Life Update

When you're at Uni, you just assume that all the hard work you're doing will eventually pay off. That the scrimping and saving will be over and you're degree will get you a shiny new job straight away and all the money in the world... hmm.

 Older friends did warn me how hard it is but I never expected all the days scrolling through job websites, all the cover letters and applications, all the rejections. It's not a great time, but I think part of my problem is that I was being a bit picky, I was looking for jobs in London, but actually didn't really fancy the commute from my new house in Bracknell, I wanted something in a small business but I needed it to pay enough so I can start saving for a deposit for a house. 

It's all very confusing and difficult but where it turned around for me is when I contacted an agency. I applied for a job using the Office Angels website and they contacted me asking me to come in to register with them. They were so friendly and lovely and wrote down all my specifications for the type of job I wanted, as well as doing some Maths, English and Personality tests on me to boost my CV! They then put me forward for the Sales and Marketing Administrator job that I'd applied for online and organised an interview for me. They were so helpful and gave me interview tips, and I heard the next day that I'd got the job! 

I think sometimes you need an outsiders perspective to match you with the right position, and I'm very grateful to the lovely girls at Office Angels in Bracknell (who have told me they love my blog so I have a few new readers!) :)

If you are reading this right now whilst having a break from job applications, or if you're still at University and (unlike me) you're actually thinking about what's going to happen after you graduate, then here are my tips for successful job hunting:

- Get as much experience as you can, while you can afford to. 

Internships are almost always unpaid, or if they are paid, you'll more than likely spend most of it on travel, so you have to make the most of being kept by your student loan or you're parents, and go for it then! Whilst you're there, keep track of contacts, any work you have done, and keep note of your day to day tasks so you can show them off on your CV. For example if you showed a newer intern how to do something, you could write on your CV that you trained a new member of staff, which shows that you are responsible, and a good communicator. 

- Do your research on Graduate Schemes before you finish uni.

Often graduate schemes are advertised a whole year before they start, so if like me, you only consider this option after you've graduated. You'll most likely have to wait until the next year.

- Make sure you know what you want out of a job at the beginning of your search. 

If you don't know then you'll like me, apply for unrealistic jobs that you either wouldn't be able to travel to, wouldn't really be interested in or wouldn't have the skills for just because you're not clear on what you actually want. I had to turn my phone off for days once because I was getting never-ending calls from this company I'd stupidly applied for who place graduates in call centres! NO thanks, sorry!

- Remember not all jobs are listed on jobsites.

Make a list of companies that you'd like to work for and check their careers pages every few weeks to see if there are any new jobs added that you could apply for. 

- Think Salary.

If you can, work out if the salary will be enough for you before you apply. I had to cancel one interview I had in London because I realised that if I had gotten it, I would be paying more in travel every month than I would actually be earning... fail! 

- Getting help from an agency is a huge help!

I don't know why I didn't sign up before, I just presumed they only helped you find temporary work but that's not the case, they've placed me in a permanent position and it only took them four days after I spent almost six months looking! 

That's all my tips for now,

Let me know in the comments if you have any more tips to add!

Wish me luck!

Georgia x