Graduate Prospects - February 20, 2008 - (Page 4)

4 PROSPECTS GRADUATE Issue 61 · 20 February 2008 · Fortnightly www.prospects.ac.uk ASK THE EMPLOYERS HOW TO STAND OUT We asked two experts how graduates should approach interviews. STEVE HUXHAM IS CHAIRMAN OF THE RECRUITMENT SOCIETY: involvement, work experience or something similar. Employers are looking for selfawareness, confidence and maturity – they don’t want to spend six months ridding employees of their student bar culture. YOUR VOTE Would you prefer undergoing a range of assessments (as in an ‘assessment centre’) rather than a straight interview? (SEE PAGE 2 ARTICLE) YES NO One challenge for graduates is that with ENTHUSIASM WINS little track record they are being judged on CAROLINE SWEENEY the potential of what they can do, rather than IS DIRECTOR what they have done. For straight A students PEOPLE AND THE with or expecting a first in a degree, the sell WORKPLACE FOR PR is not so hard. But more average students AGENCY FLAGSHIP facing stiff competition need to be able to talk CONSULTING: about their strengths and weaknesses in a positive way. Graduates often confuse PR with advertising despite saying they’ve yearned to work in PR A tricky question is often ‘Tell me about you?’ for as long as they can remember. Seeking out Here candidates need to demonstrate that they someone in the industry for a chat, are rounded, focused people with ambition undertaking an internet search (What is PR? whilst not sounding like a machine. They throws up two industry bodies and a myriad of should research the company and be able to other sources of information!) and maybe even talk about their aspirations and how the scanning a book on PR basics would give an company matches their values whilst also idea of what the job entails. giving examples either from school, university or work experience on how they best work as The hopeful PR entrant should think about an individual and as part of a team. the kind of agency or the sectors they want to work in before firing off their CV and For every graduate position there will be letter to all and sundry. There’s no point strong competition so candidates need to in a graduate approaching a financial PR stand out from the crowd. Exam results are agency if they want to work in consumer not the differentiator they used to be so beauty products! Giving up a week or two of candidates need something else. They should holidays to work in a consultancy is a good not to be tempted to be different by cracking way to suss out the industry and it shows jokes or wearing something whacky but by commitment. talking about their community service RESULTS NEXT TIME THE VOTE LAST TIME Most readers still have a dream. 69% said they were actively chasing their dream job. 31% were not in the hunt. Before the interview, graduates should take time to look at the PR consultancy’s website and read any case studies found there – they are a great indicator of the kind of work that the consultancy undertakes. Above all, be enthusiastic in the interview. Where a lack of knowledge and experience might let a graduate down they can recover by the bucket-load by showing genuine enthusiasm. Send questions for employers to editorial@prospects.ac.uk SEE THE BAD BUSINESS ARCHIVE http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Graduate_jobs/p!edcaefX http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Feature_articles/No/p!eaLeijF http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Feature_articles/Yes/p!edcbjiF http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Feature_articles/Bad_Business/p!egimFbd

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Graduate Prospects - February 20, 2008

Editorial - End Games Ofgem Editorial - How to Stand Out Royal Mail Kimberly Clark Makro Target Product Plus International Ltd Enterprise Rent-A-Car Matson Driscoll & Damico UK Accenture Chiltern District Council Fidessa Plc Chemical Industries Association Illingworth Partnership Ltd National Graduate Recruitment Exhibition Propeller Training Apetito Royal Navy Bibby Financial Services Gate Gourmet Heathrow Ltd Editorial - Supporting Acts Bournemouth University Shape Media

Graduate Prospects - February 20, 2008

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