3 Top Tips for Student Budgeting

January is a long month and it may take you by surprise how much you have spent in the last 5 weeks, but maybe being at the bottom of your overdraft with 2 months to go in the term is the push you need to get your budgetary matters in order. These are tips that you may have already heard, but now is the time to take notice and formalize an action plan.
Tip number 1: It is possible to save hundreds of pounds a year solely by being yourself; a student. Subscribe to all the online discount services such as wowcher, student beans, vouchercloud to name but a few. Also, every time you go to buy something, ask if they provide a student discount, remember that they won’t charge you more for asking so don’t worry about looking like a cheap skate.
Tip number 2: As grueling as it may sound, making a spread sheet of your monthly income and outgoings may well be worth the hassle. If you keep your receipts and can physically see how much your spending and whether your lifestyle is sustainable, it may give you the motivation to finally get on top of your finances. You can’t cheat the spread sheet.
Tip number 3: To get a little bit of spare cash throughout the term, if you find your text books from last year aren’t of any use to your module choices this year, sell them, set up an amazon or eBay account or even use the student VLE to flog your old books. Someone somewhere needs that second-hand selling price.

Be Kind, Unwind

As obvious as it sounds during the January exam period, having the ability to switch off, is of huge mental and physical benefits in the present and future. There’s nothing worse than spending your whole day in the library, to come home to a stressful, sleepless night and be living on coffee for an entire term just to stay awake in the core working hours of the day; it’s not healthy. The first piece of advice most students get when it comes to work load at university, is to treat your studies as a full-time 9-5 job, which leaves a further 8 hours a day for recreational, unwinding activities. There are many ways to calm your mind at the end of your day including stretching, meditation, reading a book, watching a film. In order to get a good night’s sleep which is essential in times of thick and fast deadlines, you must leave at least 2 hours before bed away from the books just to give your brain a bit of a break. It may make you feel comparatively lazy now, but if it avoids you burning out in the future, it’s more than worth it.

Graduate Job Searching with the January Blues

It’s not uncommon in the midst of our darkest months of the year for the January Blues to be having an effect on your day-to-day mood. This tip applies to you if you are letting these shorter, colder days get to you in too many aspects of your life. The key is not to let the generally downtrodden mood affect your graduate job search or the all-important January exams. Your number one rule for the month should be to keep a cool head (excuse the pun). If you haven’t heard back from the graduate schemes you would have liked to have heard from, there are plenty more graduate opportunities out there of which you can apply for all year round. Get your priorities in check and don’t fall into the trap of panicking submitting 50 sub-par applications.

New Year, New Start!

We’re 7 days in to 2013 and by now most people have made various new year’s resolutions; giving up alcohol, going to the gym every day and start saving to name but a few. Although these goals may be achievable for some, they certainly aren’t for others.

This week’s tip - instead of setting over 10 goals for January which are destined to failure; set one, yes just one goal that can benefit every aspect of your life. So if you want to improve your fitness in the New Year, which is proven to help focus in the classroom, prepare you better for target driven environments in the work place and also improve health which are all incredibly employable qualities, make this your goal. If you want to start saving, get a hold of your finances, set up a direct debit to a closed ISA that you will meet on time, it will help you to cope when you enter the big world of work. If you want to quit drinking, try finding other activities that you and your friends can do that are non-alcohol related, increasing your list of hobbies will only help your CV in the long run, not to mention the long-term benefits of giving your liver a 6-month break.

New Year’s resolutions are more achievable if they are for a positive change, not negative ones. Think of doing exercise as keeping fit instead of losing weight. Think of stopping drinking as getting some really exciting new hobbies instead of sitting in the corner of a night club wondering why your there. Finally, think of saving as gaining a new found independence and control over your finances instead of ‘cutting back fun’.

How To Deal With Deadlines

Deadlines can range in importance as we all go through life, from exam deadlines, to deadlines for essays and applications at university, or presentation deadlines in landing a big client when you’re in the workforce. Here are 3 simple tips that should help to change your approach to meeting a deadline from day one.

Firstly, get organised. As obvious as it sounds, organisation is key, get a diary or write notes on a calendar. Whether it’s going to be one big deadline or a few medium sized ones, it’s important to know when they are and how long you have to spread the work load and reach the date.

