Painting a picture of yourself at interview

A very common question or request at interview has always been to talk about yourself a little. This open question doesn't require you to give a chronological description of your life to date but more an opportunity to talk about your recent and current interests that define you as an individual. Touch on various subjects that warrant more detail to open up the conversation when asked. It's your opportunity to paint a picture of what you're about so make it a colourful one! Also try to involve the interviewer by asking their opinion as you may share common ground.

How do you deal with criticism?

Everyone is a critic, but not everyone can deal with criticism in a constructive way. If you're to remain composed, and ultimately successful, then you must learn to treat it like feedback. If you can turn what could be perceived as negative comments into a guideline to your personal refinement, then even rejection can be a lesson worth experiencing.

The Personal Touch to a Good Graduate Covering Letter

Avoid a generic covering letter. A recruiter will be able to see right through a covering letter that is not personalised and is likely to ignore the rest of your application. In fact, rather than saving you time, a poorly researched 'To whom it may concern' letter will waste valuable job hunting hours.

A New Year and a Fresh Outlook

In our experience the start of the year is normally a great time for graduate job hunting. The time off gives graduate recruiters a moment to think about things on a larger scale and will often result a slight rise in job opportunities. If you're starting to look for work make sure you're on the pulse and ready to pounce while everyone else is slowly getting back up to speed. Have several targeted CVs and a versatile covering letter that can be customised ready at hand so you're the first in line. Good luck for 2010!

What do you really want as a graduate?

Instead of thinking about your desired end ('a job'), think about what you really want long-term. People are often told that they should come to a decision very fast, but it is much more productive to work out what it is that drives you. Even if you think you know what you want to do, the challenge is to be sure. What are your aspirations? So you want to work in 'marketing' - why? And what exactly is marketing? And what area do you want to work in? And for whom? The better you can pinpoint your target, the quicker you will get there.

Be a Confident Graduate

A graduate's personality or attitude is just as important as their skill level. You can teach an employee a skill, but some say it is nearly impossible, to change aspects of someone's personality. A confident graduate knows what they want, are proud of their accomplishments and have a desire to advance within a company. With confidence at the forefront of your personality people will see professionalism, gain trust in your expertise and ultimately give you more responsibility.

Graduate Recruitment Isn't Just Seasonal

Don't assume that graduate recruiters only hire at certain times of the year. A large portion of companies recruit all year round and there is no seasonal slowdown over the breaks such as Christmas and New Year. As part of the GRB talent pool you should stay vigilant with your ear to the ground in these periods. Give yourself a competitive advantage by continuing to search and apply for new graduate opportunities as new jobs are listed everyday. If GRB only recruited at certain times of the year, what would we do to fill in the gaps!