Five lessons from The Simpsons to help on your graduate job hunt

We love the Simpsons. We love great job-hunting tips. Ergo... Five lessons from The Simpsons to help on your graduate job hunt. Genius. On with the gifs!

1. CLEAN UP YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES

Remember that hilarious selfie you took with the traffic cone on your head outside the union at 4am? Good times.

It might be bad times, though, if a potential future employer sees you in that sort of compromising photo. So take basic precautions online to ensure any less than salubrious media of you is at least inaccessible by the powers that be. Check your Twitter account, ensure your Facebook profile has the appropriate privacy settings, run through your Instagram - wherever you have published something online, make sure it will not show you in a bad light.

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2. YOU WILL GET REJECTIONS, PROBABLY QUITE A FEW. BUT USE THEM POSITIVELY.

It’s just a fact of job-hunting that you will get rejections. I mean, how many people do you think start out looking for a job and get offered every single one they apply for? ‘Xactly.

One thing that separates effective job-hunters from less successful ones is how they deal with rejections. It is easy to get downhearted every time you get a no, particularly if it’s a graduate job to which you were well suited or really wanted.

But flip it round. You will get a job, if you keep at it. I promise you will. And your job hunt will only end when you get a yes. So every no is just another step towards getting that yes. Each rejection is just you getting closer to getting that job. It might be your next application, it might be a few months down the line, but a rejection means you are closer.

Unlike Sideshow Bob, who has a lot of rakes to get through.

3. DRESS TO IMPRESS - AND THAT DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN YOUR SUNDAY BEST

Long gone are the days where an interview automatically meant slipping into a suit, shirt and tie and polishing your good shoes. Yes, for some companies this is still de rigeur and if you’re not sure what an office’s dress code is, it’s definitely best to err on the side of formal work wear.

But for many organisations, particularly (but not exclusively) start-ups, wearing a suit to an interview will at best get you some funny looks and at worse damage your chances of landing the job. “Cultural fit” is an important part of finding new hires - especially grads - and if your attire screams ‘corporate city slicker’ in a company which is rocking more of a tech, ping pong, and beers vibe then chances are you won’t get a job - no matter how good you are. So make sure you check dress codes if you are unsure.

4. ALWAYS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOUR INTERVIEWER

There comes a point in every interview, usually towards the end, where the interviewer lays down their notes, looks up at you and says something along the lines of “So, do you have any questions for me?”

The answer is, of course, yes. Yes, you do.

Because you’ve already prepared what you want to ask. Where is the company aiming to be in one, three, and five years’ time? What scope is their for personal progression? Do employees socialise together? It’s a great opportunity not only to clarify anything you’re unsure about, but also to underline your interest in the business. You know it’s coming, so don’t do a Ralph.

5. STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD

You’re very special and you’d be an asset to any company. Unfortunately, while your mum knows this, potential employers don’t (yet). In fact for someone ploughing through dozens of CVs, there’s a fair chance that on paper you will look pretty similar to lots of other graduates.

So the onus is very much on you to make your CV and cover letter (if applicable) stand out from the crowd and stick in an employer’s mind. On a basic level you might do this by including a unique nugget of personal information - perhaps an achievement away from academic and professional or something about you that few other people share (I always mention I’m a QPR fan as it tends to get a reaction - usually of pity).

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6. AND HERE’S HOMER EATING SOME PIZZA WITH HIS BELLY. JUST FOR LOLZ.