Graduate Salaries - We Predict Your Future!

Today GRB launches an exciting new service for students and their parents considering University.

Ramla, the all-knowing graduate salaries fortune teller can give you a prediction of what you're statistically set to earn after you graduate, based on detailed sets of data researched through UCAS, HESA and GRB's Independent Research Team.

Here at GRB, our Independent Research Team has been hard at work to create Ramla, the all-knowing graduate salaries fortune teller, giving you a prediction of what you're statistically set to earn after you graduate, based on previous graduates who have done the same course and at the same university as you.

First year Undergraduates across the UK are the first to experience the higher university tuition fees, capped at £9,000 per year. There are hundreds of news stories and blogs dedicated to the topic but a very small quantity of these are doing much in the way of helping prospective and current university students to make an informed choice on how best to decide on university courses and institutions, how best to spend time whilst at university or how to make sure while studying, you're maximising your value for money.

Against all predictions, the fees haven't done a great deal by way of deterring students from attending university and the higher fees are probably here to stay so instead of thinking about the debt you may have incurred over the next three or four years, get excited about the career options and potential graduate salary earnings you are statistically set to receive after you finish your studies. The salaries are based on detailed sets of data researched through UCAS, HESA and GRB's Independent Research Team.

Visit Ramla using the link below, and see what your future holds...
www.grb.uk.com/graduate-salaries-fortune-teller

Employers Still Hungry For Graduate Talent

Futuretrack, the most reliable and extensive piece of research to surface on graduate behaviour points to several reassuring findings for parents and sixth formers contemplating Higher Education. You will get a return on your investment on many levels and employers especially value the skills graduates bring to the workforce.

The ‘Futuretrack’ study was commissioned by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit and undertaken by Warwick University’s Institute for Employment Research. Starting with the 2005/6 population of applicants for full-time UK undergraduate study, they have succeeded in tracking 17,000 graduates and where they ended up 6 years later. The bottom line figures look reassuring with 71% of graduates snapped up by employers in a variety of roles across all sectors.

The research went into further detail about graduate’s experience of Higher Education. An overwhelming 96% of those who took part in the survey said that they are glad that they had taken their degree despite the financial cost. Two thirds also stated that they felt positive about their long-term career prospects. 29% loved it so much that they stayed on to do post graduate study!

Many sectors, like IT, have consistently found shortages and now sectors like Engineering and Banking are embarking on a war for talent, especially for numerate graduates, so it is vital Universities keep developing this talent for employers in the future. Dan Hawes, co-founder of Graduate Recruitment Bureau says: “We were delighted to be able to support the study and achieved the largest number of responses by any commercial recruitment consultancy. We believe it sends a strong message to all stakeholders anxious about the changes to Higher Education. Since 1997 we have served graduate recruiters, large and small, and have seen our business grow like many other intermediaries also providing valuable services over the last decade. The job market is definitely there for graduates so we are always surprised to hear about high calibre graduates struggling.”

“This survey also confirms our belief in the added value graduates bring not just to employers but the economy as a whole at a time when we need an injection of fresh blood. We track high calibre graduates that we place and this research confirmed what we are already seeing that graduates start their career in all sorts of places, not just on graduate schemes, but on other well paid, graduate level jobs. The problem is graduates simply miss these opportunities as they exist in a hidden market.”
Jane Artess, research director at HECSU says: “Graduates’ perceptions of the value of their degree in finding work changes remarkably after they have been in the labour market for some time, which helps us to understand the magnitude of the downturn on this group.”

Professor Kate Purcell at the IER adds “Students focus mainly on their studies while at university, particularly in their final year, so graduating into one of the worst recessions in history has hit them particularly hard.  The main finding for me is that even in the wake of the recession, the onset of higher fees and large debts, the graduates remain positive in the face of adversity with great confidence that their degree has been worth it."

DO YOU RELY ON THE 2:1?

With degree grade inflation hitting the headlines, employers are struggling to find ways to fairly and accurately assess graduate talent. Here, Carl Gilleard from AGR - the voice of graduate recruiters - explains a new way ahead for our guest post.

