5 Uni Activities to Help Improve your Graduate Employability

17th November 2014 Sam Turner Jobs & Careers

Though having a degree (especially from certain UK universities) sets you up with a really great chance of landing your dream job, it’s not surprising that, with the current job climate and ratio of graduates to graduate jobs, you will need much more than a degree.

Results of a survey conducted by the graduate recruitment website TotalJobs.com, show nearly 40 per cent of graduates are looking for work six months after graduation, while a quarter is still unemployed after a year.

Therefore it’s a great idea to do everything you can when applying for jobs. Here are some things you can do whilst you’re still studying.

Network as much as possible

Going to university provides you with such a great platform for meeting new people from all over the globe, from all backgrounds and with such varied interests and ambitions. This is the essence of networking.  Keeping in touch with people you’ve met along the way is a good idea. You never know how these people can open doors for you when it comes to finding a job. Whether it’s letting you know when a position is available, recommending you to a company or providing you with somewhere to stay in a city where you have work experience. 

(photo courtesy of www.aresearchguide.com)

Work as hard as you can to get the best degree grade 

It sounds a little obvious, but giving yourself the best chance to get a really good grade will be such a good start. Getting organised and on track is so important for this. It’s essential that you speak up to your lecturers and tutors should you have any concerns with your wor. They’ll be able to provide you with some extra support in most cases. 

Improve your productivity with these tried and tested apps too, which you can read more about here. 

Get some work experience

About 37% of the jobs being offered by the top companies are expected to be filled by graduates who have held paid internships, holiday work or work experience, according to a recent survey by High Fliers. Work experience is great for giving you an insight into the world of work. It looks great on your CV, too. It proves you’ve gone that extra mile and were even prepared to work for free to enhance your career prospects.

It’s a good idea to look for work experience whilst you’re still studying. Lots of big companies only offer work experience opportunities to those still studying. So make the most of those reading weeks or time off. If it’s a really good position, your lecturers are likely to grant you the time off from your lessons so you can go, too. 

Learn a new skill

University provides you with a lot of opportunities to learn or improve on certain skills that will really benefit you when it comes to finding a job. This can be anything from learning a new language as part of a module on your course, or getting the chance to try your hand at journalism by submitting work for your uni paper. Take a look at the societies available at your uni, or why not even start your own? 

Work on your CV and cover letter 

Whilst you’re at uni, it’s a good idea to take advantage of all the support available to you for job hunting. Visit your institution’s careers department. They can help with things like perfecting your CV, working on your cover letter writing and interview technique. If you’re just after some general careers advice, they’re great for that too! 

Sam Turner

Sam Turner

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