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Graduate job hunters told to avoid seeming desperate

Published: Tuesday, 05 January 2010   Category: Career Advice

Former students searching for their first graduate job have been told to avoid sounding desperate when making applications as this will fail to give off the right impression.

According to an article for the Boston Herald, Thomas Shea, chief executive of outplacement company Right Management, argues that prospective employers will be reluctant to take on staff appearing frantic to secure a position.

He said: "Letting them know how badly you need a job - that's not going to make companies hire you."

Instead, he recommended a graduate drawing up a shortlist of some companies they would like to work for and then focus their time on completing tasks that show the specific skills the firm may be missing.

"The only reason you're going to get hired is if you're perceived as being a solution to an employer's problem," Mr Shea added.

In a recent article in the Daily Telegraph, graduate job hunter Josh O'Byrne highlighted the role that an internship could have when competing for employment.