Secondly, use the wise words Aesop in the fable of the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady does win the race. It’s a lot healthier to spread the workload over the week, two week or month long period you have been given to complete the task, this way the task won’t feel as intimidating. Essay deadline? You may find yourself reading and learning more about the subject you’re writing about, giving you time to get more interested in it. Application? You’ll be giving yourself more time to think about the answers and paint a truer picture of who you are within the confines of the typical application format. Presentation? Practice does indeed make perfect.

Finally, if you find it difficult to meet deadlines, treat yourself for reaching certain points. Set a goal, achieve the goal, get you’re treat; and it’s as simple as that.

Location, Location, Location

This tip applies to those still clueless as to what the future holds after university. Deciding on graduate jobs and schemes is a difficult task; it really is a big deal deciding what you’re going to be doing for up to 50 hours a week for the next 4 years. If you use this tip, you’ll at least be able to make an informed decision.

The first location stands for just that, your geographical location when you finish university, for some people the ideal situation is living at home with mum and dad, rent and bill free until you save up to move into your own place, but for some, getting far away from mum and dad and spreading your wings as a young professional appeals. There are serious pros and cons to both so make a list and also take into account where the opportunities are, be practical in your decision, be happy with your decision.

The second location applies to your location within the company, where do you see yourself in 4 years; make a list from 1 to 5 of the most important things to you. Do you want to progress as quickly as possible, learn your trade in a graduate programme that’s qualification or training heavy, are you driven by money, success, targets, all these factors need to be accounted for in your top 5.
The final location is with reference to the company, are they the market leader, a medium size company, an ethical company. Again, make a list of what matters most to you, do you care most about the company’s annual turnover, ethos or general environment, it’s important to be comfortable with the company so that progressing upwards after the scheme, if that’s what you want, isn’t too daunting.

Never Say Never

It’s very tempting to ignore all the practical advice given by career’s services, recruitment companies and your parents, but eventually it comes to a point when you start think they may have a point. Our marketing team at GRB recently carried out a survey on students and found some really interesting results. Of the 590 plus students that responded to the question ‘What do you feel is your biggest weakness?’ over 50% of them said work experience, if you’re in this category, this tip is for you. In addition to this, of the 1000 plus students who responded to the question ‘If you were an employer who received a huge amount of equally good applications, how would you narrow them down?’ over 60% said work experience would be the dividing factor.

Never say no to looking for work experience in your 1st year, never say no to having for part time job in your summer or during term-time if your timetable allows, and remember that positivity is key. If you get a few rejections, always get back on the horse. Try, try and try again, yes to internships, yes to work experience, yes to societies and yes to reaping the rewards of hard work.

Get a Routine and Stay in a Routine

This academic new year, you won’t be a fool for having said something along the lines of ‘this year’s going to be different’ or ‘I’m going to live in the library this year’, then actually getting to university and slugging it out in the library for the first week followed by a year of partying to reward your hard work. At times like this the old saying ‘work hard, play hard’ springs to mind. 

The key for this time of year is figuring out a routine, treat your course at you would a 9-5 job but with a little bit of flexi-time. This way if you are having a lazy day, you can do as many hours as your attention span allows, so long as you make up for it on your next productive days. Being a full-time student means full-time so stay focussed from 9 to 5, or even 12 to 8. Get a routine, include society meetings and events, be the full-time student you know you can be! 

Making The Most Of Recruitment Fairs

The season is almost upon us for recruitment and career fairs, these can be a priceless resource for your graduate job search and when approached well can really rocket your job hunt forward.

Firstly, make sure you dress appropriately. Ensure you make an impression by dressing smartly and appearing confident and professional.

Make sure you are prepared too, take copies of your CV with you. Don’t hand them out aimlessly, but if you are really interested in a role then ask if they are accepting CV’s currently.

Be careful not to take too many free items, you don’t want to appear as if this is the main reason for your attendance, and if you do take the free merchandise make sure you have a bag to stash it in, that way you keep your hands free for handshakes and accepting company literature.

Finally, practice your sales speech beforehand. You will have only a couple minutes to make an impression and inform the employer about yourself, going with a short, snappy pitch helps make sure you leave a lasting impression.

Also, collect business cards of the people you have spoken to and follow up immediately thanking them for speaking with you and reiterating your interest in the role you spoke of. You may not receive a reply but it could help bring your CV to the company’s attention.

