June 2006 by Real World

ST POS UD TG Y S RA PE D ( CI P3 AL 7 )

CAREER ADVICE + INSPIRATION + JOBS + GRAD NEWS + YOUR FUTURE www.realworldmagazine.com

JUNE 2006 FREE TO STUDENTS

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+ READY FOR THE

IS IT YOUR PERFECT JOB?

REAL WORLD? TAKE OUR TEST TO FIND OUT!

+ CLASS OF 2006 + WIN AN iPOD WHAT WILL THEY DO AFTER GRADUATION?

(SEE PAGE 6)

CAREER FAIR SPECIAL PPAGE AGE26 26

L A V I V R U S R E E R CA E D I U G

AL I T N E S S E E TH

O O KNOW TRK T D E E N U G YO RLD OF WO O W E EVERYTHLIN H T IN AT KEEP AF O

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We are an equal opportunities employer

YES, FOR THE FIRST 5 YEARS OF MY CAREER, THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS I’LL ASK IN MEETINGS WILL BE “MILK AND SUGAR WITH THAT SIR?” AND THE MOST CREATIVE CHOICES I’LL MAKE WILL BE RICH TEA OR HOBNOBS, UNTIL FINALLY THE STEAM FROM THE COFFEE ENGULFS MY MIND AND MY EYES MIST OVER FOREVER. NO, I’D RATHER JOIN ENTERPRISE, SO I CAN RUN MY OWN BUSINESS WITHIN TWO YEARS, SO IT’S ME WHO’S SETTING UP THE MEETINGS, AND ME WHO’S SHARING MY IDEAS AND PUTTING THEM INTO PRACTICE.

Will most industry-leading companies really make the most of your talent? Years at university only to become an expert in photocopying. Hanging round the boss’s desk waiting for instructions. And a pay rise. Better join the Enterprise Management Training Scheme to make sure that’s not you. We’re an international car rental company with a multi-billion pound turnover, that teaches you to run your own section of the business in as little as two years. You’ll learn about everything from sales, marketing and customer service to operations and finance, so you can make crucial business decisions and reap the rewards. You could be promoted twice in one year. Earn in two years what could take you five elsewhere. We’re here to make the most of your potential, not let it wither and die. To apply visit www.enterprisealive.com/rwji or call 0870 850 1232.

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JUNE | 2006

Contents On the cover

COVER STORY 12

R eal World career survival guide: Everything you need to know, including how to survive your first week at work, impress employers, get out of debt, survive on a low wage and make the most of work experience. Plus five graduate case studies on teaching, fashion

design, accountancy, postgraduate courses and working in the armed forces. z

UPFRONT 5 6

E ditor’s letter Readership survey: What do you think of Real World? Fill in our survey and you could win an iPod Nano. z

BRAINFOOD 8

Class of 2006: What pearls of wisdom do our finalyear students have to offer? z

Quiz: Are you ready for the real world? Find out here. z

RW FEATURES

ecruitment consultancies: They could get you a R job or give you a job. We show you how to get the most out of the recruitment industry. z

areer fair special: Where can you find the best jobs C this summer? z

IN THE NEXT ISSUE

y T he first ever Real World: Finance: If you are thinking about working in the finance industry this should be your one-stop-shop. We’ve covered industries from accountancy to investment banking, providing outstanding advice straight from the recruiters, plus a range of graduate case studies on what it’s really like to work in the sector. Look out for the issue at your careers service or student union.

Win an iPod Nano! Turn to page 6 and fill in our survey or go online to realworld magazine. ! Win com WWW.REALWORLDMAGAZINE.COM RW

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Rocket. Mediterranean salad ingredient or career trajectory?

So here you are. You’ve always promised yourself a career where the sky’s the limit. Where the possibilities are endless. No endless 9 to 5s in a career cul-de-sac – wondering exactly when it was that your ‘get-up-and-go’ had got up and gone. The Aldi Graduate Area Manager Training Programme could have been purpose-built to keep this bleak future at bay. It rewards enterprise, spirit and drive with a rapid rise through the ranks. From day one, the pace is fast, but never frenetic. You’ll start at the grass roots and you’ll learn everyone’s job by doing it yourself. From stacking shelves to working the tills. During this time, you’ll sharpen your instincts for what motivates your team. You’ll learn how to lead from the front and, crucially, how to drive up sales and bring down costs. In just a few short weeks, you can expect to be managing a store. Then, over the following months, you’ll move into phase two of training to take on Area Management responsibilities – where you’ll be given every opportunity to display your leadership skills and commercial awareness. When this training is over, you’ll have total responsibility for four to six stores, effectively managing

Graduate Area Manager Trainee

your own multi-million pound business. It’s unlikely that you’d be operating at such a heady altitude with

£38K + Audi A4

so much authority and empowerment in any other business. But, we never said Aldi was just another

Area Manager in charge of six stores

ordinary business. In fact, the material rewards are extraordinary too. The starting salary is £38K plus an Audi A4, rising in annual increments to £54½K after three years and includes a pension, private healthcare, life assurance and ﬁve weeks’ holiday. There are also opportunities for Area Managers to spend two years on secondment in Europe or further

£54½K + Audi A4 Opportunity for directorship within 5 years

aﬁeld. Within ﬁve years, there is every chance of a directorship. Dizzy heights indeed. If you want to go further, faster, send a CV and recent photograph, together with a letter illustrating your leadership potential, quoting reference SP2RO to: Aldi Stores Ltd, Area Management Recruitment, Wellington Road, South Marston Park, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 4FN. Or you can apply online at www.aldi.com

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Photograph: Dorling Kindersley, GettyImages

Editorial: 020 7735 2111 Editor Zoë Roberts Art Director Jennifer van Schoor DESIGNER Yang Ou

Time to get real!

his issue of Real World is a little bit different. It’s the end of the academic year and, for those of you that are about to graduate, it’s time to either start focusing on the job

you’ve already secured, or to start your job hunt in earnest. That’s why this issue of the magazine aims to provide something for everyone, whether it be advice on your first day on the job, tips on making yourself more employable or the lowdown on getting

Sub Editor Joy Persaud

SALES: 020 7735 4900 HEAD OF SALES Paul Wade SALES Josh Marshall, Harmesh Sansoa

DISTRIBUTION: 020 7735 4900 DISTRIBUTION MANAGER James Lynch

ADMIN: 020 7735 4900 OFFICE MANAGER Marie Tasle Managing Director Darius Norell

Real World Magazine 22-26 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TJ Tel: Advertising 020 7735 4900 Editorial 020 7735 2111 Fax: 020 7840 0443 www.realworldmagazine.com Real World is published in the UK by Cherry Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written permission of the publishers. We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs or for material lost or damaged in the post.

some work experience. Our survival guide case studies also give you an overview of five very different graduates. Who do you think has the best lifestyle? The teacher, the accountant, the postgraduate student, the fashion designer or the Royal Navy trainee? Which would suit you best? What you read might just surprise you. If you are going to start your final year in September, you’ll benefit from the invaluable advice of our class of 2006, on page 8. We’ve also provided a wealth of practical help and advice for job-hunting students. About a third of students use a recruitment consultancy at some point in their career and the sector is a big employer of graduates as consultants themselves. If you fancy doing a bit of matchmaking and can think on your feet take a look at our article on page 22. Plus it’s the season for career fairs, so we’ve got a special report on the biggest and best fairs and how to get the most out of them on page 26. To keep in touch with all the latest job and career advice, make sure that you visit Realworldmagazine.com. You’ll find all the information you need to make a good career choice, including specific information on different sectors, advice on building a great CV and developing a fantastic interview technique. Plus there are hundreds of jobs and employers looking to recruit graduates. And last but not least: our readership survey on page 6. We always want to know what you think of Real World. Fill in our survey and either post it back to us, hand it to one of our representatives at a career fair or go online to register your opinion. Have a great summer and look out for the next issue of Real World at your university in September. Zoë, Editor zoe@realworldmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTORS

marie tasle

ed miller

As the Real World office manager, Marie is the one who holds the operation together, whether it be arranging events, juggling diaries or simply making sure that the ever busy Real World team know where they should be, and when. With degrees in law and marketing she made sure that this year’s Graduate of the Year award ceremony, which was held at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, went off without a hitch.

Ed almost joined the RAF before deciding to become a photographer. A regular on Real World (he took the photo that was on last month’s cover) he shot this month’s survival guide case studies. He spreads his time between film/TV production stills and editorial and commercial portraits. “For me the picture’s overall composition is probably more important than the subject’s expression,” he says.

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BF BRAINFOOD

NEWS  VIEWS  ADVICE  STRATEGIES

Classof2006

Two job offers and a last-minute change of plan... Where are our six final-year students as they approach graduation?

NAME: HEATHER MCLARTY DEGREE: BA MEDIA PERFORMANCE UNI: UNIVERSITY OF LUTON

The Plan: Heather has considered few careers and was looking for work experience with media production companies, and also considered a career as a drama therapist. Where is she now? Heather has secured a job on the reception of a top London hotel. “I’m really pleased,” she says. “Because I need to support myself and start paying back debts it’s really important that I start earning as soon as possible.” She’s been told that as a graduate there are a range of career progression opportunities at the hotel, if she wants to take them. “I’ll also get good training while I decide what I want to do next,” she says. Her advice to next year’s finalists: “Start looking for work experience as early as possible. Placements, particularly in the media, are often unpaid so try to avoid getting into debt as much as possible or you’ll find yourself in the situation of needing to find paid work, which closes some doors.”

NAME: PAUL RAVEN DEGREE: BSC MANAGERIAL/ ADMINISTRATIVE STUDIES UNI: ASTON UNIVERSITY

The Plan: After a sandwich year at LogicaCMG, Paul felt store management or operations would be his career of choice. During the course of the year he has broadened his job hunt to more general graduate management programmes or marketing. Where is he now? Paul has been for a meeting with LogicaCMG to discuss jobs in marketing and is waiting to hear from them. He didn’t secure an offer from EON after his phone interview, but now that his final exams are over he can fully concentrate on his job hunt. “I missed some deadlines but many companies recruit on a year-round basis,” he says. His advice to next year’s finalists: “Think hard about your skill set and your motivation before you start applying. Initially, I was distracted by the money but I realised that it wasn’t as important to me as finding a job I enjoy.”

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NAME: ALICK VARMA DEGREE: BSC MATHS & ECONOMICS UNI: UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK

Photograph: Ed Miller

NAME: WING YEE LI DEGREE: ENGLISH LITERATURE UNI: UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH

The Plan: Following a summer placement with Cancer Research, Wing wants to find a job that will allow her to give back to society, possibly through social work or working for a charity. Where is she now? Wing is considering a career in politics. She didn’t secure a job with Cancer Research, but that resolved the difficult decision of whether to move to London, where the job was based. Remaining in Edinburgh, she’ll be immersed as a parliamentary ambassador shadowing MP Jo Swinson for the next six months, and is continuing with her youth work. “I’ve made some good contacts at Scottish Parliament and this will open some doors,” she says. Advice for next year’s finalists? “So much of graduate recruitment is about fitting into a box. But don’t sacrifice your ideals just to get a job, you need a career that you have a passion for. And don’t take rejection personally!”

NAME: EMMA BARKER DEGREE: BA PHILOSOPHY UNI: UNIVERSITY OF YORK

The Plan: Emma’s keen to get into consultancy or on to a graduate scheme. Where is she now? Emma will start working for PwC in October. The high cost of renting in London has come as a bit of a surprise and once her finals are over she may have to find part-time work this summer to get a deposit together. “There will be a few social events with PwC over the summer so hopefully I’ll meet some grads in the same situation,” she says. Advice to next year’s finalists? “I expected the whole application process to be a lot of work, and it was. Application forms can take a long time to fill in and the whole process of applying can take weeks – it often preoccupies your mind, which is difficult if you are trying to focus on uni work too. Make use of your careers service as they often have a lot of advice and facilities to offer you. And start as early as possible – your second year is ideal.”

