Preparing for Aptitude Tests

In the top ten of regular queries we have at the Careers Advisory Service, advice on preparing for aptitude tests is up there. Suprisingly though we frequently get feedback from employers that whilst applications from Bath are of a good calibre, students do not do so well in employer tests.  This is a worry to us because there are some steps you can take to prepare.

Numeracy can get a little rusty if you are not using it on a daily basis so most people will find they benefit from a refresher. At the very least, if you know you have a numeracy test coming up then look at the Numeracy Refresher booklet  you can download. It covers the basic arthmetic techniques you will encounter in a numercay test.  If you want some personal help we also run refresher classes with MASH which are advertised along with the dates of practice tests, link below.  There are some well thought out numerical tests on the efinancial careers website  which you can take with or without the timer. When you have taken them you can print out the answers with demonstrations of how to work them out.

 Verbal reasoning is a little more difficult to prepare for at short notice. You are more likely to find this test challenging if you do not read very much outside of your course, this can be particularly true if your first language is not English.  Get into the habit of reading a newspaper and pick articles which you wouldn’t normally read.  Test your understanding by trying to summarise the key points once you have read it. Think about how the information could be interpreted.

Investigating our website usage we discover that you may not be using the pages which could help you so here is a list of links.

Information about the different types of tests – http://www.bath.ac.uk/careers/development/tests.html

Advice on how to prepare – http://www.bath.ac.uk/careers/development/testprep.html

Advice about where you can see sample questions – http://www.bath.ac.uk/careers/development/sample.html

Resources you can use to help you practice – http://www.bath.ac.uk/careers/catalogue/skills.html#aptitude

We do run practice aptitude tests and the dates of these can be found here – http://www.bath.ac.uk/careers/development.bho/intro.html

If there was another website I could direct you to with even more information it would be http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/psychometric-tests

We strongly urge you to do some preparation even if you sign up for our practice tests. After all you want to give these your best shot so you have a good idea how you will perform in the real thing. Unfortunately many employers don’t always  give you a lot of time to take the test once you have sent off your application so make sure you are prepared. If you take one of our tests you will get an individual feedback session lasting 15 minutes. This will be a few days after the test.

Motivation, Motivation, Motivation!

Laura Lawrence, Careers Adviser, discusses what employers are looking for when they ask that all important question about your motivation. 

An employer obsession? Absolutely. Overly so? In many cases I’d say yes. But like it or not, the ‘motivation’ questions on application forms are important and the good news is that persuading an employer you’re serious about working for them is easy once you know how.

You’ve spent days on application forms, registering and filling in the easier bits at least. You’ve got the grades, a sack load of transferable skills, maybe even a relevant placement or internship. You’re rewriting your CV to fit the 250 word limit competency questions.

To top it all off, you’ve now got to say why you’ve picked the role you’re applying for and why them! Or even, what you expect to be doing in your first year? Surely doing the application tells them you want the job and don’t they already know what it’s like to work there?

Well, OK, I agree it’s tedious but let’s see it from the employer’s point of view….

Interviewing and assessment centres cost money, not to mention the thousands of pounds spent on training graduates in their first few years. Understandably employers want to spend time on applicants who seem to understand what they’ve applied for, what they have to offer and what they want from a career. Someone who can do the job and wants to do the job, hence a better bet for the employer short term and hopefully long term. The point is often to find future leaders for that company, so it’s serious stuff. Citing; “maternity leave policy”, or “best place to learn x to take back to home country”, as reasons for applying, don’t exactly scream commitment.

There are far more of you than there are places on graduate schemes. Inevitably then applications aren’t like exams where if you meet a certain criteria you can all pass, they’re competitive so you have to stand out. Being that bit more informed and motivated than most is a good way to do so. Last year KPMG rejected 27% at the application form stage (less than many employers), but interestingly, 70.9% of those failed because of their answers to the motivation question.

Let’s start with the easiest – what do you expect to be doing in your first year?

