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Top tips for starting your graduate job search this summer.

As you reach the final term before the summer break, it can be a good time to start to think about graduate roles. Whether you are in your first or final year, try to think about how you can position yourself, what information or skills you need and who can help you. The earlier you make some of these choices, the more prepared you will feel when the time comes to apply for your graduate role. Here are our top tips.

Think about your timeline

To make the most of available opportunities, try to plan what steps you will take to reach your goal of finding a role. Start to research new vacancies and employers as soon as possible regardless of your year of study. This will give you a head start in beginning to understand not only what roles are available but which employers you resonate with and what’s on offer in terms of salary and benefits. Graduate job schemes may advertise a year in advance so if this is a route you’d like to go down, start searching for these roles ahead of time and put reminders in your calendar to alert you to the deadlines for these.

Reach out for support

Remember you’re not alone during this process, so try to find help where possible. Several contacts at your university can help you such as lecturers with industry tips, and the careers team who have a wealth of specialist knowledge in finding graduate roles. Use their skills to help point you in the right direction. Book an appointment with a careers advisor to see where they can help you. They cover a vast array of topics from advice on writing or editing your resume, to practicing for interviews and applications. Their expertise can be used to help you make smart decisions and sell your skills effectively to employers. When writing your resume, remember to always get someone else to proofread it, this could be discussed with the careers team at your institution, or you could ask a friend or family member for help.

Think about the best places to job hunt

Familiarise yourself with the careers team at your university so you understand what services they offer as this includes helping students find graduate roles. Most universities also provide careers support to alumni for a year after graduation. Check the noticeboards and careers site at your institution and sign up for any relevant jobs boards so you can be alerted when a suitable role is posted. Use the contacts you’ve made during university to look for opportunities, this could be through a part-time job or other work experience to see if there is any scope for exploring new vacancies. You may have met another student in a society or sports club, perhaps they’ve been offered a role at a company you’re interested in. It could be as simple as asking them how they found their role and learning more about how they were offered the job to steer you in the right direction. GradLink offer a free jobs board to international students, there you’ll find roles in the UK and worldwide with our partnered employers including Pwc, Bosch, Intel and more. For access to our database of employers looking for international talent, register today!