How I landed my first 'Big Girl' Job

I remember the last few months of University, I was sat in the cameras office, trying desperately to show the lady I know what I wanted to do. In reality, I knew I loved aviation, working with people and wanted to make good money (don't we all) but I truly was stuck. This feeling didn't subside until the first day of my graduate scheme, I cast my net wide, and was lucky to have fallen into a career I love.

I want to let you know, not knowing what you want to do is totally fine. Feeling overwhelmed and lost at the sheer size and newness of the corporate world is beyond normal.

I applied to over 30 graduate schemes through 2020, landing my first corporate role on a graduate scheme in February 2021 and have been incredibly happy since. Not knowing what I wanted to do hasn't hindered my applications nor process. Even so I gathered tips along the way. Comment below how you found getting your first job.

1. Learn about different career avenues in the Bright Networks three day virtual internships

   I stumbled across the Bright Network a year before graduating, and during 2020, when many graduate schemes where halted they where my saving grace. These are 3 day virtual events structured around different areas of businesses. I attened two: their Business Operations and marketing stream, as well as their Consulting Stream. Across the three days big name companies including Bain, Enterprise, Google, PWC to name a few who gave talks from everything from building a network, CV skills to strategic problem solving. Not only that you meet a lot of grads and young professionals on the day to network with, add on Linkedin and grow your network with in an easy and safe environment.you are able to add the experience on your CV, get to know about different sectors, and meet other young professionals like you starting out their carear goals.

2. Work out what is important to you

   Although I had little idea what I wanted to do, I did know a few things, I wanted to live in London, I wanted a corporate job, I wanted to work with people in a social place and I wanted a graduate scheme. Putting in perametrs even small ones can help refine the overwhelming task of finding a career a little bit easier.

3. Apply to everything- and stay organised!

   Since I was applying slap bang in the middle of a pandemic and graduates schemes where being pulled, I wasnt fussy with who I applied for, I applied to practically everythibng from investment banking, telecoms, MI5, to aviation and the civil service! This was also before the use of AI, which is making it even easier to write CVs and cover letters. Applying to graduate schemes are an incredibly labarious process due to the fact that the majority of grad schemes require essay answers to questions, quizes and other various aptitude tests. It isn't a simple fill out a form and attach your CV anymore. To ensure I stayed ontop of the work I created an excel spreadsheet below and started to get organised. I searched using google and The Bright Network all opportunities that sounded interesting to me and applied. This spreadsheet helped me keep ontop of who I was applying to, what I had sent out and what I got back, when I received responses to tests or assessment centres I added those to the list. So every morning I knew what work I had to complete for each application. (Be aware that many corporate jobs run assessment centres, the one upside of covid was for me, all bar one where virtual, but I had to travel to a few; these are normally half to all day interviews and aptitude tests. Make sure to plan these in, especially if you are currently based far away from the jobs location.) When applying to anything don't worry about your degree or previous experience. It is true some companies prefer certain degree types but as long as your skills align just apply to everything. Learning how to market your degree in terms of what skills you learnt is what is most important. I graduated with a Bsc geography degree and now work in technology, which is nothing closley related to my subject or knoweledge field! I am a firm believer you can learn almost anything so if something interests you read up about it in your spare time, keep ontop of knoweledge in the field or find a course you can take online. (google academy is a great place to start)

4. Don't get too down on yourself with rejection

   Since I had applied to over 30 graduate schemes, I got used to multiple rejections pretty fast. Some I got rejected from right off the bat, the others (and one I really wanted in aviation) got rejected on the last day of the assessment centre. Unfortunately, when you cast your net wide you receive a lot of rejections (and some don't even give you the curtasey of a response!) getting rejected left right and centre can be really debilitating, especially if your friends are all getting jobs. Make sure to look after yourself during the process. Mark my words the race to your first corporate job is by far the hardest. Applying, writing essay answers, going through the many interview rounds all take up a lot of personal time, you have to treat it like a part time job, but make sure to schedule in hobbies, time with friends and self care. Even though I was applying during the pandemic and the various lockdowns, I made sure to keep doing things I enjoyed such as running, baking and meeting my friends when it was permitted to ensure I kept my head up during the time.

5. Network, Network, personal Network

   The great thing about being in your 20s is all your friends parents are pretty much at the peaks of their careers. Ask every single one of your friends parents, your neighbours, anyone in your communitu what they do for a living, what their company is like and if they are in an area that interests you ask them if you can shadow them for a week, or apply for work experience. What you can also do is ask them if they would be ok to refer you on your application, not only do they normally get a financial reward for you putting their name down, you also normally get your application bumped up. I fell into consulting by speaking to one of my clsoe friends dad who worked at the company I did my graduate scheme on, I am a firm believer in when one door closes another opens. I didnt get that aviation job a few months prior, but it opened the door into consulting, and a world of corproate London, experiences, people and roles I could only have dreamed of.

6. Network, Network, virtual Network!

   Another great place to network is Linkedin. your personal brand is one of the most important parts of your career, so many people land jobs not through appliying online but through word of mouth or your network. Start by creating a strong Linkedin profile, (if you do the Bright Network internships you can get the new people you meet to endorse you on Linkedin for a variety of skills) start by following the companies or sectors that interest you, anyone you went to school/college/university with. This isnt a social media platform so cast your net wide. Once you found the areas that interest you, you can see who works at those companies and Linkedin is great as categorising employees from those who have done the sam degree as you, to those who have gone to the same school/university. Once you find those people message them, ask them informatio about the company, tips on the applciation and even a referral. My previous company you could get £3000 per referral, it's a lucrative little side business!

7. Be open to anything

   Theres that famous saying once you have your foot in the door the world of work becomes infiently easier. I applied to consulting knowing very little about it, I had never heard of the company but it offered everything I wanted, a graduate scheme, support network, good starting salary and based in London, so I went for it, even though I loved aviation that job was one of the best things that has happened to me. in the 3 years I was there I worked in 5 different areas, both public and private sector, transport, utilities, learnt so much about working and setting up projects, my personal brand and marketing myself. If you are like me and had no clue what you want to do after university, being open to any opportunity is important. Because once you get your first year of work under your professional belt it is much easier to job hop and stand out to recruiters. Taking the leap of faith even if its in an area you know nothing about is sometime the way forward, because the skills you learn can be transferred into a role or an area you do want to be in further down the line.

If you had told me when I graduatd in 2019 I would be a technology consultant specialising in Digital factories I would have laughed in your face. The world of work is huge, the range of roles are even bigger, and sometimes not knowing the direction you want to take is the best thing for you, since who knows where you'll end up.

Good luck to all of you applying for jobs in 2024, .it may be a long road, but keep your head up