A five minute catch up and my employment tips

I’ve done temporary work since finishing uni, but I’ve now got extremely bored. So I decided to apply for a master’s degree at The University of Sheffield and to my amazement I got accepted on the course ‘Magazine Journalism’. And yes, I would LOVE to ideally work for a magazine and this course offers everything I’ve ever dreamed of but I’m finding it difficult to justify spending £A LOT OF DOLLAR on a year’s course. Is it worth it? Why is it so difficult to find a job nowadays? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Anyhow, this post isn’t about me moaning about monotonous life decisions. It’s about little tips that I’ve picked up along the way to help you find employment.

1.       Look the part – first impressions do count. Especially in fashion journalism! (Devil Wears Prada dilemma).

2.       Do background research. This includes figures, founders, duties, job description etc.

3.       Polish your online profile. This includes Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. Most employers do now check your social networking sites to see your bad habits (images with you and a blow up doll with a traffic cone on your head whilst wearing a tutu are a no go).

4.       Proof read. This includes your CV and cover letter, correct any grammar or spelling mistakes and proof read time after time after time!

5.  Stand out. Hundreds of job seekers are applying for that one position so you need to make sure you get remembered. To get your foot in the door, make your application more personal. For example, I applied for a job at a fashion magazine and the font in the magazine looks like this – I wrote my entire CV and cover letter in this font.

6.       Show some energy. Be full of beans when visiting a potential employer. Don’t be polite and lethargic like me, god that gets you nowhere! Prove to the employer that you’re willing to try your best and put 100% effort in your work. It’s a learning curve – I’m getting there ;)