A study published by Metro found that more than half of all new graduates are either unemployed or in menial jobs six months after leaving university.

Rosie Percy has applied for (and been rejected from) more than 200 jobs in the last year, despite trawling job sites, signing up to alerts, and tailoring her applications.

She writes: "I have received reams of messages from those in the same post-study slump as me, and we're all doing our utmost to appeal to employers and excel above the others... We're all posing the same question: what's a graduate got to do?"

When competition is this fierce, it's crucial to stand out from the crowd. Rather than doing the same as everyone else, try these approaches to get noticed.

Prove yourself

Be inspired by the widely-admired advertisement for a copywriter (from Poke). Applicants have to respond to five challenges – each one representative of the type of work a copywriter could be expected to produce, from writing a book title, to website copy and a slogan.

Rather than just sending your CV, think of ways you could prove your value to a prospective employer. Set up your own website or blog to showcase examples of your work – especially if you're aiming for creative/communication roles in journalism, PR, website design and so on.

Or provide examples of case-studies that show how you've gained experience. Marketing campaigns, product design and launch, customer-service initiatives: all these can be attached to your CV as evidence of your ability to do the job.

Show how your skills could be used on the job by applying a problem-solving slant in your applications. An article in Bnet describes the skills that humanities grads can uniquely offer business. While science students are taught to predict and test data, arts students are taught to "play with big concepts", and apply new ways of thinking. Arts grads excel in skills that mirror those often seen in job ads: innovation, communication, and customer satisfaction. Draw these out in your applications, describing how you would use them to solve a specific problem in your chosen role.

Do the job you want

In the College of Journalism blog, Josh Halliday points out that extra-curricular work will get you hired – not your degree course.

He tells how one journalism student came to the attention of the production editor at Sky News to land valuable work experience in the newsroom. Even if you're stuck in a dead-end job, find ways to do what you aspire to. Highlight these spare time projects on your CV (over your main role) to show how you're already active in your target industry, and therefore, more work-ready.

Break the mould

Your CV and covering letter will need to stand out if you're to be short-listed. Make sure yours are concise, interesting, and free of stuffy, cliched wording. Most application materials follow a similar format, with the same choice of headings and sections, so grab an employer's attention by letting your personality shine through and breaking a few rules. (Just don't sacrifice focus, accuracy and readability in the process.)

Apply the same strategies as copywriters and marketeers

Start with the headings, which should be descriptive and specific, but also pique your reader's interest. Gayle Howard, an expert CV writer, suggests attracting readers with "Impact" or "Recognition" rather than "Professional experience", for example.

Using numbers or "how to" in titles works for bloggers. Try spicing up your covering letter with a headline such as "Three reasons to hire me" to draw in your reader.

If you apply speculatively, use the subject line of your email as a selling point. Rather than writing "Enquiry for editorial vacancies" try "English grad with sharp editing skills".

Create a rapport with your reader. Do this through well-chosen career stories to keep your reader interested to the end. Keep them engaged by writing tightly and concisely, using short (rather than long) words, and by avoiding corporate-speak, jargon, or long, convoluted sentences.

Use punchy, vivid vocabulary

Don't go for the stale options often seen in CVs.

"Responsible for booking acts for student union" is not very exciting.

"Booked carefully-selected acts making double expected profits" is better.

"Pounced on 'once-in-a-lifetime' acts touring London, cajoling them to perform one-off gigs on campus and doubling student union profits" is far more descriptive of how you achieved success.

Consider an infographic CV or online CV

This one breaks all the rules. It's written in a narrative style, includes a photo, graphics and a splash of colour that's a refreshing difference from the usual black on white background.

Look beyond the usual graduate milkround companies

Small companies can often offer a greater range of challenges and learning experiences. The hours might be longer, but you'll also have the opportunity of seeing different sides to the business, gaining a greater understanding of how the company works in the process. This is helpful if you're not completely clear on your career focus, as you'll have the chance to be involved in a variety of projects.

Use social media to help you find small or niche companies and recruiters that might not have the budget to appear at career fairs or to advertise nationally. Connect with people in your industry to expand your network of contacts, then stay active – aim to build relationships over the long-term. Simon Caine offers excellent guidelines on how best to use Twitter for job-seeking.

Looking in less obvious places also helps. Sara Megan found that Gumtree was a great resource. "Of the five jobs I applied for on Gumtree, I got four interviews and one job offer."

Be the professional everyone wants to employ

In your dealings with a potential employer try to achieve a balance of "can-do" confidence and enthusiasm with humility and desire to learn. Avoid giving the impression that you're entitled through having gained a degree.

Expect rigorous interviews, and don't get rattled by odd or stressful questions. Remember – your personality will be assessed as much as your ability to do the job.

If you're convinced of your aptitude for a particular role, you need to communicate this belief to people with hiring authority. Stay up-to-date with your industry and focused on your eventual goals. This means putting in the hours to build contacts and knowledge, but your efforts and perseverance will pay off.