Here are some typical gripes:

- not showing up to an interview
- not giving an excuse or apology for the no-show
- not asking to reschedule
- not respecting the interviewer’s time

There’s even an anecdote from Cathy Richardson that illustrates the problem.

What recruiters and employers alike can’t understand, is that given the scarcity of opportunities, why are some job seekers (not necessarily graduates by the way) not enthusiastic enough to take the application process seriously and respect other people’s time?

Judging by the amount of stories now circulating about poor manners, one way to stand out from the crowd of other job seekers is to behave impeccably throughout the whole process.

Because people will feel well-disposed towards you if you’re polite and personable.

Don’t be late
Get your applications in before the deadline. Always be on time for an in-person or phone interview. Otherwise your interviewer will think you have a similarly casual attitude to working hours.

Give plenty of notice if you need to reschedule
If you’re on the short-list, most companies or recruiters will be happy to oblige requests to reschedule if something serious comes up. Give as much notice as you can and apologise for the inconvenience.

Keep people informed
If you’ve changed your mind and are no longer interested in the job, let the company or recruiter know. They might be able to give your interviewing slot to another applicant.

Likewise, if you’re applying to, say, two companies, and accept an offer from one of them, let the other company know. It allows them to move on with their hiring process.

Photo credit: Nicolasnova

In the US, the NY Times reports that nearly half of the total unemployed have been out of work for more than six months, while in the UK, HR Magazine reports that around one third of the unemployed have been out of work for more than a year – particularly true of the over-50s, where the percentage is just over 40%.

Long-term unemployment can create its own set of obstacles to finding work. Apart from a loss of self-esteem, not being “in the swing of things” can mean job skills, contacts and experience can quickly become outdated. Here are some ideas for getting out of the trap.

Keep your skills fresh
Make an inventory of your work skills – both job-specific and transferable – then ask yourself which are in danger of becoming rusty through lack of use.

If the roles you’re going for require an up-to-date knowledge and application of certain skills, you’ll need to find any opportunity you can to make sure you can meet these requirements. Search out subsidised / free training schemes, free tutorials or small projects that will allow you to keep your hand in.

You can also extend your existing skills (build on what you currently know to bring greater value to an employer) or consider how you could transfer them to a new sector. (See Adapt to Survive for examples.)

Know which way the wind is blowing
Two employment trends will have a significant impact on where to find opportunities:

- only a third of employment growth has been in full-time positions.
- with cuts in the public sector, most opportunities will be in the private sector

Other research, also from HR Magazine reveals the findings of a survey of small and medium-size companies. 30% are planning on employing new staff in the next six months, but only 5% of these will be graduates.

More job search strategies for tough times can be found here.

Be prepared for continuing shifts in the job market
A full-time, permanent job may not be the model of the future. Rather, a collection of temporary or part-time roles that you work concurrently could be a more likely scenario.

To gain an edge over other applicants, offer a prospective employer terms that are favourable and low-risk to them. Flexi, or reduced hours, project-based or consultancy type arrangements, try-before-you-buy options could all be interesting ways to tempt reluctant employers.

Photo credit: _sarchi

There’s a lot more advice now for graduates than when I left Uni. The only thing I knew then was that I didn’t want a job where I’d have to wear a suit. Half naive, half strangely prophetic, but not much use as a career road map.

I wish I could go back to the person I was then, and with the benefit of hindsight, tell me that it was all going to be fine.

This is the advice that I wish I’d known:

It’s OK not to have a mapped-out career
Unless you’ve always had a burning conviction to be an auditor or an underwriter, experiment and live life a little. Get a feel for what you enjoy doing and have a talent for. Locking yourself into one career path can be limiting.

You are ultimately responsible for your career
Only you can be in charge. If you rely on one employer for career development or opportunities, then you’re abdicating responsibility for your job satisfaction. Do what you have to do to stay ahead of your game.

Individuals more than companies can help you in your career. Find mentors and get close to people who count. Their support and personal recommendations will catapault you higher than anything else – even more than your CV will.