Turns out this really is just testing if you understand the role – the level of responsibility you’d have, the day to day task and skills needed. For areas like Accountancy, it’s essential you show an appreciation of the amount of time and energy studying for the exams will take.

The best answer to why you want this job in this organisation?

Well, why do you? Sorry, I don’t mean to be difficult, but seriously why do you want this job? Although there are bad answers there is no one best answer. The important things are to make your reasons: 

• Specific – “good match for my strengths and career aims”, or, “because you are the leader in this field with locations worldwide”, are too vague. They might be a starting point but what are your strengths and career aims? Why is working for an industry leader important to you, what you will gain.
• As unique to that employer as you can. I know many look the same from websites and presentations, but you can find something. Look at their products or clients, their structure, culture, ownership, history, recent business decisions taking them in a direction different to competitors. Don’t just use their website see what others say about them. Still don’t forget to say why that difference is relevant to you.
• Genuine; something you feel comfortable repeating at interview. You don’t have to tell every company they are your top choice, that wouldn’t be genuine. But you can give reasons x, y, z for one company and a, b, c for another. There are pros to every job, when you’re writing one application focus on that one.
• But not too frank; probably not the first thing that caught your attention, if that was the high salary and perks! Valid criteria for career choice but not the application form. Exception could be target linked sales where employer needs you to be motivated by money.
• Include something of yourself. When talking about what has led to the choice of role link to your experiences to show the reasoning….”I excelled at this module, which led me to…” “solving a customer problem gave me a real buzz so I…”
• Include some more of yourself: Don’t just tell the employer facts they know, add your reactions to your research, some passion or at least interest. From meeting current employees you might use phrases like “I was particularly impressed/ excited by…” or “I was interested/ surprised to hear that…” 

If you still can’t think of anything it may be time to reconsider your career choice! 

If you choose reasons many companies claim, or something subjective, back up with research you’ve undertaken to make that judgement.  

To elaborate on that last one a little. After 11 years of asking graduates what makes their employer different I’m inevitably uninspired. I can’t remember the last time I heard something really different. Several competing companies will claim (and their staff believe?) to have more of a team culture than others. That doesn’t mean you can’t use team work as something important to you and one of the reasons you picked that company. Just back that judgement up. Perhaps from alumni you’ve spoken to across a few companies or from comparing your placement experience with peers’ experiences elsewhere.

The best answers to motivation questions aren’t necessarily from those who will do the job best. But, they do show some effort and some thought. At the very least pretend you have an interest in a specific company by taking care with cut and paste! 

“As employers we know you apply for multiple roles but we get angry when we get letters addressed to recruitment managers of other firms!”

Alex Walton, Mouchel. 

If you’re lucky enough to be applying for jobs directly related to your degree it won’t be such a stretch to convince that you’re making an informed career choice and you probably already know more about the relevant industry too. You might not even have a motivation question, or an application form, just a CV and cover letter. However, to increase your chances of success most of the advice above also applies to cover letters and certainly to the interview stage. 

If you doubt the power of doing your research at all stages of application and selection, then here’s an example for you… 

This summer a recruiter from a well known retail bank told me how poor company/ commercial knowledge resulted in failure for one candidate at assessment centre. In a group discussion the student asserted that they should take into account that they were now part owned by the tax payer. Only that bank wasn’t! It was an easy mistake to make and in my opinion a harsh reason to turn someone down. But they also turned down the others in the group, because they hadn’t corrected their fellow applicant!  

If you stop to think again about what truly interests and suits you, do your research, limit applications to quality over quantity and ask us if your answers are too general or clichéd then you’ll be well on your way.

“Why do you want this job?” Checklist

• Could this answer be pasted into any application? No, not good!
• Looking at what you say appeals about the job; does it match what the role and employer can offer, or highlight lack of understanding?
• Do you link the above understanding to your strengths and preferences? Or does this look like an ill-informed and illogical career choice.
• Do you give something of your personality and what motivates you as an individual or is there little evidence of interest?
• Have you set yourself any interview traps? View everything you write, particularly in cover letters, as a potential interview question. If you say you’re passionate about advertising, but can’t come up with a favourite advert when asked, then nothing you’ve written can be believed.  Same applies if you say you became interested in marketing through your bar work; you’ll need to say what you did, why you enjoyed it and what you learnt.
• Have you got the employer name right!