The Plan: Having completed an internship at Accenture and run his own business, Alick has secured a job with Accenture. Where is he now? It’s all change for Alick. A few weeks ago he spotted an MA course that captured his imagination. He applied and was accepted. Starting in October, the MPhil in Innovation, Strategy and Organisation is a fulltime, nine-month masters degree at Judge Business School, Cambridge. “I’ve really been enjoying my course and see this as a chance to develop intellectually,” says Alick. “It happened so quickly as I hadn’t seen the course until recently and applied very close to the closing date.” Accenture have been happy to defer Alick’s start date until next year. Advice to next year’s finalists? “Don’t stop thinking about your future. Doors can close very quickly so if you think you spot an opportunity then follow it through. You have nothing to lose.”

NAME: LAWRENCE FREEMAN DEGREE: BA POLITICS & SOCIOLOGY UNI: UNIVERSITY OF EXETER

The Plan: Lawrence has decided to apply for internships after uni rather than going straight to a full-time job. He’s particularly interested in undertaking an internship abroad. Where is he now? Lawrence has been offered an internship working at the Welsh Assembly later this summer and is seriously considering it. But he feels he also needs to dedicate some time to really thinking about what he’d like to do next. “I do feel I might have been too narrow-minded about what I wanted to do, focusing very quickly on political internships,” he says. “I need to spend some time thinking about what kind of lifestyle I really want.” Advice to next year’s finalists? “Before you get started on your job hunt spend some time really thinking about what your interests are. Do spend some time talking to your careers service.”

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Valuation Ofﬁce Agency Valuing our people

The Valuation Office Agency understands the things that are important to you and we do our best to reflect these in our working policies. We pride ourselves in providing a number of flexible working procedures and investing in our people. So what is the Valuation Office Agency and what do we do? We are an executive agency of HM Revenue & Customs and are responsible for providing comprehensive valuation services for central and local government.

  

We are the largest valuation organisation in the country We provide wide-ranging property and valuation advice to clients in the public sector We have a network of around 85 ofﬁces spread across Great Britain The VOA employs around 4,600 people throughout Great Britain, in a wide spectrum of roles ranging from chartered surveyors to administrative assistants, senior managers to project managers, and specialists in HR, ﬁnance, technology, planning, customer services and communications. We offer…       

New challenges A clear career path Good work-life balance Chance to work as part of a team Opportunity to develop new skills Pleasant working environment Competitive salary

This gives you a ﬂavour of what working at the VOA is like. When vacancies arise they will be posted on our website so keep an eye on www.voa.gov.uk/recruitment The VOA recognises and values the qualities that different people bring to the organisation and encourages applications from all backgrounds.

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Want a career that is dynamic, creative and challenging? Marketing is one of the most popular career choices today, and with good reason. Not only is every day different, but you get to use your intelligence and your imagination. Currently 1 in 7 of all UK students are hoping to work in this unique industry — so it's no surprise that competition in the job market is becoming increasingly tough. Now you can join the Career Partner Scheme and get a head start on the rest. Membership is free and on registering you'll receive a free CD-ROM kit containing all the information you will need to get your marketing career off to a flying start.

Join the Career Partner Scheme today www.cim.co.uk/partners partners@cim.co.uk +44 (0)1628 427120

Make your career in marketing

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BRAINFOOD

Areyou readyforwork? Answer the following five questions to find out whether you are sufficiently prepared for the end of life as you know it…

1 2

During your time at University you have: A Lived to work B Lived out C Lived...man

Your plans for next year involve:

A Finding a flat, seeing your bank manager and

A: Scarily Sorted

taking a well-earned holiday, all before starting

The world of work will hold few surprises for

your new job in September

you. You’re well versed on what to expect

B Temping to save for your gap year

from your chosen career and you can’t

C Hiding under a duvet to avoid your parents,

wait to get stuck in. There’s no denying that

unemployment and your ever-mounting

you are sorted but don’t forget to let your

overdraft and credit card bills

hair down occasionally!

Your university tutor:

You plan to spend your year after uni A Is more than happy to write your

gaining that extra experience that you

reference

think might help you get the job you want.

B Appreciates the way you’ve combined

You don’t really know what you want to do

academia with a good range of extra

but are aware that taking a gap year or a

curricular activities

post-grad course should set you on the

C Has never met you

route to employment. But make sure you are doing this for the right reasons, not

You will start to repay your student loan:

B: Make the leap

simply as a filler only to find yourself back in the same situation again. You’re right:

A The April after you graduate

the real world can wait, but not forever.

B When you are earning enough, maybe after your gap year

C: Get a grip

C Under a blue moon, when Saturn is

It’s time to get a grasp on reality.

aligned with Jupiter

Employers tend to view graduates who have spent six months staring at the

Your wardrobe consists of:

wall for career inspiration as slightly suspect. And you’ll need remarkably

A Five suits, one smart-casual outfit and your

tolerant parents/relatives/friends if

graduation robes

you plan to live off them in the near

B An interview suit, a smart-casual outfit and

future. If you are totally lacking in

a pair of trainers

career direction you are not alone

C Jeans, t-shirts and your old school uniform

but you should make moves to clarify

(for retro discos, of course)

your thoughts.

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THe career SURVIVAL GUIDE be CUTTING EDGE. DON’T KNOW THE DRESS CODE AT YOUR NEW WORKPLACE? LOOK SHARP, not OVERDRESSED or SCRUFFY. KNOW IT ALL! MAKE SURE YOU ARE UP-TODATE ON iNDUSTRY NEWS. it’s Essential if you want to make a good impression.

WhISTLE WHILE YOU WORK. MAKE YOURSELF HEARd AND ASK plenty OF QUESTIONS during YOUR FIRST WEEK AT YOUR NEW JOB.

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THE RW SURVIVAL GUIDE

Band aid. You will make mistakes in your first few months, so just pick yourself up, learn from them and don’t dwell.

Finding your way in the Dark? The first week in a new job can seem daunting but before you know it you’ll be a pro.

survival TOOLS COURTESY of survivalbox.co.uk

Survival rations. Take it easy on your first month’s wage. Life after university can be more expensive than you think.

Welcome to the Real World Survival Guide. We’ve tackled a number of thorny first-year-atwork issues for you and spoken to five very different graduates about their post-uni lifestyles. We’ve found a number of things that might make you think twice about what you end up doing. So for the lowdown on life after uni read on

Let there be light. Show enthusiasm - you will make a better impression on others if you smile and appear confident.

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THE RW SURVIVAL GUIDE Portraits by ed miller

How to... Become more employable

Sort out your CV Tailor it to the company. Never send out the same CV scattergun style. Think quality not quantity and aim for two sides of A4 accompanied by a very strong cover letter explaining why you’re interested in the company and what skills

you have to offer. Stand out from other applicants by showing how your background and experience match the company’s needs. Head to www.realworldmagazine.com for some examples of CV makeovers.

Use your Contacts Networking is an ideal way to find a job. Get out there and do some voluntary work in the area in which you are thinking of working. That, or work experience, can often provide an important way in to the industry or organisation of your

choice. Think about your family and friends. Do they know of anyone who works in the area that you’d like to break into? Ask them to introduce you to people. Don’t be reticent to probe for contacts, tips, names and company information.

don’t forget your uni Careers Service Many uni careers services continue to offer advice and help to graduates up

to a year after graduation. So, get on to their website and check out what resources they have on offer. You can access www.realworldmagazine.com for up-to-date free information and careers advice. If you no longer live near your university service, phone and ask about the possibility of using a service closer to home through the Mutual Aid Scheme. This is an agreement between careers services that allows graduates to use career facilities at any UK university for up to three years after graduation. Visit the Prospects website for information on your closest career service (www.prospects.ac.uk).

Temporary Solutions If you have left university and need to find a job to keep you going,

consider temporary work as an option. It pays better than many types of casual labour and will give you that much sought-after office experience, which will be incredibly valuable on your CV. “Five jobs in 12 months. It’s been a long one, and at times very dull, but it’s also been a great way to gain experience of several different workplaces and meet lots of people that I almost certainly wouldn’t have met otherwise,” says Leicester student Keith Ruffles who temped for a year before his MA to earn some money. “I’d never worked in an office before, so it was a useful introduction to how they operated and what was expected of me,” he adds.

Strike out! don’t be afraid to offer others your ideas

Identify any Sticking Points If you are applying for lots of jobs and not securing any interviews, you are probably either applying for the wrong kinds of job (either too senior or too junior), or are not targeting your cover letter and CV adequately. Think about what the employer is asking for and research the company properly. You need to advertise yourself as the solution to their recruitment dilemma. What problems are they looking to solve? And how can you show them that you have skills they need? Too few application letters fail to make any mention of the targeted employers’ needs but it’s a really good way to sell yourself, so don’t forget to exploit it.

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MOHAYAD MAGZOUB

AGE: 23 UNIVERSITY: Imperial College, Mechanical Engineering (2005) PROFESSION: Sub-lieutenant (training to be a marine engineer officer), Royal Navy STARTING SALARY: £21,940 for graduates (2006-07) BANK BALANCE: “Healthy as my living costs are so low.” HOURS: 8:15-4:15, with an hour for lunch. “Can be shorter or longer depending on what project we are working on.” HOLIDAYS: 30 days a year. Plans to spend a month in North America later this year. WORK-LIFE BALANCE: Great. LIVES: Rooms in wardroom (officers’ mess) in HMS Sultan, Gosport, Hampshire. RENT: £100 a month, “which is fantastic, I have loads of living space plus someone comes in and cleans every day.” MONTHLY EXPENSES: An extra £100 covers food, which is usually a three-course evening meal served in the wardroom dining hall. “The food is amazing, usually silver service.” GOING OUT: “I often go back to London at the weekend to go out with friends but to be honest most nights after food I will go with my friends to the bar in the mess. Sometimes we’ll leave the base to go out in the surrounding towns.” EATING OUT: “I eat every night in the officers’ mess.” BUDGETING: “I don’t need to but I do put some money into savings each month.” SPLURGING: “Holidays – I love skiing and have just got back from a couple of weeks, which can be costly.” HOBBIES: “There are so many activities on offer here, I could do anything. I plan to join the diving and the shooting clubs.”

have friends who are accountants or work in finance in London and I have to say that I don’t envy them. I have a very nice lifestyle, office life is not for me. My work-life balance is great, and on Tuesday afternoon I could be out diving or learning to shoot while they’re still in the office. My path into the Navy isn’t quite that of a typical graduate. I actually applied after my A-Levels and was accepted. I’d always been interested in being an engineer with the Royal Navy as you work across such a wide range of areas. As I already had my university place, I deferred it a year and then the Navy sponsored me through my course. In my pre-uni gap year I spent just under a year at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, Devon, learning naval and leadership skills, and also had my first sea-going experience. During university holidays I’d work with the Navy for about four to six weeks through the year. They also subsidised two weeks of adventure training – such as climbing or skiing. After graduating, I joined HMS Sultan at Gosport, where I am stationed now. Life here is a bit like an extension of university life although even better. I eat with my friends every night and there are so many activities on base that you could do something every night if you wanted to. At the moment I’m on the 10-month systems engineering and management course. In June I’ll move on to a ship and continue my training at sea. My job title will be assistant marine engineering officer. After a further short training period back at HMS Sultan in January, I will return to sea as a deputy marine engineering officer and will start to get a lot more responsibility, which I’m looking forward to. The career prospects are great, as are the people and the opportunities for travel. I love the lifestyle. For my first sea-going experience I flew to Brazil and then sailed up along the coast of America to Florida, on to Baltimore and then back across the Atlantic to London. I’m not cut out to get up each morning and go to the office, I’d much rather wake up and figure out what kind of country I’m in today.

