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.