Work Experience Special 2006 by Real World

THE 2006 REAL WORLD GUIDE TO WORK EXPERIENCE

Listen up! YOUR DEGREE IS

NOT ENOUGH GET SOME EXPERIENCE

Sweet Stuff: THE ULTIMATE WORK EXPERIENCE GUIDE Out of the Zone

GRADS WHO PUSH THE LIMITS

Volunteer or Work? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

FREE TO STUDENTS * www.realworldmagazine.com GET.0510.001.indd 1

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You’d be surprised what we get up to...

Graduate Opportunities Nationwide – Autumn 2006 You’d probably expect to go through exams when you come to PwC. What you may not realise is the amount of training and development we provide after you’ve qualified. You could specialise in a particular field such as banking, telecoms, consumer products – or agriculture. You could even choose to work overseas. Whatever route you take, we take a great deal of pride in the support we’ll provide. In fact, helping our people enhance their skills all the way through their career is one of our highest priorities. And that’s not the only surprise you’ll find here. 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, helping with tax planning or assessing the implications of strategic business decisions – it’s about getting beneath the skin of other organisations*.

So wherever you join us, you’ll be dealing directly with clients right 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 equip you for an exciting career in whichever field you choose. Even more surprising, you don’t need a business or finance degree to join us. Yes, you’ve got to be comfortable dealing 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.

IN THIS ISSUE

COVER STORY:

EDITOR’S LETTER

LISTEN UP! YOUR DEGREE IS NOT ENOUGH.

IF EMPLOYERS SAY YOUR DEGREE WON’T GET YOU A JOB THEN WHAT WILL? NANCY GROVES TALKS TO THE EXPERTS

COMPETITION:

COMPETITION

HED CANDY:

THE ULTIMATE WORK EXPERIENCE GUIDE

COMPETITION

ESSENTIAL ADVICE ON WORK EXPERIENCE: FROM WRITING YOUR CV AND APPLICATION LETTER, MISTAKES TO AVOID, TO FINDING PLACEMENTS WITH THE BBC.

FACTS R US:

GET WISE:

GET READY:

THE LOWDOWN

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A PLACEMENT, VOLUNTARY WORK OR OVERSEAS TRAVEL? THEN TURN TO OUR CHART TO GET THE ESSENTIAL FACTS ON WHERE TO START.

GET A JOB YOU LOVE.

BEST-SELLING AUTHOR JOHN LEES PRESENTS EIGHT SIMPLE STEPS TO FINDING YOUR TRUE CALLING.

WHAT EMPLOYERS WILL WANT FROM YOU GET*A*HED BREAKS DOWN THE KEY SKILLS THAT EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR.

GET GOING:

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?

WORK EXPERIENCE CAN BE THE SHINING HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CV. BUT HOW DO YOU GET IT? AND MORE TO THE POINT WHAT DO YOU DO ONCE YOU’VE GOT IT? NANCY GROVES GIVES YOU THE RUNDOWN.

REAL LIFE:

OUT OF THE ZONE.

SO MUCH FOR THE THEORY, NOW FOR THE PRACTICE... SEVEN GRADS TELL ADELINE IZIREN HOW WORK EXPERIENCE REALLY DID GET THEM A GREAT JOB.

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11761 lb Bright Sparks A4 AD

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Bright sparks shine here. Bright individuals thrive at Deloitte, which is why you should seriously consider a career with us if you want to make the most of what’s inside your head. Our uniquely collaborative way of working will embrace you in a team culture where your individuality will shine through – you’ll participate in projects that draw on expertise and experience from across the firm’s key service areas of audit, tax, consulting and corporate finance, and rub shoulders with some of the brightest brains in the business. On top of all that, we can promise you first class training, fantastic clients of every size and persuasion from global brand names to dynamic entrepreneurial start-ups, and innumerable opportunities to excel. If you like the sound of what we can do for your career, visit our website for further information at www.deloitte.co.uk/graduates It could be the best move you’ve ever made.

Feed your mind

. .

Audit Tax Consulting Corporate Finance Deloitte & Touche LLP is an equal opportunities employer.

EDITOR’S LET TER

WORK IT OUT!

or some of you it might seem like a long way off, to others it’s looming ever closer, but sooner or later you’re going to leave your bubble of university life and pitch yourself into the outside world. But the big job hunt/what should I do with my life dilemma won’t be half as tough if you’ve spent some EDITORIAL: 020 7735 2111 EDITOR: ZOË ROBERTS time gaining work experience. ART DIRECTOR: JENNIFER VAN SCHOOR The sad fact is that for the majority SUB EDITOR: STEVE SMETHURST of you a degree alone, be it a 2:1 or SALES: 020 7735 4900 even a First, won’t guarantee you the HEAD OF SALES: PAUL WADE job you want. It’s a good starting block, SALES: HARMESH SANSOA, JOSH MARSHALL but that’s all it is. Recruiters tell us DISTRIBUTION: JAMES LYNCH that the graduates who stand out are MANAGING DIRECTOR: DARIUS NORELL the ones with some experience, the COVER PHOTOGRAPH: GETTY IMAGES ones who know how to sell themselves. CHERRY PUBLISHING It’s no big deal. The majority of you 22-26 ALBERT EMBANKMENT, Chinese philosopher LONDON SE1 7TJ will already have plenty of experience, TEL: 020 7735 4900 whether helping out at your university Confucius (551-479 BC) FAX: 020 7840 0443 society or by working part-time to make WWW.REALWORLDMAGAZINE.COM ends meet. Nor does it always have to be directly relevant to the job, you just have to CONTRIBUTORS: make it clear how the skills you’ve picked up will NANCY GROVES: make you employable in the career you’ve chosen. Real World intern, Bristol graduate Nancy Groves Employers say time and time again that grads is something of a work-experience pro having done are underselling the skills that they already have. stints at a number of national papers. Going onto But it’s a tough old world and if you don’t promote brighter and better things as a local reporter in yourself no one else will. London, Nancy says her moment of revelation came And don’t forget getting experience is not all when she realised she could actually get paid for writing: “from that about impressing employers – you will want to moment on, I never looked back.” road test your job choice a little. For there’s nothing more futile than spending months on applications ADELINE IZIREN only to get yourself into a job that you hate. Top career journalist Adeline managed to fit in Here at Real World, we’ve aimed to give you all interviews with our work-experience case studies the tools to recognise the skills you already have (page 28) between writing for the nationals, including and to identify the ones that you might be lacking. her weekly Guardian column. Once short-listed as a Use the info you’ve been given and get out there: finalist in the Cosmopolitan Women of Achievement you’ll learn a lot about yourself. Awards, she takes a lot of stopping. “I wanted to be a journalist from the And one final thing... in keeping with our aim of age of eight, after I saw Angela Rippon read the news, but it wasn’t easy. ensuring that our readers aim high, Real World My teachers didn’t think I would achieve my dream,” recalls Adeline, always welcomes applications for internships who had her first newspaper article published in her teens. from aspiring journalists.

“IF YOU ENJOY WHAT YOU DO, YOU’LL NEVER WORK ANOTHER DAY IN YOUR LIFE.”

Zoë Roberts – ED Write to me at zoe@realworldmagazine.com

GET*A*HED 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.

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COVER STORY

Listen up!

n t o enough Your degree is

Employers want a whole lot more on your CV, such as skills and experience. It might seem like they are asking the impossible, but read on, as Nancy Groves explains it’s not what you do... it’s the way that you do it

ho would think that scrubbing the floors of a pub might play a part in securing your dream job after graduation. But when recruiters at a top financial-services firm were deciding between two applicants with near-identical academic records recently, it was the student who could talk about his experiences in bar work that eventually got the position. Picture the scene. You’ve arrived for your evening shift at the student union bar and your manager is nowhere to be seen. The beer barrels need changing, a tray of lager is lying in a sticky mess on the floor and the rugby team, fresh from a day of sporting triumph, is jostling to order a celebratory round of pints. It’s going to take patience, good people management and a large dose of enthusiasm to get through the evening in one piece. And these are all the skills that graduate recruiters look for in potential candidates. Employers want to hear about your life experiences in the real world, away from the theories of academia. And they expect your university experience to have generated more than a piece of paper. In short your degree is no longer

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“IT’S GOING TO TAKE PATIENCE, GOOD PEOPLE MANAGEMENT AND A LARGE DOSE OF ENTHUSIASM TO GET THROUGH THE EVENING IN ONE PIECE”

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COVER STORY

“what really breaks my heart is seeing the cv of a final-year student with good academic results but who has not got involved with anything at university”

enough. Indeed as one graduate recruiter said in the aptly named career guide, If Only I’d Known, “a degree is no longer a meal ticket to your future – it’s merely a licence to hunt”. So why has your degree been devalued? Surely once upon a time if you studied hard and got good grades then a degree was your passport to a top job? Well, much of the answer is basic maths. “More graduates than ever before are coming through higher education,” says Sean Russell, director of the careers service at Birmingham University. “If you don’t get involved in other activities and skills development, you risk being left behind.” More than 60 per cent of university students now leave with a 2:1 and with government policy aiming to get 50 per cent of over-18 year olds in higher education, the graduate job market has never felt more crowded. Work placements, part-time jobs, student societies, sports teams and volunteering can all teach you things that your studies cannot. But you aren’t going to get that job simply by joining every society going while at uni. “Some students will come in with a catalogue of societies they are members of, but when you being to probe as to what their responsibilities were, that list begins to crumble,” says Tony Butler, careers director at Oxford University and president of the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS). Building up your CV is less about counting what you’ve done that making what you’ve done count, he says. “It’s not so much a case of what you do, as what you get out of it,” agrees Sean at Birmingham. “You can learn a lot from what might seem like a fairly mundane job. Fantastic CVs don’t necessarily come from spending your gap year building mud huts in the jungle.” This means not only learning how to talk about what you’ve worked on, but also how to talk about the results and the part you played in them. In short, you need to learn to market yourself and your experiences.

tep forward two graduates from Bristol University’s Class of 2004 who found time between their studies for more strenuous activity than watching Hollyoaks. Claire, 23, gained a 2:1 in Social Policy and now works as a recruitment consultant. Placed in charge of housing-sector recruitment at her company, she has already doubled her starting salary and now interviews dozens of candidates each week. But only a year ago, she was in the hot seat herself.