HOW TO... SURVIVE YOUR FIRST WEEK AT WORK MONEY MATTERS Be prepared for your pay packet to arrive at the end of the month. You’ll probably need to employ some purse-stretching measures to make your cash last. THE BASICS Check out the dress code. Advice for both sexes: if in doubt always go for a smart suit – you can always lose the jacket if you are overdressed. “Don’t dress casually unless you are told otherwise. You should be immaculate,” says

BE PREPARED! GET YOURSELF UP-TO-DATE WITH THE WORLD IN GENERAL

Louise Shonfeld, graduate recruitment consultant at Oracle. “And don’t be late.” BE PREPARED Before your first day in the office brush up on your employer’s business. Spend some time on the internet and look at relevant trade magazines. Read a variety of newspapers for at least a week before you start to get up-to-date.

TAKE NOTE “Absorb as much as you can. Remember to listen and to ask questions. Often, new graduates are a bit shy in coming forward but always ask if you have any need for greater clarity,” says Jez Chance, human resources spokesman, AstraZeneca. Take notes to remind yourself of what’s been discussed. OUT OF TIME Plan your time carefully. It will be up to you to ensure that you meet your deadlines and it can be quite a change working in an environment where you are expected to manage multiple tasks. Keep calm and find out which tasks you need to prioritise. FIT RIGHT IN “A key thing for new starters to understand is that informal networks are as important as the formal,” says Jez at AstraZenica. “Business is all about teamwork and you won’t get anywhere without understanding someone else’s perspective. Win-win is always a successful approach.” SITTING ON THE FENCE Office politics are an unfortunate side effect of people spending day-to-day life together. Work cultures will vary but by being polite to everybody and sitting on the fence when gossiping is going on you’ll remain safely neutral. But getting to know people is a good idea, so do make sure that you socialise. YOU’VE GOT MAIL Don’t confuse your work email with your personal email. Understand company policy and etiquette before you contact friends and be aware that companies may monitor emails. ENJOY YOURSELF “Do smile – you’ve just started a new job!” says Louise at Oracle.

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MONEY MATTERS You’ve got your first job and payday is approaching. But beware... Your first pay cheque is likely to be rather less than you might expect. Bear in mind these deductions:

Income Tax Income tax is your contribution to government spending on things like transport, health and education. How much you pay depends on how much you earn. Your ‘personal

allowance’ is an amount of taxable income you are allowed to earn or receive each year, tax-free. Between 2006-07 it stands at £5,035.Above that, the next £2,150 is taxed at 10 per cent, then earnings from £2,151 to £33,300 are taxed at 22 per cent. Earnings of £33,301 and greater are taxed at 40 per cent.

National insurance This is your contribution towards the state pension, sickness benefits and other social security payments.

You’ll get a tax code, which you’ll see on your payslip. Your employer uses this tax code to work out how much income tax to take off your wages through the pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) system. If you earn more than £97 a week (the ‘earnings threshold’) and up to £645 per week, you pay 11 per cent of this amount as NI tax. You also pay one per cent of earnings above £645.

Student Loan Unless you are earning less than a certain threshold, you’ll find that in the April following graduation, the loans

companies will come after you to start your repayments. You will not have to make repayments if your income before deductions is below £1,250 a month (£15,000 a year). You have to pay nine per cent of income above the threshold. So if you are earning £21,000 you’ll pay 9 per cent on £6,000 which is £540, which will be broken into monthly amounts. Check the www. hmrc.gov.uk website to see a table on deductions.

Pension Retirement may seem a long way off but it’s worth thinking about opting into any scheme your employer may offer as soon as you start working, particularly if they contribute to your scheme. Contributions may be taken out of your pay before tax (which makes it much more cost effective).

What is your Real Wage? SALARY AFTER TAX MONTHLY

WEEKLY

£15,000

£11,916

£993

£229

£18,000

£13,926

£1,161

£268

£25,000

£18,616

£1,551

£358

£30,000

£21,966

£1,831

£422

More info • To find out how much you will take home, check the tax calculator at: www.pru.co.uk/home/calculator/income_tax/ • For a load of handy online calculators, including student loan repayments, go to: http://www.digita.com/taxcentral/home/ employment/default.asp • A handy website for info on taxes, self-employment related matters: www.direct.gov.uk

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EMMELINE CHILDS

AGE: 25 UNIVERSITY: University of Northampton, Fashion Design (2004) PROFESSION: Knowledge Transfer Partnership associate STARTING SALARY: £18,000. And in five years? “Who knows? It can be very volatile for a fashion designer.” BANK BALANCE: “Depleted: I’m in the process of setting up my own company.” HOURS: 9.00-5:30 HOLIDAYS: 20 days a year, plus bank holidays. WORK-LIFE BALANCE: “I love what I do so attending fashion shows and working on designs at weekends doesn’t matter to me.” LIVES: At home with parents. RENT: Nothing while setting up her business. GOING OUT: Once a week. EATING OUT: Probably once every two weeks. BUDGETING: Most areas, including accommodation. “I really need the money for my business.” SPLURGING: “Going out socialising and meeting friends. I also love buying shoes!” HOBBIES: “I tend to find myself at fashion shows or things related to working in fashion.”

hile I was at university, I heard about the Knowledge Transfer Partnership, which is where recently qualified graduates (known as KTP associates) can work in companies, managing projects that are central to the organisation’s growth. An opportunity came up for me to work with Kettering Textiles and the Salvation Army Trading Company to create a new range of marketable clothing from used clothing and textiles, which would be sold through Salvation Army Trading stores. The collection, called ‘Re’, sold so well that some shops parted with half their collection in the first hour of it being on sale. I’ve now managed to secure a concession at Topshop, Oxford Circus, London, and when my KTP contract ends in the next few months I’ll launch my own business, emmeline 4 Re, which will use recycled textiles. KTP has been brilliant. It’s been a great opportunity and I’d recommend the scheme for people who want to develop the skills you don’t get out of university. There have been very challenging times but that’s what has developed me. It can be hard going into a company with the brief to get things done differently, particularly when you are just out of university. I’ve been given a lot of freedom and have effectively been running my own business within the business. Support comes through a number of courses that I’ve taken, including an NVQ in Business Management, but apart from that you need to learn from experience and be very self-motivated. I’ve put 110 per cent into this project. Things like forecasting, clothing manufacture and business plans have been new to me and I’ve had to pick them up quickly. Coming into a business as a graduate with little experience can be daunting and you often have to work hard to get your point across in a positive way but that’s the challenge – you need to get things done.

HOW TO... BE A WORK EXPERIENCE EXPERT It’s the one thing on your CV that will make you stand out from the crowd. Here, four of the founding members of Interns Experience (www.internsexperience.com), which runs networking events for students in London over the summer months, give their top tips on getting ahead: VICKI HAYNES, GRADUATE DEGREE: Maths, Warwick University EXPERIENCE: An internship at HSBC Investment Bank and another at Bank of America. Soon to start working in audit with KPMG. “Try and gain as much as experience as you can and make the most of any experience you do get – ask lots of questions. I think possibly the worst thing to do is to get work experience just for the sake of doing it. Only get experience in the areas you have interest in as that will be the most beneficial.”

NISHI SHAH, FINAL YEAR STUDENT DEGREE: Management with Chinese Studies, Nottingham University EXPERIENCE: Presented a radio show, worked with a Young Enterprise company and, in a post-university gap year, undertook work experience placements at KPMG, HSBC, PwC and Saatchi & Saatchi. Did a summer internship at Accenture. “Communicate! Do not be afraid to talk to any member of a company, anywhere, whether they are an intern or a senior vice president. Genuine enthusiasm will not go unnoticed. And always remember, if you don’t ask you don’t get. Ask for work experience wherever you have a chance, the worst thing they can do is say no. Never approach a company with the notion that you need this for your CV. It is enthusiasm that is rewarded, not desperation.”

RAJEEB DAY, SECOND YEAR STUDENT DEGREE: Economics and Management, Oxford University EXPERIENCE: An internship with Bank of England through the Windsor Fellowship Scheme. Also established Student Voice, a national organisation for secondary schools. Plus short placements at Lehman Brothers and the government’s Export Credit Guarantee Department. “Start looking for placements as early as possible. If you are just sending untailored and untargeted CVs, companies will see that you don’t really care about working for them and won’t be interested in you. Doing voluntary work is also very good and I’ve gained a lot of experience and skills setting up Student Voice.”

DAWDA JAWARA, FINAL YEAR STUDENT DEGREE: Law and Sociology, Warwick University EXPERIENCE: Two-month internship with UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (UN ICTR) in Tanzania. Also organised a basketball coaching week and tournament for secondary school children. “Be creative. Work experience can be obtained in a variety of ways from a variety of organisations. Think widely about where you can get work experience as some smaller firms may not have a formal intern programme, but are nevertheless willing to hire interns. A phone call and a welldrafted letter may be helpful in obtaining the right work experience.”

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How to... Find the right career for you Not every job you take is going to work out for you but finding that you aren’t happy with your first career choice can be daunting. Maria Lucio, a career consultant with Career Analysts, suggests eight steps for career satisfaction.

Identify the problem Graduates’ expectations tend to be rather high and, sadly, this can sometimes lead to disappointment. There may be a number of reasons for work dissatisfaction

– from not finding the role sufficiently challenging to a dislike of the work environment. Either way, it is more likely to manifest as a nagging doubt rather that a clear-cut decision that you have chosen the wrong career altogether.

2 3 4 5 6 7

Keep your eye on long term goals Your first job gives you the opportunity to gain and develop transferable skills that will be valuable for your future. Even if you decide that you are on the wrong career path, concentrate on building up these skills. You may be within the correct

industry but might be finding the role less challenging than you had hoped. Remember that you won’t be given plenty of responsibility straight away. Evaluate your environment Perhaps the sector does not fit well with your values. Once you have built up some strong skills you can move into an environment that is more congruent with your personality and values. Be proactive Take time to find out about projects going on in your company and get involved in them. Take action to determine what it is you want, and take steps to get it. Find your work personality

Work satisfaction comes from good person-environment fit, where the attributes of a role fit well with the interests, aptitudes, motivations and values of the person. Computer-generated programmes may help you identify yours (see www.prospects.ac.uk). Get to know the job market Once you have clarified your interests, look at sectors that fit with these and find different types of roles within them. Look at job adverts for roles you wish to pursue so you understand the skills employers are asking for. Base your CV on these job specifications. And, if you haven’t already done so, visit graduate recruitment fairs. Set yourself periodic goals Give yourself a quota of applications to send out each week. In addition to the advertised roles, apply speculatively to organisations that you are interested in. Examine your progress regularly and identify what is and is not working for you. Look for lateral opportunities within the organisation you are working within. If it is viable, seek out the key people you need to talk to.

