New Year, New Start!

We’re 7 days in to 2013 and by now most people have made various new year’s resolutions; giving up alcohol, going to the gym every day and start saving to name but a few. Although these goals may be achievable for some, they certainly aren’t for others.

This week’s tip - instead of setting over 10 goals for January which are destined to failure; set one, yes just one goal that can benefit every aspect of your life. So if you want to improve your fitness in the New Year, which is proven to help focus in the classroom, prepare you better for target driven environments in the work place and also improve health which are all incredibly employable qualities, make this your goal. If you want to start saving, get a hold of your finances, set up a direct debit to a closed ISA that you will meet on time, it will help you to cope when you enter the big world of work. If you want to quit drinking, try finding other activities that you and your friends can do that are non-alcohol related, increasing your list of hobbies will only help your CV in the long run, not to mention the long-term benefits of giving your liver a 6-month break.

New Year’s resolutions are more achievable if they are for a positive change, not negative ones. Think of doing exercise as keeping fit instead of losing weight. Think of stopping drinking as getting some really exciting new hobbies instead of sitting in the corner of a night club wondering why your there. Finally, think of saving as gaining a new found independence and control over your finances instead of ‘cutting back fun’.

Show You're a Digital Native

Grad Guide Blog founder, Chris Hall gives this weeks tip:

Being "digital natives", we should really take advantage of growing up with new technologies and understanding them. At the top of your CV add your Twitter username, Blog page address and Linked In profile - this shows employers your online presence. It also shows them your savvy enough to be up to date with technology, and gives them further information about you that a CV may not. Employers are going to Google you, so take one step forward and give them the information so they can find out more about you.

For more tips, and the latest graduate advice and discussion, visit the gradguideblog.com

It's Never Too Late

A lot of graduates are now well in to their graduate job search, have begun interviewing and maybe even potentially have secured roles for the summer onwards. However, not everyone chooses to take this approach, some students prefer to focus solely on their exams and then think about their job search. Both approaches are completely fine, but if leaving it later, it is important not to lose motivation.

Leaving your graduate job search until after your exams avoids distractions, additional stress and timetabling conflicts between exams, revision and interviews. However, it also means that companies will have already started to fill their schemes and roles before you have begun looking, making your job search potentially more complicated, having to investigate less obvious avenues for applications. The most important factor is to not lose motivation; there are roles out there and a whole hidden market to discover. Join as many recruitment agencies and consultancies as possible to get the best overview of the job market as a whole and remember to always tailor your applications and avoid trying to cut corners.

Make The Most Of Every Opportunity

In today’s current climate it’s more important than ever for graduates to have work experience when entering the job market. Most commonly are summer internships and industrial placements whilst at university; both are invaluable when it comes to your graduate job search.

While at university, a lot of courses and universities offer the option of an industrial placement or, more and more commonly, require it to get the degree. Don’t shy away from this opportunity, leaving university with a degree that included a year’s work experience helps give you an edge.

For those who haven’t had that opportunity, the summer is upon us and a lot of graduates are still in the midst of their search for employment. A great utilisation of time would be to secure work experience in the form of an internship within a field of interest and that you are applying to. On your CV this shows a proactive approach to your spare time and helps ensure you have less of a gap on your CV as well as highlighting to employers that you will have the skills and attributes they are searching for.

Is Your CV Up To Scratch?

With the incredibly high volume of applications received by graduate employers and recruiters alike, the presentation and content of your CV is of the upmost importance. Here are some simple things you can do to ensure your CV doesn’t ruin your chances at that dream role.

Ensure all your personal and contact information is clear and correct. Make sure you have included an up to date mobile number, a home number (if applicable) and email address, and that you have written them correctly. If you miss numbers or use an old university email address then you are not contactable.
Provide all information clearly in sections and make sure elements are shown in reverse chronological order and that this is kept consistent throughout your CV.

Declare your A level or equivalent results, not just subjects studied or they may be assumed to not meet the requirements. Also provide a predicted final grade (or actual grade if already achieved) for your degree, along with a couple relevant module results.

Finally, avoid paragraphs and mini essays of information within your CV. These days it is so important that potential employers can recognise your achievements, both academic and extra curricular, quickly. If you have provided this within a half a page of writing it isn’t clear and won’t show you off to your full potential.

For more information on CV’s please refer to our CV guide: http://www.grb.uk.com/cv_makeover.0.html

What Not To Write When Applying For Graduate Jobs

It’s a very competitive market right now and your graduate CV has to stand out. There are a few simple rules you need to ensure you have followed in order to make sure your CV doesn’t turn off graduate recruiters.


Save room for important, factual information and don’t ramble. Listing basic skills everyone has is not beneficial, such as Microsoft and the internet. Only list specialist programme familiarity that will be relevant to the role you are applying too such as programming languages if applying for a software engineering role. There is also no need for ‘responsible for’, just list the responsibilities straight away rather than wasting valuable lines and space.