Three quarters of AGR members use the 2:1 degree classification as a screening tool. Hardly any recruiters resist using the degree classification at all in the recruitment process.

With such wide usage of the degree class, you’d expect that employers had total confidence in the way that degree classifications are allocated. Yet, in my experience, employers are not always that well informed on how the degree class is arrived at. Using the degree class as a screening tool, suggests that employers think of it as a national standard that can be used to compare one candidate against another. It’s not, and a quick look at the proportions of students who receive firsts and upper seconds from different courses and institutions proves the point.

At best, the degree class is a blunt instrument to use in selection, at worst it can rule out perfectly good (and able) candidates from obtaining a graduate level job. I sympathise with recruiters faced with scores of applicants chasing each vacancy. It’s a tough challenge in these straitened times but rigid use of the degree class can adversely impact on other business goals such as improving the diversity of the workforce.

When employers are asked what they look for in graduate recruits they place relevant work experience, life and work skills and attitudes as being important factors in determining success. The 2:1 clearly does not provide any insight into these important factors. But help is at hand.
AGR has consistently supported the introduction of the Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) and now that more than eighty institutions have signed up to it, it will not be long before graduate job seekers ask employers to take their HEAR into account.

The HEAR has the potential to change graduate recruitment for the better. It is intended to give a broader and more balanced picture of a graduate’s achievements, including a full transcript of results for all modules, and a record of extra-curricular activity such as the students union, societies, sports clubs, prizes and skills awards. The very things that most employers want to know about the achievements of graduate job candidates; more than that the information contained in a HEAR is verifiable.

Employers often have to rely on the candidate’s own prediction of the degree class they will obtain; a prediction that is invariably optimistic and with good cause. To state that you hope to obtain a 2:2 will mean disqualification from many graduate level job vacancies. The HEAR will allow employers access to achievements before the course is completed so it can be used even when selecting interns.

The HEAR is not replacing the degree classification, at least not in the short-term, but I am optimistic that if employers are prepared to give the HEAR a chance to prove itself against a classification system that is widely regarded as no longer fit for purpose, they will discover lots of benefits, one such being that students might become less fixated on obtaining the ubiquitous 2:1. That has got to be a good thing. A university education is greater than the sum of its parts: not just a series of course options but a challenge to think about the connections between these elements; not merely a chance to make friends for life, but an opportunity to work alongside peers in teams that thrive on diversity; a time for indulging one’s thirst for knowledge and preparing for a fulfilling career. The more that the 2:1 becomes the ‘gold standard’ the less likely that the student experience will be truly enriching.

The Graduate Without a Future - Says who?

The Guardian's recent broadcast "Graduate class of 2012: A 2:1 just won't cut it anymore" is just one part of an entire online series dedicated to "the graduate without a future". Excuse me? I certainly don't feel doomed. Alongside numerous articles of a similar tone, this video emanates disillusion and despair, from the depressing personal profiles of 2012 grads, right down to their coffee cup dregs being emptied down the drain.

Nobody's about to sit and tell you it's going to be an easy ride, but to doom the entire generation to life in a call centre, "mired in debt"? Be reasonable.

Subtle snipes at the humanities disciplines and recruitment industry were of course the icing on the cake but we'll save that for another day... (No really, we will). None of us are strangers to a newspaper trying to drum up readership but if you're starting to get drawn into the gloomy forecast, then set a good example to them and start re-adjusting your grip on reality. Playing into their hands gives yet another higher power the satisfaction of dictating how you live and quite frankly it's about time the new generation showed them how it was done. If a 2.1 won't cut it anymore then sitting around complaining certainly won't help. Expecting others to solve our problems is what got us into this mess and trust me they have far more than our best interests at heart.

For starters, creating an atmosphere of hopelessness over the situation is not only insulting to those already celebrating success, but it's hardly motivating for the rest who've barely had a chance to try. Brought up in a society where so much is instant, easy and taken for granted, it might not necessarily be a bad thing to spark a little competitive spirit. This may mean that those with the energy and ambition to embrace it are at a slight advantage, but I hope I'm not alone in saying, kudos to them.

