It can be hard to know how to find a job you love, especially if you have been in education and have less experience in the job market. However, this doesn't have to stop you from finding a great job that suits your skills, experience and aspirations. There are plenty of different ways to look for jobs, so even if one method doesn't work for you, you should keep trying different things until you find a job you love. You should also be sure that you know how to write your CV and fill in job applications to give yourself the best chance of getting a job.
In this guide, we'll go over how to find a job in the UK.
- Check your university job board
- Check internship opportunities
- Check graduate job opportunities
- Check companies you're interested in
- Think about recruitment agencies
- Ask people you know
- Check social media
- Go to career fairs
- Volunteer
- Become an entrepreneur
- Summary
1. Check your university job board
It is always worth checking your university's job board for any jobs. Whether it's a physical noticeboard or an electronic board, you will often find that there are quite a few listings for available jobs. The postings often range from part-time work at the university facilities to internships or job listings that could be the start of your career. There are also a lot of opportunities in universities for post-graduates, such as being a teaching assistant, laboratory assistant, or working in the library. These can all be very good jobs if you are looking at the further study, as they often fit around your study schedule.
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2. Check internship opportunities
Getting an internship can be a great way to progress into a career. If you manage to really excel during your internship you might be given the chance of full-time employment with that company, though not all companies offer this. Even if the internship you secure doesn't offer employment in the end, it is still very worthwhile to do one. An internship can help you get experience and learn new skills in the field. Plus, you'll be able to get a professional reference from your manager. All of this can help your application look more appealing when you search for jobs elsewhere.
3. Check graduate job opportunities
It's important to make sure that you are looking for the right kind of job for you. If you are a graduate, you will probably want to look at graduate jobs. These might be listed as entry-level jobs in some firms, so you will need to read the job description thoroughly to make sure that you know what qualifications you will need. It's important to look at the right level of job because you probably don't yet have the skills and knowledge needed for more senior roles, but you might be overqualified for lower-level roles. To find suitable positions, look online or in newspapers.
4. Check companies you're interested in
If you have a list of particular companies you would like to work for, it's always worth checking their job listings directly. As well as using job advertising sites, companies almost always post their job listings on their own website, or sometimes through their own recruitment newsletter. Some companies might only post on their own website, so check their listings directly even if you are also looking at general job search sites.
Unsure which companies you might want to work for? Check our graduate employers list to see which companies interest you. It's worth reading about the work environment and aims of a company to decide if you want to work there, especially as a lot of graduate jobs for popular companies can be highly competitive.
5. Think about recruitment agencies
Recruitment agencies help match companies with employees. Agencies can help you get full-time, part-time, or temporary work. You can also find agencies that help you specifically to find graduate jobs, alongside roles in specific fields or industries. It's important to find the right agency for your needs. Look on their website to see if they offer the kind of jobs you are looking for. Once you find an agency that you're happy to work with, try to deal with them in a professional manner and keep in contact regularly to get updates, as persistence can really help. You should also be open to temporary work from agencies as many companies take on "temps" to see if people are a good fit for permanent work.
Ready to get into the world of work? We've got thousands of graduate opportunities ready for you to apply for. Browse graduate jobs and schemes using the button below.
6. Ask people you know
Word of mouth can go a long way, and getting a job is no exception. It's always good to ask around and see if anyone knows of a company that is hiring. This can mean that you'll hear about vacancies before they are advertised to the general public, plus you can ask the person for more information about the company or role directly. You might even be able to get a recommendation or reference from the person you talk to, which can help you stand out from other candidates. However, be sure not to push too hard for this, as you don't want to risk upsetting someone and burning bridges.
7. Check social media
Believe it or not, social media can be a great place to look for jobs. This is because most companies nowadays have an active social media presence and will post their job openings on their pages. You can either search for specific companies and follow their social media, or you could look at appropriate recruitment hashtags. It's worth remembering though, if you can see a company's posts, they can probably see yours. You should try to make sure that your social media looks professional enough if you are going to reach out to them through your personal account. Be sure to remove any inappropriate photos that you wouldn't want a potential employer to see.
8. Go to career fairs
Career fairs are a great way to get more information about companies that might be hiring. plus, it lets you touch base with other employees of the company and get to know some people who work there. A lot of universities host career fairs on campus, so check their website to see when your university next hosts one or search lists of UK Careers Fairs. You can also browse our list of employer events. The best way to make the most of a career fair is to go prepared with some basic information about the companies you hope to talk to, as well as some questions you want to ask. It never hurts to have some copies of your CV to hand as well.
9. Volunteer
Volunteering might not be your first choice if you need a job urgently, but there are a lot of benefits to volunteering. The biggest benefit is that it helps you build your experience and learn skills that you might not otherwise get. You'll also get to practice working as part of a very diverse team. All of this can look really good on your CV when you are job hunting. Employers also like to see that people have been keeping active in work-based activities even when they haven't been employed. Plus you'll get to help people in need and make a real difference in the world. There are plenty of volunteering options that can help you land a job. For example, if you want to work in healthcare, try volunteering in a care home.
10. Become an entrepreneur
Whether you have a great business idea or are struggling to find a job, there are plenty of reasons to start your own business or become an entrepreneur. This looks great on your CV as it shows a lot of dedication and motivation, plus it shows that you can take initiative. Also, there are plenty of things you can learn from starting your own business. Even if your speciality is in the sciences, you'll probably learn a lot about communications, marketing, finance, and more. This helps to round out your CV and can make your applications more successful. Of course, you might also find that your business booms and it's not long before you're hiring other people.
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Summary
Knowing how to find a new job can be hard, so it's important to try a wide range of approaches to help you get into employment as soon as possible. This includes using job boards, checking company websites directly, networking with people you know or with companies at career fairs, and building your skills through volunteering or entrepreneurship.
Once you've found jobs you want to apply for, you'll also need to know how to write a CV, how to write a good cover letter and more. Check out our job application tips for everything you need to know about how to land a great job.