Careers in Politics, International Development and Social Policy

The Careers Advisory Service can provide help to all students regardless of the area of work they wish to go into. You might get the impression that we only deal with careers in the commercial world because it is these employers who have the biggest budgets to promote themselves on campus. We have produced a Politics Social Policy and International Development Careers Resource Guidedesigned to help those students who are studying Politics with Economics/IR, International Development or studying courses in the department of Social and Policy Science.  It is focused on areas of work which may reflect your subject knowledge.  It will also be of help to those students who have an interest in careers in politics and social policy but who may not have studied the subjects. 

 There are only a small number of formal graduate training schemes in this area however there are a larger number of jobs.  The likelihood is that you will make your career in these areas by building up experience on the job and/or taking a series of jobs.  This does not mean that the experience you gain will be inferior. Most employers are committed to staff development and provide opportunities for their staff to go on courses whilst developing their skills through real work experience.  Graduate training schemes, in fact, form only a small part of the jobs available to any graduates and are far from the norm you might expect.  There are many interesting jobs you can apply for and hopefully the resources listed in the leaflet will open your eyes to the opportunities. Remember that talking to people doing the job which interests you will enhance your understanding of what you need to do to achieve the same role yourself. Learning the art of networking is key to your success.  Read other articles in this blog like Research before Job Search and New Ways of Networking to help you understand more about this technique.

It’s not just big graduate training schemes…

 We are often asked for a list of “graduate training schemes” for all sorts of jobs from advertising to zoologist. However there is a general misunderstanding about the way you join different employment areas. Only employers in certain sectors offer graduate training schemes. Most often these are offered by what are known as “blue chip” companies. A “blue chip” company is often a FTSE quoted business and firmly entrenched as a leader in its field. Other business areas, smaller companies and the not for profit sector are less likely to advertise “graduate training schemes” but do offer jobs suitable for a graduate to apply to.

Generalist v specialist

Many students think that “graduate training schemes” are those where the graduate recruiter offers a general management training scheme which enables you to move about parts of the business before settling on the one of your choice. However most “graduate training schemes” are functionally specialised,  i.e. before applying you must decide on your preferred business function e.g Marketing, Commercial Services, Supply Chain Management, Human Resources, Finance. A much smaller number of employers offer the type of training programme that allows you to gain experience across the spectrum of management functions.

 Many functionally specialised training programmes will offer a good chance to gain an insight into other parts of an organisation. Accounting, investment or retail banking, management consultancy, marketing and health service management are examples of how function-focused training can still give you a broad-based knowledge of your employer’s business or clients’ businesses. Exploring various business functions before you apply, will give you a clearer idea of what is involved in a job and thus improve your application and interviews. You will also have a wider number of “graduate training schemes” to choose from if you decide a specific function sounds right for you.

Other ways to get training

Where a graduate is recruited to fill a one-off vacancy and carry out a specific job, this does not mean that they will receive no training. While much of this training may be on-the-job, learning by doing is often one of the most effective ways to develop your skills. Smaller employers often provide an excellent opportunity to become involved in all aspects of the business. If you restrict your job search to “traditional” graduate-training schemes with large, blue-chip companies you may be missing out on some of the best training opportunities!

Where else are graduate jobs advertised?

Graduate Training schemes are well advertised through our vacancy database MyFuture and through the many careers publications we distribute.  For example, smaller companies often referred to as SMEs (Small to Medium-sized Enterprises),  don’t always have time or finances to develop structured recruitment and graduate training schemes. You will not find them attending careers fairs or appearing in the general graduate recruitment directories available at the Careers Advisory Service. Their needs are also more immediate. Some areas like PR Agencies, Environmental consultancies, web designers, biotechnology companies, amongst others are like this.