Avoid generalisations and unsupported statements. With your new found space ensure you back up your claims. Don’t say you are experienced without listing experience, a team worker with no evidence of team working or accomplished and results driven with no proof of achievements. Make a list of what you have been involved with and achieved and go from there, only detail things you can back up confidently in an interview or you’ll fail at the second hurdle.

Don't Make A Mistake While Seeking A Graduate Job

Looking for your first graduate job can be a busy and confusing time. With so much going on it’s easy to make mistakes and overlook certain areas.


Always remember to be organised with your search, knowing who you want to apply to and why will help you write a better, tailored graduate CV and cover letter. Remember to check your references first, ensure the person is happy to provide a reference and a good one too. Also don’t use a work email, using your employers resources for personal reasons won’t impress graduate recruiters.

Limiting your job options is also a common mistake. It is good to have focus when it comes to your job search, but remain open minded about opportunities rather than only considering one specific role. Don’t write off temporary roles either, they provide you with good work experience and can often lead to a permanent role within the company.

Finally, send a thank you note. Most people don’t think about this, which is why you should and be sure to stand out from the crowd.

The Importance Of First Impressions When Applying For Graduate Jobs

With the competitiveness of today’s graduate job market the first impression you give to potential graduate recruiters is of the upmost importance. This first impression is of course your graduate CV. With more and more applications being received by companies it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to distinguish between applicants.


PwC is expecting an all time high of 30,000 applications for their graduate scheme, of which they will interview about 7000, meaning eliminating a lot of people on paper. But they have expressed their fears of missing hidden talent due to this process.

Ensure your CV is neat and tidy, on nice paper and avoids needless information. Keep it punchy and 2 pages maximum. Use your time wisely; extra-curricular activities are just as important as academics so get involved in as much as possible so that your CV stands out from the crowd.

Make Getting A Graduate Job Your New Year’s Resolution

Okay, so last year was full of bad news about the graduate jobs market, which has no doubt put a lot of stress on everyone currently looking for, or starting to think of looking for, a graduate job. But now it’s 2012, a new year and a new start.
It’s that time when everyone is making their new year’s resolutions; why not stray from the normal ones such as joining a gym, going on that extreme diet and trying to lose a stone in a month? Instead think of those things you REALLY need to do this New Year, such as achieving the elements you need to in order to have a fruitful job search (CV writing, taking part in things to improve your CV and number of applications sent a month for example). Just make sure they’re realistic. Set yourself an achievable goal to ensure you remain motivated throughout the year, stick to your resolution and land yourself your dream graduate job.

Don't Be So Modest In Your Graduate Job Search

What wouldn’t you change about your life? It’s definitely a question which provokes a lot of thought and even more analysis over what would be an acceptable answer. However, if we were to ask what you would change about your life we bet you could think of a number of different things instantly and wouldn’t hesitate to tell us them all. Why is this?

Our upbringing is a big part of the reasoning behind this. We were brought up to be modest and not boast about our achievements. As much as these are brilliant traits to have, it’s time to stop eating so much humble pie whilst searching and interviewing for graduate jobs.

Think about everything you have been involved in and embrace it, there is a difference between being outrageously self centred and merely stating the positive impact you have had upon previous employers and the community. Everyone has done something worth discussing so use your experiences to set yourself apart and be proud of what you have achieved, graduate recruiters won't be impressed by someone who cannot recognise the value they can and have contributed both within and outside of employment.

Never Lie On Your Graduate CV

When applying to those all important graduate jobs you want to give yourself the best possible chance of getting an interview. When we look at graduate CV examples, we are looking for honesty, embellishing the truth only makes things a lot trickier when it comes to interviews.

It doesn’t look good if your response is inconsistent when graduate recruiters ask you about something stated on your CV and this will definitely not lead to a job offer. Never mind the negative effect on your job hunt; it is an offence to lie on a CV. It’s not worth it, use the real stuff and you’ll go far.

Sit down and think carefully about everything you have got involved with and all the different experiences you have had that you can use as references in your CV and later on in an interview, there will be plenty of topics for you to discuss without having to lie.

Is Your Graduate Job Application Holding You Back?

We know what it’s like, so many amazing graduate jobs and applications being fired in all directions. But are you getting complacent? You may be applying to loads of graduate vacancies but don’t forget that many other graduates are doing the same.

Keep a list of who you have applied to and what job was with whom; have a folder of the graduate job specifications too. Having this knowledge to hand when the phone goes will save you having to ask what the job was, help you be prepared and make you seem super keen on that role.

Quality over quantity really does ring true; spend as much time on an application form as needed to make it perfect. Tailor each cover letter and CV ensuring no hints of different applications remain. Stating a different company name, the wrong job title/reference or irrelevant skills will negatively affect your chances of an interview. Also, read a job specification thoroughly for the name of the person you are applying to, use it and make sure you spell it right, getting this wrong doesn’t set a good impression of your attention to detail.

