The graduate scheme system is such that a university student would have to apply for the scheme one year in advance of start date. Naturally, this creates a number of problems for the student that has to balance time between attending lectures, writing assignments, group meetings, researching employers, writing application forms and constructing the final year dissertation.
Here are a number of things you could try:
1. Allocate a certain amount of time (1 hour a day/4 hours a week) on completing graduate scheme application forms.
2. Only pick 5 or 6 graduate schemes with December/January deadlines that you are really interested in and focus your allocated time on making sure each one of these are completed fully and without mistakes. (It would be a waste to spread your time over so many applications that they become half-efforts)
3. Attend only the graduate careers events you feel would be convenient, useful and with the opportunity for networking. Most of the time you will find similar employers attending these events, and a repetition of news - you do not have time for this. Pick wisely.
My personal solution to this problem was incredibly simple. I did not apply to one single graduate scheme. Looking back, this may have been a mistake but I'm not sure of it. I managed to attain a first at university, but I can almost guarantee that would not have been possible if I had been spending hours (and that is what you need to spend) completing application forms. Some of the applications ask ridiculous questions that require research of the company, different subjects, industries, concepts etc. Ultimately I stand by my decision to not pursue the graduate scheme during my final year of study. It is too distracting to be checking your email waiting for your responses, whether successful or unsuccessful.
I graduated this year, started my job hunt in September 2010 and I'm still jobless. I have had a number of prospects but they have not really ended up with anything solid. I have not taken the graduate scheme route, and I have no regrets. I do not like being treated like a number.
Please comment if you have experience with the balancing act of managing university work at the same time as making graduate scheme applications! It would be great to hear other opinions.
Saturday 27 November 2010
Friday 5 November 2010
The devil's in the details
I attended a first round job interview on Tuesday of this week with a management consulting company. This stage came after I had successfully passed the online testing round (consisting of an SHL numerical test and Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal). The interview was around 45 minutes long, and was competency-based. This post is to share my thoughts with you about interview techniques, following my experience at this interview.
Details, details, details. Unfortunately for me, this position is not a graduate role. They are only seeking to fill one or two positions, which already puts me at a disadvantage with my lack of experience. The HR person that I had my interview with had a list of questions to ask me that circled around the following main areas:
1. Analytical ability and problem solving/dealing with complex situations or data
2. Teamworking ability and skills/Leadership
3. Building relationships
I managed to successfully prepare to answer these questions by conjuring up all the relevant experiences I had in these areas. However, what I wasn’t prepared for was the amount of detail I would need. Let me give you an example of what I mean:
Base Question: Give an example of a time when you successfully built a relationship with a client/customer?
Detail Question: How exactly do you think you managed to build the relationship, what did you do?
This is something that MUST be thought about before going into an interview, that I had not experienced until now. I had already known about having examples of where I had demonstrated a skill but I had not prepared to explain exactly how I carried out a task or my methodologies. The answer the interviewer is looking for is whether you have built up your own methodology for building relationships. Has your experience allowed you to make observations on what is and is not successful for building relationships. Another example:
Base Question: Give an example of a time you had to work under pressure.
Detail Question: How exactly do you think you managed to handle working under pressure?
I found myself being hesitant on such questions. Not because I was lying, because I wasn’t, but it is just something that is rarely spoken of. We can all make friends and build relationships but do we ever vocalise what exactly had to be done in order to build these relationships and make these friends? Now you have to.
The conclusion of this is that you have to know the details of every example you give and you have to know how you get things done. Therefore, you have to analyse your own behaviour, and also general human behaviour. For example you can build relationships by:
1. Listening to the customer/colleague
2. Using your (excellent) memory to remember their preferences/dislikes for next time you speak to them
3. Remembering what you say to them so you don’t repeat yourself too much
These are general things that humans do when making friends or building relationships with people. So for every experience you have like time management, team work, leadership, start thinking of how you worked well in the team and how you led the team and how you managed that time. Just another thing to think about!
