From university to industry - the finer details.
My Background
After graduating from University in 2019, I didn't have a clear vision of what I wanted to do as a career. I began my career by joining Sparta Global on a 8 weeks course on Data Analytics as this was the role that best suited my skillset at the time. After successfully completing the course, I started applying for jobs, both graduate schemes and entry level. However like many graduates, getting my first job was very difficult, especially when the pandemic started. I faced rejection from rejection mainly because I didn't have "experience". Nevertheless, through persistence and learning new things along the way, I managed to secure my first job as a data analyst at a consultancy where I currently work at now.
The biggest lesson I learned from transitioning between university and industry is that there is no one size fits all approach to getting a job and it is possible to secure a job even without experience. Nevertheless, there are lots of resources online about how to write an attention grabbing CV or how to answer common interview questions. This is not the purpose of this article. Instead, I will be sharing some finer details that I have learned along the way that I think will be very useful for any graduate to make their job hunt a lot more effective.
1. Research the company
You could spend hours and hours reading about a company which can leave you lost as there is a lot to learn. I recommend writing down a list of key questions and then google search for the answers. This can help make your reading selective.
Here is my list:
a. What products/services does the company provide?
b. Who are their competitors?
c. What are the company's values?
d. What is their mission?
e. What industries does the company operate in?
f. What interesting projects are they/were involved in?
g. What is their revenue for the last financial year?
2. Ensure CV is ATS Compliant
A lot of companies nowadays use what is called an Applicant Tracking System, or ATS for short. This is a way of streamlining the hiring process by screening out unqualified candidates, as companies receive hundreds, if not, thousands of applications for a job. Hence, without following certain guidelines, a highly qualified candidate can easily be dismissed before getting to a human.
Below are a list of things NOT to include in your CV:
a. Hyperlinks
b. Fancy font styles - Instead use Times New Roman, Arial or Cambria.
c. Images
d. Quotation marks
e. Header and Footer information - Some ATS can't process information in the header and footer sections of a document, so don't put important information here.
f. PDF File Format - Unless the job posting specifies, use Word Document as some ATS can't process PDF.
3. Graduate Schemes vs Headhunters
Graduate schemes are designed to give you exposure to a wide range of different aspects of a role or even different roles. This is one of the main things that makes a graduate scheme attractive but they are very competitive to get and typically last 2 years.
Typical process for a graduate scheme application:
a. Application form submission
b. Psychometric tests - practice for these via Assessment Day here. Your university may already have a subscription to these services, free for you to use. Just check with your Career's department.
c. Interviews
d. Assessment Day (in person/virtual)
e. Verdict
Personally speaking, I've had more success in getting a job via headhunters as opposed to graduate schemes. This is not to say don't apply to graduate schemes but just that from my experience I've noticed that I got from application to interview stage much more easily.
For a list of registered recruiters, I recommend visiting the Recruitment & Employment Confederation website here. It is important to just have a select few recruiters, typically 3 or 4. Remember recruiters work for the employers not for you, so often recruiters can just have your CV sitting in a database collecting dusts and cobwebs. Therefore, you should regularly chase them up and pursue only those recruiters that seem willing to put you forward to their clients, otherwise move on to the next recruiter.
4. Connect with Recruiters via LinkedIN
If you don't already have a LinkedIN profile, then you should make one as it is similar to having your CV online for all hiring mangers to see. Then, start searching for hiring managers who specialise in your chosen field and connect with them with the following message:
Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],
My name is [Your Name] and I am interested in a role in [Job Title]. I would be happy to have a quick chat to discuss any opportunities currently available.
Please see my CV enclosed.
Kind regards,
[Your Name]
5. Talk Value
We all shop and pay for products and services that bring value. It is a simple case of economics and the same goes for an employer. They will shop (or headhunt) for potential employees and pay a salary depending on the market price for the value that the employee's knowledge and skills can bring.
A very typical and important interview question for graduates is: Why do you want this role?
What they are actually asking you : What can you do that we need you to do, that no one else can do, that you can do better?
Therefore, the mindset you should have when preparing for a job interview should be about YOUR value offering. I suggest that you write down a list of strengths and weaknesses. Your strengths are what you should be showing off in interviews. This might sound strange but don't be afraid to boast, you're supposed to sell yourself as the best candidate from the rest.
To summarise, remember there is no one size fits all. What may work for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. However, these are the finer details that I have found helped me progress just that one step closer to getting a job offer.
Happy job hunting and good luck!