how to get the best graduate job
STEM Event Planning Top Applications Tips from IBM Recruitment Manager
Interview with Rolls Royce
EMPLOYABILITY CONFERENCE 14 | BFKitchen | The Review Room | Company Profiles
National award SPONSORS
contents Editor’s letter How to get the best graduate job (Lancaster University) How to cope with Essay Stress Read about a graduate at Sky Adventure with Rolls Royce Top Applications Tips from IBM Recruitment Manager An interview with Rolls Royce BFKitchen Employability Conference 2014 - The Student Voice STEM Event Planning Ebola Crisis Appeal, 50 quid challenge The Review Room Company profiles
3 4-5 6-7 8 9 10-11 12-13 14 15 16-17 18-19 20 21
IBM
22
Atkins
23
Thales
24
TFL
25
RPC
26
Costain
27
KPMG
28
Jobmi
29
TKMaxx
30
M&S
31
PwC
32
HSBC
33
Lloyds Banking Group
34
FCA
35
Tesco
36
tesco Society of the Year [Strathclyde University] www.tesco-graduates.com
RPC Fastest growing society [Lancaster University] www.rpc.co.uk/manifesto
Siemens Collaboration of the year [Lancaster University] www.siemens.co.uk/careers
Wragge & Co Most Diverse society [University of East Anglia] www.wragge-graduates.co.uk
PwC President of the Year [Liam Tollinton – York University] www.pwc.co.uk/careers
Centrica Regional Ambassador of the year [Kamil Bend Chiche – Bristol UWE] www.centrica.com
IBM Investor of the Year www.ibm.com/jobs/uk/graduate
Atkins Newcomer of the Year
[Hull University]
2
Rolls Royce Event of the Year www.rolls-royce.com/careers
careers.atkinsglobal.com
editors letter Welcome to our November E-magazine. There is loads of great content again this month, from the serious job hunting tips and employment opportunities to some of the more fun stuff. As I am this month’s Guest Editor I have decided to write a different style of Editors letter which has been inspired by a question I was asked at an event I was running on campus recently. And that question was: ‘Who is the best company to work for?’ As I was told a few years ago by a very insightful graduate working for one of the big brand graduate recruiters…”we and all our competitors do great work, we all have great clients and we all employ great people; what makes us all different is our culture as organisations.” So how do you find out about a company’s culture? Yes, you can get a ‘feel’ for an organisation from its website and videos of their people that they have (but many of these are, of course, carefully controlled). But I would argue you can’t beat meeting people face to face to get these insights into a company culture. So take every, and any, opportunity to meet and talk to people from organisations. They spend a lot of time and money sending members of their teams on campus, or inviting students to their offices or running webinars – check out a few we are running www.brightfutures.co.uk/upcoming-events/
For a unique opportunity to gain some powerful insights into how you be the ‘best’ graduate job hunter, and also have that face to face time with employers why not come to our National Employability Conference at Aston Villa Football Stadium on 19th November 2014 – we have some amazing key note speakers and a wide range of employers for you to spend a whole day with - it’s FREE for students, so see you there! www.brightfutures.co.uk/upcomingevents/2014/9/29/employability-conference-2014
Enjoy this month’s e-zine
Simon Reichwald – Director, Bright Futures P.S. To read the full blog article and find out what makes the ‘best’ graduate go to www.brightfutures.co.uk/blog/
www.brightfutures.co.uk
*If you don’t have a Society at your university then set up your own! Contact us at society@brightfutures.co.uk and we can get you started right away! 3
Lancaster University Bright Futures Society
How to Get the Best
Graduate
Job with Simon Reichwald
4
Here at Lancaster University, Bright Futures’ Intro Event has been a real success for the past few years, but it has never been as big as it was last week! In my first year, I remember that I attended as a member and Simon’s was the first lecture I have attended since I came to University about CVs, assessment centres, interviews and the graduate job market. Still the most useful insights I have ever had. Then, last year we recorded a turnout of approximately 100 people that couldn’t fit in the room. We thought that was a packed lecture theatre, we still didn’t know what it was going to be like this year. Planning in advance this time, we booked a larger venue that could fit about 100 people. Not enough again! 230 students came along, with actually 213 who clicked join on the Facebook event page and 167 who booked their place on the official booking system of University. According to Simon, our event has been the biggest and most successful ‘How to Get the Best Graduate Job’ of the year! How did we reach such a great result? Promotion, enthusiasm, hard work and connections!! I would start from the last one to explain. It is vital to know people around University, in different departments, colleges, services, and students’ union. For instance, at Lancaster University many departments have an allocated career advisor. Introduce yourself and then ask to kindly email the entire cohort of students with the invitation to the Bright Futures’ event. They will be happy to do so simply because their final aim is that students get really good graduate jobs when they graduate. Careers service is another powerful entity to reach every single student in University. The Intro Event is open to everyone, members and not yet members, so why not telling everyone on campus that you are holding your first event of the year? Even more, get the support of your students’ union and save a spot in their weekly newsletter by submitting an entry for your event. Flyers, social media, posters, no need to mention the many other marketing channels that are available. Very powerful is the weekly email newsletter that we send out to our members. But we know that we are all Digital Goldfishes when we are in front of the screen, so that won’t be enough. The radio and the newspaper of students’ union are other important that we aim to get for the next event. But first of all, collaboration with other people outside Bright Futures is the best way to reach out, and the reason why we eventually won the national award for Collaboration last year. I believe this is how we reached such a good turnout. We signed up 409 members at Freshers’ Fair and another 105 students signed up at the Intro Event. Get connections and get Bright Futures’ name out, everywhere on campus and on each communication channels. Members are excited to attend society’s event after they sign up for it. So we want them to know and to be reminded about the events until the last minute!