Have a plan Although it is tempting to jump ship if you are not happy in your current role, you should not do this without a comprehensive plan of action as it easy to go from one job you dislike to another. Be specific and go for what you want; the above points can help you do this. Talk to your former uni careers advice service, too.

job changer

“Three years on from joining a big energy company as a graduate I realised that I’d had enough. But I wasn’t sure what I was so fed up with – the company culture, the job, the industry? I’d heard of friends using career consultants and decided that although they can be expensive I needed some help taking stock. I chose Career Analysts for a career management session. After a morning of ability and psychometric tests, I sat down with one of their consultants and discussed the results. They’d pinpointed that I have above-average numerical ability (hurrah!) and that I also had a strong ethical framework, meaning I needed to work for a cause that I believed in. The tests also showed that my current company culture, which is very staid, is wrong for me. I was given a list of jobs that would suit me, including charity fundraising, something I’m definitely considering for the future. Meanwhile I haven’t made a full career change but I have moved to a company that is much more fast-moving and I’m much happier.” – Eric Brown

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GET OUT OF DEBT PETER SMITH

AGE: 24 UNIVERSITY: University of Edinburgh, BSc Biological Science, 2:1 (2005) PROFESSION: Trainee business adviser, PKF STARTING SALARY: £20,500 BANK BALANCE: “Comfortable. I don’t miss out.” HOURS: 9:30-5:30 HOLIDAYS: 23 days a year plus three over Christmas. “I had a few days off but haven’t been anywhere extravagant. This year I plan to visit a friend in New Orleans in July and go to Greece in September.” WORK-LIFE BALANCE: Very good. “Time out of the office is given so that I can study for my accountancy qualifications.” LIVES: Shares two-bedroom flat, southeast London RENT: £450 a month. MONTHLY EXPENSES: Travel in London about £100. Student loan repayments start soon, “but they won’t be much.” GOING OUT: “Go out on a Friday night most weeks and go to the theatre quite a bit. I guess I probably go out twice a week” EATING OUT: Every other week BUDGETING: “I try to go for cheaper theatre tickets.” SPLURGING: “I spend quite a lot on food and enjoy cooking. And clothes..I’ve always been pretty bad at that.” HOBBIES: Singing. “Particularly choral singing and opera singing – I’d like to do more of that if I had time.”

t’s hard work but I really enjoy working life. I loved university but after a four-year degree it’s nice to stand on your own feet and pay your own bills. By the end of my degree I’d realised I didn’t want to work in a lab. My father is a chartered accountant and I suppose that made me more aware of it as a career, having done some work experience in that area. My job means going out in teams of two or three to audit a range of clients, from small companies to public sector organisations. Last December I did the first stage of my Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland qualification, which I’ll continue with for three years. At the end, I’ll be a chartered accountant – a great qualification to have on my CV. In my first month I had a couple of weeks of internal training courses and went out to see a client. Then, for most of December I was at college studying for my ICAS exams. That will happen again this December and next. It’s quite an intensive way to study as you are in college from 9 to 5 but the study structure suits me. There is definitely very good work-life balance here. It’s a very friendly organisation, which monitors my development well and has time for each student. There are a number of social activities, I also go out with friends that I’ve made since joining. As I get more settled, and when I move somewhere central, I hope to have a bit more free time. When you are working you have to plan your time better and make the most of weekends but I’m just glad to be out in the real world at last.

£5 billion is a lot of money to borrow but that’s how much the UK’s student population owes. More than 90 per cent of students are in debt to the tune of £12,000 on graduation, according to a survey by NatWest. That’s not just student loans – increasingly, bank loans, overdrafts and credit cards are funding graduate education. So, when you finish uni you’ll likely be looking to get out of debt fast. Read these tips from Jane Mack, who writes for online money gurus Motley Fool. There are only two ways to get out of debt: spend less and earn more. It sounds so simple and yet anyone struggling to get out of debt will know that it’s easier said than done. It requires patience, determination and above all, an action plan. Follow as many of these tips as you can and begin your long walk to debt freedom:

1 2 3

WORK OUT WHAT YOU OWE You need to know precisely how much in hock you are and who you owe money to. Make a particular note of any priority debts as these should be tackled first. FIND OUT WHAT YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY ON If you’re not sure where your money is going every month, then find out! Just for a month, make a written note of

every single penny you spend. It’s a bore but you really need to know what you’re spending your cash on so you know which areas you can cut back on. WORK OUT A BUDGET Write down all your essential expenditure – mortgage/

rent, council tax, utility and food bills. And by ‘essential’, I mean the bills that absolutely have to be paid every month if you’re not to be left cold or homeless, not optional extras. You need to know how much you have left over to put towards the debts.

4 5 6

GET HOLD OF YOUR CREDIT FILE Before you start shopping around for better deals you should take a look at your credit file to see whether it looks good or not.

MAKE YOUR DEBTS CHEAPER Shift your credit card debts to a card offering an introductory 0% interest rate for balance transfers. Consider moving your current account to a bank that charges less. The more you can stop paying interest the more it’ll free up money to throw at the debt itself. BE CAREFUL OF CONSOLIDATION LOANS 80 per cent of people who consolidate their debt go on to run up further debts. If you are seriously determined to become debt-free, then consolidate your debt – and cut up your credit cards or you’ll just use them again.

WIPE OUT YOUR MOST EXPENSIVE DEBTS FIRST!

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SURVIVE ON LESS THAN £15,000 A YEAR The average graduate salary is £18,600 but this means plenty of jobs start on much less. It won’t be this difficult forever but there are steps you can take when money is tight.

BUDGET It’s a pain but to keep on top of your salary you need to budget. Start by keeping track of what

you spend for at least two weeks then sit down and review where your money is going. Establish a spending plan, listing all your funds and your income, then itemise your expenses. It’s often the little things like that lunchtime sandwich and coffee that add up unexpectedly.

AVOID DEBT IF YOU CAN For some reason debts will always take twice as long to pay back

as they do to accumulate. If you do decide to borrow then try to do it in a measured way. Random use of a credit card can get you into serious trouble. And if you have credit card debt don’t forget to shop around for 0% deals.

WATCH YOUR RENT This is usually your biggest spend.

Try to look for places that include council tax and bills as that ensures you know how much will be going out each month. If living rent-free with your parents is an option then take it. “It’s not been great living at home,” admits Sheffield graduate Amy, 22, who is training to be a journalist. “But in the short run accommodation is my biggest cost and it won’t be forever.”

4 5

WATCH YOUR DEBIT ORDERS They can be an effective way of paying bills as you are often given a discount for doing so but it does mean that you can get a nasty surprise when you check your account. BE CHEAP Shop around. Mobile phone bills are a big expense for students, so use your landline or email instead. “I enjoy being quite thrifty,” says Cardiff student Claire, who works in a gallery. “I get great bargains – being more frugal means I can keep doing a job I love.”

NOEL BAILEY

AGE: 24 UNIVERSITY: UCE Birmingham, Sports and Business Management (2005) PROFESSION: Postgraduate student, MSc in marketing and business management, UCE Birmingham STARTING SALARY: “Luckily my parents were able to help with my fees. Apart from that, I earn about £600 a month from waiting on tables and manage to live on that.” BANK BALANCE: “Surviving.” HOURS: 15 hours of lectures plus about 20 hours or more allocated for reading, seminars and study. HOLIDAYS: “You tend to work through the holiday times although I’ve managed to have a weekend in Prague.” WORK-LIFE BALANCE: “Between paid work and university work it can be quite full-on.” LIVES: With parents. “I don’t really have any choice at the moment.” RENT: “Rent free at the moment!” MONTHLY EXPENSES: Going out, eating costs, travel and books. GOING OUT: “I probably meet with friends three or four times a week.” EATING OUT: “About once a week.” BUDGETING: “Living at home helps a lot, apart from that I make sure that I survive on my earnings for my living costs.” SPLURGING: “Clothes definitely – I’m a trainers fanatic.” HOBBIES: “I play football and get involved in a lot of physical activities.”

hope that my postgraduate degree will provide me with a stepping stone into a good career and will help me as I’m starting out in industry. My dream job is to be a sports agent but I know that’s fiercely competitive, as are my other areas of interest, which are sports marketing and advertising. As with any education, you make the most of it and the course has been useful. At first I wasn’t so sure that I’d made the right choice and the first two months were difficult as it was so intense. One of my course tutors is from the industry and has been a very useful contact for giving me information about finding work. I have a job working as a waiter at weekends which gives me just enough to live on. I actually really enjoy it as it’s a break from stressful university work. Luckily I can live at home and my parents have helped me to pay my fees, which is a lifetime debt that I owe them!

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AASHISH PAJPANI

AGE: 21 UNIVERSITY: King’s College, University of London, Business Management (2005) PROFESSION: Teach First teacher at Plumstead Manor School, London STARTING SALARY: £18,897 BANK BALANCE: “It’s not as healthy as it should be.” HOURS: Arrives at school at 7am and leaves between 5pm and 6pm. HOLIDAYS: About 13 weeks from school but Teach First courses run over the summer. WORK-LIFE BALANCE: “I try and maintain it as well as I can.” LIVES: With parents in North London. MONTHLY EXPENSES: Travel. “My journey to work costs about £70 a week if I take the car and £35 if I go by train.” GOING OUT: At least three times a week EATING OUT: “Quite a bit – about twice a week.” BUDGETING: “Obviously saving on rent by living at home and I try to keep my mobile phone bill under control.” SPLURGING: Socialising. “It costs a lot more than at uni − no more cheap student nights.” HOBBIES: Badminton and reading.

here is no doubt that I have chosen an incredibly challenging first job but even at the hardest times I have no regrets. All that’s surprised me is how much I enjoy what I do. I first saw Teach First at a careers fair at my university and thought it looked amazing. The organisation is an independent charity that places graduates into inner city schools in London and Greater Manchester. You take part in a two-year programme through which you become a qualified teacher, and can access leadership training and support from Teach First. I like that fact that you can do something worthwhile for two years and still have a range of options. But it’s very intense. Straight after university you are sent on six weeks of training where you study education and how to be a teacher. Within those weeks you do two school placements and then by September you are teaching an 80 per cent timetable. I teach business studies to the sixth form and really love it, I get a rush every time I go into a classroom. I also start the Teach First Leadership Management course in May, which will mean work in the evenings and weekends. I focus on maintaining a work-life balance and try to keep evenings clear, I’ll never work on a Friday night and try to keep one day a weekend free of work. It’s the best training for the future though. I can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing.

HOW TO... STAY CONFIDENT Leaving university and setting yourself up in the world of work can be daunting. John Caunt, author of Stay Confident, provides valuable tips on boosting your self esteem.

SET GOALS Confident people tend to have a clear sense of where they are going. They know what’s impor-

tant to them and what they are trying to achieve. When you are goal-setting be clear, realistic and economical (don’t set too many or you’ll get demotivated). Be active: rather than resolving to ‘be promoted in a year’, frame your goal in active terms – ‘to demonstrate that I have the skills to work at a higher level’.

ASSESS YOUR ATTITUDE If you can’t control the situation,

control your attitude. Avoid the tendency to view yourself as a victim. Instead, adopt the role of competent professional. To shift your viewpoint ask yourself: how else can I look at this; what are my options; what new things have I learnt from this experience?

DON’T TAKE IT PERSONALLY One of the most unfortunate tendencies in dealing with setbacks and failure is to treat them as indicators that there’s something wrong with us rather than as challenges to change our behaviour. Learn from failure, don’t dwell.

VISUALISE SUCCESS Routinely picturing yourself succeeding serves to remove psychological limitations you have placed on yourself through negative self talk. And always remember that visualisation is a supplement – not a replacement – for preparing thoroughly for your interviews!

LAUGH The ability to laugh at yourself is an essential skill of the survivor. Searching out the humour in your situation allows you to step back and get it in perspective.