“I think the fact that I had a part-time job at high-street retailer Monsoon throughout uni really impressed my interviewer,” says Claire. “It showed that I’m a hard-worker who can keep a lot of balls in the air. I also talked about my time on the Social Policy Society committee, which involved a lot of event management. It was all about promoting and selling, both of which are transferable skills for recruitment. From her new perspective as a recruiter, Claire believes that these skills are a candidate’s biggest selling tool. “So many people have degrees now that you can’t rely on your 2:1 to get you through. No one wants to know you got your ballet badge at the age of eight but it’s good to mention your other activities.”

hat he’d done outside his degree was the first thing to come up at interview for Rich, 23, a Modern Languages graduate who recently secured a training contract with a top City law firm. “The partners opened by asking about my involvement in my student band. I think they were using it as an ice-breaker but I was able to talk about the skills I learned from co-ordinating nine people and their instruments,” says Rich. “I also talked about managing a £1,500 budget for sound equipment and lighting when we played at our university ball. If you can quantify your achievements, it sounds better.” “The knack is being able to make the connection between what you’ve done and what you’re applying to do,” agrees Tony Butler. “Over the past 10 years, employers have become more skilled in articulating what competencies they want and their testing processes have become increasingly sophisticated.” According to Tony, the best aspect of his job is meeting a student who has a really good CV but doesn’t realise it. “You discuss their achievements and see their eyes opening. It’s a great sensation for a careers advisor – someone who suddenly gets it”, he says. But, counters Sean Russell, “what really breaks my heart is seeing the CV of a final-year student who has good academic results, did a lot at school but has not got involved in anything since they arrived at university.” Plan ahead and there’ll be no need to break any hearts. Nor will you be struggling for words at interviews. “Get in there. Get involved. Start to work with other people and try to achieve something,” urges Tony. Or as graduate recruiter, Suzie Howard advises in If Only I’d Known. “Bite off more than you can chew, and then chew like mad.”

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2006

THE SEARCH IS ON

FOR GRADUATES WHO HAVE MADE THE MOST

OF THEIR TIME AT UNIVERSITY

, £20 000 CASH TO BE WON

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO REALWORLDMAGAZINE.COM SPONSORED BY

TASTE THE EXPERIENCE: IT’S THE SWEET STUFF THAT THE EMPLOYERS JUST LOVE WHY INVEST IN WORK EXPERIENCE?

WHAT SHALL I DO?

WITH SARAH LONGWELL, CAREERS ADVISER AT KEELE UNIVERSITY

There’s such a range of work experience opportunities there’s a possibility that you’ll end up doing something that you don’t really enjoy. To avoid this, Peter Hawkins author of career guide Building Windmills recommends a seven-step, P.R.O.C.E.S.S.

What do the following have in common? An internship in a City bank, voluntary work with the CAB and selling books door-to-door in America? It’s all work experience and whatever type you go for, it’s a head start in the job market.

P...urpose

1. Insight When you try out a specific career or type of organisation you will learn the demands of employment. It may put you off, but better now than later!

2. Skills development

Identify how important work is to you. Do you live to work – or simply work to live?

R...oles What kind of work suits you – working with people, ideas or practical things?

O...rganisation

“

DON’T

Remember, recruiters have a shopping list of the skills they want, and you can’t get them through academic study alone.

KNOCK TEMPING –

3. Evidence of experience

OF GRADS

55 PER CENT

You have to stand out from the crowd. And it is far easier to convince a recruiter that you want to be an accountant/PR officer if you’ve first-hand experience.

HAVE NEVER USED A FAX

4. A step ahead

CENT CANNOT DRAFT A SIMPLE BUSINESS LETTER

Many employers use work experience as a filter for long-term employment. In large organisations you can even be fast-tracked to interview stage without making another application…

5. Contacts If you impress your co-workers and managers they are likely to prove an invaluable source of future support.

6. Confidence

MACHINE; AND 71 PER

”

Think about the size and type of organisation you prefer to work in. Large or small? In industry, the outdoors, or in an office?

C...areer motivation This is the big question. Think hard and try to decide what motivates you most. Is it money? Recognition? Power? Security? Using your skills? Running your own show? A combination of all of these? What do you want from a job?

E...nvironment Do you prefer working alone or as part of a team? In a quiet room or a busy office? Regular or irregular hours? At a computer or out in the field? Motivating and organising or advising and problem-solving?

S...ector Try to pin down the type of sector you would prefer to work in – eg retail and leisure, communications or engineering. Check too for any signs of growth in your preferred sector and where the main openings are to be found.

S...kills Finally, ask yourself what key skills and qualifications your ideal job will require.

UNPAID INTERNSHIPS Unpaid internships and work experience can be an invaluable way to choose your career. Carolyn Myers, volunteering manager at Oxfam, suggests three key questions to ask yourself when applying.

* Can I afford it? To get the most from the experience, you must concentrate and

The right experience will make you more confident in future interviews or at a selection centre.

7. Money

Work experience can be paid, but often isn’t. See it as an investment to help you to beat off the competition for your ideal job (and good long-term salary).

commit fully to it, and not spread yourself too thinly. In the long run, a few shortterm sacrifices will pay off. What are my goals from the internship? We match the individual to the role and department they are interested in. We are guided in that by the clarity of your hopes or intentions. You must know in advance what you want to gain from the experience. What makes me different? When you apply for the internship, think carefully about how you present yourself. ‘I want to make a difference’ won’t be enough. You have to convince the organisation that you have the skills and competencies they seek. We look for evidence of project-management experience, good interpersonal and communications skills, and analytical ability.

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HOW TO IMPRESS EMPLOYERS Are you a media wannabe? Get*A*Hed asks BBC workplacement co-ordinator Kathryn Miller for some insider info So, Kathryn, how easy is it to get a placement at the BBC? We receive 20,000 applications a year and, on average, the odds of a placement are 18-1. However, the poor standard means that about 50 per cent fail at the initial short-listing process. How important is it for the applicant to have prior experience in the media? It’s essential they demonstrate some knowledge of the area they apply to.

CV AND APPLICATION LETTERS BY JENNIFER CONNELL, CAREERS ADVISER, UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL

* There is more to a CV than simply jotting down the right information under the

* * * * *

right headings. Each time you apply for a different job or placement, you need to make explicit the SKILLS you have got out of these activities. An effective CV takes it one stage further and selects the RELEVANT SKILLS for that particular career. If you’re not sure which skills you need for a particular job or placement, log onto the employer’s website to build up a picture. Then it is up to you to drop examples of where you’ve picked up these relevant skills in your CV – usually in the ‘work experience’ or ‘interests and activities’ section, and sometimes under ‘education’. Remember not to belittle the casual jobs you have done as a student as mundane or irrelevant. Think ‘working as a bar person shows I have the ability to deal with difficult customers/ work in a team/ cope under pressure’, not ‘it was only a few hours down the Fox and Goose.’ If you don’t sing your own praises, no one else will! Include all types of ‘work experience’ under this heading, ie not just traditional work experience or work-shadowing, but casual jobs, part-time work and voluntary work from sixth-form onwards. Give credit to any ‘positions of responsibility’ you have had, such as socialevents organiser for a society, or student representative for your course, by listing them under this separate heading. Employers value these roles much as they would do work experience. Produce no longer than two sides of A4. Allow more space on your CV when the information is more important. For example, give some indication of the content of your degree but simply state the total number of your GCSEs (eg nine GCSEs, mainly B grades) rather than using up nine lines. Tailor your covering letter to the job you are applying for, by explaining, without gushing, why you are interested in the specific job/placement and organisation, and giving three to four reasons why you think you are a suitable candidate. Once you have drafted your CV and covering letter, drop in to see a careers adviser for one-to-one feedback.

“

IT’S MORE IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THE SKILLS YOU’VE GAINED RATHER THAN NAME DROPPING WHERE YOU GAINED

”

THEM

Do you have a top tip for students wishing to secure a placement in such a competitive environment? * Give strong arguments for applying to the specific placement. Try to include what you might gain from the placement and what you can offer us. * Don’t just list your experiences, give more detail about them. Tell us what duties were performed, what did you learn, what skills were utilised? * Read the criteria carefully before applying and ensure you mention how you meet each of the criteria. * When detailing your interests, remember to state how they will help you in your placement. Any advice on what not to do? Don’t just write one line! How important is work experience for grads wanting to work in the media? Essential. There is so much competition that you MUST have work experience to back up the knowledge you’ve gained on your course. Is work experience at smaller companies a useful alternative? Absolutely. It’s more important to be able to show the skills you’ve gained rather than name dropping where you gained them!

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Need to sort out your CV? Get online with Real World for free copies of our CV clinic, which gives you the essential guide to building a great CV.

www.realworldmagazine.com

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A new online experience.

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Essential tools and knowledge that will prepare you for the job hunting process. We'll help you identify your strengths and show you how to stand out from the crowd!

The lowdown on the industry sectors you could work in. Find out about current job vacancies, what employers are looking for and which careers match you and your degree.

Looking for the employer of your dreams? Check out the online profiles for all the info on who they recruit, where they recruit, how you can apply for them.

VOLUNTEERING:

IT CHANGED MY LIFE:

It’s the Year of the Volunteer so here are five good reasons put yourself forward.

Channel 4 news presenter Jon Snow volunteered as a VSO teacher in Uganda..

