Graduates

Not being proactive enough

Don't be passive and sit back waiting for job ads to crop up. Create a hit list of five to ten target companies, and work out a way to target them. Use your networks to help you. After applying for a job or attending an interview don't sit back and wait for the phone to ring: follow up with a call.

Relying solely on the internet

Job boards are an important tool, but they're not the only way to find a job. In a recent Yahoo! HotJobs poll, 57 per cent of respondents said networking was a factor in landing their current or most recent job.

Not creating customised CVs

Don't just send out a CV with a list of your educational qualifications and part-time jobs. Talk about what you want to do with your adult life and what you hope to achieve in your career. Make a statement about your ambitions. Think too about what you have to offer an employer rather than just what you hope to get from a job. Your CV is not a biography; it's a marketing tool. And don't send out the same CV to every job ad: tailor it to meet the needs of that role.

Setting expectations too high

Don't be precious. A first job won't be the perfect job, especially in this economy. Look for something that will help you learn a great deal, keep you busy and provide a stepping stone to the next move.

Appearing unprofessional

Make sure you're ready for employers' scrutiny, says Tim McIntyre, president and CEO of The Executive Search Group. That means ridding your Facebook and MySpace pages of your student antics and changing your voicemail to sound more professional. When attending an interview do your research on the company, dress smartly and be ready with answers to tough questions.

For effective networking follow these simple tips:

• Attend events and take a friend or colleague if you're nervous, but don't spend all your time with them – the aim is to make contact with others. The CIOB's Novus events are a good place to network for graduates. Novus is a forum for young construction professionals and students and it regularly holds events that are interesting and designed to make networking less daunting. See www.ciob.org.uk for details.
• Don't sit back and wait for people to talk to you: try to open a conversation perhaps asking what they thought of the speaker, or look at their name badge and see where they work and ask about the company. Aim for some small talk initially - don't steam in asking for a job – but do make it clear that you are in the job market. And don't spend too long talking to one person; try to move on. Remember to exchange business cards. If you meet someone interesting follow up with a call or email. Always keep in mind that networking is about developing relationships so if you think you have something to offer them, then do so.
• Don't rule out online networks. Use Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to let people know you are looking for a job. Friends of friends, your friends' colleagues – anyone could be a potential 'in' to a job. By following companies you're interested in on Twitter or becoming 'friends' on Facebook, you can strike up conversations, ask questions and find out if it's the sort of organisation you want to work for.
• Be aware though that potential employers are using the internet to research potential candidates so sanitise your own pages by clearing out photos and comments from student days and think about what you post in blogs and status updates or the photos you upload and groups you join. Google yourself from time to time to see what comes up as that's what employers will see.
• Practise. Your networking skills will only get better if you keep practising. Try to keep attending events and keep building contacts. Remember to listen and then ask questions based on what they say.
• Stay in touch with companies that you have had interviews with. Following the interview, send an email thanking them for the opportunity. Even if you aren't successful this time it will help you stick in mind for future positions.
• Networking opportunities come in all sorts of guises. Read industry magazines and websites and if you see a letter or comment made by a manager from one of your target companies email them to say how much you liked their article, or agreed with the points they made. It's a novel way to make an introduction and strike up a potential conversation.
• Be patient. Networking will pay dividends but it can take a long time to build a successful 'book of contacts' so don't expect immediate results.

Tell me about yourself

Interviewers typically use this as a warm-up question to give you the opportunity to shine. Resist the temptation to give your life story. Keep your response relevant to the position you are applying for and give a two-minute snapshot of who you are and why you are the best candidate for the job.

What are your salary expectations?

You should have done some research into the average salary and remuneration that this type of position will pay. Try to deflect the question by turning it around and asking the interviewer about the salary on offer. Typically, they will start with a lower figure than they are prepared to offer because they want to keep their costs down. So if you are pressed to give a number, it’s best to give a range to avoid pricing yourself out of contention. For example: "I'm sure whatever salary you're paying is consistent with the market average of £30,000 to £35,000".

Why should we hire you?

This can be a killer question and can make or break your chances of winning the job. And how you answer will depend on how well you have probed your interviewer about their requirements and expectations. So what the interviewer is really asking you is: What can you do for my business? Your response needs to answer that question. For example:

"As I understand your needs, you are first and foremost looking for someone who can manage projects successfully. I have a proven track record in that field, having managed two projects under budget and on time in the past two years."

Q: "If you were a car ... tree ... animal what would you be?"

Baffling though it may seem, some interviewers still insist on asking silly questions. There are no right or wrong answers. The interviewer is simply testing your reactions under pressure and to gain an insight into your personality. Don't get hung up on the actual choice of car but do explain your choice. For example: "I would probably be a 1962 Alpha Romeo Spider - classy, stylish, driven and fast off the mark".

Q: "Why did you leave your last job?"

The rule of thumb is to always remain positive about your current and previous employers – never badmouth them. A good answer might be: "I learned a lot from my previous employer and enjoyed my time there. However, promotional opportunities were few and far between and I am keen to advance my career sooner rather than later."

Q: What are your weaknesses?

The received wisdom on this questions is to take a strength and portray it as a weakness. For instance, "I work too much". But this will actually work against you because it may imply that you do not organise your workload effectively. Better to be honest and give real weakness but show how you are tackling it. For example: "I used to struggle to plan and prioritise my workload. However, I have taken steps to resolve this and now I use a planning tool and diary system on my laptop".

Q: What motivates you?

Short of telling your interviewer that you are motivated by the prospect of earning a footballer's salary, try to give a constructive answer that will excite your interviewer into understanding what benefit you will bring to his business. For example: "I get a real kick out of seeing challenges overcome and seeing projects become reality."

Daniel Williams is assistant design manager with BAM Construct UK but a career in construction was not the initial plan. Halfway through a BA in fine art and psychology at the University of Reading, Daniel realised he'd made the wrong choice but he stuck it out, deciding to change direction following graduation. "Essentially, I'd grown up and practicality kicked in: I didn't like the prospect of living in squalor as an artist!" says Daniel. "I had also gained six summers of on-site work experience and, as I loved the physical nature of the work, construction seemed the logical career choice."

In the December of his final year Daniel applied to a number of big companies with graduate intakes. He secured a first-stage interview with his current employer in the February and then a full-day assessment involving group challenges, a presentation and an interview with a director. He was offered a position on the construction management graduate scheme in March and arranged to start work a month after graduating.

"I think my honesty and maturity about changing direction helped me demonstrate how committed I was to getting into construction management, along with my work experience and a good fall-back plan – a place on a construction masters degree course," says Daniel

Daniel's rotational graduate scheme meant he spent time in estimating, site management and design management. Daniel has worked hard to learn as much as he can. "I started learning everything from scratch at work, as well as studying for my postgraduate diploma and working towards accreditation with the CIOB – but my employer has supported me throughout. They assisted with all my tuition costs and allowed me a week of study leave every three months to study intensively at university. Studying after a day at work is tough, but I believe that you only get out what you put in."

"My advice to graduates looking for construction management jobs? The key to unlocking the opportunities for non-cognate graduates is to be proactive. Skills shortages aren't just in the trades – you could bring a fresh perspective to management. I found that talking to someone face-to-face allowed me to explain my enthusiasm for construction far better than on paper or online. I sent out a number of applications for entry-level jobs as well as graduate schemes to main contractors; at the end of the day I felt I had nothing to lose."