Details, details, details. Unfortunately for me, this position is not a graduate role. They are only seeking to fill one or two positions, which already puts me at a disadvantage with my lack of experience. The HR person that I had my interview with had a list of questions to ask me that circled around the following main areas:
1. Analytical ability and problem solving/dealing with complex situations or data
2. Teamworking ability and skills/Leadership
3. Building relationships
I managed to successfully prepare to answer these questions by conjuring up all the relevant experiences I had in these areas. However, what I wasn’t prepared for was the amount of detail I would need. Let me give you an example of what I mean:
Base Question: Give an example of a time when you successfully built a relationship with a client/customer?
Detail Question: How exactly do you think you managed to build the relationship, what did you do?
This is something that MUST be thought about before going into an interview, that I had not experienced until now. I had already known about having examples of where I had demonstrated a skill but I had not prepared to explain exactly how I carried out a task or my methodologies. The answer the interviewer is looking for is whether you have built up your own methodology for building relationships. Has your experience allowed you to make observations on what is and is not successful for building relationships. Another example:
Base Question: Give an example of a time you had to work under pressure.
Detail Question: How exactly do you think you managed to handle working under pressure?
I found myself being hesitant on such questions. Not because I was lying, because I wasn’t, but it is just something that is rarely spoken of. We can all make friends and build relationships but do we ever vocalise what exactly had to be done in order to build these relationships and make these friends? Now you have to.
The conclusion of this is that you have to know the details of every example you give and you have to know how you get things done. Therefore, you have to analyse your own behaviour, and also general human behaviour. For example you can build relationships by:
1. Listening to the customer/colleague
2. Using your (excellent) memory to remember their preferences/dislikes for next time you speak to them
3. Remembering what you say to them so you don’t repeat yourself too much
These are general things that humans do when making friends or building relationships with people. So for every experience you have like time management, team work, leadership, start thinking of how you worked well in the team and how you led the team and how you managed that time. Just another thing to think about!
Wednesday 27 October 2010
How to sell yourself.
It seems the only way to get close to getting a job these days is if you have the ability to sell yourself. Professionals and graduates alike have to make themselves marketable and desirable. This idea of making yourself salable is a task that can be rather daunting for young graduates that have little experience of talking about themselves in such a ‘showy-offy’ sort of way. I have some tips, targetting those young and inexperienced undergrads, on how to sell yourself.
STEP 1 - Sales techniques
First thing’s first, you need to get to grips with some basic sales techniques. If you can sell products, then you should be able to make yourself the product and sell yourself!
Sales technique 1: Make yourself sound GREAT to the interviewer/manager. The only way of doing this well is by understanding what the organisation/role requires and what it wants. If you can understand what your customers need, then you can more successfully market yourself towards filling that need.
Sales technique 2: Sales is just as much about asking questions as it is providing solutions. This is your way of finding out what impression you are giving to the interviewer, and what their thoughts are.
“How do you see me fitting in with your organisation in 5 years time?”
“What are you looking for in the candidates and how do I compare?”
Sales technique 3: Use a lot of positive describing words that demonstrate passion and enthusiasm.
Sales technique 4: Build rapport. Generate a relationship with the interviewer, especially if you are interviewing with the manager. This person has to see that they are going to get along with you in the day to day working environment.
Sales technique 5: Close the sale. Make sure that you don’t leave the interview without asking the employer some questions about the next stages in the process. It shows that you are keen and looking forward.
“Do you have any reservations about me that would stop you from selecting me?”
“What are the next stages in the process?”
(And only if you are brave & have built up enough rapport) “When do I start?”
Step 2 - Practice selling
This step is for those that may feel uncomfortable talking about themselves. Start off with any item you can find in your room and sell it. Practice selling one item in your room every day and you will find that you will start to get better at it. Certain words and phrases can sometimes be recycled and used on other products. The flow of words will become smoother with less hesitation. Once you have done some practice on this, you should try and apply it to yourself. Look at yourself as one of the items in your room and just sell.
Step 3 - Research the company
Preparation is key for any assessment day or interview. If you have done your research, about the role especially, it will be easier for you to target the employer’s needs. The most important thing to look at, if you can find it, is the list of Core Competencies that the employer is looking for in prospective employees. Make sure you look at these very closely. An example of some core competencies: leadership ability, teamwork, relationship building etc. Once you have looked over these you can keep these fresh in the back of your mind during an assessment day. These core competencies are what the employers are looking for on the assessment day. Are you demonstrating team working ability? Leadership? Ambition? etc.
