We are living in an age where information is, quite literally, at the fingertips of students looking for careers advice. Source<> http://www.edubilla.com/blog/tips-for-getting-your-dream-graduate-job/

1. Tips for getting your dream graduate
job
We are living in an age where information is, quite
literally, at the fingertips of students looking for
careers advice. As well as the more traditional
careers advisers and jobs fairs, this wealth of
resources now extends to smartphones via email,
the internet and an ever-growing array of social
media networks. But it seems that university
students still see parents, friends and family as the
most useful for counsel on their future careers.
A recently conducted survey of 1,400 UK students
at various stages of their degree from more than
100 universities, exploring their attitudes to the

2. world of work.
One of the standout findings was that current
undergraduates, across all years of study, rated
their personal networks as the most helpful source
of careers advice: parents and family (56%) or
friends (52%).
Surprisingly, only a little more than a third (37%)
said that they found careers advisers the most
helpful, and even fewer cited employers (30%).
For employers, who want to attract top talent to
drive their business in the future, this feedback is
valuable. The same survey showed that by the end
of university, only one in 10 students still had hopes
of landing their dream job after graduation. It
shows that businesses need to think harder about
how to support students in their jump from
academia to a professional career.
Following are the tips for getting your dream

3. graduate job
Start out by really understanding yourself
Identify your personal strengths, spend time
reflecting on what really motivates you, on what
you enjoy and on what you don’t like doing.
Ask those who know you well – your teachers,
friends and family – what they notice and value
about you. There are also many online resources
such as quizzes and personality tests that are a
good starting point.
Challenge your assumptions
Keep an open mind when researching different
careers; speak to as many people as you can, and
challenge your own perceptions. Don’t rule yourself
out of a sector or industry until you’ve really
explored it.

4. Use the tools on offer
A key point that comes across in the survey is the
need for companies to be more specific about what
a job entails, and also that students would like
contact with those already doing the job.
Many companies are creating online tools to help
students understand a typical working day and to
help guide them through the sometimes complex
and unfamiliar recruitment processes take
advantage of them.
Look for an employer that fits both your skills and
your values
Find an employer that will invest in you;
somewhere that you can leverage the skills you
already have and equip yourself with more that you
need to develop.
Does their overriding purpose, ethos and culture

5. resonate with you?
Get as much work experience as possible while you
are still studying
Relevant or not, it doesn’t matter. Any work
experience will help you throughout the
application process and provide you with valuable
experiences to draw upon when you start work –
not least a better understanding of yourself and a
sense of how to work in a team with others.
Focus on long-term goals
Don’t let perfection be the enemy of starting your
career. Look for the job (and employer) that gives
you the most options in the future.
It isn’t a disaster if your first employer isn’t
ultimately the right choice for you. Be prepared to
work hard, seek out learning opportunities and
keep focused on your longer term goals.