To find out what else is available you need to do some research on the job market/career area you want to enter to identify potential employers, look for leads from contacts you may have or could develop, knock on doors or phone up speculatively. One approach is to decide which geographical area you are looking for work in and then search local newspapers for vacancies. Another is to use relevant professional bodies or specialist press to identify the names of businesses.

Sometimes recruitment agencies, many of whom are now web-based, are often useful for:

• finding temporary jobs to build up your experience
• getting into certain sectors where there is little open advertising, such as the media, computer games, pharmaceutical sales and clinical trials
• more experienced candidates looking for senior roles, such as MBA graduates
• getting into SMEs where the company has no HR department and no experience in recruitment.

 Identifying the right ones to approach can be tricky which is where professionals in the industry can be a helpful source of information.

 The key is doing your research first so look at our website under “Find a graduate job”, talk to the Careers Service Staff who can direct you to relevant information resources and speak with a Careers Adviser as they can help you develop an action plan.

 Sometimes going through a recruitment agency can lead straight to the job of your dreams. Here’s a case study from a graduate who used a specialist recruitment agency, and a slightly unconventional route, to land her a highly sought-after job.

 Here is one graduate’s experience:

“I graduated from MLES (French & Russian) in 2003 and have since always worked in Events Management. I am currently European Events Manager for Barclays Global Investors, based in the City where I am responsible for organising educational conferences and corporate hospitality for clients of the Bank across Europe and the Middle East.

 As a languages student I had no idea what I wanted to do upon graduation, except that I wanted to be social, away from my desk and use my languages and cultural knowledge where possible. Having applied for all the Graduate Training Schemes and fallen at the final hurdle each time, I approached a recruitment agency specifically targeted at multilingual people. Through this channel I was able to ‘crack’ my way into Events Management despite no experience, purely off the back of my languages. Since then, I have been diligent, super-organised, professional and ambitious to get me where I am. 

Good Events Managers are able to get on with anyone, have good negotiation, organisational and people management skills and, most of all, have to be enthusiastic and driven. The role can be demanding: Anti-social hours, stressful situations and difficult clients, but it also permits me to travel the world, meet different people, use all the skills, both linguistic and otherwise that I took from my course at Bath and, most importantly, get away from that dreaded desk! Events Managers aren’t party planners (not all the time, anyway) and the roles vary massively dependant on your industry so think carefully: an Events Manager in an investment bank has a very different role to an in-house events manager at a Michelin-Starred restaurant for example, but the skills required are similar. 

Language-focussed recruitment agencies can be one way in to Events Management, as can graduate training schemes, and mainstream career websites/adverts, but nothing beats approaching companies with a proven passion for the field. Put yourself in good stead by gaining experience before you start looking. Years spent at University are ideal starting points for budding Events Managers, even if it’s just a few Charity events. Most of all, don’t let anyone tell you the ‘traditional routes’ into jobs are the only way, or that it’s important to know what you want to do as soon as you graduate: sometimes the strangest things end up shaping your entire career!

 

Do we know what you did last summer?

• Did you help at a playscheme?
• Find out what it’s really like in an investment bank?
• Work with an endangered species?
• Could you inspire other students?

Tell us about the work you did this summer for our work experience feedback scheme. Please visit the following website for more information and to download the feedback form: http://www.bath.ac.uk/careers/earlybird/feedback.html

Make your work experience go even further! Return your form by the 4th December and you will be entered into our prize draw for a chance to win one of three Wessex Connect Uni 10 bus cards!

The completed Work Experience Feedback Forms will be available in the Careers Advisory Service for students to browse, and you can indicate if you’re happy to be contacted by students wishing to ask questions. Thanks for your contribution!

Working for a Better World

Sue Briault, Careers Adviser, discusses ways to get into working for a charity.

There is a lot of information around about working for businesses and you may think that this is your only option on leaving university, we are, however, frequently asked about jobs in a charity or in a non-commercial organisation.  It is possible to make a career in this area but the path is not as clear as it is for those who want to work for a blue-chip company graduate recruitment scheme.

