Bright Network's Graduate Career Guide 2020/21

Graduate Career Guide 2020/21

Your career journey starts here

Š Bright Network Ltd 2020. All rights reserved.

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help@brightnetwork.co.uk

@brightnetwork

Editors: Ben Triggs & Joe Mackley Key contributers: Shelly O’Gilvie, Anna Hornby & Sophie Hargrave Design: Jo Travers

www.brightnetwork.co.uk

Contents

Your journey starts here About us

4

Getting started with your career at university

6

Types of opportunities available

7

What employers really look for

10

Preparing yourself for the virtual working world

13

Identifying strengths and transferrable skills

14

Approach to working out what you want to do

16

Leading graduate employers 2020/21 1. Asset Management & Banking

18

2. Charity, Public Sector & Teaching

26

3. Commercial Law

34

4. Consulting & Professional Services

44

5. Consumer, FMCG & Retail

51

6. Engineering & Energy

59

7. Financial Services

65

8. Management, Marketing & Enterprise

74

9. Technology

79

10. Further Education

86

The application process CVs

92

Cover letters

93

Application questions

94

Psychometric tests

95

Interviews

96

Assessment centres

98

Signing a contract

101

Applications – Top mistakes to avoid

102

Core skills for graduates Commercial awareness

106

Guide to (virtual) networking

108

Taking on feedback and rejection

110

Effective leadership

112 3

Graduate career guide 2020/21

About us James Uffindell CEO & Founder, Bright Network We started Bright Network with a bold vision – to connect the next generation with the opportunities, insights and advice to succeed as the workforce of tomorrow. Since starting the business seven years ago we’ve grown rapidly to over 360,000 members, connecting them to the best employers across a wide range of sectors.

We’ve directly helped thousands of members secure their dream graduate roles and, very excitingly, we’re just getting started. Our team is here for you every step of your early career journey.

Career discovery There are so many different routes you can take with your graduate career. Our advice and sector guides help you discover what career paths are open to you and what you’ll be good at. If you’re really stuck, our Talent Team is always on the other end of the phone to guide your thinking.

Connect with employers We partner with top employers across a wide range of industries, who are all looking for talented members to join their organisations. You can meet them at our flagship events, including the No.1 careers event in the UK – Bright Network FESTIVAL – or discover more about them on our digital platform.

4

Your journey starts here

Personalised internship and graduate job recommendations Your career will be unique to you and we know that. That’s why giving you a personal experience is important to us. Our job recommendations are based on scientific matching which takes into account more than where you go to university and your degree, helping you find opportunities you’re really passionate about.

E-learning Applications can be daunting and that’s why our Bright Network Academy gives you the best expert advice to guide you throughout the process and the insights into sectors you’re interested in going into. You can also develop your core career skills which will help you throughout your career, including networking, presentations and more.

Celebrating success Everything we do is geared towards setting you up for early career success for when you graduate. When you secure a role through us, we want to celebrate with a bottle of Champagne or equivalent.

5

Graduate career guide 2020/21

Getting started with your career at university At university you’re trying to balance the holy trinity of sleep, social life, and studying.

Throw in the fact that you’re constantly being exposed to new experiences in a new city and it’s little wonder that planning for the end of university drops to the bottom of your list.

That being said it really is well worth the effort to start thinking about your career at university, and ideally the earlier the better.

If you’re not sure where to start with meeting new people, the great news is that university is the best place to start. Take advantage of societies, volunteering opportunities, and careers fairs to get involved with more things that interest you.

These will all help your career journey either through career discovery, or opening up some work opportunities down the line.

2 Think about what you enjoy

and are good at

Understanding what you’re good at and enjoy doing is crucial to getting going with your career.

First and foremost this will help you find a career that aligns with your strengths and values, and ultimately bring you more satisfaction in the long run.

As well as giving you more opportunities to try out different careers you could be Think about your hobbies, interests and interested in, it’ll put you ahead of your things that you’ve enjoyed being a competition. Also, it will help you avoid part of. What was it about these Understanding the anxiety of coming towards the activities that you enjoyed? Was it your own motivations end of your course and not being something you picked up easily? and picking something sure what you’d like to do.

Did you enjoy the competitive which plays to your edge to it? Or maybe even the So, here are some key ways to help strengths will lead to a challenge of solving problems you get started with your career at happier and healthier on the go? Understanding your university, without needing to start working life. own motivations and picking an application or write a CV. something which plays to your strengths will lead to a happier and healthier working life.

1

Take advantage of the opportunity to meet new people

Whilst you may have had some work experience yourself through internships and part time work, it’s likely that a lot of your understanding of the roles available to you as career options have come from meeting people and seeing what they do. This can be literally anyone you know from friends, family members, and other contacts you may have had growing up. Now is a great time to make a concerted effort and start to understand what they really do day to day, and think about what aspects of their roles you think you could enjoy.

But it’s crucial not to stop there. This is the beginnings of your network and as you meet more people through university, you’re going to open up more opportunities and be exposed to a wider variety of experiences and roles.

6

3 Try things and get experience University is the perfect time to actually get out there and try a career. Experience comes in all shapes and sizes, from work shadowing to a full year long placement, however, no matter the size of the experience it will be valuable in a range of different ways.

From building up your CV, through to helping you figure out and specialise in the kind of roles you’re interested in applying for. There is no substitute for real world experience.

If you’re not sure where to begin with looking for experience and where to find it – we have the best events and opportunities throughout your time at university to keep you connected with the world’s leading employers.

Your journey starts here

The career opportunities you should know about University is a brilliant opportunity to explore different hobbies, academic interests and extracurricular activity.

It’s also a chance for you to discover different career options and build your experience. There’s so much offered for students by employers, organisations like Bright Network, universities and student-led societies, but working out what’s available to you isn’t always easy.

Here’s our guide of the opportunities to look out for and who these opportunities are often tailored to.

Insight Days Who’s it for? First years (or second years on a four year course) Leading employers across a wide range of sectors offer students the chance to take part in day long experiences to gain more knowledge about an employer and the sector more widely. Often at a company’s office or virtually, these days often involve industry presentations, panel discussions from senior employees at the company and networking with current graduates.

They are usually for first year students but some do offer them more widely. If you’d like to take part in an insight day, the company will often require you to complete a short application, which they will screen. If accepted onto the programme, it will look great on your CV, will help you gain insight into a career path and potentially be fast-tracked onto future opportunities.

7

Graduate career guide 2020/21

Summer Internships (or vacation schemes) Who’s it for? Usually students between their penultimate year and final year Summer internships are open to students across a wide range of sectors. Traditionally they were offered by banking, finance and professional service firms, but now there are so many opportunities across many industries. Summer internships usually last 8 to 12 weeks and give students the chance to take on real work in the sector, be trained by leading companies and get a good idea of how an industry works. Many firms use these internships to pipeline talent for their graduate roles, so in many ways they can be thought of as a ten week interview.

Companies open applications for summer internships as early as a year before they start.

Most open in September or October and it’s a full application process, often including initial application forms, psychometric tests, interviews and an assessment centre. Getting these in-depth experiences set you up really well for your future career, but they are competitive – it’s important to research which opportunities suit you best as the application processes are rigorous and time consuming.

Note: In some industries, internships are shorter and spread across different university holidays.

For example, in law, vacation schemes tend to be 1 or 2 weeks across winter, Easter and the summer holidays.

Spring weeks/insights weeks Who’s it for? First years (or second years on a four year course) Spring weeks were originally something in the banking sector, offering first year students the chance to better understand the sector, as well as gain insight into what a graduate analyst role looks like. However, they are now offered by more employers looking to find great talent early in their university journey. Spring weeks are miniinternships, which involve firm presentations, work shadowing, networking and training opportunities. You’re unlikely to be doing actual work, but this doesn’t stop it being an excellent way to get your foot in the door and understand a sector.

8

The application process for spring or insight weeks often involves multiple stages, but they tend to be slightly shorter than for an internship or graduate role. Applications will normally go live in September and October in your first year, and most of the opportunities still remain in banking, finance, consulting and professional services. They are competitive, but don’t let that put you off – it’s good to gain experience of the application process in your first year. If you do get one, it’s a good way to launch your career and potentially get fast tracked to a summer internship for the following year.

Industrial placements (year in industry) Who’s it for? Students between the second and final year of university An industrial placement is a year long (or sometimes nine month) opportunity which a student takes between their second and third year of university. In many engineering, technology and business related courses, you can have a placement as part of your degree from the outset. Even if you don’t have this, most universities are happy for you to take the year out to complete a placement like this. It gives you real world experience and, unlike many short internship opportunities, you’ll be doing real work and possibly rotating around different departments.

Application processes for placements are similar to graduate schemes or summer internships, so do take time. If it’s part of your university course, the department will likely offer you support finding and applying to opportunities. If not, you can find the opportunities on platforms like Bright Network or directly on different company websites.

Your journey starts here

Career events Who’s it for? Everyone The number of events you can go to feels almost unlimited at university and the same is true within the career space. Career services at university, employers, societies, Bright Network and many more are offering events to build your skills and meet employers. We highly recommend taking advantage of these opportunities to discover more about career paths you might be interested in and develop your skills. Also, meeting employers at events highlights how interested you are in working for them when you come to submit an application.

Graduate Schemes

Careers events range in length (from a full day Who’s it for? Those who have graduated in the to an hour) and the content offered, but usually last year will have upskilling elements, inspirational talks, information about employers and application It’s not technically an opportunity during advice. It’s definitely worth having a look around, university, but graduate schemes really have especially in the autumn term, as you’re to be included to be a complete list. bound to find events suited to what Graduate schemes are offered by many you want. Many events are open medium and large companies and Graduate schemes to all, but some do have a short last from somewhere between 18 are offered by many application process. months and 3 years. They will often medium and large involve multiple rotations around companies and can last different departments and training from anywhere programmes at the beginning of the between 18 months scheme. Usually open for those who to 3 years. have graduated in the last year or so, Who’s it for? Differs by programme they are a popular way to start a career Many Bright Network members ask us for many graduates. about finding a mentor and the good news Most graduate schemes start in September, is that more employers are starting to offer these but applications often open 9 to 12 months opportunities. A mentor is usually someone beforehand, so you could be applying for them with experience that offers guidance, advice in the first term of your final year. You can also and can provide connections within a specific apply for them just after you’ve graduated. The sector. Many find a mentor by reaching out on application process is often four or five stages LinkedIn or meeting someone at an event, but long and can include interviews, psychometric there are also programmes which students tests, situational judgement exercises and can apply to and be paired with someone assessment centres. within a firm.

Mentorship programmes

All mentorship programmes will look slightly different and there’s no one-size fits all approach, but we do recommend taking a look to see what is out there. A mentor can provide invaluable insight and direction to your career.

We hope this guide is helpful and don’t forget you can find all these opportunities on the Bright Network platform.

Top tip Before the start of each new year, research the opportunities that could be open to you over the coming months. You’ll find that applications often open before the term starts and it’s good to apply early. Plus, getting your applications started allows you to focus more on university when you do head back for the term.

9

Graduate career guide 2020/21

What employers really look for As part of our annual research into graduate careers, we asked over 200 employers what they valued most in potential candidates. As you’ll see from the table below, there’s a significant disconnect between what they say (right) and what the 7,400+ students, also surveyed, said they believed graduate employers were after (left).

The colours highlight where there was a significant difference and below we’ve explored some themes which will hopefully put you on the front foot when thinking about graduate applications. Ultimately, every employer is going to be different but having a strong starting base and knowledge will set you up for future success.

What do you think graduate employers value most in candidates?

We asked students

10

Ranking

We asked employers

Ranking

A 2.1 or above in their degree

1ST

Communication skills

1ST

Existing industry experience

2ND

Passion for the business

2ND

Communication skills

3RD

Problem-solving skills

3RD

Passion for the business

4TH

Resilience

4TH

Confidence

5TH

Commercial awareness

5TH

Commercial awareness

6TH

A 2.1 or above in their degree

6TH

Problem-solving skills

7TH

Teamwork

7TH

Teamwork

8TH

Leadership skills

8TH

Leadership skills

9TH

Organisation & team management skills

9TH

Organisation & team management skills

10TH

Confidence

10TH

Resilience

11TH

Existing industry experience

11TH

BRIGHT NETWORK RESEARCH

Your journey starts here

Existing Industry Experience Existing industry experience is poorly valued amongst employers. This may seem somewhat surprising for most students – on the face of it, industry experience seems to be a deal clincher and some industries do value Transferable it more than others. However, simply skills such as listing your experience on your CV resilience, problem isn’t everything. The experience solving and doesn’t tell the employer anything communication are about you. What is valuable, on-thesome of the biggest other-hand, are the skills you learnt factors employers through work experience and extralook for. curricular activities you have done – what you did, and how the role helped you develop these skills. Then it’s a case of showing that you can apply the skills you’re learning to what is required for the role.

Importantly, this highlights you don’t need to have worked in the industry before to apply for a graduate scheme. There’s a number of ways to show your passion for the industry without formal experience – have a think about what you can do and the skills you’re learning, which can be applied to a sector industry. This ties into understanding and demonstrating your transferable skills, which you can find on page 14.

2:1 or Above One of the most misaligned values is that getting a 2:1 is essential when applying for graduate roles. Sure, academics will always be important and getting a 2:1 is a pre-requisite for many application processes. However, many companies don’t set this as a standard and are looking for candidates with well-rounded experience and skills. During recruitment processes, many now include contextualised screening (methods to help organisations identify candidates with the greatest potential) and CV-blind interviews, which don’t take grades into account. A good degree grade alone won’t get you into your dream graduate role. So, what else can you offer?

The more varied your hobbies and extra-curricular activities, the more varied skill sets you’ll have learnt and can draw upon. If you know what career you’re aiming for, find experience that you think will develop the relevant skills. It doesn’t even have to be directly related to the role. Even if you’re unsure about which career you want to go into, expand your natural skills and interests and find hobbies which facilitate this. Remember, employers are looking for potential.

Resilience A key skill in the world of work, employers need to make sure their graduate hires are capable of taking on the demands of the workplace. How quickly and easily can an individual be put under pressure, cope and bounce back to perform at a high level?

The importance of resilience cannot be understated. Those who have higher resilience are the individuals who thrive when they face difficult challenges. If you think about it, graduates are likely to make mistakes early on in their career – those that can come back stronger and put the lessons learnt into action are more valuable to employers. However – don’t worry! Building resilience is an active process which can be grown and developed and requires ongoing feedback with oneself. For a deeper look into resilience, head to page 110.

Problem Solving Excellent problem solving is crucial in the workplace and is highly sought after. Yet problem solving encompasses a huge variety of skills: 1. Observational skills to build awareness of the problem 2. Analytical skills to assess the core issues at hand 3. Innovative and creative thinking to create a new strategy and implement new ideas 4. Communication, team working, leadership and resilience are all needed to see your idea through to the end.

11

Graduate career guide 2020/21

Becoming talented at problem solving is the end product to being proficient at a number of different attributes. At work you’ll be making very important decisions throughout your day and will regularly be given hard tasks to work on. How capable you are at problem solving determines how efficiently and quickly you are able to complete tasks to a very high standard.

As with resilience, however, it is not just an ability someone has or not – it’s a mind-set and can be grown and developed.

Passion

Communication

We’re going to finish on the top thing employers look for in candidates, the ability to communicate effectively. This is not just communicating your skills, passions and experience in an interview, it’s being able to put across your thoughts and ideas succinctly. It’s being able to adapt your communication style to suit the audience or individual you’re speaking with. Many graduate schemes will involve working with people external to the business, often clients or customers – your employer wants to be able to trust you early on to be able to Employers confidently speak to them. only want to hire

Whilst the discrepancy between candidates and employers isn’t candidates who Communication covers such a broad large, it is worth pointing out how clearly want to range of scenarios and tasks, but when important passion is. Employers work for them. you’re thinking about how to show an only want to hire candidates who employer you have these skills, there’s clearly want to work for them. As a couple of things I encourage you to look mentioned earlier, employers are hiring at. Firstly, is there an example when you’ve candidates for potential – potential to effectively explained something complex? Or learn, grow, develop and become a real asset for bought people into your idea? Secondly, is there the company. However, where candidates really a time you’ve had to deal with someone difficult? become valuable is through a clear desire to work How did you adapt your communication style? for a company – the rest can be trained.

Having already thought about these examples After all, put yourself in the employer’s shoes – will give you the opportunity to demonstrate to would you hire someone who isn’t interested in employers you stand out in this area. your company?

Top tip Employers all look for slightly different things from their graduates – before you start applying look at the skills they mention, but also look at similar roles from competitors to build up a full picture of what is required in the sector.

12

Your journey starts here

2 Understand your body clock

By Ally Monk, Bright Network

Preparing yourself for the virtual working world At first, the transition to remoteworking can appear daunting.

However, there are lots of simple steps to follow that make the process less challenging. As a student, why not put these steps into practice right now? Bright Network’s top tips will help you adapt to remote working so that you’re prepared to cross that line into the virtual working world.

1

Upskill yourself with the relevant tools

To ensure that teams are working effectively whilst remote, most companies are becoming increasingly reliant on virtual collaboration tools.

So, why not incorporate these tools into your studies and university life? Not only will this help you stand out from the crowd when applying for roles, but you’ll also be able to hit the ground running when you join the virtual working world.

Why not use Asana or Trello to organise your dissertation and help you stick to deadlines?

Could you become an expert on Microsoft Teams or Zoom by using them to plan group projects and presentations? By familiarising yourself with these tools now, you’ll make the onboarding process much easier for yourself when you start your new role. Plus, there will be much less to learn!

Working from home requires a lot more selfdiscipline as you won’t be surrounded by co-workers, so you’ll have to adopt alternative methods to keep you motivated and productive during the day. To put this into practice, time yourself whilst you’re revising or writing essays. If you do this at different points of the day, you’ll be able to see the times when you’re at your most productive. Once you know how your body clock works, you’ll be able to prioritise your workload accordingly. For instance, if you know you’re most productive in the mornings, then you can organise your schedule so that the most taxing tasks are completed in the early hours of the working day. As a result, you can schedule easier tasks for later in the day, for when you’re at your least productive.

3 Set boundaries & switch-off It can be hard to switch-off after a hard day of work, especially when the boundaries between home and work-life start to blur as you begin eating and working from the same place! To avoid this, there are some really easy steps to follow whilst you’re studying. For instance, you could try storing your laptop away in a place that is out of view or compiling tomorrow’s to-do list at the end of the working day. This will allow you to relax once the working day is over and stop your mind wandering and worrying over incomplete tasks.

4 Get comfortable on video Video calls are fundamental to the virtual working world, as they allow you to stay connected with your colleagues. Plus, many virtual interviews and networking events will be hosted over video conferencing platforms. This means that it’s important to practice using tools, such as Zoom, to ensure you can communicate clearly and concisely whilst on video. Video calls are a different ball game to face-to-face communication – we have to work harder to pick up non-verbal cues such as tone of voice or body language. Why not try recording yourself or practicing with a friend? Not only will you be able to perfect your tone and speed, but you will also learn to nail how to make a good first impression and succeed in the virtual working world.

With these top tips, you’ll be able to perfect your approach to working from home. It might seem daunting at first but upskilling yourself will allow you to prepare for the virtual world of work.

13

Graduate career guide 2020/21

Identifying and demonstrating your transferable skills As we’ve seen from pages 10 to 12 employers aren’t necessarily looking for previous experience or top academics. They look for a wide variety of skills and attributes which many of you might have, or at least have shown potential, without actually realising. This is where the idea of transferable skills comes in.

job you may go into as a graduate. Typical skills include leadership, communication, resilience, dealing with a customer and time management.

As you can see, all of these skills can be picked up in the things you’re doing at university, not exclusively from formal work experience. For instance, working in a shop gives you customer facing experience, which would be useful if you go into a job which is client facing. All graduate roles will require good time management skills, something you would have started picking up managing your degree workload while also being involved in sports or societies.

So, what are they?

Why do employers look for transferable skills?

Transferable skills are core skills which you can apply to many jobs or industries. They can be picked up in whatever you have done, whether it be academically or from extra-curricular activities. They are often referred to as soft skills, but this does not mean they aren’t important to employers.

Can you give me an example of a transferable skill?

Actually, most skills you’ve picked up could be transferable skills, if they are useful in a future

14

Graduate employers are looking for potential and evidence that you would succeed in the job. If you have examples of doing tasks which clearly show you have some competency in the core skills required for the role, that’s a very good starting point. They can usually teach the more technical skills for the job, but they want students who can hit the ground running with a good set of soft skills. Also, they want to see which tasks you’ve enjoyed – for example, if you have enjoyed organising things (e.g. an end of year ball), there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy and be passionate about a job in operations.

Your journey starts here

How do I identify which transferable skills I have?

To make it easy, here’s a way to identify the transferable skills you’re already developing and also start thinking about what you enjoy doing. So, grab a piece of paper and make three columns. In the first column start with something you’ve done academically, in a society or just as an extracurricular activity. In the example below it’s being part of a society committee that organised an end of year ball. Then in the second column list the tasks you did within that role, with a number out of five for how much you enjoyed that task.

So, in the example below budgeting for the ball was a particular highlight for this person. In the third column list out the core competencies employers look for – if you’re stuck with this, take a look at job descriptions and graduate career pages to identify skills which employers look for in sectors you’re interested in. Once you’ve compiled both lists, you should be able to match the things you’ve done with the skills you’ve picked up doing those projects or tasks.

Position

Key tasks

Skills needed for law

History Society Treasurer

Managing the accounts (4)

Team work

Invoicing companies (3)

Attention to detail

Budgeting for ball (5)

That’s a nice diagram, but how do I actually tell employers I have these skills?

You’re right that you can’t go into an interview with the diagram above, so what you need to do is succinctly explain how you’ve demonstrated a skill. The interviewer will often ask competency based questions like “tell me about a time you lead a team successfully?”. With these you’re encouraged to explain the example and make it relevant to the theme of leadership, including tangible reasons why it was successful. Did your team perform better than a previous period?

Did the team give you good feedback? These could be ways to do that.

The STAR technique is the best way to answer these questions, which is covered in full detail on page 94.

We hope you’ve found this useful and we encourage you to start thinking about transferable skills – all employers will be looking for them and being able to clearly articulate that you have them will make you a stand out candidate.

10 core skills All employers will look for these skills, so make sure you’ve thought about how you’ve demonstrated them throughout your education and beyond.

1 Adaptability 2 Analytical skills 3 Collaboration/teamwork 4 Communication 5 Drive 6 Negotiating 7 Organisation 8 Problem solving 9 Resilience 10 Time management

15

Graduate career guide 2020/21

1 Research – the good news is that if you're

reading this handbook, you've already started thinking about and discovering different career paths. Bright Network has lots of resources available to get a great overview of different careers available to you, and you’ll quickly find roles that you had no idea existed. If the thought of getting started with that still feels overwhelming, start to pick brands and businesses you like and follow, what kind of roles do they have and what does a day in the life of that role look like?

2 Network – start to reach out to people

Approach to working out what you want to do Understanding that you need to start thinking about your career whilst at university is all well and good, but when you have no idea what it is you want to do, the task can feel pretty daunting. In fact it can be even more challenging if you have peers who seem already set on a career.

The good news is that there are things you can do to start figuring out the kind of roles you might like to do. To get you thinking about it all, here are some recommended first steps.

16

and find out more about what they do. And don’t feel under pressure here to become the world’s best networker – start with friends and family. Understand what they do in their roles day to day, and then start to build your network out. Everyone knows someone and as a result you can start to learn about a really broad range of roles and experience. Use careers fairs and events to meet companies face to face and get really into what it is they do and enjoy about their roles. You’ll find something that resonates with you.

3 Reflect – what do you enjoy and what

are your values? You’re going to spend a significant period of your life working and as a result you want to make sure you’re applying to roles that really interest and engage you. This kind of self-reflection is really important when starting to think about your career. For instance, if you hate numbers and detail, the role of accountant probably isn’t suitable for you! Think about the things you enjoy in all aspects of your life, both at university, and in your extracurricular activities. What is it you enjoy about them and why? Is it the competition?

Or the problem solving? Maybe even creativity is something you enjoy. Whatever it is, understanding this is key.

4 Give careers a go – once you have some

ideas of the kind of things you think you’ll enjoy, your next step is to try and gain experience in them. Go along to talks, try to arrange work shadowing, insight days or internships. If you're unsure where to start, you can find a broad range of opportunities on the Bright Network platform.

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1

Asset Management & Banking Banking is the sector which manages cash, credit, and financial transactions. It provides liquidity to the system, so individuals and companies can invest for their future. Types of institutions include commercial, retail and investment banks.

Asset Management – also known as Investment Management or Wealth Management – is about helping individuals and companies grow their wealth through smart investments.

If you want to make it in this sector, you will need to attend insight days and gain work experience as soon as you can, often as early as your first year at university.

18

Asset Management & Banking

The leading employers in...

Asset Management & Banking Baillie Gifford Independent and partnerowned, it is not unusual for graduate employees to stay for over a decade, fully demonstrating Baillie Gifford’s ability to provide a challenging and rewarding work environment.

Bank of America One of the world’s largest financial institutions, Bank of America offers the full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services, as well as global opportunities to graduates.

Barclays The first bank to launch contactless debit cards, Barclays work to make customers’ lives easier. Graduate roles at the company are diverse across retail, corporate and wealth business areas, and their Learning and Development programme fast-tracks leadership development.

Berenberg Berenberg is one of the oldest private banks in the world, and with this heritage comes fantastic opportunities for bright graduates. Berenberg offers its clients tailored and individual services across private banking, investment banking, asset management and corporate banking.

BlackRock Whether managing collapsed Wall Street firms or the central banks in Greece, BlackRock has established itself as a leader in asset management. Graduates can be assured of a dynamic and thrilling career.

Blackstone From securing pension benefits to advancing the goals of charitable organisations, Blackstone provides outstanding results to clients.

They’re also known for their varied philanthropic ventures, ensuring graduates a rewarding place to start their career.

Bluebay Asset Management Investing for clients across the fixed income credit spectrum, BlueBay employs inventive investment and sophisticated tools to ensure high returns. A company culture of talent and innovation ensures their people are highly rewarded.

BNY Mellon Processing more than one trillion dollars of transactions every day, BNY Mellon serves exceptional clients including many of the world’s leading investors. Make your mark in the financial industry on their Leadership Pathways Programme.

Citadel Citadel tackles some of the toughest problems in the industry and seeks to excel in all strategies. The work is demanding even for the brightest minds, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

BlueCrest Capital Management Award-winning alternative asset management. The global success of BlueCrest has netted them multiple awards. Using advanced technology and operations, they also rely on top talent to ensure the best results.

BMO Global Asset Management Based in North America, BMO now has a presence in 30 countries around the world, including their well-regarded London office specialising in expert advice to the Metals & Mining and Energy sectors.

BNP Paribas Specialising in corporate & institutional banking and retail banking and services, BNP Paribas maintains a major presence in the UK market.

Their one-year graduate programme is non-rotational, ensuring early responsibility and development opportunities.

Citi Innovating in commercial and corporate banking and always finding new ways to improve their clients’ experience, Citi offers powerful solutions to pressing problems.

Close Brothers A leading independent merchant bank, Close Brothers works to help businesses grow and evolve, with tailored funding solutions. Graduates join specific business departments for bespoke training from business experts.

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Asset Management & Banking

Coller Capital One of the world’s leading investors in private equity’s secondary market – widely acknowledged as an innovator and a stand-out player at the complex end of secondaries.

Commerzbank AG Commerzbank is a leading international commercial bank offering talented students and graduates the chance to take their first step towards their career within a team who want to stand up for the goals of their clients.

Evercore A prestigious global investment bank, Evercore is defined by its people working in collaboration to deliver superior client service and industry-leading results.

Built on the core values of excellence, experience, integrity and independence, they seek the best.

Exane BNP Paribas The cash equities arm of BNP Paribas with headquarters in Paris, they maintain independence while using their partnership to build potential. A leader in eurozone banking, they specialise in cash equities, derivatives and asset management.

F&C Asset Management F&C has a broad client base, working in specialist sectors such as public authorities and charities, as well as traditional asset areas. Combining a wide range of services with focused expertise, F&C thrive on community and teamwork.

Fidelity International

Credit Suisse A global leader in private banking & wealth management and investment banking, this multinational bank believes in growing and developing the future careers of graduates who want to put their knowledge to work.

DC Advisory Partners DC Advisory works with a wide range of organisations, from corporates, private equity houses and entrepreneurs, to financial institutions and hedge funds.