Still, persevering is hard enough at the best of times. Is creating a moral panic going to make anybody's lives any easier? Where's the support and encouragement from the institutions so concerned with improving the economy? Demoralising those with the most potential to regenerate it isn't exactly productive thinking. According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, over nine out of ten graduates in 2011 found work within six months; that's a huge 90.3% of graduates who aren't sat around feeling doomed, so why should we?

This downbeat tone is exacerbated in every aspect of the video, cut and pasted entirely to leave you feeling miserable and disheartened. The publication even manages to put a negative spin on the infinite potential of social media and the innovative new ways to "sell yourself". Instead of celebrating the prospect of brightening up the traditional scrap of A4 summarising your entire life achievements, a girl dejectedly states "it's always about making sure you?re this... perfect person which I guess doesn?t really exist." Welcome to the real world.

How many years have people been tweaking their grades and talking up their supermarket job?

The internet quite literally puts the world at your feet and whilst it may not make the job market any more attractive, it can certainly improve your CV.

Perhaps we are becoming, and I quote The Guardian's video journalist John Harris, "restless ever-changing human beings", but nobody's complaining when the next iphone's on its way out or we make progress towards curing a crippling disease.

Surely the most adaptive, open-minded and technologically advanced generation to date can channel some of this energy productively towards their future?
Choose a direction, work hard and aim high. No, a 2.1 alone will not be enough, but nobody is doomed if they set their mind on success. Starting out with a negative attitude won't make you any more attractive to an employer and it's hardly out of character for the media to hype anything worth a reaction. If all of this struggling is good for anything, it will perhaps teach us to genuinely appreciate the fantastic prospects "the generation abandoned" are building for our future.

Ps. our buzzer does work.

The Value of Higher Education - It's Up To You.

Already introduced at the University of St. Andrews  and with 90 other Universities signed up, the Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) is set to get students thinking about all the things they can squeeze out of university apart from just a degree certificate.

The HEAR is a six page electronic document intended to provide a single comprehensive record of a student's (full time, part time undergraduate and postgraduate) achievement at University. It will adhere to a common structure and be verified by the academic registrar. Apart from details of your degree programme, which employers are particularly interested in, it also includes information on activities such as prizes, volunteering, internships, sport, widening participation activities, additional study, etc.. Any omissions on your part may then cause concern to employers so you may want to think how you are going play this.

Although not compulsory for students, GRB thinks this is a positive step in raising awareness and thus encouraging students to build their skills in preparation for employment. This is echoed by NUS, Employers and intermediaries who have been closely consulted throughout the process to get it right for everyone involved in education and recruitment. GRB recently attended a consultation on online graduate recruitment and how HEAR would be used. Around the table it was viewed positively as long as students and employers take it seriously - more information is a good thing when it comes to matching graduates to employment as it enables a recruitment consultant to better "sell" your skillset.

Fee paying students are very much in the driving seat as they embark in the new world of Higher Education from September 2012. Some quarters may view HEAR as a way for Universities to justify these fees through this "itemised" list of benefits but we want to know if you are aware of HEAR and if so what do you think?

PS. There's more info here: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/hear

Going public?

This article was written by a graduate we know well - Arnab Datta. Enjoy!

Choosing an industry for your graduate job is difficult and you need to consider many factors. These include deciding whether you wish to work in the private or public sector. Completing work experience will help you make a decision, but it is also worthwhile speaking to people in the career and following current developments in the news.

A recent graduate recruitment survey has revealed that the public sector is actually the most popular sector with students, for the second year in a row. The survey incorporated the views of 25,000 students from more than 100 universities, so can be considered a fairly good indicator of students’ current opinions. This is quite surprising in the context of both the economic situation and the budget cuts, but perhaps show that students want to join careers that are trying to help the UK get back on track.

So, what are the main benefits of working in the public sector? Generally, you may feel that you are contributing more to society. For example, if you are a teacher, work in local government or a doctor, then you may feel that these are more rewarding careers. Also, if you work for a charity, then the aim is not to maximise profit, but rather to maximise efficiency for the organisation and help people more. Historically the public sector has been quite a stable place to work (despite recent events) and some of the employment benefits have been more favourable. In the end, there will be a different working culture to the private sector, since the overarching objectives of government organisations and private sector companies inevitably vary.

