Job Hunting Tips

So, you graduated from university a good few months ago now, and you’ve found that you are still unemployed. You left uni with big dreams of finding your perfect job within a few months but it hasn’t quite gone as planned. Its okay, in reality there’s a lot of competition out there which you need to beat and we’ve come up with some top job hunting tips to do just that.

Make an Excel spreadsheet

If you make an Excel spreadsheet you can physically see where you are at with your job search, in a neat and tidy fashion. Include headings like: company name, job role and date applied.

It may also be worth putting a brief description of the company, so that when they randomly call asking you what you know about them, you can give yourself a quick refresher.v Excel can greatly assist you in finding a job that you will enjoy. Therefore, it is the best time to learn how to use Excel properly.

Templates

It is very important to tailor your cover letter and CV to the role you are applying for. When you are applying for lots every day this can become difficult. Make a cover letter template for different roles for example one for design roles and one for admin roles. This will save you time when you are tailoring each cover letter to a specific role, make sure you don’t get them mixed up though!

Organise your desktop

Have clearly marked files on your desktop so everything is easily accessible. Also clearly label any files with your name so that companies know who is sending them an application. If you are an art/design student it is useful to file your portfolio images in terms of medium. Say, all print work in one file, then any digital graphic work in another. You will then be able to send over the relevant work to back up your application.

Save your favourite sites

You should have lots of job sites that you like to check for roles. Begin to get into the habit of checking them every day. You want to be one of the first to apply for a role so you don’t get lost in the pool of applicants. Another top tip is to send an application in the evening, especially a Sunday evening. When the employer checks their emails in the morning, yours will be the first they see.

Chase them up

This is when your Excel spreadsheet will come in really handy. By logging what date you applied for a role you can see the best time to chase them up. Drop the employer a phone call to show that you are really keen; make sure you don’t bombard them because this will be a turn off.