I was applying for hundreds of jobs - this tip helped me get one

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. I was applying for hundreds of jobs - this tip helped me get one5 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleLizzie AsanteBusiness reporterTheresaTrying to find your first job right now can be a struggle. There is a lack of opportunities to gain experience and the huge number of AI applications can mean neither you nor the employer can find what you're looking for. Yet plenty of people are finding ways to stand out and get their feet on the career ladder.

Four people who had been stuck in the cycle of sending hundreds of applications and rarely hearing back have shared the one thing they did differently to secure their first jobs. Tailor your CV to the job descriptionTheresaTheresa went for a quality not quantity approach to job applicationsTheresa Blair, 24, from Birmingham, graduated from Aston University in 2025 with a pharmacy masters. But following a project management placement she decided this was the career path she wanted to pursue.

The Details

She spent eight months sending off hundreds of job applications often not hearing back. "I realised I was sending very generic CVs to recruiters and that was making it harder to stand out from other applicants," she says. She began tailoring her CV to suit every job, reading into each company's values and referencing them in her applications.

"I've learnt that you should state the skills you've gained because of doing certain roles and explain how that makes you a suitable candidate," she says. She applied for fewer jobs but spent more time on each one. "The less generic the better," she says.

Theresa got a job working full time in a bank customer service call centre. Now she works as a project manager commuting three days a week to London. "It's two to three hour commute which can be difficult but I'm gaining valuable experience at a reputable company, so I'm incredibly happy," she says.

What Experts Say

Her advice to others struggling to get their first job: "As hard as it is, keep applying. "The job market isn't easy right now but believe the work you've put in will be seen by employers," she said. Contact people doing the role you wantCallumCallum got in touch with an intern who tipped him off about an opportunityCallum Stevens, 24, from Curry Rivel in Somerset, studied computer science at the University of the West of England (UWE) where he also developed an interest in transport.

He reached out on LinkedIn to someone doing a transport planning internship at Bristol City Council and when the internship came up again, he applied and was successful. Callum had no previous experience in transport planning but believes he got the role because he demonstrated he "was interested and passionate to learn". The internship is full-time, pays minimum wage and is due to end in August.

There may be an opportunity for him to extend it but for now he is beginning the search for a full time job. "While it's not permanent, the experience has been invaluable," he says. "It's as powerful as my university degree.

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