So, if you are handed a group task to complete you will know how to target it. If leadership is a core competency you should try to exert your influence on the other team members and direct the project. If team work is what they are looking for then you should show how great you are at working with people.
Conclusion
Think of it this way. Most of the greatest and most popular products out there are the result of a top-quality marketing campaign. Marketing works. Marketing makes you think that you need that product, and you think about how you’re going to use that product once you get it and how great it would fit in with your life. So make the employer think that you would fit in great with them.
Ok, so maybe its not as easy as it sounds. But if you have ever wondered how that lazy student that always comes to lectures late and never seems to stop partying got the job at (highly desirable firm) then this should provide you with the answer. Either they know someone on the inside, or they market themselves well.
Do you agree? If you have any thoughts on this leave a comment.
STEP 1 - Sales techniques
First thing’s first, you need to get to grips with some basic sales techniques. If you can sell products, then you should be able to make yourself the product and sell yourself!
Sales technique 1: Make yourself sound GREAT to the interviewer/manager. The only way of doing this well is by understanding what the organisation/role requires and what it wants. If you can understand what your customers need, then you can more successfully market yourself towards filling that need.
Sales technique 2: Sales is just as much about asking questions as it is providing solutions. This is your way of finding out what impression you are giving to the interviewer, and what their thoughts are.
“How do you see me fitting in with your organisation in 5 years time?”
“What are you looking for in the candidates and how do I compare?”
Sales technique 3: Use a lot of positive describing words that demonstrate passion and enthusiasm.
I can communicate well > I am a strong communicator
I am interested in this industry > I have a passion for this industry
I am a good team player > I love working in teams and with people
Sales technique 4: Build rapport. Generate a relationship with the interviewer, especially if you are interviewing with the manager. This person has to see that they are going to get along with you in the day to day working environment.
Sales technique 5: Close the sale. Make sure that you don’t leave the interview without asking the employer some questions about the next stages in the process. It shows that you are keen and looking forward.
“Do you have any reservations about me that would stop you from selecting me?”
“What are the next stages in the process?”
(And only if you are brave & have built up enough rapport) “When do I start?”
Step 2 - Practice selling
This step is for those that may feel uncomfortable talking about themselves. Start off with any item you can find in your room and sell it. Practice selling one item in your room every day and you will find that you will start to get better at it. Certain words and phrases can sometimes be recycled and used on other products. The flow of words will become smoother with less hesitation. Once you have done some practice on this, you should try and apply it to yourself. Look at yourself as one of the items in your room and just sell.
Step 3 - Research the company
Preparation is key for any assessment day or interview. If you have done your research, about the role especially, it will be easier for you to target the employer’s needs. The most important thing to look at, if you can find it, is the list of Core Competencies that the employer is looking for in prospective employees. Make sure you look at these very closely. An example of some core competencies: leadership ability, teamwork, relationship building etc. Once you have looked over these you can keep these fresh in the back of your mind during an assessment day. These core competencies are what the employers are looking for on the assessment day. Are you demonstrating team working ability? Leadership? Ambition? etc.
So, if you are handed a group task to complete you will know how to target it. If leadership is a core competency you should try to exert your influence on the other team members and direct the project. If team work is what they are looking for then you should show how great you are at working with people.
Conclusion
Think of it this way. Most of the greatest and most popular products out there are the result of a top-quality marketing campaign. Marketing works. Marketing makes you think that you need that product, and you think about how you’re going to use that product once you get it and how great it would fit in with your life. So make the employer think that you would fit in great with them.
Ok, so maybe its not as easy as it sounds. But if you have ever wondered how that lazy student that always comes to lectures late and never seems to stop partying got the job at (highly desirable firm) then this should provide you with the answer. Either they know someone on the inside, or they market themselves well.
Do you agree? If you have any thoughts on this leave a comment.
Monday 25 October 2010
The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal
That’s what I did today. A Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal. It’s the first time I’d come across this one! There is a limited number of practice you can do on it but this is what I found:
About Watson-Glaser from GetFeedback
Watson-Glaser Sample Questions
Watson-Glaser Practice test from Hogan Lovells
There are five question areas:
1. Inference
2. Recognition of assumptions
3. Deduction
4. Intepretation
5. Evaluation of arguments
I did a critical thinking AS-Level at college as well so I was already slightly familiarised with the types of problems presented. If you have trouble with these kinds of problems I suggest you read a book on Critical Thinking to help you familiarise yourself. At least go over the sections that are relevant and teach you the tips and tricks on how to ace the questions.