The more you can do, the better
Always be learning, and use your skills laterally. How can they propel you to new careers or new opportunities?

It’s very easy to get in a rut. Once you’re in your comfort zone, you start to make excuses not to change it. But real career growth and opportunities come from putting your head above the parapet every once in a while.

The people that have the most interesting careers aren’t always the ones that earn the most
This is probably obvious to most people, but it took me a long time to realise that very few people have it all.

You can earn lots of money but not have a hugely interesting job, have satisfying or fulfilling work but not earn a fortune.

But one thing is sure. If you want to earn £££, without fail, you’ll need to put in the hours.

Your priorities change as you get older
Be kind to yourself and drop the punishing schedules when they get in the way of your work-life balance.

It’s easy to be mediocre
It’s much harder to be really good – even if only once in a while. You can take the easy, straightforward path and never do much more than the expected. But to be excellent means you’ll have a lot more failures in between the peaks.

So, what do you wish you’d known when you were a grad? What advice would you have given yourself?

Photo credit: citta-vita

There’s plenty in here that will inspire and rejuvenate your job search. Here are some of my favourite snippets of advice:

Accept the principles of job search. “All job search advice applies to you… understand it and tweak it to make it work for you.” (Jason Alba)

Know your value. “Understand, communicate and market yourself based on the value you will bring… if you can’t explain what you can do in 20 seconds go back to the drawing board.” (Lance Haun)

Be clear on what you want and believe in yourself. “now your destination and pursue it with abandon.” (Mark Stelzner)

Differentiate yourself. “Be different and be distinct. (Lisa Rosendahl)

Network. “My first job was based on what I knew. But every other job I’ve had was because of who I knew. (Sharlyn Lauby)

Keep it in perspective. “A job is a means to a paycheck. Money is important, but you are left with the eternal search to find happiness, meaning and love in your life.” (Laurie Ruettimann)

Do something that makes you happy. “When you choose your career path, choose one that will make you happy. Don’t settle for anything less.” (Alexander Kjerulf)

You can download the ebook here.

The Guardian says that graduates face the most intense scramble in a decade to get a job, and that graduates with anything less than a 2:1 risk being passed over.

Of course, there are comments here and there that none of this is new: graduating in the recessions of the 80’s and 90’s was certainly no picnic. On the other hand, there weren’t quite so many graduates competing for opportunities twenty and thirty years ago.

So this blog post is a shout-out to two sites which are providing a platform for discussion, debate and helpful advice for recent grads:

The Guardian career site
Check out the Live Q&A on unpaid internships for some great discussion and advice
@GuardianCareers

Graduate Fog – Tanya de Grunwald’s fabulous crusading site for clear, “tell it as it is” advice, help and support for graduates.
@GraduateFog

Photo credit: CarbonNYC

MeettheRealMe.co.uk is designed specifically for graduates without extensive work experience, and for those interested in customer-facing roles, where confident communication skills are important.

To give focus and interest to the video CV, candidate give answers to three questions:

- What do you like to do outside work or study and what you get out of it?

- Tell us about your work experience so far or, if you are just starting a career, tell us about your studies, qualifications and jobs you’ve had.

- Why should someone employ you? What gives you the edge over candidates? What skills and personal attributes you have that makes you stand out from the rest?

Here are some tips for making your video CV stand out.

Avoid fluffy statements
Don’t make a statement like “I am a creative person who is extremely committed to the things I’m passionate about. I have a strong drive to accomplish every challenge.” It tells a potential employer precisely zero about you, or the value you might bring.

Be specific, eliminate buzzwords, and find real examples of your achievements.

Give them a reason to watch
If paper CVs get ten seconds’ reading time, a video CV has even less chance of being viewed, unless you can make a strong, initial impact.

Tell a story of how you made or saved money, a project you accomplished and where you got great results, an initiative you got off the ground… something that appeals because it demonstrates commercial savvy, team-work, initiative or tenacity. Use a hook to reel in your audience, then tell your story without waffling.

