Graduate Prospects - April 16, 2008 - (Page 2)

2 PROSPECTS GRADUATE Issue 65 · 16 April 2008 · Fortnightly www.prospects.ac.uk BLOGGERS AT WORK ‘It’s a bit embarrassing in a new job’ KIRSTIE LIMPS INTO WORK ‘It was my birthday – my 25th’ MATT FIRED AND HIRED ‘You really have to live for the moment’ RACHEL’S WEEK OF CRAZINESS IN THE MONEY Graduation can bring uncertainty. But despite the credit crunch, you can be sure that some final-years have lined up big-paying careers. With determination and the right qualifications, it may even be possible to join them. Even Barclays’ famous investment banking boss, Bob Diamond, on £20 millionplus including bonuses, had to start somewhere. INVESTMENT BANKING Huge bonuses make investment banking the must-have job. Cutthroat competition starts in the second year of uni with internships. All graduate posts should be filled by spring in the final year. However, Belinda Walmsley, communications manager of top City recruitment consultants Joslin Rowe, points out: ‘Unbelievably when the time comes, every year some graduates do not take up the job offer.’ So there are vacancies out there. Mail off an application if you have excellent A-level and degree grades along with impressive extra-curricular activities and devotion to a financial career. A tough assessment centre can be a barrier. Graduate schemes are not the only route in. Superior temping positions, found through agencies like Joslin Rowe, offer a foot in the door. ‘You join a specific division to all intents and purposes as a graduate trainee,’ explains SOME JOBS PAY WELL – AND SOME PAY FANTASTICALLY. firms expecting to work 9 to 5, it isn’t going to happen,’ confirms Paul Roxburgh, partner of leading legal headhunters Taylor Root. The path into City law contains no alternative routes. As with investment banking, excellent A-level and degree grades are required as well as a track record of other activities. Tough interviews test personal attributes and commitment to law. If you are successful, the good money does not start flowing immediately. First non-law graduates have to complete a one year conversion course, and all would-be English solicitors have a year on the Legal Practice Course. Top law firms fund their trainees-inwaiting through this further period of study, Belinda. ‘If you can hit the ground running you but the good times come later. can command salaries of £30,000-£35,000.’ Once again very well qualified graduates are SALES While, so far, academic achievement required, but this time with relevant CVs – has loomed large, there is a top-money option perhaps containing excellent Excel or a few for graduates with 2:2s. Most recruiters for weeks’ work in a high street bank. Temps are sales jobs rate personal attributes more placed in the so-called ‘middle and back important than book learning. offices’, supporting the traders and clientHigh-class business-to-business selling is facing bankers in the front office. generally the field to go for, rather than selling Yet another way into an investment bank is to hard-up consumers like you or me. But the by exploiting contacts. A mate who is already best money can be gained by advising on and working there could earn £2,000 by putting selling financial products to so-called ‘high net your name forward if it leads to you being worth individuals’. Much of this work involves taken on. selling mortgages, so business may be marking Admittedly, now is a difficult time for time just now. But there are also niche jobs launching an investment banking career, so it selling pensions to the well-heeled. could be a chance for aspiring bankers to Tom Leopold works at Welbeck Wealth in work on improving their CVs. London whose clients are the very City types CITY LAW Graduate trainees have pay packets that the rest of this article has dealt with. Only two years into this work Tom already has £100k stuffed with £35,000-plus at top London law firms. While the possibilities are not quite so earnings in his sights. He says: ‘I got my 2:1 but there are a good few people here with 2:2s. breath-taking as at the investment banks, if The people at university who went out and you make it to the top you will have socially networked do quite well at this.’ millionaire earnings. As with the other jobs highlighted in this Many City lawyers work alongside investment article, top-earning sales roles are not bankers on corporate mergers and takeovers. possible for everyone and are demanding to But while investment bankers work late, carry out: high rewards are not easily lawyers labour all night to hit deadlines for takeover deals. ‘If you go for a career in these obtained. GRAHAM TRICKEY JOB-HUNTING INFORMATION www.prospects.ac.uk/links/pplanner ALL ABOUT APPLICATIONS www.prospects.ac.uk/links/appsinterviews TEST YOURSELF www.prospects.ac.uk/links/tests KEY JOB SECTORS www.prospects.ac.uk/links/communities WHAT JOB SUITS YOU PROSPECTS INTERACTIVE SERVICES • GRADUATE FORUM • ADVICE AND COACHING • CAREERS CHAT LIVE http://www.prospects.ac.uk http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Feature_Articles/Feature_articles_2008/Matt_s_job_log__8/p!efebdlm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Feature_Articles/Feature_articles_2008/Rachel_s_job_log__36/p!eFijlde http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Feature_Articles/Feature_articles_2008/Kirstie_s_job_log__20/p!ejgFkce http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Interactive_advice/p!eacXi http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/pplanner http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/appsinterviews http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/tests http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/communities

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Graduate Prospects - April 16, 2008

Editorial - In the Money Editorial - Do Gap Years Help or Hinder Editorial - Job Blogs British Medical Association Slush Puppies Research International Russell Finex Ltd Westley Group Graduate Prospects Alexander Lloyd Babcock International Group Sentinel JD Williams & Co Ltd University of Exeter Wellstream International Limited Enterprise Rent-A-Car Matson Driscoll & Damico UK Meta-Morphose PLC Shape Media Editorial - Renewed Energy Royal Mail University of Surrey

Graduate Prospects - April 16, 2008

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