Highly motivated graduates have the opportunity to grow into successful bankers of the future.

Deutsche Bank Building a diverse, dynamic workforce to mirror their wide range of operations, Deutsche Bank is a leader in investment banking in the City. Become part of their mission to be the premier client-centric global bank.

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An independent investment company that provides outstanding investment solutions and retirement expertise, Fidelity offers a world of opportunity where you could become their next investment.

GAM Asset Management With over three decades of experience and headquarters in Switzerland, GAM encourages an independent and progressive approach to business. A global company with a unique, intimate culture.

Goldman Sachs Goldman Sachs provides an array of investment banking, investment management and securities services for their clients. This bank seeks people from a range of academic backgrounds to help them meet and go beyond the expectations of clients and communities.

Greenhill A unique investment banking firm focused on providing financial advice globally.

Greenhill is looking for academic individuals with an independent spirit to work in a dynamic and entrepreneurial environment.

Houlihan Lokey This advisory-focused, international investment bank is committed to helping its clients achieve superior success. Graduates join a teamorientated company with an entrepreneurial culture built on a passion for excellence.

HSBC A household name but far more than just a household bank, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations. Graduates can choose from several graduate programmes to build a bright future.

Insight Investment One of the UK’s top investment management companies.

Insight is a global asset manager, distinguishing itself by tailoring solutions to each client.

Graduates are offered firsthand experience with flexible training to allow new arrivals to find their place in the firm.

Gleacher Shacklock An independent corporate financial advisory firm, Gleacher Shacklock specialises in top quality advice and solutions.

This firm offers tremendous opportunities for junior professionals, supporting and developing them in a collaborative and stimulating environment.

Investec Providing everything from offshore banking to equity trading to its esteemed client base. Investec, an international banking and asset management group can promise graduates an exciting career in a dynamic environment.

Asset Management & Banking

Moelis & Company

Janus Henderson A leading independent global asset management firm, this results driven company is always thinking ahead.

The Henderson Trainee Programme builds a strong future generation of financial experts.

Jefferies Jefferies distinguishes itself through its entrepreneurial environment, giving all employees the chance to make an impact. The Analyst & Associate Programme acts as a valuable springboard to propel graduates into the role most suited to them.

JLL JLL is a world leader in real estate services, buying, building, occupying and investing in a variety of assets including industrial, commercial, retail, residential and hotel real estate. Their clients span industries including banking, energy, healthcare, law, life sciences, manufacturing and technology.

J.P. Morgan One of the US's largest banks, J.P. Morgan has fully earned its credentials, operating in nearly every sector. With 15 graduate programmes available, new starters can be assured they will receive tailored training and worldwide opportunities.

Lane Clark & Peacock LLP LCP is a firm of financial, actuarial and business consultants. The work they do involves assessing the risks associated with future events and advising clients on how much money they should set aside now to be able to cover uncertain payments in the future, and how that money should be invested.

Did you know?

The average starting salary for corporate investment bankers is between 30k and 40k.

Lazard With a global network reflected in their diverse workforce, they offer investment and asset management advice, Lazard distinguishes itself with an open, collaborative environment where new starters learn directly from senior management.

Teamwork and passion for the business are what set Moelis & Company apart from other investment banks, as well as providing genuine advice.

Graduates of a similar bearing will do well on the bespoke analyst programme.

NatWest Group NatWest Group serves over 19 million customers, with the root of their purpose being to champion potential, and help people, families and business to thrive.

Nomura A Japanese investment bank with expertise in building financial markets across the globe, they are looking for the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders to join them in their dexterous and diverse workforce.

Lendlease Born out of a vision to create a company that could successfully combine the disciplines of construction, development and investment.

M&G Investments M&G Investments is an international, award-winning investment management service. With a focus on longterm gains, M&G fully appreciate the value of investing in its graduate employees through a fully developed graduate programme.

Macquarie Macquarie is a global financial services provider with a breadth of expertise. They believe the best investment you can make is in yourself – develop your skills and build your career with them.

Nuveen Nuveen Real Estate is the investment management arm of TIAA and one of the world’s largest real estate investment managers. Managing nearly 80 funds and mandates spanning both debt and equity across diverse geographies, sectors, investment styles and vehicle types, they provide access to every aspect of real estate investing.

Perella Weinberg The trust of a client is the most important thing at Perella Weinberg, who maintain an excellent reputation. The Corporate Analyst Programme immerses graduates in the company’s entrepreneurial culture while helping them learn from the firm’s senior members.

Piper Jaffray

Man Group Man Group is a global active investment management firm, which runs over $100bn of client capital in liquid and private markets, managed by investment specialists based around the world.

Committed to global capital markets, Piper Jaffray is building a diverse, curious team who can offer superior solutions worldwide, based on their expertise and communication skills.

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Asset Management & Banking

Rampart An independent investment office based in London. Owned by key personnel, they provide Investment Management and Advisory services to wealthy individuals and their families worldwide.

Rothschild One of the world’s largest independent financial advisory groups. Rothschild provides strategic, M&A, wealth management and fundraising advice and services to governments, companies and individuals worldwide, building on their 200-year history and independence. Be a bright mind in their global network.

State Street

Did you know?

The UK is the leading foreign exchange market, dealing nearly twice as many US dollars as the US, and twice as many Euros as the Eurozone.

Schroders Aligning their goals to their clients’ has ensured Schroders’ high achievement. Graduate training is in-depth, including the undertaking of the Investment Management Certificate which gives graduates all the skills they need to achieve.

Silicon Valley Bank Embracing and driving change, Silicon Valley Bank is a hightech commercial bank which provides exclusive and flexible financial solutions to the most innovative and entrepreneurial companies worldwide, where optimistic graduates with big dreams are welcome.

The second oldest financial institution in the US. As a leading provider of financial services, State Street attributes its success to its employees.

State Street’s own university allows employees to further their skills on a range of programmes.

Terra Firma One of Europe’s leading private equity firms. Experts in creating value for their shareholders, Terra Firma seeks those who think strategically.

Their Graduate Analyst Training programme ensures graduates are well prepared for success.

T. Rowe Price T. Rowe Price is an asset management firm focused on delivering global investment management excellence that investors can rely on – now and over the long term.

UBS Global solutions from experience. Involved in nearly all major financial activities, UBS has long been regarded as a market leader. Their tailored graduate programme gives graduates the skills to make their mark in international finance.

Royal Bank of Canada

RBC is a premier investment bank that provides a focused set of products and services to corporations, institutional investors and governments around the world.

Ruffer Ruffer exists to provide investment performance and service that puts their clients first. They invest money on behalf of private clients, trusts, charities, pension funds and collective investment schemes.

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Societe Generale Embracing the values of teamwork, trust and talent has allowed Societe Generale to go from strength to strength, and the role graduates play in this is not underestimated. Graduates can expect both responsibility and reward from early on.

Standard Chartered The International Graduate Programme is comprised of six business streams, one for each of the business’s banking areas, allowing graduates to fully immerse themselves in the global culture of Standard Chartered.

3i A leading international investment manager focused on mid-market Private Equity and Infrastructure with over 70 years investment experience across multiple asset classes, sectors and geographies.

Asset Management & Banking

The difference between IB, IM and Wealth Management Investment Banking, Investment Management and Wealth Management are amongst the most desirable roles for graduates.

With the potential for high earnings and rapid advancement it’s easy to see why. However, a number of potential applicants don’t always know the difference between these closely related industries or which would suit them best.

Let’s take a look.

Before we dive into this, if you’re from a non-finance background there may be terms in this article that could be a little confusing. If you want to understand more around what these mean, we’d recommend checking out the Bright Network Academy module on financial markets by Chris Stoakes on our platform.

Investment Banking Investment Banking helps companies and governments with large and challenging financial transactions. They’ll act as consultants and occasionally a middleman for companies who are looking to create and raise capital for their firms, and assist in a number of the key financial transactions you may have heard of including: Facilitating Mergers and Acquisitions Brokering Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) Underwriting debt and equity securities Aiding in the sale of securities Investment bankers become experts in their particular field and will specialise in one of the above, as well as within specific sectors once they have a deep knowledge of this.

Investment Banking is a division as part of broader banking institutions, and you’ll likely have heard of some of the larger firms such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank to name just a few.

Investment Management Investment management (also encompassing asset, and fund management) is much more to do with actively managing investments and the allocation of assets for institutional investors. Investment managers will come up with investment strategies which advise companies on how they should split their investments across a range of asset classes – depending on the investment goals they have in mind. They issue recommendations on whether a particular investment should be bought or sold. As an investment manager you could be involved with: U nderstanding a company’s financial statements when assessing whether to invest reating a recommended investment portfolio C allocation based on the risk appetite and goals of the company quity research and buy and sell E recommendations Asset management firms also encompass large companies you’ll likely have heard of including T. Rowe Price, Blackrock and UBS.

Wealth Management Wealth management actually falls under the investment management umbrella, however the key thing that makes this stand out is that rather than working on behalf of institutions, within wealth management you’re working on behalf of high net worth individuals. This means that you’re advising an individual on where they should be allocating their investments, and what makes sense for them given their investment goals. As well as doing some of the tasks mentioned above in investment management, you can also be involved with estate and retirement planning, as well as acting as more of a financial advisor. The relationships you build within wealth management are crucial to your success, as you’re likely to be working with a small number of individuals rather than huge corporations.

When thinking about my career I considered Investment Banking, Asset Management and Wealth Management. In the end wealth management stood out to me because of the relationships you get to form alongside the ability to become a subject matter expert.

James Akinyemi Wealth Management

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Asset Management & Banking

Breaking into Investment Banking The opportunities open to you & how to stand out

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Investment Banking is one of the most competitive industries to get into – rewards are high, with the potential starting salaries as well as rapid career progression if you perform. So what are the opportunities open to people looking to go into this sector, and how can you make sure you’re standing out?

Insight days/Spring weeks

We’re going to break down some of the key things you can do to get your foot in the door, as well as what you should be looking to demonstrate on your application.

When applying to these roles, they’re not expecting lots of work experience, but what they are looking for is a real enthusiasm for finance and investment banking in particular. If you’re studying a subject within economics/finance this will help, however it isn’t a prerequisite and you can gain knowledge around investment banking by boosting your commercial awareness, and reading widely on the subject. Demonstrating this knowledge in your application will be key.

A number of the big investment banks will run insight days or spring weeks for students in their first year who are interested in a career in this sector. These schemes will give you an overview of what you can expect a career within the industry to be, the opportunity to shadow employees at the investment bank and even do. the type of work you could do as a graduate. A spring week also gives you the to network with the graduate recruitment team, analysts and more senior leaders within the business – this will help you massively later down the line. There’s often potential for those that impress at this stage to be offered a fast track to the summer internship in the following year.

Asset Management & Banking

Summer Internships

process. Here’s what it will typically look like – however, be aware you may find variations in this:

Summer internships are absolutely key to pursuing a career in investment banking, and it’s Initial application including CV upload and likely that if you want to secure a graduate role motivational questions in the sector, you will need at least one summer Psychometric tests internship at a top investment bank. The reason Video interview for this is purely because the experience you Assessment centre gain from a 8 to 12 week period at an investment Final interview bank will separate you from other applicants that lack this on their application. As part of a Given the number of students applying, the pass summer internship you will get the opportunity marks for each of these stages may be higher to get real work experience in an investment than other industries, and as such you need bank, and certainly towards the end of one of to meticulously prepare for each stage. Think these experiences you’ll be carrying out the kind carefully about why you want to go into a career of work you’ll be expected to do when you join in investment banking, why you’ve specifically the firm as a graduate. You can expect to work chosen this company to apply for, and how with experienced investment bankers, as well your experience and interests match with the as broadening your network across a firm and a company’s values and ethos. division. If you impress on a summer internship you may even be offered a role on the next We’d recommend you practice your year’s graduate cohort following an end psychometric tests using the Bright of internship interview.

Network Academy modules, as well as Building your researching which kinds of tests you’ll Applications for summer internships network will help face as part of the application. open early, some towards the set you apart from end of July of the previous year other applicants and and most will close by the end give you more of an of October. This means you need insight into how to be ready for application season companies work. and be prepared to start getting your initial applications sent. See our application advice below.

Graduate Schemes Graduate schemes will give you a much coveted role in an investment bank following your time at university, and, once on one, you’ll be exposed to top level training programmes that will give you all the tools you need to perform at a top level in the industry. You may have the opportunity to pick which division you’re most interested in based on your experience, and you’ll be exposed to a wide range of teams and deals once on your programme.

These schemes can be extremely competitive with thousands of applicants applying for roles, however if you marshal your experience, your interests and your network, as well as prepare thoroughly for the application process – you’ll be ready.

How to prepare for the application process?

Stages With Investment Banking being such a competitive field, when applying to the above schemes you can expect a long application

Network Building your network will help set you apart from other applicants and give you more of an insight into how companies work, as well as understanding the kinds of things recruiters are looking for in your application. As such you should be prioritising attending careers fairs and talks where there are opportunities to meet speakers from a particular company you’re interested in working for. Keep these relationships going and you never know where they could take you.

Hopefully the above tips will give you an insight into the different avenues for you to gain experience in the Investment Banking sector, as well as how to stand out in the application processes. Our final tip would always be to apply as early as possible. Many roles are screened on a first come first serve basis, and if they fill their roles early, you may find yourself wasting time on an application. Best of luck!

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Charity, Public Sector & Teaching The Charity sector is often referred to as the ‘third-sector’ and offers a wide range of opportunities for graduates looking for more out of their career. Those who are interested in roles with a social mission that makes a real difference will find opportunities in this area the most interesting.

The Public Sector is an incredibly popular destination for graduates with a wide variety of roles available, and some of the biggest graduate intakes across schemes like the Civil Service Fast Stream. You have the opportunity for great work life balance as well as knowing you’re making a difference by providing a public service in your work.

Teaching is a rewarding career that lets you educate the next generation and make a tangible difference to the lives of young people. There are several ways to enter this industry, so research which works best for you.

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Charity, Public Sector & Teaching

The leading employers in...

Charity, Public Sector & Teaching Ark Teacher Training Part of the international charity, Ark aims to give every young person a great education and real choices in life. They want inspiring graduates to ensure every child, regardless of their background, has access to a high-quality education.

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) CASE is a global association for professionals in advancement who share the goal of championing education to transform lives and society. The organisation helps its members build stronger relationships with alumni, government officials and others, through professional development and talent management.

Civil Service Fast Stream The Government’s flagship graduate programme.

Designed to help give graduates the skills they need to play their part in the running of the country, they recruit the brightest graduates and help them become the best leaders.

Cabinet Office The Cabinet Office supports the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister to ensure government runs effectively.

They’re also the corporate headquarters for government, in partnership with HM Treasury, and take the lead in critical policy areas.

Cancer Research UK Cancer Research UK is passionate about support, advice, inspiration and research – all geared towards defeating this illness. Awardwinning internships and graduates schemes are on offer to those who want to make a difference in this fight.

CRCC Asia Leading graduate internship provider in China. Based in London, CRCC Asia aims to open doors to China for bright graduates. Specialising in the finance, legal, consulting and hospitality sectors, there is something for everyone.

Department of Education If you’re thinking about becoming a teacher, you’ve come to the right place. They can provide a comprehensive programme of support and guidance throughout the application process. Their services are completely free and designed to provide you with tailored advice on a career in teaching.

Did you know?

The National Health Service is the world’s 5th largest employer.

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) The FCDO is a government body supported by 10 other organisations, designed to protect and develop the UK's international relationships and provide aid to combat poverty and humanitarian disasters. Graduates can expect a fast-paced and challenging experience with an opportunity to see where you can make a difference.

Frontline Frontline works to help graduates make a difference through social work, helping the children of this country find their potential. Highly rewarding work awaits those who want to develop their leadership skills and change lives.

GCHG At GCHQ, there is a clear purpose – they want to help protect the UK. They work against cyber-attacks, terrorism and espionage.

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Charity, Public Sector & Teaching

Harris Federation Could you make a difference to the life of one of the 32,000 students they educate in London? The Harris Federation is a top performing Multi Academy Trust with a focus on transforming education in London and creating exceptional places of learning.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Making sure that everyone plays their part in funding the country, while ensuring measures are enforced fairly, HMRC offers you the chance to keep the country solvent and secure.

HM Treasury HM Treasury is part of the Civil Service but runs a graduate programme separate to the Civil Service Fast Stream. Revel in your responsibility and the contribution you can make at the centre of government.

Home Office Key areas of action include immigration, drug control, crime and counter-terrorism.

An interesting option for graduates looking for a career in a very present and complex organisation.

Houses of Parliament

The Graduate Development Programme allows you to play a part in the political events that will shape the future of the nation, working with politicians from across the political spectrum to help scrutinise Government policy and support the UK’s democratic processes.

Keystone Tutors Keystone Tutors offers a competitive full-time salary, regular training and professional development, while maintaining a significant amount of autonomy and flexibility for its tutors.

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Asset Management & Investment Banking

Did you know?

Around £10bn is donated annually to UK charities by the British population.

Macmillan Macmillian’s reputation is based on constantly improving their skills and involving people affected by cancer – the real experts – in all areas of their work. You’ll find talented people working together to improve the lives of everyone living with cancer.

MI5 Our national security organisation, MI5 is primarily concerned with intercepting and stopping threats to the UK. Main areas include antiterrorism, intelligence, cyber crime and espionage, with plenty of opportunities for you to make a difference.

NHS You don’t have to be a doctor to make a difference with a career in health. The NHS is looking for bright graduates like you to join teams across their organisation.

Ofcom Regulating the communications sector across TV, direct phone lines and other mediums, Ofcom provides an essential service.

With the advent of new media landscapes, it’s an exciting time to work at the heart of the technology sector.

Office for National Statistics Office for National Statistics is the UK’s largest independent producer of official statistics and the recognised national statistical institute of the UK, publishing over 600 releases a year. They mainly collect, analyse and disseminate statistics about the UK’s economy, society and population.

Oxfam A charity fighting poverty all over the world. Proud to be helping others create lasting change. Recognised across the globe, Oxfam operates many different fundraising initiatives to help people gain access to clean water or build a livelihood.

Philip Morris International Philip Morris International is a leading international tobacco company committed to finding an alternative to cigarettes as quickly as possible. They are building a future on smoke-free products, strive to be environmentally and socially responsible, and fight the illegal cigarette trade.

Police Now Aiming to break the intergenerational cycle of crime in the most challenged areas, Police Now helps create safe, confident communities in which people can thrive.

Charity, Public Sector & Teaching

ReachOut A mentoring charity working with children in disadvantaged communities to raise aspirations and help them grow in character and competence. They help improve self-confidence and develop numeracy, literacy and communication skills.

Serco Serco combines commercial know-how with a deep public service ethos, advising policy makers, designing innovative solutions, integrating systems and delivering front-line services to make a positive difference to customers and communities.

Royal Air Force Royal Air Force works with UK and international partners to watch the skies, respond to threats, prevent conflict, and provide assistance in an uncertain world.

Teach English In China Teach English In China share a passion for discovering China’s rich culture and a desire to help others experience it for themselves. They work closely with trusted schools and organisations across China to connect candidates with the well-established and trustworthy institutions they wouldn’t otherwise find.

Royal Navy A life in the Royal Navy is a rewarding one filled with adventure, possibilities and job security. Whatever branch you join, you’ll receive all the support you need to fulfil your ambitions, travel, and go further than you ever have before, with the best-friends you’ll ever make.

Did you know?

The Public Sector is one of the most diverse workforces in Britain.

Royal Society of Chemistry Royal Society of Chemistry was founded in 1841 with the mission of advancing excellence in the chemical sciences. They connect scientists with each other and society as a whole, so they can do their best work and make discoveries and innovation happen.

Worthwhile Worthwhile offers the opportunities to shape a sustainable career in the not-for-profit sector through their graduate scheme, training and network of inspiring, like-minded organisations.

Unlocked Unlocked Graduates is aiming to change the way society’s future leaders are developed, as well as thinking about prisons and prisoners by focusing on rehabilitation, and addressing the terrible damage and cost of reoffending.

The British Army Be trusted with the safety of the nation. Leading a team to look after the Army’s most important asset: its people.

Supporting the soldiers who are helping to make the world a safer, better place.

Think Ahead At Think Ahead, they want to see a society where everyone with mental health problems can flourish. To drive positive change, they created the Think Ahead programme: a new route into mental health social work for talented graduates and careerchangers.

Teach First Teach First seeks to make sure no child is limited in education by their background. With the help of bright graduates bringing their talents to teaching, they hope to inspire and elevate younger generations to believe in more.

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Charity, Public Sector & Teaching

Asset Management & Investment Banking

By Sam Mackley

Why start your career in the public sector?

The government is the biggest Impact If you want to make a positive contribution to employer in the UK and with a range society, then the public sector is the place for you. of roles that span every industry, it’s Replacing profits with public interest, the public not surprising it attracts thousands of sector focuses on delivering quality services to its citizens. Every year, the work carried out in graduates each year. You may have the public sector generates positive impacts heard of big public sector graduate to the lives of millions both domestically and schemes like the Civil Service Fast internationally. For example, making cost savings to free up funds for affordable Stream or Bank of England, housing or international aid. These but there’s opportunities real contributions to people and The public sector throughout all areas of society are the reasons why job generates positive satisfaction is so high among government open to entry impacts to the lives employees. level talent. of millions both domestically and internationally.

The public sector offers a place to be involved in impactful, varied work with an emphasis on personal development and balanced lifestyle, plus loads of benefits.

Think it could be the right career path for you?

We explore what it offers and why it might suit your career goals.

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Further, public services are unrivalled in scale meaning the benefits and improvements to society are great and widespread. With this in mind, the public sector hosts an unparalleled spot to be involved in challenging, fascinating, and hugely impactful work.

Charity, Public Sector & Teaching

Variation From healthcare and education to defence and media, there is great breadth and variation to careers within the public sector. Some of the main employers include the Civil Service, NHS, local government, Armed Forces and the BBC, giving rise to an enormously diverse range of opportunities.

sector firms. There is also flexibility about how you complete these hours of work, providing a lot of personal choice over your working day. This means you’re unlikely to be working as long hours as your counterparts in the private sector.

In addition, there is a high level of job security in the public sector. Unlike the private sector where changes can happen regularly, the public sector has the backing of the government meaning it would be unlikely for you to lose your job even if restructuring took place.

Grad schemes in the public sector such as the Civil Service Fast Stream offer the chance to work in 1 of 15 different schemes including economics, communications, and science and engineering.

Benefits Rotating across 24 Ministerial departments There are a whole host of benefits to working ranging from the Foreign, Commonwealth & in the public sector. In terms of earnings, the Development Office to the Department for public sector is surprisingly competitive Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the in comparison to the private sector, for Fast Stream gives exposure to many On top of a example, the previously mentioned areas of government. Alternatively, Civil Service Fast Stream offers a competitive salary, the National Graduate minimum starting salary of £27,000, the public sector Development Programme which surpasses a lot of private sector has a brilliant provides an opportunity to work grad schemes. pension scheme at a local council level delivering

and a range essential services such as On top of a competitive salary the of discounts. reducing homelessness, protecting public sector has a brilliant pension the environment and regenerating scheme contributing a significant amount areas characterised by crime and of money to employees’ retirement.

There poverty. The variety in work means there is are also a range of discounts that public sector always a role that will capture your interest in workers can enjoy from gym memberships to the public sector. eating out.

Development One of the biggest advantages of the public sector is the priority it places on the development of all its employees. If you have a motivation for continuous improvement, then the public sector will afford you the time and resources to pursue it, meaning you can equip yourself with the right skills to get to where you want to be. The opportunity to identify skill gaps, set development goals and achieve them is a great investment in your future self, so it’s fantastic that the public sector supports you in this. The importance placed on this can be illustrated by the inclusion of ‘learning and development’ in the behaviours the Civil Service believes demonstrates effective job performance – a strength you’d need to demonstrate in an application process.

The reasons above give you an insight into why 5.4 million people choose to work in the UK’s public sector and why some of those come from private sector firms seeking something new. If you’re feeling, having read this article, that a career in the public sector matches your own personal values then use the Bright Network platform to find current opportunities in the public sector and government.

Balance The public sector encourages a healthy worklife balance for all employees. Most roles in the public sector stick to a set number of core hours which are more reasonable than most private

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Charity, Public Sector & Teaching

Asset Management & Investment Banking

Teach First For Teach First you must be expecting or achieved a 2:1 in your undergraduate degree. The training takes place over the course of five weeks in June and July. You then teach in the classroom from September and are usually placed in low-income areas. You do not have to pay fees and will earn a salary from the offset. At the end of the training year you gain a Postgraduate Diploma in Education and Leadership (PGDE) and QTS.

Routes into teaching Teaching is a popular route for university graduates, with 29,580 individuals undertaking postgraduate training to become a teacher last year.

There are broadly two types of training which lead to a Qualified Teacher Status (QTS): university led and school led. This article is a short introduction to some of the paths available.

For most teacher training courses you will have to hold an undergraduate degree from a UK higher education provider (or equivalent), although some training providers have specific requirements regarding your degree classification. You will also have to have gained a C/4 grade or above in GCSE English, mathematics, and a science subject and have the right to live and work in the UK. Here are the routes to think about if you’re considering a career in this rewarding profession.

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) A PGCE remains the most popular route, with 45% of overall trainees choosing a PGCE in 2019/2020. The course is university led, so you pay fees of up to £9,250 a year. The course combines postgraduate study and classroom experience, where you specialise in either secondary or primary. Throughout the course you will be placed in at least two schools for a minimum of 24 weeks observing and teaching.

At the end of a PGCE year you will gain a QTS and Master’s level credits.

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Schools Direct (tuition fee) In 2019/2020, 27% of overall trainee teachers chose the Schools Direct tuition fee route. You pay fees of up to £9,250 a year but there are funding options available including: scholarships for in-demand subjects and bursaries depending on subject and your degree classification. The programme is run by a school or group of schools.

Your training is based in a school, and you are taught in parallel by a university, college or a School Centred Initial Teaching Training (SCITT) that the school has partnered with. At the end of the training year you will gain QTS.

Ark Teacher Training Ark schools are in Birmingham, Hastings, London and Portsmouth and focus on teaching disadvantaged students. You are placed in the classroom from day one and can choose to teach primary or secondary. The training includes a 2-week introduction over summer, a tutor who oversees your training, weekly coaching, weekly planning support, time in different schools over one year and face-to-face training with other trainees every week. At the end of your training you will achieve QTS, a PGCE and 60 credits towards a Master’s degree. Specific requirements include: a 2:1 degree or above and for secondary school training your degree or A-Levels must be related to the subject you want to teach.

Premier Pathways Premier Pathways is a two-year training programme accredited by the University of Buckingham, a salaried route where you do not pay tuition fees. In the first year you undertake foundation training in a school placement. In the second year you work towards your QTS, teaching in the classroom, undertaking assessments and attending university for a short period of time.

At the end of your training you will gain a PGCE, QTS and 60 credits towards a Master’s degree.

The requirements include: a minimum 2:2 undergraduate degree from a leading university and a minimum of 3 A-Levels.

Charity, Public Sector & Teaching

Who are the Transform Alliance?

The Transform Alliance We’re proud to work with the Transform Alliance – a collection of leading graduate employers in the charity sector collaborating to lead systemic change in society. Recruiting, training and developing graduates into a variety of frontline public-service roles, the Alliance works together to maximise the impact they can deliver.

Choosing a graduate programme in the charity sector means choosing a career where you’ll make a real difference in people’s lives whilst developing the skills to become a leader.

fully warranted neighbourhood police officers with responsibility over a community, and the National Detective Programme, equipping graduates with the core policing skills required in modern investigative work and solving complex crimes.

Teach First develops inspiring teachers and leaders to help the UK’s most disadvantaged children realise their potential. Their twoyear Training Programme puts graduates into classrooms quickly, allowing them to start developing and making a real difference as soon as possible. Plus, participants earn a Postgraduate Diploma in Education and Leadership (PGDE), worth double the credits of a PGCE, as part of the programme.

Who’s in the Alliance?

Frontline’s mission is to transform the lives of vulnerable children and families by recruiting outstanding individuals to be leaders in social work and broader society. Their two-year Graduate Programme comprises a five-week residential training programme followed by two years working in a local authority children’s services department. Graduates work directly with children, families, schools, courts and the police to empower families to achieve positive change.

Police Now’s mission is to transform communities, reduce crime and increase the public’s confidence in policing by recruiting, developing and inspiring diverse leaders. They run two graduate programmes, the National Graduate Leadership Programme, training graduates into

Think Ahead aims to build a society where everyone with mental health problems can flourish by empowering people to manage the social factors in their lives, such as relationships, housing, and employment. Their two-year programme blends world-class academic learning with extensive on-the-job experience.

