Summary
Highlights
Charlie, Talent Acquisition and Early Careers Manager at Costello Medical, welcomes attendees and outlines the presentation's agenda. The session will cover reasons for rejection, turning negatives into positives, general job hunting tips, reapplying to Costello Medical, and a Q&A session.
The job market has become an 'employer-led recruitment market' since 2022 due to a decrease in job vacancies post-COVID boom, economic uncertainty, and increasing costs for businesses. This has led to higher competition, with 2.24 candidates for every job. For graduates, while employment rates remain stable, the number of available roles isn't keeping pace with the increasing number of graduates, intensifying competition. At Costello Medical, only 0.25% of applicants were hired in 2025, highlighting the extreme competitiveness. A key takeaway is that rejection is a normal part of the process and doesn't signify a personal failing.
Strong candidates can be unsuccessful due to several reasons: lack of evidence for key skills or impact in applications, generic cover letters, poor structure, missing information, brief interview answers lacking detail, nervousness, and external factors like timing, internal changes, or high competition. The speaker clarifies that rejections are not due to lack of ability, visa requirements, hidden quotas, university prestige, use of AI in decision-making, or lack of experience for entry-level roles.
Job rejection should be seen as a normal part of the career path. Every unsuccessful application provides insights and learning opportunities. Candidates should actively seek feedback to understand areas for improvement and gather data to refine their approach. The speaker encourages self-reflection with curiosity, not self-criticism, asking questions like whether the role truly aligned with their strengths, if preparation was sufficient, and what they learned from the experience.
Instead of mass applying, job seekers should refine their strategy and treat job hunting like a project, tracking applications and identifying trends. Utilizing recruitment agencies can provide access to unadvertised roles and industry insights. Applying directly to company websites is recommended over 'quick apply' options to ensure all information is submitted. Candidates should also seek feedback even when successful to understand what they did well. Researching companies thoroughly, matching application tone, and considering 'near-match' roles (where one can move internally later) are also beneficial.
LinkedIn is a powerful, often underutilized tool. Job seekers should ensure their profile is complete and detailed, showcasing skills, experience, and achievements. Engaging thoughtfully with posts and creating original content can boost visibility. Headlines should focus on skills rather than just 'seeking opportunities.' Connecting with professionals in desired roles and sending personalized messages can open doors. The 'open to work' banner and actively replying to messages are also effective for attracting recruiters. Authenticity in posts is key to resonating with people. The '20-10-5 rule' (20 connections, 10 likes/reacts, 5 comments daily) can enhance visibility.
It's crucial to honestly reflect on strengths and interests to ensure alignment with a role. Candidates don't need to tick every requirement but should feel confident in their fit. Understanding the day-to-day nature of the work beyond the job title, considering logistical factors like availability and commute, and assessing long-term career goals are vital. Evaluating a company's values and culture to ensure it aligns with personal ethics is also important. Finally, gathering insights from current employees in desired roles offers invaluable real-world perspective.
Costello Medical no longer has strict reapplication timelines but expects a change in the applicant's profile or application. General guidelines suggest reapplying immediately for different roles after an early-stage rejection, waiting around 3 months after an assessment stage rejection (to gain new skills/opportunities), and 6 months after an interview rejection (to incorporate feedback and further develop). For detailed advice on application content, the speaker refers to a previous recorded presentation on their careers page.
The speaker addresses several questions from the audience. Common reasons for not progressing at the CV stage include a lack of tailored applications and strong competition. Cover letters are highlighted as a key differentiator. Visa sponsorship is available at Costello Medical, making it worthwhile for international candidates to apply. For career pivots, networking and being open to entry-level roles despite prior experience are important. Gaps in CVs due to layoffs should be explained upfront. Showing impact for academic backgrounds can involve non-technical mentorship or teaching examples. A successful CV for graduates is usually one page, but can extend to two with more experience. Automated screening at Costello Medical is minimal. Tailoring applications to specific work areas and mentioning interest in particular teams is highly beneficial. For situations with two equally strong candidates, subtle differences in approach to scenarios can be the deciding factor. The speaker emphasizes that employers are legally required to offer reasonable adjustments and that disability should not impede employment. While essential criteria are vital, desirable criteria can become differentiators in highly competitive scenarios. For applying to multiple roles at Costello Medical, applicants are advised to apply for one role at a time due to processing difficulties and to make an informed decision by speaking to people in those roles.