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Career Advice * Inspiration * Jobs * Grad News * Your Future www.realworldmagazine.com
Be your own Boss
Do you want to be an entrepreneur?
Super Fast
Can you cut it with the world’s biggest brands?
On the Case A career in law? Read our essential guide
October 2005 Free to Students
Application Agony 8 ways to avoid online disasters
Jobs in:
IT & Science Why the future is bright for grads
ARE YOU
GRADUATE OF THE YEAR?
£20,000 TO BE WON page 10
THE
X-factor How to get it and transform your job hunt!
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OCTOBER | 2005
Contents On the cover
z
Cover story: 6
X -Factor: What makes a graduate stand out in the job market? Plus five ways to enhance your employability. z
16
Upfront: 5 10
Editors Letter Competition: Are you Graduate of the Year 2006? A prize fund of £20,000 awaits the winners… z
Emailz@realworld Your letters. Soapbox: Scrap degree classes, they are useless. 15 Career Coach: What does a psychometric test 12 13
actually involve?
Brainfood: 16 18 19 20
24
22
23
Applications decoded: What are employers really asking for? Online agony: How to avoid internet disasters. z I’ll do that job: Becoming an underwater cameraman. The Five Biggest Myths about your job market Where to live after uni: Is Manchester good for grads? Class of 2006: We catch up with our six final year students as they job hunt.
RW Features: Small is Beautiful: Real World meets a graduate fighting for world peace at non-governmental organisation Saferworld. 26 Be your own boss: Three graduate entrepreneurs tell it like it really is. Plus how to get started and essential 24
40
30
online resources. z F eel the need for Speed? Fast Moving Consumer Goods is one of the UK’s most popular sectors for
32
graduates. What do you need to do to get a job? z Science Saves the World: Science grads who make a difference. z
40
The Future Is IT: Forget the doom and gloom stories about jobs disappearing overseas, this sector is crying out for graduates. z
48
et on the Case: We uncover what it takes to make it G in the legal profession. z
in the next issue of real world:
y L ost for words? How to make sure you avoid interview nightmares?
yW hat really happens to graduates after uni? y Plus: careers in the public sector, engineering and
48
retail; and will you be happier at a big employer or a small business?
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Technology Graduates – UK Wide Let’s get straight to the point. You want the most exciting clients. You want the most advanced projects. You want access to all parts of the business. And you want responsibility right from the start. LogicaCMG can offer you all this and more. With 21,000 employees in 34 countries across the globe, we’re a major international force in IT services and wireless telecommunications – offering management and IT consultancy, systems integration and outsourcing services in a diverse range of sectors. For most areas of our work, you need a 2:2 or above in computer science or similar numerate subject. But providing you have a genuine interest in technology, there are some areas of our business you can join with a non-technical degree. Either way, our structured yet flexible training programme and our emphasis on real-world project work will prepare you for a varied and challenging career ahead. www.logicacmg.com/ukgraduates Straight talking from LogicaCMG
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SOLUTIONS THAT MATTER
EDITOR’S LETTER
T
Find your X-Factor he mysterious X-factor. Does it really exist? Is there one thing that can make a graduate irresistible to employers? We’ve talked to a range of employers, career advis-
ers and graduates – and the answer is a definite yes. It comes down to really knowing what the employer wants, being sure that you are
Cover photograph by Leslie Lyons
Editorial: 020 7735 2111 Editor Zoë Roberts Art Director Jennifer van Schoor DESIGNER Yang Ou Sub Editor Steve Smethurst INTERNS Lisa Bronstein
SALES: 020 7735 4900 HEAD OF SALES Paul Wade SALES Josh Marshall, Harmesh Sansoa
DISTRIBUTION: 020 7735 4900 DISTRIBUTION MANAGER James Lynch
ADMIN: 020 7735 4900 Managing Director Darius Norell Real World Magazine 22-26 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TJ Tel: Advertising 020 7735 4900 Editorial 020 7735 2111 Fax: 020 7840 0443 www.realworldmagazine.com Real World is published in the UK by Cherry Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written permission of the publishers. We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs or for material lost or damaged in the post.
that person and being able to communicate to the employer you are that person by providing strong backing evidence. In the words of one graduate recruiter: “You need to sell yourself, but if you’re not truly convinced about what you are selling, then you are going to have a tough time convincing the punter. And likewise, if you don’t know what the punter wants then how are you going to convince them you’ve got what they want?” It might all seem like a tall order, particularly when you have academic and financial pressures to contend with. But this is where Real World can come to the rescue. In our cover feature we’ve taken a look at what this actually means in practice and suggested a few tips on enhancing your very own X-factor! If you think that you have got the X-factor and fancy winning £10,000 then you should definitely enter yourself into our 2006 Graduate of the Year competition (see page 10). An important element in all this is good communication – which means developing good listening skills. In the opening feature of our Brain Food section, we cover the types of questions employers are asking graduates and reveal what they are looking for when you answer. Meanwhile, we’ve taken a look at some of the sectors where the future is brightest for graduate recruitment. After a bumpy time employers are confident that the IT sector is on the mend and is offering some exciting job prospects for grads (page 40). Legal eagles should turn to (page 48) for the lowdown on career paths in Law. Plus, don’t miss our features on the world of fast-moving consumer goods (page 30); and science (page 32). And finally if you’ve got questions, comments or suggestions for future issues then drop me an email. Zoë Roberts, editor zoe@realworldmagazine.com
CONTRIBUTORS
LISA BRONSTEIN
YANG OU
University of Newcastle graduate Lisa Bronstein spent two weeks as an intern at Real World. Following a research trip to the Amazon and with a degree in marine biology under her belt, Lisa has been considering a career in documentary film making. A qualified diver herself, on page 21 she interviews an underwater cameraman who spends his time floating around in the warm waters of Southeast Asia. Envious, her?
The latest addition to the Real World team. Yang recently graduated from the University of Westminster with a degree in photographic journalism. Inspired by his internship at magazine giants Condé Nast, Yang harbours ambitions to be a magazine creative director. On his first assignment for Real World, he tracked down some of the busiest people in the country to take their photos for our Law feature on page 56.
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COVERSTORY
X
Get the -Factor!
What makes a graduate stand out from the crowd? Buckets of David Williams finds that employers are af
E
ach year, more than 400 000 graduates enter the world of work. Head and shoulders above the rest are the ones who understand that their degree alone is not enough to get them a job. Employers are equally interested in experience gained beyond the lecture theatre. Unfortunately, you can have a wealth of work experience, have travelled the world, gained a good degree and still fail to impress employers. There is also a mystery ingredient – a secret Factor X – that gets some people jobs and leaves others standing in the dole queue. But what is it and how can you get it? Phil Brown of Cardiff University and Anthony Hesketh of Lancaster University Management School have written a book exposing the realities of graduate selection.“There is undoubtedly a Factor X,” says Phil.“It is the ability to work out what employers want to see and then select those aspects of yourself and your experience that best fit with that employer.” As the authors explain in their book, it’s all very well to have canoed backwards up the Khyber River during your gap year, but it won’t impress employers unless you can articulate the skills you learnt from it and how they relate to the role in question. Sadly, as a rule, graduates are not skilled at doing this. The importance of being immodest “When we talk about star quality that’s particularly where people go wrong, especially in the UK culture where being slightly self-deprecating is seen as a good thing,” argues Fiona Sandford at LSE careers service. “We see many students that have great personal qualities, attributes and skills but problems arise because many are not particularly good at articulating them.” Jo Odds is a 23-year-old graduate with a BMus from the University of Glasgow. Last year she was selected as a finalist in the Real World 2005 Graduate of the Year awards. Jo has now landed her ideal first job and works as a music administrator for the Scottish Arts Council. “My friends tend to undervalue the experiences they have had. They just don’t understand what employers want to hear about it. For example, while at uni, I worked part-time as a steward in the student union. It might sound ordinary, but it allowed me to
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Photograph: Leslie Lyons | GettyImages
ets of work experience ? a first class degree? re after something less easy to define....
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COVERSTORY
talk about how I improved my communication skills, worked under pressure, and dealt with difficult situations – skills that employers want you to have.” Tailoring a CV to the employer is also essential, she says. “For the Arts Council job, it was vital that the interviewers could see clearly that I had both arts and administration credentials. So my CV highlighted my experience in theatre and front-of-house work, as well as flagging up relevant degree work. It’s being involved in things outside your degree, and then knowing that you need to change the emphasis for every job you apply to.” Careers services, says Jo, are excellent at helping you with this.
“ Make me a star! 5 Steps to Boost your employability 1
Do stuff!
Too many students still haven’t grasped this. “Unis are very safe places, so it’s important to spread your wings by getting involved in activities where you will develop skills, such as persuading people,” says Fiona Sandford, head of the LSE’s careers service. For inspiration, see www.realworldmagazine.com to read about our Graduate of the Year 2005 finalists. 2
Be self-aware
“Few graduates spend time thinking about what they have to offer,” says Carl Gilleard, the chief executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters. “But it builds up your confidence – vital when competing for jobs.” As a former recruiter he has sat through many interviews. “There were two words I’d hear which really depressed me,” he says. “'I’ve only…’ If you use this as a prefix to anything you’ve done then the impression it makes is always negative.” 3
Step into the employers shoes
Find out what the recruiter and the vacancy are all about and tailor your application to show how your experience and skills put you in a good position to meet their needs. Take this feedback from one ‘starstruck' pharmaceuticals recruiter in Brown and Hesketh’s research: “She’d done her homework, knew all about us and thought very seriously about what she could offer us. She hasn’t just turned up and rattled off her skills list” 4
Your ability to shine can grow
Learning to sell yourself is a skill that can be acquired and honed. “You should use every opportunity to build these skills,” writes careers expert Dr Peter Hawkins in ‘If Only I’d Known’ (www.heacademy.ac. uk). Suggestions include booking yourself on to a presentation skills course, joining a debating society, and seeking mock interviews at your careers service. 5
Effort = Result
Bear in mind Brown and Hesketh's conclusion… that it is often the small differences, “such as the way a candidate phrases a response to a particular question” that make the ultimate difference.
I worked part time as a steward in the student union. it allowed me to talk about how I worked under pressure and dealt with difficult situations.
Don't make the employer cringe! Another issue is that, according to employers, graduates frequently forget to consider what the employer is looking for. “One of the questions on our application form is about working within groups of people,” said a car manufac-
turer, interviewed anonymously for Brown and Hesketh’s study. “All the applicants write about university project work and I read the same thing time and time again: half of them say, ‘I was put with these people that I didn’t know and we had to do this presentation together. So we decided that because
”
we all had different timetables, we should split the work into four sections and each of us did our own section and then presented it together at the end.’ They miss the point of how they managed to work with those people. It happens so much on the forms... I just cringe.” You also need to consider the company culture and the personal qualities the employer wants to see. Look through the information the employer provides again. Are there images and life stories of successful candidates? What do they say? Do they talk about how much commitment they give to their job or how they like to have a life outside? You can't fake genuine enthusiasm But this doesn’t mean you should just quote an employer’s website back at them. You will have to work at developing your employability. And if you are struggling to think of examples to demonstrate how good you are for a job it’s worth thinking about whether it’s the right role for you. Fiona at LSE says that students will often declare an interest in a certain job but when probed a little deeper will reveal that they actually know little about what the career is like. “You have to consider whether the career will match your interests,” says Fiona. “If you are applying for something you genuinely know about and have an interest or passion for then this will show.” Hazel Mowbray, 22, graduated with a first in International Relations and History from the London School of Economics. Last year, she was selected as the Real World 2005 Graduate of the Year for her outstanding achievements and dedication to a range of causes while at university. She has recently returned from Berlin after three months working for Transparency International, an organisation involved in anti-corruption work. While there, she was involved in interviewing her successor. “When I was interviewing, some faces would light up when I asked about what they hoped to achieve in the role,” she says. “They clearly respected the job and brought an energy to it, rather than seeing it as something that they could take energy from. You could tell they were right just from the questions they asked at the end of the interview.” “You can’t fake genuine enthusiasm. It just shines right out of you. It is bvious when a candidate has thought deeply about the job and their o suitability for it.” n
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THE SEARCH IS ON
FOR GRADUATES WHO HAVE MADE THE MOST
OF THEIR TIME AT UNIVERSITY
, £20 000 CASH TO BE WON Real World has teamed up with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Edge and Moloney Search to find the Graduate of the Year 2006: an outstanding, final-year student who can demonstrate their attitude, energy and commitment through what they’ve done while they’ve been at university. We’re broadminded about the nature of your achievements, be they extra-curricular, work-based or campus activities. But whatever you have done, you’ll need to think carefully about your experiences and be able to demonstrate what you have learnt to our panel. We believe that university isn’t only about academic achievement. A degree classification is just the icing on the cake. This award celebrates everything that your years in higher education have offered you: incredible opportunities to learn about yourself, to develop, to innovate and to contribute. To enter visit www.realworldmagazine.com to answer the following questions: 1. Please outline what you have done to make the most of your time at university – particularly highlighting activities that demonstrate attitude, energy and commitment. 2. From the achievements above, tell us which one you are most proud of and why. 3. What have you learnt about yourself from the activities and achievements listed above? How will you apply this learning to life after graduation? Alternatively, you can nominate someone you think should be Graduate of the Year. If they win a prize, we will give you £100.
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH
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LETTERS
Illustration: Mo’Mint Studios
Fed up, excited, want to request information, pass on a good jobhunting tip or just have a general whinge? Don’t hesitate to email us at Real World.
emailz@realworld.com Send any emails to zoe@realworldmagazine.com Please specify if you don’t want us to include your full identity.
