Non-Verbal Communication at Graduate Interviews

When speaking face to face it’s said that over 90% of communication is non-verbal so before an interview, ensure you develop an awareness for what your body language subliminally says about you. Your body language should convey composure and confidence without being brash.  Ensure you make good eye contact and your handshakes are firm and clear and avoid excessive giggling, fiddling and jittering.  If you feel your body language is not yet up to scratch, you can improve this by focusing on your outlook, identifying and embracing your strengths and feeling confident that you are knowledgeable in your interviewer’s values and ethics.  Overall, your body language should mimic an eager, confident and determined ‘can-do’ attitude without appearing arrogant. Lastly, your interview attire and physical appearance must be professional, smart and current, avoiding anything overpowering or too glitzy!

Flexibility In Your Jobsearch

Being flexible in your graduate job search can massively increase your chances of finding graduate work - don't be dismissive of sectors before you really understand what they can offer from first-hand research. While you may have studied something very specific it's important to understand where other opportunities might lead to in the future. Perhaps you want to work in marketing, so break down the aspects of the role such as research, copy-writing or media planning and look for different jobs in those fields in order to gain insight and experience. Maybe you want to work as a Journalist but are having no success so why not consider looking at other office based roles within publishing so you can begin to work and learn within the industry. The path your career follows may have many twists and turns before ending in the place you want to be. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

Important Calls and Phone Interviews

If you have recently applied for a job, be aware that a call from an unrecognised number could be a preliminary screening - don’t ignore it or in particularly answer in a blunt or casual tone as it could determine the success of your application. A phone-based graduate interview is considered as important as a face to face interview.  Therefore, preparation is key. Ensure that you are not in a noisy environment such as a pub and have your CV handy to answer unexpected questions.  If you are out and it is not convenient, politely ask whether it would be possible to be contacted at an alternative time.  In the event that you do miss the call, ensure you have a professional voicemail set up for the employer to leave a message.  When speaking to an employer on the phone, have a polite phone manner, speak slowly and enunciate clearly always aiming to convey the same level of dedication, enthusiasm and professionalism as you would if you were meeting in person.

The Twenty Second CV Scan

Ensure that your CV is getting the right information across in that all important employer 'twenty second screening scan' by pre-testing this yourself.  Before sending your CV out for graduate jobs, give it to five individuals to scan for no more than twenty seconds. Avoid friends or close acquaintances as they may already be aware of your background. Immediately after, ask them what they can remember from your CV from the top of their head instinctively.  Note their observations and review them closely considering the job you are using the CV for. If the memorable aspects of your CV match the requirements for the role then you know your CV is correct. If not, you can now tailor and re-adjust it accordingly, using the twenty second scan as you go along to make improvements.

Making a Positive First Impression at Graduate Events and Interviews

With the London Graduate Fair fast approaching, it is key to consider how to make a positive and lasting first impression when meeting employers. Looking smart and professional is just the start, be aware of your body language and how this is portraying you. Smile and make eye contact often as it shows genuine interest and engagement. From our employer feedback biggest turn offs include people just taking freebies and walking off with no interest in the company, students asking questions while still wearing headphones and lack of investigation into what the stand is actually offering – do not assume that they are not suited to your needs without finding out what they actually do! Graduate career fairs are an excellent chance to practice meeting employers so when you get to interview you can shine with confidence.

Research The Competition for Graduate Interviews

Researching a company before an application for a graduate job or especially a graduate interview allows you to craft specific examples of how you can help them achieve their goals.  It's important to be informed on the company’s history, ethos and strategies and very importantly its competitors.  Being familiar with the competition, demonstrates that you’ve engaged with their way of thinking, developed awareness for the industry and met them on the same level. Be aware that they talk about it day in and day out so take the chance to prove your shared interest. Learning about competitors will also accentuate your knowledge of the company’s USP’s as you will learn about what distinguishes them from others in the industry. When interviewing applicants, recruiters want the best fit for the company’s values and brand. By informing yourself beforehand and conveying this in your interview you will have gained the edge over other applicants and will no doubt shine!

Organising Your Job Hunt Using The GRB Dashboard

Due to the difficult current employment market, candidates are having to work extra hard at their graduate job search. The GRB Dashboard is a personal feature full of widgets and tools designed to simplify your job-hunting process.  It shows personalised job vacancies matched to your skills and preferences, allows you to save and access your documents, and keeps you updated on social networks and news. Ensure that your profile is kept up to date so that job alerts can be best matched to your skills and requirements.  Also, have a play around and remember it is customisable! There are a range of widgets available from to-do lists to latest news updates which you can add and remove as you wish. Make the most of these features to create your own personalised job hunting assistant. Looking for a job should never be stressful again!