Jobs & Careers with Piers Linney - 65

ADVICE:

GR ADUATES
ou've made it!
After all those
years of toiling
over textbooks,
attending
lectures, trying
to make ends
meet and finding that difficult
balance between knuckling down
and letting your hair down - you are
now, officially, a graduate.
The good news is that you're in
demand. A major new report on the
graduate job market by High Fliers
Research reveals that graduate
recruitment at Britain's top employers
is set to reach its highest level for more
than a decade this year.
University students graduating in the
summer of 2015 - including the first
Networking on
undergraduates to have paid tuition fees
LinkedIn will put
of up to £9,000 a year for their degrees
your profile in
- will be paid higher graduate salaries
front of potential
when they start work.
employers
The key to securing a top role is
undertaking work placements at the firm
in question, the study suggests. A third
follows a similarly-sized rise in 2014
of jobs are expected to be offered to
and represents the third consecutive
graduates who have managed to gain
annual increase.
this kind of experience, it adds.
Universities minister Greg Clark said:
Luckily, you shouldn't have to hunt too
'Confidence in the economy continues
hard to find this important experience.
to grow, and this is reflected in the
The survey reveals that more than
fact that Britain's top companies will
four-fifths of the UK's leading graduate
recruit more graduates this year than
recruiters are now offering paid work
they have for a decade.
experience programmes for students and
'This report will be welcomed by
recent graduates. Two- thirds have paid
students who started university this year,
internships during the holidays for
and highlights how a degree remains one
final-year students, while half make
of the best routes to a rewarding career.'
industrial placements available as part
So, they want you. Now's the time for
of degree courses. An increasing number
you to go out and get 'em, tiger!
of firms also have placements for
first year undergraduates.
Graduate
Martin Birchall, Managing
recruitment at
Director of High Fliers Research,
says the UK's top employers would
Britain's top employers
be providing 'more than 13,000
is set to reach its
paid internships, vacation work or
highest level for more
course-based placements in 2015'.
than a decade
Unfortunately, those with no
this year
work experience are unlikely to
be successful applicants and have 'little
or no chance' of receiving a job offer
through graduate programmes, half
of the recruiters said.
Overall, the UK's leading employers
plan to expand graduate recruitment
even further in 2015, with 8% more
vacancies predicted than last year. This

Ask people for advice
Meeting people is a much-underestimated
tool for finding work. A lot of careers are
built on reputation, so tell everyone you are
looking for work, and what you are interested
in. They may know of someone in your
chosen field, or could offer you work
experience or teach you transferable skills
while you're job hunting. Get some cards
printed with your contact details, and
always carry them with you - even a chance
meeting in a coffee shop may turn into a job
opportunity. Think about what you have
to offer, not just what you want to gain.
If you only view networking as a self-serving
promotional tool, you're likely to feel a little
sleazy. Everyone has skills, tips and
strategies that can help others.

Be proactive
Work won't come to you; you need to get
out there. Visit job and recruitment fairs,
exhibitions and events in the field you are
interested in. And don't be afraid of direct
contact. If there is an organisation you really
want to work for, be brave and ring them up
and ask them for a list of current vacancies.
If they don't have any, ask for the HR contact
details and send a letter in with your CV,
saying why you want to work for them, and
asking them to keep your details on file for
when a suitable opportunity comes up.

J O B S & C A R E E R S /// 6 5
Jobs & Careers with Piers Linney

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