Tell Me About Yourself

It’s a very common thing for an interviewer to ask you to do at the beginning of a job interview, but are you answering it effectively?

This is a seemingly nice ice breaker but the employer will be looking for examples in your answer of how your history and experiences are transferable to their company and illustrate why you are the right candidate for the job.

Remember to keep it relevant to the job to which you are applying and relate it back at all times. For example, which university you went to, what you studied, the work experience and general experience you have done which has led to your interest in that particular role. If you do have any extra-curricular activities then they are great to mention alongside this. Be careful not to fall into the trap of cliché answers such as ‘I enjoy socialising’ and we definitely recommend avoid leading with ‘what would you like to know?’

Dress To Fit

How do you decide what you are going to wear to that all important graduate interview? It may seem obvious, the standard 3 piece suit attire of course, but is it really that simple?

When deciding on interview clothing there is a key thing you should consider that a lot of people don’t.  Firstly, what is the company culture at the company? If the dress code is smart, then the 3 piece suit would be a wise choice, however if the office is full of people in shorts and flip flops then it may be a bit much. We aren’t saying also wear shorts and flip flops but in these situations smart trousers, shoes and shirt may be more appropriate and ensure neither party feels uncomfortable. It would also show you have done your research on the company and demonstrate your ability to fit nicely into their company culture.

If after doing some research you are unsure about the requirements of how you should dress for the interview do not be afraid to ask your point of contact at the company, if anything they will be impressed by your organisation and attention to detail.

Don't Forget You

It’s a stressful time thinking about finishing university and all the different elements that come along with it. There is so much to do and we know that sometimes it seems like there just aren’t enough hours in the day for everything and it is very easy to let everything take over your life, but it’s so important to try and retain a healthy balance between work and relaxing.

Don’t lose touch with your friends and your social life, these elements are actually just as important as the work. Achieving a good balance, ensuring you see your friends and maintain an active lifestyle will make you feel happier in general and therefore more productive, aiding your university work and your job search.

Planning your time and writing out a timetable can help achieve this balance, ensuring you utilise the time you have in the best possible way. This structure will ensure you are reserving some time for yourself, enabling you to relax and rejuvenate, ensuring you give yourself the best possible chance of success.

Honesty Is the Only Policy

Everyone wants to give themselves the best possible chance of finding the graduate career of their dreams and because of this it is very easy to get carried away when writing your CV. However, it is so important to ensure that you remain honest and, yes, write up your experiences to paint your abilities in the best light, but do not stretch the truth to the point of no return.

Exaggerating your experiences and skills may seem like a good idea when you are receiving calls regarding interviews, but what about when you are questioned on these during the interview? Any interviewer for any role will ask you extensively about your previous experiences to gage how transferable your skills are, if you have exaggerated within your CV or embellished beyond what you have actually done it will be easy for the interviewer to stumble across weaknesses and you will appear unorganised and come across as an unprepared candidate.

Think carefully about what you have been involved in outside of your academics and what skills and abilities your work experience has provided you that can be related to the role to which you are applying. We are sure you will have plenty to discuss with any interviewer, without having to stretch the truth.

Be Specific

Interviewers will have a lot of questions to ask you in any interview for any job, because they will want to make sure you are right for their company in many different ways. However, don’t make the mistake and ramble when answering questions, be specific.

Think carefully before the interview about your experiences to date and what they can be used as examples for. Due to the volume of questions interviewers have to ask, the more efficiently you are able to answer will mean they can fit in more, leaving you in a better position on completion of your interview. It will also ensure that you appear both prepared and knowledgeable as well as keeping the recruiter engaged, ensuring that you are able to impress the potential employer and convince them that you are the perfect fit for their company, bringing all the relevant skills they seek.

Always Proofread

As we write this we are sure many graduates are sending off numerous job applications and CV’s to potential employers. But are they perfect? When sending out numerous applications it is very easy to make little mistakes that go undetected by you but can cause you to be screened out of the process.

Important things to check are you email address and mobile number, if you have these wrong you aren’t contactable in the first instance. May sound silly? It does happen, numbers get typed incorrectly and email addresses change without being replaced.