I liked the article, but… Dear Real World, I really enjoyed your article ‘What Should I do with My Life’ but hearing that Arif Haq just walked into a job that some of us would kill for really annoyed me. Is recruitment all down to luck – do you need to just be the right person at the right time? If that’s the case then I don’t know why I’m bothering with all this application stuff. Sam, University of Durham. Ed: Well, we asked Arif what he thought had landed him the job. He put a lot of it down to luck and the rest down to the gift of the gab. In other words, being able to chat easily and impress employers. Some people, others will need to work on it a bit harder. See our cover feature on the XFactor for further advice.
LETTER OF THE MONTH
Are you experienced? Dear Real World, I wanted to let your readers know how important it is to find a first job that you enjoy. I recently graduated from the LSE and have tackled the graduate recruitment process at numerous investment banks, hedge funds and top city law firms. Having secured six front-office internships and four full-time job offers, I have first-hand knowledge of how difficult and daunting graduate recruitment can be. I am now an associate analyst in the investment research division at a top tier investment bank and I’d suggest that doing an internship or getting a variety of work experience is of paramount importance in securing a job that is right for you. The work must truly interest you, the job ought to meet your long-term ambitions and your colleagues should be willing to support and teach you. The bottom line is to feel happy with going to work everyday. The problem is that you can never know this until you have some knowledge of the company and really get to experience the people, culture and day-to-day work for yourself. Rohit Agarwal
CLAIRE SCHULTZ SPENT A MONTH THIS SUMMER AS A VOLUNTEER BUILDER IN PEKI ADZOKOE, A VILLAGE IN GHANA’S VOLTA REGION, AFTER WINNING A REAL WORLD COMPETITION, COURTESY OF DEVELOPMENT TRAVEL ORGANISATION, MADVENTURER… “I LEARNT QUICKLY THAT LIFE IS VERY DIFFERENT! YOU HAVE TO EMBRACE ‘GHANAIAN TIME’ – THINGS HAPPEN WHEN THEY HAPPEN, NOT NECESSARILY AT ANY SET TIME! AND IF YOUR TRO-TRO (BUS) DOESN’T BREAK DOWN, ITS DOOR WILL FALL OFF, OR YOU’LL FIND YOURSELF SITTING NEXT TO A COW. BEING EXPOSED TO SUCH A DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE HAS MADE ME MORE OPEN MINDED. I’M NOW ABOUT TO START A MASTERS IN TRANSLATION WHICH I HOPE WILL ALLOW ME TO TRAVEL AND WORK ABROAD AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.”
Those tricky trick questions Dear Real World I’m quite a shy person and it’s daunting to think that if I want to get the kind of job I aspire to, I’ll have to go through at least one interview per employer. This is going to be tough enough for me to get through, but what’s adding to my concerns are the stories I hear about employers asking trick questions. Is there anything that I can do to prepare for this happening in interviews? Ed: Don’t worry! We’re covering the interview process in the next issue of Real World, so just relax for now...
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OPINION
Can’t get no satisfaction Dear Real World, I’m writing in response to a letter in the last issue of the magazine. It came from the Forum of Private Businesses and complained about graduates lacking in basic skills. Well, I just want to say I’ve heard this time and time again. I had it when I took my GCSE’s (much easier than before, apparently) and my A-Levels (again, a doddle, according to the papers) and now while I’m taking my degree (yes, another waste of time according
“
Soap Box Should the age-old system of degree classification be scrapped? Yes it should, says David VandeLinde, vice chancellor at Warwick University, because it’s both unjust and inaccurate. For years British universities have classified degrees into four different levels: 1st, 2:1, 2:2 and 3rd. We do this, not because we don’t have
EMPLOYERS WILL NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH THE EDUCATION SYSTEM OR YOUNG PEOPLE… BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE A GO AT THE UNIVERSITIES AND GOVERNMENT, NOT US!
to employers). I’ve concluded that employers will never be satisfied with the education system or young people in general. Plus, if they want better graduates then they should be having a go at the universities and government and not us! Rebecca, University of Cardiff
Publish, and be damned? Dear Real World, I’m interested in a career in publishing but everyone I ask tells me that it’s fiercely competitive and poorly paid. So what’s the best way to break into it? And what sort of starting salary could I expect, is it
complete information about the accomplishments of our students, but rather through tradition. In the past, many people saw it as provid-
”
ing a uniformity across universities that provided a “gold standard” for comparing student achievement. If valid, this belief is a good reason for classification. Unfortunately, it is not valid. Degree classification is imprecise and unfair. There is no objective way to know whether a first at one of the top ten research universities, such as Warwick, is as tough to achieve as it
would be at any other university. Degree courses differ substantially from one university to the next. Increasingly, the question of comparability is a nonsense. A recent survey of degree classification undertaken by Real World and strategy and resourcing company Work Communications concluded that, “in terms of achievement, a 2:1 can indicate anything from mediocrity to magnificence.” Degree classifications are little more than a crude summary imposed at the end of a detailed and robust system of accumulating achievement throughout a student’s time at university. We should start to question the exaggerated respect accorded students with a 1st rather than an 2:1, especially when the difference between grades may be a mark or two. We are not routinely told whether a student is a borderline 1st or has reached that grade easily. We create a cliff edge for students, when a sloping hill which they could strive to ascend would be preferable. Such a system would ob-
going to be really low?
viously be more just for those who narrowly miss a band, but it could also ben-
Ed: Yes, it’s all true. Publishing is intensely competitive. Yes, the salaries are low. And
efit all those simply lumped together at the top of the classification system with a first. We should instead demonstrate the variation of ability
yes, it can be very demanding. Yet all these factors do little to deter graduates from entering what is renowned as a creative, ‘people’ industry. Many jobs are unadvertised and it’s a question of ‘who you know’ and being in the right place at the right time. Work experience, therefore, is invaluable.
and achievement within the current bands. We must address these widespread concerns about the “cliff edge” – and soon. Students should
“
WE SHOULD START TO QUESTION THE EXAGGERATED RESPECT ACCORDED STUDENTS WITH A 1ST, RATHER THAN A 2:1. THE DIFFERENCE MAY ONLY BE A MARK OR TWO.
be given their actual marks, rather
”
than a classification. Employers would be better informed and every student would strive for the best possible marks – not just to scrape into a particular band.
Got an idea for a soapbox? Email zoe@realworldmagazine.com
Starting salaries vary – but you could be looking at £17,000 or less.
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(ELP US RAISE A BILLION MINUTES FOR GOOD CAUSES AND BOOST YOUR PROSPECTS 6OLUNTEERING IS A GREAT WAY TO DEVELOP SKILLS AND GET EXPERIENCE 4ELL US HOW MANY MINUTES YOU CAN GIVE AND WE LL SHOW YOU HOW WHERE AND WHEN TO GET STARTED 'ET ONLINE AT WWW YEAROFTHEVOLUNTEER ORG CALL OR TEXT 6/, AND YOUR NAME TO 7HATEVER YOUR PASSION MAKE IT COUNT IN
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UPFRONT
Career Coach
Got a problem? Send it to us at Real World. Dear Real World, What’s the deal with psychometric tests? If I’m being honest, I’m absolutely clueless about them. I don’t understand what employers use them for. Is it to discover flaws in my personality or weaknesses in my skills? Nothing I’ve read online has been particularly useful helping me understand what’s going on. Do I answer honestly or try to guess the answer I think they’re looking for? I read your letter in the last issue of the magazine from the girl who was told that her results were perfect, so “she must be lying”. Is that really how they work? Can employers tell if you aren’t telling the truth in the test? I think I’ve got a great CV and some pretty good work experience but I’m worried this might prove to be a stumbling block. What if they discover some great big flaw in my personality!!! Help me I’m turning into psycho-student... Yours truly confused, Dan
1
2
3
The career adviser’s view
the employer’s view
real world concludes
Dear Dan:
Hi Dan:
Real World concludes:
Don’t panic – not all graduate employers
For many people, psychometric tests are
Personality (or work style), and ability.
use psychometric tests! And those that do
the most feared part of the assessment
Personality assessments look at your own
usually rely on several methods of
process. It’s really important to practise
preferences for different aspects of work.
assessment (such as interviews, group
these types of test to build your
There are no right or wrong answers, these
exercises and presentations), rather than
confidence. The more familiar you are with
assessments ask you to outline which
depending on psychometric tests alone.
a test, the more you can show your true
statements are more or less like you.
Online applications are an exception to
potential. And if, for example, Dan hadn’t
the rule, with tests sometimes used to filter
done any maths since his GCSE, he could
exams and do have right and wrong
out applicants before the interview stage.
brush up on basic mental arithmetic,
answers. They assess verbal and/or
Employers want to find out more about
There are two main types of assessment:
Ability tests are more like traditional
percentages and fractions. There are many
numerical reasoning skills and other skills
your skills and personal qualities and
books and online resources which Dan
relevant to the role. Most are timed to see
whether they match those needed for the
could access to brush up on his numerical
how you cope under pressure.
job in question. Yes, employers CAN tell if
and verbal reasoning skills.
Employers should offer you practice examples of both types of test so that you are familiar with them before you sit them.
you aren’t telling the truth: most personality
It’s harder to prepare for a personality test,
questionnaires have a built-in ‘lie detector’.
however, so Dan should have a think about
If you truly feel that you have a weakness
what he’s so worried about. As Jennifer
Examples of SHL tests can be found at
in your skills or a ‘flaw’ in your personality,
suggests he’d be well-advised to talk to a
www.shldirect.com. I’d certainly advise
speak to a careers adviser to see if you
career adviser about his concerns.
you to practise some ability tests before
can do something practical to deal with
taking them for real. There are also a
this ‘blip’, whether it’s joining a society or
being given unhelpful feedback about tests.
number of very good books that will help
doing some voluntary work. Pretending
One graduate was told that he’d passed
you prepare.
you’re someone you’re not rather than
everything, but “failed” the personality test.
addressing the fault could well be counter-
Most companies would never use this
completing assessments. While
productive. Do you really want to be given
language, but if you do happen hear this
questionnaires do inevitably need to be
a job which you end up having to leave
don’t despair, it just means their dull job
constructed to make it harder to “cheat”,
because it doesn’t really suit you?
isn’t suited to your vibrant personality!
People are entitled to feedback after
this is not their prime purpose. My advice
There have also been cases of graduates
Find out if your university careers service
would be to prepare well and then go for it!
runs practice test sessions. Many do.
James Bywater, head psychologist,
Jennifer Connell, careers adviser,
(Kogan Page) to give away. Email your
SHL (UK) Ltd.
University of Liverpool
address to: zoe@realworldmagazine.com
*Real World has 5 copies of How to Pass Graduate Psychometric Tests by Mike Bryon
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NEWS VIEWS ADVICE STRATEGIES
Applications d Real World takes the latest application form questions and asks recruiters to tell us what impresses them ENTERPRISE-RENT-A-CAR
“
”
Tell us about a time when you weren’t successful.
They say: “What we really want to see here is that how you learnt and moved on after a mistake. What clues did you fail to see, what would you have done differently and what did you learn from the situation? This question is very important for us as we look to recruit people who can learn from their mistakes and use it to add to their toolkit. We don’t have a procedure manual here because we believe that if you do everything for people they won’t grow or develop. What we don’t want to hear is “I’ve never made a mistake.” People who say this are either too worried about talking about negative things, or are over confident.” – Donna Miller, Human resources director, Europe. We say: “Don’t dwell too much on the failure itself. What the employer really wants to hear about is what you learnt from the experience and how you would avoid repeating the same mistake. There is a temptation to choose an example which puts you in a good light, ie “I wasn’t successful, but it wasn’t my fault because of X, Y and Z.” But that approach will only make it look like you’re reluctant to take responsibility for your actions or learn from your mistakes. Be honest instead and emphasise how you have moved on.”
JOHN LEWIS
“
When have you exceeded others’ expectations and what motivated you to do it?
”
They say: “We ask this question because we are looking to establish and ascertain the level of initiative and drive that a candidate has. How willing are they to push the boundaries and set high standards? Retail is very competitive and so we look for people who are highly motivated, and will take our business forward in the future. The answers we receive to this question are very varied. What we want to hear is why it was a significant achievement for you and what challenges you faced. Give us the context and help us to understand the circumstances and how your achievement might be relevant to us.” – Michael Nathan, Recruitment manager. We say: “Don’t get hung up trying to find an example of superhuman achievement. Recruiters say it’s not the example that matters, it’s the explanation of the skills you’ve used and what you’ve learnt from the experience. Part-time work, managing a university event or volunteering all involve meeting deadlines and expectations. As Michael says, what they are interested in hearing is how you will help them take the business forward in the future. So when preparing your answers remember that employers are always considering what value you will bring to their business.”
CIVIL SERVICE FAST STREAM
“
Can you tell me about a time when you have had to manage competing priorities?
”
They say: “During the assessment process we carry out an interview which focuses on three of the six competencies we assess candidates on. These are building productive relationships; learning and improving; and drive for results. This question falls under drive for results: we are looking for evidence that the candidate has the ability to plan, review and prioritise as necessary and to meet deadlines and expectations. Many candidates will base their answer on their academic work, but examples can come from any aspect of your life – in a job, or sporting activities, anything. We want to know about a time when you were under real pressure and had to make sure that you got the balance right. Think about the question carefully, and work out what is the best evidence you can come up with to show how you’ve managed this kind of tough situation.” – Diane Corner, Chief assessor, Civil Service Selection Board We say: “Employers want to discover how you handle pressure. You’ll need to be able to provide evidence of why the situation was stressful, what the different demands on your time were and how you managed them. If you are answering several questions on an application form be sure to pick examples from across your range of experiences from academic to personal life. It’s much stronger than just relying on one example to illustrate all your answers and helps to show that you are a well-rounded individual.”
