Bag that grad scheme

With competition for employment across the board fiercer than ever before, graduates nationwide are feeling the strain. Widespread cuts in intake among UK businesses means that in order to stand out, graduates have to offer that extra something in addition to being academically strong.

Jenny Ungless, Career Coach at Monster.co.uk, comments, ìEach year UK universities turn out tens of thousands of highly able graduates. Huge numbers are competing for a comparatively small number of jobs, so graduates need to think about what makes them stand out other than academic qualities alone. Your CV is the first opportunity to stand out from the crowd, so itís worth taking time to think about how youíre going to make yours different.î

For graduates looking to bag that elusive first job, Jenny has the following tips:

- Avoid the clichs! Employers have heard no end of graduates claiming to be ìgood all-roundersî, ìstrong team playersî and ìmotivatedî. Remember that all job applicants will be using these phrases so if you must use them make sure theyíre strongly backed up with tangible evidence.

- Follow up with a phone call: taking the time to ask for feedback on your job application signifies enthusiasm, and can bring your CV to the top of the pile. However donít pester businesses with calls chasing on the progress of your application.

- Always tailor your application to the company youíre applying to: itís very obvious when graduates have prepared one letter to send to hundreds of companies.

- Draw on your extracurricular activities: being part of a society or sitting on your Student Union or faculty committee provides a wealth of transferable skills.

- Be different! Prospective employers receive hundreds of CVs and cover letters so make yours different. If youíre applying for a job in wedding planning, for example, why not send your CV in the style of a wedding invitation?