Employers use a variety of different methods for recruiting graduates, and these can vary by sector and employer. In some cases you may be asked to work through a combination these different stages. It is important that you try to understand how employers recruit in your sector of interest so that you can prepare accordingly. Open up each section below to learn more about the different steps you may have to navigate in the recruitment process.
CVs
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A CV is a personal marketing document and should be a clear and structured summary of your education, employment, experience, skills and interests. It should show the potential employer that you are a suitable candidate for the job so that you will be invited for an interview. The most effective CVs are the ones tailored to the job you are applying to.
Covering letters
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A well-constructed cover letter will strongly support your application for both advertised posts or when sending your CV speculatively to potential employers. Unless you are specifically asked not to send one, take time to prepare a cover letter or email that emphasises your interest and suitability.
Applications
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Employers use application forms to get an idea of your knowledge, skills, attributes and experience in a format that they can compare with other applicants. It’s the only information they have about you, and they will use it to decide whether to interview you. There’s a lot of competition for placements and graduate jobs so you should prepare to put in the time and effort to write strong and convincing applications.
Interviews
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Well done, you have been successful in the first stages of the application process and now the employer wants to find out more about you! This is not only the opportunity for the employer to get to know you better, but it also gives you the chance to check that the job and employer are right for you. Every interview will differ in format, content and style depending on the organisation, but there are some things you can do beforehand to help you approach each interview with confidence:
Practice psychometric tests
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Glasgow Caledonian University has established a partnership with Graduates First to offer free premium psychometric tests and job preparation tools. Register using your university email address at Glasgow Caledonian University free aptitude tests from Graduates First to take the above free tests and tools.
You have access to 70+ online assessments, including aptitude tests, situational judgement tests and a work personality questionnaire that are commonly used by employers for selection purposes and to receive feedback on your performance. You can also get access to a step-by-step guide to over 100 top graduate employers' recruitment stages and hints on how to pass their assessment process.
Register using your university email address at Glasgow Caledonian University free aptitude tests from Graduates First to take the above free tests and tools.
Assessment centres
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Assessment centres are often considered by employers to be the most accurate way of assessing candidates as they get to see what you can do in a variety of different situations, both individually and in groups. It’s important to remember that assessors will measure you against a series of competencies and behaviours that are important to that organisation. It’s vital that throughout the day you demonstrate these qualities rather than trying to compete with the other candidates.
Assessment centres can feel quite daunting, and it's important to prepare as much as you can beforehand. The employer should let you know in advance of the day what to expect and if you need to prepare anything specific, if you are not clear contact the organisation for clarification. The activities selected will be designed to demonstrate the skills needed for that role and could be some (or all) of the following:
There may also be an interview as part of the assessment centre, you can find information on how to prepare in the interviews section of our website.
Speculative applications
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A large number of vacancies are never advertised, particularly work experience placements or opportunities to do some work shadowing. In addition, there are industries where demand far outstrips supply such as journalism or fashion buying, as well as smaller organisations that simply don’t have the resources to advertise. In cases such as these, making a speculative application can be a very useful part of your job-hunting strategy.
This involves identifying potential employers and approaching them directly, showing them why you would make a valuable contribution to their organisation.
Being proactive in this way can give you access to a much wider variety of roles and increase your chances of success. To make this approach effective, it’s important that you tailor your application making it clear what you are looking for and send it to a named contact (LinkedIn can be a good source of information). Finally, often it is following up the initial application with a phone call that can prompt a conversation and lead to a successful outcome, so don’t forget this important step:
Make an appointment
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