First, it's important to think about what types of fashion designers are in demand currently. There are so many womenswear designers, yet not as many menswear, sportswear or accessories designers. Opportunities might be greater in those categories.

When applying for internships, think about what you'll bring to the company as well as what they can offer you: Is the company going to teach you skills that are relevant to your future career? What mix of skills can you bring to the company that is relevant to their needs? Try to find the company that's the right fit for you, and you are much more likely to be what the company is looking for as well.

Knocking on doors can lead to fantastic opportunities: Designers are very busy and overwhelmed with people applying to work with them, but they're far more impressed by people that try that little bit harder. For example, some graduates go overseas to New York or Milan to deliver a self-directed design project and CV to the designer of their choice. Of course that can lead to considerable expense, but it often results in success.

Make use of online fashion and business networking sites. Create your profile on each one, as you never know who might be looking. Apply to as many fashion hiring agencies as you can – there are more than 20 in the UK alone. Not all of them take on new graduates, but try them all anyway.

Consider your training and fill in any gaps in it. Assistant designers and interns can make themselves more employable through investing time in obtaining, for example, computer-aided design (CAD) skills. Unfortunately, not all colleges and universities have CAD as an integral part of their courses. If this has affected you, you should study using online learning applications.

Finally, talent is not enough – you need to get out there and make sure everybody knows about your skills. Graduates should be aware that they need to be proactive and persistent. It's all down to developing new contacts and utilising the ones you already have.