What College Didn't Tell You About Getting a Job?

“Go to grad fairs, apply to grad roles”

Yes. Do it. But you also need to understand that every single student is doing the exact same thing. Talking to the same companies. Applying to the same roles. Saying the same things.

Meanwhile, there are hundreds of companies hiring in Ireland that don’t show up to grad fairs. Startups, scaleups and smaller teams where you’re not just a number, you get ownership early, and your role isn’t boxed into one narrow lane. I never thought I’d end up in recruitment. But here I am, learning something new every single day. And that only happened because I looked beyond the “expected” path. Sometimes the best roles are the ones no one told you about.

That said, networking is still one of the best ways to land a job. At grad fairs and events, companies are literally a captive audience and you can actually walk up and talk to them. They might ignore your emails or InMails, but this is the one place where you can get real face time. Use it. Ask questions, be curious, and make sure they remember you.

“You studied X, so you should go to Y”

“You studied finance, so go to the Big 4.”

“You studied marketing, so aim for the big agencies.”

Not everyone will get into the Big 4. Not everyone will land Google, Meta or Microsoft and that’s okay. Because the thing no one explains properly is that every company needs the same core functions like finance, marketing, sales, and HR. It doesn’t matter if it’s fintech, healthtech, gaming, or Web3. Your skills are transferable so zoom out and look at growing industries. For example, I only found out 6 months ago when I was making a slide deck for an event nineDots was sponsoring, that in Web3 globally, around 70% of placements were remote last year, and about 65% of roles were non-technical.

There is so much more out there than the “default” path you were given.

“Don’t tell companies you need sponsorship”

One of the biggest mistakes I see international candidates make is hiding their visa situation and I get why. You don’t want to get filtered out early. I made the same mistake because I was told to do so.

But what’ll actually happen is you’ll go through 3-4 rounds and then get rejected at the end and that’s worse. So it’s better to be clear from the start.

If you’re on a Stamp 1G, say it, put it on your CV and mention it in your first call.

A lot of companies (especially smaller ones) don’t even fully understand how the Stamp 1G works. Explain it clearly that you have 2 years of right to work and don’t need immediate sponsorship. You’d be surprised how many hiring managers change their mind once they understand this properly.

“Post regularly on LinkedIn, be active”

Maybe, but posting just for the sake of it? People can tell. We’ve all seen those posts with just a few tweaks. Some have the AI em-dashes and emojis while others made an effort to delete them before posting. (I may have done it too once or twice)

If you want to post, make it real. Something you actually think and adds value.

But for the part that matters most, and what no one really tells you. I’ve seen first hand how recruiters actually search for candidates on LinkedIn, and it’s not based on what you’re posting. It’s based on the skills listed on your profile. If your skills aren’t listed properly, you’re basically invisible. If you’re interested in knowing how recruiters use LinkedIn in more detail, you can watch Rose’s podcast here.

Make sure your profile is fully up to date with all the skills you have. If you’re not sure what to include, you can drop me an email at disha@ninedots.io and I can share with you the most common and fastest growing skills recruiters are looking for in your role based on LinkedIn Talent Insights. We have listed some of the skills in this blog post.

“Make sure your CV has all the keywords, make your CV ATS friendly”

Yes, tailor your CV. But don’t just throw in keywords because someone told you to.

Anyone can list “Event Management.” But what actually stands out is what you did and what happened because of it.

Instead of:

“Event Management”

Say:

“Coordinated logistics and marketing for 3 tech conferences, resulting in 4 new client conversions.”

It’s the same work experience but has a completely different impact.

“Interviewing is all about showcasing your skills”

Interviews aren’t just a checklist of skills. You can be technically perfect and still not get the job, because people hire people. Show your personality and communication skills. Be someone they can actually imagine working with.

Sending a short video cover letter comes a long way. It gives hiring managers a sense of who you are before they even meet you and in a sea of similar CVs, that matters a lot.

“I don’t have any experience to show”

You do. You still have college projects, group work, and personal projects. And if you don’t, create them. You can literally build mini portfolios for companies you’re applying to. I did that. I created brand-specific decks with research and ideas for each company.

It doesn’t even take weeks anymore. Tools like Manus, Perplexity and Claude can make your research much faster and tools like Gamma, beautiful.ai and Notebook LM can create your slide decks. What matters is showing how you think and that you’ve done your research even before you got the job.

“AI is taking away jobs”

Yes, AI is changing things, especially for entry-level roles. But the people who will win are the ones who use it properly. Use tools like AI to research companies, prep for interviews, and structure your thinking. But don’t let it replace your voice because AI can’t replace personality. And that’s still a huge part of hiring. If you want to use AI for your job search, you can check out my blog here.

“Make sure you have a portfolio”

Having a portfolio is great, but if it’s just screenshots or finished work with no explanation, it doesn’t land. Always explain what the problem was, what you did, what challenges you faced, and what impact it had. That’s what makes your work real.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from being on both sides of the job search, it’s that the “rules” haven’t disappeared, they’ve just changed.

The people who stand out today aren’t the ones doing more of the same, they’re the ones thinking a little differently.

If you’re figuring it out right now, you’re not alone, I’ve been there and trust me, there’s more than one way in. Don't give up and be consistent! Think out of the box and you will stand out! Best of luck!