5
How to cope with Essay Stress
November tends to be the one month that is full of essay deadlines. It can sometimes seem that every week there is a separate essay to hand in. For many this period is very a stressful time and rightly so. So what can you do to help with this stress, what techniques and methods could you adopt? Well here you can find our lucky 7 techniques and methods that we think could help you with that dread essay stress.
6
1) Set Clear Targets Most people become stressed with essay writing when everything starts to pile up. You start to feel like you are drowning in essays and literature. If this sounds familiar to you then you may wish to adopt the technique of setting clear targets. By setting clear targets you are able to easily see what needs to be done, and for when. For example, I want to have my first draft of my essay completed by November the 16th then it gives me 2 weeks to make final changes. This simple and easy to do target will then help you to make sure you stay on top of your essay writing.
2) Plan, Plan, Plan Lectures and Tutors will consistently tell you how important it is to plan your essays. And it has to be said, they are right. By spending time on the planning of your essay it should make the actual writing of the essay extremely less stressful. How you go about planning your essay is very personal, and you should do what works for you. Examples of how to plan an essay could be drawing a mind map, speaking to friends or you could write you conclusion first. These planning techniques are also very dependable on the actual subject too, as different fields will be looking for different conversations.
popping down stairs to make a cup of tea or even walking to the local shop to buy a packet of biscuits. Your brain does like a nice bit of fresh oxygen so getting away from your desk will help to clear your mind and you will find the process of essay writing will be much easier.
5) Sleep Now it might seem obvious, but sleep really does help deal with essay stress. Try and get a minimum of 8 hours sleep a day. Sleeping gives your brain time to rest, relax and regenerate itself ready for the next day. Do try and keep your body clock in order too. By going to sleep at the same time of day will help you keep mentally active. So no 3am bed times, unless it is a Saturday night on the town!
6) Socialise Facebook, Twitter or Snap Chat are all forms of socialising but they all still involve you looking at a screen. When we say socialise we mean get out there, see your friends and have fun! It is important that when you writing essays not to get too bogged down in them. Make sure you make time to see your friends and have a good gossip. And if you are really worried about your essay you could always use this time with your friends to ask them for advice.
3) Exercise
7) Be positive
Physical exercise can be a really good way of fighting the stress. This exercise could include a 1 hour work out in the gym, a jog, or maybe you could dig out that fitness DVD you brought in the January sales. Whatever you choose to do as long as you are raising your heart rate and releasing those endorphins you’re on for a winner.
Sometimes we can all have one of those days where nothing seems to go our way. Maybe you didn’t save that last paragraph and your laptop has now crashed. Or you have lost some very important notes. The key thing to do here is not to be negative about it. Try and remain positive and confident in your own ability and know that you will write a good essay!
4) Quick Walk A quick walk can do the world of good for dealing with stress. If you discover you have been staring blankly at your computer screen for a few minutes, instead of sitting there with a mental block, get up and go for a walk. It doesn’t have to be a long distance walk; it could just be
We really hope that our lucky 7 techniques and methods are useful to you. You may also have your own personal ways of coping with essay stress that work for you too. Why not share these with your society and friends and together we can try and eliminate that dread essay stress.
7
Meet one of our brilliant procurement grads Sky’s Procurement teams source the most diverse range of products and services imaginable to deliver brilliant entertainment and next-generation technology to over 11 million customers. Meet Zoe, a member of their Marketing Procurement team and find out why she loves life at Sky. Graduates on Sky’s Procurement Programme rotate around various teams to gain the widest possible experience. So far, Zoe has spent most of her time in the Marketing Procurement team. The focus of the team is to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to secure optimum return on investment from suppliers. So what has she been doing and what has she learned? “I’ve worked on a wide range of projects, mostly within digital marketing and creative categories,” Zoe says. “Within digital, I’ve had the opportunity to learn about brand new technologies and introduce them to different areas of Sky.” Zoe has worked with a large number of stakeholders in different areas of the business and enjoyed the challenges that come with working with a wide range of people at different levels. She’s been able to make a difference, too. “Working on creative projects has been great, especially having an input on new brand and advertising campaigns because you can actually see the output of your hard work at home on the TV or across billboards on your commute to work,” she says. Zoe’s learning though hasn’t been confined to the job itself. “On the graduate programme, you have the opportunity to complete the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) qualification which complements the work you do,” she explains. “I’m no legal expert and CIPS modules have really helped me to learn about the law. This has given me the confidence to work alongside Sky legal teams when contract negotiations become part of a project.” The Sky Academy inspires young people, supports emerging talent and helps build skills and self-belief for future generations. If you’re interested in a procurement career with Sky, or one of our many other graduate opportunities, go to skystartingout.com 8 It’s our people that make Sky the UK and Ireland’s leading entertainment company. That’s why we work hard to be an inclusive employer, so everyone at Sky can be their best.
