The transition from education into the working world can be a daunting task. In the current economic climate, finding a new job isn’t always easy…regardless of age or experience. Stay calm though – it’s not impossible, and job seekers can aid their chances of finding ‘the right job’ by using the correct job search techniques.

If your school or college has a career guidance facility, USE IT! They can offer a wealth of knowledge on anything from helping to put together a good, coherent resume to interview tips and techniques. Being in her final year of University my younger sister is currently going through this process and over the weekend asked me for some tips on job applications and interviews, so I thought I would share what I have learnt from both my own experiences and also working in the recruitment field with our younger audience:

• Flexibility is important in this market – try not to limit yourself when making job applications to only one type of employer. One of the mistakes many people make when applying for roles is making assumptions. For example “only a financial firm would need someone with accounting experience” – this just isn’t the case, all businesses require a finance team to keep it running!

• Spread your search wide… my sister has her heart set on working for one specific firm, which is great and I totally admire her ambition and drive to make this happen, however you need to have a safety net. If you are applying for an internship or graduate program, get your details out there and don’t put all of your eggs in to one basket (or so the saying goes).

• Whilst what you wear to interview is important, it shouldn’t be the first thing on your mind! Try first thinking about if you know the answers to these questions: ‘What is the background of the company I am interviewing with?’, ‘How will I add value within this organization?’, ‘What does the company do?’ – When it comes to interviews preparation is KEY!!! So get studying up – do as much research as you can into the company.

• Now for a contradiction – what you wear to interview and how you present yourself IS important! First impressions are so important; as whether it is right or wrong, they stick. Make sure you are always in smart attire for an interview, it’s better to be slightly too formal than to come across to casual.

• Be confident in yourself and your own abilities! When employers are asked what they look for in a junior candidate or graduate the most common answers are ‘confidence’, ‘motivation’ and ‘a good attitude’. So make sure this comes through at any meeting you attend.

So to my sister, and to all graduates looking for work in the coming months – keep calm and good luck!