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s decoded…
ACCENTURE
CENTRICA
Why have you applied to Accenture?
Could you describe a time when you worked effectively with others to achieve a common goal?
They say: “What we don’t want to hear is a standard answer. We know when a candidate is quoting our website or marketing material back at us. We’d like people to show that they have researched the company and culture, know about our competitors, our business and recent major deals. Tell us about what projects we’ve undertaken that interest you or changes that we’ve implemented that you’d like to be involved in. Best of all we like to see that you have attended a careers event, a skill session or presentation and actually spoken to someone who has worked here. The biggest mistake is just saying because we are a big name on campus!” – Emily Chandler, Graduate recruitment sourcing lead.
They say: “Evidence of involving others in all aspects of an issue and of supporting others is what we are looking for when asking a question like this – achieving the goal is secondary. All too often, graduates respond by telling us about a time they led a team and the actions they took to achieve the goal, rather than concentrating on providing evidence of working collaboratively and developing ideas with others.” – Lyndsay Rockey , Graduate Resourcing and development
“
”
“
”
We Say: “This is the team-based question, where you should be thinking about selling your skills in persuasion, co-operation, listening, negotiation, and adaptability, all those key communication skills that employers are so keen on. But don’t get too focused on the team, a common mistake in these questions is to talk about what the group did, rather that yourself. Use ‘I’ rather than ‘we’ and think evidence, evidence, evidence. Talk about how you negotiated, listened and modified your thinking, liaised, wrote a written document and circulated it to people for their approval, or managed your time so the situation could resolved.”
We say: “Saying, ‘because you are the biggest and best and offer excellent development opportunities’ just won’t cut it here. Employers like being flattered, but do it by showing that you have spent time getting to know the company rather than parroting worn-out phrases. Talking to someone within the company is a big plus (careers centres can often help). Remember that you are selling yourself and your motivation for joining.”
M&C SAATCHI
“
Who would you most like to have breakfast with and why?
VODAFONE
“
Describe a time when you analysed complex information and came up with an innovative solution to a problem.
”
They say: “Those graduates who score highly will be the ones who demonstrate the ability to search for ways to be better and use innovation and creative thinking to get around a problem. We like to see how candidates take responsibility for their actions and demonstrate their understanding of how they individually contribute to the overall success of the solution. Additionally, it’s good to see evidence of persistence when faced with resistance and overcoming obstacles, whether they be peers or colleagues, timescales or budgets. We like to see examples of people setting high standards for what they do, paying attention to detail and being open, trustworthy and trusting.” – Rebecca Payne, Recruitment advertising and brand consultant. We say: “If you want to work in a business environment, then get to know and love the phrase “continuous improvement”. Employers are looking for people who demonstrate that they are both up to doing the job and are able look around them, see scope for improvement and implement it. Be aware that the interviewer is interested in both your technical/analytical capabilities and also your ability to use “people” or communication skills to get to the solution.”
”
They say: “Usually a candidate will choose a person that they admire and this question allows us to find out a bit about their personality. Being an advertising agency, the ability to reason, argue and persuade is very important. Who they choose doesn’t actually matter as much as their ability to present a good argument.” – Zoe Miller, Graduate recruitment. We say: “This is a question designed to test your ability to think on your feet. Choose someone you genuinely admire rather than someone you think will impress the interviewers. The recruiters are interested in “what makes you tick”. The more truthful you are, then the more passionate and convincing you will be. The interviewers are also looking at your ability to show independent thought and put forward a reasoned explanation. Communication and persuasion skills are vital in this industry.”
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no
The computer says...
You’ve spent hours at the computer filling in the form. Hit the ‘send’ button and the computer crashes. We’ve all heard the online application-form nightmares – computers timing out, system crashes and lost responses. But the biggest dangers for candidates applying online are not the technical gremlins – because good old human error is much more costly.“The mistakes graduates tend to make are really obvious,” says Tracy Ross, recruitment marketing manager at Rolls Royce.“Misreading questions and not really answering them, ignoring instructions and not checking whether they can save the form are just a few of the ways that graduates are not helping themselves.” Real World suggests six steps to make sure things go smoothly… 1 Practice makes perfect
3 Question the questions
5 Talk the talk
Print or take a copy of the online application form, or note down the headings, sections and questions. You want to plan your application offline and give yourself some time to make sure you answer the questions properly. “The classic mistake is that people rush though the online process and treat it less seriously or formally than paper based applications,” says Tracy at Rolls Royce. Many employers now also
“I’d say the biggest problem is lack of attention to detail when candidates answer the open questions,” says Tracy. “We’ve put them in for a reason: to allow candidates to show us they have the skills we want. But all too often candidates just answer with a couple of sentences or waffle on about the task rather than what skills they learnt from it.” Brainstorm by drawing up a list of all
Watch out for sloppy written or casual language. Applying online can lull people into a false sense of security leading to the use of informal language. “Poor spelling and grammar make your application look like you haven’t put any effort into it, so make sure you read through your application before you send it,” says Tracy. “You should write online as you would write on paper forms beware of using email
offer a save function so you can return to the application form later.
the skills you’ll need in the job and think of situations you’ve been in that will
language without any sentence structure. Use proper English.” Text language
help convey them.
is also frowned upon.
2 Know who you are applying for
4 Break it down
Whether the application is screened
Karen Barnard, careers adviser, at the
6 Watch your cutting and pasting
by a recruiter or an automatic process
University of London, says: “For any
Take your time and tailor each appli-
there are key skills that both will look for. The vacancy information will give you many of these requirements and often the employer’s website has tips on the
pplication questions, the trick is to a spend 15 per cent of your word limit setting the scene (the situation); 70 per cent talking about the skills you used to
cation specifically to each company you apply for. “We know that candidates apply for more than one company but all too of-
kind of competencies they look for.
solve the project/problem; then the final
ten someone has copied and paste an
Be prepared for questions about the industry. Deutsche Bank, for example, asks you :“Given current market condi-
15 per cent on the outcome.” And be aware of word lengths. “What we don’t want to hear is waffle
answer and even forgotten to change the company name,” says Michael Nathan, recruitment manager at retail-
tions what do you think Deutsche Bank should do to remain competitive?”
– be concise and precise – those screening applications will appreciate it!” says
er John Lewis. “You should at least try to show that
Refer briefly to your sources, trade press, company websites.
Rebecca Payne, recruitment advertising and brand consultant at Vodafone.
you know something about the company that you are applying for.”
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I’ll do that job...
Ever dreamed of a job where you get to see the world? Simon Christopher did. The 35-year-old cameraman is the founder of underwater filming company ‘Scubazoo’. He spends his time travelling to exotic places and filming the exotic depths of the deep blue sea.
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CV Booster The Samaritans Who are they? The organisation was launched in 1953 in London by a young vicar called Chad Varah, who saw the need for a “999 for the suicidal”. The Samaritan phone lines are now available 24 hours a day to provide confidential emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. Depression affects one in four at some stage in our lives. Can I help? You don’t need formal qualifications or previous experience, but a natural ability to listen and remain open minded are essential skills. You must be over 18.
We’re a team of professional underwater cameramen based in South East Asia who are dedicated to underwater film and photography. Our aim is to raise awareness about this incredible habitat and to share our images with as many people as possible. We work on a range of projects from commercials to conservation films.
RW: Sounds exciting… is it? You can get into some very strange situations. I was filming sharks on the Great Barrier Reef and one of my colleagues managed to get his arm torn open on the teeth of a monster five-foot cod. Because of the blood and our depth, it became an
left for Australia where I got into under water filming. But in 1996 I returned to Southeast Asia and started Scubazoo.
RW: Best experience so far? Probably the last day of an incredibly stressful five-week shoot recently. I was filming on a boat in South Africa when massive pods of dolphins surfaced during what I can only describe as the biggest feeding frenzy on the planet. I got it all on film and it was broadcast on the National Geographic Channel.
RW: Experience or education? It’s more about your personality. A biologi-
emergency situation. But we were really lucky – the sharks were more excited by the fish’s blood than the human blood.
cal degree is a good basis, but ultimately you just need to get out there. I started my own company and had no experience. I suggest you ring up people, knock on
None of us should have really been there:
doors and if you know the kind of produc-
it was quite a mad experience and one that I always remember. At the moment we’re doing a shoot with the Really Wild Show for the BBC.
tions you want to work on, target them. On-the-job experience is more helpful in the long run than a media degree.
RW: Foot-in-the-door technique? RW: Where did you start? I went to Swansea University and achieved a Zoology degree (2:1). After four years in
You can take a film course or become a runner and get experience that way. But you will need to start at the bottom: if you
sales in London, I travelled extensively throughout Southeast Asia and devel-
are passionate enough it will get you onto bigger jobs, perhaps a researcher or an
oped a love of scuba diving. After gaining a diving qualification (PADI divemaster), I
assistant producer. Then work your way up. Interview: Lisa Bronstein
What would I gain from it? All Samaritans receive training which usually lasts for six to eight weeks. As well as developing key listening and interpersonal skills, volunteering can be very satisfying. Rebecca, 24, is studying occupational therapy at York University. Some of her family and friends have suffered from depression in the past and someone she knew died by suicide. She wanted to stop someone else from getting to that stage in their unhappiness and thought of Samaritans. “Now, when I listen to a caller’s problems and fears it makes me think of my own life from a different perspective. It helps me forget about my own little problems and helps me to see what’s good in my life,” says Rebecca.
The Samaritans
RW: Scubawho?
What would it involve? The hours vary from branch to branch. But typically, once you are trained, the maximum you will be asked to do is a shift of three to four hours a week with an overnight shift once a month.
I’d like to volunteer. What should I do? You can find your nearest branch at www.samaritans.org or call the national volunteer line on 08705 62 72 82.
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5 BigMyths about Graduate We’re not going to pretend the graduate recruitment market is dreamy, but research suggests that some common assumptions about the world of work are just plain wrong. You need to know the truth. Real World investigates on your behalf…
1. Your degree is enough.
3. a postgrad qualification will boost your future earnings
Many employers ask for a 2:1 but don’t be fooled into thinking this is all you need. “A 2:1 minimum is often used as an way to re-
2. The graduate recruitment market is just too competitive
they earn you a wage premium in the job market? Martin Birchall, managing director of High Fliers Research, which produces The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers says there is a worrying trend towards graduates taking postgrad courses without considering how useful they will be. “Half the graduates taking postgrads are doing it for the wrong reasons,” he says. “Many see it as a way of boosting their earning potential and this is a real problem. Only about one-in-20 employers
Well there’s no doubt that it is fiercely competitive, but too competitive? The level of fear is such that many graduates decide to opt-out and take a gap year or
but we’re looking for examples of leadership, teamwork and commercial awareness which are usually found in extra cur-
further study. Only one in five graduates surveyed in 2005 said that they planned to enter the graduate job market as soon as
ricular activities or work experience.” In short, your degree alone will not get you a job. You need work experience too.
they had graduated. . However, employers are saying that now is a good time to get into the job
Illustrations: Yang Ou
duce the number of applicants,” says Tim Forster, head of resourcing media, PricewaterhouseCoopers. It is also used when an employer needs evidence of academic ability. “In some industries, employers need evidence of intellectual rigour and it’s a logical starting point,” he says.“Nearly all of our recruits go through professional exams and UCAS tariffs are an indication of future success.” However he stresses that many employers regard academic prowess as a small part of the application process. At PwC, for example, a recruiter screens each application. “If we recruited on the basis of degree level, we’d just use a computer
Record numbers of finalists have been enrolling for postgraduate courses, but will
market, as vacancies in some sectors have risen. “Employers are frustrated that there seems to be a lost generation, because a relatively small percentage of students are putting themselves in the job market. While there may be good reasons not to apply for jobs the market is picking up and graduates should be aware of that,” says
pay a premium for a postgrad degree and that has to be related to the job.” He also points out that it’s a very expensive
Tim at PwC. “We spend a lot of time and energy
way of delaying entry into the job market, at an average cost of £10 000 a year. Tim
trying to get students excited about joining the job market. But the message that this is a good time to start a career doesn’t
at PwC agrees: “For most entry level jobs we wouldn’t distinguish between those who have done a further year or those
seem to be getting across.”
straight from an undergraduate course.”
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Barometer Enterprising graduates: A first-
e Recruitment
year student at Nottingham Uni has raised £56,000 in four weeks by setting up a website offering internet advertising space. Alex Tew, 21, launched www. million dollarhomepage.com to raise money to fund his degree. The site is made up of a page divided into 10,000 boxes, each 100 pixels in size. Companies can buy pixels for one dollar (54p) each.
<< Scorchio!
Real World reviews this month’s trends...
Employers focus on recruiting:
According to careers advisers Graduate Prospects, only 27 per cent of young grad-
Actually, only about a fifth of the graduate population ends up working for big blue-
uates aged 21-25 are employed in the public sector. But in recent years, the public sector has become one of the most
chip companies. More than a quarter of graduates from 2003 are working in small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of between 10 and 250 people. And an increasing number of graduates are going into self employment (2-3 per cent). “These options aren’t always advertised on campus or in milkrounds, so graduates forget about them,” says David Bishop, spokesman at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). But the Small Business Services estimates that at the start of 2003, 99.8 per cent of the four million active businesses in the UK were SMEs. “In the past 10 years, the number of people employed by large companies has fallen and the small business community expanded,”
popular career choices for graduates.
More than a third of employers say they are unable to find the applicants they need for their positions, a survey of 700 employers has found. The research by Investors in People found that almost nine out of 10 employers believed recruitment will be a high or very high priority for them over the next 12 months.
