees – employ graduates but no regular
cycle of recruitment ( publishing, arts and heritage, media)
Work experience/Temping- temping jobs can develop experience
and lead to permanent jobs
Self Employment

7. How are graduates
recruited?
• Non advertised vacancies – word of mouth,
previous employer or contact, speculative
approaches, through internships & volunteering
• Advertised vacancies – websites, newspapers,
specialist publications, in agencies

8. Creative job search- what does it
involve?
Research using: contacts, internet (search engines),social
networking, professional directories, attending events
Work experience/shadowing/volunteering/research project
www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/jobs/creativejobsearch

9. Networking
Networking- what is it?
Making contacts
Help you find out more about a career
Set up work experience
Prepare for applications and interviews
Contacts can be friends, family, tutors, professional bodies,
names on websites or job ads….
Just talking to contacts can help you understand the nature of the
work, what kind of experience and qualifications you need to build,
find out about job opportunities, tips on entry

10. If you aren’t sure about networking,
remember….
You have probably already used networking skills
Most people are flattered to be asked for advice
There are many established networks that you can use
If you ask someone (tactfully) for help- they can always say no!
Many people establish successful careers using their networks

11. Online Networks
A professional online presence can help you to make contact with
people in the sector you are interested in
LinkedIn or similar professional networks may help
Facebook presence should be professional and well maintained
(appropriate use of privacy settings)
Twitter can be used to follow and engage with people and
organisations in sectors you are interested in
SussexPlus use it to create a webfolio to introduce yourself

12. Approaching Employers
Speculative approaches are most common:
• Letter or email
• Phone call – it’s good to speak to someone
• Employers may not respond to a letter or email if they are busy
so follow it up
• Arrange a visit/ meeting
• Do your preparation before- what do you want to find out? What
questions could you ask?
• Research the person that you are contacting/ company &
demonstrate your knowledge of them
www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/jobs/creativejobsearch

13. Where to start?
Identify what you have to offer an employer in terms of your skills
and abilities.
Understanding yourself is a good starting point in job search.
Reflect upon what you want from a job in terms of:
- Types of activity you want to engage in
- Level of financial or other reward
- Types of people you want to work with
- Location- where do you want to be?
See www.sussex.ac.uk/careerchoices/selfanalysis and
www.sussex.ac.uk/careerchoices/researchingcareers

14. Get a strategy!
Some tips:
 Establish a routine
 Look at the jobs you may be aiming for in the future
 Positive mental attitude!
 Exploit contacts/ temp contracts
 Use Careers & Employability Centre
 Review your strategy regularly

15. Careers and Employability Centre
support
Careers and Employability Centre, The Library
Short interview with a careers adviser:
Mon – Fri until 5pm and Wed 5 –7pm
Workshops – weekly
Vacancies – part time, work experience, graduate jobs
Website www.sussex.ac.uk/careers