Landing your first job can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re still exploring your options and the advice you get assumes you already have a very specific career path in mind. Felix Ogdon, a career mentor who has spent the last several years coaching final-year university students into the job market, has been there. He graduated without a clear career plan, took a cold-calling sales job he didn’t love, and eventually found his way into a role at Gartner that felt like the perfect fit. Along the way, he learned what actually works – and it might surprise you!
Here are eight practical tips from his recent webinar with Highgrove Online School, “How to Stand Out as an Early Career Applicant.”
- It’s Okay Not to Know What You Want Yet
Felix applied for nine different types of jobs in his final year of university, including civil service, audit, translation and consulting, but he still graduated with no clear pathway in mind. His first piece of advice? Stop panicking about not having a plan. Many of the most rewarding careers today didn’t even exist ten years ago. Rather than chasing the prestige of a particular job title or picking a path because it’s easy to explain to relatives, ask yourself: on a rainy Monday morning in January, will the work I do that day actually interest me?
- Try This Instead of Networking Events
When most people hear “networking,” they picture awkward cocktail parties. Felix has a much simpler approach: think of it as career discovery. Reach out to people doing jobs that interest you – family friends, neighbours, people in your community – and ask for 20 to 30 minutes of their time. You’ll learn more from one honest conversation with a working professional than from hours of internet research.
Some good questions to ask include: What does a typical day look like? What do high performers in your field do differently? What does progression look like over five to ten years?
- Always Enda Conversation with a Low-Friction Ask
At the end of every career conversation, make one small, easy request. Something like: “I’m also curious about criminal law. Do you happen to know anyone in that area?” Not everyone will say yes, but you’ll be surprised how often they do. People remember what it felt like to be starting out, and most are genuinely happy to help others. This habit of making one small ask compounds significantly over time.
- Start Close to Home, Not Necessarily with Big-Name Firms
When asked where to find entry-level opportunities, Felix’s answer is consistent: start with your own network and your own geography. A local marketing agency or small business in your town will struggle to find good early-career candidates, and that’s your advantage. A multinational will receive tens of thousands of applications. Get real experience locally first, then use it as a springboard for other opportunities later. Smaller companies tend to give a greater range or responsibility to entry-level staff, so you may find yourself able to leap-frog candidates who started out with multi-nationals.
- Translate Your Academic Skills into Business Outcomes
This is where most early-career candidates struggle in interviews. Saying “I studied Spanish to C1 level” is fine, but it doesn’t differentiate you. Saying “I volunteered with a local arts collective and rewrote their promotional materials in Spanish and English, which helped increase event attendance by 32%” is a different thing entirely. Take your academic skill, find a real situation where you applied it, and attach a measurable result. It doesn’t need to be a paid job. Volunteering, side projects, and extracurriculars all count and offer ways for you to demonstrate a tangible impact.
- Treat Interviews as a Two-Way Conversation
Employers aren’t just assessing your answers; they’re watching how you appear as a candidate. Replying slowly to interview scheduling emails, being unprepared for interviews, or failing to ask any questions of your own all send quiet signals. Before every interview, write down five to eight questions you genuinely want answered. Not asking questions is often read as a lack of interest, even when that’s not the case.
- Do Your Research and Then Signpost It
Most candidates do basic application and interview research (what does the company do, what is the role). Fewer go deeper by reading thought leadership from senior leaders, or trying to understand the company’s broader transformation story. Fewer still actually mention that research during the interview. Those who do stand out significantly. If you’ve listened to a podcast the CMO recorded or read a blog post about the company’s direction, say so. It signals genuine interest in a way that no cover letter can.
- Many Jobs Can Teach You Skills You’ll Need
Felix’s cold-calling role was tough. He was an introvert making over 100 calls a day to IT executives. He didn’t enjoy it, but it dismantled his fear of reaching out to strangers, which is a skill that has driven almost every career opportunity he’s had since. Not every job needs to be a perfect fit. Sometimes the most valuable thing a role gives you isn’t necessarily stated in the job description.
The bottom line: In a job market flooded with AI-generated CVs and cover letters, the candidates who stand out are the ones who do the human things well, like building real relationships, showing genuine curiosity, and making their value visible in interviews. Consider this approach and this mindset when you begin looking for your first job.
Good luck!
