Graduate schemes are competitive, regardless of industry. I am the Next Generation Recruiter for CBRE, and even though there are several property consultancies in the UK, I still receive over 2000 applications for only 40 places. The reason why these roles are so competitive is because the training and experience you get working for companies such as CBRE will elevate your career. See below my 5 top tips on how to make sure your application gets through the first recruitment hurdle.

1. Start early – Most graduate employers will open their graduate scheme applications from as early as September before students have even gone back to university and will close them in Mid-November. By starting soon, you can take your time with your application and get the personal details, education, and experience out of the way. It will allow you to focus on the questions or tests; this brings me on to my next point.

2. Know what the application process is – Some companies have a CV and cover letter while others have an online application form. It allows you to give an adequate amount of time for each application as some will be shorter than others. It is straightforward to find out what the application process is for a company as they will have it on their website and with graduate job boards such as Targetjobs etc. When you have chosen which company you want to apply for, create a list or spreadsheet with due dates for both university work and applications.

3. Do your research – Make sure you do your research on the company you are applying for, it will help you sell yourself as to why you want to work for that company over any other. The best places to start is the company website, but be careful not to regurgitate the about us page – employers know what that says and would rather like to know what you think of the company. Also, follow them on their social media channels, read their blog posts, articles, network at career fairs and events, etc.

4. Tailor your application – Do not be generic; every company, even in the same industry, is different.  Bring out those differences, and focus on how those factors matter to you. Most graduate schemes are two years onwards; that is a long time to be working for one company, so show why this is the place where you want to start your career. Make sure your application highlights all of the critical competencies that the recruiter is looking for, reading the job description can help with this.

5. Grammar & Spell check – It seems easy, but you will be surprised how many people fail at this simple hurdle.  A lot of graduate employers have a software that will reject your application if you have more than three spelling and / or grammar errors in your application. Also, make sure you refer to yourself in the first person and give yourself a capital ‘I’. Finally, before you hit submit, print it out and have someone else proofread it!

I hope these tips help you with your job applications and get you to the interview stage.

Good Luck!