After successfully getting a job straight out of university working for a political pressure group that I interviewed for my undergraduate dissertation, I had assumed that I had escaped the almighty chase to find employment. However with my first job ending due to lack of funding, and with no further employment opportunities, I was soon to join the rest of the ambitious graduates following the unpaid internship route. But like most, I could not afford to do this after the first three months (even with part time paid work), so what was the alternative?
The alternative was to write countless, often time consuming, applications without receiving a response. At this point, given my area of interest in politics and the third sector I had experience working for a political pressure group, local government and high-powered political journalists. Out of sheer determination of wanting to stay in this area of work I persevered.
And one day I got a call from Harris Hill, a charity recruitment agency, who had been recruiting for a job I had applied for through Guardian Jobs. After finding out I wasn't successful for the job I had applied for, I had been invited in to meet with them.
Now I understand, recruitment agencies don't always have the best reputation, and when you factor in their commission, they do effectively take a fairly large chunk of your wage. But as a graduate with limited routes to continue earning money in my chosen sector, I didn't really care.
And so far, it has paid off. Working with the consultants at the agency has given me two extremely good opportunities to work for some of the most influential organisations in the UK; Action for Children and KnowHow NonProfit at the NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations). Working on exciting social media campaigns and building new online platforms for third sector people to share knowledge online. These placements have been temporary while I continue (both independently and with the agency) to search for a permanent job, but I could not think of a better way to spend my time during this depressing lull. I actually get paid for the work that I do, while learning skills and establishing real relationships with key professional organisations.
Being able to talk to and get feedback from these consultants actually gave me a little hope, something you very, very rarely get applying for jobs online. I was finally given the chance to show off my enthusiasm and personality to an adviser who could then vouch for me for any upcoming opportunities. As well as this the agency offered me helpful advice and insight to help my job search in a number of ways.
After telling the agency what I wanted and what experience I have, they helped me realise what the strengths and weaknesses of my CV were. They helped me de-clutter my CV. Firstly by telling me to separate each job into responsibilities and achievements; and secondly to use a small paragraph at the beginning of my CV to really cater to each job I was applying for. They also shared their knowledge and experience of the current job climate; in my case it was the demand for social media skills. And, my personal favourite is that before an interview they can help you with questions about the prospective employer, what they're looking for and sometimes even how the interview went for other candidates.
I understand this route is not for everyone, but it has worked for me, so here are a couple of top tips for using your time wisely in the tough employment climate we find ourselves in:
• There are a lot out there, but try and find an agency that best reflects your preferred area of work for example charity work, media or PR.
• Build and maintain a good relationship with your consultant. I did this by checking in with them throughout my job search and temporary placements. I was always honest with my consultant about what I wanted, how placements were going and any jobs that I was going for on my own.
• While you are on your placement, make the most of your time. Try and get as much training and new skills as possible, establish new relationships in the sector of your choice and really think about what you want to do. If it's a temporary placement they may keep you on, if not make sure you get a really good reference.
Marie Faulkner graduated with a sociology degree from the University of Southampton in 2010 studying Sociology. She tweets as @tokengraduate and can be found on Linkedin too: Marie Faulkner
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