Still, you must remember that the private sector includes many opportunities in a wide range of sectors, including engineering, consumer goods, science and retail, which were classed second to fifth place in the same recruitment company’s survey. Interestingly, financial related careers did not seem that popular with the students surveyed, although they offer higher starting salaries and firms are still recruiting staff, despite the difficult economic climate. Perhaps this is a cultural shift, with more people wanting to work in different industries. However, it is likely that students from particular universities are still geared towards careers in the financial arena.

Overall, the decision to work in the public sector should be based on whether you are genuinely interested in that career path and aim to contribute to a particular area of society. Still, working in the private sector is rewarding, as there are many industries available, each with opportunities to develop new skills and progress your career.

Are You A Rising Star?

Now in its third successive year, GRBs Rising Stars, is an extra service exclusively to GRB Members who we can see are academically exceptional finalists looking to launch their career with the UKs best companies. We have contacted you because you are studying at a top institution and would like to give you an opportunity to apply.

You can click here http://www.grb.uk.com/rising-stars-list.0.html to see the list by using the username "rising" and password "stars". We then promote this list to a select portfolio of top blue chip recruiters and contact you when they wish to see your CV.

Interested? To apply, please reply to this email (d.hawes@grb.uk.com) with your latest CV and a short paragraph demonstrating your suitability as a Rising Star with examples of your;

- Achievements (including non-academic)
 - Final Year Project / Dissertation achievements
- Creativity (demonstrable skills in individuality and originality)
- Contribution (including participation and involvement in class and union)
- Personal Qualities (e.g. motivation, commitment and the ability to act as an ambassador)

We look forward to showcasing your profile to recruiters throughout 2012 and secure you employment before you graduate. Don't miss out....

STUDENTS 1 - 0 UNIVERSITIES

Have you noticed how university prospectuses have changed in recent years? These glossy tomes have always tended to show the best side of university life but as competition in the market for students hots up under the new funding regime, there's a growing emphasis on explaining what you can expect for your money stretching from the social scene, quality of teaching, student support services and skills development right through to job prospects.

All of which is certain to raise student expectations. Woe betides the institution that fails to deliver on the promise. A glance at the latest GRB poll of students should serve as a timely reminder to universities that failing to deliver on the promise is all too easy. Asked if they thought their university was overrated or underrated.

A significant 46% of those who voted felt their university was overrated compared to 27% who felt their university was actually underrated. What is particularly interesting is that when the same question was asked a year ago, only 40% claimed their university was overrated. The trend, worryingly, would appear to be going in the wrong direction.

Accepting that opinions might be jaundiced at this time of the year when graduate job prospects, or the lack of them, are uppermost in most students and graduates minds, the level of dissatisfaction should be a cause for concern. One can only wonder how parents would have voted. In a recent OnePoll, 60% of parents said that the prime value of encouraging their offspring to go to university was in helping to improve job prospects.

In the same week, the Office for National Statistics published a report which showed that one in three recent graduates was employed in low skilled jobs. And they are the lucky ones it seems, as one in five was unemployed. Universities cannot be blamed for the depressed state of the jobs market but these depressing figures go some way to explaining why more and more institutions are taking their students' employability more seriously than ever before and need to level the score.

Moving towards a more flexible future

Here's another excellent article by our guest blogger, Arnab Datta. Flexibility is one of the key attributes that companies look for in prospective employees and so learning to adapt to new situations quickly is crucial in your new graduate job. This is especially important in the current climate, but does this signal a temporary cultural shift or will there be a more permanent trend in the future?

Recently, a research agency has discovered that over 50% of companies will desire more flexibility from employees during the next two years. Also, some international companies are focusing particularly towards hiring more flexible workers such as freelancers and remote staff. Therefore, this is something at the forefront of companies’ agendas, since they want to reduce costs and respond to changes in the economic environment. Still, this is bound to have implications on employees and especially graduates who want to make a favourable impression in their new jobs.

