Along with work experience and grades, it is important to remember things like tailoring your CV to your potential employer. This can be done by researching a company's website, as many websites reveal a lot about the value and culture of a company, and thus a CV can be based around this and show that an applicant has done their research. Doing things like hand writing cover letters can also aid your employability, as it shows you've taken the time and are dedicated.
Therefore, this summer is a perfect time to enhance your CV enough to make it stand out from the rest. Those job-seeking or eager to improve their CVs should consider doing the following things over the long sunny break;
1. Try and get some paid work.
Those that are lucky enough to find paid work this summer can show future employees that they are reliable and have experience with holding down either a full or part time job. Having a summer job can provide you with valuable skills for example customer service. The most job experience, the more employable you will be.
2. Take part in some volunteer or charity work.
It is easy to find a great projects to support, using websites such as wwv.com and jobsincharities.com.uk. Volunteer work can prove your employability just as much as paid work, and will show future employers that you have a charitable side!
3. Intern.
Interning can help teach you valuable skills for the future along with give you a further insight into paths you may wish to follow. It is also a great opportunity to network and build connections which may help with job-seeking later on. An impressive internship can really make a CV stand out to a future employer. Shadowing someone in a career you are interested can also provide you with a valuable insight into a profession.
4. Take a course, preferably one which will earn you a qualification.
This can help your CV stand out, and could really impress future employers. Taking an evening class to learn a language, a first aid course or obtaining a driving licence, for example, could strongly increase your employability.
5. Travel.
Never underestimate the skills you can gain from travelling, from the people you will meet to the sights you will see. Broadening your horizons through travel can help set you apart from others, and can give you interesting things to talk about in an interview. Working or volunteering abroad will certainly look impressive on a CV.
Therefore, graduates must remember the importance of making their CV stand out, especially in a job field as competitive as today's. Don't let the long summer pass you by without doing something that could seriously help you find work when you graduate.
Kate, GRB Journalist