1. Employers love it. A survey by online volunteering bureau TimeBank among 200 UK businesses revealed: * 74 per cent of employers would employ candidates with volunteering experience over one who has none; * 94 per cent of employers believe that volunteering can add to skills; * 58 per cent say voluntary work experience can actually be more valuable than experience in paid employment.

“I had had a very sheltered, privileged upbringing and I’d never been out of England, never been on a plane. And suddenly to be on a plane, to be landing at Entebbe Airport in 90 degrees and 90 degrees of humidity to be met by one tumbledown old priest and carted off into the bush was a pretty startling change from anything I had ever experienced in England. And in truth, initially I was incredibly homesick. But very, very quickly I became completely absorbed in what I was doing, and realised for the first time in my life that I had something to contribute. Probably not very much. Probably I got more out of it than they did. But I think it changed my life. In going to Uganda it determined the rest of my life course... Volunteering has become an essential, I would say. It’s the kind of thing which keeps me rooted.”

GOT IT! WHAT NEXT? So you’ve got the placement and you’re getting ready for your first day’s work. What’s going to impress your prospective employer? Philippe Rose, brand and communications adviser for recruitment at Shell drops a few hints... 1. Never underestimate the importance of an internship The long-term benefits of interning are immense. It is the best way to test out a potential career as well as fast track into a top company. Furthermore, it is an opportunity to make valuable career contacts. Even if you don’t end up with a permanent job, it can equip you with excellent, often difficult to find, experience as well as earn you a professional reference.

2. Make the right moves There are basic things you can do to ensure you make maximum impact, even if you are new to the world of work. Simply treat your internship like you would a full-time job. Always behaving professionally; maintain a positive and enthusiastic attitude; be pleasant and courteous to everyone. You never know who you will meet again.

Photograph: Channel4 News

3. Don’t be a job snob Even seemingly menial tasks can teach you about how an office works. If you do these tasks well and with the right attitude, your seniors will be more inclined to give you bigger responsibilities and more interesting work. You may also want to think about ways in which you can go beyond what is being asked of you.

4. Network. Beyond working with your immediate team there are various ways to gain exposure to as many people as possible. For example, you can arrange informal chats over coffee or lunch with full-time staff members and ask to attend as many industry, client or internal events as possible.

“

I WANTED TO BE A JOURNALIST BUT I HATED IT, AS IT INVOLVED CHASING AROUND AND CALLING PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T WANT TO SPEAK TO

”

2. It can be better than an expensive training course. According to Andrij Slobodian, lifelong learning advisor at learndirect: “Our database provides more than 900,000 courses and job profiles, but many industries require practical experience before they even consider a candidate – that’s why volunteering is such a good option.” 3. It can be good fun. Alan Eagle, charitable trust manager at Abbey, runs the bank’s volunteering programme. He says; “Volunteering not only helps develop skills but provides them with a really positive experience.” 4. It can get your foot in the door. Many jobs are not widely advertised. Liz Davies did a degree in public relations in Leeds and throughout the course spent time doing voluntary work in PR agencies. Her commitment to a company in Leeds meant that when a position came up she was offered it. 5. You can test drive a job. “I wanted to be a journalist,” says Sam Rice, 24, “so I tried work experience on a local paper. But I hated it, as it involved chasing around and calling people who didn’t want to speak to me. I’m just glad that I found that out before I applied for any postgraduate training courses.” www.yearofthevolunteer.org

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Turning ideas into reality Who we are Hewitt Bacon & Woodrow is the UK business of Hewitt Associates, a global human resources outsourcing and consulting firm. We work with many of the top companies and pension funds in the UK on a full range of human resources and pension fund issues. What are we looking for We are looking for highly motivated graduates who want to be part of our successful business, many of whom join us via our Summer Internship Programme. You will have a strong academic background, with excellent communication skills and a desire to push yourself and be challenged in everything you do. We are looking for team players who have the drive and ambition to take on early responsibility. You will thrive on deadlines and want to play a key part in shaping the future of our business. Our graduate requirements 2.1 degree in any discipline Minimum B grade in Maths A level (or equivalent) Minimum B grade in GCSE English Language (or equivalent) Our Internship programme We have approximately 35 places available on our internship programme in 2006. Placements last for between 8-10 weeks from end June to end August and are available in both our Pensions and Investment Practices. To apply for an internship at Hewitt you need to be on target to meet our graduate requirements as above. Our on-line application form will be available for internship applications from mid-December and our selection process begins mid February 2006. Preference is given to those students entering into their penultimate year of study. As an intern you can expect to be involved in the preparation and communication of information and advice from day one. In addition you will attend a mixture of formal training events and local development opportunities. Looking Ahead - Graduate training and development Our philosophy is to give our graduates as much responsibility as they can handle at each stage of their career. We will support your development through on the job coaching and mentoring, sponsorship of relevant professional qualifications (we have one of the best professional study packages in the business), and a structured internal training programme. We offer generous financial support and study leave for examinations.

www.hewitt.com/uk

TIME Getting experience is all very well but how are you going to find time? Francine Kaye author of Time to Live suggest some ways to bring order to your chaos Have your goal in mind Know what your desired outcome is before you attempt any task. Knowing this gives you something to aim for and has the added bonus of setting your standards for that particular task.

Repeat what works

PART-TIME WORK

The ultimate success formula is to repeat what works. When you last got the most out of your study hours, how did you do it? Examine what you did to achieve that high level of productivity and just keep repeating what works.

For many of you, having to find part-time work while you are at uni is going to be the only way to solve your financial woes. But don’t forget that although a tragic necessity, a part-time job can also look great on your CV. Paul Cullinan, director of the National Association of Student Employment Staff (Nases) gives some tips on making it good for you.

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Don’t worry if your part-time job is not related to your long-term job aspirations. You’ll be considered a more rounded individual as consequence of work experience that is not career related. Many employers recognise it will enable you to bring a greater range of skills/experience to their company. Universities can offer a lot of help finding a job. Your first port of call should be the campus-based, student-employment service (or ‘Job Shop’), which is normally located in the careers service or your students union. Job Shops are also sometimes connected to the welfare service, business enterprise office or can be found within your institution’s personnel department. Part-time work doesn’t have to mean mind-numbing menial work. You’ll find your student employment service will provide a diverse range of job opportunities ranging from low/semi-skilled to skilled. Jobs on offer can range from clerical/ admin work to marketing and promotional employment, to name just a few. Don’t undersell yourself. The rates of pay will range from National Minimum Wage (from October 2005 this will be £4.25 in October 2005 for workers aged 18-21 and £5.05 for workers over 22) through to £8/£10 an hour, the average being £5.50/£6.00 an hour. There’s a lot of competition for part-time work, so you must be prepared and treat any recruitment process seriously. Don’t get pound signs in your eyes. Your study commitments should always be the first priority so be realistic and make sure you manage your time effectively. Look at your time table/study commitments. Most students can work between 10/15 hours per week without it being detrimental to course/study/social life. Start by maximising the quality of your CV. If you have little/no previous work experience, then you need to convey you have developed skills from other experiences, for example playing sports, being a member of a club or society. These situations allow you to develop a host of skills such as teamwork, working to deadlines, decision making, working under pressure, communication skills – commonly referred to as ‘transferable skills’.

I’ve started so I’ll finish... Finish what you start. Give yourself a deadline. You can greatly increase your personal effectiveness if you make deadlines for each of your tasks.

Anticipate

“

YOU CAN’T EAT AN ELEPHANT ALL IN ONE BITE. THE SAME IS TRUE WITH YOUR WORK. MAKE SURE YOU CHUNK DOWN A LARGE TASK INTO BITE-SIZE PIECES

”

The power of anticipation cannot be underestimated. Before going full steam ahead with a new piece of work spend some thinking time anticipating the challenges that could arise. When is the deadline? How much time will it really take? While you cannot cover all bases, you may be able to avoid a crisis by giving yourself advance warning of what might be ahead. The better you become at this the further ahead you are able to look.

Chunking down You can’t eat an elephant all in one bite. The same is true with your work. Make sure you chunk down a large task into bite size pieces and don’t be daunted by the size of the whole thing. Make a list of all the different stages and tick them off as you go. Decide how big your ‘bites’ will be and take time to relax after each step. That way you’ll have more energy for the next step.

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GET EXPERIENCED

THE LOWDOWN WHAT’S THE DEAL? BLUE CHIP INTERNSHIPS

CC Q II INTERNATIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

The big companies usually run internship programmes over the summer holidays. They offer the chance of money, business insights and networking opportunities. They are also seen as a key way to recruit graduates, and as ABN AMRO states, “By the end of it, we want to be in a position to make you an offer for a place on our graduate programme.”

Everything from teaching in developing countries, casual work and travelling, voluntary work or formal internships with one employer. You’ll just need to decide what suits you and your budget.

WHAT DO EMPLOYERS WANT? Usually, employers will only take penultimate-year students. But relevant degrees are not always necessary. For example, Ernst & Young takes students from any discipline but asks that they should display, “individuality, team-working skills, commercial drive and energy.”

Casual work schemes abroad require only that you are over 18, can prove that you are a student, have a valid passport, and have the necessary funds. Some of the charities operating these schemes have an application process that you will have to go through.

CASUAL WORK

It might not be the most glam way to spend your spare time, but stacking shelves at Christmas could be more valuable than you think. That’s because any experience is good experience as long as you make the most of it to practise skills like teamwork and customer service.

Most companies hire students to work in their busy periods, such as weekends, end-of-season sales and public holidays. This means that, ultimately, what they really want is a high degree of availability. It might not be fun to give up your spare time, but if you aren’t prepared to, other people will be.

VOLUNTARY WORK

Pretty much all employers like to see volunteering experience on CVs. One reason is that many voluntary organisations provide training. For example: “We’ve a comprehensive training course for many of our volunteers,” says Dan Levene at the Citizens Advice Bureau, which relies on more than 20,000 trained volunteers to run its services.