Graduates work in an expert team alongside clinical professionals whilst studying for a masters degree in social work and developing valuable leadership skills.

Unlocked aims to support prisoners to turn their lives around, lead system change and develop the skills to excel no matter where they go in the future. On their two-year Leadership Development Programme, graduates are at the heart of prison reform, working as frontline prison officers while completing a fully funded masters degree in leadership and benefitting from the guidance of a trained professional mentor throughout.

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3

Commercial Law Commercial law is all about supporting companies across the range of contracts they enter into as part of their day-to-day business. In this sector you'll work closely with clients to ensure the agreements they enter are valid, legal, and mitigate any risk they may be exposed to. It's a rewarding but also competitive sector, and you need to start exploring your options early to give yourself the best chance of securing roles.

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Commercial Law

The leading employers in...

Commercial Law Akin Gump Akin Gump’s London office is the hub for the firm’s international practice. A fast paced environment, the London office is also well known for its commercial approach, its commitment to client service and its focus on teamwork.

Addleshaw Goddard Proud to be a people business, Addleshaw Goddard dedicates itself to its clients – putting constancy, consistency and quality into every step they take. With an enjoyable and supportive culture, graduates can expect to work for exceptional clients.

Allen & Overy At a time of huge change in the legal industry, Allen & Overy are determined to continue leading the market as they have throughout their 90-year history. They’ll do that by staying one step ahead and by constantly challenging themselves to bring new and original ways of thinking to the most complex legal challenges their clients face.

Ashurst M&A giant and one of the UK’s largest firms. Graduates can expect a progressive and professional experience in both legal and non-legal opportunities at a firm that prides itself on providing rewarding and stimulating careers.

Baker McKenzie Baker Mckenzie ride the crest of the pioneering law wave.

They’re passionate about meeting the challenges of the global economy head on and delivering a world-class service with clients to match.

more lines of business, in more locations throughout the UK and Ireland as well as across the world. Their philosophy is to deliver positive outcomes for their clients and help them make their businesses more successful.

Bates Wells Braithwaite Bates Wells Braithwaite is a professional services consultancy, combining a top legal practice with services Bristows LLP in impact measurement, Bristows is an independent outcomes-based planning and full service law firm that brings strategy, and financial services together a diverse collection of regulatory compliance. talent to deliver high-quality advice. Working with worldleading clients across key sectors Berwin Leighton Paisner including TMT, life sciences and It’s all about the extra mile consumer products. at Berwin Leighton Paisner.

In every aspect, from client commitment to their graduate training, you can expect just a little bit more.

Trainees will experience wideranging opportunities as the firm widens its global net and enters new markets.

Bird & Bird Collaboration is key at Bird & Bird as its global team tackles complex, cross-border projects and deals seamlessly and successfully across 29 different offices around the world. They work closely with clients to deliver a high quality service.

BLM BLM is an insurance risk and commercial law firm with both a domestic and international focus. They now work with an increasing number of clients, across

Did you know?

Trainee solicitors at London's top firms typically earn a starting salary of 35k to 45k.

Browne Jacobson LLP Browne Jacobson solve complex problems for their clients in five offices across the country.

They emphasise long term partnerships with their clients.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner As a global market leader, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner is structured into three large departments: Real Estate, Corporate, and Financial Transactions and Litigation and Investigations. As a trainee you will have a high level of client contact to advise clients and help achieve their commercial objectives.

Burges Salmon Providing the highest standards of legal and business advice to customers across the UK, Burges Salmon works with clients of every size and type.

Trainees flourish in the open and collaborative working culture, with opportunities to work alongside colleagues across the firm.

Charles Russell Speechlys A law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe and the Middle East.

They have an unusually broad range of skills and experience across the full spectrum of business and personal needs.

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Commercial Law

Cleary Gottlieb Since 1946 their lawyers and staff have worked across practices, industries, jurisdictions and continents to provide clients with simple, actionable approaches to their most complex legal and business challenges.

Covington & Burling A distinctively collaborative culture allowing them to be truly one team globally, drawing on the diverse experience of lawyers and advisors across the firm by seamlessly sharing insight and expertise.

Dentons A law firm that’s all about realising potential. Graduates can expect opportunities both here in the UK and in the Middle East.

DLA Piper DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, positioning them to help clients with their legal needs around the world.

Clifford Chance An evolving and innovative Magic Circle law firm, Clifford Chance offers an unparalleled experience to graduates wanting to forge careers in commercial law. Their awards speak for themselves.

Clyde & Co With a particular focus on sectors such as aviation, energy and marine, Clyde & Co presents exciting opportunities to graduates who are looking for something a little more specialised.

CMS Cameron McKenna By combining top quality sector expertise with international scale and a strategy to become a progressive technologydriven firm, CMS delivers excellence for its clients and is committed to ensuring all employees achieve their full potential.

DAC Beachcroft DAC Beachcroft is a fullservice law firm offering corporate and commercial expertise alongside marketleading sector knowledge in insurance, healthcare and real estate.

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DWF At this firm, you’ll immediately see how you contribute to the bigger picture. With regular development opportunities and a comprehensive feedback process, go further at DWF. Farrer & Co. With one of the highest lawyer retention rates in the sector, this firm invests in its people, equipping them with the latest legal knowledge, methods and technology to give their clients the best possible service.

Fieldfisher A Europe-based firm with an entrepreneurial essence.

With over 400 lawyers working in the technology, media, healthcare and energy industries, Fieldfisher is an exciting and modern firm.

Forsters A dynamic, successful firm committed to being the best at what they do. Based in Mayfair, Forsters was founded in 1998 and has since more than trebled in size. Whilst they are best known for their topflight real estate and private client practices, they have thriving corporate and dispute resolution teams.

Fox Williams Offering clients clear, pragmatic advice with a responsive, personal approach.

Join the law firm that values great client service, integrity and professionalism, building friendly and strong relationships and having open communication.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer There’s something to be said for a 275-year client relationship with the Bank of England. With a strong commitment to their values combined with a drive to be exceptional, Freshfields opens all the doors you need to start your career at a Magic Circle firm.

Freeths Freeths are a top 50, full service commercial law firm with 13 offices spread across the UK. They are business people first and lawyers second, so pride themselves on being excellent value.

Gateley Since arriving as the new kids on the block all those years ago, they’ve earned their stripes in the legal industry, building a leading name and a revered reputation. It’s why they went PLC – the UK’s first commercial law firm to do so. It’s why they’re pushing the limits of what a legal and professional services business can offer.

Commercial Law

Gowling WLG Businesses around the world choose Gowling WLG to help them grow and become their best. Irrespective of seniority or geography, every team member is respected and valued for their individual contributions.

Herbert Smith Freehills A firm of diversity and inclusion, with a conscience about its social, economic and environmental impact, Herbert Smith Freehills provides a modern approach to its global practice where new talent can flourish.

Hill Dickinson A leading and award-winning international commercial law firm with more than 850 employees, including 185 partners and legal directors.

From offices in the UK, mainland Europe and Asia, they deliver advice and strategic guidance spanning the full legal spectrum.

HFW HFW has over 600 lawyers working across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. They take a progressive approach to their roles in commercial business – thinking creatively and pragmatically to support their clients.

of passionate people whose broad legal expertise and deep sector specialisms make them the partner of choice for all of their clients’ complex legal and strategic needs.

Irwin Mitchell Irwin Mitchell is unlike any other law firm. Nationallyacclaimed, with a strong international capability, they offer a broad range of legal services to national and international organisations and institutions, small and medium-sized businesses and private individuals.

Jones Day The collective drive to provide the best client care defines this firm, as well as its innovative non-rotational trainee system where you are given the reigns to direct your own development.

Kennedys Kennedys are a rapidly growing international law firm with expertise in litigation and dispute resolution, particularly in the insurance / reinsurance and liability industries.

They have some of the most respected legal minds in their fields.

King & Wood Mallesons The legal network connecting Asia with the world. Always Hogan Lovells looking to recruit the best talent, King & Wood Mallesons Known for their pragmatism provides international graduate and proactive approach, Hogan opportunities for those who Lovells believes in solving the want challenging and exciting problems before they appear. careers with clear rewards A broad-thinking firm with an along the way. exemplary approach to diversity in the workplace.

Kingsley Napley Ince & Co A leading law firm in all sectors, Kingsley Napley has protected A fast-growing international high profile clients for several legal and professional services decades. As a member of The firm dedicated to empowering Sunday Times ‘Best Companies their clients to seize new to Work For’, graduates can be opportunities for growth. They reassured that hard work does are driven by a unique team pay off.

Kirkland & Ellis This US firm thrives on a reputation for exceptional service to their clients around the world. They look to hire diverse professionals who will contribute to the Kirkland Ellis brand.

Latham & Watkins The leading finance practice in London has earned an exceptional reputation in the market, regularly advising on all types of leveraged, acquisition and project finance work.

Linklaters Work alongside some of the most talented people in law, in a dynamic and diverse environment. Linklaters will give you the opportunity to thrive and excel in the world of commercial law.

Macfarlanes Macfarlanes prides itself on its personal commitment and attention to its clients and trainees. You are so much more than just a trainee at Macfarlanes.

Mayer Brown Serving many of the world’s largest companies, including a significant proportion of the Fortune 100 and FTSE 100, they assist clients with their most complex and demanding legal and business challenges worldwide.

Michelmores Providing the environment, encouragement and opportunities for you to flourish. Become ‘more than just a lawyer’ to their clients.

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Commercial Law

Mills & Reeve Achieve more. Together.

You will often see and hear Mills & Reeve use this phrase. That’s because at the heart of their firm is a belief in the importance of genuine partnerships – with everyone, their colleagues, other professionals and their communities.

Osborne Clarke A future focused law firm that are approachable, knowledgeable and straightforward. Known to deliver on client services and sector knowledge, helping clients succeed tomorrow.

RPC Leading lawyers. Great clients.

And an unrivalled commercial approach to business. At RPC they offer a depth of knowledge and creativity that few firms can rival and combine this with high quality training programmes that are consistently lauded in the leading directories.

Mishcon De Reya Famous for their involvement with high-profile individuals and businesses, Mishcon de Reya has carved out a reputation of looking after their clients with expert and professional legal guidance.

Morgan Lewis At Morgan Lewis, they work in collaboration around the world—always ready to respond to the needs of their clients and craft powerful solutions for them. From their offices in strategic hubs of commerce, law, and government across North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, they work with clients ranging from established, global Fortune 100 companies to enterprising startups.

Norton Rose Fulbright Doors are opening and opportunities abound across the Norton Rose Fulbright global platform. Alongside strong strategy and inspiring sophistication in all things, expect international exposure as part of your training and beyond.

Orrick Orrick focus on serving clients worldwide in the Technology, Energy & Infrastructure and Finance sectors and pride themselves on their forwardlooking commercial advice on transactions, litigation and compliance matters.

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Reed Smith Reed Smith is an extensive global platform where graduates are challenged and stimulated.

A client-focused ethos and famously friendly office culture make it an attractive graduate choice.

Pennington Manches Cooper Penningtons Manches Cooper is a leading UK and international law firm which provides high quality legal advice tailored to both businesses and individuals. They address the specific objectives of each client through their flair and technical expertise and offer a personal service founded on a strong team ethic.

Pinsent Masons As ALB SE Asia’s ‘Construction & Real Estate Law Firm of the Year 2016’, among other awards, Pinsent Masons makes a fantastic option for any graduate interested in building a bright future in commercial law.

PwC Legal The legal experts for PwC’s global network. While they boast over 2,000 lawyers in over 80 countries – the world’s most extensive legal network – PwC Legal is never impersonal. Opportunity is at the heart of careers at PwC Legal and graduate lawyers will experience daily exposure to wider business skills.

Shearman & Sterling Shearman & Sterling has been involved with a range of ground-breaking deals. From complex industrial mergers to international politics, this firm has been at the front of some of the most challenging and exciting legal issues across the world.

Shoosmiths Shoosmiths is a major UK law firm with a network of offices working together as one team.

There’s no secret to their growth over recent years. Clients love working with Shoosmiths people because of the way they work and the results they consistently deliver for them.

Sidley Austin With approximately 2,000 lawyers and other professionals working in a network of offices around the world, Sidley is a leading international law firm.

Simmons & Simmons A leading international law firm in tune with the business world.

With a strong collective drive coupled with their sights set to the horizon, Simmons & Simmons can provide ambitious graduates the opportunity to excel in the world of business law.

Commercial Law

Slaughter and May Not only does Slaughter and May offer trainees exceptional training, but they are also afforded the rare chance to specialise in multiple areas of law. Variety and flexibility at one of the UK’s premier commercial law firms.

Squire Patton Boggs Whatever is needed, Squire Patton Boggs is able to deliver the seamless cross-practice, cross-border and industryspecific support their client requires, whether they’re a big business, individual or national government.

Stephenson Harwood A law firm with over 1,100 people worldwide, including more than 180 partners. Their people are committed to achieving the goals of their clients – listed and private companies, institutions and individuals.

Taylor Wessing Taylor Wessing is an instinctively forward-thinking firm with an international flair. Its culture and standard of work attracts graduates looking for highquality work among likeminded people.

Did you know?

Top commercial law firms typically offer between 15-90 training contracts per year.

TLT Created in 2000, they set out to be a different kind of law firm, one that pushed the boundaries with new ways of working and thinking.

They use their experience and legal expertise to help clients, whether that’s growing their business, delivering their products and services effectively, grasping opportunities or minimising risk.

Travers Smith LLP A leading full service UK law firm, with a wealth of experience in many areas of specialisation. With an emphasis on a challenging yet enjoyable experience, it is no wonder they have an outstanding employee retention rate.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges US-based firm holding its own in the big leagues.

Established in 1996, the London branch has grown into Weil, Gotshal & Manges’ second largest office worldwide. With a recruiting strategy focused on obtaining exceptional talent at all levels, it makes for a fantastic starting block from which to build a career.

White & Case A global firm advising governments, start-ups and more known as its ‘centre of gravity’ by employees, the London office is a fundamental part of the White & Case network.

Winckworth Sherwood From charities to churches, Winckworth Sherwood’s Trowers & Hamlins expertise and advice knows Like-minded thinking no limits. Named the cultivated to achieve leading law firm for female excellence. Independently and ethnic diversity, this recognised as the leading firm fully demonstrates the in the social housing sector firm's commitment to a fair in the UK. Trowers & Hamlins, workplace for all. with over 700 lawyers working around the globe, is a rapidly Withers growing law firm full of

Since 1896 they have been possibilities. trusted advisors to successful people and businesses with Watson Farley & Williams complex legal needs, in A relatively young firm with good times and bad. They roots in shipping, they are champion their clients’ currently expanding across interests, locally and globally the globe with vigour. Watson from offices across the US, Farley & Williams is respected Europe and Asia-Pacific. for its expertise across many They are proud to help many sectors, namely maritime, of their clients use their energy and infrastructure, success to make the world and natural resources. a better place.

Weightmans Womble Bond Dickinson A top 45 UK law firm, with

Womble Bond Dickinson over 1,200 people. They’re is a transatlantic law firm proud to be a leading national providing high-quality legal player in insurance, with capability and outstanding a formidable reputation personal service to a wide and heritage. They’re highly range of regional, national respected in the public sector, and international clients. acting for many local, police and fire authorities, and NHS trusts.

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Commercial Law

terminology (e.g. does the firm have a “finance” or a “banking” practice?).

It goes without saying that spelling and grammar should be absolutely on point. However, equally important is your structure. If your structure is all over the place, your application will be more difficult to read, which might result in a graduate recruiter giving up before reaching the end. It could also indicate that you would struggle to draft concise, well-written client notes and research reports if hired. One trick to counter this is to set out headings before you start writing each of your answers – even short answers – as this can help to ensure that you stay focused and your structure makes sense from the get go. You can always delete the headings before submitting the application.

By Jake Schogger, City Career Series

What makes a good application?

What makes a good commercial law application? This is a question I have been considering for the better part of a decade: first as a student, then as an author, later as a trainee solicitor, and more recently as a career coach.

I’ve probably reviewed close to 1,000 applications in my time, and it can be difficult to determine any one thing that distinguishes the good from the bad and the ugly. However, this article includes some of the key tips I’ve picked up along the way.

General pointers To start with, I’ll cover some of issues that regularly crop up in applications and how to fix them.

You’ve probably been told repeatedly to avoid “generic” answers, but may be less sure how to do so. Well, matching your terminology to a firm’s terminology can be a good start. If firms are seeking specific skills, try to cover each of these in your application, and use the same wording they do (refer to “organisational skills” rather than “timemanagement skills”, if this is the firm’s approach). In addition, if you’re referencing a particular practice area, make sure you use the firm’s preferred

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Passion for the business One of the key attributes sought by commercial law firms is a passion for their business. It costs a fortune to train trainees, so recruiters want to know that the people they hire are likely to stick with it for the long haul – long enough for them to start adding real value and generating significant revenue for the firm. If you can’t convince a firm of this, you’re unlikely to succeed.

So how do you demonstrate passion for the business? Well, this involves demonstrating your motivation for both the industry in general (i.e. “why commercial law?”), and the specific firm to which you are applying (i.e. “what differentiates this firm?”).

Career motivation questions When discussing your career motivation, try to set out the path that led to you deciding to pursue a career in commercial law. Here’s a potential structure to help: Perhaps start by explaining what sparked your initial interest in commercial law (or even law in general). Was it a conversation you had whilst at school? A particular university module? An insight you gained from a career fair?

Next, explain what action you took to explore this interest further. For example, did you decide to study law at university, attend employer events or apply for work experience?

You can then start to explain the aspects of the career that resonate with you. Perhaps it’s the intellectual fulfilment, nature of the work, clientfacing elements and focus on team work? Or is it your interest in the broader commercial impacts of legal advice and agreements on clients’ businesses?

The key to all the above is relating your answers back to yourself. Why does the prospect of an intellectual challenge appeal? How have your experiences helped to influence/inform your decision? What have you done to learn more about the career?

Commercial Law

Firm motivation questions Once you’ve convinced a firm that you want to be a commercial lawyer, the next challenge is to convince them that there’s nowhere else you would rather train. Now, I know that researching firms and differentiating them from competitors can be an onerous task, but you must remember that there are fewer training contracts available than the number of people good enough to successfully complete those training contracts. Firms can therefore be picky and choose only the candidates that they believe will accept an offer and remain at the firm for the long-term (if given the opportunity).

Two aspects worth considering when trying to differentiate the firm are culture and training, although there are many other elements to consider (including the work, sector specialisms, clients, awards and your previous experiences with the firm).

of your experiences can be relevant to draw upon, no matter how trivial or irrelevant they seem. Travelling, sport, music, volunteering, part-time work, debating, membership of societies, group work, tutoring, campus ambassador roles. All require certain skills and can demonstrate a broad range of attributes, including work ethic, commitment, motivation, interpersonal skills, professionalism, teamworking and so on.

Secondly, give context before setting out the skills you have acquired, as this will make it easier to convince a recruiter that you actually developed those skills: You could start by stating “Whilst [position] at [organisation], my role involved [xyz].

Next, you could explain how your role helped you to “hone”, “develop”, “refine” or “demonstrate” specific skills.

You could then elaborate more on your role and the skills you developed, or move onto another experience.

If you have If you have never visited a firm’s never visited a offices, try to find out about the Note that using words such as “elected”, firm’s offices, try culture from others. Ask people “selected” and “invited” can help to show at your university that have to find out about that somebody else identified something completed vacation schemes; the culture from special about you, and this led to them LinkedIn connections that have picking you over other people. This can help others. experienced or worked at the firm; to give you credibility and set you apart from or firm representatives at career fairs, others. employer evenings, Bright Network events and virtual insight days. Watch videos on firms' Final thoughts websites. You may also have access to university Even with the right grades, highly-developed skill sets lecturers or career advisers who used to work in the and strong applications answers, almost everyone industry (or know people who do). will experience some form of rejection from time to time. Rejection has been an incredibly important When it comes to training, most firms have at least part of my own learning process – learning what not one distinguishing feature, for example shorter to do can be an essential part of truly understanding rotations between practice areas, international what works well – as has talking to hundreds, if secondment policies, specialist learning and not thousands of people over the past few years, development programmes and the like. As with from students, graduates and lawyers, to graduate career motivation answers, remember to relate your recruiters, career coaches, and senior City workers. answers back to yourself. Why do the firm’s ethos I’ll leave you with this final thought: take your time and culture resonate with you? Why do you think when working on applications (quality over quantity!), the firm’s approach to training will suit you best? take every opportunity to learn from others and – most importantly – don’t be afraid of rejection.

Skills and strengths Application questions will also typically aim to assess the competencies you have developed through the experiences you have accumulated. They may ask for examples of when you have demonstrated or acquired specific skills or strengths. They may ask about particular experiences or challenges you’ve faced. Or they may ask more open-ended questions to assess your character and thought process, such as “when have you failed at something?” or “why did you choose your degree?”. Before answering these questions, research into the key attributes that the firm is looking for, and try to cover most (or all) of these in your answers.

City Career Series offers a comprehensive range of resources directly relevant to the recruitment process for a wide variety of City careers. Its resources have been designed and collated to assist you right the way through your pursuit of a legal career. Excitingly, City Career Series is releasing a brand new Training Contract Handbook in September 2020. Find it on www.citycareerseries.com

When answering competency questions, it’s important to remember two things. Firstly, any © Jake Schogger 2020

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By Raza Nazar

A day in the life of trainee lawyer We caught up with Trainee Lawyer, Raza, who works at Magic Circle firm Slaughter and May, to ask him about his day-to-day tasks and insights into life as a trainee lawyer.

After attending Bright Network’s law events during university, he shares his advice to our members.

Q. What initially peaked your interest in going into law?

I always liked letter law – looking at judgments and how a rule applies to different facts and situations. After that, my interest in law was fueled by a combination of two key skill sets. The first is critical thinking and the second is communication. I was actively involved in things like debating and writing at university, so law became a natural choice for me, as it was nice to see the continuing development of those skills.

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Q. When you went into your first

few weeks, was the job how you expected it to be? Were there any surprises?

It was a steep learning curve. When you see the jump from the LPC, it can be daunting but everyone was so supportive. I remember my supervisor on the second or third day took out a chart to draw me how a technical contract worked. I thought that small gesture was not only nice but an encouraging sense of being welcomed to the firm in this new complex area. It was also an educational experience for me, in learning how to piece things together at a more complex level.

Q. What is the culture like at a Magic Circle firm?

Generally, I think Slaughter and May is quite different because of the fact it has no internal billing targets, which really makes the culture very cooperative. People can ask a question, for example about a clause in a contract that you may have not seen before and ask how it is usually negotiated. I think that really makes it collaborative and creates a better atmosphere for the firm generally because you get the right answer and that ultimately gets a better result for the client.

Commercial Law

Q. What tasks are you typically doing as a trainee in a top law firm?

Q. What are your three top tips/ advice

for somebody on a vacation scheme or a new trainee?

It’s very varied but I would say the typical tasks could range from putting together

1. Ask questions — it’s so important to make some research in a memorandum, on very sure you understand the context of what you technical legal research and it can range are helping with because that will help keep from that to drafting a letter of response you motivated to achieve the task but also in the disputes team. That variety is really help you perform in a more effective way. good because both of those tasks are quite Try to understand exactly what’s going on important, even if you were an associate. with the client and the context.

I got a chance to draft a letter of response during my three-month 2. Be proactive — whether you are on stint in the disputes team. For It was a steep a vacation scheme or you are a new a trainee, like me, being given learning curve. trainee, it can be challenging to think the chance to prepare a draft When you see the how do I get the ball rolling here letter of response based on jump from the LPC, in terms of my own personal and documents I reviewed – that it can be daunting professional development but being responsibility was invaluable. proactive is always great. It is always but everyone was You get a lot of responsibility good to go and knock on people’s if you are proactive and so supportive. doors and introduce yourself and ask if you demonstrate that you’re there is anything you can help with. capable of taking on more work and producing good quality work, even as a trainee.

3. Focus on the quality of your work — do not worry about turning things over in a short amount of time. Provided you give whoever Q. Would you say drafting the letter you’re working with a bit of notice and say it’s of response was your proudest or going to take me a bit of time to do this task, but as long as you are quality concerned that most enjoyable moment of being a will be impressive to them. Make sure that trainee? the document or whatever you’ve produced I would say that it was definitely my proudest achieves the result you are working for. moment. It, of course, got some edits from the partner and the associate on the matter Q. What do you enjoy getting up to but to see that first draft form the bedrock of our actual advice was incredibly encouraging when you are not working? for me as a trainee.

Cricket is always great, whether you are playing and watching. When I do get time on an evening sometimes or a Sunday afternoon, Q. Do you work closely with either I also enjoy reading on global politics, associates, senior associates and constitutional theory and the other academic partners? Or is it a mix? interests I had during university.

Due to the multi-specialist approach, I have been able to work with a full range of people.

The positive thing is while I’ve had supervisors who are partners and senior associates, we always have a monitoring partner who will catch up with us on a monthly basis to see how the seat is going, whether we have any expectations, any goals, anything we want to achieve that will help facilitate those goals.

It’s excellent in terms of the support structure and I’ve been able to work with a broad range of people at the firm.

A big thanks to Raza for his brilliant insights.

To find out more about being a trainee, head to Bright Network Academy on our online platform.

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4

Consulting & Professional Services Consulting is a prestigious profession which offers a wealth of opportunities to bright graduates. Consequently, expectations are high, but if you’re switched on, ambitious and work well under pressure this could be the sector for you.

Professional Services involves a range of different occupations that provide support to businesses in the form of advice or performing tertiary roles. Graduates help clients manage, support and grow their businesses in an effective and efficient way, in roles such as tax and assurance.

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The leading employers in...

Consulting & Professional Services Accenture Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations.

AT Kearney Drive excellence in this collaborative, authentic and forward-thinking culture. With a passion for doing innovative works for clients, you’ll go far at this firm.

Alfa Alfa Systems is the leading software platform in the world for asset finance and leasing businesses and has received the Best Companies Accreditation since 2007.

Bain & Company One of the world’s premier firms, Bain & Company has been providing pragmatic, tailored management consulting services for over 40 years. Passionate about helping their clients reach the best results, they also boast a distinctly social atmosphere.

Alpha FMC A global consulting company for wealth and asset management. Even though some of the world’s top wealth and asset management firms rely on Alpha FMC for expert consultancy services, the firm retains a friendly, collegiate atmosphere where you can really stand out.

AlphaSights One of the fastest growing companies in the world.

This young business has established itself as the go-to knowledge partner for global investors, top-tier consultants and corporate decisionmakers, helping them access the specific industry expertise they need to succeed.

Arthur D. Little Arthur D. Little is the first management consulting firm in the world. Their culture, people, and the way they operate are geared towards excellence in delivering value to clients when it comes to Anticipate, Innovate, and Transform.

Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

A global management consulting firm and the world’s leading advisor on business strategy. BCG partners with clients from the private, public, and not-forprofit sectors in all regions to identify their highest-value opportunities and address their most critical challenges.

Board Intelligence With a proven track record in developing and accelerating graduate talent, Board Intelligence are a dynamic and rapidly growing Software as a Service business, pioneering a service that helps the boards of some of world’s most respected companies excel.

Bow & Arrow Bow & Arrow brings together the core practices of a Management Consultancy, a market research business, an ideation company and a design agency into one end-to-end offering.

Capita As the largest business process management and integrated professional support services solutions firm in the UK, Capita is an enticing prospect for graduates and a key partner to many top global businesses and the UK government.

CGI As one of the largest IT and business process services providers in the world, CGI aligns innovation programs and investments to the needs of their clients – creating new solutions to accelerate a clients’ digital transformation.

Did you know?

The average management consultant salary is £46,599.

CIL Management Consultants A boutique strategy consultancy with offices in London and the southwest. Hard work and clever thinking are at the centre of everything CIL Management Consultants does. Graduates get stuck in from day one and receive a world-class business education to mould them into exceptional consultants.

Cognizant Cognizant enable global enterprises to address a dual mandate: to make their current operations as efficient and cost-effective as possible and to invest in innovation to unleash new potential across their organisations.

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Consulting & Professional Services

Dell Dell empowers countries, communities, customers and people everywhere to use technology to realise their dreams. They are committed to providing team members with the tools and flexibility to achieve their very best.