I have some of my own tips that help me with some of the questions. Here they are! (They may not make sense until you have looked at the Watson-Glaser sample questions, found in the link above).
Tip 1: Always make a mental note when you see any of the statements or questions use extremist words such as ‘always’, ‘everytime’, ‘never’ or ‘only’. This is critical information to answering the question. So if the statement suggests that “All rainy days are boring” and follows up with the answer-statment “Therefore, some rainy days are not boring” that can immediately be disregarded because ‘ALL’ rainy days are boring. That was a simple example but it really does help sometimes with the complex ones.
Tip 2: Think about it like this, if it seems to be true but is not definitely true (T) - i.e. the statement does not directly match with a statements in the text - then it is more likely to be probably true (PT). However, if the statement matches up with a phrase in the text then it is more likely to be definitely true (T).
Tip 3: Do practice and make sure you understand all the questions properly and what they want from you. Then, do practice tests and makes sure you understand the logic of any of the questions you answered incorrectly. It may help you in similar formatted questions.
Tip 4: BE AWAKE. This test requires a lot of concentration.
Overall I found the test difficult and I am not sure how well I did even though I backtracked through the test to double check my answers. There’s just no way of knowing until I get the result. I will update as soon as the results come through!
About Watson-Glaser from GetFeedback
Watson-Glaser Sample Questions
Watson-Glaser Practice test from Hogan Lovells
Personal Experience:
Test items: 31
Time given: 60 minutes
Backgracking: Allowed
Difficulty: Hard
(Notes: It took me 30 minutes to do the test
and I used the remaining time to backtrack.)
There are five question areas:
1. Inference
2. Recognition of assumptions
3. Deduction
4. Intepretation
5. Evaluation of arguments
I did a critical thinking AS-Level at college as well so I was already slightly familiarised with the types of problems presented. If you have trouble with these kinds of problems I suggest you read a book on Critical Thinking to help you familiarise yourself. At least go over the sections that are relevant and teach you the tips and tricks on how to ace the questions.
I have some of my own tips that help me with some of the questions. Here they are! (They may not make sense until you have looked at the Watson-Glaser sample questions, found in the link above).
Tip 1: Always make a mental note when you see any of the statements or questions use extremist words such as ‘always’, ‘everytime’, ‘never’ or ‘only’. This is critical information to answering the question. So if the statement suggests that “All rainy days are boring” and follows up with the answer-statment “Therefore, some rainy days are not boring” that can immediately be disregarded because ‘ALL’ rainy days are boring. That was a simple example but it really does help sometimes with the complex ones.
Tip 2: Think about it like this, if it seems to be true but is not definitely true (T) - i.e. the statement does not directly match with a statements in the text - then it is more likely to be probably true (PT). However, if the statement matches up with a phrase in the text then it is more likely to be definitely true (T).
Tip 3: Do practice and make sure you understand all the questions properly and what they want from you. Then, do practice tests and makes sure you understand the logic of any of the questions you answered incorrectly. It may help you in similar formatted questions.
Tip 4: BE AWAKE. This test requires a lot of concentration.
Overall I found the test difficult and I am not sure how well I did even though I backtracked through the test to double check my answers. There’s just no way of knowing until I get the result. I will update as soon as the results come through!
Sunday 24 October 2010
The recruitment process- there to scare you?
As I start to fill out yet another ridiculously long application form, part of me thinks that the whole recruitment process of some employers is just there to scare! Seriously, just looking at the thing - all the hurdles I would have to overcome, all the hoops I have to jump through - makes me feel nervous. Some of the application forms actually ask the same question about three times, making it much harder for those applicants with less experience. “Explain a time when you lead a team to a common goal” and then “Explain a time when you convinced a team to work towards a goal?”.
We all know why employers have such a long and hard recruitment process, it’s to make sure that they can get rid of as many numbers as they can along the way. The point I’m trying to make here is that some people are scared out of the process. It just takes too much precious time and effort during the final year of university, when frankly, there are so many more productive ways to spend time. There is just no possible way to have the time to complete all of the graduate schemes on offer as well as juggling university work, lectures and a dissertation.