www.rolls-royce.com/performanceisart
n a r o f , g p i n i h y s l e p c p i A rent r o t p n p A eme ole? r c a e l P duat a r G a s s e n Va 10
Our Guest write of thirty years. tester, to techn twelve years Va recruiting and m attended many gave many pres Vanessa has com an apprenticesh
h g u Go
er this month is Vanessa Gough. Vanessa worked in IBM for a total In her time at IBM Vanessa had a variety of roles from software nical team lead to international project manager. For the past anessa has been a manager in the team who are responsible for managing graduates, placement students and apprentices. Vanessa y assessment centres, reviewed thousands of application forms and sentations/ran workshops at a variety of universities and colleges. mposed a piece about the whole application process for gaining hip, placement or graduate role. We hope you enjoy the read! The whole process starts with research. Research the type of company you’d like to work for, and please don’t assume that your degree subject restricts you. Many companies will accept any degree subject - please do find out. Most companies are quite open online about their requirements. The application form can appear a lengthy and daunting prospect. Take it seriously, and spend time filling it out. Recruiters receive thousands of application forms - make sure yours is error free, and if you are using the company’s name, spell it correctly! Do not be tempted to “cut and paste” content from an application form to one company into another’s. Get another person (or several) to check the form before you send. And just answer the questions. Avoid the “theoretical” and give real examples where YOU have demonstrated the skills asked for. All evidence is good evidence. If you are invited to attend an assessment centre, respond to the invitation. If you are unable to attend on the date, contact the company to arrange another. If you are unable to attend on the day through unforeseen circumstances, please let the company know. Assessment centres are not competitions. Everyone there could pass the various exercises. Prepare by reviewing your application form, and have more than one example where you have demonstrated each skill. As an interviewer, it is most disconcerting to have a candidate merely repeat the one example contained in the application form. If you feel a particular exercise has gone badly, don’t be disheartened. Recovering from setbacks is something you’ll need to do if you get that graduate job! You may like to prepare some questions for the interviewer - after all, they work for the company and are great sources of information on what it’s like. 11
An interview with...
Bright Futures Strathclyde interviewed Andrew Whitehill, Process Integration Manager at Rolls-Royce and University Liaison lead for Strathclyde. Andrew is a Strathclyde graduate with 6 years experience in industry and graduate recruitment.
We quizzed Andrew to help you gain some insight on CVs, applications, assessment centres, and interviews. 12
What are some of the biggest mistakes students make on their CVs? 1. Not knowing enough about the company: It’s extremely important to research the
company and know what they are looking for. Tailor your CV to both the company and position.
2. Hard to read CV: If it doesn’t look easy to read, relevant information can get lost in the format. Make important skills and experiences stand out.
3. Leaving out information or experience: Don’t leave out anything that could be
useful. It doesn’t need to specifically be about the industry, but apply it to the job and company and show how those skills will be useful.
What makes a good application form? Take your time. Think about a good example, one strong story. Look on the website and see what the company is looking for, then use those words in the response. Make it clear and concise to get the key points across. It’s not about the exact answer you provide but about showing communication skills.
What advice would you give for online tests? Practice is the key. Use career services and resources online to familiarize yourself with the tests. Make sure to practice before applying to positions, as generally you only have two days to complete it.
Onto interviews, do you have any tips? Rolls Royce gives two types; technical and personal. The technical: This tests how you think and what you know about the area you want to work in. We want to know how you get to the answer and that you understand key concepts. The personal: This is a competency based interview. It looks at how you would work in different situations. They key here is preparation and practice, prepare before by researching and reading about the industry and your chosen business area.
How can students stand out when networking? Again it comes down to knowing and researching the company. Know what you want to do for them and why. In terms of career fairs, remember that they are there to help. Don’t be shy to ask that question you’ve been wanting to know.
13
BFKitchen
Homemade
Toffee Apples Serves 8|Takes 20 minutes to make Ingredients 8 Granny Smith apples 400g golden caster sugar 1 tsp vinegar 4 tbsp golden syrup Method Place the apples in a large bowl, then cover with boiling water (you may have to do this in 2 batches). This will remove the waxy coating and help the caramel to stick. Dry thoroughly and twist off any stalks. Push a wooden skewer or lolly stick into the stalk end of each apple. Lay out a sheet of baking parchment and place the apples on this, close to your stovetop. Tip the sugar into a pan along with 100ml water and set over a medium heat. Cook for 5 mins until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the vinegar and syrup. Set a sugar thermometer in the pan and boil to 140C or ‘hard crack’ stage. If you don’t have a thermometer you can test the toffee by pouring a little into a bowl of cold water. It should harden instantly and, when removed, be brittle and easy to break. If you can still squish the toffee, continue to boil it. Working quickly and carefully, dip and twist each apple in the hot toffee until covered, let any excess drip away, then place on the baking parchment to harden. You may have to heat the toffee a little if the temperature drops and it starts to feel thick and viscous. Leave the toffee to cool before eating. Can be made up to 2 days in advance, stored in a dry place.
14
A conference that brings together not just Employers, Universities and Schools, but importantly you...
...THE STUDENTS! We are helping shape the future of employability with one key thing in mind – the Student Voice. Bright Futures is renowned for empowering students to develop their own employability through a unique platform of student-led societies in Schools and Universities. Now we want to empower them to play their part in shaping how they can become more employable. Attend an event with real energy and a genuine ‘buzz’; stimulating keynotes, real time to reflect and discuss with Employers, Universities, – plus lots of great networking. What can you expect on the day? Key speakers: Alex Linley Founder and CEO of CAPP, Francesca Campalani Senior Emerging Talent Manager at Lloyds Banking Group, Nigel Linacre International Speaker and Author and Cofounder of LeadNow. You can expect to have meaningful conversations with a wide range of employers about your future and what you need. Time and guidance to think more about ‘who I am?’ ‘how I can best use my skills & strengths’. To be given a real ‘voice’ in your future, that Employers, Universities and Schools will hear. To be able to shape the future agenda when it comes to your employment and what you need. Meet lots of employers, who you can make a positive impact on.
