Thinking Outside of the Box

There are a plethora of opportunities out there in the big wide world but finding the right one is key to lifting off into a successful career post-university. Applying to every single vacancy that fit your description on the basic level is not really ideal, both for yourself (it’s very exhausting to churn out hundreds of quality applications a day) and for the companies you’re applying to (the company that you’ve applied to both the buying and the finance scheme to will be a bit confused as to your motives and ambitions). Below are a few suggestions of how you can think outside the box, but at the same time be a little more specific as to what you’re applying to.

Firstly, use the alumni service at your university, there may be useful contacts that you can perhaps contact by email or arrange a coffee on campus with to discuss what they have done with their careers. Try finding members of the alumni who have studied the same degree as you, been part of the same societies or have had the same work experience with you, something key in common.

Secondly, discussion boards on social media sites are grossly underused, for example, twitter have a discussion group called ‘Hire Friday’ under #HFChat, which is of great use if you want to hear suggestions and hear other peoples stories, a key destination for job seekers.

Thirdly, if you’ve been applying to some opportunities based on your work experience and others based on your degree, combining the two elements of your application could stand you in good stead for something you haven’t necessarily thought of before.
For more alternative ways to conduct an alternative job search, follow the link: www.grb.uk.com/hidden-job-market

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.

Standing Out in Group Interviews

An Job related websites have reported recently of Giles Metcalfe, the Leeds Graduate who stood around in the City of London for 9 hours handing out CV’s and talking to professionals passing by sporting a placard saying ‘ Leeds graduate looking for an opportunity in the financial services’. From this he got entered into a few interview rounds and had a few offers on the table. This is a unique example, but if you’ve got through to an assessment centre and you are being asked to stand out next to ‘the guy with the placard’, how do you stand out?

Firstly, make sure you get to the interview, punctual and well presented. Interrupting a group interview that has already started is a lot worse than having a couple of head hunters wait an extra 5 minutes for you to arrive for a one-on-one face-to-face.

Secondly, as obvious as it sounds by now, do your research around the company. Practice selling the company to friends and family, then look for the qualities that you have that make you a right fit for the company, then re-sell yourself using these qualities. On the day of the group interview, show these qualities as best you can, be comfortable in the surroundings, look forward to the future with the company which may help in the Q and A sessions as well.

Finally, be a team player. This doesn’t mean dominating every conversation but it’s not about being a wallflower either. Find the balance, be personable, get to know the team your working with a little so your oinions are valued later on in assessed group discussions. Also, be tacitical in the role-playing exercises, don’t just say the first thing that pops into your head, really think about it as one contribution that can be used by the business is better than 10 lacklustre ones that are either impractical or unexciting.

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! 

Do Your Field Research

This one applies mainly to those graduates and students applying to part time work, internships and graduate roles within commercial retail companies. You will need to have done your research on the company to who you are applying, but how about taking it further than a simple Google search?

Visiting the store to which you are applying is a great way to do extra research that shows you have really thought about your application and are invested in getting the role with them. Think about their market position, store layout, products and strengths/weaknesses so that in an interview you can show what you would bring to their company and how you would be a good investment. Such an in depth knowledge of their store operations would set you apart from the majority of applications, ensuring you are remembered after interview.