Graduating this year? Perfect your CV and get a practice interview with a top employer

So, you’ve finished your last exam, you’ve had one last coffee in Ground, and you’re walking through the campus for the last time before taking your next step after life at QM. But do you know where you’re heading and how you’re going to get there?

You may already have a destination in mind, or be open to different options. Either way,  how much do you know about the interview process and how to make your CV stand out from the crowd?

Next week (beginning 28 May) QM Careers will be running mock interviews and CV/application clinics to give you a head-start with your job hunt. Find out how to impress recruiters and how to avoid making simple mistakes.

Book a  practice interview with EDF or Teach First, or a CV check by representatives from firms like Fluidata and Deloitte.  Places are limited, so sign up in Careers WG3 Queens’ Building or phone 020 7882 8533 now.

CV and Application Check 1-3pm
Monday: Fluidata
Tuesday: Deloitte (technology)
Wednesday: CRCC Asia
Thursday: Vivid Resourcing

Mock Interview Sessions 1-3pm
Wednesday: EDF and Teach First

Thinking outside the obvious in accountancy

I was just sent a note by a contact at the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants about some trainee accountant roles at McDonalds, and my reaction was the same as yours probably….yes surprise.

With the focus of a lot of recruitment marketing on roles at the Big Four and Medium sized accountancies it is easy to forget (even for a ‘veteran’ like me) that a huge amount of businesses have in- house accountancy programmes for graduates.

If you want a magic list of all these roles then I am afraid you are out of luck today, but you could do worse than look at these resources

• QM JobOnline – http://www.careers.qmul.ac.uk/jobs
• CIMA Jobs – http://myjobs.cimaglobal.com
• ICAEW Jobs – http://www.icaewjobs.com
• ACCA Careers – https://www.accacareers.com
• Public Finance Jobs – http://www.pfjobs.co.uk

Also have a look at our online directory of businesses and resources ‘Careers Tagged’ http://www.careerstagged.co.uk

Don’t forget if you need some help with job hunting we are here to help. Book some time with a Careers Consultant, or come in and see our Information Team who will be able to point you in the right direction.

James Weaver
Employer Liaison & Events Officer
QM Careers

Where are the jobs? The latest facts and figures…

We’ve looked into some of the facts behind the headlines about job market prospects for 2012. Here are a few points you may like to keep in mind as you seek employment or work experience.

Recent research

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) published a UK employment outlook in November 2011.  You might be surprised to know that despite the current economic situation, at least 60% of organisations represented definitely do intend to recruit over the coming months.

Take a look at the full report here.

So where are the jobs?

Graduate schemes continue to exist and are mainly (though not solely) run by large organisations, making up around 20% of graduate recruitment annually. Competition for places can be fierce. Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) will get around 30,000 applications from graduates this year for a few hundred places.

Don’t let this put you off applying. Do let it motivate you to put in an outstanding  application and have other options in your search strategy. Come and have a Quick Query session with Careers to discuss how. There is a trend for large companies to recruit from the pool of graduates they already know from internships and placements, so think about building your work experience and getting an internship too.

Graduate jobs are not just found in large companies offering graduate schemes. Over 20 million people are employed in the UK* in SMEs (Small to Medium sized Enterprises**). These organisations make up 99% of all UK businesses, yet these vacancies are often overlooked by graduates.  Often this is because these companies are not as visible on campus and can be harder to find.

How to include SMEs in your job and work experience search

SME opportunities are not advertised as widely as those with major corporations. They certainly exist, so your curiosity and research skills will help you find them. A great first step is to get to know who’s doing what in your sector. Trade and industry publications (like The Economist, Marketing Week and The New Scientist etc) are really useful for undcovering companies, alongside talking to anyone you know in the industry.

To find out how to identify useful resources for finding unadvertised jobs including trade associations, directories and more, book a Quick Query session take a look at the Resources section of the Queen Mary Careers website.

Take a look too at the STEP programme at www.step.org.uk which links ‘talented and ambitious graduates with project focussed placements’ in the SME sector. Current roles advertised include Deputy Venue Logistics Managers for the 2012 Olympics.

