Looking for a graduate job was probably one of the hardest things Ive ever had to do. Coming out of uni I thought yeah I got my degree getting a job would be a piece of cake...Boy was I wrong...Not only do you have to submit and application form that stands out from the rest ...But you cant even get that far if you dont have about 24 UCAS points a 2.1 in your degree and at least a A-C in maths and english GCSE.
One of the things that angered me was my own ignorance and I dont think my university made us aware about what the recruitment process actually consists of.
Anyway I got plenty of replies to my applications forms, then I received phones calls testing my compentance to see if I could talk the talk....passed those also then was invited for numerous assessment centres...now this is where it got particularly hard as now your up against other grads in person and they fighting for the same job...its crazy and cutthroat... Basically consisted of group excerises (where they tested your ability to work as part of a team), case study and presentation, aptitude tests (this was an abdolute nightmare especially if you hadnt studied maths since GCSE...you would have to answer 32 maths questions in 35 minutes and your scored had to be high...the questions were damm hard!)you had to do role plays and much more...After the failing 3 assessment centre I passed the last one and got the graduate job of my dreams!

Stylishsista is that you ...is it really you ..........where you been girl ..........LUCAS is going to be so happy that your back.......you are back ain't you banana.gifbanana.gifbanana.gif



Divine Spirit by Larry Poncho Brown

Hi stylish sista,

I am in the same boat as you. I only got 20 points at A-level but will be getting a 2.1 honours degree ( i hope). I finish my exams in a weeka dn finding it sooooo hard to get a job. Where did you apply to? I am looking for something in the finance sector. I am studying actuarial science.

Have you got any advice or recommendations?

@ adams

ernsat and young, price waterhouse coopers, they say 24 ucas points but they might be flexible to someone who has 20 if you have the right experience

On PWCs website they specify the points and I have tried but to no avail. I actually would like to work for PWC or Ernest Young. I worked at the Bank of England for over a year, but that isnt enough it seems.

milkround.com

try centrica. They got a scheme deadline 30.6.05, the questions arent too bad too answer and they have a finance stream where they pay 22,00 rising to 34,000 after qualification, etc

I believe anyone who relies on they're degree for Anything--- except for specialised jobs like becoming a doctor or a lawyer,---

.....in this day and age.....is a FOOL!

The market is saturated with young people with degrees. And its getting more and more clustered.

People doing degrees now, have to be focassed like a lazer beam on exactly what they want after Uni, and be prepearing for it, from YEAR 1, i.e getting the nessacary training real world work experience.

jason, your correect

I didnt know that when I was doing 1 but guaranrtee you this, every1 I know who doing degree is hearing what u said. I force them to hear what I'm saying

GET THAT ****ING EXPERIENCE

Even if you have to pay the mother ****ers to hire you then do it, its so important.

If you foing finance

Master Excel, Sage, Poeplesoft, Access, etc. So important

Hello All,

@ Mafdet Yes it Stylishsista it has been a long time but am back now...thanks for noticing it is nice to hear from you also.

@ adamsrib Hi I actaully applied to IT firms such as CSC, Capgemini, Fujitsu ...but actually got a job at Lloyds TSB graduate programme as a Management Trainee, in the Group IT dept (I liked it the most as its not to technical as the other roles I had applied for). It was the job I had wanted so I turned down the interviews and assessment centres at other firms (Acenture, rhyme systems, logica cmg.
Luckily for me I actually got 24 UCAS points and that only because I did 3 and a half A-Levels, but at the time I had no idea that recruiters had such strict requirements for graduate schemes. It does eliminate some really good candidates.

I was also fortunate in that I did a sandwich degree so in my 3rd year of uni I worked, I even continued through my final year part time and have only recently handed in my notice.

But the getting a job part was harder than getting a degree partly because you are on your own competing aganist soo many other grads, and the sheer volume of applicants is the main reason the process is soo tough.

My advise to you would be to try and do an internship of some voluntary or paid work experience or even shadowing. This will give you the neccessary skills to get a grad job!

Good firms to apply for finance are the big 4 pwc, ernest and young, kpmg, jp morgan. Or even citibank, zurich, the big four banks hsbc, rbs, hbos, lloyds tsb etc (they will still consider you if you have 20 UCAS points, but you will need to stand out)

If you need any advise let me know! Wishing you all the best!

I trained on the finance scheme of a FTSE 100 company about 4 years ago. I am quite happy to give advice, tips etc on the recruitment process as I was subsequently involved in its development for our graduate programme

regards

I always hear this from recent grads. Guy I know keep going through the same thing.

A wise man learns from others mistakes.

Thats why I've started interning and working entry-level positions. Entry-level positions seem to be helping a lot of folks I know.

Also don't forget to think of a side hustle to make some extra cash. niceone.gif

This is a bit of the subject but my advice for anyone in uni tryin to get a graduate job, a lot of companies offer summer jobs where u work in team or in a position and depending on how well u do u can offered a job for when u finish. The best place to contact will be either your uni placement office or the careers center in your local library.

@Blaqmale

I hear you on the summer jobs, althoug I am only on my first year, I am aware of the competition, and especially my degree and my future job is VERY technical field of research and development, i am aware it is more harder, since their is no such thing as trainee management in my field, so instead i networked, i called the company, and i sold myself, i did everything myself, regardless of whether they have graduate shemes or recruiting or not. Eventually I got a few replies and negotiated salary and what exactly i am looking to do and how to incorporate in the work place for a short period of time,

know your client, know your field, know what you are looking for and be pro-active