Online recruitment: Although it offers a fast and practical way to apply for jobs, valuable graduate talent is being ‘lost’ by Britain’s employers. Research on graduate recruitment by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) and the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE), did find that the internet has made graduate recruitment process more efficient. But online selection may be excluding potential talent because it can use crude measures such as ‘A’ level scores and degree class.
Old school entrepreneurs:
lice force and a 41 per cent increase in applications to the Civil Service compared with the previous year. Erika Vally, recruitment strategy manager at the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames believes that graduates aren’t aware of the range of jobs available in the public sector. “Imagine a job and I’m pretty sure we’ve got it,” she says. “We have the specialist roles like social workers and teachers but also policy officers and sorts of roles that you don’t think about immediately.” (See the next issue of
says David. A government report, Facing the Enterprise Society, predicted that there will be 4.5 million SMEs in the UK by
Real World for jobs in the public sector).
2010, creating two million new jobs.
Young people are being deterred from starting up their own businesses, according to a study by UK campaign group Enterprise Insight. “Fear of failure and conveyor-belt education mean young people are more inclined to play things safe,” says chief executive Kevin Steele. Crime against students: One in three students is a victim of crime while at university, research from the Home Office has revealed. Laptops, iPods and televisions are among the items most likely to be whisked away. Part of the problem might be students inability to lock up. Up to 33 per cent of crimes show no evidence of forced entry.
According to the Highfliers survey of graduates in 2005, there has been a 57 per cent increase in applications for the po-
<< Lukewarm
5. Graduates only join the big blue-chip employers
<<Freezing
4. The Private Sector is the place to go for Graduate jobs
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Photograph: GettyImages
Graduate Careers Fairs Your guide to finding out which employers are hiring and which of those you’d want to work for. Check out www. realworldmagazine.com for a full listing.
2 November Careers Fair, Bournemouth University www.bournemouth.ac.uk/careers/ ACFair.htm GradFair, Sussex University www.sussex.ac.uk/cdec/grad_law.php
4 November
Where to live after uni…? the SECOND of our seven-part snapshots of the UK’s big cities. Real World takes a look at what MANCHESTER has to offer
University of Teesside Careers Information Fair www.tees.ac.uk/careers/fair.cfm
Basics
4-5 November
long laid claim to being one of the coolest
National Graduate Recruitment Exhibition, Birmingham www.gradjobs.co.uk
and most vibrant cities in the North. Couple
problem; it was a locally based scientist
that with the relatively low cost of living and a
who first used the term ‘acid rain’ way
buoyant economy, and it’s not surprising that
back in the 1870s. Rather morbidly, it’s
7 November
it’s fast becoming the place to live for
estimated that air pollution and associated
Aiesec Southampton Careers Fair, www.aiesec.co.uk
graduates who crave city life.
respiratory diseases account for almost 15
9 November Leicestershire Graduate Fair, Leicester www.le.ac.uk/careers/leicevents.html
Pros
y Manchester’s reputation as a cultural centre has increased in leaps and
9-10 November Careers Information Event, Cambridge www.careers.cam.ac.uk
bounds in recent years – galleries, museums, and glorious countryside
AIESEC Loughborough www.aiesec.co.uk
await those looking for an
AIESEC Sheffield www.aiesec.co.uk AIESEC Queens, Belfast www.aisec.co.uk
“
sculpture trails, architecture
14 November 15 November
discussed is a controversial London-style
The UK’s third largest city, Manchester has
ideal day out.
y Its population is diverse:
Brunel Autumn Careers Fair http://people.brunel.ac.uk/~careers/
per cent of Mancunian deaths a year.
Major employers
manchester is consistently shown to be one of the cheapest cities in the uk for students to live. Rents are 40 per cent less than in london.
12.6 per cent of the City population and 5.9 per cent of Greater Manchester are black,
15-16 November
congestion charge.
y Pollution in Manchester isn’t a new
Asian or Chinese.
y Manchester is consistently shown to be one
”
Manchester has a wealth of opportunities for graduates – ranging from the financial sector to biotechnology to Information and Communications Technology (ICT), the city plays host to a vast number of businesses of varying sizes. Most graduates are likely to find something suitable in Manchester.
The pitch
Norman Rea, of North West Student and
of the cheapest cities in the UK for students
Graduate Online, is not one to hold back.
17 November
to live – the average rent for accommodation
“Manchester is one of Europe’s most dynamic
Aiesec Warwick ww.aiesec.co.uk
is around 40 per cent less than London.
regional cities. It is a thriving, modern,
22 November Aiesec Cardiff www.aiesec.co.uk
23 November Graduate Recruitment Fair, Portsmouth www.port.ac.uk
24 November Bristol Careers Fair, University of Bristol Union www.aiesec.co.uk
y Average wages are on a par with much of the rest of the UK.
y Manchester is a young city: 20-24 year olds make up the biggest age group.
Cons
y Crime rates in Manchester are consistently
international business location that symbolises success and opportunity in commerce, finance, science, education, public administration and culture,” he says.
In a sentence?
y “It’s a fabulously can-do place.”
the highest in the country.
y Like most large urban centres, Manchester suffers from more than its fair share of traffic congestion. Among the many proposed measures currently being
Average Prices
y Cost of a pint: £1.90 y Weekly rent: £47 y 1st-time house: circa £100,000.
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Class of 2006
Some battle disorganisation, others have interviews… the latest from our six final-year students. 2
1
3
NAME: Heather McLarty
NAME: Emma Barker DEGREE: BA Philosophy UNI: University of York
NAME: Wing Yee Li DEGREE: English Literature UNI: University of Edinburgh
Heather’s had a hectic start to the year trying to get a place on the courses she wanted. One of those is directing – which is some achievement as the university only had 12 available places. “It felt quite disorganised so I’m just glad I’m onto the modules I wanted,” she says. Heather is going to be reliant on the internet for her career search. She found the facilities at her careers service aren’t as extensive as she’d hoped and is considering gaining access to a service at a central London uni. At the moment drama therapy and teaching drama at a secondary school are high on her list of options. “I want to have something lined up for when I leave uni,” says Heather. “I’m sure that I’ll have the time to make that happen this year.”
Emma plunged straight in to her final year with a meeting with her careers service and was thrilled at the advice on offer. Before the meeting she filled in a lengthy form detailing her interests and what she hopes to do, which at the moment is focused on management consultancy. The careers adviser read through this and highlighted key points for discussion. Emma was particularly concerned to find out how employers would respond to her illness, which led to her leaving her Oxford degree after two years. “As long as I emphasise the positive things that came out of it, the careers adviser couldn’t see why it should be a problem,” says Emma. She has also been advised to consider getting more work experience.
Wing’s summer working for Cancer Research in London has taught her a few key things. “I didn’t like working in London, it was too overwhelming and the hour-long commute took too much out of me,” she says. “I realised I wouldn’t want to live there, even for such an amazing career opportunity.” She still isn’t sure whether a big or small employer would suit her better. “I loved the streamlined processes of a big employer and you feel very effective working for a big charity,” she says. Wing is considering social work and teaching – and has set up a meeting with the careers service to discuss postgrad courses. She’s also involved in Student Action for Refugees and a charity helping in deprived areas of Edinburgh.
4 1
4
At the end of his sandwich year at LogicaCMG Paul decided he’d like to go into store management. “I’m interested in taking responsibility for the operational side of business and for managing people,” he says. He’s already had a telephone interview with Tesco and has been contacted by Aldi. Paul attributes his success to the practice he’s had in applying for jobs through his sandwich placement. “I got used to doing them and put a lot of effort into my cover letters to tailor them to the employer,” he says. He recommends the career service and online sites for basic advice, but says the key is researching the employer and reflecting that in the application.
6
3
2
NAME: Paul Raven DEGREE: Bsc Managerial/ Administrative Studies UNI: Aston University
5
5
Photograph: Ed Miller
DEGREE: BA Media Performance UNI: University of Luton
6
NAME: Lawrence Freeman DEGREE: BA Politics & Sociology UNI: University of Exeter
NAME: Alick Varma DEGREE: Bsc Maths & Economics UNI: University of Warwick
Many of Lawrence’s friends have started work this September and he’s found it enlightening to talk to them about their experiences. He’s now keen to set up internships for when he finishes uni to focus his career aspirations. “I don’t want to get stuck in a job I don’t want to do,” he says. “I have a friend working for the NHS, as part of a placement year, who has discovered that he hates it – but at least he knows now rather than when he’s started his career.” Lawrence is also finding that his final year is set to be the most demanding. “I’ve got so many things to organise – setting my modules and joining clubs – it’s very hectic. In terms of my studies it’s actually looking about three times harder than it was before,” he says.
Following the end of his internship with Accenture, Alick spent the end of his summer in South East Asia. But he has been invited back by Accenture for an interview for a job in strategy. He’s also being whisked off to Athens by consultancy McKinsey for their annual EuroAcademy which he’d applied for when looking for internships last year. “I think as I go to interviews and meet people who work in those organisations, some options will close down while others open up,” says Alick. “The main thing for me is to find out about the culture and whether you would enjoy the job or not.” He’s also going to run his business Interns Experience again next year which involves social events for student interns who are in London over the summer.
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THE HUMAN COST IN A WORLD RIDDEN WITH VIOLENCE, WORKING TO PREVENT ARMED CONFLICT MAY SEEM LIKE A FUTILE TASK BUT GARETH WALKER TALKS TO A GRADUATE WHO HAS MADE IT HER DAY JOB. Photographs by Ed Miller
In
the past two decades the world has seen more armed conflicts than at any time in the previous century – and the majority of victims have been civilians. An estimated 90 per cent of those killed in wars since the end of the Cold War have been non-combatants: men, women and children either caught in the crossfire, or victims of the disease, poverty and social breakdown that conflicts leave in their aftermath. In Saferworld’s London offices the maps and photographs spread across the walls testify to the variety of their activities around the world. For more than 20 years, in Africa, Asia, the
and see first-hand the challenges they faced: “I went to Jaffna, which was at the heart of the conflict there for 20 years, and you see the devastation that weapons that have on communities,” she recalls. “I saw how so much of the area had been devastated by bombs and bullets, and how there was a lot of poverty as a result of this conflict.” Soon after returning to England, Archana applied for a permanent position as Saferworld’s EU and Export Controls officer, but it’s the memory of what she saw in Sri Lanka that continues to underpin her work: “It’s always there as a reminder that what
Balkans and in Eastern Europe, this independent non-governmental agency (NGO) has worked with governments and local
you’re doing is eventually, hopefully, going to make a difference at a local level.”
communities to rebuild security in places where terror and uncertainty have been a grim fact of daily life. Through providing training, police reform and community work, Saferworld tries to control the availability of small arms and
Much of Archana’s job involves working with government officials, elected representatives and other NGOs in Europe, to keep pressure on EU countries to be as responsible as possible in who they allow arms-manufacturers to sell weapons too.
other weapons in unstable regions. At the same time, using the
The current EU agreement on who can sell arms to whom is so
local knowledge they’ve acquired in the field, they also lobby EU governments to develop tighter and more transparent controls on the exports of arms, to try to prevent the influx of still more weaponry into these parts of the world.
loosely worded that it allows a fluid interpretation of the rules, so the British choose sell arms to Saudi Arabia, for instance, but the Dutch won’t. Most of Archna’s time is taken-up compiling research to support Saferworld’s work, and organising meetings and confer-
At the heart of conflict In her two and a half years at Saferworld, Archana Patel, 25, has had experience at both ends of the organisation’s work. She
ences across Europe to share information and build support: “There’s a lot of travelling to Brussels for meetings with EU officials,” she explains, “but recently we’ve been working with a lot of
joined the NGO after applying for a six-month internship to work on Saferworld’s South Asia project. At first she worked from
local civil societies in the Czech republic and Slovakia to try to support their work. Now I’m organising meetings and conferenc-
London, providing research and administrative support – but then got the opportunity to visit Saferworld’s team in Sri Lanka
es in Bulgaria and Croatia, who aren’t in the EU yet, to build connections and raise awareness there.”
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FEATURE | SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL | SAFER WORLD
Finding a vocation
“It can be frustrating”
Archana graduated from King’s College London in 2001 with a 2:1 in History and immediately went on to study for an MA in International Development at Bristol University. Although she
According to Archana, in addition to being well-informed and committed to the issues they promote, NGOs like Saferworld want people who have practical office skills, and who can com-
thought it would be interesting, and a natural development from her history degree, Archana says that when she chose to do a
municate effectively and handle a variety of different roles at the same time: “One of the biggest things is being able to juggle
postgraduate course she didn’t have any specific career in mind: “I didn’t know I wanted to go into public sector or charity work, but I did start to get the impression in my final year of uni-
your priorities,” she explains “You can have a huge workload, but all of a sudden something may happen in the media or a government publication will appear, and you just have to focus
versity that I didn’t really want to work for the private sector,” she recalls. “I’d done an internship at one of the big graduate recruit-
all your attention on that, and then get back to your other work.” Progress on issues only ever comes in small steps, and
ers and I didn’t enjoy it.” Her MA helped convince Archana that it was a career in government or the not-for-profit sector she wanted: “At Bristol I met a
Archana says her work can often be frustrating. Nonetheless she finds her work incredibly rewarding: “The biggest things is that I get to use my brain,” she observes. “If I have an idea about
lot of people who were often a bit older than me, and had come back from careers in the private sector specifically to do interna-
something it’s very likely I’ll be able to see it through to the end, and you’re surrounded by all these dedicated people who
tional relations. I learned a lot from their experiences, and that’s when I realised I wanted to do issue-based work,” she says. After finishing her course, and while looking for a permanent job, Archana, discovered an agency in London that provided government departments with administrative temps. Through them she worked for several months in a health organisation,
really know their stuff which keeps you motivated.” And Archana says that she only has to look at the news to be reminded why her work is important: “You’ll open the newspaper one day and see that a Ukranian-made weapon has been found in Ireland and used to shoot a little boy, and you realise that this is what you’re trying to prevent,” she observes.“Sometimes
and then at the Ministry of Defence: an experience that convinced her she didn’t want to work in a government bureaucracy, but proved a useful background when she applied for the internship at Saferworld.
you need that kind of reality check to remember what you’re doing, and I think at an NGO there’s always an unconscious satisfaction that comes from knowing you’re working to make a difference.” n
“
SOMETIMES YOU DO NEED THAT KIND OF REALITY CHECK TO REMEMBER WHAT YOU’RE DOING...
