Advice for Graduates Searching for Their Ideal Job

This week's blog post is a guest post by Samantha Condliffe – Digital Marketing Executive at Infinities

1. Don’t Rush

The first message that I would like to get across to you as a new graduate searching for your first post-university job is don’t rush! Many graduates get swept up in a whirlwind panic due to the influx of fresh new graduates looking for jobs and as a result they apply for as many jobs as possible even if they are not ideal. In doing this you may end up in a role which is not totally right for you and be forced to conduct the whole job hunt again a few months or a year down the line.
It is much more productive to carry out a calm, rational and thorough search the first time around. Spend more time on fewer higher quality applications for roles that are truly right for you to improve your chances of getting a job that you will be both happy and successful in.

2. Know Your Location

If you are planning on staying put in your current location then the first thing you need to decide is how far you are willing to travel each day, what form of transport you will require and the routes available to you. Carefully consider the time it will take out of your day and the impact it will have on your life. You can then narrow your search to a realistic perimeter.
If you are willing to make a move for your new job then do some research into the types of areas you would like to live. When you come across a potential role make sure you research the area before applying and if you are invited for an interview then you should take the time to explore the area, look at house prices, cost of living etc. to ensure it would be a good move for you before pursuing it any further.

3. Consider Different Size Companies

One thing that people often don’t give much consideration to is the size of the companies that they are applying to work for. A company’s size has an impact on many things such as the office size/environment, required travel, staff hierarchy, progression opportunities, salary and company benefits. Small, medium and large companies all have pro’s and con’s and something which may be a big benefit for one person can be an inconvenience for another so you should spend some time seriously considering what size organisation is most suitable for you. It could be a good idea to interview at a smaller company and a larger company to find out more and to get a feel for each place to help you make that decision.

4. Take Your Personality into Consideration

When reading job advertisements it is easy to judge them from an outsiders perspective without considering the reality of actually taking on the role. For example - you may see a role advertised which requires you to travel all over the world. This may sound like an amazing opportunity and sway you to apply but it is important to consider the reality of what it requires. Do you have the freedom to do this or do you have ties at home? Would you actually enjoy this or do you just like the idea of it? This is just one example but the theory applies to all different areas of job specifications. It is important to suss these things out at the beginning rather than getting to final interview stages or even having an offering a deciding that the reality of the role is not right for you.