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Are you a graduate trying to plan out the best career path for yourself? Here, some tips are given on how to go about it.

A university degree is no _________ of a job, and job hunting in itself requires a whole set of skills. If you find you are not getting past the first interview, ask yourself what is happening. Is it a(n) _________ to communicate or are there some skills you lack? And find out what you need to do to bring yourself up to the level of _________ that would make you more attractive to them.

Do not be too discouraged if you are _________ for a job, but think about the reasons the employers give. Those who made the second interview might have been studying the same subject as you and be of _________ ability level, but they had something which made them a _________ match to the selector’s ideal. That could be experience gained through projects or vacation work, or it might be that they were better at communicating what they could offer. Do not take the comments at _________ value: think back to the interviews that generated them and make a list of where you think the shortfall in your performance lies. With this sort of analytical approach you will eventually get your foot in the door.

Deciding how long you should stay in your first job is a tough call. Stay too long and future employers may question your _________ and ambition. Of course, it depends on where you are aiming. If you are a graduate, spending five or six years in the same job is not too long _________ that you stay ahead of the game. However, do not use this as a(n) __________ for lacking interest or enthusiasm. Graduates sometimes fail to take ownership of their careers and take the initiative. It is up to you to make the most of what’s available within a company, and to monitor your progress in case you need to __________ . This applies particularly if you are still not sure where your career path lies.

It is helpful to think through what kind of experience you need to get your __________ job and it is not a problem to move around to a certain extent. But in the __________ stages of your career you need a definite strategy for reaching your goal, so think about that carefully before deciding to step forward from your first job. You must cultivate __________ to be competent for any role. There is no guarantee that you will get adequate training, and research has shown that if you do not receive proper help in a new role, it can take 18 months to __________ it.