Finding a graduate job is the ultimate goal after years of hard work and continuous learning, not to mention the small fortune spent on earning the prized degree which now needs to be used as more than a wall decoration.

Unfortunately, a certificate showcasing your degree and qualifications will not be the magical final ingredient to successful employment and you will need to devise a plan to help you find a graduate job in South Africa.

Start off by approaching the career guidance offices or centre available at most campuses. Many graduate programs are run through university systems, as some offer scholarships or employment incentives. Furthermore, having good relationships with your lecturers will also help you to keep abreast of what is happening in your chosen field. Where are graduate jobs more readily available, what are companies looking for when potentially hiring graduates?

Whilst you should have been focused on your studies, the time spent with fellow students will also have increased any networking potential, which is also an invaluable and useful tool when looking for jobs requiring graduates. Fellow students could even recommend your CV at their own places of work.

In today’s technological age, the personal touch of physically dropping your resume off at places that you may wish to work at remains a valid searching method for finding graduate jobs, however, technology has made the search for graduate jobs in South or abroad much more accessible. Larger companies have websites where you can directly apply and submit your CV online.

Enlist the services of graduate recruitment agencies which assist companies looking for graduates or keep it simple and do your own Google searches which will direct you to multiple websites where graduate jobs are advertised.

Lastly, keeping the unpredictability of social media in mind, make sure that any resumes that you submit online are current and appropriate for the position you are looking for, while also ensuring your public online presence gives a flattering first impression.