Graduate Recruitment Bureau

Most graduates are now aware of the benefits of work experience or internships which provide crucial experience and additional CV fodder. However, there are other schemes which similarly offer graduates and students with opportunities to make contacts, learn about the internal workings of specific industries and to work out if a particular career path is right for them. I am talking about the professional societies that industries have which are targeted at assisting students and graduates in their efforts to make it onto the graduate job ladder.

In the UK at the moment there are over 270 professional societies spanning 34 industry sectors ranging from transport to publishing so there are opportunities for graduates of almost any degree discipline, whether based on humanities or the sciences. The testimonies of various graduates demonstrate the value of these societies and how the experiences have had positive long and short term effects for those who have taken advantage of them. In order to widen her employment network, Samantha Smith, a creative writing and publishing graduate from Kingston University joined the Society of Young Publishers. After taking a while to feel comfortable with the networking environment, Samantha eventually saw how she could maximise the opportunity for employment opportunities “When I got over my initial fears, I had met some very interesting people, to whom I spoke extensively about the different paths I could use to enter the publishing industry. Some of them even encouraged me to send them my CV for potential work experience opportunities.”

Computer Science student at Kingston University, Sam Williams has recently been attending lectures held by the British Computer Society and has also reaped the rewards of the networking possibilities. “Everyone wears nametags so there’s an opportunity to talk to the attendees and make new acquaintances before the actual lecture. Lectures also tend to be quite interactive, involving the audience by encouraging them to ask questions. After the talks, the speakers are quite approachable so attendees can easily walk up to them to learn more.”

The professional societies can be the perfect place for you to make the contacts you need in order to procure your first graduate job. If you approach the lectures and meetings offered with an enthusiasm to meet as many people as possible and to give a strong impression of your passion for that industry then you will enhance your employment prospects an enormous amount. Moreover, professional bodies are also able to offer jobs postings which are not available to those who don’t attend the society meetings and can even offer specialist courses for extra qualifications which also bolster your employability.

Tom, GRB journalist