Key Tips

School, College and University

Your school, college or university may have its own careers library or careers adviser. Try speaking to or visiting them to find out if they can point you in the right direction or know anywhere that’s recruiting.

Check if your college or university has its own job zone which advertises jobs. Universities, in particular, may have their own careers centre or careers website that advertises jobs that are only open to students. The good thing about looking for jobs here is that a lot of these positions are usually under 16 hours a week and can be flexible around exam periods, which is ideal if you are thinking about working alongside your studies!

Social Media

Do you have at least one social media account? If so, do you know that social media is not only good for tweeting and posting about your day, but it is also great at helping you in your job search too?

LinkedIn is a great website to have an account on. It allows you to create a professional profile to write about your past and current experiences, skills and any voluntary or paid work you have undertaken. You can also search for jobs, follow companies you would like to work for, network with other professionals and ask people you’ve worked with, either at school or in a voluntary or paid position, to recommend you or endorse your skills, which can be a great way to showcase your potential to employers. 

You can also follow companies you would like to work for on Twitter or Facebook. A lot of organisations may post their opportunities on their social media accounts, so this is another good way to keep informed!

However, it is important to remember to always be professional online. More and more employers are now using social media to screen job applicants, so make sure there isn’t anything on your accounts that you wouldn’t want any potential employers to see.

‘Traditional’ Places

Not everything can be accessed online, so remember to check other places for opportunities as well. Read your local newspaper to see if anything is advertised there. When you are visiting your local shops or walking around town, keep an eye out for posters on shop windows advertising vacancies. Go into your local Jobcentre and see what vacancies they have information on. The more places you look, the more likely it is that you will find something!

Recruitment Agencies

Recruitment agencies often have jobs that are not advertised anywhere else, so by signing up to them, you will be increasing your chances of finding more opportunities. The agency will help you look for jobs that suit your interests and skills and will send your CV to companies for you.

Approach Employers

If there is a particular employer you are interested in working for, there’s nothing stopping you from approaching them first. You could try emailing the company, phoning them or sending them your CV, stating why you’re interested in working for them, what skills you have or particular jobs you feel you could undertake for them. Whilst there might not be any vacancies when you contact them, the employer may keep your CV on file or remember you when a suitable job becomes available.

Network

Why not talk to people you know to see what jobs are out there? Family, friends and neighbours could all potentially have information about places to look for jobs, or may be working for an organisation that is currently recruiting. There’s no harm in asking people you know, and they may be able to provide some valuable information!

Career Events

Career events are useful for a range of people – those who have recently left school and looking for work experience opportunities, recent graduates looking for full-time employment, as well as those seeking a career change. Such events give large companies the time they need to advertise themselves and recruit new people.

Visit our Events calendar to explore events near you!