*Source: HECSU report 2010

** SMEs are defined by the European Commission as having less than 250 employees and annual turnover under Euro 50 million.

TechStartupJobs Fair London

Wednesday 18th January 2012, 6:00 – 9:00 PM

Job fairs are not just a chance for you to grab exciting job opportunities. They are also a chance for you to network with employers:  find out more about different jobs and companies,  and discover what recruiters are really looking for in candidates. There are probably job roles available that you had no idea existed and companies out there you have never heard of.

TechStartupJobs Fair are expecting 30 companies at the event and more than 90 vacancies are available! The positions include full time, part time and internship opportunities in roles like:

> Developers

> Designers

> Marketers

> Product Managers

Don’t forget preparation is the key to impress for success!

Top tips before attending the event:

1. Proofread and bring your CV

Make sure your CV has no mistakes – one small error gives a bad impression to employers and could be the reason they choose to hire somebody else.  At QM Careers we offer CV clinics and application help, so get yours checked first.

Bring a notebook to the fair so you can take names of employers and catch up with them later- or ask for a business card.

2. The “approach”

Think about how you will approach the employers at the fair and start a conversation. Maybe you could talk about your background and how it connects with their company. Remember to do some research on the companies so you can be aware of who you are talking to and what they do. For further information on networking, see the job hunting section of the resources page on our website.

3. Dress

Dress professionally – it shows the employer you made an effort to give off a good impression.

Register for FREE with our special code as a student and alumni:

> Go to our eventbrite site: http://lsrjan.eventbrite.com/

> Then, select the “*Student*” ticket type

>and click “*enter promotional code*“

>Then enter the code “*[QMU1**]*” when signing up to get a free ticket.

Ten tips for career success from leaders of top graduate employers

Some interesting tips and advice from Target Jobs for you to think about over the winter holiday…

Insights from leaders to help you succeed at work

1. Believe in yourself, because if you don’t you can’t sell anything to anybody. Don’t act differently, whomever you’re talking to. Most successful people are the same in the office as they are at home. And believe what you’re doing is important. Jo Taylor, head of learning and 4Talent at Channel 4
2. Things that seem enormously important today might not be so in six months’ time. Experience has taught me the importance of keeping work and life in perspective. Jonathan Evans, director general of MI5
3. Don’t worry about what degree you’re studying – personal qualities are more important. Be clear about what you want in a career. At the interview stage, we are looking for people with a clear purpose and a firm view of what they want to do. Simon Levene, global practice group leader (intellectual property and technology group) at DLA Piper
4. You need to hear the meaning behind the words. If you don’t listen carefully you can lose the support of your team which is why I attend roadshows, read blogs and have a laugh with colleagues. When you’re a senior person, you need to work even harder at listening beyond the words. Simon Kirby, director of infrastructure investment projects at Network Rail
5. Network, network, network. Pro-actively build your personal and professional network, both online and face-to-face. Develop a ‘personal brand’ at work. Be positive, adaptable and adopt a can-do attitude. You will discover very early that people like working with positive people. Sarah Fisher, HR director at Microsoft
6. You tend to find that people in leadership roles are very active outside their day-to-day job. Nobody tells them to do it. They do it because it’s their natural inclination – whether that means organising a society, playing sport, writing their own book, it doesn’t matter. Mike Maddick, head of graduate resourcing and development at The Royal Bank of Scotland Group
7. Creativity and adaptability are important skills to have now because change is constant and relentless. Business models are evolving with more focus on developing entrepreneurial behaviour within firms, even in traditional professions like law. Victor Tettmar, managing director at Bond Pearce
8. Expect the unexpected in all sorts of guises. Be clear and honest – if you’re not, believe me you’ll be found out and it can have a destructive effect on you and the people you work with. Air chief marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, chief of the air staff, Royal Air Force
9. At a junior level you can be totally driven and influenced by what’s immediately in front of you. Life has taught me to always look beyond the deadline; to take a longer-term perspective. It’s easy to be pulled into what is urgent and immediate and lose focus of the bigger picture. Cathy Bell-Walker, finance partner and global board member at Allen & Overy LLP
10. I understand how we market the business [and how the market works] and I’m comfortable with financial analysis. Note to students reading this: to succeed in any business you need to develop these two skills. Russell Barnes, divisional director of Midway Developments at Merlin Entertainments