Anyway, this would be a terrible blog post if it didn’t suggest some ways to overcome this issue with time management. So here we go with top tips to handle the fright of the recruitment process:
Tip 1: Save every single answer you create in a word document of “answers”. Sort them by the core competencies they are demonstrating; being either teamwork, leadership skills or communication etc. This will help you to start building a bank of useful answers that you can then use in future application forms and adapt them to the particular question.
Tip 2: You can print out a version of your “answer” bank to use during a telephone interview. It will help you demonstrate those core competencies and remember the main points about them. That is one of the main advantages of the telephone interview right?! No one can see what you’re doing!
Tip 3: Allocate time. Do not let yourself have open-ended deadlines to complete applications. Just set yourself one to two evenings or a day to complete x number of applications. Re-use your answers and work efficiently.
Tip 4: Research the company and add this to your self-constructed documents so you have something to refer to in a telephone interview or surprise phone-call.
Tip 5: Do not complete applications half-heartedly or the ‘I can’t really be bothered’ attitude. It will end up being a much bigger waste of your time at the end of the day when you are not selected to move to the second round. Take care with each question you answer, try and tailor it to the organisation, and absolutely no spelling mistakes!
One final word of advice, If you have an Internet presence make sure you remove any inappropriate or unappealing content (remove all of it completely in my opinion!) as I have heard that employers will research you. We do the same to them after all don’t we?
We all know why employers have such a long and hard recruitment process, it’s to make sure that they can get rid of as many numbers as they can along the way. The point I’m trying to make here is that some people are scared out of the process. It just takes too much precious time and effort during the final year of university, when frankly, there are so many more productive ways to spend time. There is just no possible way to have the time to complete all of the graduate schemes on offer as well as juggling university work, lectures and a dissertation.
Anyway, this would be a terrible blog post if it didn’t suggest some ways to overcome this issue with time management. So here we go with top tips to handle the fright of the recruitment process:
Tip 1: Save every single answer you create in a word document of “answers”. Sort them by the core competencies they are demonstrating; being either teamwork, leadership skills or communication etc. This will help you to start building a bank of useful answers that you can then use in future application forms and adapt them to the particular question.
Tip 2: You can print out a version of your “answer” bank to use during a telephone interview. It will help you demonstrate those core competencies and remember the main points about them. That is one of the main advantages of the telephone interview right?! No one can see what you’re doing!
Tip 3: Allocate time. Do not let yourself have open-ended deadlines to complete applications. Just set yourself one to two evenings or a day to complete x number of applications. Re-use your answers and work efficiently.
Tip 4: Research the company and add this to your self-constructed documents so you have something to refer to in a telephone interview or surprise phone-call.
Tip 5: Do not complete applications half-heartedly or the ‘I can’t really be bothered’ attitude. It will end up being a much bigger waste of your time at the end of the day when you are not selected to move to the second round. Take care with each question you answer, try and tailor it to the organisation, and absolutely no spelling mistakes!
One final word of advice, If you have an Internet presence make sure you remove any inappropriate or unappealing content (remove all of it completely in my opinion!) as I have heard that employers will research you. We do the same to them after all don’t we?
Saturday 23 October 2010
Numerical Tests - The New Fashion
Don’t you love the conversations you have with your grandparents, ‘No gran, I can’t get to the job interview without first completing an application form, a series of tests, a telephone interview, an assessment centre...’. How times have changed since the good old days of newspaper ad, phone call, interview, job. Well maybe not for all jobs but definitely for graduate jobs.
Numerical tests are definitely in fashion. Not just for jobs that require numerical ability, but also for those that don’t! I applied to a scheme the other day that said nothing about having to be numerate at all. I still had to complete a numerical test. I think it’s something to do with the fact that your numerical ability is some indication of your overall general intelligence.
I find the SHL numerical tests are very hard. I don’t have a degree in a numerical subject, but I do have A-Level Maths. The general format is you have 25 minutes to answer 18 questions so about a minute and a half for each question. Performance under time pressure is something you only get with practice. Here are a few of my tips when it comes to numerical tests.
