Nicole Debson of London graduate recruitment agency Appointments Bi-Language, advises that a first job should provide you with transferable skills attractive to other employers. She says:”Never expect your first job to last longer than about a year or 18 months, unless you get promoted internally. “You need to become what an employer wants, especially if you have a non-vocational degree. “The three most valuable attributes are a “can do” attitude, technical skills and commercial awareness.