Tips for job search

Job search is not just about writing CVs and applications and preparing for job interviews. It’s also about knowing and understanding the different stages in the job search process – even before you are in the situation where you actually start applying for jobs.  

Job search can be a lengthy and sometimes even competitive process. Finding interesting job opportunities and standing out from the crowd is much easier when you have done proper groundwork. Start by examining your skills and competences, strengths, motivation, interests, and goals. Don’t forget to do your research also on the sector, field of work and employers you are interested in. Putting in the time and effort for these will pay off later. 

It is important that you are aware of your skills and competence. When you yourself know what you’re good at, it’s easier to explain it to others, too. Learn how to describe your competence as concretely as possible to potential employers. Besides being aware of what you can do, think also of what you want to do. You can explore your thoughts and dreams for the future with these career planning questions: What are your hopes for the future? What interests you – which topics or questions, or what sort of work? How and where do you want to make an impact? What skills would you like to use and develop? What do you want to learn? And when you’ve found a job opportunity that interests you: How well does this job reflect your future hopes, strengths and values? 

Remember also that job search – typical channels, application documents, interview etc. – might have different practices in different countries. For instance, in Finland, the importance of networks is crucial and thus, investing in networking since the start of your studies is essential. Also, as a student, it is good to know that the search for summer jobs begins around November-December and a university traineeship is often done as a summer job.

Job-search plan 

Draft a plan for your job-search process to help manage the time and effort required. Choose a way that best works for you, whether it be an excel sheet, a dedicated calendar, or whatever inspires you. Make sure to schedule time in your calendar. Job search is easier when you are well-rested and refreshed, so it can be a good idea to dedicate days for concentrating on your job search, and others for doing something altogether different.

These two assignments might be helpful as you develop your own job search plan:

• Assignment: Create your own job search plan (pdf)
• Assignment: Build an effective job search process (pdf)

Include these stages in your plan: 

1. Identifying your skills and strengths: What are your core skills? What has been the focus of your studies? What knowledge and skills have you acquired from your previous work experience, hobbies, volunteer work, activities in organisations, or any other experience? Being aware of your skills and strengths and being able to describe them is important at all stages of job search. When you know what you can do and what your strengths are, you will find it much easier to explore your options and look for interesting job opportunities. You also need the ability to describe your skills and strengths to communicate them comprehensibly to others, for example, when writing your job application or talking about yourself in a job interview. This means for example utilising concrete expressions and giving examples of succeeding in certain previous duties and tasks – either from previous work experiences, studies or even hobbies. For assignments to help you explore and describe your skills and strengths, visit the section What are my skills and strengths? on the page 'Tools for planning your career and future'.
2. Exploring your interests: What themes, topics, roles, or tasks interest you in general? What topics interest you in your studies? What kind of organisations and ways of working interest you in general? What would be the ideal location of your workplace? In what kind of team or work community would you like to work? How much flexibility do you need in terms of, say, working hours and remote and on-site work? You can find assignments related to these questions in the section What are my hopes for the future? on the page 'Tools for Planning Your Career and Future'.
3. Examining interesting career opportunities: Which jobs or organisations specifically interest you? Where are the people, who work with the sort of things that interest you? Make a list of your most interesting options, and gather more information on them from various sources, such as by conducting information interviews (pdf-instructions for an information interview) or using LinkedIn.
4. Describing your skills and expertise: Should your CV and your LinkedIn profile, if you have one, be updated? Are your other professional profiles on social media up to date? Review them, make any necessary changes, and ask for feedback from others.  
5. Comparing your skills and strengths with employer needs: What do employers wish to know about you? What skills are needed for the jobs that interest you? What do employers emphasise in job ads? What can you offer employers? How can you help? Practise speaking about your competence and career aspirations with other people. Do they understand, what you’re good at, or what your skills can be used for? Check out the assignment Explore job advertisements (pdf).
6. Exploring job search channels and networks: What job board websites do you follow? Do you use social media in job search and career ideas? Have you sent open applications? Studies have shown that some 70% to 80% of open positions in Finland are ‘hidden’, meaning they are not publicly advertised. Your active efforts play a key role in finding such jobs: you can access the hidden jobs market by sending open applications and building up and utilising your own networks, starting already at the beginning of your studies. Do not hesitate to approach interesting employers even if they are not currently advertising vacancies. Follow them and interesting professionals in your field on social media and start getting connected. Applying to a mentoring programme is also a good way to build networks. 
7. A job in Finland as an international student? Investing in language skills: Learning Finnish will definitely pay off. Requirements of Finnish and sometimes also Swedish vary from one sector and job to another, but certainly skills in local languages will open more doors for you, both in job search, but also in work communities and in your free time, into the Finnish culture and society. Utilise for example the Language Personal Study Plan and the Finnish courses at the University.
8. A job in Finland as an international student? Checking your right to work: Already before you start your search, check the Finnish Immigration Service website to see what kinds of regulations apply to your right to work in Finland during and after your studies. As an international jobseeker, it is good for you to know also that Finnish employers have a special Work in Finland advice service to help in the processes and bureaucracy of hiring international professionals. You might also want to check out the InfoFinland website, which provides reliable information in your own language about working and studying in Finland.