What people said last time: “This event definitely exceeded my expectations and has provided me with a great opportunity to get my ideas across a number of employers and careers services.” Student “I have such a lot to change, the student were amazing! How do I raise other students to this level?” University Careers Service “Excellent, motivational morning, great presenters, met three potential engineering apprentices from The Castle School, which was the icing on an excellent cake.” Employer
www.brightfutures.co.uk/upcoming-events/2014/9/29/employability-conference-2014
15
ePlanning vent
STeM
16
This year I was fortunate to have been given the opportunity to organise one of the largest events that Strathclyde Brightfutures runs, The STEM Networking event. It’s a multi company open event run like a mini careers fair where STEM students are given the chance to network with graduate recruiters from high profile companies such as Shell, Rolls Royce and Atkins. Planning an event as big as this requires good organisation and for me this meant starting in July with booking companies. During the busy October schedule it’s important to give the larger companies plenty of notice, especially if its gonna involve travelling a significant distance for them! One of the most helpful tools in planning this event was the event booking form available on the Brightfutures website. It really helped me to crystalise my vision for what I wanted the event to entail and it’s a great way to let the investors you are contacting know all the details of the event in a clear and easy to read format. As it gets closer to the event another great idea is to create a communication plan detailing all the promotion you are going to carry out and what days you are going to contact the investors. This makes you look professional and reassures them that the event is planned and structured rather than a last minute cobble-job.
For me it was essential to have a written down plan as Uni and personal commitments made that period of time extremely hectic and I’d ddefinitely hav forgotten to do a lot of the promotion without it! In the end the result was an extremely successful event with a massive turnout of over 250 students and loads of great companies. After the event it was really important to get feedback from the students as well as the companies so I created some feedback forms. This helps because it lets know what you did well and what you could do better which is really important in terms of continuing the success of the event. We hope to run this event next year and make it even bigger and better! Overall I’m really happy with how the STEM event turned out. As a business student it gave me a great chance to expand my network and learn about a totally different sector. The best advice I could give anyone is to absolutely go for it and put as much effort into your events as possible. Above all else make sure you enjoy the process and learn from your mistakes.
The only limit is the one you set yourself.
Top 5 Networking tips (from talking to employers) 1. Engage and ask questions - Try to do some research on the company beforehand so when you’re face to face with its people you’re not just asking them stuff you could find on their website 2. Appearance matters - The way you look will make a big first impression. Try to dress appropriately for the occasion and don’t look like you just rolled out of bed 3. Try not to interrogate - When talking to employers it’s important to try and have a genuine conversation. If you just bark questions at them it’s likely you won’t make a great impression 4. Approach everyone - If the person from the company you’ve gone to see is busy try to talk to other stalls and definitely try to meet new students that are there. Your network will expand and you may even discover some opportunities that you never knew existed 5. Enjoy it! - Nerves are natural when meeting new people. It’s your bodies evolutionary response to prehistoric threats but if you can get to a stage where you actually enjoy it, then networking properly will be one of the most valuable tools for business success.
17
18
Fifty Quid Challenge – Make charity your business Street Child and Bright Futures are launching the Fifty Quid Challenge to university students across the country. Each registered team (2-4 people) will be given £50 with the challenge of using this to raise as much money as possible to support the Street Child Ebola Crisis Appeal. You get free reign to decide how to use your funds (providing it’s legal) and you can use this opportunity to do what you’ve always wanted – be as creative, entrepreneurial and innovative as you like! Use The Challenge as a platform to demonstrate your talents to potential employers! This is a brilliant opportunity to showcase your talents, with the top five teams receiving prizes such as tickets to Jack Whitehall and more! Each team is to be assigned a top corporate Mentor, available each week for support and advice. All we ask is that you give us our fifty quid back along with whatever you’ve managed to raise by Friday 19th December. The team here at Bright Futures are also getting involved. We have one team representing the recruitment side of Bright Futures and the other representing the society team. So do you think you can beat the National Team? We don’t think you can! So let the best team win! So come on all you budding entrepreneurs and fundraising stalwarts; have fifty quid on us and use it to support a great cause! To get involved with this amazing project one of your team members must first register. To do this visit
www.surveymonkey.com/s/fiftyquidchallenge To find out more about Street Child and the Ebola Crisis Appeal - please visit:
www.street-child.co.uk 19
My Fitness Pal
Moovit
ShopStyle
My Fitness Pal
ShopStyle
Moovit
With exams and essay writing taking up the majority of your time, you may find yourself ordering a few more takeaway pizzas than normal. This app helps you to record everything you are eating. Thanks to My Fitness Pal’s extensive database of food, including everything from own brands to restaurants, you can be sure to keep on top of your nutritional intake.
The student loan has just hit the bank account and it’s time to go shopping!! ShopStyle helps you browse the online high-street even quicker than normal. This app compiles all of your favourite sites into one place. It allows you to search through 2,000 brands, filter by price, colour and discount. And for those of you who are watching the pennies, you can even have alerts sent to you when your favourite item is on sale!
It’s a Monday morning and you have a 9am Lecture. The last thing you want to do is be waiting in the rain for the bus that never comes. Moovit helps you to track public transport across the whole of the UK. It helps you to plan the quickest and less crowded route as well as giving you an estimated time of arrival. It also provides maps, pictures and graphics!
20
21
What will you make with IBM? IBM
company profile
We live in a moment of remarkable change and opportunity. For over 100 years IBM have been at the forefront of technology offering products and services which have transformed the world. Now for the first time in history almost anything can become digitally ‘aware’ and interconnected and were using this convergence of data and technology to create value for our clients in new and exciting ways. At IBM our culture is defined by our employees, we recognise the unique value and skill that every individual brings to the workplace. This has created an environment that cultivates creativity and individuality, and one that is full of extraordinary insightful people with which you’ll collaborate.
Join us and you’ll have unmatched opportunities to do meaningful work such as helping doctors develop personalized; more effective treatments for cancer; improving energy production; easing traffic congestion and finding smarter ways to manage the world’s water supply. What better place could you think to advance your career? We’re looking for candidates to fill a wide variety of positions across our entire organisation, so wherever your skills lie, we have a role to suit you.
What will you make with IBM? www.ibm.com/jobs/uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/IBMUKcareers Twitter: twitter.com/IBMUKcareers 22
!
