Top Tips for Job Hunting in a Competitive Market
This is all the usual advice we would give to job-hunting students - only more so!
Be resilient | Remain confident | Try again
- Have a plan A and a plan B. Think about what you want to do and work out what you need to do to achieve it - but have (at least one) plan B that might be in a less competitive area or one less affected by the recession. For example, we offer information and advice about careers in a range of occupational areas.
- Get all the help you can. Use all the information and support that we (your Careers Service) can provide and explore other sources of help relating to the career you have in mind: other jobs sites, publications or even your personal network. For example, we provide details of vacancies targeted at University of Bristol students as well as suggestions for alternative job sources.
- Get your CV, application and interview skills in top shape for the more competitive market you are competing in. Attend Careers Events about CVs, applications, interviews and assessment centres, read our online careers advice and guidance, then come along to talk to a Careers Adviser.
- Don't overlook the hidden job market - not all jobs are advertised or actually promoted. A bit of creativity in your job search - perhaps by a speculative letter or phone call - might tease out opportunities otherwise unknown. The employer links provide a summary of those employers who have previously sought Bristol students.
- Preparation and research are always important - but even more so in competitive times. Find out about the companies and the jobs you are interested in and make sure you know yourself - your skills, interests and reasons for applying for the job - well enough to explain them effectively to potential employers. Use the Vault Career Insider to research occupations and employers, and read the views of employees. Also read the employability and skills development pages for details of the skills sought by employers and how you can develop and articulate them.
- If you're not yet in your final year, think of ways that you can improve you prospects for graduation the following year. Work experience (which in itself might be more difficult to acquire at the moment), voluntary work and other ways of demonstrating improving your skills can all enhance your chances. Explore our work experience support pages which include details of the UoB internship scheme. Many Bristol alumni volunteers within the Careers Network offer vacation work and/or work experience opportunities too.
News and views about job hunting in a competitive market [listed in reverse chronological order]
- March 2011 - Economic forecast and graduate recruitment data from GTI (PDF 1.64 MB). [GTI is a leading publisher of graduate careers information].
- February 2011 - Labour market outlook Autumn 2010: 'On the upside, the number of employers planning to make redundancies has eased. On the downside, recruitment intentions have edged down since the summer report.' Quarterly report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and KPMG.
- January 2011 - according to the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), there is a Brighter outlook for graduates as vacancy numbers increase for first time since recession began.
- January 2011 - The Graduate Market in 2011 (PDF, 997 KB) report produced by High Fliers Research. Research based on a survey of the organisations featured in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers in a poll of more than 16,000 final year students to find 'Which employer offers the best opportunities for graduates?' Report provides details of graduate vacancies, graduate salaries, graduate recruitment in 2010-2011 and the outlook for 2012.
- November 2010 - according to the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS), 'the [graduate employment] position has improved considerably since this time last year (PDF, 177 KB). Graduates should not be complacent as reduced funding for the public sector may well change the picture again but neither should they feel demoralised. The message to students and graduates is not to be downhearted. Graduates should remain upbeat and consider how to enhance their own chances of getting a foot in the door. This might involve having a plan B, not ignoring small to medium-sized companies, being proactive and taking advantage of the help on offer.'