Graduate Prospects 67

2 PROSPECTS GRADUATE Issue 67 · 14 May 2008 · Fortnightly www.prospects.ac.uk BLOGGERS AT WORK ‘Was I some kind of leper to employers?’ AYEESHA WORKS ON HER OPTIONS ‘‘There’ll have to be some sacrifices!’ KIRSTIE TAKES A DECISION ‘I swore I wouldn’t go back to office work’ MATT DOES DÉJÀ VU the most up-to-date list of who is coming, including late registrations. There will probably be links to the companies’ sites, which should be the first place to look in order to gain more information about them. What you find out will not only provide you with useful background knowledge – it will also give you some idea of what questions to ask employers. LOOK THE PART Recruiters at the stalls are looking for a professional attitude. Candidates need to be smartly dressed and they need to come across as lively, bright, motivated and proactive. You may want to talk first to the companies you are least interested in and leave your favoured companies until you have built up your confidence. Have copies of your CV available in case a recruiter is interested. ‘Enthusiasm and attitude - these two things will make a big difference,’ says Donna. ‘Most employers have some form of a training scheme - and it all depends how you approach the role and the career opportunity. With the right attitude, nothing is unachievable if you put your mind to it.’ HELP WITH YOUR CV If you have not yet got down to thinking about your career, attending a fair can help get you started. As well as meeting the recruiters, you will be able to get expert advice on your CV and application forms. You will also be able to get some tips on how to present yourself to employers. ‘Whilst a lot of graduates will come to fairs with their CVs, some may not have had the chance yet to prepare one, so careers workshops can help,’ says Jan. ‘It’s a good chance for you to get some help and information before you go away and start talking to recruiters or applying for jobs.’ These fairs may be so called because they are crowded and filled with stalls, but it is important not to lose sight of the fact that there are also some career prizes to be won. FAIR DO’S IT’S YOUR CHANCE TO IMPRESS RECRUITERS IN THE FLESH. Graduate fairs let you get up close and personal with recruiters, so be sure to make the most of these opportunities. A range of organisations will be exhibiting at this year’s summer fairs. Representatives will be at hand to promote their vacancies and give you a view on what it’s like to work for them. This could be your chance to do some catching up if you have been tied up with academic and other concerns up until now or have submitted some applications but have not yet been successful. ‘Fairs offer the perfect opportunity to network with employers and to show recruiters that you have been bothered to go and find out more about them,’ says Jan Hewitt, careers adviser at the University of Manchester. ‘Having numerous employers under one roof is a big advantage.’ As well as offering a closer look at recruiters, fairs are an excellent opportunity to present yourself to the ones you favour. Companies’ graduate recruitment managers are likely to be among staff present and available to talk to you. BE PREPARED It would be a shame to get to the front of the queue at a stall, only to waste your chance to make a good impression. Given the importance this opportunity could have for your career, preparation is essential. ‘Fair attendees should do a bit of research to discover which companies will be exhibiting and understand what types of jobs companies will be hiring for,’ says Donna Miller, HR Director at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. ‘Often, non-business graduates will assume that there won’t be career opportunities for them with graduate employers, and nothing could be further from the truth,’ Donna adds. ‘At Enterprise, we value all areas of study and understand that people choose to study a subject that’s interesting to them. All degree subjects are viable for opportunities with companies recruiting graduates. Get out there and sell yourself and your area of study!’ If you have not already done so, you will need to do some serious thinking about your future and the sort of employers that interest you. The website of the university careers service where a particular fair is being held will carry JOB-HUNTING INFORMATION www.prospects.ac.uk/links/tests WHAT JOB SUITS YOU www.prospects.ac.uk/links/pplanner ALL ABOUT APPLICATIONS www.prospects.ac.uk/links/appsinterviews GRADUATE EMPLOYERS www.prospects.ac.uk/links/coprofiles TEST YOURSELF 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__10/p!eacLgbi http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Feature_Articles/Feature_articles_2008/Ayeesha_s_job_log__2/p!eXbepcL http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Feature_Articles/Feature_articles_2008/Kirstie_s_job_log__22/p!eLdaifi http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Interactive_advice/p!eacXi http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/tests http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/pplanner http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/appsinterviews http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/coprofiles

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Graduate Prospects 67

Fair Do’s Bloggers at Work Royal Mail Ask the Employers MOD Accountant Development Scheme Propeller Training Singapore Airlines Derivatives Consulting Group Discovery Recruitment and Training University of Brighton TAC UK Ltd Meltwater News UK Norfolk County Council Russell Finex Ltd Finning Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd Enterprise Rent-A-Car Matson Driscoll & Damico UK British Airways Plc JD Williams Group FSA South Bedfordshire District Council Making Waves European School of Management Loughborough University National Graduate Recruitment Exhibitions University of Glasgow Summer Graduate Fair Summer Fairs 2008

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