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Your results – what next? July 4, 2011

Posted by TCG Info in : employability and skills , 1 comment so far

So the results are in. How did you do? Did you get that 1st class degree everyone hopes for? Or do you feel there are no options now you failed to grasp that 2:1? You are not alone. Around 30% of graduates leave with a 2:2 degree and the good news is that there are still lots of options open to you.

As careers advisers we often see graduates with a 2:2 suddenly start to talk about doing a masters course. Typically there are three reasons for doing a masters: a) desire to specialise and increase employability; b) passion to learn more about the subject  and c) compensate for poorer grades achieved to date. Unfortunately the third reason doesn’t usually work.  Many graduate recruiters don’t differentiate between a masters and an undergraduate degree – although some (e.g. ExonMobil)  will take a 2:2 plus a relevant postgraduate qualification.  If you want to do a masters then make sure your motivation is right.

So how can you progress in life with a 2:2?

OK so many of the Graduate Schemes are closed to you because they require a 2:1 or above. But there are some schemes out there that are open to 2:2: degrees. Some examples that might help you get started:

So from that (non-exhaustive) list you can see the diversity of schemes available – from Government to manufacturing, professional services to retail. Trawling through the internet should help find many others.

It’s easy to get distracted by graduate schemes. These corporations often have large budgets to market their career opportunities to students. But typically only about 10% of graduates go into a graduate scheme. That’s all, just 10%. Maybe about 35% will do further study, leaving 55% of graduates doing something else.

It’s tough out there. There aren’t any jobs. The media keeps broadcasting a message of doom and gloom about the job market which isn’t very helpful.  The graduate job market is generally always challenging and competition is usually strong.  When thinking about your next steps there are several factors to consider.

  1. If you wanted a specific graduate scheme, why was that? Was it because of the company (if so, search entry level positions in same firm), the role (find alternative employers with similar roles) or location (refine your job search geographically but broaden criteria).
  2. What can you do in the short term to position yourself better in the future? For example, aspiring accountant and Royal Holloway graduate is building on his 2:2 by putting himself through the ICAEW Certificate because it shares the same modules as the ACA.
  3. Can I do it myself? Many current entrepreneurs have started their businesses with very little money, just a positive attitude and some basic business skills.

A 2:2 is not the end of the world. Alumni from across the University of London have done very well in life despite their 2:2 degrees. It may seem like it’s a barrier but, by thinking differently, it shouldn’t be a major disadvantage.

Graduates can continue to get careers support from their colleges in the University of London Careers Group by joining Gradclub.

Follow Friday: Graduate Recruitment on Twitter December 3, 2010

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Image by joelaz (Flickr)

Active UK graduate recruitment accounts on Twitter

See also Graduate Recruitment on Facebook

Get commercial awareness October 27, 2010

Posted by Helen Curry in : Skills and Competencies , add a comment

Often misunderstood, commercial awareness is a great area to focus on if you want to stand out at interview – it is a competency employers really value, and it is where the under-prepared will falter.

The good news is there are a range of ways you can brush up on it, from reviewing past experience, through to making a job of it in itself…

A recommended read

Read

What are you looking for? To be prepared for questions like these:

Describe a company you think is doing well/badly and explain why you think this is so.

Who do you think are our closest competitors?

­Can you give me an example of when you have done more than your duty in order to provide a good service to someone?

Can you give me an example of when you’ve saved money for an employer?

­ What do you think will be the most important issues facing this sector in the next five years?

Tell me about a recent business news story that you found interesting. Why?

When it comes to current affairs, a good strategy is to have a couple of stories prepared in more detail with some facts and figures, drawing on a few sources, as they may ask you to talk about a topic of your choice. But you should also have a good overview of recent big news like the Comprehensive Spending Review, sector-specific news like impending regulations, and how they all impact on your chosen industry sector.

Do

Image by DanielBroche (Flickr)

Some ideas…

These are suggestions – if you haven’t done any of these and you want to apply for a job now, don’t be put off, you may be able to demonstrate enough experience and knowledge from your reading and from previous jobs (see below). If in doubt see a careers adviser, they can help identify what employers will be interested in from your CV.

Reflect

  • What kind of business do/did you work in?
  • What is their main product or service?
  • Who are their main competitors in the market and why?
  • What makes the business successful (or not)?
  • If you were in charge of that business what changes would you make?
  • What business issues are facing that organisation?
  • What skills have you learned from your experiences?
  • How will these help you in future jobs?

From PWC – Commercial Awareness – Hints & Tips

 

New careers guide for final year students October 22, 2010

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Click on the image for PDF

The Finalist Directory is a handy all-in-one careers guide for any student in their final year. It contains advice on:

It also has listings of upcoming employer presentations in London, and graduate schemes that are currently recruiting. Looking at these opportunities, some of them are closing quite soon in November, and others are ‘rolling’ so they will take applications until places are filled (which might be sooner than you think) so my top tip is apply now, don’t wait for the closing dates!

And check out that cover design by competition winner Karina Filonenko.

The idea was to visualize the theme of guide as a helper. This guide answers questions that are asked by students when they’re choosing their own way in future career path, postgraduate education.

Well done Karina!

What employers want: what do careers advisers know about it anyway? August 26, 2010

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Careers adviser from Queen Mary, University of LondonThe Careers Group‘s careers advisers are regularly out-and-about meeting employers, attending open days and interviewing recent graduates to find out what graduates need to do to get that job. For each visit they will write up a report and share it with colleagues across the group so everyone can stay up-to-date. Some of our advisers have even started to share these reports online on their blogs, so if you want to know what employers want too, check these out:

Returning home after graduation? 10 top tips to support your job-hunting!

TARGETjobs career guides October 20, 2008

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The 2009 TARGETjobs guides are out now, and I would recommend them to all students whether you are just exploring some ideas or preparing for an interview. Each provides detailed information on the jobs available in that area, how to improve your application, profiles of graduates who went into different sectors,  postgraduate courses, and employer profiles. The articles clarify how that industry works, what skills they are looking for, and what you need to know to apply. Free copies are available at your university careers service.

We stock the following guides:

Also, check our their website at http://targetjobs.co.uk/graduate-jobs/: you can search for graduate jobs, and find more careers information in a wider range of sectors.

But what's it really like? October 15, 2008

Posted by TCG Info in : Uncategorized , 1 comment so far

The latest Inside Careers Guides have arrived. Each guide contains sections introducing that career, examples of recent graduates and career paths, information about qualifications, and lots of employer profiles. The guides will provide you with all the information to get you started in understanding and researching  a career.

The following guides are available:

Pick up a free copy from your university careers service, or download a pdf version from their website.

* Inside Careers, in partnership with the UK’s leading professional bodies, publishes the most authoritative source of independent, in depth career information available to graduates. Research your chosen profession and find the latest graduate vacancies with the official career guides – http://www.insidecareers.co.uk