So, what exactly does flexibility mean in a practical sense? This essentially implies that employees have more choice over the amount of hours worked, the location and which areas to particularly focus on. This type of discretion from companies may give employees a broader experience of work. For example, travelling overseas to work on projects will introduce you to new cultural experiences and perhaps even create a greater global mindset. Also, being flexible may result in you accepting a more senior role that will improve your project management abilities. This could help develop skills like mentoring team members, which no doubt will help you to rise up the career ladder.

You may think that having more freedom to make decisions in shaping your career has many benefits, but there will also be more responsibility. If you decide to work flexible hours, then you will effectively be ‘on-call’ to answer any queries from senior staff and give advice to junior team members. Although it is rewarding to help others, the demanding nature of such an arrangement will inevitably create more pressure. Also, flexible workers need to carefully manage their own workload in addition to attending the necessary meetings, so the importance of time management and responsibility go hand in hand. In a way the unpredictably of greater flexibility is exactly what introduces further risk into the career path.

Overall, it is important to have some flexibility during your career, but you need to find a balance between managing your own workload and following a structured development programme. Flexible working means you can work the hours that suit you, but remember that you are still part of a team, so you need to participate in the main meetings with others. In the end it comes down to your personality. If you want to gain some new experiences and challenge yourself, then try to be more flexible, and after some time you can see if it is a sustainable way of working in the future.



Taking a softer approach

Our guest blogger, Arnab, has composed another excellent article for all your students and grads out there! Please read on...

In a world where competition for graduate jobs is fierce, you may concentrate completely on your academic qualifications and work experience to secure your ideal career. Still, the importance of soft skills has increased, so you need to develop these skills to be a well rounded individual.

Research by Ethical Skills & Training has discovered that many employers are reluctant to hire new graduates, since they think that graduates lack soft skills. Indeed, these are exactly the core competencies that are tested during interviews and so maybe one of the reasons that candidates miss out on positions. However, at first glance, it is difficult to see how to improve these skills.

So, what exactly are soft skills and is it easy to define them in a particular way? Basically, soft skills encompass the way in which people interact with one another and effectively make up a package deal. The important skills are communication, language, etiquette, enthusiasm and friendliness. These will all help you to make a favourable first impression on employers, thus increasing your chance of success. Utilising soft skills effectively and showing positive body language definitely bodes well with any company. 

During your interview, it is vital to do a few things. When you first meet the interviewer, smile and act in a friendly manner. You will probably be nervous but try to make eye contact and give a firm handshake to give the impression that you are confident. Once the interview has started, speak clearly and not too fast, giving succinct responses to the questions. Also, listen carefully to the questions you are being asked and demonstrate enthusiasm when delivering your answers. Giving the perception of being attentive and genuinely interested will inspire confidence in your ability.

Soft skills are also important when you start a graduate job, since a large proportion of time will be spent interacting with people. This could happen during meetings and while working in teams on certain projects. Also, as you gain more experience, it is likely that you will have to deliver presentations to other parts of your firm or potential clients. Having good communication skills could mean the difference between a sale of a service or not making the deal. Producing a vibrant presentation will have much more of an impact with the target audience, although you need to ensure that the content is of a high quality as well.

Overall, remember that your university study and extra-curricular activities are only part of the total package, so to get your desired job offer, you need to make an impression during the interview. Developing good soft skills will have a major impact on your success. Indeed, in some cases the quality of these skills will be the differentiating factor between yourself and others, both during an interview and also once you have started your graduate job.

Arnab Datta

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

Supersize Your Internship

For most students and recent grads, the old Catch-22 of  not being considered for a job as you have no relevant experience and not being able to get experience until you get a job is one of the toughest hurdles to face when you first enter the jobs market.

There is, however, one strategy that can help break this vicious circle and give your career a springboard: the internship. Most internships will start from June onwards and at this time of year applications for the good ones are filling up fast, so it's not too early to start searching.

