The graduate careers that start now

'How can I get experience if you won't give me a job?' This is a common complaint from graduates trying to get their careers off the ground, particularly in the most competitive sectors, and it's an infuriating situation to be in. You could finish uni, decide on a job that you really like, apply and then get rejected because everyone has more experience than you. For some graduate careers, you really do need to start thinking early, and the best way to avoid the experience trap is forward planning.

It's true that most graduate recruiters want you to have some work experience, but a select few sectors demand that you have significant sector-specific experience under your belt. It may surprise you to discover which jobs these are, so we thought we'd let you know now - while you still can do something about it.

What are these graduate careers that start early then?

Surprise, surprise, they're generally the most desirable ones. But that's where the generalising ends. They each have their own variation on the starting-early theme.

For some graduate careers, you really do need to start think early.

Investment banking
This graduate career sector is ideally approached through the medium of the internship. This is a well-paid summer placement that wannabe traders and corporate financiers undertake during the summer before their final year.

Plenty of time then, I hear you say with a sigh of relief. But the deadlines start to arrive by Christmas of your second year. And unfortunately, these internships are so competitive that it's almost essential to have a bit of work experience (that is also reasonably relevant) in order to get a place. In other words, get thee to a careers service quickly. You'll find that the big banks' often run taster events and open days, which are often targeted at first years.

Journalism
Journalism is almost as competitive as investment banking and there are very few formal placements... yet it's generally only those with considerable journalistic experience who get the jobs. The trick here is to get involved with student journalism as early as you can. Like now. Then, in your second year, you can start firing off speculative applications, consisting of a CV, covering letter and samples of your best work, for a vacation job (quite probably unpaid). The same goes for other media jobs and, increasingly, publishing jobs in general.

Law
If you're a law student, did you realise that applications for training contracts (trainee solicitor posts in other words) have to be in by the summer of your second year? And applications for vacation placements have to be in early in that year too.

Or a life of academia?

Finally, if you fancy yourself as a bit of an academic, with a PhD in an arts subject in about six years' time, it's not quite as simple as sewing some leather patches on a corduroy jacket. Funding is quite scarce so you'll almost certainly need a first to get a PhD place. Even if your first-year results aren't going to affect your final degree very much, you do need to knuckle down immediately to impress the tutors who could one day be your referees, or your supervisor if you choose to stay at your current university.

And the rest

As the number of students graduating each year grows, a whole lot of other jobs are going to be added to the must-start-early list.

If you're interested in social care or teaching then you will need relevant experience under your belt before you'll be considered for any role in these fields.

Marketing and human resources are becoming increasingly popular, while most companies that recruit graduates in large numbers, including management consultancies and accountancy firms, run banking-style internship schemes these days.

And as for competitive commercial careers, it's a new variation on an old catch-22 situation: only those with work experience will get the work experience. The good news is that a spot of temping or even a menial job that boosts relevant skills will do.

So now you can no longer say 'nobody told me that in three years' time I'd need work experience'. You should go out and party at university. Just don't forget that you may also need to open those early doors.

More advice to help you make an early start on graduate career planning

• Download a free copy of TARGETjobs First: expert careers advice for freshers and first years
• Build your employability skills at university: advice on part-time jobs
• Advice on work experience, placements and internships
• Practical advice to help you plan a gap year
• Career clueless? Find graduate career ideas and advice here
• Look for careers that match your degree
• General careers advice including tips on graduate CVs, applications, interviews and assessments
• Find CV and covering letter templates to download
• Explore over 30 graduate career sectors