Undergraduate of the year – Add a little spark to your CV

How amazing would it be to win an award sponsored by various leading companies related to your degree! It doesn’t matter what you are studying, this is the chance for you to win one of the many undergraduate awards. It’s simple, you complete the first 2 stages which will take you around 2 hours and you could be shortlisted as one of the potential winners in the final stage! The awards are for students from all different areas of study and there’s even an award for being a first year student! Don’t miss out on this opportunity and add a little spark to your CV. To find out more click here.

From application to assessment centre – tips from employers at November’s Careers Sessions

This November QM Careers events will be all about developing your techniques to make sure you are prepared for the selection process whether you are going for a Graduate Scheme place, an Internship or even a part time job over Christmas.

We’ve asked representatives from a huge range of organisations to come in and deliver a series of panel discussions and workshops which should cover almost every aspect of the process.

Places are limited for these sessions so you will need to register online in advance: http://www.careers.qmul.ac.uk/events/booking/index.html

2 November – CV & Applications Panel

This session with recruiters from FactSet, Waitrose, MatchTech and Reed Smith will look at how applications to different organisations can vary, and how they also have similarities.  The panel will be made up of people who review hundreds, and thousands of applications so expect some detailed insight!

4 November – Negotiation Skills

This session led by business advisors Hymans Robertson will look at how you can demonstrate negotiation skills in an interview, or application. You’ll be given the chance to work in a case study scenario and get feedback on your team’s performance. This is the sort of session that you can use as additional evidence when you are asked about your experience of negotiation

15 November – Careers In Law: Assessment Centre Workshop

Led by Clifford Chance this session will give you the chance to experience an assessment centre case study similar to one you would find at a Law Firm.

16 November – Commercial Awareness Panel

This panel featuring Freshfields, PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Financial Times will look at how students can demonstrate commercial awareness in application and interview. Lack of understanding of commercial awareness is one of the main things fed back to us from recruiters about why applications are rejected.

21 November – Presenting, Influencing and Pitching

This workshop led by Deloitte will look at presentation techniques and how you can develop these. You’ll be given the chance to take part in a case study and observe others and discuss techniques. During many recruitment processes you will be asked to prepare and deliver a presentation so this session could be very useful indeed!

23 November – Assessment Centre Workshop

This in depth session led by CapGemini & Transport forLondonwill give you the chance to try a couple of different tasks similar to ones you’d be asked to undertake in the recruitment process.

30 November – Interview Skills Workshop

This session with SNR Denton will look at a typical interview process, and give you some insight into how you’d approach an interview from preparation in advance to ‘on the day’ techniques.  Remember for extra practice: If you have an interview coming up you can book a mock interview with QM Careers.

We hope you’ll find these session useful, and keep an eye out in your department for sessions run by our team of  Careers Consultants.

James Weaver
Employer Liaison & Events Officer

Internships and insight courses – impressing investment banks

Citi recently ran an event on campus which gave valuable inside information on how to be successful in your applications for internships and/or insight courses. Their advice is relevant not just for Citi, but for other investment banks too. Joanna, who ran the session, has worked for both Citi and Barclays and knows a great deal about the do’s and don’ts for graduates.  So read on (and if in doubt about how to put this advice into practice, come to Careers for support)…

DO

• Get involved as early in your course as you can. Doing an insight course will give you a stronger change of getting an internship.  Many graduate hires are previous successful interns, so an insight course really can make a difference.
• Write a cover letter that is concise (no more than one page) and is laid out as a formal letter with your address, the date and appropriate sign-off.
• Use your cover letter to communication your passion for a role in investment banking and with that bank in particular.  Be specific. Research beyond what’s on the website so that you can say why it’s Citi (or Deutchshe etc) you want to work for and what business area you are focusing on.
• Use a clear layout with headings for your CV.  The advice was that one full page is good.  But avoid one and half as it looks as though you have run out of things to say.
• Be meticulous in your application. City alone receives around 30,000 graduate applications a year for its courses, internships and graduate programmes. A typo or lacklustre cover letter will give a busy recruiter the reason they need to dismiss your application and move on to the next one.