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• PUBLISHING HOUSE • ESTABLISHED • NEEDS NEW, TALENTED JOURNALISTS • PRODUCT: MONTHLY MAGAZINE • EXCELLENT TRAINING • HIGH SALARY • GOOD WORK-LIFE BALANCE

PERFECT PARTNERS WITH THE PROMISE OF POUNDS AND POWER, RECRUITMENT CONSULTANCY IS A POPULAR CHOICE FOR GRADUATES. REAL WORLD FINDS OUT WHAT’S ON OFFER

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FEATURE | RECRUITMENT CONSULTANCY | OVERVIEW

• COURTNEY • DEGREE IN ENGLISH AND MEDIA STUDIES • WORK EXPERIENCE PRO: • ONE YEAR AT BLUE MAGAZINE • SIX-MONTH SUMMER • INTERNSHIP AT PINK MAGAZINE • GREAT COMMUNICATION SKILLS DEMONSTRATED • HAS GOOD CONTACTS

ust like matchmakers, recruitment consultancies bring

a lowly £10-15,000 plus commission. But how much you earn

together job seekers and employers. Acting as go-betweens, they earn commission on the candidates they place and the job roles they fill. It’s estimated that the UK’s recruitment

afterwards will depend on meeting your targets. Figures show that good sales performers can reach £100,000 after three to five years. In addition, many companies throw in company cars,

industry generates more than £15 billion a year, covering every possible work area from engineering and IT to finance and media (approximately 70 per cent of all advertising recruitment is

pensions, share schemes and performance-related competitions with cash or holiday prizes.

through agencies). It’s big business and big money. Most graduates think of recruitment consultants as the people who will find them a job: a source of vacancies and contacts on tap. But what about actually working as one? “Many undergraduates have only encountered recruitment consultancies through high street temping agencies,” says Sophie Lamb, graduate scheme consultant at Michael Page.“What they don’t realise is that there is a whole professional industry that can offer a graduate a fantastic career.” The industry is hungry for graduates, your degree subject doesn’t really matter and the earning potential is massive. Fundamentally it’s about sales. Don’t confuse recruitment with human resources or think that it is just about helping people for altruistic reasons. “Getting people placed in the right jobs has an inherent satisfaction but you will have targets to meet,” says Sophe. As a graduate recruitment consultant you might start on

WHAT THE INDUSTRY OFFERS “It’s a meritocracy where success is based on results,” says Mike Fetters, operations director at JPA, which both recruits graduates as consultants and places candidates in the recruitment and sales industries. “If you are determined and motivated then this is a sector where you can really make your mark and there are no limits to what you can earn.” At the lower end, recruitment companies appear as highstreet firms, characterised by a fast turnaround of candidates, and bulk contracts for lower skilled staff. Then you have more professional level ‘consultancies’, which may deal with £18,00020,000-plus salaries, managerial staff, and specific industries. You would place fewer candidates per month, however commission rates (and earnings) are higher. Then, at the top of the tree you have the executive search firms (often called ‘headhunters’), dealing with very senior candidates and clients.

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FEATURE | RECRUITMENT CONSULTANCY | CASE STUDY

Here you would be dealing with salaries typically in excess of £100,000. In this type of firm, earnings potential is very high but to negotiate with board level directors you’d need to gain a great deal of experience first. Because there is such a range of agencies it’s vital to be sure that you are joining an organisation that will offer good career prospects.“Be discerning,” warns Paul Farrer, chief executive of the Graduate Recruitment Company. “Ask questions, find out what training do they do, get information about the bonus schemes in writing and find out if they have career progression channels.” Can you get a job? Recruitment consultancies are looking for bright motivated graduates with a competitive streak. Academic success is seen as a bonus rather than a prerequisite. Grads with some experience of sales or customer care are sought after but this is less important than showing that you are a highly skilled communicator who can influence and negotiate. “What we are looking for are people who understand what is involved in the industry,” says

Emily Spencer, 23, trainee recruitment consultant JPA recruitment My job role in some ways is quite different. I’m a graduate recruitment consultant who specialises in finding graduates to work as recruitment consultants. I graduated from Warwick University last year with a 2:1 in history and already knew that I really wanted to work in recruitment. I think that I’d seen a job advertisement and realised that they were looking for the kind of people that sounded a lot like me. I researched a bit more about it and realised that I had I had the right skills and personality, I like being on the phone and I like to make relationships and build rapport with people. I also like the combination of making lots of money, being autonomous and interacting with lots of people. I started off working as a resourcer, which is where most graduates start, following up leads and calling candidates to book them in with a senior consultant. I was quite quickly promoted to the role of trainee recruitment consultant. The kind of person you need to be to become a recruitment consultant varies enormously. Sales experience doesn’t always matter as long as you are presentable, polished and articulate. However clients will increasingly ask for some sort of relevant experience to show that you have the resilience to work in the industry. Leadership positions such as sporting captaincies or parttime jobs that involve some sort of targets or customer focus are useful CV attributes. I’m very lucky in my working hours and work from 8.30 to 6. Recruitment is well known for having long hours and I have friends who often work until 8 or 9 at night. I feel it’s a real perk to have a good work-life balance and always make the most of my lunch break, which, again being given an hour for lunch is quite unusual in this industry. How much you can earn depends on your experience. It is important to look beyond the basic rate as the amount you can earn can far exceed your basic salary. The best thing about the job for me is the people interaction. The colleagues as well as the clients and candidates. I’ve got to the stage in my work where I have built a good relationship with my clients and can have a good chat with them. Going into recruitment you have to be aware that although the money is good your earning potential is really up to you. It can be hard work and is such a temperamental industry that you have to recognise that there will be bad times as well as good. But if you are resilient, target-driven, a good communicator and like people then this could be a great career for you.

Dave Way, director at Marks Sattin, a financial and accountancy recruitment agency. “Professionalism is very important and industry is very entrepreneurial so you need to be a self starter.” And that can be tough. Not meeting targets can knock your confidence and bouncing back after making your 20th unsuccessful call of the day takes resilience and persistence. “You must be highly driven, self-motivated and want success,” says Mike at JPA. “People will say no or won’t want to use your services and you can’t take that personally.” You’ll also often find yourself working long hours so don’t

“

You must be highly driven, self-motivated and want success. People will say no to you but you can’t take the rejection personally.

expect to leave work at 6pm every night. You may be out networking quite late or even at breakfast

meetings but if you enjoy the social side of things then this may be the industry for you. “Recruitment consultancies are often very social places,” says Sophie at Michael Page. “We work hard and we play hard too.” “It can be hard work and long hours but I really enjoy the job,” says Mike Hackett, 23, who graduated last year from Manchester University with a degree in American Studies. He joined the Michael Page graduate recruitment scheme as a recruitment consultant last year, having come across the organisation at a career fair.“We’re rewarded very well and the social side of things is really great, both with the team here and with clients and contacts,” he adds. Mike describes his job as being split between working with existing accounts, building relationships with new clients and working to source and brief candidates. “It’s really varied and no one day or job is the same,” he says. “There were three weeks of intensive training, part classroom and part team-based. I was then given the chance to practice these skills while learning from one of the top consultants.” But you need to be resilient, he adds. “There are highs and lows you need other motivators than money, like the desire to be successful and provide a good service to clients and candidates.” n

”

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Are you a head above the rest? Get a Career Not Just A Job.

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Our Trainee Recruitment Consultant scheme offers you the opportunity to build a successful career in one of the world’s fastest growing industries. Becoming a Recruitment Consultant with Robert Half International exposes you to business skills and learning programs in a fast track environment - aimed at allowing you to reach your full professional and earning potential sooner.

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If you are an ambitious graduate, have had exposure to any type of sales or customer service environment, are tenacious, driven and want to succeed quickly then these positions offer you scope to reach your goals. Robert Half International provides complete formal and mentoring training program and the tools to create a rewarding career with global possibilities in one of the world’s leading recruitment organisations.

For more information, forward your details to Neil Jennings at neil.jennings@rhi.net. More than 330 offices globally, 30 in the UK.

www.roberthalf.co.uk Robert Half International is acting as both an employment business and an employment agency. Robert Half International is an equal opportunities employer.

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To find out more, contact 020 7580 4741 or visit www.icsa.org.uk 25.indd 1

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fair ga me

Across the country, graduate recruiters are heading out to set up stall at this summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recruitment fairs. But besides all the freebies on offer, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in it for the students?

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FEATURE | CAREER FAIRS 2006 | OVERVIEW

t some point in your transition from student life to the world of work you will almost certainly attend a career fair. But whether you get more out of your time than a bagful of leaflets, lollipops and pens, will depend very much on what you do beforehand. It may seem that with so many employers under one roof, specifically there to sell themselves to job-hungry students, landing a job at a career fair should be a breeze. But it’s vital you know what you’re letting yourself in for before you step inside that packed hall. In fact, few graduates do actually leave a career fair with a job in the

bag. It’s usually the first step towards finding the right employer, and what is great about career fairs is that you will have the chance to speak to industry insiders, to ask informally about company culture, or get the lowdown on selection procedures. Plus there are usually plenty of seminars and advice sessions where you can also get your CV checked, often for free, or attend careers seminars. To maximise your chances of leaving with something more satisfactory than a new pen, it is worth checking out which employers will be at the fair. Arrive totally unprepared and you might as well not bother. Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters, admits to having attended more career fairs than he has had hot dinners, and knows what makes a successful student. “The frustrations occur when people haven’t researched enough - it always amazed me when students would queue for half an hour at a busy stand then be unable to ask a relevant question.” Advice from the Recruiter: “There is nothing worse than a student asking, ‘So what does your company do?’” agrees Laura Everingham, graduate recruiter at JP Morgan.“Do your research. To maximise your use of careers fairs the most important thing is to come prepared and do some basic research about the companies attending.” You may have to wait your turn in a group of people before you can pose your question, she says, but do listen to the other questions being asked as you might learn something you wouldn’t have thought of yourself. She advises that you aim to walk away from the company stand feeling confident about what the company does, the opportunities and roles it offers, and with critical information such as deadlines and hiring criteria. It’s also important to find out who you are talking to, she suggests.“Most companies will have a mix of recruiters and employee representatives on the stand. Recruiters are particularly helpful from the application and process point of view but the employee representatives are the ones that can give you an insight into what it is really like to work for that company and do a particular role.” Remember that first impressions count. While you won’t be offered a job on the spot, this initial contact can be important. “Careers fairs are a great way to get to know more about a company but remember the recruiters and employee representatives are looking to spot potential talent, so it is important that you are professional at all times,” warns Laura. Ultimately, name-dropping during that in-depth discussion you had at a fair can add weight

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FEATURE | CAREER FAIRS 2006 | OVERVIEW

“

Many employers are realising that nothing beats getting out and meeting students face-to-face

”

to your application or interview. To boost your chances of getting enough time to talk, arrive as early as possible, or even

As a result, careers services such as Manchester University have set up events like the alternative fair, Kaleidoscope. “Many

pre-register in advance, so that you get in before your targeted

students really don’t want to work for a big corporation,” says

stands are swamped. Careers fairs come in many shapes and sizes – from small,

Fiona Christie, Manchester University career consultant. “Kaleidoscope was set up because of the demand for information

targeted fairs to monster events. But be wary of thinking that

on wider career choices. Students were frustrated with the narrow

what’s on offer at the biggest fairs represents the full job market.

options of the mainstream.”

“Even in the good old days, they weren’t the place to find out about SMEs, which have become more of a factor in graduate

Fairs like these are becoming increasingly common so do your research and ensure you are attending fairs that represent the

recruitment,” argues Terry Jones, a spokesperson for the

kind of work you’re seeking. Although career fairs went out of

Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services. “Most graduates don’t work for blue-chips. You’re only getting a slice of

fashion at the start of the decade, many employers are realising again that nothing beats getting out and meeting students face

a particular piece of the labour market.”

to face. So, make the most of a great opportunity.

