Whether you are intending to job search with a Foundation (or equivalent) or Honours degree, this section directs you towards relevant online resources.

Top Tips

Start by ensuring you are up-to-date on your preparation with a positive relevant CV and covering letter. If you are applying to graduate recruiters, you must expect to encounter graduate application forms and possibly graduate aptitude testing. Go to the section on Employability for advice.

If you are studying on a Foundation degree (or equivalent) and intend to continue on to complete an Honours degree, you will need to be ready to make applications to graduate recruiters for annual training schemes from the beginning of your final or Top-up year.

If you intend to job hunt after completing your Foundation degree/HND/HNC/DipHE, you do not qualify for graduate-entry training schemes intended for Honours graduates. However, these same employers could well be interested in your application for other posts.

Find out which days your local and national newspapers and specialist journals advertise the kinds of jobs you are interested in. When possible check job adverts online.

Register with job search websites to ensure that you are not missing out on location or target job post.

Register for relevant recruitment agencies to be short-listed for suitable vacancies. Also useful for temporary jobs as a way in and to gain relevant experience.

Don’t be put off by titles and salaries. Check the job description to see if you can do the job.

Be proactive and consider contacting employers with a speculative application. Many jobs are never advertised, a vacancy may occur in the near future, or a post could be created for you because you present yourself so successfully.

Focus on quality rather than quantity in your job hunt.

If your preferred job is not immediately available, you should consider taking a more flexible approach (such as a bridging short-term placement) to build up your experience. Otherwise, you could look at other jobs which use your skills. For ideas use Prospects Planner or other online career tools in the Career Planning section.

A creative career might be possible within permanent full-time jobs but is more likely to be a portfolio combination, such as two (or more) part-time jobs or a permanent job plus self-employment or a temporary contract plus self-employment.

UK and other EEA citizens (from European Economic Area countries) are free to live and work in any EEA country and Switzerland. For information on working overseas, go to www.prospects.ac.uk/working_abroad.htm .

Students at Bournemouth & Poole College should contact the HE Employer Engagement Officer, Jeff Chartrand, for help with CVs, letters, interview advice and finding employers. E-mail: he@thecollege.co.uk to make an appointment or visit Room 128A Lansdowne campus.

Useful Links

• http://mycareerhub.bournemouth.ac.uk/
  Bournemouth University Graduate Employment Service - BU students only for part-time, placement or graduate job, campus events, ask a question or book an appointment
   
• www.graduatejobsouth.co.uk/
  GJS Graduate Jobs South - online recruitment service set up by universities in the south to help students and graduates find employment in the south region
   
• www.prospects.ac.uk/job_hunting.htm
  Graduate Prospects - national careers site for HE students studying in the UK
   
• www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs_and_work_experience.htm
  Graduate Prospects
   
• www.prospects.ac.uk/links/finalist
  Prospects Finalist digital magazine for job-hunting final year degree students
   
• www.prospects.ac.uk/links/jobvacs
  Graduate Prospects - job vacancies for current graduates
   
• www.prospects.ac.uk/links/jobsandcourses
  Graduate Prospects - digital magazine for current graduates
   
• www.prospects.ac.uk/links/coprofiles
  Graduate Prospects - Graduate employers
   
• www.prospects.ac.uk/prospectsfairs
   
• www.gradsouthwest.com/
  South West graduate recruitment service - supported by universities in the south west
   
• http://nextstep.direct.gov.uk/
  Next Step careers site - click on sub-heading 'Getting a job'
   
• http://jobseekers.direct.gov.uk/
  Jobcentre Plus - government online Jobs and Skills search
   
• www.indeed.co.uk/
  Job search engine – target job vacancies with role and location
   
• www.directions.org.uk/getting-in/skills-employers-want/networking/
  Financial Skills Partnership Sector Skills Council – advice from employers on how networking can support your job hunting
   
• www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/CJ.htm
  University of Kent Careers Advisory Service - 'The Creative Career Search'
   
• www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/jobs/creativejobsearch
  University of Sussex Careers & Employability Centre
   
• www.rec.uk.com
  The Recruitment & Employment Confederation - search for employment agencies by clicking on 'I am a Jobseeker' and 'Find an Agency' box
   
• www.jobs.ac.uk/
  Lead international job board for careers in academic, research, science and related professions
   
• http://targetjobs.co.uk/
  GTI Media - go to sub-heading 'Careers advice' for 'Job-hunting tools download' + 'Acceptance and rejection'
   
• www.insidecareers.co.uk/
  Inside Careers - graduate jobs in 'Business & Management', 'City & Finance', 'Engineering & Technology'
   
• www.totaljobs.com/Graduate/
  Totaljobs Group - Career advice and Graduate Zone
   
• www.do-it.org.uk/
  YouthNet/Do-it – volunteer work opportunities within the UK, connecting people who need help with people who want to help them
   
• www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/eucitizens/
  Home Office UK Border Agency - rules for European nationals living and working in the UK
   
• www.eurograduate.com/
  The European Graduate Career Guide – articles and jobs
   
• www.thepaperboy.com/magazines/
  For job ads search by subject for links to specialist magazines
   
• www.thepaperboy.com/
  Links to 5000 online newspapers worldwide - search on UK (for national and local papers) or by country and select your language. Use a Jobs search for recent job adverts.
   
• www.thomsonlocal.com/
  UK searchable online directory
   
• www.yell.com/
  UK searchable online directory
   
• www.kompass.com/
  Global searchable directory