It is a cruel and frustrating time for modern-day graduates up and down the country. While we are led to believe that things are on the up after the economic slump of recent years, it is getting tougher and tougher for graduates to find opportunities to begin their careers. Coming from somebody who is still experiencing this problem first-hand, it can be a frustrating and near soul-destroying process. Having graduated in July, I have sent hundreds of CV’s and job applications off only to hear very little back. Even after the perfect interview, the deal is by no means done in this day and age, and I had one company tell me they ‘really liked me, thought I came across really well, and didn’t put a foot wrong’ before telling me that unfortunately I had come a very close second.
Indeed, in the present day things are perhaps even tougher for the English student than for graduates of other disciplines. While these are hard times for any would-be-workaholic looking for an opportunity to take that all important first step on the career ladder, many courses leave their students prepared to do so, with some even directing them towards a specific job role, while others teacher the necessary vocational skills and experiences to succeed in a particular industry. For the English graduate the career path is not quite so clear, and I have to admit that for the first two-and-a-half years of my degree I endured an internal panic about what post-university life would bring, while my peers appeared to have it all ‘mapped out’. I find it slightly amusing even now, three-and-a-half years after I first enrolled at university, that each time my own experience crops up in conversation, somebody automatically assumes I’m going to be a teacher.
Yet while English graduates are not ‘designed’ with a specific career path in mind, this can be an advantage. Contrary to popular belief, English students may actually be the most employable of all, and in fact my fellow bookworms can be found working in a number of trades, from events management to songwriting. Arctic Monkeys front-man Alex Turner was even planning on studying an English degree before the band first went viral. Perhaps this should not be so surprising, as English degrees equip their students with a number of core and transferable skills that are not only valued by employers, but frequently cited as ‘essential’ on thousands of job specifications. I left university with not only good writing skills, but strong communication (written and verbal), research, analytical, and team-working skills, as well as a much more creative mind – and I didn’t even realise it! Nor did I realise that while I sat at my desk or in the library for all those hours, reading articles, making notes, highlighting entire novels and writing essay after essay, I was actually working in a fast-paced and high pressure environment where I was required to handle multiple projects at a time, and independently. Furthermore, as a member of the ‘online generation’, computers, smartphones, Microsoft Office, and social media are all second nature to me,and again this is an attractive trait to employers. There are even ‘social media’ career opportunities, as companies look to expand their online presence and make every effort to form relationships with their clients and customers (yes, there are people who will pay you to tweet for them!). PR, communications, and digital marketing also present exciting career paths that allow English graduates to show off their communication skills, writing ability, and creative flair. By sourcing the right work experience opportunities, however, English graduates can more than likely work in whatever industry they please.
Regrettably this is opening another can of worms altogether, and it is currently difficult for graduates secure even unpaid opportunities. I myself have been actively seeking work experience opportunities since late October, but despite making countless enquiries throughout the Yorkshire region, very few employers have been open to the idea of a work placement. I have also had one placement postponed by the employer on two occasions.
Taking this into account, ‘networking’ is surely the golden word for current graduates. As the old saying goes: ‘it is who you know not what you know’ – so make yourself known! As a modern-day graduate, you are more than likely a member of the online generation, and a social media guru, so make sure you use this to your advantage. Twitter and LinkedIn in particular are priceless tools for establishing your online presence, and for making you visible to thousands of employers. While LinkedIn allows you to create a professional profile, the magic of twitter means than users can pretty much control who sees their tweets, meaning you can more or less force an employer to read your post.That is not to say you should bombard a potential employer’s inbox on a daily basis, but Twitter remains a useful tool for getting noticed. These sites also allow you to sell yourself before you have even sent off your CV, which is again pivotal in this day and age.
I also recently read an article that described how it is currently easier to find work through the ‘invisible job market’ than by directly applying for advertised vacancies. This makes sense, as many vacancies receive hundreds of applications, making it near impossible to stand out and be remembered even if your CV is the best in the pile. It is often a case of being in the right place (or sending the right email) at the right time. This means maintaining contacts is key. Drop the employer a friendly reminder of your interest every couple of months or so, but without pestering. Even simply sending an indirect tweet citing the type of work and location you are looking for shows you are attempting to fully apply yourself.
While you take these steps, blogging is also a useful means of spending your time in a productive manner. As an English graduate you can probably write about anything! A lifelong football enthusiast and sports addict, I initially wrote a couple of articles last year initially as a CV filler. On my current blog on 90min, a dedicated football site, I have written 12 articles so far, accumulating 11,081 hits, whilst also showing off my writing skills and my ability to write engagingly for an online audience at the same time. I have also shown a brief knowledge of SEO (search engine optimisation, i.e making people notice you) and enjoyed myself at the same time. In fact the site’s editors have been so impressed with my writing that they have offered me an internship. 90min also have partnerships with the PFA (Professional Footballers Association), LMA (League Managers Association), the Independant, the Guardian, the Huffington Post, the Mirror, ITV, and GQ to name but a few, and that is a huge platform for me. In a nutshell, what I am saying is be productive, but enjoy yourself at the same time, and you never know how many doors you may open.
In summary, it is a tough and competitive world out there, but you will find your opportunity eventually. That employer may be looking for you right now, so make yourself visible, and be sure to complete these steps; 1) Know your worth. 2) Sell yourself. 3) Establish your online presence. 4) Be productive (but enjoy yourself!). 5) Network, network, network!
After all, your perfect role could be right around the corner, you just need to let your employer know..
LW 