A Better Future For All…
Our 2015 vacancies are now open and the recruitment season is about to start! For the graduate recruitment team at Atkins this will mean sifting through thousands of applications and scheduling assessment centres in our offices around the UK, for you this will mean starting to make applications and considering how to make your application stand out! We spoke to Judith Ward, Head of Technical Resource Development at Atkins who offered fantastic advice around application process. So, here are a few hints and tips to help you optimize your application; A Candidate must demonstrate their interest in the role being offered, demonstrating points such as: Your application… • Why are you applying for the role? State any specific points of interest and link your interest with what you’ve done at university or work experience.
• Beware of the ‘copy and paste’ function! Your CV and online form will be read – don’t duplicate them
Do not crumble if you feel you have not performed to your full potential during one exercise!
The assessment centre…
And remember…do your research! We’re looking for potential and innovation and this should shine throughout the process.
If you are invited to an assessment centre, consider the following: • Re-read the role information and your application • Be prepared for a technical test – this may link to something you’ve learnt at school or college, or may relate to something about the discipline you are applying for • It’s your opportunity to see whether the company is a good fit for you, as well as the company assessing you • Consider using the STAR approach (Situation, Task, Action, and Response) to help you answer any competency based questions. • Remember that you are assessed across a number of different exercises through the assessment day; often you may perform better in certain exercises according to their strengths, so do not be disheartened if you feel this is the case.
company profile
Looking to Make an Impact?
Atkins
Applications are now open!!
You can also refer to our website and any other information you have to understand what we’re looking for. Try and make links between the two. Launch yourself into some of the world’s most exciting engineering projects with a career in Atkins’ team at http://careers. atkinsglobal.com/uk/graduates Our summer and industrial placements are also now open! For more updates follow us on Twitter @Atkinsgraduates
Launch yourself into some of the world’s most exciting engineering projects with a career in Atkins’ team. For our 2014 UK Graduate positions please visit: www.atkinsglobal.com
@Atkins Graduates
WSAtkinsplc 23
So who are we? Thales
company profile
We’re inventing the future, right here, right now, at Thales. By combining the curiosity to explore, the intelligence to question and the vision to create, we’re transforming the world around us. If you’re a graduate who’s keen to embark on a stimulating career, or an undergraduate looking for an internship, together we can ponder positively perplexing problems across Aerospace, Space, Transportation, Defence and Security. We have a host of opportunities available across Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Security, Hardware Engineering, Research & Development, Electronic Engineering, Business and Finance, exactly as you’d expect from a world-leader in the field of engineering and technology.
Our work touches all of our lives, every single day. Everywhere it matters, we deliver. From our high-capacity SATCOM systems which allow airline passengers to use their mobile and get online at 30,000 feet to our track record in supplying cutting-edge technology to the Royal Navy for over 100 years, the scope and scale of our problem-solving abilities know no bounds. Our fare collection systems are in 100 cities around the world, handling more than 50 million transactions per day. We have also supplied identity management systems in more than 25 countries and, in the UK, we maintain 95% of Network Rail’s telecommunications infrastructure.
Visit: ukearlycareers.thalesgroup.com 24
Together, we clarify the confoundingly complicated problems our customers face. Together, we conquer the confusingly complex and translate it into ingenious, game-changing solutions. Together, we’ll fire your imagination and fulfil your potential. So whether you’re a graduate, undergraduate or school leaver, join us. Because together, we are Thales.
It takes a team of more than 27,000 employees to keep London moving so investing in our people is as important as investing in our network. And our employees are as diverse as the city we serve – our Capital is a truly global city with around eight million people originating from 150 countries and speaking 300 different languages. It’s an exciting place to be. Graduates will get the opportunity to see how their work impacts the city. They could be engineers or quantity surveyors; work in general, project or information management; have the analytical skills for transport planning or traffic control; or support the business through procurement and
marketing. And we give successful applicants responsibility early on, no matter which scheme they choose. We are in the midst of one of our greatest periods of investment so there are many exciting projects to become involved with. Whether graduates want to dig, design, plan, manage or explore, they can expect to receive all the personal and professional development they need at TfL. Here is the full range of schemes currently available to either graduates, year in industry or summer placement students: TfL-wide Civil Engineering Commercial – Facilities Management Commercial – Business Analyst Commercial Procurement Commercial Property Surveying Finance Project Management
Quantity Surveying Software Engineering Transport Planning
company profile
Transport for London (TfL) is a leader in innovation and our services are recognised across the world. From red buses and black cabs to Tube trains, we are responsible for virtually every mode of transport in the Capital.
TFL
Graduate, Year in Industry and Summer Placement Opportunities
Rail and London Underground Electrical Engineering Management Mechanical Engineering Surface Transport Architecture Civil Engineering Asset Managers Electrical Engineering Asset Managers Environmental Management Management Road Space Managers Specialist Services Customer Experience, Marketing and Communications Information Management
More details are available at tfl.gov.uk/graduates Choose wisely as you can only make one application per year. 25
RPC Training Contract Applications for London open – Apply now! RPC
company profile
If you’re looking for a predictable career in a traditional firm then please stop reading now. At RPC you’ll get a whole lot more. Of course clients expect their lawyers to understand the law. But what they really want is advice from smart people who get the commercial context and can spot the business implications. On this measure, you won’t find better than RPC; in 2013 the UK’s leading client satisfaction report placed us in the top spot overall out of 106 firms benchmarked, and ranked us number one for quality of commercial advice. Not for the first time. Combining this commercial outlook with some of the leading lawyers in their fields and great clients,
we offer a depth of knowledge and creative approach to problem solving that few firms can rival. It’s no surprise, then, that we’re regularly praised in the leading directories for the quality of our training programmes. Headquartered in a state of the art site in the City of London, we also have offices in Bristol, Hong Kong and Singapore. Our culture of excellence, development and open access is driven by our open plan working environment where knowledge is easily shared and access to partners is an everyday reality. It brings out the best in our people and ensures that the service we offer our clients is second to none.
www.rpc.co.uk/manifesto or follow us on twitter @LifeinaLawFirm 26
If you like a challenge and want to join us in challenging convention, we’re offering training contracts on a full–time contract for two years. We’re intent on rewriting the rules. If you have courage and a pioneering spirit, we’d love to hear from you.
