5 things I wish I knew before I graduated

Hello everyone, hope you're all having a lovely day so far! I graduated last year with a 1st Class Degree in English Literature, I was over the moon with the result as I had worked so hard to achieve it. I was also the President of a Society and a Student Programme Representative. Therefore, I naively thought that it wouldn't be very long before I landed my first role to kick start my career and to fully begin adult life. Once I graduated, I realised that I had no industry experience, so I got accepted into an internship with a luxury magazine and worked there for 3 months. After that, I had a temporary contract, which gave me a decent salary for Christmas, within the Communications sector of a world-leading manufacturing company. So once that contract had finished, I found myself unemployed at the start of 2020, little did I know it was yet to be the worst time for me to be unemployed. COVID-19 struck, and here I am, months later, still unemployed. Due to this, thousands of people have also found themselves unemployed, so I am not only competing for a job against those people, but also against the new 2020 graduates who are also feeling the strain. 

During lockdown, I started my lifestyle blog and public Instagram, to hopefully increase my employability. I have also completed 2 online courses in areas that I felt I lacked experience in; Digital Marketing and SEO. Recently, I have revamped my CV, Portfolio, LinkedIn page and Cover Letter in hope that I could increase my chances of grabbing an employers attention. Before I graduated, if I had only known the things that I will list below, then I would have probably had a job and had fully started my career by now. I don't want to have any regrets as everyone's experience is different, so it may have worked out the same, but I wanted to let others know what I have learned over the past year so hopefully they are able to find their ideal role sooner.

1. Work experience is everything

I'm not sure about every industry, but speaking from Marketing/Editorial/Social Media experience, I found that most of the 'Junior' and 'Entry-Level' roles require at least 1 years experience. Any work experience that you are able to find, you should jump at the chance and try to stay there for as long as you can. Also, most work experience posts do not pay a wage, they either don't pay at all or just cover your expenses. Or if they do, then it won't be very much to start with. However, do not be discouraged, as once you have completed this then you are much more likely than anyone else to eventually be accepted into the roles with a higher salary. Therefore, if you are able to suffer financially a year after university, then it will definitely pay off in the future.

2. Rejection letters are a blessing in disguise

Just after I graduated, I used to get really down when I checked my emails and saw yet another rejection letter. Whereas, nowadays, because of the endless applications that I have applied for, I actually feel a sense of relief when I see a rejection letter, as I then know where I stand. Not hearing anything back can be so disheartening when I spent so long on the company's application process to not even hear back. I understand that employers have hundreds of applications to look through, so can't personally respond to everyone, but it can give applicant's a sense of false hope, as when I don't receive a rejection email I'm going to assume that I'm still in the running, but then a month goes by and I have to give up hope. Also, it's a deterrent from wanting to apply to others as I start to think that there's not much point if I'm competing against so many people. Although, you should never give up hope, keep trying and you'll get there!

3. Make the most of your LinkedIn

I know many people have probably already said this to you, but LinkedIn really is a great way to connect with professionals within your industry and to showcase your skills. People can recommend you and post it on your page, and they can endorse your skills to back up your claims. You can connect with other like-minded graduates, even though you'll both be applying to the same roles, they may be able to share some knowledge on what they do or how they use LinkedIn. Although, make sure that what you share is strictly professional, think about what comments you make or the posts that you like, and think about whether it fits your 'brand' or the 'brand' of companies that you would like to work for. Support others as you would want to be supported, employers will notice that. Also, there are many helpful professionals out there that offer free advice, mentorship, guidance, CV help etc, so they can really help in your situation.

4. Create your social presence as early as you can

Social Media is at the forefront of online marketing, and employers want to know that you have a good understanding of it and knowledge on how to capture an audience. I didn't start my blog or public Instagram account until April 2020, during lockdown, as previously I did not have the time while I was working, or the confidence of publicly posting. I now realise that having a blog or public social media account for the blog is just the standard for those trying to get their first job within my industry. If I had been introduced in to the blogging world sooner, then I would have realised and jumped on the bandwagon much earlier. Always make sure that you are not sacrificing who you are to try and appeal to employers or your audience, present yourself in the best way possible but don't be afraid to write about certain topics and don't change your view because you think that they will prefer that. If they like your work, then they're the right company for you.

5. Don't compare yourself to others

I know, easier said than done, but this is a massive contributor to how you feel during your period of unemployment, even if it is only a couple of months. No one could have predicted COVID-19, so you weren't able to prepare, and the job market is now so overcrowded it will be a lot harder for you to get a break. However, you can't compare yourself to fellow graduates, everyone is on their own journey and they all have different experiences. As long as you know that you are doing all that you can to get a job, then it doesn't matter how successful others are/have been. Your time will come, and you will be much more understanding of how ruthless the job market is and how to navigate it.

I hope I've made some people feel better about their situation, and not worse! You are not alone, I am still going through it myself and we will get there in the end. It's all about patience and perseverance. To all of my fellow unemployed 2019 graduates, and the new unemployed 2020 graduates, good luck! 

To see more lifestyle content, follow @carlylauren_ on Instagram.