Deloitte This ambitious Big Four firm has always pushed boundaries in their work. The desire to innovate, support and succeed for their clients underlies every day at Deloitte. Join them for a range of excellent graduate opportunities.

Elixirr An evolving and fast-growing firm. Elixirr is proud to challenge convention and create a real impact. With good career prospects and a world-class work environment, this makes for an attractive package to graduates.

G2V Recruitment G2V Recruitment’s focus is on providing specialist global recruitment services.

If you have drive, ambition, and a desire to build a great recruitment career you can go further and faster at G2V.

Mace Mace is an international consultancy and construction company, founded on exceptional people, a commitment to service excellence and a deep-rooted entrepreneurial spirit.

IHS Markit IHS Markit is harnessing the deepest sources of information, analytics and expertise to forge solutions for the industries and markets that drive economies worldwide.

McKinsey & Company The world’s largest management consultancy.

They recruit the best minds from diverse disciplines, which is why they have been voted the best consulting firm in the world 14 years in a row.

Javelin Group Javelin Group looks to provide expert strategy consulting and digital transformation services to the biggest retailers worldwide. Graduates receive excellent all-round and thorough training.

Mercer Mercer is an international consultancy firm specialising in talent, health, retirement and investments. Become part of a diverse and inclusive culture and prepare for a firstclass education in the world of consulting.

KPMG The UK’s leading provider of professional services. KPMG believes in turning knowledge into value. Long-term thinking, mobility and responsibility are guaranteed aspects to careers at KPMG, where striving truly makes a difference.

La Fosse Associates Operating at all levels, from executive to contract, La Fosse Associates is the bestequipped consultants when it comes to the technological sector.

EY Increasing trust in business and fomenting collaboration are key factors at this Big Four firm. EY is devoted to the idea that if business works better, the world does too, and they exist to make that happen. Be a part of a firm helping shape the landscape of tomorrow.

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L.E.K. Consulting Using in-depth expertise to produce high impact results, L.E.K. Consulting is a global firm that helps its clients move forward with confidence and precision.

Newton Europe From healthcare to private equity, Newton’s financial and operational advice speaks for itself with a promise to improve financial performance. Their team works in partnership with clients to deliver unbeatable improvements.

OC&C Strategy OC&C Strategy prides itself on tackling the most complex issues facing ambitious management. Their culture is based on individual thinking and united effort, providing the momentum to meet any challenge.

Oliver Wyman Valuing people with energy, passion and a commitment to excellence means Oliver Wyman hires only the most exceptional. Be a part of an environment based on respect, teamwork and opportunity.

Consulting & Professional Services

Did you know?

Both the CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai, and musician John Legend had previous roles in Management Consulting.

PA Consulting PA Consulting is an innovation and transformation consultancy believing in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future in a technology-driven world. As strategies, technologies and innovation collide, they create opportunity from complexity.

QA Consulting Join the QA Learning Academy and gain the skills you need to fast track your career as an IT Consultant. They will enable you to work in leading edge technologies for some of the most recognisable brands and public sector organisations.

Reply Reply is focused on Digital Transformation, specialising in Consulting, Systems Integration and Digital Services. Founded in 1996, operates in 15 countries globally with around 7000 employees.

Sopra Steria Sopra Steria is one of the leading European players in Digital Transformation, helping their clients to address their most critical and complex business challenges.

Peel Hunt Independent brokering and advisory services for small to mid-size firms. Delivering outstanding results to clients, Peel Hunt is proud of its outstanding company commitment to putting the interests of clients before their own.

Strategy& PwC’s global team of strategy experts. Strategy& helps businesses seize the advantage and capture their greatest opportunities. Their strategy-through-execution approach has secured the firm’s name as one of the best in the business.

Plural Strategy A team of strategy consultants with an exceptional track record of solving the challenges in their sectors.

Their success depends upon delivering successful outcomes for their clients.

Sempre Analytics Sempre Analytics is an industry-leading analytics consultancy, with a proven track record of delivering solutions to some of the bestknown companies including global insurers, banks, housebuilders and prominent retailers. By bringing together the latest technologies in new and innovative ways, they help businesses reduce costs, improve performance and forecast business growth.

PwC An iconic professional services firm renowned for its rigour and reach. This rapidly expanding firm offers opportunities at all levels and in a range of departments, for a career built on ambition and results.

Spencer Ogden As global recruitment experts in energy and infrastructure, Spencer Ogden deliver within oil and gas, power and utilities, built environment and renewable energy sectors – they operate at all stages of the project life cycle, from financial inception to operational execution and design.

Steer Steer is a global business consultancy that combines commercial, economic, technical and planning expertise to find powerful answers to their client’s complex challenges. Mixing rigour and technical expertise with an open-minded, imaginative approach, Steer help clients maximise opportunity and realise value within a rapidly changing landscape.

Teneo Teneo is the world’s leading advisory firm providing strategic counsel to CEOs and leadership teams on their biggest reputational and business issues and opportunities.

Third Bridge A primary research firm that connects investors and businesses to critical intelligence. In an information-heavy world, they have created new ways to uncover the most elusive market insights in order to provide their clients with a competitive edge.

?What If! Innovation ?What If! Innovation is a consulting firm that uses an experimentation-led approach to define the strategy, create inventions and change the culture to turn organisations into human powered experimentation engines.

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Skills for consulting The Consulting sector attracts bright graduates looking for varied and intellectually challenging work.

It’s a brilliant starting point for a career, but graduate scheme places can be competitive.

If you’re thinking about a career in Consulting, here are the core skills you’ll need to demonstrate.

1 Problem Solving Consultants are constantly solving problems for their clients. As a result, getting to the heart of the challenges they’re facing and coming up with tangible solutions is key to your ability to succeed.

This means you need to be a strong problem solver and thrive in scenarios where you may not know all the answers but need to come to logical conclusions. Think about times you’ve solved challenges you’ve faced either academically or in extra-curricular and work settings. The skills transfer to the bigger problems you’ll experience as a consultant.

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2 Analytical skills Consultants are paid to get into the detail and find out the facts. This means you’re likely to be conducting research and looking at data to understand current ways of working, or even the implications of changes you might suggest.

You’ll need to be comfortable understanding what numbers mean, as well as making strong recommendations from them. Have some examples to hand of when you’ve analysed a situation and changed your approach as a result.

3 Work experience Consulting firms are looking for candidates who have already tried out their skills in a relevant work experience placement. Ideally, this would be an internship which will demonstrate your interest in the world of Consulting, as well as arming you with some ideas around what you are looking for in a Consulting firm. Other professional work experience with well-known brands is great too, especially if you can talk about the transferable skills learned, such as data analysis, presentation skills, teamwork etc.

Whatever the experience, make sure you can talk about instances where you took initiative and the impact of your contribution.

4 Leadership and initiative Consulting firms are looking for individuals who thrive in positions of responsibility and have an intuition for leading a team and stepping up to a challenge. If you have led a team or society on campus, organised an event or founded a group – these are great examples of your leadership potential.

Consulting & Professional Services

5 Perfect presentation Presentation is a critical success criteria for any Consulting applicant. If you are successful in becoming a consultant you can expect to be charged out to clients for several hundred pounds an hour. So, demonstrating your attention to detail and high standards from an early stage is imperative. The firm needs to be able to trust you to develop documents for FTSE 100 companies and to attend meetings with their chief executives.

You need to show you are up to the task. This includes everything from a typo-free, clear and well-articulated application form as well as a wellstructured CV with consistent formatting, readable font and good grammar. It won’t hurt to be a well dressed, shoe-polished and confident interview attendee as well.

6 Commercial awareness

but ‘I’m a perfectionist’ is unlikely to fly either.

You can also demonstrate self-awareness by reflecting on what you learned in some of the anecdotes you share. If you are talking about your experience in leading a team, end your description with a view of what you would do differently next time or what you learned from the experience.

9 Teamwork

Consulting is a team-based career, and so your ability to work well in teams is of real importance to your recruiters. They are looking for someone who can both work autonomously whilst under their guidance, as well as someone who thrives on the rewards that come from being part of a high performing team. Make sure you have a few examples of team experiences to hand – be it a sports team, a society or a project team on your course. Be clear on the role you played and how you contributed. It can also be useful If you’re successful to have a couple of model teams in in becoming a mind so that you can refer to one that you think works well and why. consultant you can Is it your favourite sports team where expect to be charged people are responsible for their own out to clients for several success as well as that of the team? hundred pounds Or maybe there's a local or international an hour. movement you admire. How have they brought their teams together?

Typically, consultants spend their careers working in a variety of different sectors and industries.

As such, your ability to quickly understand the fundamentals of an industry and how it works is key.

You can practice this by making sure you have a good understanding of hot topics across a variety of industries – not just those you are interested in. Your interviewer may reveal that they are a big fan of green energy, providing you with a fantastic opportunity to reference the latest news in that industry. Even with the caveat that you’re not an expert, it will show you are interested and up to date on major topics.

7 A natural communicator Communication is central to a consultant’s day job and all Consulting firms will be looking for evidence of both your written and verbal communication skills. This means being clear and concise on your application, as well as nailing your interview. As well as communicating well in the interview itself, try to refer to instances where you have used your communication skills to good effect. For example, to diffuse a heated situation, communicate a challenging idea or to enthuse your sports team.

8 Self-awareness Self-awareness is important to Consulting firms because it shows an ability to self-reflect and to develop in order to address areas of weakness. You are likely to be asked about your weaknesses so have some good, appropriate examples to hand.

Remember – these shouldn’t be deal-breakingly bad

10 Personality Consultants at the top firms typically work 60 hour weeks and, sadly, spend a significant proportion of time with their colleagues. Therefore, Consulting firms are looking for candidates who can get on with the rest of the team, who can build relationships across all levels of an organisation and who are fundamentally good at meeting new people. Having a few interests is a great way to get conversations started, so Consulting firms will be looking for evidence of interests outside of your work. This is the chance you have to show you are a fun, interesting individual, and not just a set of academic and work experience records. Remember though, don’t overstate yourself. If you say you love golf, chances are that you’ll be invited to play at some point, so keep it honest.

11 Do something entrepreneurial Understanding the complexities of business and the importance of client and customer relations is very much part of this industry. Starting your own business is a great way to learn about these aspects from a first-hand perspective, which will help you on real Consulting projects in the future.

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you can gain depending on the area you go into, and once qualified, these will enable you to practice anywhere in the world.

Let’s take a look at some of the roles you can get involved with.

Audit – Auditers play a key role in ensuring that company accounts and inventory are accurate and compliant. Companies may choose to have internal auditers, to understand where they can make cost savings, and businesses can also have their books audited by external companies if they’re a certain size or are under investigation.

In Audit you need to really enjoy digging into the details, along with being a strong communicator to articulate your findings.

By Ben Carter, Bright Network

What are professional services?

And what opportunities does it have for graduates?

The Professional services sector is one of the highest volume recruiters of graduates. But whilst a lot of students end up going into careers in this industry, it isn’t always clear what professional services are.

We take you through the key things you need to know.

Tax – Within a tax function your role is two-fold.

The first is to ensure that a business is compliant and filing accurate tax returns to HMRC. The second is to advise companies on how to be more tax efficient. Here you’ll be building real relationships with your clients to understand their businesses and using your subject matter expertise to steer them in the best direction.

Actuarial – Actuaries calculate and assess future financial risk for businesses. Primarily operating in areas like pensions and insurance they undertake complex financial calculations and models to give businesses better insight into their strategies and long term future. In an Actuarial role, you’ll need to be comfortable with numbers and using your calculations to inform your decisions.

Financial Advisory – Financial advisors help

businesses make the most of their money by suggesting investments, understanding their cash flow, supporting mergers and acquisitions and a whole The UK has host of other financial services.

As a Financial Advisor you’ll one of the largest specialise in a particular area, and most developed and work closely with your professional clients to understand their services markets financial goals and how they in the world. can attain them.

Professional services quite simply encompass a range of occupations that provide businesses with advice or undertake some tertiary business tasks. Some of these roles are necessary, and legally required, such as Tax and Audit services. Other services are utilised as companies start to grow or look for outside expertise such as Consulting or Financial advisory. Either way these firms serve as a crucial part of the economy, and this can be seen in the global size and scale of many of the firms in this space.

One of the big benefits of starting a graduate scheme within professional services is the training and qualifications that you work towards. There are a number of professional qualifications that 50

Consulting – Consultants can have a broad range of specialities and advise companies on everything from changing IT systems, through to how to reconstruct their business. It can be an exciting and varied role which can see you solving challenging problems in tandem with your client. You need to have excellent communication skills to be a consultant and enjoy building professional relationships with your clients.

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Consumer, FMCG & Retail There are hundreds of famous brands in this sector, responsible for the majority of products you buy and use in your homes. As many of these companies work internationally, you'll find that plenty of these businesses operate at huge scale, with supply chains running across the world.

Whether food, clothes, general merchandise or fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), there’s a real breadth of industries you can be involved with. As such the sector is constantly looking for switched on graduates who are passionate about products, logistics, strategy and customers.

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Consumer, FMCG & Retail

The leading employers in...

Consumer, FMCG & Retail Aldi A supermarket that’s getting it right – one of the fastestgrowing grocery retailers in the UK and regular contenders for the top spot in the Times Top 100’s “Best Graduate Employers”.

Amazon From a garage in Seattle to redefining e-commerce internationally, Amazon has grown to become the stand-out business of the internet age.

From retail to technology, the opportunities are abundant and highly sought after.

Arcadia Group One of the UK's largest fashion retailer. Graduates can choose from four main areas of the business: Buying, Merchandising, Finance or Digital. With tailored on-the-job training to be expected, Arcadia Group is the perfect place to start a career in retail.

ASOS Evolution has epitomised the ASOS story and still continues to be a core value. The brand shows what technology and retail can accomplish when they work together. If you’re looking for an exciting role as fast paced as the fashion business, this is the place to be.

AstraZeneca AstraZeneca is working to make the most of the opportunities advances in science and technology bring to the search for new medicines. Their UK presence is at the forefront of their research – see where you could make a difference.

Compass Group Adidas Employing more than 60,000 people in over 160 countries, they produce more than 840 million product units every year and generate sales of €22 billion (figures from 2018).

They keep things simple, lean and fast. bet365 bet365 is one of the world's favourite online gambling company, offering roles in technology, trading, operations and media, and work with their employees to improve products and services.

The retail sector employs 2.9 million people and retail sales in 2019 were worth £394 billion.

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Craster As a design-led company, Craster provides a creative platform that empowers buyers of premium Hotel, Retail and Restaurant groups to become more involved in creating innovative luxury product ranges that differentiate brands.

BrewDog Started in Scotland by two friends, the craft beer brewer have always aimed to shorten the distance between themselves and the people who enjoy the beers. In 2017, they had been on the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 for six consecutive years.

Coca-Cola

Did you know?

Compass Group is the largest leading catering and support services company in the world.

They work behind the scenes and in customer-facing teams, providing an excellent service whilst feeding thousands of school children, patients, workers and military personnel.

The largest beverage company in the world. Supplying over 200 countries with more than 500 brands, and selling a record of more than 1.9 billion servings in one day, Coca-Cola provides the ultimate experience for those interested in global retail opportunities.

Danone Danone offers opportunities across the board, from marketing and finance, to research posts in early life nutrition. See what you could bring to the brand.

Diageo Diageo supply top quality alcoholic beverages on a global scale. Their three-year graduate programme takes those who thrive on fast pace and challenges, and want to make their brands the best they can be.

Enterprise Rent-a-Car As a household name for frequent travellers and road trippers, Enterprise is now one of the largest ‘small’ businesses in the world, with an aim to become a leader in car rental, as well as sustainability and innovation.

Consumer, FMCG & Retail

Expedia Group Expedia are revolutionising travel through the power of technology. From the back-end supply and database functions, to new user-interfaces for more than 140 branded travel sites, there is no shortage of technical innovation.

John Lewis Partnership The John Lewis Partnership is all about its people. Employees are partners but it means so much more than just sharing the profits. Be part of a business that has redefined the retail model and contribute to its unique careers experience.

Fever Tree Since launching in 2005, Fever Tree established itself as the mixer drink specialists, crafting a range of products with a similarly intrepid attitude: going to the ends of the earth, sourcing the highest quality natural ingredients for the best tasting mixers.

Did you know?

In the last 10 years, online sales have risen by 324%.

GlaxoSmithKline A multinational, scienceled healthcare company, providing everything from pharmaceuticals to vaccines.

Focusing on global health, it’s the perfect company for those who want to make a difference to the lives of millions.

Heathrow Heathrow is not just the UK’s busiest airport, it is a crucial part of the national infrastructure, and they’re investing billions in innovative technology, new terminals and first-class training.

Heineken One of the UK's leading cider, beer and pub business.

Heineken offers excellent opportunities for people with talent and drive. There’s much more to this business than you might imagine.

Innocent Creating a business to be proud of. Innocent want to meet talented, ambitious and altruistic graduates who will inspire and deliver change all around them.

Johnson & Johnson One of the biggest names in health and pharmaceuticals.

The Johnson & Johnson family of companies has over 120 years of experience, with a focus on business morality that is the key to their continued success.

Kerry Group Kerry Group provide the largest, most innovative portfolio of Taste & Nutrition technologies and systems, and Functional Ingredients & Actives for the global food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries.

Kerry Foods is also a leading consumer foods processer and supplier in selected EU Markets.

Lego Lego are the masters of reinvention – they offer the chance of constant discovery with the possibility of creating something new every time.

L’Oréal Experts in the beauty sector and devoted to expanding its reach, L’Oréal is an ambitious, fast-growing firm. Opportunities are available across the business including in marketing, digital, legal and finance.

Lidl Lidl are proud pioneers in the world of retail. With over 760 stores, 13 warehouses and 22,500 employees in the UK alone, they’re one of the fastest growing retailers in the country.

Marks & Spencer (M&S) A retail icon looking to the future. Currently expanding into new markets, M&S is full of potential for those looking to start a career in retail. Whether you want to become a food technologist or work in logistics, there is something for every graduate at M&S. Mars Since 1932 Mars has been producing much loved brands in the UK, including Mars, Snickers, Galaxy, Malteser, Extra, Whiskas, Uncle Ben’s and Dolmio. It’s a family owned company and one of the world’s leading branded manufacturers.

Mondelez Curators of a range of iconic brands, including Cadbury and Milka. Those with a sweet tooth can find excellent development opportunities at the world’s top chocolate company, where big brands and big ideas mix.

Muntons Malt and malted ingredient producer for over 90 years.

Muntons has grown into a major contributor to their market and continues to build on that success.

Nestlé It’s the world’s leading nutrition, health and wellness company, and exports £346 million of products to over 70 countries from UK. Their recently expanded YOUth initiative goes to show Nestlé is committed to young and brilliant talent.

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Consumer, FMCG & Retail

Pentland Brands

Did you know?

The average consumer attention span online is 8 seconds.

Bringing you the best sport, outdoor and fashion brands.

Three generations after its foundation, this family-run business has gone from strength to strength. Pentland Brands aims to build on this success with graduates who have the ambition to achieve and excel.

New Look’s mission is simple: to help people look good and feel great. And when it comes to their people, New Look want them to express themselves and work in an environment where change and new ideas are celebrated. New Look believe that every individual who works in their business has an impact on where they are now and where they want to be.

O2 O2 is about far more than just technology. Whether a graduate’s strength lies in marketing, finance or HR, O2 offers opportunities in all sectors. A vibrant and dynamic culture encourages graduates to make the most of their talents.

Ocado An online supermarket powered by research and technology.

Ocado built its fulfilment business from scratch into an award-winning, innovative, customer-centric hub. Now they want to help you build your career into something just as impressive.

Be a part of the firm behind Walkers, Tropicana and of course Pepsi, with a global reach across 200 countries.

They also have an awardwinning female advancement scheme and are consistently listed in The Times ‘Top 50 Employers for Women’.

Premier Foods As one of Britain’s biggest listed food companies, Premier Foods employ over 4,000 dedicated colleagues at 15 manufacturing sites and offices across the UK. A large majority of what they sell is made in the UK from quality ingredients, and wherever they can, sourced sustainably from British suppliers and farmers.

Pfizer One of the world's largest research based pharmaceutical company. Working to improve the lives of people all over the world through service and science, Pfizer offers opportunities to make a difference in a diverse range of departments, all focused on helping to create worldchanging products.

PVH

P&G The conglomerate behind supplying products to nearly five billion people every day.

From Febreze to Pantene you could be a part of creating, manufacturing, promoting or selling any one of their 50 billion-dollar brands.

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TJX Europe are part of the world’s leading off-price apparel and home fashion retailer.

With origins in the United States, TJX Europe has built an extensive European presence with over 600 stores and a successful online retail business.

Tug

PepsiCo New Look

TJX Europe (TK Maxx & Homesense)

Since its inception over 130 years ago, PVH has become one of the largest apparel companies in the world, owning and marketing brands including Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Speedo.

Tug combine media, technology and creative to deliver better results, and make advertising work harder. They’re a fullservice digital agency, with roots in search engine marketing, meaning everything they do is measurable and accountable.

Virgin Media Virgin Media is part of one of the world’s leading converged video, broadband and communication companies.

They’ve launched the world’s first virtual mobile network, and are one of the largest fixed home phone providers in the UK and Ireland.

Unilever UK Ltd Unilever is committed to their brands and their consumers. From internships and apprenticeships to undergraduate programmes, Unilever provides unrivalled experience to those looking to work in the retail and consumer sector.

Consumer, FMCG & Retail

What do careers look like in Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Consumer and Retail Consumer, FMCG and Retail covers an incredibly diverse and dynamic set of careers and options. Companies within this sector work at huge scales, with global supply chains, and thousands of employees. As such you could go into a broad range of careers including finance, supply chain, commercial functions, strategy and operations, technology and more.

This sector is incredibly popular for graduates to go into, and there’s scope to build successful careers within these firms and be fasttracked to success.

What’s it like to work in the sector?

Working within Consumer, FMCG and Retail offers lots of opportunity. Graduate schemes within this sector aim to give you a fast track to leadership positions, and as such you will be exposed to a number of projects and roles outside of your day job. You’ll also get the opportunity to rotate around departments to get to know the business, and ultimately, better develop your skills. Due to the breadth of roles you get to experience, graduate schemes within these firms can be perfect for people who aren’t 100% sure of what they’d like to do. The whole sector is built around delivering quality products to customers. As a result, the customer’s needs are key to the decisions you make, and you have to constantly innovate what you’re offering, through promotions, marketing, or product development.

Let’s take a look at some of the roles available...

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Consumer, FMCG & Retail

Commercial

Supply chain

Being in a commercial function within this sector will see you buying or selling products. Here you’ll gain incredible stakeholder management skills, and a really in depth understanding of the markets and products you work in. Knowing the trends and what consumers are buying is key to what products your company will be looking to get in front of people. You’ll also find yourself negotiating deals and trying to save your business as much money as possible. These fast moving roles are great for people who are comfortable in building relationships with a wide range of stakeholders as well as enjoying some confrontation when trying to secure the best price for your company in negotiations.

Trillions of products move across the world every year by all kinds of means, and sitting at the heart of the operation and controlling this are supply chain teams. They help products get from A-B in the most efficient way possible, as well as ensuring there’s availability at all times for consumers. On a supply chain graduate scheme you can be looking at all parts of the operation, solving challenging logistical problems and making sure products arrive to consumers when they’re supposed to. You’ll need to be a great problem solver, and have excellent attention to detail. Don’t be surprised if you also need a maths, or even computer science degree for some roles as you may be modelling problems on computers.

Product development Product development will be at the heart of what a lot of businesses do, with new product development (NPD) being a key driver of sales for businesses in FMCG and Retail. Depending on the kind of business you’re in will depend on the kind of products you develop, however to give you an insight it can be anything from a new ready meal, through to a new razor. You’ll have to love consumer trends, analysing data, and using this insight to build new products. For some product development roles you may also need some specific technical/engineering experience, but this would be role specific.

Marketing Marketing within FMCG and Retail is big business, and as a result all companies will have huge marketing teams that will enable you to get experience working across a breadth of channels and media. You could be on product marketing, where you’re responsible for the design of the packaging of an individual product, or you could be working on adverts across TV and newspapers for the launch of a national companywide campaign. There’s a multitude of things you can get involved with and the ability to rotate across some of the marketing teams will give you a real insight into specifically what part of marketing interests you.

Finance As mentioned the scale of many of the firms within FMCG and Retail means that many of them do all of their business processes in house, including finance.

As part of the finance teams, again there’s a huge range of roles you can be looking at from accounting and tax, through to payroll and forecasting.

Sometimes you’ll be looking at sales figures for individual departments or even lines of products, and some will work at the business level to understand overall what is going on with the business. For these roles you’ll need great attention to detail, as well as strong numerical skills, chances are they’ll be looking for STEM degrees for these opportunities.

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Strategy and operations Strategy and operations keep businesses running by looking at the strategic direction the company is going in and knitting together teams of 100s to keep delivering results, and make sure everyone is on the same page. In these kinds of roles you’ll be able to work with a wide range of stakeholders across the business and get a real insight into what it is they do. What’s more, the projects you work on will be key in changing how the business operates and will help you make a lasting impact. These roles are particularly useful for those who like solving problems, and would like a lot of variety in their day to day role.

Technology Finally, technology is another key area you can work on in these businesses. Whether it’s protecting the business from harm in cyber security, or rolling out product upgrades and helping the rest of the business work more effectively, technology as with many businesses is key. As part of a tech role in FMCG and Retail, you’ll be applying tech skills to a specific industry, and this will help you become a specialist in this area. If you’re technical or have an interest in technology this role could be perfect for you. You may not need a degree from a STEM background either, as you’ll receive training to get you to the level needed.

Again due to the size of many of the companies and graduate schemes within FMCG and Retail, across each of these areas you’re likely to have the opportunity to rotate to see what kind of role suits you best. This is one of the major advantages of looking to work within these sectors. Likewise a career within the sector will put you on the fast track to a leadership position as a graduate, and with it increased responsibility. No matter your degree background or interests, hopefully you’ll see there’s roles here for everyone.

Consumer, FMCG & Retail

A day in the life of a retail graduate When it comes to graduate opportunities, the retail sector offers a huge amount of choice and variety in roles. With a wide range of schemes to explore within digital teams, distribution, buying, finance, IT, management, merchandising, logistics and supply chain, there are so many avenues to research and explore. However, the competition for roles is strong and so you need to be truly passionate and driven about pursuing a career within the sector to get ahead.

If you’re wondering whether a career in the retail sector could be perfect for you, Seung – a Bright Network Alumnus and a graduate on Amazon’s Retail Programme – shares a behind the scenes look into what your typical day could look like.

By Seung Kwak Bright Network Alumnus

The first thing I do when I get into the “office” When I get into the office, the first thing on my agenda is grabbing a nice cup of coffee before heading straight into training sessions. While working from home, as my bedroom is pretty much my office, I tend to wake up, go straight over to my desk and go through all my emails.

This helps me get started on a to-do list for the week ahead and kickstart the day with focus and direction.

My typical morning routine: My morning routine can vary quite a lot. Working at Amazon no two days are usually the same – sometimes there are meetings with other members of the team and my manager, other times I’ll have morning meetings with my vendors (clients) etc. Normally, once I’ve read my emails and set out a schedule for the day, this is when I focus on prioritising tasks.

Prioritising is key as every day is so different. For example, if I have a call with one of my vendors in the afternoon, I’ll prioritise my work with them so I’m ready and prepared with new updates for the 57

Consumer, FMCG & Retail

meeting. I find it’s important to be productive in the morning because it takes a lot of pressure off the afternoon and sets a good precedent for the rest of the day.

My typical afternoon routine

My 3 top tips for someone who is looking to go into the retail sector

I’ll normally have my lunch in the early afternoon – popping a quick sandwich in my toastie maker and taking a mental break by watching an episode of whatever series I happen to be following on Netflix. I can’t stress how important it is to disconnect from work and take a proper break during the day so you can come back to your to-do list in the afternoon refreshed and There’s a lot of energised! work and it's always After lunch, there is a big mix of potential things I could be doing, delving into projects from operations, to retail promotions and finance, to internal meetings or meetings with my clients, and of course lots more virtual training.

busy, so you have to make sure you prioritise well.

The final things I do before leaving the “office” Everyday, before wrapping-up I always do a quick review of my to-do list for the day, checking off all the tasks I’ve completed and highlighting whatever I wasn’t able to do that day.

I’ll also take a look at tomorrow’s calendar and the calendar for the rest of the week to form a vague schedule so I have an idea of what I have coming up and what I’ll need to prepare for.