” n
FIGHTING FOR A SAFER WORLD: ARCHANA WORKS TO PREVENT ARMS GETTING INTO THE WRONG HANDS
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Be Your Own Boss 7 tips on setting up your own business Is it for me? This is really the crunch question. “If money and status are your main motivators then go and join a bank,” says Shai Vyakarnam, director of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning at the University of Cambridge. “You
1
certainly need a huge motivation and an ‘I’ve got inner strength and can run on empty’ attitude.” But too many people have a good idea and are scared to do anything about it. “A lot of it is confidence,” says Sharon Bamford, chief executive of the Scottish Institute for Enterprise. “You may fail first time but be ready to make a few mistakes, just go for it.” Should I work first? The jury is out on this. Getting a full-time job may help you gain experience and it may also help you build up some vital capital with which to launch your idea. On the other hand you have less to lose if you start on your idea straight after uni. But for many graduates there is the big debt question to consider. A survey of students last year found that 52 per cent anticipate leaving university with between £10 000 and £20 000
2
debt. So, unsurprisingly 76 per cent cite lack of investment/funds as a barrier to going it alone. See 7 for some ideas around this.
Jennifer Fitzpatrick, 24, graduated from Loughborough University with a BSC in Management Sciences. Her business, the Fine Food Store, is based in the market town of Stamford, near Peterborough. It aims to update the traditional delicatessen by combining speciality foods with a modern coffee shop. She currently employs seven staff in her existing shop, and has plans to open a new outlet and create 10 new jobs within the next 12 months. “I had always wanted to go into the food industry. After university, I went travelling across Europe and the United States and saw their different approaches to food retailing. I wanted to create something that would combine the best of both: the traditional and modern elements. I’d already gained some business experience on my university course and doing marketing at Reebok during my sandwich year. This really helped when launching my own company. The decision to not go into full-time paid work was tough, as I knew I was leaving behind a fairly stable lifestyle. But I’ve always made sure that I draw a wage from the business. I had nothing to secure any funding so I applied to the Small Firms Loan Guarantee scheme, which is run by the Department of Trade and Industry. It allows people with no security or assets who have a good business idea access to a loan which is secured by the government. I spent three months writing and researching my business plan. It had to be absolutely watertight. It can be very lonely when you set up the business. Shell Livewire’s mentor scheme also really helped me as you can actually talk to people who are doing already running their own businesses. I work in the shop four days a week and the other two days concentrate on the management aspects. Nothing beats the feeling of walking into a shop and thinking ‘this is mine’.
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FEATURE | ENTREPRENEURS | THE LOWDOWN
Generating Ideas “There is a big government drive to develop graduate enterprise and many universities now have enterprise managers,” says Sharon. Ask your careers service for help in finding courses, workshops or networks in your area. And
3
don’t get obsessed with finding a completely new idea. “It’s very rare to come up with an idea that’s never been done before, often you’ll be looking at doing something better or doing it differently,” says Shai. Can it work? Thoroughly research your idea. Has anyone done it already and what competition will they provide? “All too often I hear extraordinarily naïve people who haven’t gone to first base with researching their business proposition,” says Shai. “If it’s a service idea check the competition on www.yell.co.uk. If you think you have a new idea look at www. patent.gov.uk, the website of the patent office.”
4
5
Build your network Networking is vital for picking up free advice and support. You can meet other start-ups, investors and use-
ful contacts. Shell Livewire (see links) provides a mentoring service. But a word of warning: remember that you need to protect your idea.
6
Get your pitch right There are many resources online to help you prepare your business plan. The executive summary is the most
important part and should include the key features of the business opportunity and financial forecasts. From this you can develop a two-minute pitch to sell your idea to potential customers.
7
Consider all funding routes. “There are an increasing number of competitions and schemes that graduates can enter,” says Sharon. Go to www.ncge.org.uk, the National Council for Grad
uate Entrepreneurship website, for a database of funding options. Shai also suggests meeting with your bank’s small business adviser. “The bank may not be able to help directly but could suggest useful contacts.”
James Murray Wells, 22 graduated from Bristol University with a degree in English Literature. He decided to start his business, www.glassesdirect.co.uk which sells glasses from £15, after being horrified at the price he had to pay for his own glasses on the high street. Since the launch last July, James has sold more than 20,000 pairs of glasses. “My business started from the living room and I think my advice for other entrepreneurs would be start small, then aim to grow big. You need to take it step by step. A couple of years ago I was told I needed to pay more than £150 for a pair of glasses. It just didn’t seem right to pay that much for what is basically wire and glass. I contacted the manufacturers and found out that it actually costs very little to make glasses. The mark-up came on the high street. It seemed obvious that there would be demand for lower-priced glasses over the internet. I had no business experience or knowledge of the optical business but what I did wasn’t rocket science. I started the business with the final instalment of my student loan. By advertising for a web designer at my university job shop I was able to launch the company with very little money. We started in July 2004 from my bedroom, but by the September the business had grown to the extent that my mum kicked us out and we moved into proper offices. Initially, friends helped but when it became clearer that this would be a full-time job I recruited skilled staff to join me. There are 16 of us now. It’s important to surround yourself with knowledgeable and experienced people. There can be late nights, the hours are long. You also have to be aware that it can be quite a long time until you make a profit. But when you are doing it for the love of it you won’t regret a moment. My advice is don’t get put off by people who say it’s not possible. There is a fear of being different in the UK so you need to persevere.”
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FEATURE | ENTREPRENEURS | THE LOWDOWN
“ Simon Stevens has run his own business since graduating eight years ago from Coventry University with a BSc in Manufacturing and Business Studies. He’s chief executive of his own company, Enable Enterprises and works as a disability consultant, trainer and advocate. “There are many things which I’d say to someone wishing to start their own business. The first is that it will never be easy and if you are doing it for the money then think again. It has been up and down for my business – every day is a roller coaster but I’d never give it up. Winning the Enterprising Young Brit Award last year was a real profile boost. But I’ve certainly not made myself rich by going into business for myself. I’ve sometimes been unsalaried and there have been months when I have faced bankruptcy. I do believe that having some experience in your market is important. At Coventry University I was the student with disabilities officer in the Students’ Union. It was my involvement with the government initiative, Graduate Enterprise, which got me started. They helped me set up my company in 1998 and gave me £10,000 Single Regeneration Budget funding. But I had some difficulties fitting in to Graduate Enterprise, I was encouraged to think big and spend big when it was clearly not the right model for me. You do need some money to start up and you also need to know people. I’ve got a network of about 1,800 people that I regularly email to update them on my business. Determination is vital. You’ve got to believe that every day will be better.”
Determination is vital when you start your own business. You’ve got to believe that every day will be better.
”
Start-up starting points:
ww.starttalkingideas.org is a brilliant resource run by Enterprise yw y y y y y y
Insight containing pretty much everything you could want to know about starting your own business. w ww.ncge.org.uk the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship – a useful resource providing a range of information about funding, networking events and starting up. w ww.princes-trust.org.uk an excellent initiative that offers low-cost loans and free advice from local business figures. w ww.shell-livewire.org helps young people start and develop their own businesses. w ww.young-enterprise.org.uk the UK-registered charity Young Enterprise runs a range of business and enterprise education programmes. w ww.businesslink.org offers information for all stages of starting and running your own business. w ww.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/startingup is a dry but incredibly useful guide to getting into business.
Master Class Do you want to run your own business? Send us your queries and we’ll ask expert advisers at The Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning to answer them. Replies will be published online and in the January issue of Real World.
n
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123045e (Mars) x 210.qxd
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Page 1
The ultimate business school
Choose carefully, We have six outstanding development programmes for graduates and seven industrial placement routes for penultimate year students. Whichever one suits your circumstances, you could end up well respected, well known or possibly even famous. Find out more at www.mars.com/ultimategrads
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Feel the need for speed? are you searching for a challenging career with the UK’s biggest brands? then look no further. Laura Goodman investigates Fast Moving Consumer Goods.
O
n the surface, it’s a paradox. The long and lazy unstructured hours of studenthood versus a sector which is so fast, it’s actually named after the astonishing speed at which it operates. Yet droves of graduates are diving headfirst into the whirlpool of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). According to the latest Association of Graduate Recruiters’ survey, it averages 122 applications per graduate position.
Dan’s degree is not directly linked to his current job, and recruiters usually accept all degree disciplines. The real test lies in the applicant’s ability to prove they can hack the pace. Binita Cooper, recruitment director for L’Oreal UK, explains that the application process can be a true test of character: “You need to be a real achiever who has energy and drive; a natural leader who can motivate and communicate with the team around you and a true entrepreneur with creative flair and an open mind.”
What are FMCGs? Those annoying, yet necessary, products you find your student loan slipping away on. From Pot Noodles to lager to toilet roll; an
How should I sell myself? Proof that you are all of the above lies in the age-old recruitment
FMCG is anything which disappears from the supermarket shelf almost as soon as a weary shelf-stacker has placed it there. And
drill of a) holding a prominent position in a society or club at university, b) gaining relevant work experience or c) partaking in vol-
it’s not just the range of products in the sector which is incalculable, it’s the variety of jobs too. Companies offer careers in finance, marketing, HR, sales, product supply, research and IT.
untary work. Boring, we know, but nowhere has this ever been so crucial as in FMCGs. Dan was involved in a student advertising society during his time in Sheffield, part-funded by P&G; therefore, when alerted to P&G internships via the milk round, he was a
What is the industry like for graduates?
few steps ahead of competing applicants.
Dan Vennard has worked for Procter & Gamble (P&G) for four years after graduating from Sheffield University with a first in Plant Sciences. It is the variety that he loves about his job. Dan is on a sixmonth broadening assignment working as part of P&G’s environ-
However, don’t rule out pastimes you might expect a recruiter to be uninterested in: anything that reflects your individuality is essential recruitment information. Simone Aloe, P&G’s UK and Ireland talent supply manager, says: “Students often rule out
mental and social function, though he usually works in sales. “When
certain examples as they think they won’t appeal to recruiters
I started at P&G I was responsible for selling Sunny Delight and Pringles to Asda. We took marketing events to Portugal during Euro 2002 – it’s amazing what you can find yourself caught up in.”
but you actually demonstrate what we’re looking for all the time – working as part of a sports team, taking lead by setting up the university radio, working with diverse people in your bar job…”
What kinds of people does the industry attract?
What will the sector offer me?
Companies within this sector rely heavily on communication and the bouncing around of ideas within and between functions.
Personality is paramount because in the FMCG sector, your job is what you make of it. Simone says, “Students want variety and
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FEATURE | FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS | THE INDUSTRY
From snack foods to pet foods: Working at Mars.
freedom and what have you done that demonstrates that’,” she says.
Saffron Shaw, 23, joined the graduate management development
lot of responsibility and being given autonomy from day one.”
scheme at Mars in September 2003, after graduating from Durham University with a degree in English Literature. Applying for internships with FMCGs during her second year of university gave her a taste of just how competitive the industry is.
Despite having work experience from a part-time job in marketing and an internship at Toshiba, Saffron believes that breaking into FMCGs is more about who you are, than what you’ve done. “It’s about your potential more than anything else,” she says.