About the Sector

Let’s get a bit of terminology right, first of all.  The Charity Sector may also be referred to as the Voluntary Sector, the Not-for profit Sector or even the Third Sector.  The type of organisation could be as big as a charity like Cancer Research which not only campaigns and fundraises but also carries out scientific research itself.  At the other extreme there are  small community organisations which provide services, often in addition to statutory services, at a very local level to particular groups in their area e.g. the elderly.  Those two examples are UK-based but some organisations can be bi-lateral, multi-lateral and international although this tend to be referred to as NGOs or non-government organisations who are overseas aid agencies. We are not dealing with those specifically in this article but the resources mentioned at the end will be useful to research this.

What are the roles?

The roles that exist in the Charity Sector can be as diverse as any you will find in a big commercial company. Charities will have staff in a press office, an event planning team, an HR department, Finance Officers as well as Marketing and Sales staff.  In a smaller charity you may find roles less clearly defined.  Some roles are unique to the sector such as Fundraiser or Volunteer Co-ordinator. Also Research and Campaigning/Lobbying roles are not common across the commercial world. Either way it is a good idea to think about where your skills and interests might lie across this broad spectrum of roles. It can also help to focus on an issue or a group of people you are most interesting in helping or campaigning for: animals, international development, children, disability, mental health, the environment, human rights?

How do I get into the Sector?

As with any role you apply for you need to show your motivation. Without doubt the best way to do this is to gain experience as a volunteer. At the very least you should be able to show you have been a member or a supporter or even been involved in fundraising like fun runs or collections. A small number of charities have formal internship schemes, often voluntary, as a way into their organisations - Oxfam and Barnado’s are two. Cancer Research, Charity Works  and Charities Advisory Trust offer paid internships for graduates or graduate training schemes.   Those looking for paid work on graduation will apply for jobs directly where they think their skills are suited or they train and gain experience in the commercial world before joining a charity as an experienced employee. The majority of openings will be immediate start positions, and you may only be able to apply in the months leading up to your graduation and beyond. It’s never too early to start browsing for positions to get an idea of what is out there and what the employers are looking for.  Do your research and find out which charities that interest you advertise on their websites, sign up from email alerts if they offer them.  There are also a few specialist recruitment agencies that you can use to find entry -level positions suitable for a new graduate.  Links to these can be found at the ‘Working for a Charity’ website.  Honing your office skills would not be a bad idea.  Make sure you are competent at Microsoft packages like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access. This means that you might be able to get paid office work in a charity if working as a volunteer isn’t an option for you.  Hopefully you will prove yourself and find you can apply for more responsible roles once you are established.

Further Help

Our catalogue contains lots of useful links to websites and books which can help explore more about this area. Listed within this is a useful guide: “Working for a Better World’ published by NCVO. Focus on this publication first if you are short of time. We have a reference copy or you can buy your own by following the link. A discussion with a Careers Adviser may help too.

‘Postgraduate Study – is it for you?’

Message from Alan Bunch, Careers Adviser: “If you are thinking about Postgraduate Study you may not realise the Careers Advisory Service can help you. I am running a session called ‘Postgraduate Study – is it for you?’ on Thursday 5th November at 13.15.  You can sign up at the Careers Advisory Service.  You should check out our website for information too. Go to the Student Homepage and select ‘Find Further Study’. There is a particularly helpful section on what to write in your personal statement which forms part of your application for any course of  further study see http://www.bath.ac.uk/careers/student.html

Degrees of separation

Ghislaine Dell, Careers Adviser, offers advice to those who don’t want to use their degree in their future job.

From the many guidance interviews we do with students each year, we know there are large numbers of people who, for one reason or another, don’t want to pursue a career directly related to their degree subject. They’ll often say something along the lines of: ‘I don’t mind what I do but I really don’t want to do ….. any more’.

But if I don’t use my degree, what can I do?

