1. Print off several copies of your CV and cover letter and distribute them to local shops and other businesses. Whilst most larger companies have online application processes, smaller businesses often hold onto CVs, even if there are no vacancies at that time. You could also try emailing local businesses to enquire about their vacancies.
2. Sign up for alerts on online jobs boards such as the Find a job website. You can specify your interests and tailor the alerts to match.
3. When writing your CV and cover letter, don’t forget to include any hobbies or achievements. This could be a sport you play, an extracurricular activity such as Duke of Edinburgh, or anything else that shows your commitment and hard work!
4. To gain extra experience to add to your CV, consider voluntary work. Charity shops are a great place to get essential skills such as customer service, cash handling and time management. It’s also an opportunity to get a reference to include on your applications. Plus, why not boost your life and work skills for free, sign up for ‘Young Professional’ training on the Youth Employment UK’s website.
5. Finding your first job is hard! Don’t lose hope and keep sending out applications.
There are lots of things you can do to aid your job search, such as creating a LinkedIn account to build your network and keep a record of new skills and experiences, fine-tuning your CV and being mindful of what you post on social media.
