"The First Job Search Can Feel Like Madness"

Every graduate feels lost during their first job search. Here is why that is completely normal.

I meet graduates and people starting their careers, and one thing comes up again and again. Frustration.

You’ve finished university or TAFE. You’ve got your qualification. You’re ready to work. And then you start applying. One application. Then another. Then five more. Nothing.

You start hearing stories about people applying for 30 or 50 jobs a day. Someone else got their first job through a friend. Someone had a contact. Someone knew someone. And you start thinking… “What am I doing wrong?”

The truth is… Probably nothing. Your journey towards securing a role is just a bit different to others. You are just doing something you’ve never done before. Educational institutions taught you your profession. They didn’t teach you how to find your first job. And that is a completely different skill.

So my advice is simple. Don’t make your job search only about quality or only about quantity. Try something closer to a 70/30 split.

70% of your effort should go into roles where you genuinely fit. Research the company. Understand the position. Work on your resume. Write the cover letter if it’s required. Make the application count.

Then use the other 30% for quantity. Look at companies you’d genuinely like to work for. If they’re hiring graduates and only require a degree, regardless of discipline, apply.

Every application is part of the learning process. The first resume you send won’t be your best. The first cover letter probably won’t be either. The first interview might be uncomfortable. That’s okay. You’re learning.

Don’t compare your job search to someone else’s. You don’t know their contacts. You don’t know their circumstances. And you certainly don’t know how many applications they made before they finally got that job.

Your first job search isn’t just about getting a job. It’s also about learning how to get one. And that is a skill you’ll use for the rest of your career.

Need personalised help with this?

I have spent 15 years on the hiring side of the table. I have interviewed thousands of candidates and seen exactly what works and what does not. Book a session and I will give you direct, honest advice based on your specific situation.