Useful sources of information and vacancies for Graduates
- Job Seeking on the Internet
- Job Hunting in the North West
- Newspapers and Journals
- Speculative Job Hunting
- Recruitment Agencies
- Further Help
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There are many websites on the internet offering careers advice and job vacancies. The sources below are particularly useful for you if you're looking for jobs after you've graduated from University:
From the Sunday Times, lists the best small, medium and large companies to work for, based on surveys of the actual employees who work there.
The only website of its kind: a comprehensive guide to ethical careers, job seeking, volunteering and self-employment. Full of features, news, career advice, profiles, and helpful resources. Plus, lots of jobs vacancies.
Prospects.ac.uk - the UK's official graduate careers website
Graduate Prospects produce a series of recruitment publications and provides online information via the UK's official graduate recruitment website. You can search for current graduate vacancies and access a whole range of careers information.
Through this website, you can register with My Prospects, where you will get access to a range of services including job vacancies by e-mail or text message.
Register to receive the free online-only digital careers magazine Prospects Graduate. This is published online every fortnight and packed full of the latest jobs, postgraduate courses, advice and information.
Offers in-depth information on a specific range of occupations and is a good source of graduate vacancies, company profiles and events news. As they only work with leading professional bodies, you can be sure that their information is of a high standard.
This is a useful government website offering job listings, information, advice and useful links to other organisations.
KTP offers graduates with a good degree the chance to work for a successful organisation, managing and delivering a project which is core to the development of the organisation's strategy. KTP offers the chance to apply your degree, start a real job, and gain a professional qualification. See the KTP website for more information.
This website is split in two sections – one for careers advice, the second for graduate opportunities. The careers advice area contains graduate profiles, sector specific information and general careers advice. The vacancy database contains over 15,000 jobs with over 1,000 employers.
- University of Salford Virtual Careers Library
Use the Virtual Library to find information on different occupations, with useful websites listed to give you further information, advice and key contacts for job hunting.
The following resources may be useful for anyone considering permanent or temporary employment in the local area after finishing University:
- Directories
First Move Northwest is a new publication with a regional directory of smaller businesses that are open to graduate applications. Come and collect a copy from Careers and Employability whilst stocks last.
- GMeP Portal
You can search for vacancies with the Greater Manchester local authorities via the GMeP website.
- Local newspapers can sometimes be a source of both graduate vacancies and part time work. Our topic guide Newspapers in the North West provides a listing of many of the local newspapers in the area. Collect this guide from Careers and Employability or download it here.
- For more extensive information on, job hunting in the north west, pick up the handout Information on Job Vacancies in the North West. Collect this guide from Careers and Employability.
Newspapers and Journals
National and regional newspapers are a great source of graduate vacancies and can now be searched easily online.
Our topic guide Graduate Vacancies in Newspapers and Journals provides a listing of where you can find graduate vacancies in newspapers and some selected journals. Collect this guide from Careers and Employability or download it here.
Local newspapers can sometimes be a source of both graduate vacancies and part time work. Our topic guide Newspapers in the North West provides a listing of many of the local newspapers in the area. Collect this guide from Careers and Employability.
Many vacancies are filled by candidates who approach organisations on a speculative basis. This usually involves sending off a CV with a covering letter to companies; however, it is vital to do some preliminary investigation to find out more about the organisation and its employees. You need to make sure that you know enough about the company to decide if a particular organisation should be targeted i.e. that you have something to offer them as well as vice-versa, or discover if they are expanding or recruiting.
Research is essential to avoid wasting your (and their) time.
Ideas for researching companies both in general and in specific industries may be found on our 'researching companies' webpages.
The topic guide Working for an SME has information on working for/researching Small or Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Collect this guide from Careers and Employability.
You may find it useful to pick up a copy of the handout Writing a Covering Letter. Collect this guide from Careers and Employability.
Recruitment Agencies
Recruitment agencies deal with jobs from all employment sectors and advertise vacancies covering permanent and temporary positions. Many agencies are members of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), which is the national body that represents the recruitment industry. Recruitment agencies are a popular tool for finding a job, and, used properly, they may be able to help you in your search for a graduate career. More information about recruitment agencies is available.
Further Help
Key Schemes for Graduates Seeking Work
There are a variety of schemes and websites aimed specifically at unemployed graduates to help with job searching, work experience and development of key skills. You may find it useful to view our Career Basic guide Job Hunting for Graduates. You can also collect a copy of this guide from Career & Employability.
Electronic Books
An electronic or e-book is essentially a book made available via a computer screen. There is now a range of e-books available that will help you with your job-hunting, applications and interviews that you can read on the screen. Selected titles have been evaluated by Careers Advisers from Careers and Employability at the University of Salford to ensure that the material is relevant to your needs.
Getting Started
Within Careers and Employability is an extensive careers library, which has information on a variety of occupations, giving an insight into entry requirements, training needed, salary and working conditions plus key information on where to look for job vacancies within the sector. There is a specific section on Getting Started which has information on other job seeking strategies such as networking, as well as information on assessment centres and going for interviews.
Help is available from your University Careers and Employability service:
Create your CV / Get your CV checked
You may need to submit a CV to an employer to apply for a placement opportunity. A CV is a document which summarises your qualifications and experience to date. Use our "Creating a CV" handout to help you create your own CV. If you feel you need to speak to a Careers Consultant on a one-to-one basis about your CV or applications that you are making, you can book a 30 minute appointment up to one week in advance where you can use the time to get some immediate feedback on your CV or the content of your applications.
Completing Application Forms
You may need to complete an application form to apply for a placement opportunity. Use our “Application Forms” handout to help you. Make a copy of the placement application form and try completing it. If you feel you need to speak to a Careers Consultant on a one-to-one basis about your applications that you are making, you can book a 20 minute appointment up to one week in advance where you can use the time to get some immediate feedback on the content of your applications.
Interviews
Use our "Interviews" handout to help you prepare yourself for interviews. If a Careers Consultant feels that you would benefit from a further appointment after the initial 20 minute inteview they will arrange a further longer appointment with you, which will allow a fuller discussion regarding your career options. A Careers Consultant will listen to your ideas, help you identify your strengths, weaknesses and skills and assist you in relating all of these things to the world of work. Careers and Employability also offers a mock interview service so you can practise- ring Careers and Employability for details.
Appointments
Appointments are available for current students/graduates of the University of Salford. To make an appointment, either call into Careers and Employability in person or ring 0161 295 5088.
If you find it difficult to make it to the Careers Office, you can e-mail your careers questions to our team of advisers.