“I applied for internships at three or four big employers and didn’t
“I think there are some broad generalisations of the skills employers
get any of them,” she says. “This really woke me up and meant that
are looking for: interpersonal skills are very important, analytical
when I later applied to graduate jobs I was much more aware of
skills, the ability to learn and personal drive.” But she warns that
what I was up against.”
each FMCG has a very different culture. “Each individual employer
In her final year, Saffron invested a huge amount of time researching FMCG employers, learning how to write application forms and applying. “I really had to treat it as an extra module on my university course!” she says. The recruitment process for Mars was quite unusual, she says, and
Photograph: Gettyimages
“It was very reflective of the Mars culture, which involves taking on a
will specify different things which they are looking for so it’s important to tailor your skills and messages,” she says. Since her start, Saffron has moved around from snack food marketing to the pet-food division where she is now. “No two days are the same and I really enjoy the competitive side of it and
it reflected the kind of person they are looking for. “One of the first
focusing on the consumer,” she says. “And before you ask: yes
question I had to answer was ‘what do you understand by the word
the pace is fast!”
challenge in the jobs they do, no-one wants to come out of university and watch the clock every day until 5pm. I think what
ways to present themselves to recruiters. In reflection of this trend, L’Oreal now runs an international student competition aimed at
makes P&G attractive is that employees get a real job from day
attracting the very best graduates. L’Oreal Brandstorm is a ‘game’
one. Rather than long periods of graduate training, you learn on the job and we make sure you get the support you need.” Dan agrees: “One of the best things about joining P&G was the responsibility I was given from the start. I was given an ac-
which, according to the website, “symbolises the tempest of ideas that are born from the imagination of young students”… Many FMCG firms offer internship or graduate development programmes which put newcomers on the ultra-fast track to
count to look after worth £1.5 million, and the longer I’ve been
learning the ropes. These can provide both a strong base and
there, the more the responsibility. Instantly, I felt that my role was an important one, and that can be a very rewarding feeling’.
working understanding of these companies, and possibly the allimportant foot in the door. L’Oreal offers 60-80 internships annually in the UK which can last between three months and a year, as
Getting a job The task of proving yourself to an FMCG application is a particu-
well as accepting 25-30 grads onto the year-long graduate scheme. According to Binita Cooper, such placements are the
larly daunting one, but it can be as exciting as the industry itself. With competition so stiff, graduates are constantly looking for new
only sure-fire way of adapting to “a passionate and dynamic work environment where flexibility is a way of life”. n
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ALL WHITE COATS AND TEST TUBES? THERE’S NOTHING STUFFY ABOUT THE CAREERS FOR SCIENCE GRADS, SAYS LISA BRONSTEIN
SCIENCE GRADS
SAVE THE W
W
hen you think of careers in science do you imagine working long hours in a laboratory, cut off from the outside world? If you do then it’s time to think again… Students in science have a wide range of jobs available to them – from working in the pharmaceutical industry to jobs in commerce. And don’t make the mistake of thinking the only way you can make a difference is through Nobel Prize winning research. Science offers some compelling alternative career choices and the sector is full of opportunities for working directly with people or making an impact on the environment and society. For example, did you know that the NHS employs more than 40,000 healthcare scientists? Gemma Lerner (24) graduated with a degree in Human Biology from Queens College London and went on to do a Master’s in audiological science at UCL. She now works as a trainee audiological scientist in the NHS. The job means working with children and elderly patients, fitting them with hearing aids and helping with rehabilitation. She says her career is intensely rewarding. “I’ve had the satisfaction of letting people hear for the first time. The first child I fitted with a hearing aid was very confused by the fact that he could now hear. He was so happy that it made me realise how fulfilling the job could be,” she says. And it can also be tough. “During a clinic we find out whether the patient’s hearing problem is to do with their ears or the central part of their brain.
If it is a central problem we are not qualified to inform the patient exactly what is wrong. We suspected one patient had a brain tumour because all her tests for the balance showed that the problem was central. Not being able to tell her what might be going on was dreadful,” she says. “Naturally, there is a tendency for graduates to migrate towards what are seen as more exciting roles in science,” says Emma Mills brand manager at SRG, a job agency specialising in scientific, clinical and engineering recruitment. “Science graduates leave university with a range of analytical and problem-solving skills which set them in good stead for a range of careers. But it’s important to be aware that many employers are looking for hands-on skills and will want graduates to be able to hit the ground running. I think a lot of people coming out realise they need a more specific degree to get ahead in their chosen field.” This may explain why approximately a third of 2004 science graduates went on to do further study, such as an MsC or PHD. Emma advises that graduates ensure they have a clear focus on what they want to do and what the skills they need to break into their chosen profession. “It may sound like a cliche but a degree is not enough, you will often need hands on experience as well,” she says. So there you have it: if you want to save the world your degree won’t be enough. Read on to find out how three graduates got into their chosen profession.
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SPECIAL FEATURE | SCIENCE | CASE STUDIES
Solve crimes
NAME: ELIZABETH HIRD AGE: 25 JOB TITLE: TRAINEE REPORTING OFFICER, THE FORENSIC SCIENCE SERVICE DEGREE SUBJECT AND LEVEL: FORENSIC SCIENCE (2:1) UNIVERSITY OF GLAMORGAN
What was the application process like?
I began working as temporary forensic staff through an agency. Before joining I had an interview that
E WORLD!
consisted of logical thinking and maths tests. When I became permanent I had to give a presentation to make sure that I could stand up in front of people and talk if I ever had to go to court to present evidence. What does your job entail? The Forensic Science Service is part of the Home Office. Its key role is providing impartial, scientific evidence for use in courts of law. This usually happens where scientific evidence is needed to help the police with their investigations. I work on toxicology which means a lot of lab work, where I process and screen the samples of blood and urine from the deceased or samples that we are investigating for drugs and alcohol. We are here to inform the police of the results and may also be required to present those results in court. At the moment I am training to go to court which involves a lot of study. Can it be stressful? Yes, because somebody’s life might depend on the results. On the other hand there can be a lot of waiting around for results. What attributes help you to succeed in the job? You need to pay great attention to detail and be a perfectionist. You also need to have quite a logical thought pattern and always be questioning.
Have there been any strange moments? When I first started they told me to tell everyone I was a hairdresser! They were joking, but they were just trying to get the point across that we can’t tell the world what we are working on. If you want a career where you get recognition, forensic science is not for you. The best part of the job is knowing that your evidence has led to a guilty suspect being convicted. What advice what you give to others? If you want start as an assistant forensic scientist like I did, you need A levels in science. If you want to go on to go to court and become a reporting officer, a degree is required. There is no work experience for forensic scientists but you can get lab experience elsewhere. You can watch TV programmes to see what we do although it’s not that glamorous and we don’t get results in two minutes! What you really need are teamwork skills and a good sense of humour.
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f
is for firebot sam F is for FIRE! FIRE! FLEE FOR YOUR LIVES! F is for far too many firefighters get hurt doing their duty. F is the fantastic family of robots weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve created to fulfil tasks too fearful for mere mortals. Like foraying into a ferocious fire or foiling a fiendish bomb plot. F is for a firebot that can find victims, detect toxic fumes and foresee flashovers. Is F for a futuristic nightmare where intelligent robots enslave humanity? Fat chance. If you like the idea of making the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most complex science and engineering problems look simple, visit www.QinetiQ.com/careers E is for exceptional. G is for graduates. Q is for QinetiQ.
we make it look simple
SPECIAL FEATURE | SCIENCE | CASE STUDIES
Support your fellow human
NAME: CRAIG STRONG AGE: 23 JOB TITLE: HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT, PRIORY HOSPITAL, NORTH LONDON, AN INDEPENDENT HOSPITAL FOR ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS SPECIALISING IN THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. DEGREE SUBJECT AND LEVEL: UNDERGRADUATE PSYCHOLOGY 2:1 GOLDSMITHS COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON. MSC FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY, MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY.
What does your job entail?
I’m a part-time healthcare assistant in the hospital ward. My job is to look after patients, taking them out and helping with therapy groups. Is it stressful? It is at times, especially if the patient is aggressive or shouts at you. This can be frustrating but it is not personal and there is nothing you can do. The important thing is to remain calm. What attributes help you to succeed in your job? What helps is trying to be impartial and not getting too involved. It can be quite an upsetting job if your patient is distressed, and you do not distance yourself. It is very hard to try to motivate someone with depression, so you need to be patient, kind and have an ability to connect with people easily. Have there been any strange moments? There was the time I was looking after someone who was in a catatonic state. On some level they can hear what you are saying, but at the same time it is like talking to a brick wall. I wasn’t scared, but I did find it quite unnerving as I’d never seen this happen before. The most rewarding element of the job is getting to know people, as you can actually learn a lot more from the patients than you do from books while studying. Books are just theory and this is real life. The worst thing about the job is when people do not react well to you. It’s often for a reason that has nothing to do with you but it can be hard to deal with sometimes. What advice would you give to others? Try to get some experience as early as possible. You can study it all you like, but the difference from studying it and actually practising are huge. People I
“
PEOPLE HAVE HATED WORKING IN THIS FIELD BECAUSE THEY FEEL AWKWARD AROUND SOME OF THE PATIENTS
”
have known have loved it in theory but have hated working this field because they feel awkward around some of the patients.
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YOU MAY HAVE FINISHED YOUR DEGREE
BUT YOU’VE JUST STARTED
YOUR EDUCATION GRADUATE & POST GRAD OPPORTUNITIES C.£19,000 + EXCELLENT BENEFITS | NEAR READING, BERKSHIRE Business & Finance, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Construction, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Environmental, Manufacturing, Materials Science, Maths, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgy, Physics, Production Engineering, Safety Radiological Protection, Structural Engineering, Systems Engineering At the Atomic Weapons Establishment, we’ve grown to become the largest high technology research, design, development and production facility in the country. An international centre of scientific and engineering excellence whose expertise is applied to a wealth of fields outside of our commitment to maintaining the UK’s nuclear deterrent. The scale of our operations means that whether you’re looking for a scientific, engineering or business career, we’ve got
something for you. In fact, we believe you’ll find our individually tailored programme is one of the most comprehensive around. Its aim is to equip you with all the skills you need to push the boundaries of conventional thinking and become an expert in your chosen field. Right from the start, you’ll hone your abilities on live projects. We also provide all the support and financial assistance you need to gain further professional qualifications. Plus, with the diversity of disciplines we operate
in, you’ll continually have opportunities to expand your horizons. Then, to cap it all off, there’s our benefits package that includes 28 days’ holiday in addition to statutory bank holidays, final salary pension scheme and graduate focused relocation assistance. So in all, we offer everything you could ask for and more. To apply online, visit www.awe.co.uk or phone for a graduate brochure on 0118 982 9009.
AWE welcomes applications from women and men, regardless of disability, sexuality, racial or ethnic origin, age (up to 65) or responsibility for dependants. Successful candidates will be selected solely on their ability to carry out the duties of the post. Because of the nature of the work undertaken at AWE, these posts are required to meet special nationality rules and therefore are only open to British Citizens. All selected candidates will be required to undergo security clearance.
www.awe.co.uk
SPECIAL FEATURE | SCIENCE | CASE STUDIES
Save the Planet
NAME: CATHERINE HEAD JOB: SCIENCE INTERNSHIP, CORAL CAY CONSERVATION AGE: 23 DEGREE SUBJECT AND LEVEL: ZOOLOGY BSC (HONS) 2:1 ROYAL HOLLOWAY UNIVERSITY AND MSC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
What was the application process like?
“
I’LL BE SENT ON AN EXPEDITION TO AN EXOTIC LOCATION SUCH AS HONDURAS, THE PHILIPPINES OR MALAYSIA.
”
I found the role on an environmental job and volunteering website. After sending off off my CV I was called in for an interview, which was fairly informal. I must have done something right as I was offered the job a few days later. What does your job entail? Coral Cay is a not-for-profit international conservation organisation set up to help protect threatened coral reefs and tropical forests. The group runs expeditions to collect scientific information that is used to produce habitat maps and provide recommendations for managing the area. My job is an unpaid internship which includes 1,000 hours in England in the office, analysing data from the overseas reserves, writing presentations and doing research and general administration. At the end of the internship, which started in July and finishes in February 2006, I’ll be sent on an expedition abroad to an exotic location such as Honduras, the Philippines or Malaysia.
Is it stressful? Not really. My MSc prepared me for the office work and the deadlines are achievable. Because I hadn’t done any work experience during my degree I expected to have to take some unpaid work experience before I could find paid work. What attributes help you to succeed? It is very competitive in conservation. You need to be really passionate about the issues, outgoing and inquisitive. Work experience is vital and I hope that this placement will help me find a paid job once I finish.
What has been your best and worst experiences so far? I think applying for jobs was the hardest part of my career so far, it was just so tedious. The whole job is great as I am working with people who are likeminded and fun. I am sure the overseas expedition which is yet to come, will be the highlight of my internship.
What advice would you give to others? Work experience or voluntary work is the key because, despite the low pay, the sector is extremely competitive. You have to be really passionate about conservation and I think a further qualifications, communication, organisational and good computer skills are a must. n
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TO MAKE EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY WORK FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE?
It’s not. Because that’s what we do. We are the number one IT service provider in the UK outsourcing market. We have revenues of more than $20 billion around the world. We manage more than 50,000 servers and support more than 2.5 million desktops globally. We process more than one billion health claims. And we manage more than 2 billion transactions annually in 41 languages. We make technology work for our clients around the world, helping them to improve their business performance and drive their growth. Now you can too. We’re looking for graduates with an active interest in IT, to do a real job now or join our graduate programme in the coming months. www.grads.eds.co.uk
406660 Real World
10/6/05
2:33 PM
Page 1
A real role from day two. (We’ll give you a chance to settle in first.) We’re the UK’s leading provider of IT for education, and we are well known for our friendly and supportive culture that allows graduates to thrive from the outset. We’re not all talk either. Join us as a graduate and on top of the chance to get stuck into some real projects as soon as you arrive, you’ll benefit from a starting salary of £21-£25k and excellent rewards, including a laptop and performance-related bonus scheme. As a technical graduate you’ll need fantastic communication skills and should be able to demonstrate technical ability. For all roles excellent problem solving abilities and a strong customer-focus are essential, along with the energy, enthusiasm and determination to succeed. Our training and progression opportunities are first-rate too. In fact our CEO, Tim Pearson, was once taking his intrepid first steps as a graduate himself. As well as our Head Office in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, we have opportunities in our Glasgow office. So if you have a 2:1 or above, at least 240 UCAS points and would like to find out more about the technical roles we have on offer, visit
www.rmgraduates.com
The future is IT
After years of boom and bust experts say that technology is finally making a steady comeback and graduates with both tech and business sense are in hot demand, Julie Ferry reports
T
h ere has never been a better time to go into a career in technology, according to graduate recruiters, industry bodies and careers advisers. After the boom and bust of the dot com years, the information technology (IT) sector is experiencing a renaissance and is driving forward towards a new era of development. And it needs plenty of graduates to make it
“One of the best thing about a career in this sector is that you can move between different areas of the industry fairly easily. There are four broad paths that you can go down; technical administration, project management, sales & marketing and management. Another big plus is that you can also take your career anywhere as everybody uses IT, so it gives you the oppor-
appen. The question is are there enough people with the right h skills to go around?
tunity to travel.” Richard Bird, careers consultant at Cardiff University, says that
A recent survey by the Association of Graduate Recruiters found that there was an increase of 15.5 per cent in IT positions last year. At the same time, the British Computer Society (BCS) has found that applications for computer science and other re-
graduates can find a role within the industry to suit them rather than having to take any position they can find. His advice is to make sure that you choose the right role rather than a post that you think you should take. “Finding the right job depends on the
lated degree courses are declining.
graduate. For example, the question that we are often asked is
“It really is a graduate’s market at the moment,” says Andrew Brown from the BCS. “There are potentially more roles available than there are graduates.” It seems that if you are just about to graduate then you may
whether it is better to work in a small or large business, the answer is that it’s whatever suits you best.” So what do recruiters want? “IT is becoming less about writing code and more about solving complex problems,” says Brown.
have the world at your feet. Even so, IT is such a large area that
“It is an industry where you have to prove yourself. A lot of busi-
many graduates can find it difficult to decide what to do next. There are so many decisions to make, big company or small business, a role in support or development? But don’t worry,
nesses demand that you show innovation and a desire to press on – that’s what they hire you for. If you can show that then you will be able to develop your career very quickly.”
