What Is The Secret To Standing Out In The Graduate Job Market?
By Matthew Ward, Founder and Director19 October 2020
The graduate job market is genuinely competitive, and employers regularly report gaps in basic workplace skills among recent graduates even as applications keep climbing. The answer isn't panic, it's deliberate upskilling: building capability that goes beyond what a degree alone provides.
Employers increasingly value demonstrated experience and personality over grades or university prestige alone, which means upskilling through real, varied activity is one of the most effective ways to stand out.
What upskilling actually looks like
There's no single right way to do it. Free online courses through platforms like HubSpot Academy or Google's training resources build genuine, certifiable skill. Blogging demonstrates initiative and writing ability that interviewers consistently ask about. Volunteering signals values and priorities in a way a CV line alone can't, and plenty of employers actively want to see it listed. Internships build realistic expectations and confidence before you're in a full-time role. Podcasts and other alternative learning are a legitimate way to show genuine curiosity about your field. Postgraduate study deepens expertise, though it's a bigger commitment. And LinkedIn ties much of this together, giving you a place to show accomplishments, research employers, and find the right contacts.
Soft skills matter as much as technical ones
Upskilling isn't only about technical ability. Communication, collaboration and genuine attentiveness are transferable across almost any role, and developing them deliberately makes you a stronger hire regardless of the specific job description.
Hobbies count too
Skill-building isn't confined to professional contexts. A team sport or a personal project builds teamwork and communication just as effectively as a formal course, and interviewers frequently ask what you do outside work specifically to see initiative and personality come through. A shared interest can also make you genuinely memorable to an interviewer in a way a polished answer alone won't.
Upskilling helps your wellbeing too
Staying active with skill-building during a job search does more than strengthen your CV, it maintains structure and momentum at a time when both can be genuinely hard to find. Blogging and volunteering build connection with people who share your interests. Structured courses provide purpose during an uncertain stretch. Remote internships let you ease into a professional environment from familiar surroundings. And a well-maintained LinkedIn profile gives you a place to see your own progress reflected back, which matters more than it might seem during a long search.
As employers keep prioritising demonstrated ability over credentials alone, building real experience alongside your studies or search genuinely pays off. If you'd like help finding the right opportunity to build yours, get in touch with Lead Kinetics. A digital portfolio is one of the most effective ways to show that experience, see why graduates shouldn't neglect having a digital marketing portfolio.
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