Don’t be surprised if you see many unpaid internships or ones that don’t pay very much. Plus, these jobs often involve most of the menial taks that no one else wants to do at the firm. What you should see this opportunity as is what you can put on your CV - experience in a professional office setting. You could supersize your placement by not only making yourself indispensable but also networking with your supervisors to see if you can extend your summer work into a full- or part-time paid position. Here’s a few tip son how to stand out;

Don't be complacent - There is probably a queue of other people waiting for you to trip up and snatch your job so remember this law of the jungle! Once you have learnt the basics of your job seek extra challenges to prove your worth and impress the boss - far better to take these risks as an intern than fully paid up employee. Just ask, "What can I work on when you're busy and I have nothing specific to do?"

Be friendly to everyone - As an intern you have face to face access to other professionals you wouldn’t normally be able to meet so use the opportunity to say hi over the water cooler or on a coffee break and see what happens! NB.Make a bee line for the HR manager as they will be able to reveal more about their hiring plans.

Ask for references – Politely ask your boss for a written reference before you leave. Remind them about the specific projects you worked on and achievements you have made during your internship. Presenting this at future interviews with other firms shows you are organised and saves them the time chasing your previous employer.

Stay in touch – Don’t waste the relationships you have started and let them dissipate but rather stay in touch with your manager and co-workers via e-mail, LinkedIn, Twitter or other social media.

Click For More Internship Tips

Time To Move On Or Not?

In this difficult economic climate, successfully achieving a job offer and then performing well in your chosen career is not an easy task. Still, people are always driven by their ambition and desire to fulfil their potential, which means they inevitably look for challenging opportunities elsewhere.

A survey by a Management Institute and Business School has shown that 16% of graduates want to move into a new job as soon as possible, 40% plan to move within one year, and less than 50% intend to stay at their current company for two years or more. The majority of graduates are very keen at the outset and will always be looking for ways to get promoted and earn a higher salary. 

When you start a new job, it is important to be enthusiastic but you should realise that although you have a university degree, you have limited practical experience of the company. Therefore, you will be performing tasks that you may find slightly boring at times, but the key point is to complete these tasks accurately and efficiently. This will result in your manager developing confidence in you and then gradually entrusting you with more important duties.

Some new graduates do not acknowledge the importance of a learning curve that only time will bring. It will take at least two to three years for you to become fully accustomed to the work and then you will have the ability to mentor junior staff members and take more of a managerial role. Of course, the day that you will be promoted to manager will vary between companies, but you still may be effectively working in this role, even if you do not have the title. Also, you need to stay at an organisation for some time to build up a portfolio of work that will look good on your CV.

The expectation gap between new graduates and managers is quite interesting. For example, managers do not really consider fixed working hours and will ensure their work is completed, however long it takes. This is in contrast to most new graduates who will expect to work standard hours. Also, graduates sometimes find that they are not being coached adequately for their needs. If this occurs, then it is important to have an open and honest conversation with the manager to ensure your goals are met, or speak to other members of your department. It is not advisable to keep moving organisations until you meet a very helpful manager, since you need continuity in your working life.

Overall, once you have started a graduate job, it is best to stay there for about three years to build up a portfolio of work and generate confidence within your team. At first, you may not like the work or environment, but if you persevere, you will build up valuable experience and then you can make a career move later on, as a more experienced and accomplished individual. 

Arnab Datta

Bridging the gap with ‘finishing’ schools?

With the market for graduate jobs being tougher than ever, having skills that are most desired by employers is very important. Companies look for applicants with good qualifications but soft skills are also highly regarded in the workplace.

Some commentators including higher education professionals and an MP think that it is necessary to reduce the gap between university and employment by offering graduates courses in workplace etiquette. The aim is to provide skills that will impress employers, which include communication and presentation skills, how to prepare a good CV as well as general skills like how to dress for an interview and good manners. The course will effectively be a one stop shop that will target all the key areas for development and hopefully result in future success.

This programme has been piloted in London and there are discussions about launching a national programme. However, with the costs apparently going to be £1,000 per student, is it really worth it? Even if the costs are subsidised by the government and universities, they will still be significant in the context of higher university fees, where graduates are burdened with greater levels of student debt.

Also, currently there are more traditional methods of free careers advice, which tend to work well on the whole. Careers services provide advice about CVs and help with preparation for mock interviews and assessments. Employers take every opportunity to travel to university campuses to promote their companies and provide application tips. There is a lot of information available and the key point is finding out the most important facts and practising before your interview. You will most likely have the skills to succeed already, but you just need to make sure you hone them so you behave professionally and answer questions well on the day.