What’s in it for me?
Whatever you say has to answer this basic question. Remember, you’re selling yourself to an employer. What have you got that they might want? Spell out how you can add value – don’t assume that your first class honours degree is going to ring bells all on its own.

Why did you choose your degree subject? What skills did it teach you? How might these be of interest to an employer? The fact that my French degree enables me to translate a line of Balzac in five seconds flat is not of much interest. But because I’m fluent in French, I can spot BS from a French supplier from five yards, or I can make a French-speaking visitor and potential client comfortable when she’s visiting your factory – these are skills which have business value.

Inject personality into your video
Write and rehearse your script. But your aim is also to persuade and entertain. Smile, speak naturally so you get some intonation in your voice, and avoid a corporate bland style. Try to find ways to express your enthusiasm and personality as well as showing exactly how you can make a difference to the bottom line of a company.

Despite the Chancellor’s prediction that unemployment will peak at 8% this year, John Philpott, chief economic adviser at the CIPD, said in Personnel Today “rather than peaking at 8% this year, unemployment will continue to rise toward three million (10%) by the time Mr Osborne’s measures take full effect. This will add to public borrowing and debt, not reduce it.”

And as for future growth, he went on to say “The emergency Budget is not the beginning of the end of the UK’s post-recession economic difficulty, but the start of a period of painfully slow growth, falling living standards, and prolonged high unemployment.”

Combine these gloomy predictions with benefit cuts, and job seekers may be forgiven for thinking that they are bearing the brunt of the austerity measures. So what strategies will work best for finding work when everyone’s tightening their belt?

Target the private sector
Savage cuts and a pay freeze makes this sector unappealing. But there’s not much (if any) slack in the private sector either, so if you’re going after private sector jobs, consider these ways to stand out from other applicants:

Network your way in
Consider networking as less “giss’us a job” and more “you scratch my back, I scratch yours”. Effective networking is not a business card swap frenzy, but a two-way process.

And it doesn’t need to be called “networking” to be useful, either. Talk to people – from as many different sources as you can – and ask them about where they work, what sort of people are employed there, what their opportunities or challenges are. Show genuine interest in what they say and in their position, and offer snippets of information and referrals before you ask for the same.

As well as spreading your net wide, develop a job search strategy. Target companies you’d like to work for, and find a way to network in to them. Use everything at your disposal: contacts, social networking sites like LinkedIn and twitter to get to know people who might have a need for your talents. Get to know people across the company you’re interested in, as employee referral schemes are a great way to get the attention of a hiring manager.

Consider this type of focussed networking as more of a long-term strategy, but by getting you an “in”, it’s one of the surest ways to hear about jobs before they’re even advertised.

Be focussed rather than a jack of all trades
If you’re going to the trouble of creating a job-search strategy, apply this same focus to how you present yourself through your CV and covering letter. Althouh a hiring manager is far more likely to see your CV if an existing employee has passed it on, you’re not going to get far if the CV falls short of the mark. Take the time to make a good impression with a well-targetted and focussed CV.

Develop your skills
It’s now more essential than ever that you have something to offer – not only for advertised jobs, but also when you pitch yourself to companies either speculatively or via your network. You need to be crystal clear on what you offer in terms of skills. Download free tutorials, attend free or cheap courses, use the local library to make sure your skills are up to date.

Translate your skills into bottom-line impact. Think in financials: how have your abilities allowed your employers to save / make money; cut time / procedures; streamline processes etc. Paint a picture for the hiring manager that shows just how you can apply your skills and create value.

Take survival jobs
Worry about how they might look on your CV afterwards. Really. If you’re in a sticky situation financially, do what you’ve got to do now to stay afloat.

I’ve been a tea-lady (once) and worked in telesales (twice) when I needed something quick to pay the rent and reduce my overdraft. And although I’ve always been ready to explain why I’ve done these jobs, I’ve never needed to. Nobody is going to argue with your priority for putting food on the table.

And in any case, there’s always something to learn in any job. Even if it is patience, tenacity, or the ability to smile through a dirty joke diplomacy.