Be sure to reflect how your process and plan work for you. Ask for feedback and don’t be afraid to ask for help, if you get stuck. Sometimes, looking for a job can seem to take forever, even if you’re working hard and doing all the seemingly right things. Sometimes it takes some adjusting in our plan and activities, or it can just depend on eventually finding the sweet spot of where your competence and ambitions meet the needs of an employer.

Remember, job search is an on-going process: sometimes more active and at times less active. You can, for example, keep an open eye for interesting job opportunities all the time. And when opportunity knocks, you can be prepared.

Find support for job seeking! Remember that, as a student or recent graduate (up to about one year after graduation), you can turn to the university Career Services. Explore our services here. 

Also make good use of peer support. Why not put up a job search group with fellow jobseekers, go through Career Services’ materials together, and give each other support and feedback? Looking for jobs and crystallising career goals doesn’t have to be a lonely task.

Guides available!

How to find a job in Finland? This is a question many students are wondering about. A former career services trainee and international Master's student has put together this guide just for you: How to find a job in Finland (Moodle)

The Job Seeking Guide (pdf), published by UH Career Services, offers tips for identifying your skills and goals, creating networks, drawing up documents for job seeking, and preparing for job interviews. Check it out!

The International Jobseekers' Guide (pdf), published by International House Helsinki (IHH), offers information about a variety of topics including information about Finnish working culture, looking for work in Finland, becoming an entrepreneur and advice on how to kick-start your job search.

The TEK Workbook offers advice and resources in job search and career planning for students in technology, architecture, mathematics and natural sciences. In addition to the published guide (PDF available via the link), Workbook's website offers tips and useful information on the different stages of the job search. 

You can obtain information about various job opportunities and career options, for example, by reading alumni stories, conducting information interviews and reviewing information on graduate employment. You can also explore the LinkedIn profiles of University of Helsinki graduates using the alumni tool on LinkedIn. The section What kind of job opportunities do I have? on the page 'Tools for planning your career and future' includes, for example, instructions for using LinkedIn’s alumni tool and tips for conducting an information interview. You’ll also find more tips and instructions on the same page to help explore interesting career opportunities.

For information on the placement of UH graduates, see the page Graduate employment (helsinki.fi). Most importantly, you should consider the topics and issues with which you wish to work, as this is the best way to identify suitable job opportunities.

We recommend that you create professional networks on LinkedIn, Facebook and other social media during your studies to ensure people know about your skills and strengths. Social media profiles also help you project a professional image. You should always create your professional profile truthfully and keep it up to date.