One more final check through my emails, organising them into categories – I keep my emails organised in different folders for different types of emails, e.g. a folder for each brand I work with, a folder for our team emails, and another folder for training. With so many different people and departments you’re working with, it’s important to keep on top of all the different channels of communication and types of emails coming into your inbox so you don’t get confused and miss anything important.

Once that’s all done and dusted – I’m set for the day. Time to close down my laptop and relax for the evening!

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1. Time management is key There’s a lot of work, and it’s always busy, so you have to make sure to prioritise well. I’m constantly developing my time management skills but setting up a to-do list or any system that helps you to keep on top of all your different tasks is going to be super helpful in boosting this.

2. Ask loads of questions Be curious as you can be! Soak up all the knowledge you can, while you can. This is ultimately what’s going to help you build experience and progress.

3. Communication For most roles in the retail sector you’ll be dealing with a range of clients, brands or vendors, communication is key – I have weekly calls with my vendors to catch up and keep them updated on their business and listen to their needs, as well as have weekly calls with my managers and team so being able to adapt your communication style and interpersonal skills to suit the different types of people you’re speaking to is invaluable!

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Engineering & Energy The Engineering and Energy sectors are constantly evolving and in high demand. Engineers are the problem-solvers of the modern world, with specialisations ranging from defence to telecommunications. This is an immensely broad sector, with varying roles for engineering and non-engineering students with an analytical mind.

It is an exciting time for Energy firms with nuclear and renewable power sources as they are increasingly being explored and prioritised. A career in the Energy sector can result in a role that will help shape the next generation of energy, with opportunities ranging across fields.

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Engineering & Energy

The leading employers in...

Engineering & Energy Atkins Atkins has been involved in some of the UK’s most transformational projects – your work could range from helping clients switch to sustainable energy, through to assessing and mitigating flood risk.

AWE AWE is recognised as a centre of scientific, engineering and technological excellence, equipped with some of the most advanced research, design and production facilities in the world.

Arcadis This firm works in partnership with clients to deliver exceptional and sustainable outcomes throughout the lifecycle of their natural and built assets. Improve lives with Arcadis.

Arup Arup are consulting engineers with an unconventional approach to design. The minds behind the structural design of the Sydney Opera House, Arup’s planners and engineers continue to deliver innovative and sustainable designs that reinvent the built environment.

Babcock International The UK’s leading engineering support services organisation.

Operating in the UK and overseas, Babcock is trusted to deliver complex and critical support to the defence, energy, emergency services, transport and education sectors.

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BAE Systems A British company focused on multinational defence, security and aerospace. BAE Systems offer graduate opportunities for engineers, architects, project managers, planners, surveyors and consultants on a variety of engineering projects from the design of the Oxford Circus diagonal crossing, to passport security systems.

Bulb A startup energy supplier that provides renewable electricity and gas to homes across the UK. Bulb is building a passionate team of people that want to do energy differently.

Balfour Beatty Balfour Beatty is a leading international infrastructure group. Principally working in the UK and US, they do everything from financing, to building and maintaining Centrica vital infrastructure projects Supplying electricity and gas to including the Olympic Stadium businesses and consumers in the and Heathrow Airport T2.

UK, Centrica is looking for selfdriven, high-calibre graduates BMW who can grasp complex commercial issues and deliver The special fascination of the solutions in the energy sector.

BMW Group not only lies in its products and technology, but also in the company’s history, Costain written by inventors, pioneers Costain use expertise in and brilliant designers. technology, consultancy, asset Today, the BMW Group has optimisation and complex 31 production and assembly delivery positions to deliver its facilities in 14 countries. purpose of improving people’s lives by deploying integrated BP smart solutions to meet urgent infrastructure needs across the One of the world’s six UK’s defence, energy, water and ‘supermajor’ oil and gas transportation markets. companies, working for BP in both upstream and downstream development Cummins will put you on some of the most As the world’s largest technically and commerciallyindependent designer and challenging projects within the manufacturer of diesel engines, energy sector. innovation is ingrained into Cummins’ culture. Cummins British Airways take the time to understand customers and exceed British Airways is one of the expectations by being the leading global premium first to market with the best airlines and the largest products. international carrier in the UK. They serve almost 40 million customers a year, travel to over 170 destinations in more than 70 different countries worldwide.

Engineering & Energy

LEDA Ltd E.ON With the goal of being a trusted LEDA is a multi-disciplinary co-operative of architects and energy partner for consumers, building services engineers.

E.ON is looking for innovators in They help clients develop technology, finance, marketing design for buildings that are and more to help keep the lights on for their clients, as well as the both creative and user-friendly planet. with a sustainable blueprint for lifelong function, operation and management.

EDF Energy One of the UK's largest producer of low-carbon energy. Whether you are an engineer, have a mind for digital technology or just want to help the business run smoothly, you can be part of building a more sustainable future with this award-winning energy producer.

ExxonMobil ExxonMobil is one of the world’s largest oil and gas company and employ those who want to use science to find better, cleaner ways to deliver the energy the world needs.

Hive Energy Hive Energy is one of the world's leading developers of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy and the company is on a mission to create transformational change for a cleaner future by delivering world-class solar projects and smart solutions across the circular economy.

Jaguar Land Rover The largest automotive manufacturer in Britain, accounting for more than 30% of all domestic car production in 2018.

KBR KBR is a global provider of comprehensive solutions for aerospace and defence, energy and chemicals, intel and data science, and federal and civilian markets. Their goal is to improve the world responsibly and safely.

Murphy Murphy is a leading global, multidisciplined engineering and construction company founded to improve lives by delivering world-class infrastructure.

Did you know?

Since 1990, the energy sector has lowered CO2 emissions by 68% – one of the largest contributions to the reduction of the UK’s emissions.

Leonardo Leonardo’s growth in the UK has resulted from the skills, energy and dedication of its people. They are passionate about nurturing the talent of tomorrow to help guarantee the continued success of their business.

Lockheed Martin UK A leader in systems integration working on major programmes spanning the aerospace, defence and civil sectors.

Headquartered in Central London, Lockheed Martin operates over 20 sites and employs 2,000 people.

Martin Baker Martin Baker has been the world leader in the design and manufacture of ejection and crashworthy seats for over 70 years. Constantly innovating and pioneering ejection seat development, they’ve dedicated all of their years as a family-run business to saving pilots’ lives.

McLaren Automotive An iconic British-based, globally revered manufacturer of luxury, high-performance sports cars. They harness and develop technology taken from over five decades of race-winning competition and success to create the ultimate drivers’ cars, setting new benchmarks for performance and efficiency in the process.

Mott MacDonald Their network of experts, active in 150 countries, find opportunities in complexity, turning obstacles into elegant, sustainable solutions. By looking at problems from a fresh angle, their aim is to add value at every stage.

Network Rail The company that owns and operates the railway infrastructure in England, Wales and Scotland on behalf of the nation. That’s 20,000 miles of track, 40,000 bridges and viaducts and thousands of tunnels, signals, level crossings and points.

National Grid National Grid ensures efficient transmission of electricity and gas all around the UK. With graduate opportunities in all areas, this is a chance to do vital work that affects millions and keeps the country moving. npower One of Britain’s leading energy companies, serving around 5.1 million residential and business accounts with electricity and gas. They offer a range of career opportunities from graduate schemes and jobs in customer services, to engineering roles at their power stations.

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Engineering & Energy

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nucleargraduates brownfield regeneration, Severn Trent Water The Berkeley Group focus on Each year the nucleargraduates Severn Trent Water is challenging and complex sites programme brings together a responsible for water supply that are beyond the scope of diverse inter-disciplinary group management, waste water conventional homebuilders. of ambitious graduates to treatment and disposal. As collaborate with and support well as complying with Transport for London each other as they embark on government legislation, they their careers in one of the most set their own internal standards Charged with providing public stable and secure industries in on issues such as public transport to over eight million the UK today. health, leakage reduction and residents of London, TfL’s purview water source cleanliness in its ranges from managing cyclists, catchment region. to running one of the busiest Powersystems UK underground transit systems in Powersystems is a specialist the world. Graduates can choose high voltage (HV) electrical Scottish Southern Electric from over 30 different schemes engineering company. As As a FTSE 100, SSE operates and programmes. a highly trusted partner of across the UK and Ireland. their clients, Powersystems They are proud to be a Living Trayport has grown by reputation Wage accredited employer of excellence to become a Trayport is the primary network and always aiming to provide major force in the design and and data platform for European a high-quality service to its installation of high voltage wholesale energy markets. Their customers. infrastructure across the UK. network and solutions provide choice and support the growth Shell of trader, broker and exchange Rolls Royce clients and trading markets.

Domestically and commercially, One of the world’s leading Shell is one of the largest producers of aero-engines for VINCI Construction energy provider, with 80 years civil aircraft and jets, as well of experience. A ground VINCI Construction focuses as keeping everything from breaking force in this vital on connections, performance, submarines to nuclear plants sector. energy efficiency and data to performing properly, Rolls fast-track the rollout of new Royce seeks the people technologies and support Tarmac behind the power. two major changes: digital Tarmac is one of the largest transformation and energy construction materials transition. They boost the company in the UK, with a reliability, safety and efficiency wide variety of roles available of energy, transport and at sites spanning up and down communication infrastructure, the whole country. They touch factories, buildings and everything you see around you information systems. from the roads you drive on everyday, to the schools, Wood Group homes, and hospitals that Multinational oil & gas services form an essential part of the company headquartered in UK’s infrastructure.

Scotland. The company has three businesses providing a range of Thales engineering, production support International specialists in and maintenance management safety innovation, Thales offers services to the oil & gas and you the chance to do work that power generation industries matters on the cutting edge worldwide. At Wood Group, their of engineering, science and people are their power.

RWE technology.

With its two operational WSP business fields, Conventional

T he Berkeley Group They are one of the world’s Power Generation and Energy leading engineering professional The Berkeley Group build Trading, RWE is indispensable services consulting firms, with homes and neighbourhoods for the functioning of the technical experts and strategic across London, Birmingham entire energy system and for advisors including engineering, and the South of England. security of supply in Europe. technicians, scientists, architects, Specialising in long-term planners, surveyors and environmental specialists.

Engineering & Energy

you to grab with both hands. The sector aims to provide quality engineering solutions for clients and customers alike, typically enhanced through emerging technologies and the innovation of its employees. Graduates are at the forefront of this innovation, providing a mixture of new ideas, enthusiasm and a will to develop.

By Harry Bennell

An inside look into the Engineering sector

Engineering based graduate schemes are typically 2 to 3 years long and provide exposure to a range of different roles and environments. It may be within a variety of sectors, for example spending 3 months within a systems engineering team and then 3 months within a computer aided design (CAD) team, providing a wealth of experience, or even across a range of locations providing scope to travel across both the UK and the World. This is ideal for graduates who are unsure about what they want to specialise in. All the while you will be developing as both a young professional and an engineer, providing a platform to excel through your career whatever path you may wish to take.

Quality and Safety are two buzzwords all engineering companies will promote throughout your career in engineering. All work which Quality and safety you will produce will be both are two buzzwords of high quality and abide to all engineering safety policies, in turn ensuring The engineering sector companies will your work is of professional incorporates a vast selection promote throughout standard and appeases clients of career paths with simultaneously. Typically to your career. opportunities in Mechanical, ensure quality is achieved a set process is used, such as the use of a Civil, Electrical, Chemical and British Standard. Also, you will in most many more exciting and upcoming circumstances become part of an engineering areas. STEM students are typically body, which will aid in your development towards becoming a chartered engineer. This process attracted to the engineering sector as can take several years and is effectively a seal it provides you with an opportunity to of approval to confirm you are a competent apply typical mathematical problems engineer. But note, years in industry and summer internships can contribute towards this experience to real life scenarios, be that through so it is recommended you invest in these kinds of the design of a fully sustainable cost opportunities, if you can.

effective building, to the formation of a one of a kind fusion reactor, capable of changing the world as we know it.

But the sector is not only confined to technical roles, many companies offering graduate roles provide opportunities to develop managementbased skills, through project management, time management and mentoring opportunities.

There are a wide range of personal and career development opportunities, just waiting for

Before applying for specific engineering roles you need to figure out what would be best suited to you. Even within the Mechanical Engineering sector, you can find aerospace, nuclear, defence, automotive and biomedical roles, just to state a few. But once you have decided on where you want to apply, there will be a series of online applications, psychometric tests, telephone interviews and assessment centres to ensure you are right for the role and the company is right for you.

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Engineering & Energy

Initial application Psychometric tests Video interview Assessment centre Final interview Make sure you’re practicing the test stages of the application process, as well as looking at other resources on Bright Network to help you.

Application tips for the Engineering sector There's such a broad and diverse range of roles within engineering and the application processes in the associated fields are as varied as the opportunities available. That being said, as someone looking to enter the engineering sector there are some key things you can do to make your applications stand out from the crowd.

Here are our top tips: 1 Research – Making sure you’re researching the type of sector and roles you want to go into is key! The application processes for Mechanical vs Civil engineering could be completely different, so understanding either what the application process looks like for your chosen discipline – or failing that the kind of things you’ll be doing on the job, will give you a leg up in the application process.

2 Think about the process – Off the back of your research you’ll find out what the application process looks like, and for some of the bigger firms it could look like the following: 64

3 Network – Based on your research, start to make connections with people at the companies you’re interested in working at. You can start simple by attending careers fairs they’re going to be visiting, or you can reach out to people on LinkedIn with questions about the sector. This is a great way to get more information on what a role there is like, as well as potentially giving you the inside track to the application process.

4 Show your skills – Great engineers have a broad range of skills, but some key ones to think about are: Quick learner Teamwork Analytical skills Time management Communication Think about times you’ve demonstrated the above skills and start to prepare Situation, Task, Action and Response answers to questions you may be asked as part of an application or in the interview

5 Look at a firm’s values – Understanding what drives a company and their mission is key when thinking about if you’ll be a good fit there.

Chances are a lot of your non-technical interview questions will focus around these and you’ll need to think about times you’ve demonstrated their values 6 Think technical – A significant proportion of your application processes are likely to test your engineering knowledge. Think about the specific role and company you’ve applied for and what kinds of technical knowledge they’re expecting.

Really make sure you brush up on your ability to solve these kinds of problems and questions as you’re likely to be given these as mock scenarios.

The basic principles for applying to all kinds of graduate schemes hold true for engineering, but some of those key technical questions are where you’ll really find a difference. As ever, practice makes perfect, and we’d always recommend thinking about applying to a few companies to maximise your chances of success.

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Financial Services

Financial Services encompass any role providing a service to the financial industry, such as supplying the data, analysis and news reports financiers require to make the best investment and commercial decisions. In this fast-pace global industry, there are a vast range of companies and roles available to students from a range of degree backgrounds.

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Financial Services

The leading employers in...

Financial Services Association of British Insurers The ABI is the voice of the UK’s world leading insurance and long-term savings industry.

A productive, inclusive and thriving sector, they are an industry that provides peace of mind to households and businesses across the UK and powers the growth of local and regional economies by enabling trade, risk taking, investment and innovation.

Admiral Named the best big company to work for, Admiral sits on the FTSE 100 and employs 7,000 people in South Wales.

Admiral’s award-winning insurance service is based on exceptional people and their unique company culture.

AIG Innovation doesn’t grow in a box. But it does thrive in safe places. At AIG, they provide the safety that gives companies and individuals the freedom to grow. They work to pinpoint risks and prevent them.

Allianz Allianz is one of the largest general insurers in the UK and puts their customers at the heart of everything they do. Committed to creating a great working environment, help them deliver products and services every client can recommend.

American Express The world’s largest credit card issuer, American Express has earned its reputation for quality. Now it’s seeking a broad range of employees to continue its mission to better serve its customers.

Aon The UK’s largest insurance broker. Combining in-depth knowledge with a global perspective has enabled Aon to become the leader in their field.

AXA AXA has been helping people to protect the things they hold dearest for over 200 years.

Today they are transforming their business and want graduates to help them challenge everything for the better.

Bank of England The central bank of the United Kingdom. Bank of England is dedicated to maintaining the monetary and financial stability of the UK. They offer bright minds the chance to work on high-profile and high-impact projects while learning from world-leading professionals.

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BDO A firm committed to helping you show your true colours.

Whether you’re interested in audit, tax, advisory or financial services, BDO wants its employees to excel and deliver meaningful change for their clients.

BGC Partners BGC Partners is a pioneering global brokerage company servicing the financial and real estate markets. Their employees are central to their business strategy and they know the importance of recruiting and retaining toptier talent.

Bloomberg Delivering critical information to the world’s key decisionmakers sees that Bloomberg’s role in world affairs is never underestimated. Minds looking for a fast-paced environment are always in demand.

Capital One From day one, their business has been about helping people succeed with credit.

Capital One use innovative tools like their QuickCheck eligibility checker, to help drive positive change across the finance industry.

Chaucer Chaucer is a leading international insurance and reinsurance group. In your early career at Chaucer, you shoulder a lot of responsibility, are empowered to make decisions, and are ambitious.

Their graduates are rotated around the business to gain a deep understanding of each area.

Financial Services

Did you know?

The UK is the leading global net exporter of financial services, generating $88bn.

Financial Conduct Authority The FCA is crucial in ensuring consumers are provided with appropriate products and that the financial industry is run with integrity. Graduates can expect the opportunity to make a difference while learning from industry experts.

Fnality Fnality's goal is to shape the future of peer-to-peer financial services by bringing together the world's best engineers, lawyers. bankers, analysts and thought leaders.

Grant Thornton UK LLP Dynamic organisations know they need to apply both reason and instinct to decision making. At Grant Thornton, their award-winning technical and accountancy advice helps their clients every day.

G-Research As one of Europe’s leading quantitative finance research firm, G-Research tackle some of the biggest questions in finance by using expertise, machine learning, big data, and some of the most advanced technology available to predict movements in the financial market.

Greensill With a team comprised of experienced finance professionals operating on three continents, learn from the best and build an excellent career specialising in structured trade finance, working capital optimisation, specialty financing and contract monetisation.

Jane Street Jane Street is a quantitative trading firm that uses innovative technology, a scientific approach, and a deep understanding of markets to guide their business. They are a global liquidity provider and market maker, operating around the clock and around the globe, out of offices in London, New York, Hong Kong, and Amsterdam.

Guernsey Financial Services Commission Their Graduate Development Jardines Programme ensures employees One of the top 200 publicly receive all the skills they need traded companies in Asia to supervise and develop the and a member of the Fortune Guernsey finance industry with Global 500. Jardines uniquely integrity and efficiency. diverse portfolio of industry Hiscox leading businesses spans a wide range of sectors Hiscox is an international including premium property, specialist insurer providing first-rate motors, modern insurance cover for over 60,000 retail, world-class hotels and homes in the UK, as well as state-of-the-art engineering providing extensive business and construction. insurance to the needs of over 150,000 SMEs, professionals and consultants.

Hivemind Hivemind build software that helps their range of clients turn messy and unstructured information into great quality data assets.

Hymans Robertson Clients can be assured of unbiased advice and quality with Hymans Robertson.

Graduates are encouraged to think freely in the unconstrained yet supportive environment of the Trainee Actuarial Consultant programme.

ING ING serves a broad range of customers and it seeks those with an ethos of honesty and a desire to build a sustainable future. Always striving for better, they focus on innovation, transparency and empowerment.

Lloyd’s of London With expertise earned over centuries, Lloyd’s is the foundation of the insurance industry and the future of it.

Launch your career in insurance on their two-year graduate programme.

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Financial Services

Lloyds Banking Group Focused on retail and commercial financial services, they look for passionate individuals with the drive to innovate. Help customers achieve their goals and dreams in their home lives and their businesses.

London Stock Exchange Operating a broad range of international equity, bond and derivatives markets alongside post trade and risk management services means that talented and motivated graduates will never be bored at this global finance hub.

Marsh & McLennan Companies

One of the world's leading insurance broker. Designing effective, bespoke solutions to manage risk, MMC serves clients in more than 130 countries. The perfect environment for individuals committed to delivering the best results for customers and the company.

Mazars Not only one of the largest accounting firms in Europe, Mazars is recognised internationally as an accounting expert. Totally integrated and completely transparent, it is their values and people that set it apart.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group The group is a leading financial service institution in Japan and is working towards the goal of being the world's most trusted group.

They’re located in more than 50 countries & regions and serve businesses and society by building long-term relationships through the brand promise of 'Your trust, your future, our commitment’.

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Moody’s Moody’s is recognised for the important role it plays in shaping the thinking of participants in creditrisk sensitive markets. Its employees provide products and services that make a difference in global and local markets.

Morgan Stanley A household name with unbeatable opportunities for graduates. Morgan Stanley offers a variety of programmes, ensuring graduates are fully aware of the depth and variety of Morgan Stanley’s work.

Numis An independent stockbroker and corporate advisor raising capital for successful businesses. They’re looking for candidates with drive and ambition to continue Numis’s strength and success in all areas.

PJT Partners PJT Partners is a premier global advisory-focused investment bank who have world-class franchises in each of the areas they compete in: Strategic Advisory, Restructuring and Special Situations, PJT Park Hill.

National Audit Office (NAO) The NAO both oversees governmental spending and evaluates its value for money.

The NAO graduate scheme enables you to become fully qualified chartered accountant, effectively auditing the country.

RBS RBS puts its customers at the heart of everything it does.

With the aim of becoming the number one bank for customer service in 2020, they seek fresh-minded graduates to shape their future success.

Nationwide Building Society The world’s largest building society. A British mutual financial institution and building society that runs for the benefit of its customers.

At Nationwide, they believe it is important to help motivated graduates with good communication skills kickstart a meaningful career.

Redburn One of Europe’s largest independent equities broker. Tailored exclusively for institutional investors, their independence allows complete client focus and superior customer service.

Combining innovative research and industry expertise, there’s no better place to specialise.

Redington Ltd The purpose at Redington is to help make people financially secure. Their team is motivated by: ensuring defined benefit pensioners are paid in full; designing outcome-oriented funds that offer value for money for savers; teaching children to budget and save; creating a more sustainable future with reduced inequalities; and ultimately rebuilding trust in the pensions and savings industry.

Financial Services

RSM Cohesion and excellence are the key to RSM’s success. An independent firm of chartered accountants and business advisors, they are committed to providing quality business solutions.

Standard Life Aberdeen Working with clients to maximise savings and build pensions, Standard Life works to guide clients towards a bright future with a range of financial tools. A perfect opportunity for long-term thinkers.

Thomson Reuters Offering graduate programmes in business and finance displays the importance of graduates to Thomson Reuters, who remain at the top of their game in providing intelligence to leading companies and individuals.

S&P Global The world looks to S&P Global for essential intelligence. Their data and insights provide clarity to complex systems so customers can make decisions with conviction.

Join them and help make the financial world a better, more understandable place.

Santander A leading financial services provider in the UK, Santander’s winning combination is down to its focus on retail and commercial banking for clients of all sizes. Their graduate schemes provide a matchless gateway into retail banking.

Smith & Williamson Helping clients achieve their financial ambitions has earned Smith & Williamson their reputation, but it’s their people that makes the firm thrive. Graduates can expect to work on real accounts as well as working towards professional qualifications.

Travelers Travelers Europe is a global company with a proud history.

They wrote the first auto insurance, the first aircraft insurance and even the first personal accident cover for astronauts. They continue that heritage of adventurous spirit into the present day.

Visa The leading payments system in Europe, constantly working at the forefront of technology to introduce new, easier and more secure payment options.

Visa has exciting careers in tech and non-tech roles.

Zopa Empowering people to FeelGood about their money.

They’ve been on this journey since 2005, when they built the first ever peer-to-peer lending company to give people access to simpler, better-value loans and investments.

9fin 9fin is artificial intelligence powered financial data for the bond market used by world-leading banks. They use computer vision and machine learning to find key data on bonds and the companies who use them, making the data easy to search, filter and analyse on their website.

Did you know?

As a data analyst you can expect a starting salary of around £30k.

Willis Towers Watson A leading global advisory, broking and solutions company that helps clients around the world turn risk into a path for growth. The perfect fit for intellectually-curious graduates looking to unlock their potential.

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Financial Services

Essential Skills for the Financial Sector The financial sector incorporates a huge range of careers requiring a diverse set of skills. As an intern or graduate, you’ll be required to perform a multitude of different tasks. It is therefore vital to sharpen the skills that are essential for your role whilst at university to ensure you stand out throughout the recruitment process and the role itself.

These are the most important skills to hone for a role in finance: 1 Analysis Most financial firms seek out interns and graduates for jobs that deal with reams of information and will look for evidence of analytical skills in all of their applications.

Fortunately, this is a skill that almost all degrees will invariably provide, whether you’ve studied mathematics, science, a humanities degree, or anything else. These skills will be of paramount importance to a role in financial analysis, as they require employees to sift through huge amounts 70

of data to spot patterns, discrepancies and trends in their clients’ accounts.

If you have done exceptionally well in a piece of coursework or project based around research and analysis, do not be afraid to discuss it in the interview. It will stand testament to your ability to think analytically and present your findings in a coherent manner – an invaluable skill in the finance industry.

2 Persuasiveness Persuasiveness is a highly sought after and rewarded skill by employers. It is integral to a career in sales, where you will have to raise revenues for your client and bank, or in consultancy, where you will need to exhibit the potential to bring in new clients with your charm and ability to articulate ideas.

You’ll be given the chance to exhibit your persuasiveness in both the recruitment process and in your role. Whilst you’ll have to persuade them that you are right for the job in the interview, you may even have to exercise your knack for persuasion if asked to present a stock pitch or give your opinions during a case study exercise. Although it may be difficult to find activities that encourage you to be more persuasive at university, a great way to start would be by joining a society committee. You will have

Financial Services

to get used to bringing individuals, and even whole teams, round to your particular way of thinking, which can be a great challenge.

3 I nterpersonal and communication skills

skills. Whilst an intern, you may be required to perform functions across a range of divisions, thus willingness to immerse yourself in multiple divisions and complete a diverse range of tasks will help you stand out. Plus, financial firms are looking to modernise, and they’re after graduates to support this transition.

Useful in any profession, good interpersonal skills will make you highly agreeable to work with and This can be nurtured by engaging in a diverse instil a feeling of trust and support from your range of activities whilst at university – getting clients and colleagues. Any finance role in which involved in societies, both academic and sport you are working with clients will benefit related, taking on voluntary work or any from communication skills, as you’ll other experience the university offers. likely have to explain quite complex Not only does it give you some great transactions, investment decisions It is no secret experience to talk about in interviews, and data into information that it also shows you perform well in a that the financial industry your client can understand and variety of environments. is continuously evolving respond to. and the skills needed 6 Initiative to be successful are You’ll be given your chance to rapidly changing. exhibit these skills during the Taking initiative is an incredibly interview and assessment centre, valuable and well-respected trait especially during the group tasks. If to have within the finance industry. you’ve done any customer facing partEmployees and interns who are able to take time work, for example in a shop, this is a brilliant initiative and seek out new challenges are often way to show your skills in this area, especially if rewarded with greater responsibility and chances you had some difficult clients. for personal and professional development. At university, it’s a great time to showcase your passion for engaging in new opportunities; you 4 Mathematical expertise could start a new society, seek out a position of Maths skills are integral to anyone working in responsibility within an existing one or even set financial analysis, in which number crunchers up a little business. Not only will these push you need to combine statistics and contextual outside your comfort zone but will be a great information to give a company a clear picture addition to your CV and make for great talking of their finances. Therefore, it’s no surprise that points in interviews. employers are keen to assess a candidate’s numerical aptitude throughout the recruitment 7 Attention to detail process. From the numerical reasoning test to assessment centre, thorough numerical skills are It might not be the most exciting skill in the future crucial to impress during the process. financier repertoire but it’s so important to flourish in roles which involve lots of analysis, data and Make sure your aptitude for maths comes across financial reports. Being able to produce accurate well in your CV or application, whether it is work and also being able to spot mistakes yourself through the degree you study or extra-curricular or others make is vital for your credibility. It’s activity. If you don’t study a numerical degree, slightly cliché, but it’s something which you can there’s no need to worry. You can sharpen your develop over time with practice. When checking maths skills by completing numerical reasoning anything you do, set aside a good amount of time tests available on Bright Network Academy – once to the task and give it your full attention. It’s never you get used to them, they become much easier going to be the most glamorous part of a job in to pass. finance or your university work, but companies need graduates with great attention to detail, and 5 Adaptability who take pride in every part of their work.