DON’ts&DOs Real World finds out the big dos and don’ts to make sure you maximise your time at careers fairs

DON’T

dismiss career fairs because you don’t know what you want to do career-wise or you aren’t interested in the kind of organisations present. Many of the company reps will be successful graduates themselves. You can still use this as an informational/networking opportunity or make contact with industry insiders to ask what it is like working in particular sectors, and get the lowdown on selection procedures, employability skills and what opportunities there are (this might include work experience possibilities).

DON’T

assume that all career fairs are the same. Fairs will either be recruitment events, meaning that the exhibitors are looking to fill vacancies, or information-giving events, where they might also be promoting themselves to non-finalists. Check with your careers service first, since the ‘type’ of fair will have a bearing on your research.

DON’T

get distracted by the freebies. A Royal Bank of Scotland yo-yo might be a lot of fun, but is it furthering your career?

DON’T

dress inappropriately. Treat this as an opportunity to make an impression, as employers will remember you if you stand out. Don’t pitch up in scruffy jeans and trainers; make the effort to be smart.

DO DO

get hold of a map of the careers fair so you know where to find the companies you’re interested in.

some homework beforehand. Work out which recruiters you want to speak to, and check you know what their companies actually do. Bring along multiple copies of your CV or a SAF (Standard Application Form), which should be available from your careers service. These can be useful when introducing yourself to company reps, even if the company has its own form. If there are companies you are very interested in, tailor your CV.

prepare a few questions beforehand. This is a chance to speak to someone who has been there, done that. Not only will you impress the employer by asking something other than the obvious, but you can also learn some useful information. Don’t be afraid to grill them to find out what the company is like, how training works, and what the best and worst elements are. This will give you a proper insight into the organisation, so they become more than merely a website and application form.

ask for names if you speak to representatives of companies that interest you. This will help when you phone the company for more information, and may well give you added credibility if you mention them in a covering letter or at an interview.

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11928.qxp

31/3/06

11:59 am

Page 1

Discover the perfect balance with 3M

YOU’RE TALENTED. RIGHT?

Graduate Opportunities Manufacturing Engineers

For us, you represent the future. Saint-Gobain Building Distribution (SGBD) is the largest building distribution business in Europe. And while our name may not ring any bells, you’re probably familiar with the name Jewson – the UK’s leading supplier of timber and building materials to the trade and just one of our hugely successful brands.

However you do it, few people would argue that it’s important to get the work/life balance right.

We’re looking for the best graduate talent; people who relish the chance to manage early in their careers and who have the potential to lead.

At 3M we believe that life shouldn’t stop when work starts. That’s why we actively encourage all of our employees to find a balance that’s right for them

So, if you’re a talented and ambitious graduate, have or be expecting a 2:1 and want to enjoy a fast-track operational management career, visit:

WWW.SGBDTALENT.CO.UK Closing date: Monday 10th July 2006. Assessment Centres to be held on 2nd and 3rd August 2006.

Find out about our current graduate vacancies in manufacturing at: www.3M.com/uk/careers 200x132-recruitad_FINAL high resPage 1

5/5/06

12:59:21

GRADUATE DEVELOPMENT WITH EUROPE’S NUMBER ONE NAME IN BUILDING DISTRIBUTION

it’s time to spring forward! The Townends Group are keen to recruit experienced Estate Agents and ambitious Trainees to join our expanding branch network. We are keen to hear from individuals who are self-driven and motivated with the desire and determination to succeed and achieve record results. Applicants must be well presented, have strong communication skills and a full driving licence. A hard working and positive attitude is critical. Candidates must also be team players and have a willingness to work long hours and should be excited by the idea of commission and bonus payments. Townends offer a highly competitive salary, benefits package and incentive programme is available to those who are successful. Full training and tailored career development programmes are provided. To apply for a position please forward a C.V to: recruitment@townends.co.uk

01932 736500

recruitment@townends.co.uk

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FEATURE | CAREER FAIRS 2006 | CARDIFF

CARDIFF GRADUATE RECRUITMENT DAY

Date: Thursday 15 June 2006 Opening Time: 11:00 am – 3:00 pm Venue: City Hall, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3ND

The Cardiff Graduate Recruitment Day is one event you can’t

needs, please contact us at careersfairs@cardiff.ac.uk in advance

afford to miss this summer. A great opportunity for graduates to

so we can ensure that we have adequately catered for them.

meet representatives from a broad range of organisations exhibiting a whole host of opportunities including graduate training programmes, full-time work, travelling abroad, setting up your own business and short-term work placements. Furthermore, as well as the main exhibition, the following workshops will be taking place: Employment Regs for International Students 12:00pm-1:00pm Working in Wales The CV What Can I do With a Career in Humanities? Careers Advice – drop-in

12:00pm-1:00pm 1:00pm-2:00pm 2:00pm-3:00pm 2:00pm-3:00pm

Open to all new graduates, free entry. For full details of the event, visit the event website www.careers.cardiff.ac.uk/graduate_fair TRANSPORT: City Hall is at the heart of the University and Cardiff’s civic centre, a short walk from the Students’ Union. For full details of how to get there, visit the event website: www.careers.cardiff.ac.uk/graduate_fair CONTACT DETAILS: Employer Liaison & Marketing Team, Cardiff University Careers Service. Tel: 0292 087 4712 Email: careersfairs@cardiff.ac.uk

S E L A W

SPECIAL EVENTS: Cardiff Graduate Recruitment Day is part of the “New Grad” programme (Thursday 1 June – Friday 23 June), over three weeks of workshops and talks for new graduates. A series of workshops will be taking place alongside the main exhibition. FACILITIES: Wheelchair access, disabled parking available in the City Hall car park. If you have any specific

EXHIBITORS: Exhibitors will include the following companies (for the latest list, visit the Fair website www.careers.cardiff. ac.uk/graduate_fair): ACCA, Aldi Stores Ltd, Aviza Technology Ltd, British Nuclear Group, Capita Symonds, Cardiff University Careers Service, Cardiff University School of Nursing & Midwifery Studies, CCLRC, CIMA, CIPFA, Civil Service Fast Stream, Corus, Costain Group Ltd, Deloitte & Touche LLP, Delphi Diesel Systems, Endsleigh Insurance, Enterprise Rent-aCar, Environment Agency Wales, Ernst & Young, Fulbright Commission, GO Wales, Graduate Prospects, graduate-jobs. com, Graduating to Enterprise, HM Revenue & Customs, HSBC Bank plc, John Sisk & Son Ltd, JP Morgan, Kier, Lidl UK Gmbh, Majestic Wine Warehouse, Matchtech Group, Newlink Wales, Oxfam Cymru, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Real World, Renishaw PLC, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy & Royal Marines, SCI Recruitment for Scientists, SRG, Student Partnership Worldwide, Teacher Training Wales, Thames Valley Police, The Army, The Royal Mint, Training & Development Agency for Schools, Transport for London, University of Bath School of Management, University of Glamorgan, University of Southampton School of Midwifery and Nursing, Voluntary Community Service, Wolseley UK, Xchangeteam.

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25/5/06 12:57:36 pm

FEATURE | CAREER FAIRS 2006 | BRISTOL

UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL SUMMER FAIR

Date: TUESDAY 6th June 2006 Opening Time: 12:00pm – 3:00pm Venue: VICTORIA ROOMS, QUEENS ROAD, CLIFTON, BS8 1SA An important event for the end of the academic year. This year’s Summer Fair will host over 30 employers and for students is an

For directions and Maps please refer to the University of Bristol website: www.bristol.ac.uk/university/maps/precinct.html

excellent opportunity to meet employers before the Summer break to discuss graduate vacancies, placements and work experience opportunities.

(building number 81), and www.bris.ac.uk/university/maps/

What’s In It For You? M arket yourself to a wide variety of employers offering immediate, future, local and national vacancies. Find out about graduate jobs and vacation work. dmission is free and open to all students and graduates. A No need to book - just turn up on the day. Many of the opportunities are available to students of any discipline. N etwork with recent graduates on the stands for ‘inside’ information and tips on selection criteria. M eet the Careers Service staff and find out what other options and opportunities are open to you. Speak to a Careers Adviser at a drop-in session (held at the Fair).

Contact details: For more information about the Summer Fair and other University of Bristol Fairs in 2006, please visit: www.bris.ac.uk/cas/fairs

LIST OF EXHIBITORS: Abbott Mead Vickers Bbdo, Association Of Chartered Certified Accountants, Aviza Technology, Bloomberg, British Nuclear Group, Buck Consultants Ltd, CCLRC, CIMA, Coral Cay Conservation, Costain Group Plc, Customer Systems, Defence Engineering & Science Group, Deloitte, Enterprise Rent-a-car UK, Ernst & Young Financial Ltd, GKN, Graduate Prospects, Hargreaves Lansdown, Inform Information Systems, Innovative Systems, IPL, John Sisk & Sons, Lockheed Martin UK, Raleigh International, Royal Navy & Royal Marines, Schlumberger, Scisys, Tandberg Television, TDA, University Of Bath (School Of Management), University Of Bristol (Dept Of Exercise & Health Sciences), University Of Warwick (Warwick Manufacturing Group), Walsh Associates

Before The Event Check the list of exhibitors and go prepared with specific questions to ask. The list is continually updated so check regularly. Draw up a list of employers to target and do some background research on them before you go. Check the Jobs list to see what recruitment information is currently being displayed by exhibitors. Useful hints and tips from our Careers Doctor about how best to use the Fair. Bring your CV into theCareers Service to be checked by one of our advisers at a drop-in session. Facilities: Disabled access is available.

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FEATURE | CAREER FAIRS 2006 | MANCHESTER

MANCHESTER GRADUATE RECRUITMENT FAIR

Date: Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th June 2006 Opening Times: 10:30am – 4:00pm each day Venue: The Armitage Centre, Moseley Road, Fallowfield, Manchester M14 6HE

The biggest graduate recruitment fair in the UK... If you’re a new graduate/postgraduate or a graduate/postgraduate from a

TRANSPORT: The Armitage Centre is just south of the city centre, within easy reach of the motorway network and railway

previous year, regardless of where you studied, you are very welcome at the Graduate fair in Manchester. Some exhibitors will be looking for applicants with specific qualifications, others will have

stations. There is free parking around the Centre. It is also on a bus route from Manchester city centre and a free bus to the Fair leaves Piccadilly Train Station every 20 minutes from 9.30am

vacancies where your degree subject is irrelevant. Come along and meet over 180 different exhibitors from all over the UK with hundreds of vacancies for Autumn 2006 – mostly

until 3pm, picking up at the bus stop next to the taxi rank on Fairfield Street. For detailed information, please see the website www.

full time graduate jobs, but also some postgraduate course places and some volunteer positions. Different employers will be present each day – large and small

manchester.ac.uk/careers/graduatefair Click on “How to Get There” for a map and travel directions.

companies, recruiting for both national and local vacancies in a wide variety of sectors. ATTEND ON BOTH DAYS TO SEE EVERYONE.