Overall, ‘finishing’ schools may appeal to certain people who feel that they need to learn more about the best way to present themselves at interviews. Still, in this difficult economic climate where there are higher university fees, it is unlikely that many people will spend money on such a service. By speaking to careers advisers, you will soon realise the types of skills that employers want, and hopefully you can do well in the interview to secure your desired job.

By Arnab Datta

Using Social Media In Graduate Job Hunting

Here's a great article from one of our student journalists, Charles that's worth sharing!

Something to bear in mind when using these different media platforms is that it might be a good idea to keep your image varied in each one. You can adapt them to better suit their particular function and also to help create a diversified online presence of yourself. For now let’s stick with LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. 

If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile yet, get one. Make sure your profile is tailored, professional and accurate. Comic profile images are forbidden. Also, don’t have your headline as ‘Looking for Graduate Jobs in Marketing’ if you really want to go into Bio-mechanics. It has been known to happen. Start building up your contact base immediately and try to add previous employers into your network. Don’t add people you don’t know. Perhaps sit down and build up a list of go-to people, the kind of people you want to have within your network who might be able to help you professionally or personally somewhere down the line. It could end up being sooner than you think. Think about getting recommendations on your profile, it will give it that extra edge. 

People often think of Facebook as a strictly social site, it doesn’t need to be. If used correctly, it could also be another useful job searching avenue, especially as like most students, you probably already have hundreds of friends in your contact list, most of whom you don’t speak to but that’s beside the point. Clean up your profile, this means don’t have anything on there that someone could use as a reason to not hire you. Then consider posting a job focused status, it’s possible one of your friends might be able to help you out, even if it’s just by giving you some good advice. Also think about following your favourite companies to make sure you’re in the know. 

Speaking of following, let’s move on to Twitter. Twitter could be the place where you let your creativity run free. Have an interesting but respectable Avatar, have links to your CV, blog or other interesting tidbits you may have. If you have no interesting tidbits, it might seem like you’re not a very interesting person, so you may want to change that. Follow your favourite companies and try and build up a rapport with them before you dive in and bombard them with application documents. Take note though, spamming is not cool. Alternatively or additionally, be original, insightful and develop your very own following. Imagine having 8,000 people following you simply because you always post interesting tweets, then when you mention that you’ve got a book coming out, it’s no surprise that quite a few of those 8,000 people got mighty curious right? That’s a true story.

Above all, be patient. These things take time.

Charles, GRB Journalist

Standing Out In The Online Arena

In this ever evolving digital world, it is important to keep in tune with developments with the internet, not only for your lifestyle but also for careers. This medium differs from the traditional written cover letter and CV, so you need to consider the most effective approach to make a good first impression.

A recent online employment report revealed that there has been a 55% increase in the hiring of web freelancers by UK businesses since July 2011. This rise has been due to more companies recruiting specialists to deal with processing the vast amount of online applications that are received. Despite the different methods of application, some basic principles remain the same. For example, you need to use good spelling and grammar, as well as have a clear layout and presentation. It is worthwhile highlighting your key achievements (perhaps in bold or by underlining) to make them stand out, but be selective. Also, a professional tone needs to be used, and the language should be tailored to the specific job.

Most online applications include basic information such as contact details and academic qualifications. However, the more important section focuses on competency based questions. These have maximum word limits, which are important to follow. The form tests your ability to convey answers in a concise manner and these responses usually form the basis for questions at interviews. You will have the opportunity to describe why you are interested in the firm and the particular line of business, the types of skills you have gained, such as during work experience and extra-curricular activities.

Some companies will not have application forms, but will ask you to apply by email. Firstly, you should use an email address, which has a suitable name, rather than one, which uses a nickname. Also, you need to address the person in a formal manner and put an appropriate subject in the email so that it is not misplaced by the company. Make sure you write short paragraphs, which are clearly spaced out and answer the key points in the job description. The email is effectively the covering letter and so you can also attach your CV, which should ideally be in a format, which cannot be edited, such as a PDF. If after some time you do not get a response, it is always worthwhile ringing to confirm whether the email has been received.

