How to land your dream job after university

by Lorenzo Santos · Published August 9, 2018 · Updated August 9, 2018

What’s your dream job? Once you’ve finished studying, do you know how to go about starting your career?

Lorenzo from the Philippines worked as a Marketing Assistant while studying Management and Sustainability at the University of Exeter. He shares his top tips for finding your dream job…

1. Take part in extracurricular activities

Employers don’t want to hire someone with an empty CV. So, volunteer around campus, join a society, run for a committee position, or participate in competitions.

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I’ve found that these activities are great experiences. Not only that, but they’ll also brighten up your CV and give you potential talking points in interviews.

2. Sign up to LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great way to get noticed, network with those in your field, and keep an eye out for jobs. It’s a professional social network and a place to connect with potential employers and companies that you’re interested in.

You may like to read how Beat secured her job via LinkedIn.

3. Make use of your university career services

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Most universities have a career support service to help you get into work after graduation. At my university, the University of Exeter, we have the Career Zone which has helped me out in every step of my university journey.

University career support services can help with career planning, CV editing and, best of all, looking for a part-time job or summer internship!

4. Go to a career fair

Try to meet as many employers as you can at career fairs. Be confident and make a good first impression – this will help you develop relationships and network with companies in your field.

Also, don’t be too shy to ask questions and arrive prepared to talk to the employers as that shows how interested you are.

5. Network and attend campus events

The University of Exeter welcomes quite a lot of employers to hold talks throughout the year, usually about their business and how to apply to work for them

I suggest you try to make the most of these as they’re really interesting and helpful. I attended a session by Mars which helped to increase my presentation skills and also gave me an insight into their application process.

6. Apply early

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If you see a job advert that you like the look of, apply as early as possible! Slots get filled fast so make sure you’re able to get everything ready to be able to have the highest chance of getting the job.

Some employers advertise positions on a rolling basis, so once their slots are filled, they close applications.

Lorenzo is an INTO University of Exeter #INTOalumni, having completed the International Year One in Management and Business Economics.

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