Brown is confident that you don’t need to decide straight away, citing flexibility as one of IT’s major selling points.
Being able to solve problems quickly is at the top of a graduate recruiter’s list when looking for potential employees. Karen
y Photographs by Domenico Pugliese 40 RW WWW.REALWORLDMAGAZINE.COM
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SPECIAL FEATURE | IT | CASE STUDIES
Name: Therese Talleraas, 25 Degree/university: Computer Science, McGill University, Canada, Masters in Mathematics and Foundations of Computer Science, Oxford University, 2004 Occupation: Senior Consultant, Customer Systems
y What do you do in your job? My job is very technical and I work mainly on a specific type of software. I go out to clients and work on projects which can vary in length â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from weeks to several months. Although much of my job is technical it also involves a great deal of managing the customer relationship. y Motivation in applying? I always wanted to be a consultant and it made sense to work in IT because that is what I had studied at university. Consultancy had attracted me because you get to work in different places and get experience from all different types of sites and industries. Working with one client for short period of time has its advantages because it is very intense. The client has high expectations and you often have to deliver to tight deadlines. y What did the application process involve? I had to send in an application form with a CV and then there were two interviews. The process was very thorough. At one point I was up on the board drawing diagrams. y What do you enjoy about your job? I enjoy the fact that you are going into a different situation everyday. There is no real routine and you are always learning something new. y Most challenging part of the job? You have to hit the ground running all of the time. However I enjoy that as it keeps me motivated. y Worst part? You are travelling quite a bit. Sometimes that can be very tiring but at the same time that is the lifestyle that I chose as a consultant so I just have to accept it.
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Your initiative is the engine of our growth. It starts with you. Do you thrive on challenges? Do you want to collaborate with like-minded co-workers from a range of backgrounds? At UBS, we offer talented individuals a world of opportunities. A diverse culture of mutual respect and support gives all our employees the opportunity to excel. Our world-class training prepares you to be successful. Your skills and ambition are recognized from the moment you join us. To learn more about life at UBS and apply for a position, go to: www.ubs.com/graduates
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SPECIAL FEATURE | IT | CASE STUDIES
Name: John Campbell, 23 Degree/university: Computer Science, Loughborough University, 2:1, 2004 Occupation: Junior Programmer, Sony
y What do you do in your job? As a junior programmer I do a mixture of designing, analysing and implementing ideas. My main area of work is online games. y What was your motivation in applying? I started playing games when I was a kid and then gradually got more interested in it when I was at university. I decided that I wanted to be involved in games on a professional level and decided to do programming. y What did the application process involve? I had to fill out an application form and then go for an interview at Sony. The interview consisted of a lot of technical questions with some other nonrelated questions as well. They also wanted to test my problem solving skills, as this is a key part of the job. y What do you enjoy about your job? I really enjoy the problem solving and also get quite a buzz out of seeing what I have done on screen.
y Most challenging part of the job? Getting to grips with the new and unfamiliar aspects of the job can be quite challenging. However within this environment there are always lots of very knowledgeable people around who you can ask for help.
y Worst part? It can be quite a frustrating job when some things won’t work. Problems can vary in the amount of time it can take to solve them – some take hours or days or even weeks if it is
Browne is a graduate recruiter for BAE systems and declares that it is looking for specific experience and skills when it looks to appoint graduates to their software positions. “We expect all our graduates to have the ability to solve problems, work in teams and communicate effectively. We are looking for people that can actually prove that they have these skills by giving us examples of situations where they have applied them. If they have done an industrial placement for a year it will give them an advantage because they have had experiences that they can talk about.”
M
ore than ever, employers are falling over themselves to find students who can do more than just understand
technology. “We are looking for graduates who have a combination of good soft skills and good business and technical skills. We need them to be able to pick up on new technology, understand the business and be able to communicate well with customers and colleagues,” says Martin Davies, graduate
something particularly bad. y Advice to readers considering a career in your field: You don’t need to
programme manager at Cap Gemini. “Graduates have to understand that technical skills aren’t
specialise straight away. The industry is fairly flexible and you can move around
Cap Gemini who studied business at Edinburgh University before taking a Msc in IT. “Commercial awareness, understanding of
quite easily.
business needs and interpersonal skills are vital as most graduate IT roles are very client facing.”
enough anymore,” agrees Alison Smart, 25, a technologist at
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ARE YOU A FREE THINKER OR A
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We are looking for graduates with a 2:1 degree or above in any discipline. You are a well-rounded individual who demonstrates a clear interest in pursuing a career in IT. But what's in it for you? A variety of roles on challenging projects; a competitive reward package and training that is tailored to your individual needs, together with a wide range of opportunities for career progression.
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SPECIAL FEATURE | IT | CASE STUDIES
Name: Jamie Olver, 25 Degree/university: Electronic Engineering, Nottingham University, 2:1, 2002 Occupation: Lead Software Engineer, BT
y What do you do in your job? I edit and proof the BT broadband “help” function, which sits in people’s computers. It involves a lot of software development, speaking to customers and sorting out test labs for the software. y What was your motivation in applying? I was really keen to get into the communication sector. I worked in electronic engineering when I first left university and that made me realise that I wanted to work in a high-tech industry. From there I joined BT in June 2004. y What did the application process involve? I had to complete an application form, take a telephone interview, an assessment day and then a
lison is one of a small number of graduate recruits who has been selected by Cap Gemini to spend six months in the organisation’s offices in Mumbai, India. The aim of the placement is to give graduates technical training and off-
final interview. The assessment day was really tough as they had you doing lots of different tasks.
shoring experience, while working in a very different culture. Like many IT organisations Cap Gemini has off-shored (sent abroad) jobs to India.
y What do you enjoy about your job? There is plenty of variety in this job. I can be out seeing a customer one day and
The off-shoring of IT services has been something that has dominated the media over recent months along with fears that it would hit the number of IT jobs available in the UK. Should IT
doing software development the next. y Most challenging part of the job? We work to tight schedules and that can be
graduates be worried? “I don’t think that off-shoring is a direct threat to graduates,” says Brown at BCS. “In some ways it is simply clearing the playing
quite demanding. y Worst part? It can be a very intense
field because the mundane jobs that would have gone to graduates are now being outsourced. This means that more techni-
job as you have a lot of graduate days to go on and you also have to arrange to see customers or suppliers.
cal jobs are becoming available, so it can actually be seen as a positive thing.” Alison agrees: “When I graduated the offshore concept was
y Advice to readers considering a career in your field: You have to be very
just developing and it looked like a long term threat to graduate jobs. Now I know more about it I’m aware that the off-shoring of
self-motivated and be able to make your career happen. There are lots of opportunities but they won’t come to you,
certain jobs allows the business to grow in new directions and potentially opens up many more jobs for graduates. It’s a good time to be in the industry.” n
you have to go out and get them.
A
Additional reporting by Zoe Roberts
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Real World 190x140
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salary package & benefits
Shape your future... and ours Have you got what it takes to be a leader in a business that touches the lives of millions? 17,000 people working together. Millions of customers. Offering world class service to businesses and consumers alike. Leaders in water, electrical engineering, business consultancy, customer service management and IT. United Utilities offers a unique breadth of experience.
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Renowned for our leading-edge approach, we're shaping the way the utilities industry operates. Your skills, talent and energy will help us maintain that edge. As a FTSE 100 company, we are a powerful player in British industry. This power is built on our people. We're building our business on individuals like you, selecting our leaders of the future and grooming them through a graduate programme. If you want to be a leader in a challenging, competitive and highly enjoyable business and have got what it takes, we want to meet you. Followers need not apply. Go to: www.unitedutilities.com/graduates United Utilities Graduate Opportunities
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Graduate Careers in IT
One journey. Many destinations. At the John Lewis Partnership, IT influences every stage of the retail cycle and reaches all areas of a huge retail operation comprising 27 department stores and 167 Waitrose food shops. You could join us and follow a route through programming, analysis, project management or team leadership based in Central London or Bracknell, Berkshire. You won’t need a computer-related degree to be part of our business – any discipline is suitable.This is because we don’t see ourselves as ‘techies’, rather as retailers with IT understanding. As long as you are interested in technology, can look creatively at its application and have good problem-solving and teamworking skills, we’ll help you develop your technical understanding, broaden your retail knowledge and strengthen your personal skills. It’s a rewarding journey because you’ll be a Partner in our business, involved in how it runs and sharing in its success. Please apply online at www.jlpitjobs.com/graduates. Alternatively, for an application form please contact John Lewis Partnership Management Services, Corporate Personnel, Partnership House, 3rd Floor, Carlisle Place, London SW1P 1BX.Telephone: 020 7307 4784/4741/4003. Email: itcareers@johnlewis.co.uk
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The School of Computing at DCU is the largest in Ireland. It has a strong reputation for excellence in research and teaching, and has close links with industry. The School offers a range of innovative programmes that equip graduates with the personal and professional skills most sought after in the information economy. All come with major fee support for EU students.
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To apply for a postgraduate taught programme, visit the central Postgraduate Applications Centre at www.pac.ie to complete an online application.
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REALWORLDMAGAZINE.COM IN ASSOCIATION WITH
14/10/05 18:10:49
GET ON THE CASE If
you sue me, I’ll counter sue you, and even if I lose I’ll file for damages. Our increasingly litigious society means that
Those who don’t have a law degree will need to catch up by taking a one-year conversion course, at the end of which you’ll
there are there are plenty of opportunities – whether in legal support, where you can work as a legal executive or barrister’s clerk – or the most popular options for high-flyers, to become either a solicitor or a barrister.
take a Common Professional Examination (CPE). But don’t let this put you off, says Mark Blythe, managing director of the graduate specialists GTI. “Some employers tell me they prefer non-law degree graduates because of their broader background,” he
Both offer varied, well-paid and highly stimulating careers,
says. “Also, many of the attributes of a good lawyer – an analytical
says Terry Jones, spokesperson for AGCAS (Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services). “The downside is that it’s an expensive profession to train in,” he says. “Unlike finance, where you are recruited and put through professional exams by
mind, research skills and teamwork – are often developed during non-law degrees.” The next step is the Legal Practice Course (LPC), which is a one-year postgraduate course. But, as Kofi Owusu-Bempah, a
your employer, the structure of law is that you have to do much of
26-year-old trainee solicitor at Linklaters, points out, you don’t
your training beforehand. Big City firms sponsor a number of people, but most people have to fund it themselves. Even having forked out, you can’t be sure you’ll get a training contract or for
have to do it immediately. “After I’d graduated, I took some time out to go travelling and get some work experience. I think the gap year helped me get my training contract later on because I
barristers, a pupillage.” All this adds up to the need to be highly committed, he says.
had an extra dimension to my application.” With your LPC behind you, it’s time to decide whether to go for
“It is not for the faint-hearted, but if you are dedicated and have what it takes to make it, the rewards are huge.”
the solicitor or barrister route. There are also some variations if you train in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
48 RW WWW.REALWORLDMAGAZINE.COM
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FEATURE | LAW PEOPLE | CASE STUDIES
THERE’S NOTHING EASY ABOUT STARTING A CAREER IN LAW. WHETHER YOU ARE JUST FINISHING A LAW DEGREE OR WAKING UP TO THE OPPORTUNITIES THE SECTOR CAN OFFER KATE HILPERN DISCOVERS THAT YOU’LL NEED TO BE DETERMINED TO SUCCEED. Photographs by Yang Ou
To qualify as a solicitor, you’ll need to get a two-year training contract with a firm of solicitors. This is the difficult bit, according
If, on the other hand, you are attracted by advocacy opportunities, becoming a barrister may be your best bet. Nigel Bastin,
to the Law Society. “The good news is that in 2003/04, we had the highest number of training contracts ever registered. But this needs to be balanced with the fact that the number of people doing the LPC is increasing at an even greater rate,” explains
director of education and training at the Bar Council, points out that while you can become an employed barrister, working for a government organisation or a private company, the majority become self-employed as part of a private chambers.
Julie Swan, head of education and training at the Law Society.
Instead of the LPC, you’ll need to take the one-year Bar
“The result is that some people never get a training contract.” Sarah Twite, graduate resourcing manager at Clifford Chance, says graduates should prepare for a rigorous assessment process. “It’s not good enough to have done well in your studies and
Vocational Course (BVC). Meanwhile, you should be searching for a pupillage, the barrister’s equivalent to a training contract. There are roughly half the number of pupillages that there are places on the BVC, so competition is even hotter here, as barrister
apply for a training contract. We want to know precisely why law
Samuel Waritay, who studied Law with French at degree level,
interests you, what positions of responsibility you’ve already had and why you think you stand out.” For people who don’t want to work with a City firm, other op-
knows all too well. He suggests getting all the experience you can and getting to know people already in the profession. “Having found it difficult to find a pupillage, I got work at a local
tions include working in a high-street practice or as an in-house lawyer with a non-corporate organisation. Alternatively, you
solicitors, where I met many barristers. I applied again for pupillages, this time able to mention these barristers’ names and point
could work in the public sector – for example with the Crown Prosecution Service or in local or central government.
out that they could guarantee the quality of my work. I learned that this profession can be very much about who you know.”