Consider working for yourself
Freelancers and micro businesses often move faster than more established or bigger businesses. If you’ve got the right combination of skills and a potential market or clients, it’s worth considering. Start small, keep your costs to a bare minimum, and get a good accountant to take you through the red tape.

Be prepared to go against the flow
I’ve never got a job from a newspaper, and I’ve never got a job from an online job board. Who knows why – they’ve just never worked for me. And I predict there’s even more dross to come in terms of advertised “jobs” to lure unsuspecting and desperate job seekers: more work from home scams, get rich schemes, and paid internships.

So don’t waste time where the pickings are slim to none. Ditch what doesn’t work for you. Your time is precious enough as it is, without you spending it fruitlessly in places just because that’s where everyone else says to look.

Photo credit: kaet44

How much of a stretch would it be to move from a stagnant or “dying” industry (take radio, as an example) to an evolving industry online? How many of the same skills could someone in radio production use in the production of podcasts or other online audio content?

If you’re finding it hard to get ahead in your present career, perhaps because the industry you’re working in is on its knees, or because it’s particularly vulnerable to undercutting by cheaper competitors, it makes sense to start looking around for ways you can use your current skills and strengths.

List your skills
Start by working out what your skills are: the specific skills you need to do your job, and the transferable skills. Think in terms of wide categories, such as leadership / mentoring, communication, or research / planning skills; as well as the specific technical, practical or creative abilities you need in your job. You might be able to apply both types of skills to other roles or sectors.

Be clear on what you want and what you can offer
Acknowledging that your role is under threat of extinction can give you a great sense of liberation. You’re no longer psychologically tied to pursuing certain opportunities just because you trained or developed skills in them. It’s a good time to work out what type of job, company or industry would give you career satisfaction.

This is often a time when hiring a good career coach helps. Otherwise, even a simple list where you write down what you want or don’t want from a job can help define your thoughts.

In tandem with your list of requirements, think objectively and commercially about what you can bring to an organisation or business. Why would anyone hire you? How can you market your skills and strengths to a potential employer? What unique edge do you have over other applicants?

Target inudstries and companies
Which industries will need someone with your background? Professional experience in most print industries (publishing, journalism, radio etc) can translate well online. A Guardian Q&A on new roles in journalism discussed some of these opportunities recently.

Keep an eye out for emerging trends, such as green technology. The sector may be different, but traditional functions such as marketing, sales, IT, finance (and even manufacturing up to a certain point) are still required. Transferring your role out of one sector into another may require you to upgrade your skills, so research how much time / money you’ll need to spend to get up to speed.

Then start pinpointing companies and organisations which satisfy all the above criteria. It’s much easier to concentrate your job search efforts once you’ve established the best match for your talents. It means that your networking efforts are more targeted and, crucially, that your CV and interview performance is more convincing.

Photo credit: digitalART2

Somehow, it just doesn’t ring true. If you’re really passionate about something, you don’t normally have to say it – it shows in your attitude, in the words you use and in the way you describe something. In the context of a job search, saying “I’m passionate about…” sounds like “I’m desperate”. As in, “I’m so desperate for a job that I’ll say anything I think you want to hear.”

Plus, “I’m passionate about” is a bit of a cliche.

Rather than saying you’re passionate, prove genuine interest and real motivation throughout the whole application process from CV to interview, with these five key personality traits:

Persistence
Someone might not have a job for you this week, but there’s no harm asking if you can stay in touch for future possibilities. Ask if there’s any chances of volunteering, getting involved, or helping out in one way or another. Persistence can pay off – especially if you offer something of value to the organisation and are genuine about wanting the job.

Ask to be put on a waiting list (if you’re applying at the wrong time for a work placement, for example). Ask for feedback on how you did in an interview. Ask for referrals or advice about your next step. Ask politely and firmly and show you’re appreciative of feedback.

Being likeable
Ask someone to define likeable, and you’ll probably get a variety of replies. For me it’s showing yourself to be the sort of person that will fit in and not piss people off. So no whining, no entitlement complexes, a bit of humility, a sense of humour…

Before your interview, get a feel for the company culture – preferably by talking to people working there. At interview, ask about the type of people who do well in the organisation. What makes them successful or noteworthy?

