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. 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

2. 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 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%).

3. 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 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.

4. 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.
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

5. 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 resonate with you?

6. 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.

7. 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.
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