These students often worry that they’ve shot themselves in the foot, wasting time studying something they don’t want to pursue, and that they have no chance of getting a job doing anything else. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Even if you know you don’t want to use your degree in a practical way, you might be surprised how much it helps you and, in some cases, can be the way in to a job:

“They were actually looking for candidates with science degrees for my particular job which was a graduate trainee programme within a pharmaceutical company, spending a year as a medical representative before moving into a marketing position.” Sally Adam, European Brand Manager, Champix, Pfizer (ex-Natural Sciences) 

It’s not the discipline, it’s the degree

You may be surprised that 50% of the employers at our Careers Fair yesterdayoffered graduate jobs which required no, or broad, subject specialism. So what is it they’re looking for?

“The experiences that students will encounter during University life (from leading a sports team, to planning group project work and interaction with societies) will all impact and serve to shape a students personality and will help to mould their future careers. Important life lessons will be learnt and enthusiasm, drive to succeed and professional ambition are often displayed by keen graduates looking for their next challenge after University. We are looking for that aspiration and desire to make a difference as these are qualities that will create excellent future teachers and leaders.”  Laura Muir, Graduate Recruitment Office, Teach First

For an increasing number of employers, it’s interest in your chosen career that counts:

“Although some of our functions require a specific degree background, for any function we are looking above all for a passion for the specific area. We accept that some graduates have developed their passion for a given area by studying it, but that others will have studied a different subject (perhaps the one they found most academically appealing) and later realised that they potentially want a career in a different area.” Meri Williams, South West Recruitment Leader, Procter & Gamble

More and more, it’s those transferable skills that employers focus on – and by their very nature they can be developed in the whole range of degree areas and, indeed, in what you do outside your studies. Employers recognise, too, that in some cases moving away from your degree subject can bring benefits:

“It is much easier to learn marketing / business skills having a science degree and put them into practice rather than learning the complexities of a science degree after having studied business. When I first started training as a medical representative, I had to learn about complex medicines in terms of their mode of action etc, which I found much easier having a science degree behind me. Those with a business degree found this much more difficult to grasp.”  Sally Adam, European Brand Manager, Champix, Pfizer (ex-Natural Sciences)

But what about people who are on their second degree and then want to change?

The key here is to make the most of what you have got from your further study and work experience, and emphasise that you are making a positive move to your next step, rather than being forced to do it! And be realistic about the worth that any future employer will put on your qualifications – they’ll matter a lot more in a technical specialist role than, say, in retail:

“It is very difficult to say in hindsight, but I think that my PhD qualification went a long way towards getting me to the first interview. Of course the benefit of the PhD in name stopped at that stage. Obviously any future employer will want to know why you are making a career change/moving away from your degree. I was very clear with my reasons for joining Lidl – I was excited about the job and the more I learnt about the company the more impressed I was by its philosophies.” Jane Dickinson, ex-Biology & Biochemistry postdoc, now District Manager for Lidl

So what is it about you that companies are after if they’re not interested in which degree you took?

On the face of it, this is a hard one to answer – so we asked some graduate recruiters from well-known companies. This answer, from Suzanne Harley, sums it up very well.

“University students regularly show commitment and diligence towards the work they undertake, regularly showing parallels with the experiences in the workplace such as working to deadlines, planning and prioritising activities and learning new skills. We are able to select individuals who show us the academic excellence which we seek to translate into excellence in the workplace.”  Suzanne Harley, Emerging Talent Recruitment, Lloyds Banking Group

 And don’t forget that many companies are very open to you moving sideways into an area that interests you more:

“My employer tends to recruit graduates from a science background but are quite flexible, they are aware that you may or may not want to work in a deep technical area and fortunately have the scope to allocate projects accordingly.”  Jean Woollett, Indirect Fire Systems Team, DSTL, ex-Physics.

So if I can do anything, how do I decide which thing to do?