Adaptability to a changing work environment is a necessary skill to be successful as an intern or employee at a financial firm. It is no secret that the financial industry is continuously evolving and the skills needed to be successful are rapidly changing. Employees, both old and new, must therefore be able to adapt to a changing work environment which requires different 71

Financial Services

A quick guide to the financial markets What’s the point of the financial markets? The financial markets provide sources of funding to companies and governments.

There are two types of funding: debt and equity.

Most bonds pay a fixed rate of interest (which is why bonds are also called ‘fixed income’). Some have a floating rate (tied to a base rate set by a central bank) and are called ‘floating rate notes’.

The interest rate a bond pays is known as the ‘coupon’. This is from when bonds were physical bits of card. They were too valuable to carry around, so bond holders would clip the coupon from the bond and present the coupon to get the interest.

What is debt? Debt is where you borrow a lump

Governments are the biggest issuers of bonds (they only have two sources of money: taxation and borrowing). The biggest borrower in the world is the US government. Its bonds are called ‘treasuries’ because they are issued by the US Treasury department. UK government bonds are known as ‘gilts’ because in the old days they were bits of card with silver edges (‘gilt-edged’).

of money (the principal amount) and pay interest on the amount borrowed (known as ‘servicing the debt’) and then in due course repay the principal.

There are two types of debt: Loans provided by commercial banks and bonds provided with the help of investment banks.

A bond is an IOU issued by a company or government to be repaid on a set ‘redemption date’. Most are called medium term bonds or notes (‘note’ and ‘bond’ mean the same thing) and last between two and ten years. There are also long bonds. Short term bonds are called ‘commercial paper’ and are typically for three months.

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By Chris Stoakes

What is equity? Equity is the other type of

funding. Another name for equity is shares.

Companies issue shares. Investors who buy them are called shareholders. A shareholder is looking for two things: growth in the value of the share – as the company gets bigger and more successful so a share in the company will increase in value

Financial Services

and can be sold for a gain; and dividends which are paid to shareholders out of a company’s profits.

A business that is just getting off the ground is called a start-up. Some start-ups take a long time to generate any profit so they remain private for a long time. Private companies valued at more than $1 billion are called ‘unicorns’. A lot of tech and biotech companies are unicorns.

Many successful companies choose to become a ‘public company’ by listing their shares on a stock exchange. This enables their shares to be freely traded and bought by anyone. Going public is also called ‘listing’, ‘flotation’ or ‘IPO’ which stands for Initial Public Offering. Being listed also enables a company to use its shares to buy other companies (targets) in what is called M&A (‘mergers and acquisitions’). The company can offer its shares to a target’s shareholders in return for their shares in the target. If they don’t want its shares they simply sell them on the stock exchange.

The biggest 100 companies listed on the London Stock Exchange are called the FTSE 100 (FT = Financial Times; SE = Stock Exchange). The list (‘index’) of these 100 companies is watched as a barometer of the UK market.

Who buys shares and bonds?

When a company or government wants to issue a bond it will go to an investment bank (the ‘lead manager’). The bank pulls together a group of investment banks (‘managers’) to ‘underwrite the issue’ (buy the bond) and ‘distribute the paper’ (sell it to investors).

Investment banks also advise companies on IPOs and M&A deals.

What is a global bank? A global bank does both commercial and investment banking.

What is a central bank? Central banks are

part of government. They set interest rates and control the money supply. Apart from being ‘lenders of last resort’ (meaning they will bail out banks that go bust) they are not otherwise what you and I would call a bank.

How can I remember all this stuff? Easy.

There are only three types of participants in the financial markets and we’ve covered them all.

Issuers are companies and governments.

They raise money by issuing securities.

Intermediaries are commercial and There are only investment banks. They lend money three types of (commercial) and help issuers participants in the issue securities (investment).

These securities are bought by financial markets – institutional investors. Because issuers, intermediaries they buy securities they are known and institutional as the ‘buy side’ while issuers and investors. investment banks are called the ‘sell side’. All done.

Shares and bonds (called collectively ‘securities’ – from when they were ‘security printed’ to prevent fraud) are bought by institutional investors. These are pension funds, insurance companies and investment companies.

All of these get their money to invest from us – our pension plans, our insurance premiums and savings.

How are banks involved? There are two types of banks. Commercial banks lend money. Investment banks help companies and governments issue securities.

You can find out more in Chris Stoakes’s book All You Need To Know About The City available on Amazon.

Commercial banks provide loans. If a company or government wants a bigger loan than a single bank is prepared to lend, the bank will pull together a group of banks to make a ‘syndicated loan’ together.

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Management, Marketing & Enterprise Business management offers an exciting career route for graduates wanting experience within every area of a business, and the chance to lead a team to deliver key results. From startups to multinational corporations, this area provides ample opportunity for development and progression.

Marketing is a popular area for bright graduates due to its mixture of creativity and analysis. Individual roles and their scopes vary from company to company, with a chance to work on campaigns spanning multiple sectors.

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Management, Marketing & Enterprise

The leading employers in...

Management, Marketing & Enterprise British Horseracing Authority AK Creative The British Horseracing With a decade of international Authority (BHA) is responsible experience, AK Creative is a for the governance, specialist in offering highly administration and regulation tailored consultative services of horse racing and the for creatives and agencies wider horse racing industry – providing clients and in Britain. The BHA leads on candidates expertise, tailored the development and growth services, consultative advice, of racing and prioritises the transparency and a global reach. health and welfare of the sport’s participants.

Bay Media Over the last 15 years Bay British Land Media has become a preferred partner for the world’s biggest At British Land, creating ‘Places People Prefer’ is at events, regional authorities and the heart of everything they leading brands. They deliver the do. They are inspired by kind of reach and results that how places can affect cannot be achieved via any people’s lives, whether they other outdoor media. live, work, shop or are part of the wider community.

Abbot Mead Vickers BBDO As part of their £14.8bn assets One of the biggest under management, their communications agency in portfolio includes UK-wide the UK. The AMV Academy retail multi-let centres, Central ensures graduates are well London campuses and prime prepared for the fast-paced residential developments. and fascinating world of AMV. Recruiting in the sectors of BT Group account management, project British telecoms keeps the management and planning, world connected. With they offer opportunities in all customers ranging from disciplines. corporations to families, BT has been helping people BBC stay in touch since 1980, Ground-breaking news with global opportunities reporting and award-winning in services big and small. music radio stations are a fraction of the picture at Channel 4 today’s BBC. From technology to production, there’s a wealth High-quality content created across many genres has of choice at the BBC for the made Channel 4 into the TV talented and ambitious. and radio channel it is today.

An excellent first stop for Brakes Group graduates looking to break With over 10,000 staff in over into the broadcasting world.

80 locations, Brakes is the leading European catering supplier. Combined with their philanthropic endeavours, working for Brakes Group offers a highly-rewarding career with excellent training for bright graduates.

Dexters Estate Agents Dexters is one of London’s leading and fastest growing independent Estate Agencies, with multiple opportunities for school leavers, graduates, those looking for a career change or flexibility.

DHL DHL is the world’s leading logistics company, operating in over 220 countries & territories worldwide, making it one of the most international company in the world. They work in a unique environment where DHL is as innovative as a start-up, with the power of an international organisation.

Endeavor Endeavor help their clients thrive in the face of disruption, while setting trends in talent representation, marketing and sponsorship. They inspire industry change in events and licensing, helping to reshape the digital landscape.

FirstGroup FirstGroup is one of the world’s leading transport companies. They’re passionate about recruiting, training and investing in the very best talent – because your ideas, energy and expertise will shape our future. And as there are all kinds of exciting new developments going on in the industry, there’s never been a better time to get to grips with their graduate programme.

Graze Graze are one of the fastest growing food companies revolutionising the way people snack and helping them choose healthy alternatives by sending them straight to their door.

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Management, Marketing & Enterprise

Heidrick & Struggles New Entrepreneurs Foundation (NEF) Heidrick & Struggles partner with leaders, teams and Helping outstanding organisations to deliver entrepreneurs to drive future transformation on a global scale. prosperity. From changeAs pioneers of the executive making programmes and research sector and over 60 business experience to years working with inspirational intensive training and coaching. leaders and organisations, the NEF wants to support and build business is transforming itself a network of market-changing, into a data-driven and techentrepreneurial leaders of the enabled business. future.

Hopscotch As the leading specialist consultancy for original, insightful and imaginative education programmes, Hopscotch create awardwinning social purpose, marketing and education campaigns that reach, engage and inspire young people and their families.

Kantar Kantar is home to some of the world’s leading research, data and insights expertise.

Collectively, their 30,000 employees offer the most complete view of consumers – the way they think, feel, shop, share, vote and view – in over a hundred countries worldwide.

Next Jump Next Jump believes everyone has the potential to be better and more effective in what they do. Help the world’s top companies improve productivity through meaningful employee engagement.

PageGroup A highly respected firm, PageGroup provides recruitment services for qualified, professional and executive roles. Consultants are trained and developed to the highest standards and rewarded within a resultsdriven culture.

Post Office Already the UK’s largest financial services chain and M&C Saatchi retail network, Post Office’s Composed of specialists from aim is to become the most all areas of the media spectrum, trusted provider of essential M&C Saatchi offers focused services nationally. Help advertising solutions that get them build on this already results. Their graduate scheme is impressive legacy. focused on building the future of the company and making you the best in the business.

Raremark Raremark connects families worldwide that are affected by Merkle | Periscopix a rare disease with scientific Merkle | Periscopix are a digital information, community marketing agency based in experience and research London Bridge. They pride opportunities. They partner themselves on being innovative with the pharmaceutical industry-leaders and specialise industry to help companies in biddable media – their find the right people to teams cover Paid Search, accelerate drug development, Programmatic Display and shortening the time it takes Google Analytics. for a potential drug to be approved.

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Royal Mail Group As the UK’s designated Universal Postage Service Provider, Royal Mail supplies 29 million addresses with their letters and parcels. There are opportunities across the business, from the Operations Programme to the Technology Programme.

Springer Nature Springer Nature is a global publisher dedicated to providing the best possible service to the whole research community. They help authors to share their discoveries, enable researchers to find, access and understand the work of others and support librarians and institutions with innovations in technology and data.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution.

WPP One of the world’s largest communication services groups.

From marketing strategy to advertising and every other form of communications, WPP and their companies help their clients to hold their own in the marketplace. Outstanding opportunities for graduates looking for a head-start in the marketing and advertising industry.

Zühlke Helping companies transform their vision from a smart idea into a resounding market success. In doing so, Zühlke covers every phase of the business innovation process – from the initial idea through to implementation.

Management, Marketing & Enterprise

Management Graduate Schemes We take a look at one of the most desirable schemes for UK graduates.

What is it?

A management graduate scheme aims to equip you with all the tools you need to gain a fast track to a managerial position, and ultimately marks you out as a future senior leader. You can find managerial graduate schemes across a range of sectors such as healthcare, construction, and retail. As such you'll have a variety of roles available to apply for. So whilst the day to day work of a management graduate scheme may differ, let’s look at some of the key things they have in common.

Preparing you for management A management role is set up to prepare you for managing the teams, systems and processes at your company. This means from the start of your scheme you’re likely to be doing plenty of on the job learning, alongside specific management and leadership training. Management graduate schemes tend to run anywhere between 18 months to 3 years, and your specific training will be staggered over this period of time.

You may even find yourself working towards formal certifications in project management or leadership. You’ll be given plenty of experience to put your training into practice, and towards the end of your scheme may find yourself in a step up position where you’re managing individuals or even teams.

Helping you understand the business To help broaden your experience and give you an understanding of the business as a whole, you’ll be rotated around a number of the businesses key areas. This will give you an overall view of how different departments interact with each other, as well as preparing you for when you’ve advanced to a more senior position within the company. You’ll be faced with unique challenges in each department which boosts the number of experiences you have and ultimately enables you to better deal with situations as a manager. It also gives you the opportunity to understand which parts of the business you enjoy most and this opens up more options when you finish the scheme.

Increased responsibility By joining a Management graduate scheme you won’t just be starting as a general entry level team member. There will be higher expectations of the work you’ll deliver, and you’ll be taking on increased responsibilities earlier on in your career. You’ll need to be resilient and comfortable working under pressure to perform for the business and push yourself into a management position at a young age.

A day in the life We caught up with one of our members who secured a management graduate role within a major FMCG to hear about what a day in the life looks like: 8:30am I arrive at the office have breakfast and go through emails/plan my day.

9:30am I have some team meetings to ensure we're on track with our workload and are keeping customer satisfaction high.

11:00am I pull together actions from the last meeting, this involves communicating any changes to teams that it may affect, as well as editing our plans which go live to stores across the country.

12:00pm Lunch – back to the canteen!

1:00pm As I’m 12 months into my scheme I’ve started to take ownership of some key projects, and this means managing a project team. I’ll meet with them to track progress and make sure we’re hitting our key objectives.

2:00pm I have more time to work on actions from the previous meeting I’ve had in the day, as well as catch up on any emails I’ve had sent to me.

3:00pm I catch up with my mentor.

We’ll usually chat about career development and how I can work on my improvement areas.

3:30pm I’m working towards a qualification and need dedicated time to work on this. I set aside some time a few times a week.

4:30pm Final check of emails before making my to do list for tomorrow.

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Management, Marketing & Enterprise

Social media marketing As a relatively new job in marketing this could be the role for you if you’re somebody that has a keen interest in social media or you run a blog alongside your degree. You must be a really flexible and creative individual, as well as keep up to date with the latest social media trends.

Content marketing ontent marketing is everything that you read C when you receive a marketing communication, whether that’s an email, social media post or article. To be a content marketer you have to have a keen eye for detail, as you’ll be editing a lot of text and multimedia.

Event marketing

Types of roles in marketing A career in marketing is extremely varied. There are different roles within the sector, which we explore here. All companies will have a marketing department or function, so what you are marketing could be very varied from one role to the next. For all roles, there are key skills which you need to demonstrate, including creativity, communication, analytical thinking, written, digital, accuracy and commercial awareness.

Back to the types of roles – here are some to consider and a little bit about them.

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This is a role that can brings together two different aspects of a business. To succeed in a job in event marketing you’ll have to have excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work with the clients you’re running an event for, as well as knowing how to target consumers in a marketing campaign.

Digital marketing his covers a broad range of different roles but in T this job, you’ll have a solid understanding of all the different digital channels that can be used for marketing such as websites, social media and email. It is then your job to drive traffic and consumers to your product and/or service.

Public Relations (PR) PR is a branch of marketing. In PR, employees look after the relations of clients and/or a business through various different channels such as media, community, corporate and social responsibility.

Advertising Working in advertising gets your product and/or service out there to your potential consumers and is a key stage in the marketing process. To work in advertising, you should have strong skills in creativity, strategy and communication.

earch Engine Optimisation S (SEO) marketing EO helps to make your website more visible to S potential consumers, which ultimately means that you can gain more traffic to your website and in parallel more consumers. A job in SEO is quite technical and therefore the skillset needed for the job means you have to be analytical and digitally minded.

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Technology The Technology sector is an exciting and dynamic field that is constantly evolving. Technology is an immensely broad sector that can focus on niche areas, with work ranging from securing company finance to AI development. A degree in Computer Science or Mathematics is not a requirement, with many roles within this field spanning many disciplines and opportunities to learn on the job.

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Technology

The leading employers in...

Technology 3M 3M is an industry-leader in everything from homes and healthcare, to electronics and transportation. Whatever the challenge, its people collaborate across disciplines and around the world to take it on.

Apple Almost everyone owns something from Apple.

Revolutionising technology, one must-have gadget at a time, Apple offers exciting and constantly innovative work on the global stage. Whether in the retail or corporate side of the business, you will have a chance to create wonder.

AquaQ Analytics AquaQ Analytics is a provider of specialist data management, data analytics and data mining services to clients operating within the capital markets and other sectors. The company has an ever-expanding global client base of investment banks and hedge funds.

ARM Ltd ARM designs scalable, energy efficient-processors and related technologies to deliver the intelligence in applications ranging from sensors to servers, including smartphones and the Internet of Things. They are breaking down barriers to innovation for developers, designers and engineers.

Atos A global leader in digital services, Atos powers progress across the world. Their business technologists deliver on an extraordinary scale and help clients fulfil their potential.

Autodesk

Autodesk is a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Their customers range across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and entertainment industries.

Bosch The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services, encompassing a number of different brands tailored to individual market requirements, and whose products and services are also designed to improve quality of life.

Capgemini A firm built on trust and boldness, Capgemini is a technology consulting company committed to putting its employees and clients first. No two days are the same and international opportunities are available.

Did you know?

The Technology industry is expanding 2.6 times faster than the rest of the UK economy.

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Cisco Cisco is the worldwide leader in networking technology and is looking for transformative ideas to propel innovation and fuel disruptive collaboration.

Help them turn a bright idea into a reality. channelcentral channelcentral is a highly focused and dynamic software provider for organisations in the IT Channel. Its key strength is its expertise and ability to take complex data sets and provide user friendly tools that provide fast, accurate and relevant product and service quotations.

Citrix Citrix innovate and succeed through the use of technology.

Intense, challenging and exhilarating – working there can be a life-changing experience, and a whole lot of fun.

Colt Their vision is to be the most customer-oriented business in the industry. Only hiring the very best talent, help them provide the best experience for their clients.

Technology

Diamond Light Source Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron. It works like a giant microscope, harnessing the power of electrons to produce bright light that scientists can use to study anything from fossils to jet engines to viruses and vaccines.

eBay Working as a partner to retailers of all sizes, eBay enables commerce on a scale many sellers could only dream of. Internships and entry level roles are on offer for those who want to test the boundaries of what they can achieve.

Dorset Software Dorset Software deliver the most intelligent IT solutions to meet the client’s ever-evolving business demands. With a 100% record of delivering on time and to budget, they work in partnership with clients to understand their unique needs, philosophy and working methods.

EE The biggest and fastest network in the UK (and a Sunday Times Best Big Company to Work For).

They offer you great perks, great support and great opportunities.

Did you know?

London is the second most connected place for technology in the world after Silicon Valley.

DXC Technology DXC Technology help their customers across entire enterprise technology stack with differentiated industry solutions by modernising IT, optimising data architectures and making everything secure, scalable and orchestrated across public, private and hybrid clouds.

Dyson Driven by innovation and personality, Dyson thrives on bright minds looking to challenge convention and build the future of vacuum cleaners, fans, motors and more.

GE In labs and factories, innovating into a new industrial era. Even after over 100 years of invention and imagination, GE is still focused on the future, bringing bright minds to bear on the next generation of great ideas.

Google

Unceasingly unconventional, Google is transforming technology online as well as offering open, interactive workspaces to encourage original thought and interaction.

Experian Experian helps millions of people and businesses around the world get fair and affordable access to essential services. They gather, analyse, combine and process data to help people and organisations achieve their goals.

Facebook The social network that redefined friendship. We all know Facebook, but that isn’t their only goal. Aiming for a more connected, open world, they invite you to join them to “move fast and break things”.

FDM Group FDM’s unique business model provides high quality training to university graduates, exforces personnel and returners to work, transforming them into professional IT and business consultants.

Fujitsu Fujitsu’s products and services touch 99% of the UK population every day.

From high street shopping and online banking through to transport bookings and driving licences – make a real difference to people’s lives.

HP To invent, and to reinvent. To engineer experiences that amaze. HP won’t stop pushing ahead and they’ll help you take your career further than you thought possible.

Huawei Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology, infrastructure and smart devices. They are committed to bringing digital to every person, home and organisation for a fully connected, intelligent world.

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Technology

IBM One of the world’s largest IT and consulting services companies, IBM recruits from a range of backgrounds, prizing skills, creativity and passion.

Imagination Technologies Imagination Technologies are a strong, independent IP company, creating and licensing a range of multimedia and communications processors needed to create systems on chips that power mobile, consumer, automotive, enterprise, infrastructure, IoT and embedded electronics.

Jarmany Jarmany apply the world’s most advanced technology to customers’ sales, marketing and operational data through a fully-managed outsourced service or specific programme that supports internal capability. They work with their customers to create data-driven narratives that illuminate opportunity.

Improbable Improbable believes in a future where new, virtual worlds will augment human experience and become as meaningful, lasting and rich as the physical world. Their platform, SpatialOS, lets developers transcend the limits of regular computation, allowing swarms of servers running in the cloud to cooperate in order to simulate King worlds far larger and more The creators behind Candy complex than any single Crush Saga, Farm Heroes Saga, server could.

Pet Rescue Saga and many more. At King you’ll reach Informed Solutions millions of players in every Informed Solutions is a leading corner of the globe. independent provider of digital transformation, technology, Kubrik Group data analytics and systems Kubrick Group is disrupting integration services. They the Data and AI consulting develop innovative strategies market. In just 4 years, they and high performing solutions have surpassed all their to solve complex business growth expectations, secured and safety critical problems, and delivered solutions to particularly where place, a genuinely amazing client location or geography are portfolio consisting of over important.

60 organisations and have changed the lives of over Jacobs 300 high quality graduates At Jacobs, everything they do – and professionals by training from addressing water scarcity them into data engineers, and ageing infrastructure to analysts and transformation ensuring access to life-saving consultants. therapies and protecting against sophisticated cyberattacks – is more than projects outlined in proposal requests.

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Metaswitch Specialising in networking technology and employed by some of the world’s foremost companies – a computing background isn’t essential, just a passion for communication.

Microsoft Microsoft is committed to developing new computing solutions to enable people to interact with technology at work and at home better than before. They offer a range of internships and graduate opportunities for those looking to empower their future.

Mitie Working across multiple industries and with businesses of all kinds, Mitie provides facilities, property and energy management services via their unparalleled network of professionals to make sure clients can focus on what matters to them.

MOO MOO is a multi­awardwinning technology, design & print company. They are passionate about making great design accessible to all. They pride themselves on providing amazing quality print products and fantastic customer experience for everyone, everywhere. mthree mthree is a training and technology specialist who offer graduate careers at global investment banks and tech companies. They provide technical and soft skills training, pastoral care and access to careers at some of the world’s most prestigious brands.

Technology

Net Builder As a leading provider of creative, software, consulting and managed services to financial, government and commercial markets, Net Builder is a full IT and digital service agency, and are experts in Enterprise Content Management, Cloud Computing and Cyber Security.

Nokia Nokia offers a comprehensive portfolio of network equipment, software, services and licensing opportunities across the globe. With their commitment to innovation, they are a leader in the development and deployment of 5G networks.

Oracle Oracle believes in innovation without complication, taking the complexity out of data and cloud solutions. One of the world’s biggest software suppliers, for those who favour sophisticated simplicity.

Palantir At Palantir, they are passionate about building software that solves problems. They partner with the most important institutions in the world to transform how they use data, bringing their worldclass software platform to bear against complex data environments in order to solve existential threats.

QinetiQ One of the world’s leading security companies, QinetiQ builds solutions to global problems with their technology turning up in phones, cars, trains and even clothes tags.

MRI Software A worldwide trusted provider of real estate management software, MRI is passionate about efficiency and solutions.

A fantastic option for those looking to take their first steps towards a career in IT.

Openreach Openreach’s network is the largest in the UK and they want to make sure everyone, everywhere is connected by building the best possible network to serve them. Openreach work in every community, keeping the network running by supporting 650+ companies who provide phone, broadband and ethernet services to the nation.

Salesforce Salesforce is powering innovation in sales, service, marketing, community, analytics, apps, and more.

Siemens Creating the key technology found in staples such as traffic lights, wind turbines and medical scanners, Siemens has been keeping the world running for over 170 years, which also means developing top talent and innovators.

Sky Sky’s ever growing brand includes television, internet and communications. They’re looking for bright minds to develop their award-winning service and provide innovative entertainment for everyone.

Skyscanner A leading global travel search site enjoying phenomenal growth through driving innovation and transformation in online travel search. This company calls for more bright graduates to continue making its mark in the industry.

Smiths Group PLC A global technology company listed on the London Stock Exchange, they apply cutting edge tech to design, manufacture and deliver innovative solutions that meet their customers’ needs.

Softcat They are one of the UK’s leading IT infrastructure providers and a FTSE 250 listed company. They are passionate about outstanding employee satisfaction and world-class customer service – both of which inspire their flexible, friendly approach to business.

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Technology

Softwire A bespoke software development company delivering software solutions, apps and websites to some of the UK’s leading brands.

Spotify These are exciting times for Spotify, and they’re always on the lookout for talented people to join their unique band. This is the place for graduates looking for a fun and dynamic environment.

Tessella Tessella transforms businesses by connecting people and data to make smarter decisions fast – they improve profitability, reduce costs, streamline operations, and out-innovate their competition.

Tessian Through advanced AI / Machine Learning, Tessian has the ambitious goal of protecting enterprise networks against new and intelligent cyber threats, making it impossible for sensitive information to end up in the wrong hands.

The Up Group Started in 2007, The Up Group aims to deliver digitally-minded talent above and beyond expectation. Help put people in the right place for them to make the most impact.

TPP Clinical software to transform healthcare. TPP is a UKbased IT company, dedicated to delivering world-class healthcare software through innovative products. Named ‘Top Company For Graduates To Work For 2016/17’ by TheJobCrowd.

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TTP

TTP is an independent company where scientists and engineers collaborate to invent, design and develop new products and technologies. They exist to innovate and work across a wide spectrum of industries, creating solutions to bring strong commercial value.

Ultra Electronics

Ultra specialises in providing application-engineered bespoke solutions – they focus on their customers’ mission critical and intelligent systems in the defence, security, critical detection and control markets.

Vodafone Providing ‘total communication’ solutions to keep everyone connected.

Communication relies on more than just technology.

At Vodafone, you can play your part in connecting customers, whether in software, finance, marketing or any of the many vibrant Vodafone departments.

Did you know?

Outside of London, 16 towns in the UK are dubbed ‘Silicon Suburbs’, showing a higher proportion of digital tech employment than the UK average.

Yahoo!

The original guide to the internet, connecting users with their passions and helping them discover the mystery and promise of the world wide web.

Technology

portfolio of things you’ve worked on. The fact that you’ve gone out of your way to develop these skills will demonstrate to any potential employers that you have a real passion and drive to go into this sector, and as such set you apart from the crowd.

Follow your interests

Getting into tech without a STEM degree

If you love technology then keep up to date with all the latest tech developments in areas that excite you. Being able to talk knowledgeably about some of the big trends that will be affecting firms will be a key part of any interview process, and a demonstration of this passion will be key. Sites like Wired or TechCrunch are great ways to scout out new technologies and understand the interesting ways that companies are applying them. If a technology is accessible enough you may also be able to build it into your learning and projects to become a master at it.

Tech but not technical If you’re interested in tech, but a technical role that involves coding isn’t for you, there’s still plenty of options available. The tech space has a whole range of roles that don’t require coding but are still essential to moving technology forward. Here’s some examples of the kinds of things you can get involved in:

A career in technology is often considered one of the most exciting options available to graduates leaving university, however one of the major Design is crucial to how a lot of top technology barriers for many students can be the firms look and interact with users which means lack of a STEM degree. Despite not there’s plenty of roles in User Interface (UI) or User coming from a technical background, Experience (UX). there’s plenty of ways you can build and If you’re detail focussed and want to define the demonstrate the skills required to go scope of features and future enhancements why not look into Business Analysis? into a role within Technology. On top of this, if you’ve got a passion for tech, Do you like to be organised and keep projects on track? Project Management is key to technology but coding isn’t for you, there’s still and makes everything launch effectively. opportunities for you to get into Similarly, if you want to work more the sector. Here’s what you directly in the technical teams to help There’s plenty of need to know.

Gain skills and showcase them

ways you can build the skills required to go into a role within Technology.

If you’ve not directly studied a STEM degree, it doesn’t mean you don’t have the opportunity to gain tech skills. There are more online resources, courses and opportunities for you to build up a technical skill-set than ever before. Start to increase your understanding with free tools like free code camp, or code academy. You’ll be able to learn the areas you’re interested in, whether this is web development, data science, or even machine learning. Once you’ve gained a level of proficiency, start to work on your own projects, and crucially, begin to showcase these. Popular code sharing sites like Github can host your code and act as a

them deliver in the most efficient way possible you could look to become a Scrum Master.

And if customers matter to you, then being a Product Manager and to help technical teams priorities new features to build is for you.

Final thoughts Getting into a career in tech often means being able to demonstrate you have what it takes to do the role.

Whether that’s proving your tech skills are at the right level, or demonstrating that you’ve got the passion and motivations. This means that the person with the most experience or a specific degree background won’t always get the role, if you have the right talent and interest you’ll be able to go far.

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Further Education Further education can be a fantastic way to increase your knowledge and boost your CV. Whether it's a professional qualification or a masters, the right course can accelerate your career by helping you stand out from the crowd.