According to the National Centre for Volunteering, “Some organisations are quite demanding and look for volunteers with certain skills, but most give full training and are simply looking for someone with enthusiasm.”

Sandwich placements form part of your degree course, typically between the second and final years. They mostly paid and are intended to be relevant to your degree and are offered in industry, commerce and the public sector. Even if a placement is not part of your course, you may be allowed to take a year out if you are keen.

As you will effectively be an employee for a year, firms have strict recruitment criteria. “Most important is enthusiasm and a willingness to get stuck in, as we expect the same amount of work from our placement students as we do from our graduate recruits,” says Gary Argent, UK graduate recruitment manager at IT services company LogicaCMG.

Agencies such as STEP, talentladder and Fledglings find paid placements with employers for penultimate-year students. They aim to match students to placements that will interest them. Some, such as STEP, focus on SMEs. Cymru Prosper Wales places students for 10-week, small-business placements in Wales. Freshminds looks for top grads who have finished their course.

Don’t expect them to do all the work for you. You need to treat your application to a placement agency as if it was a formal job application. All placement agencies are looking for students who will be bright and capable enough to take on a job in industry, and these are the qualities they will look for on your CV.

ONE-YEAR SANDWICH PLACEMENTS

®Å® PLACEMENT AGENCIES

Ç Ç Ç Ç Ç Ç Ç *16*

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GET*A*HED

ON THE DOWN SIDE...

LINKS

The first step is to use your careers service. They’ll provide you with advice on who is offering internships – and will help you write your application form. But it’s up to you to find a placement. The majority of organisations will have detailed information on available schemes on their websites. Be warned, competition is fierce and you’ll need to apply very early.

This might sound surprising, but applying for an internship can be more competitive than applying for a graduate job. So don’t expect the application process to be easy – it can often involve several stages of interviews and aptitude tests and you’ll need put in a great deal of preparation.

Visit individual company sites for information. Research your internship application as you would a real job.

The likes of Council Exchanges, BUNAC and Camp America are familiar to many. But some big employers also offer international work placements. However, competition can be tough. KPMG requires you to be “academically outstanding”, “able to demonstrate a clear interest in a business-related career” and be fluent in German/French.

The costs can be huge, so you will have to raise money before you leave. While fundraising can be another great thing to put on your CV it can also be very time consuming. As well as company fees and flights, there can also be hidden costs, such as your visa or a TEFL course. Make sure you do your maths before you get going.

www.bunac.org/uk www.councilexchanges.org.uk www.campamerica.co.uk www.teaching-abroad.co.uk

Many universities have JobShops that can help you to find casual work. Recruitment is very different to that for a graduate job however, often working on a first-come, first-served basis, so you need to be alert constantly for job adverts and get your application in quickly.

The work can be boring, and the pay won’t necessarily be high. Unsocial hours can also be a pain and you’ll often have to be available at short notice.

The National Centre for Volunteering is a useful starting point for ideas on how to volunteer in your local community. Other useful organisations include Timebank, which has a searchable database of projects at home and abroad, and CSV, which places volunteers and provides training.

The key word here is ‘voluntary’, which means you won’t be paid for the work you do. This can particularly be a problem if you want to volunteer abroad, as you will first need to raise all the necessary funds.

www.volunteeringengland.org.uk www.yearofthevolunteer.org www.timebank.org.uk www.volunteering.org.uk www.studentvol.org.uK www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Your university will provide some help and usually has a designated placement officer, but it will mainly be down to you to organise your placement. Ask at your careers service and at your academic department. Many large recruiters now run sandwich schemes, so if you are interested in a particular company, visit their website to see what they offer.

Competition for sandwich placements can be intense, and you won’t always end up with your first choice of employer. A year is a long time if you discover in your first week that you are not suited to the company or the job. It will also add extra length to your degree, but remember that employers increasingly use sandwich placements to find future employees.

Visit your university careers service website and check individual company sites.

Once you are in their books, the agency will do all the hard work for you. They create a profile of you, mainly using your CV but also through interviews, then search through their databases of potential employers to find one that matches your skills and interests. You will be usually required to attend an interview with the employer. At that stage your success is up to you.

What the agency thinks suits you might not necessarily be what you think suits you. Worst-case scenario: they may offer you placements in jobs you wouldn’t enjoy or at firms that don’t appeal to you.

Visit www.realworldmagazine.com for careers advice.

Also make sure you check your uni careers service.

www.nases.org.uk (National Association of Student Employers)

www.step.org.uk www.talentladder.com www.freshminds.co.uk www.cpw.org.uk www.fledglings.net

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GET GOING

WHAT DO I DO WITH MY LIFE? Careers author John Lees shows you how to begin to make sense of bewildering career choices.

RETHINK YOUR EDUCATION Look at the subjects you have just studied. What would you like to know more about? What skills have you developed while studying? Now look at all the topics that you have chosen to read or think about in your own time.

ow do people choose the work they do? For many, work chooses them. Careers are often formed by the first job that happens to come along after TRANSLATE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS graduation. Few recruiters really understand the alphabet soup of If you add up the years that go into your final qualifications, so never assume that an employer will be aware qualifications, it’s staggering how little attenof what you have studied. Translate what you have done into tion many people give to the question, ‘What language an interviewer can relate to. Talk about the relevance of the kind of work would really suit me?’ subject to the workplace, and the skills you have acquired Every year, thousands of graduates aim (especially team-working or communication skills). to work out the puzzle, trying to match lists Don’t undersell your qualification, simply sell it in a of job roles to their own inclinations. You may language that a buyer understands. choose to rely on the advice of family or friends,

but take care. Too many graduates are trying to navigate the 21st-century workplace using career information that is two generations out of date. Look at the new kinds of jobs that have been created during the past decade alone. Four years ago, a dotcom in London was adOBSERVE YOUR WORKING STYLE vertising for a ‘director of cool’. Nice job title, but how would The way you work will have a strong influence on advice from your careers adviser have helped you to get it? your likely career. Do you draw your energy from other Some careers services might offer you computerised tests people or from private reflection? How do you operate in a – which does sound a little more contemporary. But where the group – what role do you naturally take up? Which skills test generates a list of likely occupations, take care. do you exercise if you have a free choice? Your perfect job may not be listed because of the way it is Seek out jobs that provide a good match to coded. Fields of work are complex and varied. For example, an the way you like to work. accountant in the shipping industry will perform a very different job to an accountant working for the National Trust. Job titles are often much too broad. Starting with a list of possibles is fine, but make sure you really explore what the jobs are all about.

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ANALYSE YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE Many graduates make light of temporary or seasonal jobs, but they provide a huge source of evidence to employers. Your work experience is also a good testing ground for discovering your likely career. Examine every experience of the work you have undertaken to date. What has motivated you or excited you? What kind of work gives you a buzz?

THINK RESEARCH BEFORE JOB SEARCH Conduct an audit: what do you actually know about work? How can you find out more? Who can you talk to? Never accept the one-dimensional view of a career given in textbooks, websites or – even worse – television. Dramas and documentaries all give you an edited view of a job; you need to know what it ‘s really like from the inside.

WORK YOUR CONTACTS Don’t miss out on key contacts who can introduce you to real people in real jobs. University staff often have business contacts or can put you in touch with past students. Talk to anyone who can help: parents of your friends, past employers, friends who are already working. Learn how to conduct informational interviews: short, focused discussions that give you the inside story on other people’s careers.

HAVE A LEARNING AGENDA Just because you’re entering the field of work doesn’t mean that you will stop learning. Decide what you would like to learn from the first year in a job. Think broadly – skills, know-how, experience of organisations and work sectors. Decide how you would like your CV to read in two years’ time. Also, take advantage of any opportunities that come along for short-term or even voluntary work placements. At this stage, virtually all work experience is useful as long as you don’t get locked in too early. The key is to learn and move on. Short-term assignments are a great way of finding out the pros and cons of a potential career.

BEGIN TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR CAREER Many people take ‘fill-in’ jobs after qualifying. The danger is that these can quickly lead you to believe they are a good example of what life is like in the working world. ‘Fill-in’ jobs can quickly become permanent posts unless you keep your goals in mind. In your first few years of work you will quickly discover that there is only one person taking responsibility for your career: you. Learn how to choose well, and how to move on positively if you don’t.

www.jobyoulove.co.uk

Career strategist John Lees is a regular Real World contributor and best-selling author of How to Get a Job You’ll Love, McGraw-Hill, £12.99.

*19*

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GE T RE ADY

WHAT EMPLOYERS WILL WANT FROM YOU... ONE: ADAPTABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY The world is moving fast and you need to show employers that you can keep up. They are looking for assurances that you are able to cope with changing circumstances and demands – that you can take on new responsibilities without much notice. “Flexibility and adaptability are the key skills we look for,” says Emily Chandler, Accenture graduate recruitment sourcing lead. “Our projects are based all over the country and we require people to move around and to be adaptable.” She says the organisation will ask candidates to be able to draw on a situation where the goal posts were moved and they’d had to react quickly to a new situation. So think about the times when you have demonstrated flexibility and adaptability – perhaps when coping with the pressures of balancing study, work and your social life.

Employers are forever complaining that graduates are unprepared for the

world of work. So what exactly are they looking for? Get*A*Hed breaks down the basics...

THREE: COMMUNICATION SKILLS TWO: THE X-FACTOR Showing self-awareness and being able to articulate and sell your abilities to an employer – not in a boastful way but by giving evidence of what you have done – is a key skill, according to Carl Gilleard, head of the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR). He says this is the ‘X-factor’ that employers look for. “It’s a cocktail of motivation, enthusiasm, commitment, passion and selfefficacy,” he says. Self-efficacy, despite sounding like a disease, is actually an individual’s estimate or personal judgment of his or her own ability to succeed, says Carl. “In a way it boils down to self-esteem. If you believe in yourself then there’s a higher chance that others might also believe in you.”