Your profile is based on your skills, motivation, strengths and experiences, among other things. You should also Google yourself at regular intervals to see what material about you can be found online. Remember that it takes time to establish networks throughout your studies and professional life. Networks do not take care of themselves – you must maintain and expand them over time. 

You can also find a wide range of job ads on social media. You can search for them using hashtags such as #rekry, #duuni, #avointyöpaikka, #työpaikat, #jobs, #career, #jobhunt, #hiring, #recruitment and #jobopening.

LinkedIn 

Of all social media platforms, LinkedIn is used the most in job search. Your LinkedIn profile is a resource similar to your CV that you can use to highlight your personality, goals and experience. Through LinkedIn, you can easily connect with and start following interesting people, employers, and groups, even those you have not interacted with before. You can also keep yourself up to date on where professionals in your field have found employment.

Highlighting your skills and making contacts will help your job search, especially towards the end of your studies. At the beginning of your studies, you can start building your profile by describing what it is you study. Step by step you can also start contributing: taking part in discussions, sharing your thoughts, and engaging your connections.

You can now grab the essentials of LinkedIn with our LinkedIn Quick Guide on Moodle. On the guide, you'll find the most important things about LinkedIn carefully crafted by the UH career counsellors - tips for creating an impactful profile and for how to start networking, as well as ideas for using LinkedIn as a source of information for mapping out your career options. The guide is open for all students and alumni of the University of Helsinki. Click yourself into the guide and get the most out of using LinkedIn for career planning and job search! 

X (formerly known as Twitter)

On X, you can follow employers, recruitment services, people in your field and news. You can also use X to invite people to visit your blog or watch your video CV. On X, just as on LinkedIn, you can also build your professional profile by contributing to discussions.

Blogs and SlideShare 

You can use blogs and SlideShare to highlight your expertise. Use X and other media to invite people to read your blog, and embed a SlideShare link to your LinkedIn profile, for instance. You should also include in your CV links to your social media profiles that provide recruiters with more information about you and your skills.

Facebook 

On Facebook, you can follow employers, recruitment companies and communities in your field, and participate in discussions. Although Facebook has not been considered the ideal place for job search, there are various professional Facebook groups in which job tips are shared. In addition, it is a lively platform for professional discussions and dialogue – and hence learning and networking.

You can stand out from other candidates by creating a video CV. This way the recruiter can see your personality and listen to you talk about yourself in your own words. However, in addition to a video CV, you should also send a traditional CV and cover letter. Alternatively, you can add a link to your video CV under your contact details in your traditional CV and cover letter. 

Before recording your video CV, plan what you wish to say and focus on what matters. Keep the video short, preferably no longer than about one minute. The structure of a video CV can comply with the structure of an ‘elevator pitch’. 

• Introduce yourself: your name and ‘title’ (e.g., ‘a well-rounded future X professional’ or ‘an Nth year student of X at the University of Helsinki’) 
• Describe your goals 
• My core skills are... (1 or 2 sentences) 
• I can also/My other skills/My interests (1 or 2 sentences) 
• I have X years of experience in A and B 
• My strengths include (1 or 2 sentences) 
• I have received positive feedback on X (1 or 2 sentences) 
• End politely and ask to be contacted. In the editing stage, you can add your contact details at the end of the video. 

Pay attention to the following: 

• Lighting: Can you be seen clearly? Sit facing a light source and keep the light bright but not glaring.
• Camera angle: Make sure you are looking into the camera at an appropriate level. The best camera angle is usually at eye level.
• Framing: Is the framing appropriate (not too close, not too wide)? What do you want the viewer to see in the background? Is the background clean and tidy?
• Sound: Test sound quality and, if necessary, use the microphone on your headphones.
• Eye contact and body language: Try to keep looking at the camera at all times. Do not read from notes. Remember to smile!