If you’re reading this about to do, or having done, a placement, the decision might be easier than you think. Three’s nothing like spending a year working, for finding out what it really is that makes you tick:

“I began at the University of Bath studying Computer Science, believing that I wanted a technical career. It was only when I did a summer internship at P&G that I realised how interested I was in the business side of things as well – here in Information Decision Solutions the roles consist of a mix of business, technology and project management. I was lucky enough to be able to study this mixture, moving to a ‘Computer Science with Management’ degree. My colleagues in IDS are from a range of backgrounds, however, ranging from Business and/or Technology to Politics & Economics, Geography and Psychology!”  Meri Williams, Information Decision Solutions Manager, Global Business Services, Procter & Gamble

Of course, this can be a catalyst in a different direction if your placement year was not all you expected:

“It really stems from doing a really boring year in industry. I realised that it wasn’t about the money and ideally I wanted to work in the public sector – defence seemed ideal. Ultimately I knew I wanted to do something that was challenging and that I enjoyed – whatever shape it took.”  Jean Woollett, Indirect Fire Systems Team, DSTL, ex-Physics.

But I haven’t done a placement…

Well, for sure it’s easier to think about what matters to you in a job if you’ve spent a year immersed in a particular environment. But the chances are that you have had some kind of work experience so far – part-time jobs, volunteering, society committees. Think about what you have enjoyed about those experiences. Perhaps you really enjoyed the challenge of changing established procedures to get improved performance? Or maybe you loved dealing with people? Possibly you found you got frustrated with others’ approaches to detail? All these things can give you valuable clues about what would be important to you in a job.

Even if you grew to hate your degree subject, there will have been parts of the academic experience that you got a lot out of. Did you enjoy those group projects – or did you get impatient with chasing others to do their part? Maybe you were so efficient that that never happened? Maybe you loved reading all those papers and extracting the important bits, formulating them into a killer essay that scored you really high marks?  That kind of research/analysis mindset comes in very useful for some jobs.

That’s all very well, I hear you saying – but how can I match the things I like to the jobs?

As a first step, you could try Prospects Planner, a computer-aided guidance programme which takes your answers to questions about what is important to you and magically matches that to lists of jobs. Yes, some of the things it suggests might surprise you, but don’t discount them completely. Have a look at the job profiles it suggests – it can be surprisingly revealing in terms of what certain jobs involve and also in terms of whether what you thought was important to you, actually is! You can also look at the jobs on offer on MyFuture, our vacancies portal, for your particular discipline. Yes, I know you don’t want to stay in it but as many companies don’t restrict by degree discipline you’ll get a broad picture of what’s on offer. If something sounds interesting, you can look at Occupational Profiles on Graduate Prospects and check out what the job involves. Once you have started to build up a list of possible jobs, come in to the Careers Advisory Service Information Room in Norwood House (of course you can come in before that if you want to!) and ask to have a look at the Graduate Contacts Database. In there are lists of Bath graduates listed by employer and job title, and they have all agreed to help people like you find out more about working for a particular company or in a particular job. It’s one of our most useful but also most overlooked resources – do make the most of all this valuable inside information. And of course you are most welcome to come in and talk to a Careers Adviser, either at our daily drop-ins or a pre-booked guidance interview.

So I shouldn’t worry, then?

Well, not about going into a different area to the one you studied, certainly. So many people do – and once you are doing a job you love it won’t matter how you got there. But if the prospect of changing completely is a little off-putting, then you could always take the long-term view:

“Perhaps go for something semi-related to your degree but look for companies which are willing to move you around, secondments etc or have societies active in your area of interest. Once you have your foot in the door you can often make opportunities for yourself.”  Jean Woollett, Indirect Fire Systems Team DSTL

And a final quote to send you on your way:

“Go for it! – Any company will understand that you were young when you decided on your degree choice and it may well not be what you want to pursue as a future career.”  Jane Dickinson, ex-Biology & Biochemistry postdoc, now District Manager for Lidl

The early bird catches the worm

Sue Briault, Careers Adviser, offers some advice to new and returning students. 

The idiom “The early bird catches the worm” means that if you start something early, you stand a better chance of success. This applies just as much to your career as it does to getting a bargain at the sales. Here are a few thoughts about how you can improve your chances of getting the job you want.

