If you’re currently looking for opportunities and finding that the majority of graduate scheme deadlines have passed or you’re not finding anything you like on CareerHub then don’t despair! The majority of jobs that graduates secure are not on graduate schemes, plus plenty of excellent opportunities are not advertised through the usual channels but are often found through more creative job seeking methods. Here several of the career consultant team have listed below some techniques that you can get going with straight away:

1. Utilise your web of contacts. You have a bigger web of contacts than you may realise which includes friends, family, colleagues from previous work placements and LSE peers, staff and alumni. Word-of-mouth is very powerful, the more people that know you are looking for opportunities and what your key skills, strengths and career interests are the better – they can help connect and refer you to relevant companies and recruiters.
2. Get networking – offline and online. A great platform for online networking is LinkedIn – build your connection base, get involved in relevant groups and update your profile so it stands out to recruiters. Through LinkedIn and other popular social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook and Google+) you can also follow companies and get alerted to job opportunities as soon as they become available. Offline networking is also a great way to find those hidden jobs –meet influential people at conferences, employer presentations and by attending networking meet-ups and summer networking parties amongst other things. Search for those hosted by professional membership bodies or organisations within your target sectors.
3. Review and update your CV. Make sure it highlights all the skills and achievements relevant to the roles you’re seeking. Think about how successful it has been in the past at achieving an interview and integrate any feedback you may have had. Keep hard copies with you for use at networking meetings and company presentations.
4. Apply directly through employers. Not all employers use job boards and may only advertise on their own website, this is also where you will find rolling opportunities. Make a list of employers you would like to work for, look on their website and contact the HR team or, if possible, the head of the function you’re interested in to see if any opportunities are coming up. Look for opportunities at a range of organisations within your chosen sector – don’t discount smaller startup or niche organisations then can offer great opportunities.
5. Make speculative applications. Personally addressed speculative applications are the most effective and professional. Write a tailored covering letter and CV and send it directly to a named individual in the organisation to position yourself for opportunities. Send email and hard copies and follow up.
6. Use recruitment agencies. Contact those that specialise in the sectors you’re interested in and maintain contact.
7. Finally, some take-away key tips – the three p’s: Be prepared – research and work from a list of organisations you want to target and make sure your CV is tailored to sell your relevant abilities. Be pro-active and seek out opportunities and events to attend, follow up with people you meet and connect with them on LinkedIn so they can see your professional portfolio and background. Be persistent – use multiple channels; don’t just rely on one and make time to do as many quality applications as you can.

Remember, LSE Careers is open during the Easter holidays (except LSE closure dates) and over the summer to help you with your job search.