Here's how to avoid some of the most common mistakes made by Scottish graduates when applying for financial services jobs - and some of them are peculiarly Scottish.

Don't undersell yourself

"For some reason, Scottish graduates are often far too modest," says Alan Smith of Heriot-Watt University careers service. 

"That means they can be poor when it comes to marketing their skills and achievements." Ask your university careers service to help you identify and sell your skills. For more advice about CVs click here.

Nurture your self-confidence

"Lack of self-confidence seems to be more common among Scottish graduates than their English counterparts," says Carol Scambler, human resources director at insurance risk management specialist Barrie & Hibbert in Edinburgh, who returned to Scotland from London five years ago.

"Andy Robinson, the Scottish rugby team coach, says he has trouble encouraging the Scottish team to believe in themselves the way the English team does. I feel it’s the same with some Scottish graduates."

Don't be afraid to go South to access internships or work experience.

"Scottish students are often reluctant to leave Scotland for internships," says Smith. "They can miss out because in audit or tax, for instance, there are few internships in Scotland compared to Manchester and London."

Smith says where you get your internship makes no difference to Scottish financial services employers, but Scambler says knowledge of the wider world gives you an advantage.

"We recently saw a candidate aged 19 who had spent time in Thailand running a diving school. That kind of responsibility and knowledge of the world can set you apart."

Other errors include failing to research companies, roles and markets effectively and applying for jobs just because of the title.

"Anything with 'forensic' in the title always attracts lots of candidates - a mistake if you don't know what’s involved," says Smith.