Also ensure the dates on your CV are all correct and concise. Even if this is wrong but doesn’t give a bad impression, if the mistake is misleading and this comes up in an interview it will be an issue and make your eye for detail seem weak.

Finally, remember to check spelling and grammar in every instance; cover letters, CV’s, Thank you notes etc. Ask family members and/or friends to proof read them; they will bring a fresh pair of eyes and pick up on errors that you will miss, preventing you missing out on job opportunities.

Make The Most Of Every Opportunity

In today’s current climate it’s more important than ever for graduates to have work experience when entering the job market. Most commonly are summer internships and industrial placements whilst at university; both are invaluable when it comes to your graduate job search.

While at university, a lot of courses and universities offer the option of an industrial placement or, more and more commonly, require it to get the degree. Don’t shy away from this opportunity, leaving university with a degree that included a year’s work experience helps give you an edge.

For those who haven’t had that opportunity, the summer is upon us and a lot of graduates are still in the midst of their search for employment. A great utilisation of time would be to secure work experience in the form of an internship within a field of interest and that you are applying to. On your CV this shows a proactive approach to your spare time and helps ensure you have less of a gap on your CV as well as highlighting to employers that you will have the skills and attributes they are searching for.

Don't Be A Couch Potato

It’s easy to fall into a routine of university life and wanting to just do nothing after the stress and pressure of the exam period. However, this won’t help your job search or yourself in general.

Exercising is a crucial element of improving wellbeing and in turn positively affecting your job hunt. Through increasing exercise not only do you lose weight and tone up, subsequently feeling  happier, you also start to eat better and sleep sounder, which your energy levels improve leading to an increase in productivity. In turn this leads to reduced stress levels and increased confidence, two great characteristics to have when searching for your graduate job and attending interviews, leaving you with the best chance of success.

So why not get fit for the summer and improve your employment search, get together with friends, join a gym or commit to a form of weekly exercise and have fun.

Interview Follow Up

What do you do after a job interview? Do you go home and wait or do you improve your chances of progressing to the next stage and getting the position? Following up after an interview is a great way to make sure you stand out from the multiple applicants and here are some tips on how to write a great ‘Thank you’ follow up.

Always remember, a thank you is a nice touch, but it can be a great strategic move. Include anything you think of after your interview that you wish you had said in retrospect (not too much though, keep it short and sweet).

If there were any concerns shared about your suitability, address them and reiterate your reasoning behind this potential weakness not being a problem and your suitability for the role.

Finish by highlighting your three top experiences and qualifications and how they would benefit the company from what you learnt during your interview. Reiterate information you learnt and your increased interests and determination, promising to deliver in the role, as we are sure you will.

Do Something Memorable

Are you still unsure of where you want to focus your degree? Have you considered taking a gap year at the end of your studies to explore the world and figure out your next move? It’s a great thing to do to gain the life experience and soft skills companies love whilst giving you the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of others.

There are a variety of different organised projects you could get involved with on your time out, for example Africa & Asia Adventures, a fantastic not-for-profit organisation offering amazing voluntary projects in a range of areas with fantastic benefit for the community in which you would live.

Recently more and more we are noticing an increased preference from companies for applicants who have been involved in extracurricular activities and voluntary projects in order to demonstrate the key soft skills they seek and a great personality fit for their company culture. Africa and Asia Adventures and other like companies are able to provide such experiences, offering you the ability to be truly involved with new cultures, living with the locals within a totally new community, whilst gaining work experience that truly makes a difference to both you and the people you are helping.

It would definitely be an experience you would never forget and ensure that you yourself are unforgettable.

Always Ask Questions

Everyone has experienced it, knows it’s going to be asked, or both. The question at the end of every interview; ‘Do you have any questions?’ The only answer to this question is ‘Yes’.

This is your opportunity to shine. Have questions prepared before you have even entered your interview so that you will have things to ask without fail, for example, ‘why is the position vacant?’, ‘what are the long term goals of the company and the department’, ‘what is the company culture like?’, ‘what is a standard day in this role like?’ and asking if the interviewers themselves like working there and why. Asking such questions shows your interest in the company and expresses long term intentions.

Also ensure you take a notepad and pen (in a folder, neatly presented, no chewed up old biros) into the interview with you so that if you think of a question from the interview you can jot it down to remember later. Such interest, preparation and organisation is sure to leave a great, lasting impression.