My first role was as a Mechanical Project Engineer on a £214million Costain Rail Project in London where I helped deliver the Mechanical and Electrical services packages. This involved co-ordinating the designs, developing a programme of works, managing the works on site and producing all necessary site documentation.
Costain are renowned for ‘fasttracking’ their graduates and this lead to me being given complete ownership of the Mechanical Services works after a 12 months and I was allowed to essentially project manage the works. This was a fantastic experience and gave me great exposure to the senior management. I have now undertaken my next role on the Graduate scheme where I am using my site experience to help deliver Mechanical and Pipeline Design packages for the Oil & Energy industry in the EPCM division, Costain Natural Resources in Manchester. Costain have also provided me with regular training, assigned a Director as my personal mentor and given great support towards completing my Chartership with the IMechE. Additionally Costain are one of few
in the industry to run an accredited Further Learning Scheme allowing engineering graduates with a bachelors to complete on-the-job training up to masters level, whilst completing chartership in parallel. Throughout my time at Costain I’ve been given varied experience, great support and telling responsibility from day one and I think for the Engineering Graduate who wants to work at the forefront of the UK’s most exciting engineering projects, there really is no better company to work for.
company profile
After University I decided that I wanted to work for a company that could offer me the opportunity to work on major engineering projects, but make a meaningful contribution to those projects. Costain Group had £multi-million projects across the key economic sectors such as Energy, Rail, Aviation, Water and Highways and so were a natural fit.
Costain
My name is Stefan Murray and I’m a Graduate Mechanical Engineer at Costain Group. I’m in my third year of the Graduate Development prgramme and am currently working at Costain’s Natural Resources Office in Manchester.
Visit: www.costain.com Summer Placements and Graduate vacancies go live in Mid October 27
KPMG Graduate Tax Networking Events KPMG
Birmingham – 5 November 2014, 6.30pm – 8.30pm, click here to book your place
company profile
London – 6 November 2014, 6.30pm – 8.30pm, click here to book your place Bristol – 10 November 2014, 6.30pm – 8.30pm, click here to book your place Manchester – 11 November 2014, 6.30pm – 8.30pm, click here to book your place Interested in a career in Tax? Or just curious as to what that means? Come along and learn more! A career in Tax involves working closely with a range of clients, developing a deep understanding of their commercial issues and finding approaches that make a real difference to their bottom line. As you’ll often be tackling challenges that are at the heart of client organisations, it’s your opportunity to develop commercial insight and valuable technical skills, whilst studying for recognised professional qualifications.
Come along to our networking event to meet people who have first-hand experience about how exciting and rewarding a career in Tax can be.
Should you decide to apply, a networking event can also be the perfect place to pick up a few helpful hints and tips about the KPMG recruitment process!
KPMG’s people are in the perfect position to chat through their own transition from university to employment and answer any queries you may have about KPMG’s business areas and career options. The evening is designed with you in mind and to give you the chance to find out if KPMG offers the right career and opportunities for you, and with our January intake now open this is a great chance to find out more and get your career started very quickly.
To find out more about all our Tax opportunities click here. 28
Aside from this exciting news, I wanted to share with you more about a particular part of Jobmi called AssessMi. This part of the platform lets you learn about yourself and take employer assessments. There are two sections, development and employer assessments. Throughout AssessMi there are simple instructions and helpful information to ease you through the platform.
The range of AssessMi development assessments measure characteristics like your strengths and personality to provide you with real self insight into what you enjoy and are good at. All assessments are user friendly and easy to understand that provide extensive feedback for your development. This feedback can tell you a lot about yourself, helping you know what you can offer to an organisation- something which will be hugely beneficial during any application process.
employers rather than applying for multiple jobs individually! So, if you’re ready to learn more about yourself and apply for graduate roles, logon to
company profile
Hi everyone, hope your summer was great! Its’ been all hands on deck at Jobmi HQ over the last couple of months, and I’ve got some exciting news to update you on! Jobmi has live jobs! As of last month, Nestle and Morrisons have a number of graduate roles that you can now apply for on Jobmiwatch this space for many more coming soon!
Jobmi
Graduate jobs are now live on Jobmi!
www.Jobmi.com I’ll be back next month! All the best, Josh!
The employer assessments section of AssessMi is here to provide you with the opportunity to take real employer assessments, such as numerical or Situational Strengths Tests. The assessments will measure the characteristics that particular organisations are looking for. Likewise, once you’ve completed the employers’ assessments once, you’ll be considered by a range of different
Join us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/JobmiPlatform Follow us on Twitter @Jobmi_Platform 29
TJX Europe
Why join the people who are TK Maxx and HomeSense? Simple. For the adventure. For the international business career you really want.
company profile
TJX Europe (the company behind TK Maxx and HomeSense) is growing - fast. We’re looking for tomorrow’s talent today to join us on that journey through our European Graduate and Placement Programmes. You’ll plug directly into the thrill of life with TJX Companies, Inc. - a global retail phenomenon with over 3,200 stores in six countries and over 190,000 associates. We have an annual turnover of over $27 billion, globally (FY14) and we are excited about our opportunities for the future and confident in our ability to grow to be a $40 billion company (although we won’t stop there!) We delight, surprise and excite our customers with big name brands at up to 60% off recommended retail prices. Buying from thousands of different
designers every day, we never know what we’re going to find. It all makes for an incredibly fast-paced business that’s every bit as exciting for us as it is for our customers. We have European Graduate and Placement Programmes in Merchandising and Buying, Business Technology and Finance. Taking on a proper job with real, eye-opening responsibilities, you’ll gain an incredible insight into our unique and thriving business. The more skills you learn - and trust us, you’ll learn a lot - the bigger the impact you’ll make. So you’ll be a valued member of your team. You’ll make strong connections with diverse departments. Best of all, you’ll be able to make the role your own.