According to the National Council of Work Experience, 67 per cent of employers believe communication skills are the most important attributes when recruiting for work placements. The basics of reading, writing and talking are taken as a given. They are looking for the ability to negotiate and pick up nuances in conversation. Empathy (the ability to understand where someone is coming from) is a vital skill as is the ability to influence or persuade people either as part of a team or as a leader. Body language is also important - not only your own, but also that of the person you’re talking to. Linda Graham, graduate programme manager at Marks & Spencer, says employers look for: “someone who can articulate their experiences, and show expressive verbal and non-verbal gestures – such as making eye contact when speaking.” They should also be aware of their own personal strengths and weaknesses, she says.

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FOUR: BUSINESS AWARENESS This is a key gripe for employers: too few graduates have any business or commercial savvy. Even in the not-for-profit and public sector you’ll need to have an understanding of the environment that your employer operates in. “Candidates should prepare themselves for the application process by researching the business environment and anticipating some of the commercial questions that may be raised at interview,” says Linda at Marks & Spencer. “For us, a broad awareness of the commercial factors facing retail organisations is also necessary.” To brush up on this, check online news archives and also read through the company’s own website, especially its press releases.

MARKET YOURSELF: THE NEXT STEPS

The majority of *organisations are very clear about the competencies they look for, so read their top tips online or call to ask. “Employers realise that you will be applying to lots of firms but you must make them believe that the job you really want is their’s,” says Carl Gilleard at the AGR. Now you know what skills they are after, the first step is to look at each one and to review whether you have these skills. For each, list at least two examples of how you have demonstrated them. You probably have more examples than you realise. Graduates frequently undersell what they’ve done, according to Carl. “When asked ‘Have you had any work experience?’ The wrong answer is ‘Well, I have only worked in the union bar’,” he says. “Do not under value your work experience! It all counts. Successfully pacifying a drunken student who is demanding a last pint, five minutes after closing time, is quite an achievement…” Try to quantify what you’ve done. Rather than saying, “I helped out at my local school” break down what you did. “I held hour-long reading sessions with 32 under-sevens every morning.” Don’t ramble on. Careers advisers suggest breaking down your answer into three chunks. About 15 per cent of that should be the situation or problem. The majority (about 70 per cent) explaining how you handled the situation; the skills you used; and how you evaluated it (communication, creativity, leadership). The final 15 per cent should explain the outcome of your example.

* FIVE: INITIATIVE

SIX: TEAMWORKING This is an integral part of almost every job and in many organisations working in small project teams is the norm. You are almost inevitably going to be asked to give examples of times you have been a constructive team member, contributing, in a practical way, to the success of the group, so come prepared. “Much of our work is done in project teams so it’s important that the candidate is happy in that environment as that will really show us whether they will be successful at Accenture,” says graduate recruitment lead, Emily.

This is a big one for employers. “We look for graduates who are self starters – they don’t have to wait to be told what to do next, but can weigh up an issue and implement it,” says Linda at M&S. “Companies are looking for graduates who have shown initiative and have done something meaningful during their spare time. This could be joining a society or club at university, taking a gap year out, showing entrepreneurial skills by running their own business, or working while studying and managing to get a good grade.” This also covers decisiveness and problemsolving skills. Employers are looking for evidence that you can identify options, assess their suitability, decide on the best course of action and carry it out. “It’s one of the key skills which we look for,” agrees Emily at Accenture. “Particularly people who have looked for ways to improve things: examples candidates give include redesigning a process to make it more efficient, or redefining something to make it different from the status quo.”

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GET WISE

THE PLACEMENT PRO Placement Pro arrives with time to spare, giving her the chance to flick through the day’s Financial Times in reception as she smoothes down invisible creases in her freshly dry-cleaned suit. As the HR manager gives her the office tour, she is sure to ask as many questions as possible about the company’s graduate recruitment scheme, noting down her email address and direct line for future queries. Pro’s biggest worry is how she will squeeze this – her fourth work placement – onto her CV. But for now she’s just excited to get stuck into every job that’s handed her way, even volunteering to stuff all 5,000 envelopes of a company mail-out. With a smile.

ARE YOU

EXPERI

Work experience can be the shining highlight of your CV and mak But how do you get it? And more to the point what do you do once

ooking to score with the hottest graduate recruiters? Well, in the job market – as in many other areas of your life - experience counts for a lot. With the right work placement under your belt, not only will you be keeping potential employers keen, you are also reducing the risk of performance anxiety when it comes to your first job. “Employers expect new recruits to hit the ground running,” says Scott Foley of Manchester University’s careers service. “If you’ve already got commercial awareness, an understanding of working in an organisation and the ability to function well in a team, employers won’t have to train you from scratch in those areas.” Liz Rhodes, director of the National Council for Work Experience (NCWE) agrees. “Employers want graduates to have some understanding of the world of work and are able to articulate what they have achieved in past situations.” Work experience, then, is worth its weight in gold. Unfortunately, this means that finding a placement can often feel as competitive as applying for the real deal. The good news, according to Liz, is that companies are wising up to the benefits that students can bring to their organisation. “There is a real business case for offering work experience and candidates can get a lot done if the company thinks through what to assign them,” she says. Like all good relationships, it’s a case of give and take. Employers are open to offers – it’s your job to let them know you’re available. But don’t forget to make the most of it when you get it. Stuart Hearn head of international human resources at Sony/ATV Music Publishing remembers feedback from two work-experience students in Sony’s press department. Person A: “It was really dull – I spent most of the time stuffing envelopes and mailing them out to people.”

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RIENCED?

V and make the difference between a thumbs up for a job and a big fat rejection. u do once you’ve got it? Nancy Groves gives you the rundown.

Person B: “It was fantastic – I learned how press packs are made up, discovered who all the key players are within the music press, and learned all about the company’s music artists.” The difference between their placements? “Nothing – they both did exactly the same job!” says Stuart, “Putting together and sending out hundreds of press packs about the artists. The difference is the second person paid attention to everything they did and learned from it, no matter how menial it seemed on the surface.”

First base – making your match

THE EXPERTS. “Use your university careers service to think *aboutTRUST your career direction and determine what kinds of work experience would be most appropriate,” recommend careers advisers, Christine Blaymire and Ian Boardman at Salford University careers centre. DO YOUR RESEARCH. When applying to magazines for placements journalism student Anna, 24, made sure she carefully checked the names and contacts of each of their editorial assistants and she persevered. “I got about one reply for every five letters I sent,” she says, “but once I’d done my first placement, it snowballed from there.” In a year, Anna had completed stints at five different consumer titles. GET ONLINE. Visit NCWE at www.work-experience.org for helpful information and links to employer sites. Also useful is www.step.org.uk, which organises projectbased work in small- to medium-sized companies for undergraduates. PHONE A FRIEND. Don’t be embarrassed to call on personal contacts. Your mate might not want ‘to do what her daddy does’ but that shouldn’t stop you from asking daddy for a work placement. Most universities also have an alumni network bursting with people who are happy to accommodate students. EVERYTHING COUNTS. “I’m now starting to tell people that any experience is useful, whether formal, voluntary or even part-time work,” says Liz at NWCE. “All you’ve got to be able to do is reflect on what you’ve done and be ready to talk about it.”

* * * *

Second base – making your move

YOUR HOMEWORK. “Make sure you have researched the company *andDOknow what it is all about, from the industry it works in, to the internal company culture,” advises Binita Cooper, recruitment director at L’Oréal. “That way, you can assess your experiences to date and present the most relevant example.” GET REAL. “We look to recruit candidates who can bring their real-life experiences to the work environment,” says Binita. “An application will stand out if it can demonstrate

THE LOSER Arriving late and swearing profusely about his train delay, Loser is nevertheless cutting a dash in distressed denim. The perfect dress code for Saturday night perhaps, but not so appropriate for a day spent shadowing the legal team in client meetings. Loser has not found time to read the company brochure in advance but he’s sure to pick up protocol as he goes along, right? When asked why he wants to become a lawyer, he answers that he’s in it for the money, of course, jovially punching his supervisor in the arm. At this rate, this boy is not looking like he’ll be losing his L-plates any time soon.

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crown.pdf

19/10/05

14:30:27

Engineering Sponsorship BrandBuilding Packaging

CROWN is a world leader in the design, development, and manufacture of packaging, supplying many of the best known brands in the areas of beverages, health and beauty care, industrial products and foods. What is Sponsorship with CROWN? Our scheme provides industrial training and the opportunity to gain invaluable experience through industrial placements within the UK and abroad. Training can take place either before University or mid-course. You get a generous salary and expense package during training periods, and a tax free bursary whilst studying at University. Who should apply? Applicants should either: • be studying ‘A’ Levels in Mathematics, Physics or related subjects and be applying to University to read Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or similar or • be in the first or second year of a Mechanical or Electrical Engineering course (or similar appropriate course) with the requirement of an industrial training year out

Innovative

To apply and find out more, contact: Graduate Recruitment & Training Manager CROWN Packaging UK PLC Downsview Road Wantage Oxon: OX12 9BP

Contemporary

Tel: 01235 402552 e-mail: grad.careers@eur.crowncork.com

dive into siblu for some serious summer fun

THE REAL WORLD DIVERSITY GUIDE Advantage aims to help you build a career based on your merits. While many employers increasingly recognise the benefits of recruiting a diverse workforce, some students still face barriers to employment. Packed with invaluable advice from graduates, experts and employers Advantage gives you the best tools to get you the job you want, whatever you want to do. Available free from your careers service.