Many graduates choose to pursue a completely different interest at post-graduate level, giving you more flexibility in the roles you can go into.

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Further Education

The leading employers in...

Further Education ACCA The largest and fastest-growing accounting qualification provider in the world. The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) offers unrivalled training and flexible study to suit any career path. The world is your oyster as an ACCA chartered certified accountant.

BPP Professional Education Dedicated to being the leading specialist in business education, BPP Professional Education is recognised as providing quality training across industries. Particular areas of focus include accountancy, tax, insolvency and banking and finance.

Cambridge Judge Business School Proud to be an institution of high-impact, proactive thinking – an experience at Cambridge Judge Business School is unlike any other.

Graduates are encouraged to devise creative solutions to real-world problems from the outset.

Did you know?

The UK is a worldleading research nation, with 76% of research produced classed as either “world-leading” or “internationally excellent”.

City’s Business School An integral part of the City, University of London, Business School is among the global elite. Consistently ranked amongst the best business schools and programmes in the world.

CIMA The world’s largest professional body of qualified accountants. With more than 229,000 members and students across 176 countries, CIMA works across industry, commerce and not-for-profit organisations to maintain best practice in accountancy.

Henley Business School Founded in 1945, Henley was the first business school to be established in the UK and is one of the oldest and most respected schools in Europe. They are consistently ranked among the world’s top 50 business schools by the Financial Times and The Economist.

Hult International Business School Hult is not just a business school. It’s a global network that educates, inspires, and connects some of the most forward-thinking business talent from around the world.

In today’s world, the most relevant business education is a global one.

ICAEW From professional qualifications and development, to sharing insights and technical expertise, ICAEW constantly seeks new ways to deliver their services to the highest standards. Become part of an organisation changing the way business is done.

Imperial College Business School As part of Imperial College London, consistently rated among the world’s best universities, Imperial College Business School drives business advantage through the fusion of business, technology and an entrepreneurial mindset.

London Business School (LBS) One of the world’s elite business schools, LBS goes from academic strength to strength, promoting provocative business thinking. They offer a vibrant and connected environment for graduates interested in areas as varied as IT, business development and marketing.

Manchester Business School (MBS) A full-service business school and the largest campus-based one of its kind in the UK. MBS put originality at the heart of everything they do, from their courses and training to the opportunities available.

Said Business School By combining the best of old and new, the Said Business School at Oxford University delivers a vibrant and young business-learning environment.

Be a part of a global network of cutting edge education.

University of Law The longest established law school in the UK. Having trained more lawyers in the UK than any other institution, the University of Law has a strong reputation and powerful connections that continue to draw the most ambitious future lawyers.

Warwick Business School Excelling at research. Excelling at teaching. Excelling at recruiting the brightest students. This is what attracts the best graduates to Warwick Business School. With academic theory and practical skills, students hit the ground running in any company.

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Further Education

Although your job prospects are high after graduating from your undergraduate degree, statistics show that when comparing the type of employment that graduates and postgraduates have after studying, postgraduates are 13.3% more likely to enter high-skilled employment.

Further education includes: Masters (MA, MSc, MPhil, MEng), PhD and MBA. A key question to ask yourself when trying to decide if further education is for you, is ‘What is my reasoning for entering Further Education?’ and we’re here to help you explore the different options available in Further Education.

Continuing your studies in the same area

Further education – is it for you?

Deciding whether to study for a masters after your undergraduate degree is an exciting and important decision. You may be in your final year of university and are beginning to think that your time studying isn’t over.

There are a variety of reasons to consider studying a masters: If the career you want to pursue requires further study.

If there is a specific area of study you’re enthusiastic about pursuing further.

If you’re unsure what your next step is after university and you really enjoy studying.

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Continuing your studies in the subject that you have completed an undergraduate degree in is a natural progression. If a specific module or topic really sparked an interest with you at undergraduate level, often it is possible to study this nuanced topic in depth at a postgraduate level.

Why consider continuing your study in the same area?

Have a real enthusiasm for your subject and want to study a specific area in-depth and at a higher level.

Already have a solid foundation of the subject area, on which you can expand your knowledge.

Become an expert in your area and must study for a masters and then PhD.

Doing something different If you’re coming to the end of your undergraduate degree and had an amazing few years studying, you may decide that you enjoy studying but want a slight change in direction. The great thing about postgraduate study is that your undergraduate degree doesn’t have to be related to the course you’re applying to – you can study something completely new and exciting.

Why study a masters that is different to your undergraduate degree?

Expand your knowledge and skills in a new area that piqued your interest throughout university.

Add value to your qualifications and provide you with more employability.

Continue the fulfilment you get from studying.

Further Education

Vocational masters

Business schools

Business schools are prestigious institutions Vocational masters lend themselves to a specific where you can study courses in business, career path. Generally, vocational masters relate accounting, finance and management. Studying to a specific industry such as: law, social work at a business school is really stimulating and teaching. Although it is worth noting that opportunity to grow your business mind and learn you don’t always need a masters to enter these from experts, who have spent decades successfully industries. As vocational courses are more directly establishing themselves in their sector. linked to a career, it is important to consider speaking to those who work in the industry Not only do business schools offer masters (you can do this through your university’s programmes but also Master of Business alumni) or complete our sector Administration (MBA), which is a highspecific modules available on Bright ranking qualification for business Network Academy, this can help Deciding whether professionals who are in management to ensure you that the course is to study for a masters and entrepreneurship. Usually MBAs the right fit. is a really exciting time take 1-2 years to complete and the pre– you will become requisite is to have experience in the Check if the course you’re an expert in a industry, as well as an undergraduate applying to has links to industry. degree. An MBA provides rigorous A vocational masters can be specific field. learning and is on average more a great chance to gain more expensive than an undergraduate degree practical experience whilst studying or master’s programme, so usually these are and make industry connections for sponsored and/or paid for by the company you when you graduate. An aspect to consider when work for. You can find out more regarding the looking at vocational masters is that there are reasons for attending a leading business school some graduate schemes and jobs available which on the Bright Network website by searching could pay for and/ or sponsor your vocational ‘Masters programmes’. course, this is an option to explore.

Why complete a vocational masters?

If you need to complete the course to enter a specific industry.

If you want a mix of studying and practical work experience.

Deciding whether to study for a masters is a really exciting time – you will become an expert in a specific field and further education can be a great steppingstone to the working world. If you want to explore the masters courses available to you browse ‘Further Education’ on the Bright Network website.

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Further Education

By Seyon Indran

What do you gain by attending a business school?

Having spent the past year studying for an MSc at Imperial College Business School, I have experienced first-hand the many benefits that attending a business school has to offer. In this piece, I will share the benefits I’ve gained over the past year so you have a better understanding of what you can gain, professionally and personally, from attending a business school.

1 Practical Applications

By the end of my undergraduate degree in Economics, I had become familiar with a range of economic and econometric theory. However, a gap which still remained in my knowledge was the application of these theories and concepts to the real world – a gap which was filled by the range of modules covered in my MSc. The majority of the 16 modules covered over the past year have been entirely application based; whether that be applying the concepts and theories studied to real-world case studies, or even in the form of coursework such as pitching a start-up idea or valuing a company. This focus on application of theories to the real world extends to all courses typically studied at business schools, so whether you're looking to go into Finance, Consulting or Marketing, you will likely learn skills, built upon the theoretical foundations you will have already learnt, that will be useful for your future career.

2 Diverse Cohorts Not only are business school cohorts cultural melting pots, but are also incredibly diverse with respect to the academic and professional backgrounds of its students. This provides an excellent environment to not only enhance your communication skills, given you will have to work with students from nationalities and overcome

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inevitable language barriers, but also learn from the professional skills and academic knowledge that your peers have developed. For academic work, having such a diverse team proved immensely useful as everyone was able to provide a different perspective and skillset to complete a project. Professionally, having peers who have completed several internships across a range of industries, and some who have even worked in industry for a number of years, will prove extremely helpful when it comes to preparing for applications and learning relevant skills from each other for the industry you would like to pursue a career in.

3 Negotiation As a result of the different perspectives and thought processes that will arise from having such a diverse cohort, your ability to negotiate your viewpoints and opinions with others will be strengthened significantly.

A large portion of your coursework at business school will have a group work element, and the majority of classroom discussions and extra-curricular activities will be teamwork-centric; encouraging you to work with individuals you will have not worked with before to come up with a solution to a problem or articulate your findings. In doing so, you will develop your ability to recognise the negotiation styles of other individuals and resolve group conflicts to ensure a win-win situation for your team. This is an invaluable skill to have not only for your future career but also for your personal relationships too; enabling you to establish stronger relationships, avoid unnecessary conflict and create long-term solutions to problems.

4 Working Under Pressure Your final year of undergraduate studies is likely to be intense; especially if you are doing job applications and are involved in any extra-curricular responsibilities.

This level of intensity certainly gets magnified at business school, as there is as much a focus on developing your career as there is on building your academic skills. Thus, you will often find a significant portion of your time spent attending career development workshops, mock assessment centres and interviews and networking evenings. Combine this with (1) having to study ~16 modules in a year (2) the short deadlines for coursework (3) the significant jump in the quality of work expected at the postgraduate level (4) getting involved in the usual extra-curricular activities (5) completing job applications and interviews and (6) maintaining your relationships with friends and family, and you will likely find yourself with significant pressure to perform well in all of these aspects. While this may result in a few sleepless nights and some stress, it truly does build your character. You will find yourself better able to handle the stresses and responsibilities that will come when you have a full-time job, will greatly improve the quality of work you’re able to produce and make you a greatly well-rounded individual.

The application process

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Application Graduate career advice guide 2020/21

Your CV is a crucial part of any application and will often be the first thing an employer sees of you. Our template will help you produce a well-presented, well-formatted CV.

CVs

Length: CVs can be one or two pages. This depends on the sector you’re applying to and how much experience you have.

The important thing is to be concise – does everything you say really add to your CV and is it explained well?

To increase space, reduce the margins on your document.

Some CVs have a personal statement, but does this really add to your CV? Especially if you’re submitting a cover letter.

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS UNIVERSITY, DEGREE TITLE • Predicted grade (if applicable) • Modules (if relevant to your career path)

DATES

SCHOOL NAME, LOCATION • A Levels: A Level 1 (Grade), A level 2 (Grade), A Level 3 (Grade), etc.

• GCSEs: No. of GCSEs (Grade range), including Maths (Grade) & English (Grade)

DATES

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY (RELEVANT EMPLOYMENT HISTORY FIRST THEN ADD A SECTION FOR OTHER EMPLOYMENT) JOB TITLE, COMPANY (LOCATION) (One line summary of what company does if not well-known) • Key achievement/responsibility 1 - include skills you’ve developed & use specific examples • Key achievement/responsibility 2 - include skills you’ve developed & use specific examples • Key achievement/responsibility 3 - include skills you’ve developed & use specific examples

DATES

JOB TITLE, COMPANY (LOCATION)

DATES

JOB TITLE, COMPANY (LOCATION)

DATES

• • • • • •

Positions of responsibility: This is a great place to show what you’re passionate about and how you’ve had an impact in leadership positions. Have you organised events, volunteered or managed sports teams?

Here’s where you should be talking about it.

Adding a link to your LinkedIn can help employers find you online.

NAME MOBILE NUMBER; EMAIL ADDRESS; ADDRESS, (LINKEDIN PROFILE)

Key achievement/responsibility 1 - include skills you’ve developed & use specific examples Key achievement/responsibility 2 - include skills you’ve developed & use specific examples Key achievement/responsibility 3 - include skills you’ve developed & use specific examples Key achievement/responsibility 1 – include skills you’ve developed & use specific examples Key achievement/responsibility 2 - include skills you’ve developed & use specific examples Key achievement/responsibility 3 - include skills you’ve developed & use specific examples

POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY (OR EXTRA-CURRICULAR) ORGANISATION/SOCIETY NAME, POSITION • Key achievement/responsibility 1 • Key achievement/responsibility 2

DATES

ORGANISATION/SOCIETY NAME, POSITION • Key achievement/responsibility 1 • Key achievement/responsibility 2

DATES

AWARDS OR SKILLS OR EXTRA QUALIFICATIONS (DEPENDENT ON WHAT YOU’VE DONE) AWARD EXTRA QUALIFICATION IT SKILLS LANGUAGES

Brief explanation Brief explanation List major programmes that can use proficiently – most employers expect Word, Excel, Powerpoint Language (level) – only list if fluent or native tongue;

INTERESTS • •

INTEREST 1 INTEREST 2

REFEREES References are available upon request.

Interests: This doesn’t have to be the longest section, but it’s definitely worth including. Remember you’ve got to build a rapport with the interviewer in later stages of the process – interests are a good starting point.

You can download this template on the Bright Network platform 92

University degree: It’s important to let the employer know your start year and the date you’re expected to graduate.

Employment history: Think about how you developed and how you had an impact – did you work in the shop during its busiest sales month?

Did you present to senior members of staff? Things like this show you excelled.

Awards: Awards show you’re a high achiever. Definitely worth including.

IT Skills: Most employers expect you’ll have a good understanding of Microsoft programmes, but will be impressed by coding skills and advanced knowledge of other programmes.

The application process

Cover letters are often the first impression you give a prospective employer – don’t underestimate their impact and importance. The key to a great cover letter is a strong foundation. Use this three-part structure and remember your cover letter shouldn’t be more than a page long.

Cover letters

Step 1: Introduction Immediately tell the employer why your cover letter is relevant to them. State which role you’re applying for and where you saw it advertised. It’s good to mention your degree and university here too.

Step 2: Why them?

Your second paragraph should outline why you’re applying to this particular firm. Be enthusiastic, knowledgeable and highlight their unique qualities.

Make it personal Generic cover letters are easy to spot and will certainly put people off – companies want to see that you’re interested in working for them specifically, so the extra effort is worthwhile.

Research the company and demonstrate in your letter what you know about them and their clients – perhaps you could comment on one of their recent marketing campaigns or a deal they were involved in.

Check the company’s social media profiles as they may have released something new or commented on a recent trend – if relevant you could allude to this in your cover letter as it shows commitment and interest. Add some personality to your letter but make sure it always relates back to the company in question.

Tell a story Treat your cover letter like a story – you need to sell yourself. Think about what brings you to this company. How can you help the company achieve its aims? How can your progress be in line with company aims?

Whatever story you decide to tell, just make sure it’s relevant so that it flows and connects with the role being advertised. Random musings will just look odd. Be careful not to oversell but make sure you get your point across.

Match the tone

Step 3: Why you?

Use the third paragraph to impress with your professional experience to date and explain why you’re a perfect fit for the job and the company.

Now that we have the structure, let’s take a look at how you can make sure your cover letter captures the attention of the employer. These top tips will help you convey a sense of originality, imagination and professionalism.

Companies will be looking for employees who instantly understand their style and culture. A really formal, corporate letter isn’t always the best way to stand out, particularly for more creative roles. A more informal, chattier approach can be more effective – look at the language used in the job advert, the copy used on the company’s website, etc. to get a better measure of this and look to complement it.

Employers need to find that you not only have the right skill set, but that you also have the right personality to fit into their environment.

Be accurate and be you

Top tip If you’re worried about your cover letters looking too generic across your applications, take out any references to the firm name and see if you can still tell which company it is for. If you can, it should be unique enough to send.

Always check for errors. Run a spelling and grammar check and read it aloud to family and friends. Do they feel it’s ‘you’ and is it interesting?

The employer isn’t going to believe you’re an effective and creative communicator if your letter is bland and full of mistakes.

Honest, genuine writing always goes much, much further than sticking to an outdated formulaic letter.

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Application questions

Many of the big employers don’t ask for a cover letter and instead will ask potential candidates to fill in an application form which will include one or two screening questions. These will often have a strict word limit of anything from 150 to 400 words.

They can take many forms, but here’s a bit of insight into what might come up and some tips to answer them effectively.

Motivational questions Motivational questions explore your passion for working in the industry, for the firm and in the role you’re applying to. Examples include:

Q. Why are you applying to this industry?

Q. Why do you want to work for this company?

Q. What makes this company stand out

Commercial awareness questions Commercial awareness questions test your ability to think critically about the business world and link it back to the company. A key question that often comes up is:

Q. Tell me about a story you’re currently following in the news and how you think it will impact on our business or industry?

from its competitors?

Our top tip for these questions is to make the answers individual to you – really think why the company or role has interested you. Think about what first sparked your interest and then how you developed that interest in the industry. Finally, think about what makes the firm unique for you.

Competency questions Competency questions pick out a skill or attribute that will be highly important for the role and ask you to give an example of a time when you showed these skills. Examples include:

Q. Tell us about a time when you showed… [ability to work under pressure/strong leadership/quality client service]

Q. What has been your biggest achievement to date?

The best way to answer competency questions on application forms and in interviews is to use the STAR methodology. This is a way to break down your answer to cover all the relevant points – here’s how it works: Situation – Give a brief background to the project or scenario you worked on.

Task – Explain your role in the project or scenario, including details on the objectives and the people involved.

Action – Highlight what you personally did to influence the outcome of the situation or project.

This and the result below should be the focus of your answer.

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Result – Show how your actions actually did have an impact on the project or situation. It’s good to use metrics if you have them at this point. Also, it’s good to reflect on what you learnt and how you would do something differently in the future.

To answer this question, pick a recent story (within the last year) which you have a genuine interest in and you understand fully. Here’s how you can approach structuring your answer:

1. Explain the story in four sentences.

2. Explain why you find the story of interest in two sentences – have a reason that is unique to you, maybe due to what you’ve studied?

3. Explain three ways it might have an impact on the firm – keep it concise and clear.

4. Explain how the firm can mitigate the risk or capitalise on the opportunity to finish your answer.

Opinion questions Companies will often ask you to give opinions or ideas on an application, giving you an opportunity to show you truly understand the business and your creativity. Typical questions may include:

Q. How would you make our offering more relevant to the target market?

Q. What are our competitors doing well and how could we incorporate some of these ideas?

Often these questions will also require good levels of commercial awareness and an understanding of the market conditions which the business operates in. It’s important to do your wider research for these questions. When it comes to giving your thoughts, keep them concise and well explained. You should also think about how it fits into the wider strategy of the business.

You may be required to expand on this idea in the interview, so make sure it’s something you have plenty to talk about and it’s at the forefront of your mind further down the application process.

The application process

Psychometric tests

Psychometric tests have become a common part of graduate recruitment in recent years with many employers sending tests to candidates before they offer interviews. There’s no time to waste in disliking them – they are here to stay for the foreseeable future. The good news? You can learn to handle them. Not only that, but you can learn to master them.

Here’s what you could face and some top tips.

The tests 1. Numerical: This type of test tends to present

you with tables containing sets of data or graphs followed by questions relating to the numerical data, and you have to pick the answer from a series of multiple choice options. Whilst the mathematical operations you’ll have to carry out will be fairly basic (often comparable to GCSE Maths), there will be a lot of numerical data in front of you. It’s up to you therefore to carefully decide which pieces of data are relevant to answering the questions.

2. Verbal: This test assesses your comprehension

and evaluation skills, with some also testing your spelling and grammar. You’ll usually face a passage and then maybe 3 or 4 questions, which will test your understanding of what you’ve read.

We recommend taking your time and reading the passage slowly to ensure you understand what’s going on – sure it may take some time, but with a solid initial understanding, you should be able to breeze through the questions.

3. Situational judgement: These are less

technical and consist of a series of responses to a specific workplace scenario, which you will be asked to rank in order from most appropriate to least appropriate. Whilst you might want to respond in the way that you think the firm wants you to, it’s crucial you respond very honestly. This test will give you a good indication of whether you fit into their workplace – so don’t lie!

4. Abstract/logical: This test usually comprises

of a series of shapes or a sequence and you’ll be asked to select what should come next from a selection of choices. They are designed to test a candidate’s logical aptitude and therefore their ability to analyse situations and come up with solutions. With the shapes, the trick is to break each element down and see how it moves within each shape in the sequence and therefore what it will do in the next shape.

5. Critical thinking: Critical thinking tests are

often used in the law sector but do appear in other application processes. They test a candidate’s ability to make sound judgements and create strong arguments on the back of receiving new information. A common test is the Watson Glaser where you’ll be given a

short passage of information and then respond to statements related to the passage. These are usually timed so it’s important for candidates to monitor how much time they are spending on each passage.

Practice Now you know what types of tests to expect, it’s time to practice. Make sure to map out the appropriate amount of time to prepare for it – many people trip up at this hurdle because they don’t dedicate enough time to prepare. Perhaps do one type of test in the morning and another type in the evening, and repeat this cycle until you are confident that you can ace any type of test that comes your way. The more you do, the easier it will get.

Don’t be surprised if you don’t pass first time – they are designed to be hard and the pass mark is often set at a high level if you are applying for particularly competitive roles.

We’d recommend trying to find out which test provider they are using, and whether there are any practice tests available with the provider. It’s also worth checking the firm’s website, as they often provide practice examples. This will give you a great insight into what you can expect when you take the real test.

Preparation If you are taking the test online at home, don’t leave it till the last minute. Also, check beforehand what you’ll need (e.g. a calculator, spare paper, pen) so that you’re ready to begin as soon as the test starts.

A word of warning – don’t get your friends to help you take the test, or even worse, do it for you. It may be tempting given it is online, but should you get to the assessment centre stage, firms will often give you another set of psychometric tests to do, to weed out those that may have passed the tests with help of friends.

Overall Regardless of where, when and how – try to relax.

Take a deep breath and do the best you can. Work quickly but methodically. If you are finding one question to be challenging, move on if you can. You can rest assured that no one else is finding the test ‘easy’ and by taking it you are one step closer to mastering them.

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Application Graduate career advice guide 2020/21

Face-to-face interviews

Whatever the process, you'll have to interview for the role, and with graduate schemes don't be surprised if you have two separate interviews. You’re likely to have one with the recruitment team and then one with a department head or a senior leader. These will either be one-on-one or with a panel. The interview may have a motivation, competency or technical knowledge focus – here are the types of questions which are likely to come up.

Types of questions in a face-to-face interview Strengths and weaknesses – The whole

interview is about your strengths, but these strengths and weakness questions are designed for you to self-reflect and highlight where you think you have a lot to offer and where you’ll need to hone your skills. If they ask you what your potential weaknesses are, a great idea is to mention something you weren’t particularly great at before.

But expand by explaining what action you’ve taken so far to improve and how you’ve progressed.

You want to be honest when answering these questions, but maybe not too honest!

To prepare for: What are your three greatest strengths? What do you need to improve on?

How would your friends describe you?

Motivational questions – As the name suggests, they are a common way for employers to assess a candidate’s motivation for applying to a role. In essence though, they are all asking the same question: “Why do you want to work with us?”

To prepare for: Where do you see yourself in five years? What drives you? Why do you want to work in this [role/sector/firm]?

Competency questions – Core competencies are the qualities that employers look for in a successful candidate, judged to be especially useful for the job in question. These assessments are becoming increasingly popular as a way to distinguish between multiple candidates who all have top grades at school and university.

To prepare for: Tell me about a time when you worked successfully with a team to achieve a result you wouldn’t have been able to by yourself?

When’s a time you’ve had to show real resilience to get through something?

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Commercial awareness questions –

Commercial awareness is a skill all employers value and will test you on throughout the application process. They will test your knowledge of how the firm operates and the wider business world, as well as your awareness of current affairs.

To prepare for: Can you tell me about a story you’re following in the news – how does it impact on this [firm/sector]? Is the FTSE 100 going up or down at the moment and what impact is that having on the economy?

Brainteaser questions – They’re the questions

you can’t really prepare for, the ones that may or may not have a right answer and always require you to think on your feet. How you approach the question is the most important part. Take a moment to think it through, find a logical starting point to – it’s important to explain your method of thinking to the assessor as you go along.

To prepare for: How many petrol stations are there in the UK? How many footballs can you fit in this room?

How would you explain supply and demand to a sixyear-old? How would you paint London purple?

Top tip It may sound cliché but preparation is everything with interviews. Write down your model answers to key questions and ask someone to practice with you. It’s always best to have actually said them out loud before an interview.

The application process

Virtual interviews

More and more interviews will be conducted virtually as firms continue to work remotely. The principles, questions and how to approach the answers should be exactly the same, but there are a few things to think about before you start.

Preparing for a virtual interview Which platform are you using?

There are numerous platforms that an employer might use to conduct the interview, including the likes of Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Google Hangouts. In the invitation it should be obvious which software it is. If you’ve not used the software before, it might be worth making sure you don’t need to download anything to use the software and that your microphone and camera work with it. There’s nothing worse than clicking the link a couple of minutes before your interview and realising you need to download something which will make you late.

How is the sound, audio and background?

It’s not just the platform you should check beforehand – you need to be checking that your computer audio and camera is good quality, especially the sound. Try a practice call with a friend or member of your family using the software you will be using to see if everything is looking and sounding good.

Wearing earphones or a headset won’t make an employer think you’re any less professional and it will improve the sound, so do invest in them.

Also, think about where you are in the house.

Employers will not care too much about your background – they understand you’re likely to be in a student bedroom. However, it’s important to make it look tidy and professional as possible. Also, do avoid anything which is distracting for the interviewer or you.

Have you checked the internet?

If you know your internet isn’t the best, make sure you do tests leading up to the interview. You can use websites like fast.com to test the speed of the internet. If it’s struggling and you’re worried, there’s simple things you can do like buying an internet booster for your room or an ethernet cable to run from the router. Also, check in with your housemates to ensure they aren’t downloading anything which could have an impact on your interview.

If the internet does drop briefly, don’t let this throw you – everyone has had problems with the internet in their time and they will be understanding. Ask them where you were cut off from and simply repeat the bits they missed.

Have you got another way to contact the interviewer?

The internet could completely cut out or your laptop could have a melt down. Very unlikely but it could happen. You can be prepared for this too though. Have a phone number or an email address to hand which you can contact someone using your signal or 4G. If the internet does completely go, it’s also good to have already set up your personal hotspot from your phone to the computer, so you can connect through that quickly if your main internet drops out.

How are you presenting yourself?

As working remotely has become more common, so has the smart-casual work attire. Often firms don’t expect you to be business smart for interviews, but if you’re unsure do ask. They understand that graduates may not know how formal they need to be in the online setting.

Is your presentation set up and easily shareable on the software?

Often you will have to share a presentation in an interview by sharing your screen. On the software you use this will be fairly self-explanatory. Do make sure you don’t have other tabs or programmes open to avoid anything popping up when you try to share. Also, it’s worth checking the software you’ve used to create the presentation looks good if you share it. Microsoft Powerpoint will be fine on everything but if you use something else, it could be worth a test.

Top tip This advice also applies to automated video interviews, in which you usually have 1-2 minutes to record yourself answering interview questions.

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Application Graduate career advice guide 2020/21

Assessment centres

You’ve submitted a good application, got through the tests and aced the telephone or video interview – now it’s the big one, the assessment centre. Often a full day (or at least a half day) made up of different parts, testing a broad range of a candidate’s skills. These would usually take place in an employer’s office, but many have moved virtual in the short term, so you would be completing each task online on Zoom, Google Hangouts or similar software.

All assessment centres are slightly different, but most involve some or all of the below. It’s worth knowing about them and understanding what the firm is trying to assess with each. Plus, we’ve given our top tips to help you stand out on the day.

Interviews During an assessment centre you’re almost certain to have a face-to-face interview, but there could also be panel interviews and for some roles (in Investment Banking or Technology, for example) a technical interview. For the biographical interview, make sure you’ve thought about what’s on your CV, why you would be suited to the role and have lots of practical examples to support what you say in the interview. Never just say you’re hard working for instance and leave it at that – have the example ready to prove you are. The interview may be with more than one assessor; don’t let this throw you off and make an effort to engage with everyone in the room.

In a technical interview, make sure you fully understand what the role entails and the broader technical activities of the firm. For technology roles, if you know what systems they use, the best thing to do is practice as much as you can. Regardless of sector, technical interview questions are meant to be challenging, so if you’re unsure about something show your willingness to learn.

Top tip It may feel like you’re in competition with other candidates during the day, but don’t think that way. Networking with them, being friendly and showing a willingness to work well with people is so important.

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Psychometric tests Many leading graduate employers require you to take psychometric tests during the day, even if you’ve already completed some online earlier in the recruitment process. This is often to ensure you actually did them yourself the first time around, but to also assess your ability to deliver under pressure.

You can find all the top tips for psychometric tests on p95.