DON’T

• Give up! Yes it’s competitive, but it’s possible. If you don’t get the internship you want, consider reapplying as some schemes flex their criteria e.g. there may be internship places for strong graduates who missed out during their earlier years.
• Think your work is done once you have got a place. Building contact during any insight course or internship is essential and so is keeping in touch one you have moved on.

What would you ask graduate recruitment managers?

Graduate Question Time – 24 October 2011, 6.30pm to 9.00pm.

A unique opportunity for London’s students to put their questions to some of the world’s leading graduate recruitment managers.

Employers taking part:

• npower
• Morgan Stanley
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• HSBC
• Grant Thornton
• The co-operative
• Teach First

Question Time is the perfect opportunity for you to ask any questions you have to a panel of graduate recruiters, from a selection of the UK’s top companies. There will also be a networking event afterwards, where you can approach them in a less formal environment.

Venue: Beveridge Hall, University of London, Senate House, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU.

For further information and to register visit http://www.careers.lon.ac.uk/gqt

Applying for Training Contracts and Vacation Schemes

Research the Firm. Research yourself

The first of this year’s Careers in Law events took place yesterday with ‘Applying for Training Contracts and Vacation Schemes’. Over 60 students attended asking questions on this key topic. Our expert answers were provided by Graduate Recruitment representatives from DLA Piper, Reed Smith and Trowers & Hamlins.

Each panel member assured they read (and re-read) every single application themselves.  One firm cited receiving 1004 applications for 30 training contracts.  Whilst this is a lot of reading for recruiters, it provides you with the chance to shine.  So besides having the right grades for your firms of choice, how do you make sure your application is polished, and goes on the recruiter’s YES pile?

Research.  All 3 firms agreed they know candidates will be applying to more than one firm. Nevertheless, they all highlighted that research needs to be undertaken into each firm in order for you to make an informed impression about why you really want to work there (for a vacation scheme or a training contract).  Avoid quoting from the Chambers guide – the firms submit their profiles themselves, so they don’t want this information regurgitated back to them.

As the Trowers representative said, simply googling a firm brings about a wealth of information – so go beyond their recruitment website and learn something about the firm that you can talk about in your form. Researching their skills requirements, and understanding how these will be used in a Firm will really help you to work out what you need to tell them about yourself….

Knowing yourself.  Whatever the question, firms want to know about you in your answers. Some candidates have been President of Societies and undertaken huge fund-raising activities. Others have a different set of experiences from part time work in retail, to work experience in a Chambers, to volunteering. Whatever you have on your CV, make sure you really sell it to the recruiter. Think about what you have achieved. When have you overcome problems and challenges?

If you’re applying for vacation schemes, and have no, or little legal work experience, try to attend as many Law careers events as possible so you get an insight into the profession and you can answer the “why solicitor” question with realistic insights.

Other interesting questions elicited responses from the panel such as “Firms love to hear about Year Abroad experiences” and advice about whether candidates should self-fund the LPC on graduation (panel members agreed this was an individual’s decision, although pointed out the cost consideration, and that your choice of electives is key, for e.g. if you chose a lot of family and immigration law for your LPC, and then apply to commercial firms, it doesn’t quite fit what they need for a training contract).

Finally, if you’ve ever wondered how long to spend on an application form, one of the panel members said “as long as it takes” and another recommended 8 hours, which should include a first draft, a second draft and a proof read by someone (or a Careers Consultant – call 0207 882 8533 to book an appointment!)…but remember: do the research first.

Vicki Tipton
Careers Consultant
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