GET.0510.024.indd 1

seasonal opportunities • france, spain and italy Helping people to have fun is our business. It takes tons of energy. It takes great organisation skills and it sure needs a level head. But above all it takes fantastic people who love making sure everyone has a great time. Right now, we’re recruiting for 2006 and have all sorts of opportunities including: • Assistant Park Representatives • Bar Team • Lifeguards • Entertainers • Accommodation Team • Reception Team • Children’s Club Representatives Whichever job you apply for, one thing’s for sure, you’ll be eager to get out there and get the party started for our guests. For the summer experience of your life, call 01442 293 236 or visit www.siblu.com

24/10/05 12:23:45 pm

GET WISE

areas of interest or positions of responsibility outside the candidate’s studies.” Fiona Gaffney, head of European analyst recruitment at Lehman Brothers, agrees: “Candidates for internships need to present real examples that demonstrate their competencies to us.” SELL YOURSELF. Individually tailor your CVs and cover letter to your target company. As Fiona says, “the cover letter is very important in telling your story to the hiring organisation.” FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. “Some candidates send me letters on expensive letterhead with stamped addressed envelopes,” says Fiona, “Unfortunately, this is a complete waste of their time and money – our website tells them clearly that we only accept applications online.” GET WHAT YOU GIVE. “Make the case out for a) why you want to do a placement and b) what you can offer them,” say Liz Rhodes. Remember that you are looking to forge a reciprocal relationship. SHOW WILLING. “Most important to us is enthusiasm and willingness to get stuck in as we expect the same amount of work from our placement students as we do from our graduate recruits,” says Gary Argent, UK graduate recruitment manager at IT services company LogicaCMG. “We also need to really see that you have researched the company and are clear about what we do and that we are right for you. We get a huge number of applications so give yourself the time to apply and give it your best shot.”

* * * *

Third base – making your mark

START AS YOU MEAN TO GO ON. That means turning up on time and dressed appropriately. *“A student on the same internship as me arrived on the Monday morning in an seriously short miniskirt,” recalls BBC recruit, Emily, 23. “Needless to say the skirt made more of an impact than she did.” MUG UP. “I’ve had students shadowing me who don’t even know the difference between a solicitor and a barrister,” reveals circuit judge and former criminal barrister, Tony Pitts. If you arrive not knowing the basics, you’re unlikely to learn anything more. BE INTERESTED. Says Tony: “There’s nothing more frustrating than someone who doesn’t have any questions to ask even after a long day in court.” The brain-dead cabbage look is definitely out. LISTEN AND LEARN. “Listen to instructions and take notes,” advises careers adviser Christine Blaymire. “And perform even menial tasks with enthusiasm. You can learn a lot about a company even just stuffing envelopes.” ASK FOR HELP. “It’s important to hold up your hand if you’ve made a mistake or you’re not sure about something,” recommends careers advisor Scott Foley. “Far better than making a decision that might hurt the business.” STUCK AT THE PHOTOCOPIER? “If a student feels that they could take on more responsibility, they should ensure that their manager knows they are willing and capable of doing so,” says Binita at L’Oréal. USE YOUR INITIATIVE. “Why not come up with a project of your own,” suggests Fiona Gaffney at Lehman. “For example: ‘I notice that your hiring website doesn’t seem to compare that well with your competitors, I would like to do some research as to how it can be improved.’” THERE IS NO ‘I’ IN TEAM. “Interns should aim to enjoy the experience rather than constantly strive to out-do others in their group,” encourages Fiona. “Most companies are looking for team-players, and the internship experience is one in which this competency shows up very clearly.” BE ON THE LOOKOUT. “Always keep your eyes open for opportunities that might arise in a different department,” says Christine Blaymire. “Making a good impression in other sections of the company cannot be a bad thing.” KEEP AN OPEN MIND. Be willing to try anything within reason. One Salford student was asked to test beds for comfort levels by sleeping in each one for a night and writing a report on them afterwards – work-experience heaven.

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Fourth base – making it last

HOW WAS IT FOR YOU? “Students should ensure that when they leave they have a complete review *of their performance and understand their strengths and areas for improvement,” recommends Binita at L’Oreal. Even if you’re not offered a formal review, be sure to ask your supervisor for some feedback. SAY THANK YOU. Music agent Jonathan Laidlaw wrote to thank a student for his hard work while on work experience at the agency. Not writing back meant the student wasn’t asked back. KEEP IN TOUCH. “Stay in touch with those who you share a connection with,” advises Fiona at Lehman. “A summer internship is always a potential pipeline to a permanent position.” A recent survey of 66 graduate recruiters by Manchester Careers Service found that 70 per cent of work placements lead to a graduate job offer. TRIED AND TESTED. “Work experience is often a case of ‘Try before you buy’ and gives both sides the chance to see what the other has to offer,” says NCWE’s Liz. “From the student’s point of view it helps them make a more informed career choice and for the employer, it becomes a more efficient and effective way of recruiting.” “A placement is like a very long interview and at the end – if it’s gone well – we’ll try our best to convert it into a full-time job offer,” agrees Gary at LogicaCMG.

* * *

THE SNOOZER Snoozer would rather be watching the live stream of Big Brother than doing work experience at a PR company, but she’s heard that a placement might bag her some freebie beauty products. She can’t believe her luck when set to work on a internet research project – the perfect opportunity to spend the afternoon on MSN Messenger! She breaks up her day with trips to the drinks machine, thereby reducing the chance of being assigned a task that might actually test her. And when asked if she’s got any ideas for a new product launch, she does an impression of a goldfish, while buffing her manicured nails.

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F E AT U R E

It’s easy to spend your whole time at uni focused entirely on getting a good degree and maintaining a halfway decent social life. But don’t forget that the world awaits and if there’s one thing that’s going to help you find a good job it’s work experience. Paid or unpaid, in the UK or overseas, there are a huge range of things that you can do. To get inspired, read on, as Adeline Iziren talks to seven graduates who stepped outside their natural habitats to do something seriously different. PHOTOGRAPHS BY DOMENICO PUGLIESE

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Rising star: Caroline Moyle sold cakes to fund an Operation Raleigh trip to Borneo. It paid off â&#x20AC;&#x201C; she is now a derivatives analyst with investment bank UBS.

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F E AT U R E

Londoner Marcus Miller, 20, has taken time off from his music industry management degree at Buckingham Chilterns University to run a lifestyle and entertainment magazine called What’s Poppin. WORK EXPERIENCE: Marcus developed sales skills and the ability to deal with people, while working part-time in the audio department of Peter Jones for three years.

What motivated you to launch a magazine? *“I was motivated by students at my university who kept

GET*A*HED AS AN ENTREPRENEUR Until recently, less than one-in20 graduates has pursued selfemployment in the six months following graduation, but now the number is growing. If you want to run your own business while at university or just after you graduate, get it off to a flying start by making the most of the help and advice that is available. You can begin by checking out Make Your Mark www.starttalkingideas.org which will give you all the advice you need on getting inspired and getting started. Also try the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship – www.ncge.org.uk

asking me about the best places to go in London. After a while people started texting me, ringing me and emailing me. I never had a love for magazines, but then I thought I could put together a lifestyle magazine. I shared my vision with Jay Patrick, an old school friend and he came on board as co-founder. The first thing I did to get the magazine up and running was to ask my aunt if she could design it, because without a designer there is no magazine. In terms of a business move, we put together a sample magazine, so that we could go to advertisers and say this is how it’s going to look.“

*“The head office of the Prince’s Trust put me in touch What did the application for funding involve?

with a regional manager. We went to see her and filled out an application form to get a loan. We posted it to head office and this led to a panel interview. At the interview we presented the panel with our business plan, copies of the magazine and a Guardian article which featured a profile on our business. After two months we received a loan of £4,000 from the Trust.”

How did you sell the experience on your CV? *“I gave examples of my leadership abilities and outlined how my sales role at department store Peter Jones developed my business skills.”

*“My role is magazine director. I set up the interviews What do you do?

conducted by journalists, edit the magazine, liaise

with the designers and the printers and chase up advertising payments. I also sell advertising space in the magazine. I worked on my sales skills by watching some of my older colleagues sell at Peter Jones.”

you enjoy running your own business? *“Yes,Do because it’s establishing me as an entrepreneur and allows me to give other people opportunities. For example, Nicola Smart, one of my journalists did a very good review on a Choice FM event and as a thank-you, the station’s PR person invited her to a celebrity event she was organising.”

*What are you learning?

“I’m learning how to manage people, deal with money, market the brand on a tight budget and to believe in myself and my product.”

Best part? *“When the magazine comes out and readers start ringing to say that it looks great.”

part? *“It’sWorst risky. It’s not like I get paid the same amount of money each month. What I get paid depends on how much advertising revenue comes in. With a regular monthly income you can plan your life a bit better.”

to readers? *“IfAdvice you’ve got a concept just run with it, don’t worry too much about how you’re going to get to where you want to go.”

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F E AT U R E

Josie Walton, 24, graduated from the University of Leeds with an 2:1 in music last year. She is now a PR and marketing executive for Fresh Minds, a research and recruitment consultancy. WORK EXPERIENCE: Josie spent eight weeks promoting the opening of a new branch of highstreet salon, Saks Hair and Beauty, in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Her placement came through the STEP programme, which gives penultimate year students work experience within a small or medium-sized company that their skills and interests match. Josie saved Saks £5,000, thanks to the free publicity she attracted to the salon’s launch party. She was paid £170 a week.

GET*A*HED WITH STEP was your motivation for doing STEP? *“ToWhat *Did you enjoy it? get some decent work experience before starting “Absolutely. It was great hands-on experience and on the hard graft of my final-year dissertation. When I started my degree I envisaged playing the flute in an orchestra after graduating, but then I decided to do something business related that would encompass marketing and PR.”

*“I handed my CV to the careers service at university What did the application process involve?

and they passed it on to STEP.”

What did you do? *“After doing some research on certain restaurants, shops and bars, I left flyers in selected ones and then handed out flyers to ‘career women’ in the main shopping area. I also organised a launch night. It was around the time of the fourth Big Brother series, so I invited Sissy, one of the show’s housemates to it. When she accepted, I sent press releases to local newspapers and radio. The launch event was publicised locally and also nationally in Heat magazine.”

because I worked alone, I had the freedom to use my initiative and come up with ideas.”

did you learn? *“SoWhat much. I learned how to manage my time while juggling a lot of tasks, dealing with the press and persuading them to publicise an event.”