When actively looking for a job, it may be a good idea to use several channels at the same time. Make sure our JobTeaser career portal is on your radar – it features job and internship opportunities specifically targeted at UH students and recent alumni! Additionally, the Available jobs and traineeships page lists several other job boards worth following. Don’t forget to browse LinkedIn job ads and set up alerts with relevant search terms to stay on top of new opportunities.

And have you told your networks that you are looking for a job? The power of networks is certainly worth harnessing, for you may hear about jobs that would otherwise be difficult to find. There are a great many such ‘hidden’ jobs: not all open positions can be found on job boards or LinkedIn or via other social media channels.

You can start by compiling a list of interesting employers and looking for information on them from various channels. Remember that even if you do not find suitable job ads, you can always take the initiative and approach interesting employers with open job applications or by otherwise contacting them. Read more about open applications below.  

A curriculum vitae (CV) is your business card: it is often the first document recruiters read and creates a first impression of you as a candidate. If your CV fails to convince the reader, they may not even read your cover letter. So, make sure that your CV makes a positive first impression and clearly presents your skills, motivation and interests. Whether you are responding to a job ad or writing an open application, tailor your CV and cover letter to the prospective job. 

If you are submitting an open application, find out what requirements or needs the employer may have and what you should highlight in your CV and cover letter. You need not meet all the requirements. However, if you are missing some essential skills that you would like to have, consider how you can develop such skills. Perhaps you can register for a project or course in your free time to develop the relevant skills even before taking up the potential job, thus demonstrating your motivation to the employer.

Please note! An academic CV, or the curriculum vitae of a researcher, differs from the non-academic CV described below, for example, in that an academic CV must list all of the candidate’s academic merits, teaching experience and publications. For instructions on how to draw up an academic CV, please see the website of the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity TENK.

Content and structure 

Your CV should include the following: 

• Date: This indicates to the reader that they are reading an up-to-date version of your CV. 
• Your contact details: Ensure that your required contact details are up to date and can be found easily in your CV. Your name, phone number and email address suffice, but you could also add a link to your LinkedIn profile. If your CV lacks room for everything you deem of interest to the recruiter, you can mention separately that further information can be found in your LinkedIn profile. You can also add a link to your website, blog, video CV or other online material that the reader may find interesting. You can add such links to the other sections of your CV as well: for example, your blog may serve as a work sample, or your Instagram profile may demonstrate your entrepreneurship.  
• Profile text: It is important that your CV begins with a concise summary of you and your skills, strengths and goals, and that this summary is relevant for the prospective job. If you are applying for, say, a teaching position, you can emphasise matters related to teaching, whereas your focus should be on other qualifications if applying for an administrative job. A well-written profile text provides key information about you in approximately four or five sentences, acting as a lens through which the reader can interpret the rest of your CV. Choose your words carefully! See the example structure for a profile text from the assignment Write an effective profile text (pdf).
• Education: List your degrees and education chronologically, mentioning your most recent degree first. If you have not yet finished your studies, mention your target degree (e.g., Bachelor of Science or Master of Arts). You can provide slightly more information about your studies or degree if you consider it crucial for the prospective job or wish to highlight a specific aspect of your studies. For example, mention some courses or study modules you have completed, describe the work and study methods you have used in your studies (such as project-based or group work) or refer to the topics of your theses or final projects. 
• Work experience: You can list your work experience chronologically (the most recent experience first) or by using descriptive headings (such as ‘Teaching experience’, ‘Relevant work experience’ or ‘Other work experience’). It is crucial to highlight the skills you have acquired through work. Simply listing duties is not enough. Read more about describing your skills on the 'Tools for planning your career and future' page. We also recommend checking out the assignment Verbalise your skills with the STAR model (pdf), which will help you put your skills into words.
• Language skills: Language skills should be listed by skill level, for example: native language – excellent or very good – good – basic or satisfactory – elementary. Alternatively, you can use the European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR levels A1–C2). It may be useful to describe your oral and written skills separately. You should also mention elementary language skills or very limited language studies to indicate your willingness to learn new things. If you have used a language in a work setting, you can mention it in this section or in the description of the position in question. 
• IT skills, other skills: Reflect on the general and field-specific software and IT systems you have used in studies, hobbies or jobs, and consider which are worth mentioning when applying for a specific position. Here you can also mention other useful technical skills, such as those related to research methods, image processing or social media. 
• Elected positions, volunteer activities: Because what you do in your valuable free time says a lot about you, you should mention elected positions and volunteer activities in your CV. Clearly highlight the diverse skills you have developed in this area: What have you had the opportunity to do? What were your responsibilities? What skills and strengths did you develop? 
• Hobbies: You need not mention hobbies in your CV, but they may tell the reader something essential about you and your strengths. If you mention a hobby, also state what skills and strengths it has developed. 
• Referees: You should mention one to three referees and their contact details in your CV. For the sake of clarity, you should indicate your connection to each referee (e.g., a former supervisor or colleague, a friend from a student organisation, a teacher, or a thesis supervisor). Make sure in advance that the persons in question are willing to act as your referees, especially if it has been a while since you last asked them to do so. It is also good that your referees know you are looking for a job, as they are part of your network and may be able inform you about open positions. 
• Photo: In Finland, it is up to you to choose whether to include your photo in your CV. If you decide to do so, please ensure the photo is appropriate and fit for purpose. If applying for a job abroad, find out about relevant practices in the target country: adding a photo to a CV is not recommended in all countries.