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-%2'%23 !#15)3)4)/.3 3OMETIMES IT PAYS TO RE EXAMINE THE OBVIOUS -ORE LAWYERS HAVE FOUND A PERFECT ROUTE TO PRACTICE IN CORPORATE LAW THROUGH 4HE #OLLEGE OF ,AW THAN WITH ANYONE ELSE 7E ARE THE PROVIDER OF CHOICE FOR THE '$, AND THE ,0# INCLUDING THE lRM SPECIlC CORPORATE ,0# SPECIlCALLY TAILORED TO THE NEEDS OF THREE OF THE hMAGIC CIRCLEv lRMS
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REACH ADDICTIVE ASTUTE CONCERT www.lovells.com/graduates
We are looking for the next generation of Lovells lawyers: academically bright graduates with an aptitude for lateral thinking and exceptional levels of commitment to contribute not only to the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future growth and development but their own as well. We build dynamic working teams and encourage ideas and input from every member. An innovative approach and creative thinking in every area of legal work makes Lovells an exciting and challenging place to work. The work at Lovells is varied. Our international strength across a wide
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range of practice areas gives us a reputation not only for corporate transactional work, banking and litigation, but a range of other specialist areas too. To find out more about training at Lovells visit our graduate website at www.lovells.com/graduates or contact: Clare Harris or Caroline Lindner Lovells, Atlantic House, Holborn Viaduct London EC1A 2FG
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7296 2000
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FEATURE | LAW PEOPLE | CASE STUDIES
City Vacation Schemes: There are three key reasons that a vacation scheme with a City firm is important: first it will give you valuable hands-on experience, second it’s a chance for you to get an idea of whether the City suits you, finally if all goes according to plan it will put you head and shoulders above other candidates when it comes to applying. In some big firms between 50 and 60 per cent of the summer placement students go on to be offered a full time job. But getting onto a scheme can be more competitive than applying for a job itself. Research is crucial, as is getting to know the firm and keeping applications as focused as possible.
Name: Simon Babar, 24, trainee solicitor at Lovells Study: Law, Oxford University (2:1) Graduated: July 2002 “The fact that I found law interesting was
structured, with a lot of classes and
my motivation to study it. I hadn’t really thought beyond that into the different areas of law. It was while I was doing my degree
lectures. But it means you can hit the ground running when you do the on-thejob training. As a trainee solicitor, I have changed
that I received a prize from Lovells for
department every six months and each
coming top in law in my college. I didn’t do particularly well, but there were only 10 people in my college doing law. I got to go to Lovells for lunch, where I met the
placement has been really fascinating and challenging. The first two were acquisition finance and fraud and insolvency litigation, after which I had a
head of graduate recruitment and a
six month secondment to Barclays, and
trainee. On the back of that, I applied to Lovells for a summer vacation scheme, then I got a position with them at the
now I’m back at Lovells in the specialist energy group. One of the reasons I chose a big firm
beginning of my third year. Lovells put me through the Legal
was because of the intensive training, where you get to learn so much not just
Practice Course, which I did at Nottingham University. I found it very
about law, but about the big businesses that are your clients.
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STAFFORDSHIRE UNIVERSITY
"Excellent" Legal Practice Course at Staffordshire University
The Legal Practice Course (LPC) at Staffordshire University is one of the highest rated courses in the country holding a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Excellentâ&#x20AC;? Law Society rating. In addition to the full-time course, the University offers students a flexible option with part-time day and evening courses which span a two year period. The course offers a broad range of electives which prepare students intending to work in either commercial practice, or the smaller High Street practice. Uniquely Staffordshire LPC students also have opportunity to study for an LLM in Legal Practice, which informs and supports the main LPC programme. The course team provide a supportive, friendly and approachable teaching environment and a strong system of pastoral care. The LPC teaching staff are all either qualified solicitors or barristers. We also have a well established and forward thinking careers unit. Students have the opportunity to participate in the Street Law Programme and a highly regarded mentoring scheme with local solicitors, geared towards supporting LPC students and their needs. Please contact: Julie Gingell, Helen Fox or Gill Goodwin Staffordshire University Law School, Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2DF t: 01782 294452/294478 e: j.gingell@staffs.ac.uk www.staffs.ac.uk CREATE THE DIFFERENCE
FEATURE | LAW PEOPLE | CASE STUDIES
Mini Pupillages The Bar Council recommends that students interested in a career as a barrister start pursing mini-pupillages from their second year on. These placements usually last two weeks and are obtained by contacting barristers’ chambers directly. They aren’t mandatory as a precursor to pupillages but are a very valuable asset to have on your CV. “It helps you understand the environment barristers work in and the work they do,” says Charles Tyler at the Bar Council. “It’s a taste of things to come.” Other ways of obtaining this experience include marshalling, where students shadow a high court judge for a week. These posts are obtained by applying directly to the courts.
Name: Kirsty Brimelow, 36, Criminal Barrister Study: Law, Birmingham University (2:2) Graduated: July 1990 “One of my most satisfying moments as a barrister was when I was very junior and
although some prosecution – of serious crime cases, including murder, rape and
press, about a particular case or new law that’s been passed.
I was defending someone in a robbery case. I made a legal argument that the
fraud. I also like the fact that every day is completely different. Witnesses are
There are downsides, of course. I personally am very critical, so if I feel my
case should be stopped. I failed and the defendant was convicted. I appealed it and on paper, that was rejected, so I
unpredictable, as are defendants. The constant drama makes it an exciting job. Perhaps most of all, I like the fact that you
closing speech wasn’t good, I’ll really fret about it. Also, the pressure, particularly before a trial starts, can be great, and the
took it to the court of appeal and eventually the conviction was appealed.
make a direct impact on someone’s life. Another side of my job is in providing
hours are long. Sometimes you have to work all night
I knew I was right, despite being knocked back by judges. I love the advocacy side of my job,
advice for TV dramas, including EastEnders. I also am a media spokesperson for the Bar, so I go on radio
and all weekend because there is no other way to prepare your case properly. There’s little choice apart from curtailing
which involves mainly defence –
and television, as well as talking to the
your social life.
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Where will you be an international business lawyer?
You want to be an international business lawyer. So what’s your next step? Take it with Simmons & Simmons and we’ll provide you with a training programme that challenges, motivates and inspires. From day one you’ll be a key contributor to high profile deals and transactions, with senior lawyers supporting you every step of the way. Amongst other skills, you’ll learn negotiation and drafting techniques, client management and even get the chance to work in one of our other international offices. You’ve got the ambition. So visit www.simmons-simmons.com/traineelawyers and take your first step.
FEATURE | LAW PEOPLE | CASE STUDIES
Name: Zubier Yazdani, 31, Solicitor at Hodge Jones Allen Study: Archaeology, University College London Graduated: July 1996 After working as an archaeologist for about a year, I decided to move into law because I wanted to do something more focused around meeting people and problem solving. Funding my training wasn’t easy, but I managed it through a combination of my own resources and loans. It was harder still to get a training contract, so after my LPC I wound up clerking for a number of firms and by doing that, I got to know people who saw I was capable. A small high street firm in Kentish Town took me on. I got broad experience, with a high level of responsibility, from day one. After my training contract, I continued to work there for another year and then applied for my current job, where I do
LAW ALTERNATIVES: There are many other careers than working in a high-powered City firm, remember that firms come in all shapes and sizes: 1. High-street firms tend to be small, offering advice to the local community. Work may involve family issues, wills, crime even legal aid. Salaries can to be lower than other types of law practices, however the hours are often shorter. 2. Niche firms specialising in particular areas such as media law or property law are regarded as a growth area. A word of warning however: this type of work is often perceived as glamorous, but can be very high pressure. 3. Regional firms, such as Blake Lapthorn Linnell and Edwards Geldard, have offices in many cities in the UK. They are similar to City firms, generally handling commercial cases and as with City firms, training contracts and vacation schemes can be very competitive.
predominantly housing work for the housing and social welfare department. An example of the kind of case I’d deal with is someone whose landlord is taking them to court for a tenancy issue. It’s mostly legal aid work. It really helped me at the interview that I volunteer at my local law centre. Every fortnight on a Wednesday evening, I see anyone with an appointment. In fact, my biggest piece of advice would be to get out there, get your foot in a lot of places, and get known. There are lots of people out there without a voice who, through my work, I can help empower and that’s what I find most rewarding about my job. n
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BRISTOL
INSTITUTE
OF
LEGAL
PRACTICE
EXCELLENCE IN LEGAL EDUCATION LPC, BVC or CPE in Bristol Does your Professional Studies provider meet these simple criteria? Other
UWE
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
LPC rated “Excellent” by The Law Society The most comprehensive range of LPC electives (running 15 for 2005/2006) Teaching rated “Excellent” by HEFCE Validated to run both the LPC and Bar Vocational Course (Full time and Part Time by Open Learning) Over 30 years’ experience as a nationally recognised leader in CPE provision
If you have ticked all five boxes your Professional Studies provider is Bristol UWE.
For further information please contact Gillian Burridge
www.uwe.ac.uk/law/bilp
Why settle for less?
0117 32 83869 E-mail: Gillian.Burridge@uwe.ac.uk University of the West of England, Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS16 1QY UWE 10/22
Recruitment AD A5 -
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START AT THE TOP AND...
work with the best
work up
work globally
work together
The best place to start your career is at the very top. By joining Allen & Overy you will be doing just that. As a trainee solicitor you will take real responsibility on major deals and cases, work with some
work smarter
of the best lawyers in the profession and experience a truly global approach to law. You will work in an exceptional environment with top clients. And this will be just the beginning. To find out more about training contracts commencing in September 2008 or March 2009 and our Christmas and summer vacation schemes for 2005 and 2006, please visit www.allenovery.com/careeruk.
If we don’t pull together, then we’ll never get anywhere. And there’s certainly no room for passengers. It can be the same in your legal career. It’s only after you’ve committed to a firm that you discover you’re working far too hard and carrying more than your fair share of the load. So come and talk to us at Lawrence Graham. Right from our first meeting, we’ll be totally honest and upfront with you. Yes, you’ll work hard – but we’re not slave drivers. Our candid approach means you’ll soon learn to trust us. You’ll discover how we became a leading city firm in the fields of major business & finance and real estate deals, specialist litigation and tax & private capital.
Only with the perfect partner can you move forward.
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Want to move forward with us? Then start by contacting the Graduate Recruitment Officer, Lawrence Graham, 190 Strand, London WC2R 1JN. Tel. 020 7759 6694. Fax. 020 7173 8694. E-mail: graduate@lawgram.com www.lawgram.com
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You’d be surprised what we get up to…
Graduate Opportunities Nationwide – Autumn 2006 At PricewaterhouseCoopers, we already have a world-class reputation. But you might be surprised to know that even our Company Car scheme has won an award this year – for Most Effective Company Car Strategy 2005. Staff who take company cars are given the option of having their vehicle CarbonNeutral™ and invest in UK forestry to offset the projected carbon emissions. In the last year 3,500 trees have been dedicated by PwC people. It’s all part of our commitment to the communities in which we operate and the environment as a whole. Another big surprise is that careers at PwC are about much more than simply number-crunching. Whether we’re auditing a company’s financial results, identifying the commercial risks they face or helping with tax planning, it’s all about
getting beneath the skin of other organisations*. So, wherever you join us, you’ll be dealing directly with clients from the start, while working towards a professional qualification. And since the challenges we face span virtually every industry sector, the depth and breadth of experience you’ll gain will set you up for an exciting career. Even more surprising, you don’t need a business or finance degree to join us. Yes, you’ve got to be comfortable with numbers and you must have a strong academic record. But the subject of your degree is less important than your willingness to contribute and your eagerness to learn. Find out more at www.pwc.com/uk/careers/ Go on, surprise yourself.
*connectedthinking © 2005 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved. “PricewaterhouseCoopers” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (a limited liability partnership in the United Kingdom) or, as the context requires, other member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity.
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Heads up. High performers start here.
Go on. Be a Tiger.
Don’t let the grass grow under your feet. If you’re a high performer, we can offer you more opportunities to push your career forward than virtually anywhere else. We deliver international business and technology solutions for some of the most dynamic organisations around. Join our global team and you’ll be delivering the innovation that helps our clients become high-performance businesses.
Graduate Careers in Consulting Almost everything we do involves the application of IT to business challenges. We work across many different industry sectors and business disciplines, creating technology-focused solutions that add real value for all our clients. We also work in partnership with other technology providers (Microsoft, Siebel, SAP and i2 for example) to deliver advanced solutions that are beyond the reach of any single business. If you’re genuinely interested in business and technology,
expect to achieve a 2:1 degree and have 24/300 UCAS points, we can offer you a truly rounded career. As well as doing interesting, challenging work with exceptional people, and using the latest technology, you’ll be rewarded well with a salary of £28,500 and an additional £10,000 over your first two years. We also actively encourage people to get involved in community and charitable activities that make a real
Visit accenture.com/ukgraduates
difference to communities across the UK and around the world—from a day painting a refuge to six months transforming a business in the Balkans. To find out more, and to apply, visit our website. Accenture is committed to being an equal opportunities employer.