Best part? *“Having around 100 people pour in for the salon’s launch party, including Sissy from Big Brother. This made me feel that I had done a good job. I felt particularly proud of this achievement because I was given just £300 to promote the new salon – half of that went to Sissy and the other half went on buying drinks for the party.”

part? *“TheWorst slight feeling of solitude. There wasn’t anyone around with a knowledge of PR to brainstorm with or bounce ideas off. “

How did you sell your experience of *STEP on your CV?

to readers? *“I Advice would definitely recommend STEP. It’s competitive,

“I summarised my achievements which included developing leadership skills and saving Saks £5,000.”

so make sure you find a placement that matches your skills, that way you’ll have a better chance.”

STEP provides more than 1,300 students in their second or penultimate year with projectbased work experience in small and medium-sized companies (SMEs). Students are responsible for the projects, which could involve creating marketing strategies, improving production methods or setting up IT systems. STEP currently provides a training allowance in the region of £180 a week. www.step.org.uk If you want to go it alone then be aware of the following: the majority of SMEs don’t advertise for work experience or placement opportunities so you’ll have to use your research and speculative applications to find out who will take you on. You’ll need to explain what you’ll bring to the business and why you’d like to spend time with them. Some small businesses fear that taking on a work-experience student can be too time consuming so you’ll need to convince them otherwise.

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F E AT U R E

Caroline Moyle, 24, graduated from the University of Exeter with a 2:1 in business and accounting in 2002. She is now working as a derivatives analyst for UBS. WORK EXPERIENCE: Caroline dipped into her savings and sold cakes she made to raise £3,000 to go on a three-month expedition to Borneo with Raleigh International in 2003. In Borneo, she met someone whose friend is a recruiter for investment bank UBS and after an interview with the company she landed her current position.

was your motivation? *“AWhat friend of mine had done an expedition with Raleigh and his stories were so amazing, I decided to give it a go.”

GET*A*HED WITH RALEIGH INTERNATIONAL Raleigh International is a youth development charity for 17-25 year olds. The charity aims to inspire people from all backgrounds and nationalities to discover their true potential by working together on challenging projects around the world. Each year, 500 young people from the UK volunteer on a Raleigh expedition. The volunteers are typically gap-year students, undergraduates or young people taking a career break. Around 100 volunteers are young people drawn from Raleigh’s youth at risk programme. Several hundred more are from countries Raleigh works with around the world. www.raleigh.org.uk

did the application process involve? *“ItWhat involved applying online at Raleigh.org.uk. Then I went on an adventure weekend to Gloucestershire, where I slept on the floor in a big marquee with other people interested in going off to Borneo.”

*“The

What did you do?

expedition comprised three phases: the environmental phase, the community phase and the adventure phase. During the environmental phase we worked to help cut a trail through the jungle in Borneo, the community phase involved building a suspension bridge for natives we lived with in the middle of nowhere and during the adventure phase we put together our own hammocks, which we then slept on.”

did you sell the experience on your CV? *“I How simply mentioned the three months I spent doing charity work with Raleigh International. The interviewers at UBS were really interested in hearing about my experiences.”

you enjoy it? *“I Did loved it. It was something so different. I got a

chance to help people in a less-developed country and experience a different culture.”

What did you learn? *“How to work in a team is one of the big things I learned and is very relevant to the job I’m doing now. For example, building a bridge was one of the many projects that required team work. We all performed different tasks to make the bridge a reality.”

part? *“TheBestwhole experience. I got to do something worthwhile and rewarding. I also met so many people on the expedition that I still keep in touch with.”

Worst part? *“Probably the initial fear of living in a jungle, where you hear all sorts of really strange noises from animals at night. We were all taken right out of our comfort zones, but I’m convinced that it turned us all into stronger people.”

to readers? *“IfAdvice you’re looking to travel, I would urge you to think about doing more than just the backpacker route, try to challenge and develop yourself instead. Although it’s true that you’re living in a primitive environment for a long period of time, you are living in very friendly communities.”

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F E AT U R E

James Eder, 22, graduated from the University of Birmingham in the summer of 2005 with a 2:2 in business commerce. He now co-owns and runs studentbeans.com, an online directory service offering students discounts on everything from cinema tickets to prescription glasses. WORK EXPERIENCE: James spent eight weeks in Columbia, working in the office of a foundation which supports primary-school age children from deprived backgrounds. He found this opportunity through AIESEC, an international student society.

What was your motivation? *“I wanted exposure to a different culture, even though I had the fears of my family about me going away to deal with.”

did the application process involve? *“TheWhatprocess began with introductory meetings, where we had a chance to find out about AIESEC and its four international placement types – technical, management, development and educational. Once I’d decided on a placement, I had to fill in an application form. Successful applicants then go to an assessment centre based at their university and only those who meet the assessment criteria are offered a placement. The introductory meetings take place in October and November each year.”

did you do? *“I What was working in Columbia for the Costa Atlantica Project, a foundation that aims to develop the communication skills of primary children, so that they learn more quickly. They are also taught to respect each other. There were two aspects to my work: visiting schools and interacting with the children and writing proposals for international funding on behalf of the foundation.”

did you sell the experience on your CV? *“I How mentioned that the AIESEC experience developed

my business skills and exposed me to people from different cultures.”

enjoy it? *“Yes.Did Iyouenjoyed the friendliness of the people, the sound of Latin music on buses, in shops and in the streets. The streets of Columbia have a constant carnival atmosphere.”

What did you learn? *“That you need to make things happen and put yourself out there to get great experiences. I also learned more about development and that I’m resourceful.”

part? *“TheBestsocial life. We were taken around by the local people who knew the best places to go.”

*“Being stopped by a Columbian police officer. My fear Worst part?

came largely from the fact that I didn’t understand what was going on. Luckily, my friend Dan understands Spanish and it turned out that the policeman was just doing security checks.”

to readers? *“AnAdvice international placement helps you to stand out from your peer group, so my advice is to do one before or after you graduate.”

GET*A*HED WITH AIESEC AIESEC gives students a chance to acquire a set of marketable and transferable skills, while working abroad for a good cause. It offers placements in 86 countries and each one lasts two to 18 months. If you successfully apply to go on AIESEC’s work abroad programme you will be required to pay an administration fee of £200. www.aiesec.org.uk

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Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got what it takes. So prove it.

When it comes to kick-starting an incredible career, experience counts. With exciting placements and job opportunities in the East Midlands, graddtobusiness could help you beat the competition to a very bright future. Visit our website or call our advisors on 0870 850 2585.

Ref: g2b3-05

F E AT U R E

Jule Wilson, 25, recently graduated from the University of Newcastle with 2:1 combined-arts degree in education, film studies and English. She is now a trainee reporter for the Newport Advertiser in Shropshire. WORK EXPERIENCE: Jule undertook a variety of projects including helping children develop their reading skills at schools in and around Newcastle. She found out about many of these volunteering opportunities through TimeBank, a national campaign organisation which encourages people to volunteer in their local community.

What was your motivation? *“Boredom and the fact that I didn’t want to be the type of person who was just a taker.”

did the application process involve? *“I What always submitted a CV and because I was working with children, I had to fill in a disclosure form (police check) every time I began a volunteering project. I ended up filling in a total of 12 disclosure forms.”

And TimeBank was very good at matching you to the right volunteering opportunity.”

*“I learned a lot about myself. For example, that I’m a What did you learn?

very nice person because you need a lot of patience to be a volunteer. I also learned that I have a lot more energy when I’m working and that volunteering can help you become more employable in most fields.”

did you do? *“I What *Best part? did numerous projects. They included mentoring “Being appreciated for being myself and for giving up teenagers in schools, teaching children to read, working as a guidance counsellor on creative projects for Camp America and helping primary school children understand the different aspects of science through workshops at the Life Science Centre in Newcastle.”

*“I sold my volunteering experiences by stressing that How did you sell these experiences on your CV?

they enhanced my transferable skills, such as time management. I was juggling a part-time job with uni and volunteering. The fact that I volunteered went down well with potential employers because it shows that you are willing to give up your own time without personal gain.”

you enjoy it? *“ItDid was very enjoyable because the teachers I worked with were generally very helpful and encouraging.

my time.”

part? *“I noWorst longer have the free time to volunteer.” Advice to readers *“When I first started university I was very quiet and thin-skinned, which made people say that I wasn’t cut out for a career in journalism. Now, thanks to volunteering, I realise that I do have skills to offer, which has given me so much more confidence. I’d tell people to give volunteering a go. If there’s something you have a vague interest in, see if there are any volunteering opportunities that feed into that interest. Besides, it’s true what people say, volunteering does give you a lot more than you end up giving.”

GET*A*HED WITH VOLUNTEERING You can find out about volunteering opportunities through a number of organisations including TimeBank www.timebank.org.uk your student union or do-it www.doit.org.uk . Working for free as a volunteer might not seem too appealing if you’re drowning in debt, but you’ll be doing yourself a huge favour if you spend at least some of your time at university volunteering. Why? Well, almost two thirds of the UK’s top employers prefer to recruit candidates with volunteering experience, according to research by Reed. And 58 per cent of the companies surveyed say that voluntary work experience can actually be more valuable than experience gained in paid employment.

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Want something more? This year-long placement gives the opportunity to gain real insight into working at Nationwide. You can gain valuable work experience, and do a real job, with real challenges and real responsibility, enabling you to develop skills that you can use within your degree studies and beyond. See what we’re about and apply online at

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VOTED THE UKʼS BEST LARGE EMPLOYER

2005

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F E AT U R E

Lucy Webb, 23, graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a degree in economics and geography in 2004. She is now an account manager with Procter & Gamble. WORK EXPERIENCE: Lucy spent two months working on Procter & Gamble’s intern scheme.