Layout of the CV 

The recommended maximum length of a CV is two pages. You should not cram all content onto one page; you can continue on another page. However, make sure that the most relevant information (your contact details, profile text, education background and, possibly, at least part of your work experience) appears on the first page. 

It is important to present information chronologically in your CV: always list your most recent education, work experience or other experience first. You can also use headings to list content. For example, if your most recent work experience is not the most relevant for the prospective job, you can list your most important work experience first under a separate heading (e.g., ‘Relevant work experience’) and then list other work experience under another heading (e.g., ‘Other work experience’). It is important that the most relevant information for the prospective job is given first in your CV so the reader can find it easily. Clear headings make it easier to read your CV and find key information. You can edit and add your own headings, as necessary. 

Visual CVs are currently popular. Your CV need not look like a traditional black-and-white document. Do not hesitate to break up text into columns and use colours and other effects. You can find plenty of examples and free templates online. You can try creating a visual CV, for example, on the www.canva.com website.

However, what matters most is the content and readability of your CV, so make sure your skills are clearly presented. Visual elements, such as unsuitable font size or colour, must not make your CV difficult to read. Also check the text for typos. Always save and send your CV in PDF format, naming the file, for example, as follows: ‘CV First name Last name’. 

Many experiences, achievements and feedback are quickly forgotten whether they are important or trivial. To help you remember them, you can create a ‘meta-CV’ in which you compile such information and descriptions related to your studies or later life. A meta-CV is an informal information resource that can be of significant benefit when you write and tailor your CV for a particular purpose. Please note that a meta-CV is intended for you alone, and has no restrictions on format or size, unlike a CV sent to a potential employer. See the assignment Create a meta-CV and document your journey on becoming an expert (pdf) for more information.

Note! You can find additional tips for crafting your CV in our Detailed instructions for the CV (pdf) and the Job Seeking Guide (pdf).

Cover letters are also known as application or motivation letters. Their main purposes are to highlight your motivation, skills and strengths, and demonstrate your suitability for the position. A cover letter can include examples of your skills and concrete examples of how you have enhanced them. Your cover letter should give an overview of you, whereas your CV provides detailed information on your education and work experience. The maximum length of a cover letter is one page. 

Using the three-part structure presented below may help you write a cover letter. You can find a visual example of this structure on page 25 of our Job Seeking Guide (pdf).

First part of the cover letter: Why? 