First Years

Initially you will be focussed on making friends, enjoying your freedom and having fun.  Make some time to find out how you can get involved in university life by joining clubs and societies or finding out about volunteering so you start to build up your CV with new skills and experiences.  Start working towards your Bath Award and learn more about reflecting on your experiences.  Read our Get Work Experience Guide.  It’s never too early to start thinking about it.

Penultimate Years

If you are going to do a placement then you will need to start working on your CV, learn how to fill out application forms and get yourself prepared for interviews.  Look at the Succeed in the Selection Process  part of our website for events and resources.  If you aren’t planning on a placement year then now is the right time to be thinking about what you can do next summer.  Read our Get Work Experience Guide  and check out our vacancy database MyFuture  for work experience and internships with employers who target Bath students. It also includes placements. We always alert departmental placement offices if we receive a vacancy suitable for their students but you may want to check for vacancies which are aimed at any discipline. Be aware that many employers use their placements and internships as an extended selection process for graduate jobs.  Still keep involved in university life and try to deepen the skills you have already developed by taking on more responsibility in the sports or societies you are involved in.

Final Years and One Year Postgraduates

If you have no idea what you want to do when you finish make sure you get started now.  Look at the Choosing a Career part of our website especially the leaflet “Preparation for a Guidance Interview“.  If you have ideas then extend your knowledge of these areas of work.  Our earlier blogs Research before Job Search and New Ways of Networking will tell you how. Look at Find out about Occupations for resources that will help you build up your knowledge. If you feel you are now ready to apply then look at Success in the Selection Process on our website for essential information that will put you ahead of the competition.

All students

The Careers Advisory Service can support you through all these activities.  We understand that thinking about work experience and jobs after graduation is challenging and can be quite scary.  We are a free service on campus staffed by knowledgable professionals offering an impartial and confidential service for which we have received positive feedback from numerous students. Our website is very comprehensive but best of all we can offer you a chance to talk to someone about your individual situation so why not give us a try.

Apply in haste, repent at leisure

Sue Briault, Careers Adviser, offers some advice to the early birds who hope to beat the competition in the coming graduate recruitment season.  

Our careers team have added many graduate recruitment schemes for 2010 into our MyFuture database. To find out what has been added select “Springboard for Finalists” in the  Type of Opportunity box. So you may think that you need to get started straight away with making applications. Indeed an email came through from a 2010 finalist who asks just this question. He found my response useful so I thought it worth reiterating here.

There is a need for you to exercise a certain degree of caution in making applications so early in the season. You only have one shot at an application and to proceed without seeking advice is not a strategy we recommend. 

Many employers recruit on a rolling basis therefore do not wait until the deadline date has passed to start reviewing applications and interviewing students.  However many students find it beneficial to wait until they have attended an on campus presentation before submitting their application. Employers are conscious that students often wait until after on campus events have taken place and take this into consideration during their selection process. Many of those employers with very early closing dates, for example investment banks, attend campus events early in term to take account of this. Our Careers Fair is on 22nd October when you will have an opportunity to talk to many recruiters. You will still need to keep an eye on MyFuture and your prefered organisation’s own website to note closing dates and cross reference this with the details of employer presentations and attendees at the Careers Fair. both of which will be available at the start of term.

There is nothing to stop you beginning the process, looking at forms, registering for websites, practising answers, getting feedback from Careers Advisers  and then sending them off once you have spoken to someone from the employer about their opportunities.  You could pre-empt talks on campus with a look through our graduate contacts list and start your own conversations.  Constant feedback we get from employers as to why applications fail revolves around candidates not demonstrating they understand the company and/or role as well as not being convincing about their motivation to do the job or work for the company.

You might find these other blog articles useful:

http://careersatbath.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/research-before-job-search/

http://careersatbath.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/new-ways-of-networking/

 

Apply in haste, repent at leisure only if you do not make use of the help and support we are here to give you. Good Luck or should I say Good Research and Preparation?