E-tray or job simulation task exercise Many firms require their candidates to complete an E-tray exercise, also known as an email simulation task. You will be set up with an inbox and receive emails from different members of the organisation and/or clients. You’ll then be assessed on how you respond to the emails, but more importantly how you organise and prioritise the requests within the emails. Employers are testing your attention to detail as well as your commercial awareness – they want to know you understand what is most important to the business and the stakeholders who’ve emailed you. The test is timed, so your ability to work logically under pressure is critical to do well.

The application process

Case study This can be an individual or group task assessing candidates on how they deal with large volumes of information and come to a logical conclusion.

It’s a staple for Consulting assessment centres but is being increasingly used by other sectors to find standout candidates. The case study you’ll be given will be a scenario that closely mirrors what you may have to do in the role, and you’ll have to give your opinion on next steps and potentially a best course of action. There’s unlikely to be a right answer, so it’s up to you to think logically and have sound reasoning as to why you’re making the decision.

If there are figures or stats, make sure you utilise them when presenting your argument.

Group exercises A group exercise can take the form of a case study (see above) but they can also be completely nonbusiness related. They are used to test how you work together with others to see if you have the necessary team-work and leadership skills they are looking for.

For example, you may be asked to build something out of supplied materials, faced with a hypothetical survival situation, or posed with a completely different sector and business question. It’s something that many students tell us they worry about before an assessment centre, but follow our simple tips on the next page and you’ll be on your way to impressing the assessor.

Negotiation task A negotiation task is a type of group exercise, which is definitely worth knowing about, especially if you’re thinking about Law or other city careers.

Rather than working together to come up with the best solution, you’ll be in a situation where you have to put across your point-of-view and communicate why it’s the best one. For example, each member of the group could be given something that needs

Top tip If the assessment centre is virtual, you’re likely to be needed online at different points during the day – so it’s important to have fully read the brief beforehand.

budget allocation, but you’ll only have a budget for a certain number of tasks/activities. Your ability to persuade others and put together good arguments is being tested, but that doesn’t mean you need yours to be selected by the group at all costs. Get your points across, judge the situation and guide the team to the right outcome to give yourself the best chance to impress.

Presentation Many firms will ask you to prepare and give a presentation on the day. This could be part of a group exercise or a case study, but be ready for anything; business or non-business related. In most cases, you’ll be given some information and they’ll want you to present your ideas on the chosen topic.

You’re likely to be given the chance to create some visual aids (usually Powerpoint), but this shouldn’t be your main focus. Keep them simple – your ideas and how you articulate them is going to be what impresses the assessors.

If the role is client facing or involves research, you’re likely to be given a presentation during the assessment process. Some firms will give it to you beforehand and allow you a few days to prepare, but often it will be on the day and test your ability to perform under pressure.

Lunch & breaks If you’re there for a full day assessment centre, you’ll have down time between tasks and probably a break for lunch. It may seem odd to you to include this here, but these breaks are vitally important.

In fact, as soon as you step into the office you should be acting like you’re being assessed. A lunch break is an excellent time to socialise with other candidates and possibly graduates from the firm, but keep your A-game on. These interactions can count against you if you come across as rude, disinterested or unprofessional. The way you communicate with those around you will tell a firm a lot about who you are as a person and whether you’ll fit in at the firm.

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Application Graduate career advice guide 2020/21

5 quick tips for a group exercise We’ve come up with five key things that are important to remember and will make you stand out in the eyes of your assessors.

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Effective communication It’s crucial to demonstrate that you are able to listen to the opinions of others.

That means being able to actively listen to others and responding to what they say rather than just waiting for them to finish so you can make your point. When you’re expressing your ideas be clear, concise and confident. Make your point but don’t dominate the discussion.

Develop on the ideas of others Being able to listen to the ideas of others and build on them suggests you’re an active listener. It’s also a way of showing support and encouragement for others and their suggestions. Look to recognise the merit in ideas and promote these using positive language, such as: ‘I really like that idea, and it would allow us to.....’ or ‘that definitely makes sense, and if we combine it with....’.

Engage and include everyone Assessors will always be looking for your ability to manage and improve a team dynamic. Performance of a team depends largely on the effectiveness of all members, so do what you can to get everyone involved. Ask the quieter members of the group for their input; address them directly using their name – ‘John, what do you think about that idea?’ Encourage everyone to take it in turn suggesting their opinions, and give them time to get their point across.

Understand the brief . ..And ensure others do too. It’s really important that you understand the brief so that you’re able to contribute effectively. If you don’t understand after initially reading it through but others in the group seem to be getting it, make sure you don’t get left behind.

Before the team picks up speed, suggest that each person quickly summarises his or her understanding of the brief, so you’re all on the same page. By suggesting this you can listen to what others think first and use their understanding to support your own opinions.

Motivation and timekeeping Keeping up motivation/morale within the team is important. Remember to use positive language in support of others’ ideas. When you have successes within a team activity you should congratulate people; ‘well done everyone, that was brilliant, we’re halfway through, we’re going to get this finished.’ Be the one to manage timekeeping or ask someone if they would be happy to keep track. There may be multiple parts, so allocate time to the tasks depending on how important they are to the overall objective.

The application process

Signing a contract

Receiving the contract for your new job is often the moment it starts to feel real – all your hard work during the application process has paid off and you’re about to begin an excellent new chapter in your career.

But before you sign on the dotted line, make sure you understand what you’re getting into. Take the time to read through your contract.

What’s in a name?

First things first – are you signing up for the role you applied for? This may seem like a silly question but many companies call the same job different things internally and externally. If the title has changed since your interview, ensure the job description is familiar.

Equally your new job title should reflect the role you’re taking on. If it’s vague, ask your employer to clarify your responsibilities and how you’ll work within your team. You don’t want to inadvertently take on a much bigger, or much smaller role than expected.

Salary, benefits and bonus Many companies provide comprehensive benefits packages for their employees – the most common of which include a pension, private healthcare, ride to work scheme, travelcard loan and discounted gym membership. Check the remuneration package in your contract matches the one in your offer letter and find out how you can claim your benefits.

If you are eligible for a bonus as part of your new role, ask your employer how it’s calculated. Is it based on your performance as well as the company’s? What targets do you need to work towards? Get all the facts before you sign the contract.

Working nine to five…

Although most firms operate on a basic eight hour day with an hour for lunch, many now offer flexible working. This is an opportunity to negotiate your daily start/end time as well as your preferred location if your company has a number of different offices.

Make sure you’re clear on the number of hours you’re expected to work each day and week. Your contract may also lay out over time compensation – do check the terms if you have this.

Holidays As with studying, it’s important to take regular breaks once you start your new job. Before you go booking your next trip, check how many days or hours of holiday you’ve been allocated. Look out for any restrictions on usage such as particular times in

the year you can’t take time off or limitations on the length of your holiday.

Most companies ask that you use up your allowance by a certain date. Read through your contract to see if there’s the option to rollover holiday or if you can buy or sell days.

Where will you be working?

With more companies working remotely and expecting employees to come in less, it’s good to understand where you’re actually going to be working. On a contract, they will most likely state the office/location where the work is connected to, but do you know where you will be going in the office when you’re required to go in? If a company has a remote working policy right now, things could change and you could be expected to work from different locations. It’s important to clarify this and make sure it checks out on the contract too.

When it’s time to move on We don’t want to rain on your parade, but do be aware of your notice period. Standard length is one month but it may be longer or shorter depending on your employer. A very short notice period can be problematic in the unlikely scenario you’re let go – you’ll only have a couple of weeks to find a new job. However a very long notice period can be troublesome if you’re looking to change company and your new employer is expecting you to start quickly.

Find out exactly how long your notice period is and if it varies depending on the circumstance of your departure – have a plan of action for any eventuality.

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Application Graduate career advice guide 2020/21

Applications

By Hannah Salton

Top mistakes to avoid Most students and graduates find tackling job application forms challenging. Knowing what recruiters are looking for and trying to ‘sell’ yourself within strict word limits can be tough.

This piece will examine the most common pitfalls applicants make when completing online application forms, and give examples as to how you can avoid them.

There are no quick fixes or magic tricks to writing successful applications. After reading this article, you will need to reflect on your own approach to application forms, and work out how to put your learning into practice on your next application form.

1 Information overload Researching a company is critically important to write a high-quality application. You can weave this information in to your reasons for applying – either sharing your motivation within your cover letter or answering an application question such as “Why are you applying to work here?”. But research alone won’t seal the deal. Many applicants feel they need to read everything they can possibly get their hands on for each firm – but this can lead to information overload and an inability to differentiate between firms.

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It’s more important you know the basics really well, and you expand your research into specific areas that interest you. For example, if the training is something that stands out to you, do a deep dive into that. If the firm’s Asian client base appeals to you, make an effort to learn lots about them. Reflect on the highlights of your research, and ensure you realise which parts are particularly interesting to you. oor description of work 2 P

experience

Most companies will ask to hear about your work experience when you apply. Many candidates underestimate the importance of non-industry work experience when applying for graduate jobs. You can develop a lot of transferable skills working in a restaurant, bar or shop as a part-time or summer job.

When talking about your role, be sure to include what you were responsible for delivering, and where possible, use numbers. For example, you could share how many customers you served per hour, or share how many views/hits a blog that you wrote gained.

Avoid long lists without context – for example, don’t reel off a list of skills without sharing how you developed them.

3 F ailure to answer all parts of the exact question

Candidates can let themselves down if they don’t fully answer all parts of the specific question being asked – either on a written application form, or at interview stage. For example, if a firm is asking you to list the opportunities and challenges facing the

The application process

firm, be sure to list multiple opportunities, as well as challenges – rather than just focusing on one of these areas.

If the question asks you to share your thoughts on the current state and future of the sector, be sure to address both time periods. Many firms use similar but not identical wording to their individual questions on applications – pay attention to the exact language a firm has chosen to use. Failure to make your answers really relevant and specific, or to address all parts of the question will mean you are at a disadvantage compared to others who fully answer the question.

Some commercial awareness questions ask you to discuss a current industry trend, whereas other firms ask you to discuss a news story. Don’t copy and paste answers used for other firms, as it needs to be tailored and specific to the exact wording being used. oor structure for written 4 P

answers

If you are given a set amount of words for a written answer – for example 250 words to share your motivation for joining the sector – it’s important to decide and plan out your structure before you start writing. For 250 words on your motivation, you might decide to use roughly 80 words for your first reason for joining, 80 words for your second reason, and 90 words for your final point. If you are answering a competency question with the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result), you might aim to use roughly 60 words for each stage.

There are no fixed rules for structure but taking the time to decide your structure at a high level before you start writing will ensure you don’t ramble, and that you make best use of the word limit. Lengthy introductions and conclusions aren’t required for these answers – get straight to answering the question. oor range of stories for 5 P

competency questions

Think outside the box when it comes to answering competency questions such as “Tell me about a time you demonstrated leadership” or “Tell us about a time you overcame a challenge”. Your answers can be from university, volunteering, your part time job, or your extra-curricular activities. Brainstorm a wide range of possible stories to share by annotating your CV – write down 20-30 examples you could use to answer typical competency questions. Some examples might be large projects, others might be small – for example a difficult conversation you had with a customer, or a particularly hectic day in your part time job. Having a range of stories will also be useful for when you’re at the interview stage.

eneric or people-pleasing 6 G

motivation

Candidates so often struggle with what a ‘good’ answer looks like to motivation questions such as “Why do you want to work for this company?” or “Why are you pursuing a career as a commercial lawyer/ investment banker/marketing professional?”. There is no magic formula for these questions – you need to be honest and share you own story here. Reflect on your personal motivations, and make sure you back up your reasons by linking them to what you’ve done.

For example: “I want to work at your company because of X reason. I experienced working in this type of environment in my role as X”. It’s normally best to pick around three specific reasons, and link them back to yourself, rather than reeling off a long list of answers without explaining them.

7 T aking rejection too personally You can research, reflect, and craft a top-quality application, and still get rejected from your dream job. Companies – especially large ones – are inundated with applications every year, and managing them isn’t an exact science. Sometimes good applications will be rejected, as there are so many other factors at play – including the quantity and quality of the other applications.

This isn’t to discourage you – you should continue applying to companies you really love and want to work for, but don’t be disheartened if you aren’t successful. Meet as many people from your ideal employers as you can, and reflect on each application that isn’t successful on how you can do even better the next time you apply. Remember, rejection breeds resilience, which is a skill and a strength that many employers look for!

Hannah Salton worked in corporate graduate recruitment for 8 years, most recently leading UK graduate recruitment at law firm Allen & Overy. In 2017 she transitioned to become a career coach and consultant, delivering bespoke career coaching programmes for graduates looking to develop the skills and awareness needed to secure their dream job.

For more information visit: www.hannahsalton.co.uk or drop her an email with any questions: hello@hannahsalton.co.uk

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Application Graduate career advice guide 2020/21

By Ben Triggs, Bright Network

Commercial Awareness knowledge of the sector and the market environment Commercial awareness is a core trait the company works in. The strongest candidates will graduate employers from all sectors have a clear understanding of how the changes in the look for in their graduates; it shows an industry will impact the firm. Plus, fully understanding their challenges and the marketplace they operate in eagerness to understand the industry isn’t just useful during the recruitment process – it will they aspire to join and shows you can give you the upper hand when starting at the firm. think critically about the business How can you improve? world. But we know it’s not the There’s no silver bullet when it comes Firms are easiest skill to feel confident to commercial awareness and I likely to test your strongly recommend you focus on in. So to help you demystify it knowledge of the what interests you. To help you get all, here are our top tips and started, here are some top tips to sector and the things to think about which improve your skills. market environment will help you become more the company Stay up-to-date commercially aware. works in.

What is commercial awareness?

Commercial awareness is an understanding of how industries and businesses work. It’s understanding how a business operates, how they make money and the key challenges it faces. Commercial awareness also involves understanding what’s going on in the world and analysing the way it might impact your chosen sector and company.

Why is commercial awareness important?

Leading graduate employers expect you to have a strong commercial awareness. On application forms and at interviews, firms are likely to test your

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It’s easy to get into the university bubble and lose track of the outside world. Staying up-to-date doesn’t have to be a long and arduous task, nor does it mean reading through the newspapers cover to cover every day. A good place to start is daily or weekly summaries of the key stories – LinkedIn, BBC and us at Bright Network summarise the key stories into bitesize chunks. For a more in-depth view, the Financial TImes digital subscription is definitely a good investment, plus your university may already have signed up, so be sure to check first. If you prefer listening while you’re on the go, BBC Radio 4’s The Bottom Line (available on iPlayer Radio) is a good bet. If you’re looking for roles in London, don’t forget to take a look at City AM – it’s the London business paper (also online), so is very focused on the capital and a fairly easy read.

Core skills for graduates

When you’re set on applying for a company, it’s important to know when they’ve been in the news recently. Keep checking their social media accounts, which will give you an idea of the stories they want to share. A top tip is to set up a Google Alert, so you’re notified every time the firm appears in the news.

Know the lingo Every industry has a set of major players, commentators, industry experts and business jargon. Do your research and get familiar with these so that you recognise key names and influencers.

Whatever the sector, you won’t be able to avoid acronyms and other sector specific terms. Reading will help you pick this up, but one of the best ways in which you can get to grips with a particular sector is to join sector-focused university societies and/or commercial awareness clubs. Take advantage of what university can offer you – reading about news and current affairs is only one part of it – you need to get used to talking about it too and that’s where societies can come in.

Think about the connections Commercial awareness isn’t a case of learning lots of information and then regurgitating it during an interview – this isn’t GCSE Biology. It’s about understanding what’s happening and working out how it will impact on different sectors/firms. If the oil price goes up, what is the impact on the leisure industry? If consumer confidence declines, what effect does it have on banks? These are the types of things you should be thinking about. Never look at something in isolation – within the global world everything is so interconnected; it’s about getting to the bottom of what is having a causal effect on the changes within an industry.

This comes onto having a point of view, which is really important for firms to see in candidates. As long as it’s sound and has reason to back it up, have confidence when discussing it. Put yourself in the CEOs shoes and think about what you would do next.

COMMON COMMERCIAL AWARENESS QUESTIONS Firm / Industry Specific 1 Tell me about a recent business (or financial) story you’ve been following?

How will it impact the firm/industry?

2 What are the biggest challenges facing the firm/industry in the next 10 years?

3 Who are our competitors and what is our USP? 4 How do we generate revenue as a business?

General 1 How will a rise in interest rates or inflation affect the UK economy?

2 Is the FTSE 100 going up or down at the moment? What impact is that having on the economy?

Questions to make you think Some firms will test your commercial awareness with more obscure questions, which might require quick thinking. It’s difficult to prepare for something like this, but here are a few questions which have come up in recent years:

1 How would you improve the iPhone?

2 Who’s the most powerful person in the world and why?

Understand the money Having a strong understanding of how businesses are structured and how they make money is vitally important, especially when you’re applying to a firm. Working out the different divisions within an organisation can be tricky from the outside, so do go to talks/networking events with employees who will be able to give you the insight. From there, it should be a lot easier to fully understand how the business makes money and what the biggest threats are to their profitability. It’s something which could definitely come up in interview, so do stay on top of it – some banks even ask interview candidates what their share price was that morning.

GET YOUR COMMERCIAL AWARENESS UPDATES Sent to your inbox every Monday, giving you key insights on the essential stories of the week. Bright Network members just need to tailor their profiles to start receiving them.

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Application Graduate career advice guide 2020/21

By Kelly Hoey

Guide to (virtual) networking How to network like a pro in a hyper-connected world Networking is one of the most important skills for your career progression, but it’s also one that students can find the most daunting. With some of the challenges caused by COVID-19 – networking isn’t quite the face to face prospect it used to be, and as such there’s been a huge shift to virtual networking. A shift which in many ways will be here to stay.

To help you build your confidence and give you some top tips, here’s networking expert and author, Kelly Hoey’s insights to online networking.

Before you start networking First impressions are formed at the first encounter and thanks to social networks, your first impression is made before the informational interview or initial meeting is even scheduled – so start your professional networking off strong by polishing up your online profile(s).

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LinkedIn dominates the “professional” networking space so ensure you have created and completed your LinkedIn profile.

If you’re networking to find a job, the keywords you use in the “Title” and “About” sections of your LinkedIn profile are critical. Think about the role you’re seeking, how do professionals in your chosen field describe themselves? Read job postings/descriptions if you need keyword guidance or prompts to include in your profile.

Check Your Privacy Settings! Your profiles on other social networking platforms may include information you don’t necessarily want to share with future employers.

Top tip Ensure your CV or resume aligns (dates, descriptions) with your LinkedIn profile as these are candidate details recruiters check.

Core skills for graduates

Be generous when you post Whether online or offline, the foundation of networking is generosity. If you want to make and maintain meaningful connections, you need to be generous. Think about how the information you’re sharing may help a friend (or the person you want to build a connection with).

Three easy ways to be generous when networking online:

Top tip Hashtags are a great research tool to find communities and the conversations happening right now in the industry or profession you’re pursuing. You can search and follow hashtags on social platforms (i.e. LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram) and platforms with a social layer (i.e. Peloton).

1 Pass along articles or blogs of interest 2 Highlight the programmes or events you’ve signed up for

3 Comment on posts of others

Research before reaching out Don’t rely on an email template or sample cover letter. Stand out from the job-seeking crowd by using your critical thinking skills to research the people you’re seeking to meet and/or deeply understand the opportunities you’re applying for.

If busy people take the time to blog, podcast or tweet, it likely means they care about the subject matter – so use their published content to your career advantage.

Before sending out a cover letter or request for a “virtual coffee” you should, at a minimum:

1 Follow the company or individual on LinkedIn (and Twitter)

2 Subscribe to newsletter(s) the company or individual publishes

3 Sign-up for any webinars the company or organisation hosts

4 Listen to their podcast(s) or podcast

Network building etiquette matters – even online Just because you can swiftly follow, click and swipe does not mean you have a “true” ask-fora-favour connection. Build a strong professional reputation by showing up consistently and by:

1 Being responsive (to emails, RSVPs for events, etc)

2 Personalising your communications

(from requests to connect to cover-letters)

3 Arriving on time for meetings (even when those meetings occur online)

4 Offering to help (not always asking for assistance)

5 Following-up when someone provides guidance and following through on commitments you make

Getting started with these tips should see you start to open up more connections which means more potential for opportunities and information to come your way. You never know when one of your contacts could help you out.

interviews

5 Read or watch any interviews they have conducted

This background research will help you customize every outreach by revealing the common points of interest and showing a company you have a true understanding of what’s critical in their industry right now.

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Application Graduate career advice guide 2020/21

By Shelly O’Gilvie, Bright Network

Taking on feedback and rejection Rejection is a natural part of life. Regardless of whether you’re just getting started out or have progressed onto more senior roles, you’re likely to experience some form of rejection throughout your career. It may be a rejection from a job application, or a client you want to work with, or perhaps a promotion.

Early on in your career is ultimately the best 1. Don’t take rejection personally time to experience rejection, as these are crucial There are many reasons why great candidates are opportunities for taking on feedback, which rejected for roles or why clients turn down great helps you to develop a growth mindset and build proposals – but whatever the reason, it’s likely never resilience. In our most recent annual research, personal. Often, the reason could be something leading graduate employers rated resilience totally arbitrary or as simple as someone else as one of the top five attributes that they value just had a slightly stronger application or most in candidates. Being able to spotlight interview. It doesn’t necessarily mean that times when you’ve shown resilience your application was bad or that you demonstrates your ability to adapt to Leading graduate wouldn’t be good at the job. change and adversity, and bounce employers rated back stronger than ever. This is key Ultimately, companies will have to resilience as one of when it comes to standing out make tough decisions that mean the top five attributes to key employers, boosting your they can’t take everyone on, and that they value most professional development and, someone has to “lose out”. However, in candidates. ultimately, getting ahead in your it’s also important to remember that career. there are so many more opportunities out there for you to get involved in. One We’ve put together our top five tips for “no” or even five “no”s doesn’t mean there isn’t a taking on feedback and rejection to help “yes” waiting for you at the next application or you in boosting your resilience. job interview.

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Core skills for graduates

2. Learn to view rejection as an

opportunity rather than a set back

could seek out some additional training from the marketing team, or review some good examples of work that fit the company brand. Always remember to follow up again with the person who first gave you the feedback, to get their thoughts on your resulting progress and make sure you’re on the right track!

While it’s never a particularly fun experience, and can sometimes feel quite disheartening, rejection is always a perfect opportunity to develop professionally and even boost your employability in future applications. It allows you to highlight to future employers times when you have been 5. Reflect on your experience and tenacious in the face of adversity. You can talk progress about that situation where you experienced adversity or rejection, the action you took Finally, note down your reflections following this and how this helped you and progress following the entire to further develop your strengths.

Receiving experience. You don’t want to forget For example, you may have been feedback is great this valuable experience, especially unsuccessful in an application for a but having when it comes to highlighting society committee position, however, actionable next resilience to future employers. Use using feedback from the process steps is how you'll the STAR-R technique to structure you were able to apply again for actually develop. your notes and help you prepare for the following year’s committee and future applications: this time were successful in landing a role. Alternatively, perhaps you used Situation: When and where did you the feedback from the process to set up your experience adversity? Set the scene. own successful society instead. Finally, you can Task: What was the main challenge? use these experiences to reflect on how these Action: What did you do in response to the setbacks have allowed you to become a better main goal/aim or challenge? (i.e. sought candidate overall and boost your employability. feedback)

3. Continuously seek feedback Feedback is crucial to your development – so you should be constantly seeking feedback from a range of different people around you, whether that be your manager, your society committee peer, a colleague or university lecturer. You might not always agree, but it’s important to listen and not take it personally. Essentially, great feedback is there to support you in reflecting on your strengths and weaknesses and to help you improve, so you should always be keen to listen and respond positively. Make sure to ask for clarity and examples for any areas of feedback which are unclear or you haven’t fully understood. It’s also a good idea to ask for actionable ways you can put that feedback into practice.

Result: What was the outcome? How did you progress as a result?

Reflection: What did you learn?

4. Put that feedback into action Having feedback is great, but receiving actionable next steps is how you’ll actually develop. There are many different ways you can put feedback into action and these will mainly relate closely to the context of the rejection or adversity you experienced. For example, let’s say you’ve been given the feedback that your work wasn’t in line with the company brand. As next steps, you

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Application Graduate career advice guide 2020/21

By Joe Mackley, Bright Network

Effective leadership By joining a graduate scheme, you’ll be setting yourself on a fast track to being a future business leader and will find yourself exposed to leadership positions and responsibility early on in your career. As such, graduate employers are looking for leadership potential in applicants to internships and

And when we think of effective leaders like Jeff Bezos, Angela Merkel and Barack Obama, they all have slightly different traits and different ways of leading. So what traits do effective leaders have, and how can you show these skills to graduate employers?

Traits of effective leaders Communication

Being a clear communicator is a really key part of becoming an effective Put simply, leader. Strong communication means do you show this? What is leadership is the ability that you can articulate the objectives to lead a group of effective leadership? you’re working towards and align people towards goals everyone in your team behind the and objectives. same goals. However, communication What is effective as a leader isn’t just about telling people what to do, you’ve got to remember to leadership listen to your team to understand where they Put simply, leadership is the ability to lead need more support and what you can be doing a group of people towards goals and objectives. to help everyone succeed. Think about times But anyone who has ever taken on a leadership that you’ve been in leadership positions, how role, either at school, university, or in extra have you helped manage your team by keeping curricular activities, knows that it’s a lot harder communication going between everyone so that than that. To lead effectively means that rather you can hit a deadline? than looking like a poorly organised university project, you’re able to manage and deploy your Lead by example team in the most efficient way to get to your end goal. Without effective leadership, companies One of the best quotes associated with some of of the size and scale of Amazon, Google, or even the best leaders is ‘not asking their team to do the national government wouldn’t be possible. anything they themselves wouldn’t do, or haven’t

graduate schemes – but how

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Core skills for graduates

already done’. This sort of mentality is key when you’re leading a team and trying to get them to follow you. It’s also one of the key differences sometimes drawn between ‘management’ and ‘leadership’. Whether this is ensuring you’re keeping standards high by showing everyone how it’s done, or even getting stuck into an undesirable task alongside your team, leading by example keeps everyone onside in your team. You may have led by example across a whole range of activities from group projects, through to sporting scenarios – think of a time you’ve shown your high standards to a team and how this helped everyone achieve more.

Passionate about the project

Proactive Jeff Bezos didn’t become CEO of a multibillion dollar company by being passive. If he had been passive, he wouldn’t have started Amazon in the first place. No leader is successful or effective by just letting things happen and not looking to control and react to challenging situations.

Likewise when you find yourself in a leadership position, you need to be on the front foot to get the best results. When thinking about demonstrating proactivity, think about times that you’ve gone over and above to achieve something. Look to avoid examples which involve a deadline that has been set as part of your course, as this doesn’t seem proactive, just something you should be doing to achieve your degree.

Effective leaders are passionate about the project they’re working on, and this enthusiasm translates to the team and motivates everyone.

Pulling it all together Think about times you’ve been part of a team, Remember that when you’re interviewing for both ones where you’ve been a leader an internship or graduate role, employers and instances where you haven’t. are often looking for leadership potential Chances are you can think of Top leaders and will be looking for times that a time where it was clear the won't ask their team you’ve demonstrated some of the leader wasn’t too interested to do anything they quintessential skills of being an in the task at hand and this themselves wouldn't effective leader. They definitely won’t means someone else may have be prepared to do or be expecting you to be ready to start had to take their place or the haven't already running the company from the off. As team didn’t succeed. The best done. such, if you do find yourself struggling leaders believe in their mission and to think of examples of when you’ve led as such their team hits new heights. projects, start to break the skills down and This is a hard one to demonstrate during demonstrate those. If you are looking to improve an interview but think about a time you’ve been your leadership skills, putting yourself in more passionate about wanting to achieve a goal positions to lead by volunteering for it as part of and how you’ve transmitted that to others. It’s your course or even running for society leadership probably something you’ve done unconsciously positions will be important to getting you started. before.

Good followers All leaders will have been ‘followers’ or just team members at some point and in order to be a great leader, you often need to have had the perspective and understanding of what makes a good follower. Likewise when you get into your first role, you’re unlikely to be thrown fully into a leadership position straight away and will likely be learning from someone else. Use your experiences as a follower firstly to think about the traits of good and bad leaders you’ve had. Also, think about what you as a leader appreciate from a team member – all great leaders need good followers.

Our final tip is to think about leaders who have inspired you. What was it about them that made them so special, and how can you incorporate some of their skills into what you want to do.

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YOUR GRADUATE CAREER GUIDE 2020/21 FOURTH EDITION

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