Apply soon so you don’t miss out. Start your adventure at www.graduates.tjxeurope.com 30
You don’t need to be studying for a particular degree. What we’re looking for is natural curiosity, a flair for analytical thinking and a talent for building positive relationships. Because our business crosses borders, we’re keen to hear from people who have European language skills or experience of living and working in Europe - but these things are not essential.
Why a budding software engineer said yes to M&S
But while there’s a fun culture, there’s some serious stuff going on. “There’s lots of innovation, it’s all around you,” Owain says. “We’re creating some incredible software for our customers and colleagues to use. I personally think I’ve been given a lot of responsibility. Coding is an important part of the job, but it’s also about getting software into production so it’s out there for customers or available for our people to install and use.” Retail is a competitive sector and the projects taken on by the Software Engineering team will have a massive impact on how M&S performs in the future. But it’s not all ‘you’ll do this, then you’ll do that’ as Owain explains.
company profile
Software engineers at M&S are passionate and pioneering. It’s their talents that are transforming the business into a brand for the future, not just a brand that leads today. So what’s it like to work in Software Engineering at M&S? “We’re a new, in-house team, small and close-knit, but we’re growing all the time,” Owain explains. “Managers have some great ideas of where to take us and that’s what makes it exciting. It’s a fun, friendly and modern place to work. I imagined it would be a bit corporate but nothing could be further from the truth. There’s no dress code, the offices are open plan and the atmosphere is very chilled.”
M&S
Multi-channel retailing, and the technology behind it, it is at the heart of today’s M&S. Owain said yes when invited to join their graduate Software Engineering programme. Now he’s in the front seat of a leading business, driving innovation.
“We have what’s called 20% time. This basically means that one day a week we work on our projects to deliver something that might benefit M&S in the years ahead,” he tells us. And it’s not all work, work, work, either; there are regular social events. “My favourite was the IT Christmas party. We had dodgems, there were acts on stage, it was fantastic,’ Owain says with fond memories. You can find out more from Owain and watch his video about life at M&S by visiting careers. marksandspencer.com/graduatecareers
For graduate opportunities please visit: careers.marksandspencer.com/graduate-careers/ 31
PwC
Your career is just that; yours. You choose it. You live it. You make it happen. To get the best from it, you need the best opportunities. That’s why opportunities are at the heart of a career with us.
company profile
Our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We do this for our clients by helping them tackle complex business challenges, improve how they work and create the value they need. There are many areas of our business you can choose to join: Assurance Actuarial Consulting Deals PwC Legal Tax Technology All routes offer you the same deal. The opportunity to grow as an individual, to meet new people, and build lasting relationships that will stay with you for life. In return we need people who are resilient, willing to work hard, are quick to learn, and who, above all, are passionate about going the extra mile to help our clients.
Ways you can gain work experience No matter which year you’re in at University we have many ways you can learn, partly about us, but more importantly, about yourself. You can learn where your skills, interests and career goals would best fit by spending as little as one day with us on a Career Open Day or if you’re looking to invest more time, you could apply to our summer internship or perhaps one of our work placements.
Graduate Employer in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers survey for the last eleven years. So join PwC. We’ll help you reach your full potential. Take the opportunity of a lifetime. Why not enter our tax competition and be in with a chance to win £20,000. Visit www.pwctaxcompetition.co.uk
What you need to bring us • A 2:1 or above in any degree subject • A UCAS tariff from 260-340 dependant on business area (or equivalent) How to apply For most of our programmes we welcome applications from all degree subjects. The skills and experiences you develop with us will stay with you throughout your career. And we’re proud, based on the opportunity we offer, that students have voted us the number one
Take the opportunity of a lifetime. www.pwc.com/uk/careers www.facebook.com/PwCCareersUK @PwC_UK_Careers 32
It’s never just business
“I didn’t think that you could possibly turn a passion into a business, it still doesn’t feel real, when you wake up in the morning and have a look round and you’re like ‘this is mine’, it’s crazy.” “We see ourselves as renegade artists on a mission to challenge people’s pallets and get them excited about full flavoured craft beer.” RAISING A BUSINESS; THE SECOND HARDEST JOB IN THE WORLD “Trying to raise the money was the hardest part. We went to a few banks to start with. As soon as I’d walk in they were looking at me and looking at my tattooed hands and it was just that stereotyping. When we first got in to HSBC we spoke to customer relations. It was the first one we walked out of
actually smiling and thinking ‘do you know what? There could be a chance here’.” “We used to spend our weekends in our garage, listening to music and making beers. So we got the finance from HSBC, some second hand stainless steel equipment, we leased a unit from the council and we cobbled it all together.” FOR SOME THE NEED TO GROW JUST KEEPS GROWING
company profile
FOUNDERS ARE JUST PEOPLE WHO FOUND SOMETHING THEY LOVE
HSBC
From the skate park start-up to the London-made fold-up bikes taking the world by storm, we’re supporting some of the UK’s most ambitious businesses.
SUPPORTING YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY At HSBC Retail Banking and Wealth Management and Commercial Banking, we support our customers through their whole life cycle. Join one of our graduate programmes and be at the forefront of the business, managing our customers’ finances, and protecting and building their financial futures.