For more tips on how to make yourself more likeable, check out this post from GL Hoffman.

Reliability
When there are fewer people doing the work of more, being reliable keeps you in favour. But more than just a question of willingness to work overtime, reliability is about doing what you say you’ll do.

Show off your reliability in your CV and interview by highlighting long-term or complicated projects that required your dedication and tenacity, as well as promotions and career progression that prove your value as a steady pair of hands.

Astuteness
Make sure you’ve done your research so you can show how you understand the demands of the role or the organisation, and – just as critically – how you have the right experience to respond to these challenges. Use your knowledge of their processes, the market, or mutual contacts to your advantage.

Enthusiasm
Without this, you aren’t going to get very far. One of the most common interview questions “Why do you want this job?” should be addressed all the way through your application materials. What makes it great – apart from the salary or benefits? How can you see yourself working there, adding value and getting recognition or satisfaction from a job well done?

When there are 100+ applicants for each position, making your enthusiasm shine through is one of the easiest ways to stand out from those who are just going through the application motions.

Photo credit: dark_mephi

- general rudeness
- failure to ask relevant questions
- asking for a CV before finding out about the candidate
- failure to get relevant details (few took a phone number, and less than half even asked the candidate’s name)
- not making the “candidate” feel confident he’d phoned someone who could genuinely help
- not booking him in for a face-to-face interview (claimed as a core part of the service on website)

There’s obvioulsy a huge difference in how recruiters operate, from headhunters who are looking for specific talent for blue chip companies, to those right at the other end of the scale. I can’t resist this quote by Nick Corcodilos (Ask the Headhunter) “Please don’t make the mistake of thinking that those schlocks who scrape your resume off job boards and contact you with “opportunities” are headhunters. They’re hacks dialing for dollars…”

If you’re having a “bad recruiter day” on the phone, get the conversation back on track with these tips:

- ask questions
What types of positions are available? What skills / background are their clients particularly asking for? Find out how the recruiter works, so you know what to expect from them.

- find out their CV preferences
How would the recruiter like to see your CV presented? How many pages is too long? (Some prefer short CVs, others will want to see everything relevant.)

The main thing is to get as much information as possible so you know whether or not you answer at least the basic needs of the client. Then address these needs clearly and prominently on your CV.

Be realistic: if you’re too much of a stretch, or missing essential qualities, you’re not going to get past the gatekeeper for the job – the recruiter.

- give the recruiter something to go on
Have a quick bio prepared in which you succintly say what you’re best able to do, with a brief overview of your previous employment and accomplishments, and then clearly state what your career goals are.

- be prepared to take advice
Your recruiter knows far more about the vacancy, organisation and hiring manager than you do at this stage. If you get advice, act on it.

- help the recruiter help you
Focus on building a more long-term relationship with specialist recruiters in your field. Be helpful now – not so much for immediate openings, but for future possibilities and introductions. Network with a good recruiter in much the same way as you would with other professional contacts. Pass on information, or the names of people you know who might be great for a vacancy, and who are open to being contacted.

Remember the rule: recruiters are paid to fill positions, not to work on your behalf. Help them do this, and you’ll a) save yourself worrying about why they aren’t getting back to you, and b) distinguish yourself from other job seekers by giving – as well as taking – from the process.

- be polite
Even if the recruiter you speak to seems rude, be professional right back so you don’t burn bridges. Thank people for their time, and ask when you should call back. Don’t keep calling to ask if there are any vacancies. Be patient.

– don’t rely solely on recruiters
Go out and do your own networking to find hidden opportunities. Recruiters are not the only way you might find a job.

- shop around
If you don’t think you can get along with one agency or recruiter, find others.

Look online, too. There are pleny of recruiters active on Twitter. Get into the conversation with them there, read their blogs, make sure you’ve got a decent LinkedIn profile to link to from your bio. Social media is a great way to build relationships, and to get yourself known, before you’re asked to just send in your CV.