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.

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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