Overall, you need to put some more thought into online applications but the basic principles of using professional language, good spelling and grammar, as well as addressing the key job requirements remain most important. After you have completed a few applications, you will understand the most appropriate style to use, but ask for guidance from careers services or friends before you send the final emails or submit the forms online.

By Arnab Datta

Wandering In The Wrong Direction?

Here's another excellent article by our guest blogger, Arnab Datta. Preparation is the key to success when it comes to choosing and applying for careers. You need to carry out considerable research about the company to understand its main service lines and also see what it is like to work there. Usually students are given careers advice by others who have specialised in that area or those who have worked in the positions themselves.

A recent study by a company has shown that graduates are not receiving enough careers advice or information about the options available. This lack of advice stems from when they were at school and university. Difficulties for graduates will arise if they have not been informed about the various careers on offer earlier on in their lifetime. For example, choosing a certain degree means that it is not always so easy to change your mind later on and embark on a different career path, although this is still possible.

It is important that you look for relevant careers advice from a range of sources. The best place to start is probably specialist graduate recruitment agencies such as GRB, which will help with your CV and improve your performance at interviews. Universities have careers services and they have the latest information available, especially for the careers that are most popular among graduates, like those in the financial sector. Also, when visiting the agencies and careers services you will meet other people with whom you can share information about careers and thus increase your pool of knowledge.

Alternatively, you can gain a more informal view from your family and friends who currently work in that particular industry or profession. In a way there is nobody better than someone who actually does the job, to tell you more about the skills required. From that, you will be able to decide whether you will enjoy doing the job. It is important to gather different types of views from a variety of sources, since this will give you enough information from which to make an appropriate career choice.

Overall, you don’t want to be going in the wrong direction when thinking about which career path to follow. Therefore, you need to be pro-active in your search for information and consult a wide range of sources, as early as possible. If you do, then there is no reason why you won’t choose a career that you will find interesting and enjoy for many years to come.

Guest Blogger - Arnab Datta

Arnab has been writing excellent articles for the GRB News Feed so I'd like to give him some exposure on my blog as a guest blogger. Hope you like...

DISCOVERING THE TRUE VALUE OF TRAINING

There are many types of graduate jobs available in the market place and so choosing a career path is inevitably difficult. Still, you need to consider whether you want to join a graduate training programme or if you just want to go straight into the world of work.

A recent survey by an international accountancy firm discovered that graduates value training and development over remuneration. This suggests that people want to join a company where they will get the opportunity to improve their overall skill set, so they can do higher quality work in the future. This may still mean that the salary is an important factor but a long-term career path based on a solid training programme appeals to a considerable amount of graduates.

Many accountancy firms offer three year graduate training schemes to become a Chartered Accountant. These programmes are quite challenging since you need to carefully balance studying for exams with the commitment and responsibility required at work. However, there are real benefits upon qualification since you can work in industry or progress through the ranks at accountancy firms. Other careers that have postgraduate training schemes include Law and Engineering, so if you want to become a professional, this is definitely the best route to take.

Some careers may have a Graduate Training Scheme, but no professional exams are required. These are still beneficial, since you will gradually understand more about how the business works and then see if it is the right career for you. In most careers, you will have a buddy or mentor who can offer guidance since they have had similar experiences. Also, you might have an Appraisal Manager with whom you can discuss your long-term career plans at a more formal level.

However, in this difficult climate you may need to have a better paid job, at least for a few years. If so, then you should probably take a job even if there is no clearly defined training scheme. This is because all companies will train you and offer guidance so that you can do your job as effectively as possible. Indeed, training does not stop in the first few years, as you will have to keep attending courses throughout your career, to stay in tune with the latest developments in your field.

Overall, it is worth valuing training more than your salary to an extent, depending on your personal circumstances. Some key advantages with training schemes are that they are well regarded in the market place and can act as a springboard for further achievement in your career. Still, if you think that a starting salary will make your life more comfortable, then take that job initially and perhaps consider pursuing some sort of training scheme further down the line.