SPECIAL EVENTS: In addition to meeting with over 180 exhibitors, you can also: Get free expert advice from a team of professional Career Consultants who will be providing individual one-to-one help. A ttend the free seminars on applications, interviews and assessment centres to help you succeed in your job search. Remember there are different exhibitors each day. FACILITIES: Adjacent free car parking; disabled access; refreshments on sale at the Firs Pavilion (adjacent to the Armitage Centre); free entry and free Fair Catalogue for all visitors on arrival; free transport from Piccadilly Train Station. CONTACT DETAILS: Web: www.manchester.ac.uk/careers/graduatefair Tel: 0161 275 2828 Email: jan.hewitt@manchester.ac.uk LIST OF EXHIBITORS: 180 exhibitors – different ones each day so you need to attend on both days. To view them click on the A-Z list of exhibitors for each day at www.manchester.ac.uk/careers/graduatefair (updated daily up to the event)

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FEATURE | CAREER FAIRS 2006 | YORKSHIRE

YORKSHIRE GRADUATE RECRUITMENT FAIR

DATE: THURSDAY 8TH JUNE 2006 OPENING TIME: 11:00AM – 3:30PM VENUE: SPORTS AND EXHIBITION CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS New and recent graduates from any UK University are welcome to attend the Yorkshire Graduate Recruitment Fair – the biggest event of its kind in Yorkshire! Nearly 100 organisations will be at the Fair, offering a range of immediate and future vacancies, further study opportunities, information on start-up business initiatives, and help and advice on job-seeking. A popular and unique feature of the event is the Local Employment Zone, sponsored by GraduatesYorkshire. The Zone includes organisations, many of them new to graduate recruitment, who will be offering a range of vacancies located throughout the county. If you are considering working and living in Yorkshire, you can’t afford to miss it! TRANSPORT: There are excellent public transport links to Leeds, and the Fair is centrally located within easy reach of bus and train stations. Full travel details are available at graduatesyorkshire. info/recruitmentfair. SPECIAL EVENTS: Come along to our Prepare for the Fair days to get your CV checked, try your hand at speed interviewing with ‘real’ recruiters, and get advice and help on how to make the most of the event. Monday 5th June, 12 – 3 pm, at the University of Bradford Career Development Services Wednesday 7th June, 11.30 to 3.30pm, at the University of Leeds Sports and Exhibition Centre

CONTACT DETAILS: Web: www.graduatesyorkshire.info/recruitmentfair Tel: 01274 234991 Email: careers@bradford.ac.uk or employerteam@leeds.ac.uk LIST OF EXHIBITORS: Over 95 organisations will be at the event. For the full list see: www.graduatesyorkshire.info/recruitmentfair

FACILITIES: Fully accessible venue, refreshments available, free guide to the event given on arrival. If you have any specific needs please contact careers@bradford.ac.uk and we will make appropriate arrangements for you.

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FEATURE | CAREER FAIRS 2006 | NEWCASTLE

newcastle GRADUATE RECRUITMENT FAIR

Date: Monday 12 June 2006 OPENING Time: 11:00am – 3:00pm Venue: Bamburgh Suite, St James’ Park, Newcastle upon Tyne

Sponsored/supported by: 1stopcareer.com, The Independent and AGCAS Contact Details: Angela Smee, Events Co-ordinator Email: Angela.Smee@ncl.ac.uk Tel: 0191 222 7768 Further Information visit: www.careers.ncl.ac.uk/ngrf Facilities: Easily accessible City Centre location; On site parking; Excellent public transport links; Disabled-friendly access; Refreshments available; Free shuttle bus available from Newcastle Student Union; Each visitor receives a free Fair Guide containing exhibitor information and vacancy details Transport: By train/metro: From Newcastle Central Station you can take the Metro to Monument, change trains here to take you to St James. By bus: St James’ Park is a short walk from both the Haymarket and Eldon Square bus stations. Newcastle Coach Station on St James’ Boulevard is also within walking distance of the football ground. By car: From the A1 North or South, take the A184 slip road. Follow the signs for the A189 to cross the Redheugh Bridge, leading onto St James’ Boulevard. Pass over 4 sets of traffic lights, then, at the 5th set of lights, turn left and stay in the left-hand lane to go straight ahead at the next set of lights. St James’ Park will now be in sight on your right-hand side on Barrack Road. Drive straight ahead and at the next and final set of lights, turn right into St James’ Park. By air: Newcastle International Airport is 20 minutes from Newcastle City Centre by car or taxi. The Tyne & Wear Metro System provides a direct link to the City. Take the Metro to Monument and change trains here to take you to St James. Special Events: Visitors can gain quality information from the professionals at one of our free talks that will run alongside the main event: 11.45 - On-line Application Forms 12.45 - On-line Tests 13.45 - CV Writing

Visiting Exhibitors (correct at 09/05): 1stopcareer.com, ACCA, Aggregate Industries UK Ltd, ALDI Stores Ltd, AMR Group, British Nuclear Group, Centrica, CIMA, Control Techniques Drives Limited, Coral Cay Conservation, Costain, Customer Systems, DARO, Deloitte, Edge Hill, Enterprise Renta-Car, Entrust, Ernst & Young, Graduate Prospects, GraduateJobs.com, High Potential Development Scheme (Police), HSBC, Jobserve, Johnson Matthey Catalysts, JPMorgan, Kelly Scientific Resources, Kelly Services UK Ltd, Kingston Smith, LIDL UK GmbH, Majestic Wine Warehouses, Matchtech Group plc, MDS, Milkround Online, MWH UK Ltd, nepic, Nigel Wright, Northern Rock, Northumbria Police, Northumbria University School of Law, Northumbria University, Nova Group, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Procter & Gamble, QS – Quacquarelli Symonds Limited, Real World Magazine, Regional Language Network North East, Royal Navy & Royal Marines, Schlumberger Oilfield Services UK Plc, Scott Logic, Select Education, Solutions Recruitment, SRG, St James’s & Lucie Clayton College, TARGET + doctorjob.com, Thames Water / npower (RWE Group), The Army, The College of Law, The Environment Agency, Training & Development Agency for Schools, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, University of Teesside, VSO, Watkin Jones and Son Ltd

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FEATURE | CAREER FAIRS 2006 | BOURNEMOUTH

BOURNEMOUTH FINALISTS’ RECRUITMENT FAIR University

Date: FRIDAY 9th June 2006 Opening Time: 11:00am – 3:00pm Venue: STUDENT CENTRE HALL, TALBOT HOUSE, TALBOT CAMPUS, BOURNEMOUTH UNIVERSITY Sponsored by Hays Specialist Recruitment and In Association with The Independent. The Finalists’ Recruitment Fair is open to finalists, new and recent graduates of any University. This event will give final years and recent graduates a chance to talk to representatives from about 20 organisations opportunities.

about

permanent

employment

List of exhibitors: Barclays, BBC, Bistech Plc, Bournemouth University Careers & Placement Service, Endsleigh Insurance, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, GraduateJobs.com, Hays Specialist Recruitment, HSBC, Jagex, JPMorgan, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP), Lidl, MacDonald Hotels & Resorts, Majestic Wine Warehouses, Matchtech Group plc, Nike Group of Companies, Royce Consultancy, Travelmood

What is it? The Finalists’ Recruitment Fair is essentially an exhibition by various organisations wishing to promote permanent employment opportunities to students. It provides you with the chance to talk to recruiters face to face and to collect application forms and brochures.

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Facilities: Disabled access is available.

Interested? If you are interested in attending then please register your interest at finalistsfair@bournemouth.ac.uk and don’t forget to specify what course you are studying. More information about the day and a list of exhibitors can be found on our website at: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/careers

Who can attend? The fair is for finalists, diplomats and postgraduates who are job hunting for permanent positions.

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Please log onto: http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/careers/ for the latest list of exhibitors.

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FEATURE | CAREER FAIRS 2006 | SOUTHAMPTON

southampton GRADUATE RECRUITMENT FAIR University of

Date of Event: TUESDAY 20th June 2006 Opening Times: 11:00am - 3:30pm Venue: Garden Court, Highfield Campus, University of Southampton

Contact Details: Sarah Gibson Email: smg2@soton.ac.uk Tel: 0238 059 3273 Website: For further information on the Fair and our Summer Careers Programme see http://www.soton.ac.uk/cas/news Further Information: Students from any university are welcome to attend Free fair programme for all visitors on arrival Wheelchair access Transport: By Bus and Rail: Good Uni-Link bus service operates throughout Southampton. Catch the U1 from Southampton Central Station and City Centre. By Road: No parking available on campus. Please park away from the campus and walk or use public transport.

Visiting Exhibitors: ACCA, Aldi Stored Ltd, Arieso, Army Officer, Balfour Beatty, BDO Stoy Hayward LLP, British Nuclear Group, Business Link - Business KIT, Careers Advisory Service, CCLRC Technology, Civil Service Fast Stream, Coral Cay Conservation, Corporate Executive Board, Customer Systems Plc, Deloitte and Touche LLP, E-jobs vacancies Board, Endsleigh Insurance, Enterprise Rent a Car, Ernst & Young, Estee Lauder Companies, Garvins, GKN Aerospace Engineering Services, Graduate Prospects, Graduate Recruitment Bureau, Hampshire Constabulary, Hampshire Fire and Rescue, ICAEW, JP Morgan Chase, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, Lidl, Lockheed Martin UKIS, Majestic Wine Warehouses, Matchtech Group Plc, NDS, Nortel Networks, Oxfam, Pareto, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Raleigh International, Real World Magazine, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and Royal Marines, Schlumberger Oilfield UK Plc, Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems Ltd, Siemens, Tandberg Television Ltd, The College of Law, TPS Consult, Training and Development Agency for Schools, University of Southampton Postgraduate Study, URS Corporation Ltd

Special Events: For the first time we are holding a Summer Careers Programme of talks and workshops covering issues of common interest including Job Seeking Skills, Effective Applications, Interview Skills and much more. Events take place on the days preceding and immediately following the fair. SUPPORTED BY: This event is generously supported by Ernst & Young and Schlumberger Oilfield UK Plc. Part of the AGCAS Summer Fairs Series.

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25/5/06 1:00:23 pm

POSTGRADUATE STUDY SPECIAL

The future is in your hands...

Postgraduate Research in Communications at Swansea University Postgraduate courses include: MSc/MRes Communication Systems MSc/MRes Photonic and Communication Systems

These are one year courses that comprise a taught component and project.

Modules for these courses include â&#x20AC;˘ Systems Engineering â&#x20AC;˘ Client Server Programming in Java â&#x20AC;˘ Computer Networks â&#x20AC;˘ Photonic Networks â&#x20AC;˘ Communication Systems Modelling â&#x20AC;˘ Digital Communications â&#x20AC;˘ Wireless Systems â&#x20AC;˘ Speech and Image Processing

â&#x20AC;˘ ASIC Design â&#x20AC;˘ Microwave Transmission â&#x20AC;˘ Photonic Components and their Applications â&#x20AC;˘ Lasers â&#x20AC;˘ Product Lifecycle Management: Business Context â&#x20AC;˘ Entrepreneurship for Engineers

Entry Requirements MRes/MSc â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a minimum of a second class upper/lower honours degree respectively or equivalent in a related field. Applications are welcome from students in relevant disciplines of Engineering, Computer Science, Physics and Maths.

Funding is available from the Institute of Advanced Telecommunications please enquire. For more information and to apply online visit www.swan.ac.uk/iat or contact Professor J M H Elmirghani Tel: + 44 1792 29 5541 Email: j.m.h.elmirghani@swan.ac.uk

IAT

Institute of Advanced Telecommunications www.swansea.ac.uk/iat

Swansea University is the public name of the University of Wales Swansea, a constituent institution of the University of Wales.