Tip 1: Your percentage score is not what the employers are looking for. They are looking for your score in comparison to a pool of results. The feedback I received from one of the SHL Verify Numerical Tests I completed was that I was in the 95th percentile (meaning that I got a score higher than 95% of test takers). Although, from my guessing, I calculate that I probably got the percentage score of around 60-65%. It’s not about you, it’s about how you compare.
Tip 2: Be awake. The main reason for a bad result is if you are tired, unable to concentrate or stressed. Make sure you pick a time where there are no distractions, where you are fully awake and can focus your efforts on each question.
Tip 3: Practice, practice, practice. It is the best way to improve your accuracy, efficiency and general ability. The format of the questions will become familiar and the time it takes for you to figure out what the question wants will lessen.
Tip 4: Stop practicing. There is something called over-practicing. It’s not good. Don’t overdo it.
If you are an undergraduate/graduate and you are jobhunting you are bound to come across testing of some sort. These tips apply for any kind of test, not just the numerical ones. It’s just another hoop to jump through.
Share your experience with numerical tests, leave a comment.
Numerical tests are definitely in fashion. Not just for jobs that require numerical ability, but also for those that don’t! I applied to a scheme the other day that said nothing about having to be numerate at all. I still had to complete a numerical test. I think it’s something to do with the fact that your numerical ability is some indication of your overall general intelligence.
I find the SHL numerical tests are very hard. I don’t have a degree in a numerical subject, but I do have A-Level Maths. The general format is you have 25 minutes to answer 18 questions so about a minute and a half for each question. Performance under time pressure is something you only get with practice. Here are a few of my tips when it comes to numerical tests.
Tip 1: Your percentage score is not what the employers are looking for. They are looking for your score in comparison to a pool of results. The feedback I received from one of the SHL Verify Numerical Tests I completed was that I was in the 95th percentile (meaning that I got a score higher than 95% of test takers). Although, from my guessing, I calculate that I probably got the percentage score of around 60-65%. It’s not about you, it’s about how you compare.
Tip 2: Be awake. The main reason for a bad result is if you are tired, unable to concentrate or stressed. Make sure you pick a time where there are no distractions, where you are fully awake and can focus your efforts on each question.
Tip 3: Practice, practice, practice. It is the best way to improve your accuracy, efficiency and general ability. The format of the questions will become familiar and the time it takes for you to figure out what the question wants will lessen.
Tip 4: Stop practicing. There is something called over-practicing. It’s not good. Don’t overdo it.
If you are an undergraduate/graduate and you are jobhunting you are bound to come across testing of some sort. These tips apply for any kind of test, not just the numerical ones. It’s just another hoop to jump through.
Share your experience with numerical tests, leave a comment.
Friday 22 October 2010
The Guardian London Graduate Fair
I arrived at the Business Design Centre with my printed email confirmation so I could get fast-track entry from 12pm. Get ahead of the crowd right? Wrong! I arrived to find a queue, one of those that gets so long it has to double back on itself. Young, aspiring and enthusiastic the hopeful undergraduates, professionally dressed, waited patiently in line (and in the freezing cold might I add). Well I wasn’t having it, I was already starving so decided to grab some lunch first.
1.15pm and there is still a queue. Shorter this time and manageable. So my boyfriend and I get in line and eventually through the doors. We are welcomed with the sight of hoards of students, scrambling to get to the front of each employer’s stall. Desperate to impress would be the best description. I actually got stuck in a crowd of people, the type of stuck where you are utterly squashed on all sides with no means of escaping.
The employers stalls were tiny and the representatives simply drummed out the same old information, more easily found using a little thing called the Internet! My boyfriend asked a white-faced representative from GCHQ ‘What if I wanted to do a graduate programme that crossed the boundaries between Management and Linguistics’. The answer was basically no, said in a few more words.
So we come to my conclusion. Some of the grad schemes out there are just too inflexible. They create ready-made schemes with a development plan, career path, progression etc. They do all this before they have even met you. ‘We don’t care if you want to do Management with Linguistics you can only do EITHER Management OR Linguistics, don’t confuse us!’. I urge all you undergraduates out there to make sure that you are accepting a grad scheme that is right for you, not right for them! Overall, as I stood at the Guardian Graduate Fair I realised I was staring my competition in the face. When you’re submitting that application, you know they’re there submitting one too. But I actually saw them, in their thousands... How can anyone possibly stand out?
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