Carefully consider how to begin your cover letter – you want to catch the reader’s attention with the opening sentence. You can use your imagination and creativity. The letter need not (and perhaps should not) begin with a sentence such as: “I am a 23-year-old geography student.” 

A good cover letter immediately gives the reader a clear idea of why you are interested in the position. Often, the first question in the reader’s mind is ‘why’: “Why are you applying for this job? Why are you interested in this position? Why would you like to work for our organisation?” Consequently, it is important that you tailor your application for each position to highlight your motivation and interest in the specific post. 

Find out what the organisation considers important and try to link it to your profile throughout your cover letter. Good sources of background information include the organisation’s value and mission statements and strategic plan, which can often be found online. You can also find information on current, important issues on the organisation’s social media channels.  

Second part of the cover letter: What? 

When you have described your motivation and interests, it is time to convince the reader with your skills and strengths. Another question the reader ponders is ‘what’: “What skills do you have? What will you bring to our work community if you are appointed? What have you done during your career?” Consider which skills and strengths are the most important for the prospective job. Read the job ad carefully because it usually sets out the most important requirements.

If you apply for a job with an open application, use various means and channels to find out what skills are key for the prospective job. For example, you can search for similar job ads from other organisations, look for the LinkedIn profiles of people in equivalent positions, or interview those working in similar roles. 

Highlight your skills with concrete and concise examples: you can mention studies, duties, projects, volunteer work or elected positions that have enhanced your skills. However, concentrate on the skills most relevant for the position and keep your cover letter concise and fairly brief. Explain how your skills and strengths will benefit the employer, what needs you can meet with your skills, and how you can apply your skills in your future duties.

Third part of the cover letter: Who? 

You can bring out your own personality especially at the end of the cover letter, for the reader is also wondering: “Who are you?” You can answer this question by describing your work methods, strengths and, for example, how you work on your own and with others. You can also refer to feedback you have received.  

At the end of your cover letter, propose the next step: state that you are interested in meeting and discussing matters further. Also remember to add your contact details.

Layout of the cover letter 

You can use the same visual layout for your cover letter and your CV. Your cover letter must clearly indicate your contact details, the date, the name of the recipient organisation and the position applied for. You can also mention the name of the individual recipient, if you know it.

Ask for feedback on your cover letter and CV 

Before sending your cover letter and CV, you should ask someone, such as a friend, fellow student or family member, to read the documents; another pair of eyes is always useful to spot typos, errors or omissions. You can also request feedback from the Career Services’ drop-in support for job search.  

Questions to the feedback provider: 

• What first impression do my cover letter and CV make? 
• Do they convey my motivation clearly? 
• Do they convey my skills clearly? 
• What are the most important skills highlighted in my cover letter and CV? 
• How does the text reflect my personality?

An invitation to a job interview means you have been shortlisted as a potential candidate. An interview is a valuable opportunity for the recruiter to learn more about your skills and motivation and assess your suitability for the work community and role. It is also a good opportunity for you to obtain more information on the position and organisation and ask questions.  

Prepare for the interview carefully. It is easier to prepare when you know what to expect. When you are invited to an interview, you should ask who will interview you and what kind of interview it will be. Sometimes, there may be more than one interviewer, or you may be interviewed together with other candidates. A job interview may also include various problem-solving tasks, work samples or assignments connected to an aptitude test. Prepare for unexpected situations, such as being interviewed in different languages, depending on how you have described your language skills in your CV.

Prepare to introduce yourself briefly, or to give an ‘elevator pitch.’ This introduction will help you answer the very common interview question at the beginning, 'Tell us something about yourself.' You can find tips for composing the introduction, for example, in the Video-CV section of this page. Find out as much as you can about the employer and the job, and re-read the job ad, if any. You can find information about the employer from its website and social media channels, such as LinkedIn. Do a Google search to find out what the organisation has published and how it has been discussed in public most recently.

