The silence is worse than a rejection. You’ve sent off dozens of applications, heard nothing back, and the void grows more infuriating by the day. For graduates, the odds are getting steeper: Reed, the recruitment firm, reports that graduate vacancies on its website have plunged from around 180,000 three or four years ago to just 50,000 now.
James Reed, chair and chief executive of Reed and a 30-year veteran of watching employers make decisions, is as frustrated as anyone with how impenetrable the process has become. In a video interview, he shared his advice for cutting through the noise.
“Reed boss James Reed says graduate vacancies have fallen from 180,000 to 50,000 and offers tips to get noticed.”
First, the machines. Many employers now use artificial intelligence to screen applications before a human sees them. Reed believes “computers shouldn’t reject people”, but if AI is being used, he suggests the system is probably comparing the job description with your CV or cover letter. His tactic: “Try and mirror the job description with your skills and experience.” That does not mean lying. “It’s really important you don’t lie,” he says. But if the job asks for communication, organisation or customer service, make sure your application clearly shows where you have done those things.
The catch-22 of entry-level roles – needing experience to get experience – is worse now because employers are hiring less and often look for candidates who already have some know-how. Reed advises building experience wherever possible, “even if it’s temporary, casual or part-time”, through work, volunteering, community projects or free online training, such as Anthropic’s AI academy. If you get in front of an employer and feel brave, he suggests making the point directly: “Someone gave you your first opportunity, that’s all I’m looking for.”
AI can help, but use it wisely. Reed calls it a “wonderful tool” that can improve your application, but warns against letting it do all the work: “If you leave it as AI-only then it’ll be identical to lots of other people’s and the point is to stand out.”
His main advice is simple: “Make sure your CV says who you are.” He insists on one page, with a strong opening top statement. “Get advice from people to make sure it really sounds like you and it’s a document you feel proud of.”
Does he mind the odd spelling mistake? “Because it shows it was written by a human, not AI,” he jokes – but attention to detail is still crucial.