It's time to swap freshers week for job applications. To help start your career, here are some insights from our recent live chat
Don't exaggerate your CV
Mary Wilson is a talent manager at an independent communications agency, MC2: "Don't lie or exaggerate your achievements. It can be off-putting when a CV claims stacking shelves demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities. Your CV is being read by a person, not a machine, and there's no point inflating casual work to make it sound as if you changed the world. Look at the job description you have been given and think about what you have done in your extra-curricular activities, your work or even in your day-to-day life, then focus on those."
Impress your interviewer
Sarah Coughtrie is a managing consultant at DMJ Recruitment: "You have to sell yourself and be positive about your skills and traits. Make your case in a realistic and professional manner. Tell the interviewer one of your key skills, and then back it up with an example or two. This way, you will come across as both impressive and genuine. Practising this before the interview is very important and will boost your confidence."
Mary Wilson: "Be confident but don't be cocky. Don't sell yourself short, but don't come out with Apprentice-style clichés. In interviews, you'll probably be speaking to somebody with a great deal more experience than you, and they'll be able to spot someone who's winging it (and will test you if they don't believe you). It's best to be yourself."
Stay professional during the recruitment process
Amanda Haig is a graduate HR manager at Allianz insurance: "Sometimes I'm shocked at how some graduates can behave during the recruitment process and this means they are rejected at an earlier stage. The way graduates respond to emails, phone calls, even interview invites tells you a lot about their attitude. We want people who can get on with people from all walks of life, be able to adapt their style to different people at different levels and be willing to learn."
Sarah Archer is the co-founder of CareerTree: "It is important to gauge the culture of the organisation, treat team workers and management with respect, and approach your tasks – whatever they may be – as an opportunity to learn and with professionalism and enthusiasm."
Overcome assessment centre nerves
Dan Hawes is head of marketing and the co-founder of the Graduate Recruitment Bureau: "Think through the qualities assessors will be looking for, such as leadership, problem-solving, business skills, initiative and creativity. The weightings will change depending on the job, but commercial acumen, interpersonal skills and flexibility are high on everyone's list. An assessment centre is a tremendous opportunity for you to show what you can do in your career. Prepare yourself well and enjoy it. Be positive, be prepared to play the game and project an image of your real self."
Matthew Williamson is a publisher at Graduate Prospects: "Going to an assessment centre can be a daunting prospect, especially if you haven't been to one before. Remember that it's designed to show what you can do rather than what you can't. Keep details of the role that you're applying to at the forefront of your mind. If you can think about these before you go to the assessment centre, you can approach each task in a more considered way on the day."
Don't let your degree subject limit your job search
Matthew Williamson: "Emphasise your transferable skills: team work, a strong work ethic, leadership skills, organisation, attention to detail. Pinning down specific examples of when you displayed these skills is important; carefully study each job advert to know which transferable skills you need to place the greatest emphasis on."
Find networking opportunities
Sarah Archer: "Approaching networking as an information-gathering exercise rather than approaching people to get a job, can make it feel less daunting – people are often very flattered to be asked to talk about their career experiences.
"Work out what you need to know. This could be things like: how they got into the field; what the key qualities for the role are; what advice they would give someone in your situation; who they could recommend you talk to next; and who is recruiting.
"It's easier to set up these meetings through a warm contact, so it's good to work out who you know who knows someone you would like to talk to. Also, send a thank you after the meeting as it helps them remember you."
Matthew Williamson: "Employers vary hugely in their interest in and commitment to having a presence on social media. If you have a look at a recruiter's profile, it should be obvious from their profile and number of connections whether they use the site to connect with graduates or just for sales purposes.
"Don't rule out Twitter and Facebook for networking opportunities. Knowing what organisations are posting about on their social media pages shows you what's important to them and what's on their radar – you can reflect this if and when you start to get invited to interviews."
Highlight your extra-curricular activities
Nilesh Kavia is a careers adviser with the National Careers Service: "Gaining experience and taking part in activities is an achievement in itself. But if it's not presented in a good way, it can diminish the value of what you've achieved to an employer. How to communicate this depends on the method of communication used, whether it's on a CV, application form or at interview. However, with all methods, I would advise you share what you learned from the experience. Show how that makes you stand out from other competitors and how the employer will benefit from it."
Matthew Williamson: "Extra-curricular activities and work experience placements may seem small-scale at first glance, but look closely at what each experience taught you and how it added to your employability skills. For example, you may have had some basic office work experience for a week or two, but what did you really take away from your time there? Did you do anything as part of a team? Did you develop an understanding of how that specific sector operates? There's real, transferable value to be found in even a day's work experience."
Speak their language
Mildred Talabi is the founder of CV MakeoverExpert.com: "Since every industry has its own rules and vocabulary, I would advise graduates to think and speak like the employers in the industry they want to be part of. This can be done by reading the job adverts and using some of the same words – not in a 'copy and paste' way – in your own CV, cover letter or application form."
This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To get more content and advice like this direct to your inbox, sign up for our weekly update and careers ebook.
Graduate
Graduate schemes
Interviews
CVs
Applications
Social media
Covering letters
theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds