Along with a better understanding of yourself comes a better understanding of which careers and industries will most suit you. This is what we call your ‘career sweet spot’. Once we know what this is, we can create a career plan to get you there. This will require ongoing work and fine-tuning as you continue to grow and learn more about yourself.

At this stage we will employ another of Graduate Coach’s unique tools: an interactive document that works out the details of your chosen graduate career and then matches your skills to that career. Not only will we map out steps to a career that matches your abilities, but also a career that offers the best opportunities for progression, salary increases and enjoyable work. This will help you feel much more optimistic about your future.

This stage will leave you feeling confident about what sort of career is likely to suit you and the immediate steps you need to take to work towards it. By the end you will be equipped to write your new work-ready CV, cover letter and professional LinkedIn profile, plus fill in any application forms you need to apply for jobs. We’ll help you create these in Stage Three.

Now you are ready to write a CV, cover letters and a LinkedIn profile that tell a compelling and consistent story about who you are, what you want and what you can do. All three will have a clear focus on the type of career that is going to suit you best.

Creating these documents is not just about listing your qualifications and the jobs you’ve had. It isn’t simply about a nicely formatted CV free of spelling or grammatical mistakes. We’ll help you emphasise the job-specific skills employers want, such as what makes you stand out and the value you bring to their organisation. Your CV will help you persuade an employer that you want and can do the job you’re applying for.

By the end of Stage Three you will have a CV, cover letters and a LinkedIn profile that make you look professional, experienced and equipped for any suitable position you apply for. The aim is to get you on the first step to achieving your career goals, so that you can begin to apply for jobs.

With your CV up to scratch, cover letters drafted and LinkedIn profile complete, it’s time to start applying for jobs. Together, we will discuss ways to find the right opportunities. Graduate Coach’s extensive network of recruiters, head-hunters and employers will be very helpful at this stage.

It’s an intense stage this one, because it’s about getting yourself out there. Even so, with a well-written CV, cover letter and LinkedIn profile now working for you, you will have done a lot of the important groundwork. We will provide you with plenty of support during the applications process. Stage Five will get you prepared for those interviews.

Many of our coaching techniques employ analogies and stories from the careers and experiences of our coaches. These help you to both absorb and apply the job-winning methods you learn and to get them working for you.

You will get plenty of mock interview practice to help you become pitch perfect and confident in front of any employer. This stage can also be booked on its own as one-to-one interview coaching. This can work well if you primarily need help with your job interview skills, such as reducing interview nerves and increasing interview fluency. You’ll still get the same rigorous coaching and support to help you become pitch perfect at interviews.

Be prepared for the process to take some time. This will be particularly true when interviewing for jobs at so-called ‘blue chip’ companies. These firms usually demand three and, sometimes, four interview stages before deciding whether or not to hire a candidate. In the end, though, it all boils down to one thing: attending an interview is no different from a new business pitch. It’s a pitch, and preparation is vital. You have to ask better questions, do better research on the company and its competitors, and better understand what is likely to go through interviewers’ minds than anyone else.

This stage – taking you to what we describe as ‘Pitch Perfection’ – will give you a thorough understanding of the dynamics of job interviews. Let’s now move onto Stage Six.

In Stages One to Five, we work extensively with you until you land a highly suitable graduate-level job. During Stage Six, we will continue to coach you after you land that job. We mentor all the graduates we coach, for as long as they require.

It can be difficult to get ahead in your career without the right people around you. You need people who see your potential and are willing to invest the time needed to help you develop in the right direction. That’s what you’ll receive during Stage Six of your coaching journey. As Chris says, ‘The quickest way to learn and thrive is to surround yourself with people who are brighter and farther down the career road than you. It’s an additional bonus when they also believe in you and are as committed to your success as we are’.