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A 2014 LinkedIn study asked students what they value most when considering a job. The results show that students value work/life balance most, closely followed by benefits, company culture, clear career progression, and a sense of pride about where you work (as fifth out of five).

Work-hard. Play-hard.

Opportunities for the above values, as well as greater responsibility and flexibility, are available when you get graduate jobs at an SME. I can vouch for that. Having joined a start-up in 2014 who were making waves in the graduate recruitment industry, relatively little micro-management enabled me to have creative control over the content I was producing, assess the analytics of campaigns and get good work noticed.

There are a number of thing you can do outside of the classroom during your time at university that will help towards securing dream graduate jobs.

Volunteer

Volunteering abroad is a great experience and looks great on your CV – and so does volunteering locally. Approach your university, local charities and not-for-profit organisations to gain relevant industry experience. For other industries, network professionally and set up a week's work shadowing during reading week, or two days a week at a local agency.

Get part-time work

A part-time job gives you the facts and figures to back up your well-written graduate CV, and you never know what connections you’ll make through your work.

Make the most of media

Contribute to university media outlets. There are multiple opportunities ready for the taking on campus, including: writing for the university newspaper, hosting or producing a university radio/TV show or getting involved in the annual fashion show.

Recruiters receive hundreds of CV applications for graduate jobs every day, so it’s crucial you make your CV the best it can be. A recruiter has specific roles in mind when sifting through applications, so it’s essential you tailor your CV to every job you apply for. 

What’s your story?

Recruiters are interested in the route you took to get where you are today. Did you spend a gap year backpacking around Australia? Mention it! The less unexplained gaps in your CV and the more relevant details you give, the easier it will be for them to see your development.

What’s your Unique Selling Point?

Picture this: Ten people with the same degree, same grade from the same university apply for the same job. Who will be invited to the interview? The candidate who is able to stand out and draw attention to what makes them different. It could be that you were involved with a charity, organising events at university, winning prizes for outstanding achievements, writing a blog, etc. If you did something unique, include it in your CV. It demonstrates that you’re a well-rounded individual, and could take you one step closer to securing great graduate jobs.