Strengthen your job-hunting skills

Posted on 31 March 2026 • Job search, job-hunting, Jobs, internships and work experience

Watch this introduction to Gradcracker, one of the UK’s leading platforms for early career opportunities. In the video, Gradcracker Marketing Director Jessica shows how it can help you discover different career pathways and make informed career choices. Gradcracker is a great place to explore the labour market. Make sure you read our OU Labour Market Information guide, whether you’re exploring career options or preparing to apply for roles.

Gradcracker is well-known across STEM subjects, but it features a broad range of industries just as relevant for non‑STEM students who want to work in innovative and fast‑moving sectors. Non-STEM roles include business support in engineering firms, project management in tech and communications roles in scientific organisations. There are people‑focused positions, data‑driven roles and graduate schemes open to any degree discipline.

“There are hundreds of employers, thousands of opportunities. Make sure that you give yourself time to explore, discover and go and put a good application out there.” Jessica, Marketing Director, Gradcracker

Here are the five top job-hunting tips shared by Jessica to help you use Gradcracker effectively, identify potential career pathways and stand out in a competitive jobs market:

1. Activate your Gradcracker student dashboard
   Follow employers and switch on personalised alerts. Staying ahead of deadlines and new postings gives you an advantage.
2. Use the Shortlist tool to stay organised
   Track each stage of your applications and revisit job descriptions as you progress. This helps you tailor your answers and prepare with confidence.
3. Explore Company Hubs
   Employers look for genuine interest. Company Hubs allow you to explore culture, values and employee insights, helping you craft applications that connect with what the organisation cares about.
4. Showcase your experiences
   Jessica highlights the value of extracurricular activities, part‑time work and society involvement. These experiences show you’ve develop transferable skills valued by employers, such as collaboration, problem solving, communication and initiative.
5. Explore broadly and check regularly
   New opportunities appear daily, from specialist STEM placements to graduate roles open to all subjects. Keeping an open mind widens your potential routes in.

Good luck with your job-hunting.

 

Georgina Hawkins is the Employer Engagement Manager for STEM within the OU’s Careers and Employability Services. She connects OU students to opportunities via OpportunityHub, as well as organising employer events. Over the past 5 years she has built up more than 170 employer relationships and hosted multiple events. Georgina really enjoys creating opportunities to bring students and employers together.