7E LL EQUIP YOU FOR THE BUSINESS WORLD !T #ASS "USINESS 3CHOOL IN ,ONDON WE OFFER A RANGE OF 3PECIALIST -ASTERS COURSES THAT TURN PROMISING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS INTO STAR PERFORMERS 7HETHER YOU RE LOOKING FOR A CAREER IN &INANCE 0ROPERTY -ANAGEMENT -ARKETING 3HIPPING OR A NUMBER OF OTHER BUSINESS AREAS #ASS WILL EQUIP YOU WITH EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO SUCCEED 4O l ND OUT MORE VISIT WWW CASS CITY AC UK MASTERS EMAIL CASS MASTERS CITY AC UK OR TELEPHONE

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Success through postgraduate study

Middlesex University

Choose Middlesex University for your postgraduate study in London and benefit from our £40 million investment in new learning and leisure facilities at our Hendon campus in north-west London. Focus on business, law or computing with MA, MSc or MBA courses including: BUSINESS SCHOOL • • • • • •

Accounting and Finance Business and Management Economics Human Resource Management Marketing MBA (AMBA accredited)

COMPUTING SCIENCE • MSc/PGDip Business Information Technology • MSc/PGDip Electronic Commerce • MSc Joint Masters Business Information Systesms • MSc/PGDip Computer Networks/Computer Network Management • MSc Computer and Network Security • MSc Knowledge Management • MSc Interaction Design • PGCert Managing Major Projects

LAW

020 8411 5555

• • • •

LLM International Business Law LLM International Economic Law LLM (General) LLM Employment Law

www.mdx.ac.uk admissions@mdx.ac.uk Middlesex University Business School The Burroughs Hendon London NW4 4BT

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r t w r . h :

Our Public Policy Programme combines a social science core, taught by leading public sector scholars, with contributions from sector experts drawn from across King’s. Students are also able to engage with current policy makers and practitioners in seminars on contemporary issues in policy implementation. Degrees are one year full-time and two years-part time.

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This new programme combines comprehensive study of new social science-based theories of public service delivery, and of evidence on their success, with options which examine particular public services in depth. Based in the research-active Department of Management, the programme draws on findings from all the major social sciences, on experts from across King’s, and on visiting speakers from public service and policy-making institutions. It explores areas as different as health, defence and education and asks what they have in common, and also how they differ – for example in the area of ‘consumer choice’. The programme is designed for both mid-career professionals and recent social science graduates making a career in the public services. For further details and an application pack visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/management or contact the Programme Director, Professor Alison Wolf: tel. 020 7848 3724, email: alison.wolf@kcl.ac.uk

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This new programme is designed to develop students’ understanding of the emergence and development of public policy. It combines core courses on the policy process and comparative public policy with the chance to study a much wider range of options than other programmes in public policy, allowing specialization in such fields as health policy, rights and security in a changing world, urban and environmental policy, the policy problems of an ageing population or education policy. Close links with the worlds of politics and policy are offered through a visiting speaker programme and placement opportunities. We welcome applications for part-time study from those working in the public service or NGOs.

EPSRC industry-funded Engineering Doctorate £19k pa tax-free MSc in System Level Integration Stipend £6k plus fees for UK students Our MSc is a world-first postgraduate programme aimed at system level integration and system-on-chip design. Full or part-time, this course leads to a very employable qualification – but is also a route into our prestigious Engineering Doctorate, which is equivalent to a PhD. On the Doctorate, we’ll match you with a company sponsor, and after nine months’ study you’ll dive straight in to live projects. At the end of the four year programme you can expect to enter high-level management in industry, or use your skills and contacts to start your own business. There are only 8 places available, and you must be a UK resident with 1st class or 2:1 honours degree in electronic engineering, physics or computer science. For the MSc, which is open to UK, EU and international students, you must bring a 2:2 or better in one of these subjects. For both programmes, you’re a final year undergraduate, recent graduate or already working but able to demonstrate commensurate industry experience. To find out more, call 01506 469300, email courses@sli-institute.ac.uk or check out www.sli-institute.ac.uk A collaboration of the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heriot-Watt and Strathclyde.

For further details visit: www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/MAPP/Intro.html or contact the programme director, Professor Ken Young at ken.young@kcl.ac.uk

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25/5/06 12:25:52

World class business masters degree. No university attendance. Here’s how.

Studying for a world renowned Durham MA in Management could not be easier. Thanks to our Distance Learning study option, you can gain a career enhancing qualification from the comfort of your own home. Which is perfect for those who have busy lives, but who want to propel their career to new heights. For further information please call +44 (0) 191

Business School

334 5120, email madl.enq@durham.ac.uk or visit www.durham.ac.uk/dbs

makers of business leaders

Durham Business School is committed to embracing diversity

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POSTGRADUATE STUDY SPECIAL

School of Computing MA Human Resource Development & Consulting At the cutting edge of research and teaching expertise, our postgraduate programmes in Human Resource Development & Consulting bring together academic and business excellence to train students in real world contexts. Our full-time programme aims to enrich and build upon existing knowledge as a base for a successful career in industry, the public services or for further study. Putting students first is a natural consequence of our staff being open and approachable. To find out more about our wide range of master courses, and what else makes us the number one choice, visit our website now.

If you’re taught by stars, the sky’s the limit

The School of Computing at DCU is the largest in Ireland. It has a strong reputation for excellence in research and teaching, and has close links with industry. The School offers a range of innovative programmes that equip graduates with the personal and professional skills most sought after in the information economy. All come with major fee support for EU students.

Taught Postgraduate Programmes

• • M.Sc. in Software Engineering (Full-time) • M.Sc. in Bioinformatics (Full-time) • M.Sc. in Electronic Commerce (Full-time) • European M.Sc. in Business Informatics (Full-time) Diploma / M.Sc. in Information Technology • Graduate (Full-time or part-time) M.Sc. in Security & Forensic Computing (Full-time)

To apply for a postgraduate taught programme, visit the central Postgraduate Applications Centre at www.pac.ie to complete an online application.

Postgraduate Research Opportunities Visit www.lums.lancs.ac.uk

DCU School of Computing provides a lively and supportive environment for research. It offers a number of research scholarships each year to outstanding graduates interested in working towards a Ph.D. For further information on these and other postgraduate programmes offered at DCU School of Computing, NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

visit www.dcu.ie/computing

Lon_Met_140x190mm A7(A037)

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10:44 am

Funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2000 - 2006

Page 1

Postgraduate Opportunities London Metropolitan University offers choice and flexibility and is committed to academic excellence in a wide range of postgraduate programmes (MA, MSc, PgDip, PgCert), research opportunities (MRes, MPhil, PhD) and professional courses. Subject areas include: • Advice and Paralegal Work • Arts and Heritage Management • Business Psychology • Business, International Business • Computing, IT Consultancy • Corporate Social Responsibility • Digital Media, Multimedia • Economics, Financial Markets

• European & International Law • Health and Social Policy • Human Nutrition/Food Science • Human Resource Management • Human Rights & Social Justice • Integrative Counselling • International Banking & Finance • International Relations

• Literature and Modernity • Marketing, Communications • MBA, Management • Professional Writing • Public Administration • Software Engineering • Sports Management/Science • Tourism Management

To find out about our open events visit www.londonmet.ac.uk/open-days For further information and how to apply: call: 020 7133 4202 email: admissions@londonmet.ac.uk web: www.londonmet.ac.uk

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What next? Cranfield Univ.

17/5/06

A higher qualification can set you apart from the crowd. Whether you are looking for a taught degree to complement your current qualification or a research degree to go that step further, Brunel Business School has something to suit.

POSTGRADUATE STUDY SPECIAL

Further study is a great option

A specialist range of taught Masters and Research degrees covering: • • • • • • • • •

Management and HR International Business Marketing Accounting and Finance Investment Public Policy Public Affairs International Relations History

For more information and an application form please visit www.brunel.ac.uk/realworld www.brunel.ac.uk/etc2 or or email joinbbs@brunel.ac.uk

14:24:06

Study for your Masters at the UK‘s only exclusively post-graduate university and one of Europe‘s leading management schools. What you will learn with us is pragmatic and results-orientated. Our strong links with the finance sector, business and industry mean we provide relevant solutions to practical problems – skills employers are looking for.

MSc in Finance and Management

For course and admissions information, please contact Hilary Browne (Tel: 01234 754420) or visit our website.

Our Masters programmes focus on the whole person, developing analytical skills and the practical application of relevant knowledge. Well-respected by business and industry around the world, Cranfield is proud that 97% of our graduates find relevant full-time employment (or undertake further study) within 3 months of graduation. Think about it. Do a Masters at Cranfield. Be a success in the future.

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www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/msc/rw

25/5/06 12:59:27

POSTGRADUATE STUDY SPECIAL

SCHOOL OF ARTS

Brunel University, Middx, UB8 3PH

A unique centre for Masters opportunities and PhD research welcomes applications from creative graduates for this September. Under the leadership of digital performance expert, Professor Steve Dixon, the School is proud to announce the recent appointments of top-flight academics and practitioners from around the world. These include composers Richard Barrett, Christopher Fox, Peter Wiegold, Joe Duddell and Harald Muenz, novelists Fay Weldon and Celia Brayfield, performers Stelarc, Johannes Birringer, Kjell Petersen and Helen Paris. For details on our innovative postgraduate programme please contact: Donna White, Postgraduate Administrator, School of Arts, Brunel University, Middx, UB8 3PH Tel: 01895 267214 Email: donna.white@brunel.ac.uk

Master the ďŹ nancial markets

Postgraduate programmes for 2006:

MSc International Securities, Investment and Banking MSc Capital Markets, Regulation and Compliance â&#x20AC;˘ MSc Financial Risk Management â&#x20AC;˘ MSc Investment Management â&#x20AC;˘

MA/MMus in Contemporary Music* MA Digital Performance* MA in Contemporary Performance Making MA Digital Games: Theory and Design MA Cult Film and TV MA Documentary Practice MA Journalism* (NCTJ and BJTC accreditation pending) MA Creative and Professional Writing MA Creative Writing: The Novel* MA Contemporary Literature and Culture *approved in principle MPhil and PhD research expertise is organised around the following: Body, Space and Technology Contemporary Music Practice Screen Media Contemporary Writing

â&#x20AC;˘

Programmes tailored for a career in the capital markets industry For details of these programmes and our scholarships call 0118 378 8239 and quote ref: RW001 or visit

www.icmacentre.ac.uk

Centre ICMA

innovative learning for careers in the global securities & investment industry

The University of Reading Âˇ ICMA Centre Âˇ Whiteknights PO Box 242 Âˇ Reading RG6 6BA Âˇ UK Tel: +44 (0)118 378 8239 Âˇ Email: admin@icmacentre.ac.uk Quote ref: RW001

www.brunel.ac.uk

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3TUDY WITH STUDENTS FROM OVER COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE #HOOSE FROM STUDY TRACKS INVOLVING ,ONDON 0ARIS -ADRID "ERLIN AND 4URIN AS WELL AS .EW $ELHI "ANGKOK AND -ONTERREY IN )NDIA 4HAILAND AND -EXICO COURSES ARE IN %NGLISH

25/5/06 12:59:53

Want something more? Want a management development programme that doesn’t just churn out identikit managers? A programme that instead is designed to help you become everything you can be? One where your contribution is valued and you’re positively encouraged to make a difference? One that doesn’t involve instruction in tea-making? See what we’re about, and apply, at

www.nationwide.co.uk/graduate 20098 A4 ad AW.indd 1 43.indd 1

VOTED THE UKʼS BEST LARGE EMPLOYER

2005

0ROUD TO BE DIFFERENT 12/9/05 12:39:24 pm 24/5/06 17:54:38

Next? Make your move.

Exams are over but the challenge is just beginning. You have secured your degree and are looking to start a rewarding career with one of the world’s leading businesses. You are looking for structured, supportive training and have the ability to drive your career in a direction that will fulfil your ambitions. Ernst & Young offers you this through our four service lines: Assurance and Business Services Advisory Corporate Finance Tax

• • • •

Decide the direction of your career and get the result you’re looking for. Focus on achieving a professional qualification, gain broad advisory experience or become a specialist in your chosen field. To find out more about our opportunities across the UK starting in September 2006 and April 2007 visit www.ey.com/uk/graduate

Ernst & Young is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. The UK firm Ernst & Young LLP is a limited liability partnership and a member practice of Ernst & Young Global. 43.indd 1

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