Graduate Prospects - April 2, 2008 - (Page 4)

4 PROSPECTS GRADUATE Issue 64 · 2 April 2008 · Fortnightly www.prospects.ac.uk ASK THE EMPLOYERS HOW CAN I SHOW MOTIVATION? MATT WHITBOURNE IBM TECHNICAL INTERNSHIP MANAGER DAN HAWES GRADUATE RECRUITMENT BUREAU CO-FOUNDER YOUR VOTE Do you prefer managers, rather than HR staff, to make the final decision on your applications? (SEE PAGE 2 ARTICLE) YES NO When you are making an application you need to show that you are passionate about joining that particular company and industry. When students are applying to IBM I look at things that will really differentiate them. Typically on application forms there’s a question about why you want to do job X or work for company Y. For companies like IBM people tend to fall into the trap of saying things like I want to work for a multinational company that spans multiple industries, which may be true but you can take out IBM and put any other company in there. The next level from that is that people put in things like I want to work for IBM because you revolutionised the PC industry in 1981 - well great but tell me something we’ve done lately. I’m not looking for essays. I want a candidate to come forward and say, for example, ‘I like IBM’s support of open source software, it will be interesting to see what future open source software has in industry.’ Formulating an opinion on something like open source software shows that you’re not just regurgitating information that you’ve read you’ve got some understanding of the industry. Recruiters want to see candidates who are keen and want to work for them. The best way to show this is in every communication you make with the employer throughout the job application process. In the beginning your CV and/or application form must be presentable, describe relevant skills and qualifications, without spelling or grammatical errors and be sent on time. Call or email to see if your details have arrived and then wait. If you successfully progress to the next stage you need to be prepared to meet the recruiter face to face. Being confident will make you perform at your best so be prepared. Research the employer, the role and prepare questions to ask. Search the internet for useful interview tips and hints. On the day be smart, punctual and nice to all staff you meet whilst at the office. At the end of the interview ask what the next stage is and express your interest in the role. The next day call or send an email thanking the interviewer for their time and that you enjoyed meeting with them and look forward to their response. If for any reason you aren’t offered the job seek feedback, learn from the experience and keep trying. RESULTS NEXT TIME THE VOTE LAST TIME Most readers are comfortable sitting personality tests for job selection. 60% feel OK about taking the tests 40% have misgivings 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/Yes/p!edcbjiF 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/Bad_Business/p!egimFbd

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Graduate Prospects - April 2, 2008

Editorial: In H.R.'s Hands Editorial: Bloggers At Work Adidas Editorial: How Can I Show Motivation? Propeller Training BMRB Material Search and Selection MC2 Compass Management Consulting Ltd RMG Graduate Prospects KUJU Entertainment Ltd London Borough of Brent Council Perriam & Everett Recruitment Aspect Finance Illingworth Partnership Ltd Barkers Advertising Agency Perot Systems LSC Group Norwich Union Editorial: Field of Dreams University of Wolverhampton

Graduate Prospects - April 2, 2008

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