What was your motivation for doing an internship?

*“Yes, I did and that is why I’m with the company now.

“I wanted to get an insight into business and see if it suited me. I also wanted to boost my job prospects.”

The internship gave me a very good idea of what it would be like to be employed by Procter & Gamble full-time.”

did the application process involve? *“I What applied online for the internship and attached my CV. I also did an online personality test, problem solving test and an hour long maths and English test. I went on to have two interviews, and then waited three weeks before Procter & Gamble decided to offer me an internship.”

Did you enjoy your internship?

did you learn? *“I What gained a lot of insight into the business world and I learned the importance of a team working together to achieve results. I also got a chance to learn new ways of doing things and was able to come up with solutions.”

did you sell your previous work experience Best part? *onHow *“Seeing your CV? the results from my projects.” “I included my work experience in a bank and as a sailing instructor on a beach in Italy. I highlighted what I got out of these experiences and gave examples of my strengths.”

did you do during your internship? *“I ledWhatvarious projects working with Tesco management on beauty products produced by Procter & Gamble. One of the projects involved providing Tesco’s shopfloor beauty staff with the necessary information to help boost sales of Olay products.”

part? *“NotWorst spending my summer travelling. But I have no regrets. I really enjoyed the internship programme and, to be honest, I probably wouldn’t have the job I’m doing now without it.”

Advice to readers? *“Defi nitely do an internship, even if you would rather go travelling. It will take the pressure off your last year, if you get a job out of the experience.”

GET*A*HED WITH AN INTERNSHIP Procter & Gamble recruits between 80 and 100 students a year for its internship programme. For more information visit www. pgcareers.com In multinationals, most internships are paid positions (up to £500 a week) and last between 10-12 weeks from the summer. Internships lead to permanent jobs for around 50 per cent of students and those lucky enough to get on to these schemes can work in a variety of areas including engineering, sales, HR, IT, marketing and finance. The deadline to apply for internships is the spring, though early applications are strongly advised. Internships are mainly aimed at second- or penultimate-year students.

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Recipe for success Nicola Swann has pledged 180 minutes a week to the Give a Billion Minutes campaign. She spends three hours doing something she loves â&#x20AC;&#x201C; helping a local charity for young people improving their skills through a range of activities, from arts and football to crafts and cooking. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more, her passion has helped Nicola get her dream job.

Try volunteering, you can have your cake and eat it. Get started at www.yearofthevolunteer.org or call 08000 839 839 or text VOL and your name to 80010

36937 Nicola A4.indd 1

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F E AT U R E

John Steele, 25, graduated from the University of Newcastle with a 2:1 geography degree in 2003. Later that year, he began a masters in environmental engineering. In September (2005), he joined Arup, on its graduate engineering programme, after a spell with Madventurer, as an overseas operations manager. WORK EXPERIENCE: John helped to build an orphanage during a five-week Madventurer project in Ghana.

What was your motivation? *“I wanted *How did you sell the experience on your CV? to experience traditional African culture and “I stressed how it improved my teamwork skills, ability meet new people. I had already been to Kenya, but I found it very westernised.”

*“Towards the end of my first year I saw a flyer and a What did the application process involve?

couple of posters on Madventurer at uni, so I went along to a presentation the company gave and at the end of it, I put my contact details down on a form. Shortly, after that I received an information pack and three months later I was in Ghana. I raised more than £2,000 to go on the trip by doing a sponsored bungee jump off the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle.”

*“I taught geography at a primary school and worked in What did you do?

a team to build an orphanage in Shia, the village where we lived. Local carpenters and craftsmen taught us the required skills and supervised our work.” The work was really hard physically because of the tropical heat, but it was good getting to know the local builders, who led the project. If not for the project, the community would not have had the money or manpower to carry out the building work. I felt a massive sense of satisfaction when we finished the project. The villagers were pleased too and sacrificed a goat to make us a big thank you dinner.”

to make decisions and to adapt to a new environment.”

enjoy it? *“ItDidwasyouabsolutely amazing. Five weeks just wasn’t long enough and it was a real wrench to leave. Of all the countries I’ve visited, Ghana is my favourite. The people in Shia were special and helpful. I would like to go back there again one day.”

did you learn? *“I What learned how to organise myself, to manage my own money, food shop for a big group on a tight budget and also small bits of the local ewe language.”

Best part? *“Being part of a team of volunteers was really good. I’m still in contact with many of the UK-based volunteers. We sometimes go out for drinks and have a reunion every year.”

Worst part? *“I got malaria, which was a bit annoying, especially as I was only there for five weeks.”

Advice to readers? *“With projects like these you get to work hard, play hard and do something worthwhile for communities.”

GET*A*HED WITH MADVENTURER Madventurer offers development projects in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Peru, Tonga, Thailand and Sri Lanka involving teaching, building schools or clinics, work in conservation or on Tsunami development projects. Volunteers pay for the expedition and the flights. Costs range upwards from £750 for a two-week expedition, not including flights. www.madventurer.com

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

YES, FOR THE FIRST 5 YEARS OF MY CAREER, THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS I’LL ASK IN MEETINGS WILL BE “MILK AND SUGAR WITH THAT SIR?” AND THE MOST CREATIVE CHOICES I’LL MAKE WILL BE RICH TEA OR HOBNOBS, UNTIL FINALLY THE STEAM FROM THE COFFEE ENGULFS MY MIND AND MY EYES MIST OVER FOREVER. We are an equal opportunities employer

NO, I’D RATHER JOIN ENTERPRISE, SO I CAN RUN MY OWN BUSINESS WITHIN TWO YEARS, SO IT’S ME WHO’S SETTING UP THE MEETINGS, AND ME WHO’S SHARING MY IDEAS AND PUTTING THEM INTO PRACTICE.

P&G 190w x 140h

21/10/05

3:37 pm

A challenging career starts at the deep end...

Page 1

Come alive

At Procter & Gamble, the No1* Consumer Goods Company, we aim high. We challenge you to do the same. We are looking for people who are ready to face diverse challenges and get a real buzz from overcoming them to achieve great results. For those who are passionate about innovating and resolute about winning and improving the lives of consumers worldwide. Ready for your challenge? Then we are ready for you. We will give you the best training, mentoring and support to help you succeed.

*Ranked No.1 FMCG in ‘The Times Top 100 Graduate Empoyers’

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® TM

summer camp jobs in the USA BUNAC’s Summer Camp USA programme offers you the chance to work with kids on camp. Pay less upfront - earn more at camp with BUNAC Return flight, food and accommodation included Personal placement, support and expert advice If you are available from June to August, aged between 19-35, like kids and ideally have a skill or sport to teach, visit the BUNAC website for more info and to reserve your place at the next interview session in your local area.

020 7251 3472 www.bunac.org Gail Aston, BUNAC, 16 Bowling Green Lane, London, EC1R OQH E-mail: camps@bunac.org.uk

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peugeot.pdf

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Do you have

the drive?

Worried about work experience? Confused about your career? Stressed out about standing out? In today’s competitive job market, having a degree isn’t always enough. If you want to stay ahead of the field, then read on…… The PSA Peugeot Citroën Industrial Placement Scheme offers you valuable industry experience and challenging opportunities in an exciting and rewarding environment. Through a variety of placements and projects in your chosen function you will be encouraged to develop the professional and personal skills needed to excel in the modern business world. You can be certain that whichever department your adventure begins in, you are guaranteed real responsibility, real issues and a real role, from day one. As you would expect from one of the world’s most successful companies, we offer an enticing benefits package, including a competitive salary of c. £16,000. For more information of the functions we offer and to apply, visit our website.

www.psacareers.co.uk

Closing date: 13th November 2005

recruitment solutions Pendle Enterprise Trust provides:Short term placements for students (2 weeks - 6 months, full time & part time) 12 month industrial placements Career positions for graduates in companies from virtually all sectors of industry and business.

Our experienced team will match your skills, attributes & career aspirations to vacancies as they become available and contact you to discuss the opportunity and it’s suitability for you.

enterprise

pendle

trust

Apply online – www.trust4business.co.uk or post your CV to:-

Pendle Enterprise Trust Ltd Pendle Business Centre, Commercial Road Nelson, Lancs BB9 9BT t 01282 698001/698004 f 01282 611634

GET.0510.042.indd 1

e cv@trust4business.co.uk w www.trust4business.co.uk

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CMD 8213 UnderGrad Ad(B).

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Page 1

Not without You Corus expertise and metal helped develop the Eden Project, the Millennium Stadium and Nasa space shuttles. To help us maintain our position as a world class company, we recruit to 10 different areas, varying from Engineering to Commercial and Supplies Management to RD&T to name but a few. To take the company forward successfully, we need people who have drive, enthusiasm, ideas, commitment, flexibility, imagination and resilience. In return we offer an individual training

plan with opportunities to learn, develop, gain experience and make your mark. All applications are on-line. To find out more about how Corus can meet your aspirations, and to register your interest in an undergraduate placement, please visit our website. We look forward to hearing from you.

For more information about a career with Corus, call our recruitment hotline â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 01926 488025

www.corusgroupcareers.com

For an inside view of life at Shell, just come on board.

INTERNSHIPS AT SHELL

Shell internships are a win-win opportunity: you develop your skills and discover what we offer as an employer, while we get the chance to see if you’ve got what it takes to be part of Shell. Provided you’re in your final two years of study, you could join us for eight weeks or more – in your home country or perhaps overseas. You’ll experience

As you’ll be assessed entirely on how well you perform during your internship, you could even secure an offer to join us full-time when you graduate – without the need for a further interview. Please visit our website for full details and an online application form. Shell is an Equal Opportunity Employer

live projects, face real business challenges and get valuable feedback from managers.

www.shell.com/careers

Feel it

The strength of our commitment