Hobbies and Interests on Your CV

Remember, if you choose to include a section on hobbies and interests on your CV for gradute jobs, it can be a massive employer turn-off to use generic content such as ‘I like music’ or ‘I like reading and going to the cinema’. Points like those bring nothing to your CV and instead can actually paint quite an unimaginative picture of yourself. What this section is really about is a chance to show off any interests that extend from work into your own life which truly shows that your passion and progression as a professional doesn’t stop at 5:30pm every day! For example, say you want to work in Marketing so in your spare time you run a society’s social media or build/design websites. Perhaps you are trying to get into Finance so in the evenings you dabble with a fantasy Forex account or you want to work as a journalist so you write for a blog. The possibilities are endless in the way you can express your genuine interest in a subject so always try and benchmark your hobbies and interests on valuable points that the employer will take note of.

Tackling Gaps On Your CV

CVs must be watertight and there is no space for inconsistence. If after a quick scan the recruiter thinks you have potential for a role, often the next step will be to chronologically study your past work and education. Gaps in your CV in these areas are one of the first things they will home in on - make sure you either explain what happened in the gaps within your CV or have ready formed answers when you are asked at telephone or first interview. There are many legitimate reasons for these potential gaps such as family matters, illness or most commonly job searching - employers are very understanding of this situation after the past job climate so be honest and sincere. Lastly make sure you present any issues in a positive light by finishing your explanation on a high such as how you resolved it or how you plan to resolve it.

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.

How Customised is Your CV?

Every graduate job you apply to should have its very own customised CV that pin-points the job requirements for that role. When swept up in a wave of sending multiple frantic applications, so many candidates fall short on this and it really shows. Make sure you’re delivering quality, not quantity. One good technique is to read over the job specification several times, create a list of five or so key qualities they look for and then go about re-arranging the content of your CV to cover/highlight them. Talk more in-depth on the important areas and less on the irrelevant ones to save space, making new sections or even bolding some key words if needed. Use the same terminology as the job specification and do some internet research to brush up on any areas you don’t understand – the last thing you want is to get caught out talking the talk but not walking the walk! As time passes you will soon have a customised CV for most job requirements that only needs minor tweaking, saving you a lot of time. Make sure you re-name them so you don’t get confused and definitely re-name again to a generic name before you send.

What Not To Put On A CV

When applying for graduate jobs, your CV should be a positive reflection on the time, effort and dedication invested into acquiring the relevant skills for the job. Including certain things in your CV can overshadow these valuable and hard-earned skills and create an instant unsuitable profile. Relevance is a key element here, therefore any experience or personal attributes that would be deemed irrelevant for the job should be carefully considered and extremely brief or ideally, excluded. This also applies when listing qualifications. Be economical with the space you have; give priority to the highest level (a-levels and above), and if listing GCSE’s or equivalents, abstain from listing each subject and grade individually. Avoid listing generic hobbies such as reading/going to the cinema as these are over used and fail to show originality. Try to use hobbies relevant to the job and/or convey dedication and integrity. Another detail to consider is your address. If you are applying to a role that’s far away, even with the intent to re-locate, it’s sometimes best to keep your current location anonymous until you have had a chance to impress. A CV showing an address at a considerable distance from the workplace could disconcert an employer.

And lastly no silly email addresses!

Your Marketing Tool

Your CV is the most powerful marketing tool you possess. It's the one thing that will break down the first walls and shine a light on your potential - is yours working for you? Just like marketing a company, it's important to focus on your highlights and bring them to the forefront of your pitch. Ask a friend to take 15 seconds to 'scan-read' your CV and relay back the highlights to you - it's the best way to test if the most essential information is in the spotlight. Every detail should still be covered although it's ok to talk less or not at all about unessential areas. Bullet points always help with delivery as does bolding titles to make them stand out, but don't go overboard with either!

Ensuring your CV is looked at

When creating a CV, make sure you save it in a versatile format that everyone is able to open. We would recommend saving it in document format which is .doc as it's the most common. Saving your CV in this format means you can be sure no one will have any problems opening it or integrating it with a database that employers can search - using .pdf files can create problems. Additionally, make sure you name your CVs sensibly like 'John Smith CV - Marketing.doc' so the employer knows whose it is among others. Never leave the file name of your CV unlabelled such as 'my final cv.doc' or 'cv edit3.doc' as this looks very unprofessional.

CV tips on Interests and Hobbies

Every CV should have a small part dedicated to your interests and hobbies. This is your chance to not only show you're an interesting person, but to also cover interests you pursue that relate to the industry you're applying to. For example, if you were trying to get into Banking and Finance Graduate Jobs and you read the Financial Times, it would be perfect to note that in your spare time you enjoy catching up on the FT news. Don't worry, not all your interests have to be angled in this way. Be honest and get as many interesting hobbies and activities in there as you can without going on too long. It's your chance to help them build a bigger picture of you as a person so make sure you create the right impression.