I finished my degree in August and haven’t been able to find a job, is this normal?
I’ve had a number of interviews but no offers.
Anything i can be doing differently?
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Hey!
It is definitely normal to struggle finding a job out of uni! In fact, the average person needs to apply to anywhere from 21 to 80 openings in order to get even a single job offer, while roughly one-third of all fresh grads still haven’t landed a job four months after finishing university.
My advice will depend based on your specific situation so happy to provide further details if you are comfortable with sharing a bit more about your degree/what you have been applying for/how you have been conducting your job search, but my general top 5 tips would be:
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Quality over Quantity: Tailor your applications to specific roles and companies, showcasing your unique skills and genuine interest. Aim for 10 thoughtful applications over 20 generic ones.
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Network Power: Leverage your personal network! Reach out to friends, family, and acquaintances, asking for introductions or potential leads. Don’t be afraid to connect on LinkedIn and ask for advice or connections.
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Learn from Rejection: If you get rejected, follow up and politely ask for feedback. This can be invaluable in understanding what companies are looking for and how to improve your candidacy.
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Expand Your Search: Don’t limit yourself to specific sectors. Look for roles based on your qualifications across different industries. You might find unexpected matches and significantly widen your options. Use resources like Prosple Australia to easily search based on qualifications and sectors.
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Focus on Process: Shift your mindset from outcome-driven (landing a job) to process-driven (actively applying, networking, etc.). Set achievable goals and focus on taking consistent action each week, regardless of interview results.
We have written a full article on this exact topic, so feel free to give it a read for more tips n tricks!
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Hi Christian,
So i just finished my Masters of Commerce Majoring in marketing.
Ive been applying for marketing grad roles and marketing coordinator roles. (Are there any other areas i am suitable for)
Job search through many different websites, prosple, linkedin, seek
Hey,
The great thing about a commerce degree is that it is quite flexible around the different types of roles you can apply for (if you are willing to explore areas outside of marketing).
The drawback of a marketing degree is that it can be quite difficult to land marketing roles outside of graduate programs (especially if you’re applying off cycle).
If you are set on doing something marketing related I recommend looking outside grad programs and looking at smaller entry level roles in brand management, marketing assistants, or even social media coordinators. If you are open to agency side, you can apply directly to agencies (but I’ve heard these can be a bit competitive so you might need some experience under your belt).
If you are open to branching out, there are several roles that are similar to marketing that might still be of interest to you. These can include account/partnership managers, event coordinators, or general business development roles. Again, your best bet might be applying for entry level roles (if you’re applying off-cycle), but I do believe some graduate roles/programs would be opening up early in the year.
If you really want a job ASAP, a commerce degree should allow you to enter most business roles/industries (maybe not finance), so I recommend applying for non-marketing roles.
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Don’t give up! Like I mentioned previously, take rejection as redirection towards roles that might be so much better suited for you.
I feel like with these things, it all ends out working out for the better, and in a year or so you’ll look back on this period and realise that the extra time you took to find a role actually worked out for the better (whether that be landing a dream role or learning new skills for career search).
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Hey! Same! I also graduated in August but I did have a project-based job from September to November after that I applied so many companies, but until now I didn’t receive any offers. I hope that both of us will have a job offer as soon as possible.
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