Navigating the UK Job Market After Graduating from a University Program
Once you’ve officially graduated from university, the natural next step is to begin navigating the UK job market, which can be a daunting prospect with the competition out there. Whether you’re looking to return and specialise in your chosen subject or if you’re unsure and open to various career paths, don’t worry, you’ll be fine! With some careful navigating, you’ll be able to find a job in no time.
Power Your Network
Your first stop for getting to know the job market should be networking – both with people in your field and people outside of it. Make sure to attend any networking events, seminars and job fairs in your area to meet like-minded people and widen your contacts list. The saying ‘it’s not what you know but who you know’ really defines the job market in the UK, and in case you didn’t know, almost two-thirds of the jobs out there come from those sorts of contacts. So, it’s time to get yourself out there, introduce yourself to everyone and let people know what you can do for them.
Utilize Online Recruitment Aggregators
These days, you can also find jobs through the internet. There are plenty of recruiters that post job requirements on specialized aggregate websites that cater to your career field. These sites are very convenient, and you can easily customize the results to narrow your search. Just make sure that you check out the rating and customer reviews before making contact.
Broaden Your Horizons
The job market can be a competitive place, and it pays to be open to other opportunities that you may not have initially considered. Most of the time what you will end up with is a combination of both experience and qualifications that allows you to make the most of your talents. Broadening your job search will also broaden your horizons in terms of job types, pay, and sectors within the UK.
Be Prepared for Rejections
It is quite natural to feel disheartened when you don’t get your dream job the first time around. Most of us have been through it, and the only way forward is to take the rejection as a measured step in the overall job-finding journey. Don’t become discouraged and don’t take it personally. Rejections are an unavoidable part of the job market that you need to accept and keep pushing forward.
Get Social
Social media has become a great way of both applying for jobs and marketing yourself to employers in the UK. As long as you’ve made sure what you post online is professional and reflects the kind of person you are, you should be fine. Social media can be used in several ways: you could use your existing connections to get advice and recommendations, or you could use it to build a portfolio of your work.
Be Realistic with Time
At the end of the day, the job market is like any other market, and you need to be patient in order for it to work for you. It pays to be realistic with your expectations and make sure to give yourself at least 6 months to a year to fully capitalize on your skills to make the most of the UK job market.
Consider Working Abroad
As the UK job market can be quite saturated and competitive, it pays to consider working abroad as well. Working abroad can be a great way to gain on-the-job experience as well as learn a new language and culture. With some preparation and an open mind, working abroad can be a great opportunity to enhance your work experience and make your resume stand out!
Plan Ahead
Although the job market can be daunting, there are many ways that you can effectively navigate it and make it work for you. Take advantage of all the resources available to you, plan ahead, and make sure you are ready to start applying when the time is right. It might take some time and hard work but with some careful navigating, you can find the perfect job to suit your needs.
Conclusion
Navigating the UK job market and finding a good job can be difficult, but it is not impossible. To succeed, you need to be realistic in your expectations of the job search process, understand the power of networking, and make use of the resources available to you. To get started, begin networking with people in your industry and build relationships, utilize available job aggregators, and don’t forget to consider working abroad to widen your perspectives in terms of job opportunities. All of these steps, combined with persistence and good planning, will help you to make the most of the UK job market and find the job of your dreams!