Read our more detailed preparation tips and see a list of typical interview questions in the assignment Prepare for a Job Interview (pdf). Good luck with your interview!

You should always conclude a written employment contract, even if it is for a summer job or another short fixed-term job, and request a copy of the contract. A written contract ensures that both parties understand what is expected from each of them. If problems arise, a written contract makes it easy to prove what the parties have agreed on.  

You can find more information about employment contracts on the website of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Finland. 

The Finnish-language guide ‘Valppaana työelämässä’, published by Akava, the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland, also explains what you should and must take into account when signing an employment contract.

“I just can’t find a job. I don’t have work experience, and I can’t get any because I can’t get a job.”
“I never get a job interview. I must have sent a hundred job applications. What am I doing wrong?”

The job search may not always proceed as you would like it to or according to the desired schedule. Sometimes job opportunity slips by even though you're doing everything right and there's nothing wrong with your skills and profile. Jobs that meet your own desires may not always be available. However, it is worth pursuing your dream job. Often, getting to your dream job requires intermediate stages in job positions that come close and have similarities. Do not be discouraged: these stages often develop exactly the skills and networks you need in your dream job!

It is very important that when applying for a job, you take care of your coping and well-being as job search can be very draining and stressful. Job search stress can manifest itself in many ways: you may find it difficult to concentrate, experience melancholy or physical symptoms such as headaches. However, you can influence your own well-being. Remember to take care of adequate rest, nutrition, and exercise.

You can influence your own well-being in many ways:

• Take time for yourself and do things that give you energy and make you feel good.
• Focus on relationships that allow you to be yourself and give you energy.
• Find things to do where you can succeed in.
• Remember your strengths and the positive feedback you have received.
• Divide job hunting into smaller parts, set milestones.
• Celebrate reaching your milestones.
• Look for support if needed.

Do not lose heart: there is a lot you can do to improve your chances of getting a job. If your job search does not seem to pay off, double-check the following:

Are your job search documents in order? Do they convey your skills clearly? The competition for jobs and traineeships can be stiff. When this is the case, it is absolutely vital for you to stand out positively from the crowd. So draw up an impressive CV and cover letter explaining the things the recruiter wants to hear: how your skills, strengths and interests relate to the job or traineeship you are applying for. Please note that it is important to tailor your CV and cover letter specifically for the position that you are applying for! So for each position, consider the kind of skills the position requires and the strengths you should be emphasising. In your job search documents, focus on the matters that are of interest to the employer in question.

Do you know about where you are applying to? The more you know about the prospective employer and position, the easier it will be to tailor your CV and cover letter. Search for more information on the employer’s website or social media platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook). If you know someone who works or has previously worked at the same organisation or in a similar position, contact them and ask for more information. You can also find information on similar jobs and the skills required in them by reading other job advertisements.

• Assignment: Explore job advertisements (pdf)

Are you in charge of your job search? Your own initiative plays a key role in job hunting. Even if there are currently no openings for interesting jobs, using your initiative you can snatch a so-called hidden job, a vacancy that has not been made public. You can list organisations that interest you and send open applications to them at any time. Would it help if you made a job-seeking plan to keep you on the ball of what you will be doing and when? Have you tapped into your networks and told your contacts what kind of work you are looking for? Do you have people in your network who could offer you support or tips? An information interview is a way of getting answers to questions that interest you. It can also offer you valuable advice on looking for work in your field. The following assignments offer guidance and tips on proactive job hunting:

• Assignment: Create your own job search plan (pdf)
• Assignment: Build an effective job search process (pdf)
• Assignment: Assess your digital career skills and job search skills (pdf)
• Assignment: Identify and strengthen your networks (pdf)
• Assignment: Gather information through an information interview (pdf)

Are you aware of our support services for job hunting? At Career Services, we offer open workshops and other career events during academic terms as well as regular Drop-in support for job search that does not require an appointment. Read more on the links above and join us!