“In October 2010 we opened our first Brewdog bar in Aberdeen. We now have 12. We’ve opened our first international one in Stockholm. You’ve got to never give up and never take no as an answer.” “Imagine your favourite thing in the whole world and then somebody says ‘here you are, come and do it for a living’ And it’s happened.”
Visit our website for more information: www.hsbc.com/careers/studentsandgraduates www.youtube.com/user/HSBCNOW 33
Lyods Banking Group
As the UK’s largest financial services group, we’ve made a pledge to help Britain prosper. And you can play an important part. The sheer size and diversity of our organisation means that, whatever you want to achieve in your career, we’re confident you can do it here.
company profile
You could work directly with customers, making our business relationships succeed. Build services and develop new products. Innovate in digital and technology areas. Work with numbers and systems, controlling our business and analysing risk. Or perhaps you’ll inspire and influence others in an area such as human resources or marketing. We accept a wide range of degree disciplines, providing you have (or expect to achieve) a 2:1 or better. You’ll spend up to three years learning through structured training and practical business experience, before moving on to a high-profile leadership or specialist role.
Expect a mixture of rotational placements, one-to-one mentoring and supported study for relevant professional qualifications. It’s the perfect preparation for a successful future in Commercial Banking, Retail Banking, Insurance, Group Operations, Consumer Finance or a range of other business areas. We understand that you don’t just want a job, you want a role that matters – and Lloyds Banking Group can help you make that happen. With over 30 million customers, and a presence in nearly every community, we offer many routes to success. The Group includes Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, Halifax and Scottish Widows, and we operate from many locations
The journey starts here. To find out more and apply, please visit www.lloydsbankinggrouptalent.com/graduates/ 34
UK wide. Whatever your strengths, we’ll build on them and give you the chance to contribute to something meaningful.
Summer Internship Programme If you’re considering a career with the FCA, there’s no better way to find out what life here is really like than by participating in one of our summer internships.
Our Programmes
• A ten-week period to gain experience alongside industry experts in one of our divisions • A chance to give something back via our corporate social responsibility project day • Build knowledge through learning lunches, including opportunities to meet and hear from our senior leadership through a series of speaker sessions • Successful summer interns will be offered a place on our graduate development programme at the end of the internship • Closing date: Sunday 14 December 2014
Graduate Development Programme Our graduate development programme offers a chance to experience life at the heart of the financial services industry. • Over two and a half years you’ll acquire in-depth technical knowledge through bespoke training and secondments, both internal and external • A competitive £29,000 starting salary and £2,500 cost of living bonus • Sponsorship for further studies – including the MSc in Financial Regulation • Closing date: Sunday 30 November 2014
Economist Graduate Development Programme • A 2.5 year rotational based development programme • We are seeking students with a predicted or obtained, 2.1 undergraduate degree with ideally minimum 50% economics courses
• As a part of your development on the Economist Graduate Development Programme, you will study part time for a Masters in Economics in your first two years
company profile
Working for the FCA is as challenging as it is rewarding. We have a responsibility to protect the integrity of the financial markets, to protect consumers and to make competition work for them too.
FCA
Be a part of what happens next...
Business & Technology Graduate Development Programme Our 2.5 year Business & Technology Graduate Development Programme offers you the opportunity to carry out multiple rotations across our IS & PMG Division (Information Services & Programme Management Group). You will gain a breadth of experience rotating through the Business Analysis & Architecture department and Programme Management Group, as well as potential rotations in Solutions Delivery and the Business Partnership Team. We also give you the opportunity to do an external secondment and apply for additional sponsored study, for example the Prince 2. We are seeking students with a predicted or obtained 2.1 undergraduate degree in any degree discipline
www.fcacareers.org.uk/graduate-opportunities/ 35
Welcoming New Talent Tesco
Rachel Bushby – Early Careers Programme Manager
company profile
As Early Careers Programme Manager, my job is to welcome new starters to Tesco, and to guide them as they begin on their career paths. I’m incredibly proud to work in an organisation in which everyone has a chance to get on, whatever their background. The training programmes and development plans we offer are designed to give the very best support to these young people throughout their careers with us. Crucially, though, it’s not just my job to develop new talent. I’m also responsible for recruiting the best young people too. With so many different career paths available, it’s a real challenge to cut through all the noise and demonstrate why retail – and Tesco – can be the perfect platform for a career. And it’s vital to the long-term success of our business that we do. To make sure that we keep attracting the brightest and the best, this week we’ve launched a brand new early careers website – a site not just for graduates but for all young people whatever their educational background. It’s full of features to try
and make researching and applying for a job at Tesco as easy as possible. One of the best things about the site is our UCAS calculator tool and career finder quiz - I know when I was at university I had no idea what I wanted to do. There are also hints and tips for CVs and assessment centres, because we all know how daunting they can be. We’ve also introduced a parent’s page to provide mums and dads with the information they need to help their children make decisions about their future. The site is integrated with social media and we’re looking forward to engaging with students through their tweets. Ultimately the site’s all about showing real stories of real people, which is why there are plenty of videos to watch. As recent research we conducted has shown, peer sharing is massively important when young people make career decisions, so we wanted to give a voice to as many young people as possible.
Twitter: @TescoEC Facebook: Tesco Early Careers Website: www.tesco-earlycareers.com 36
One of the best things about working with young people at Tesco is seeing the massive contribution they make to our business and it’s great when this is recognised externally. Recently was the Retail Week Rising Star awards and it was amazing to see our colleague Lauren Ward highly commended in the Apprentice of the Year category and Natascha Jesuvant scoop Store Manager of the Year. If you’re interested in learning more about us, check out our social media (links below) and definitely check out the new website (also below). Hopefully I’ll see some of you at Tesco very soon!