THE BRISTOL CAREERS SERVICE GUIDE 2016
• Plan your career • Perfect your CV and covering letters • Discover what employers want • Advice for international and postgraduate students • Plus much more
bristol.ac.uk/careers
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Talk to us Whatever your careers question, our team will always do their best to help you.
Drop in Visit our offices on Tyndall Avenue. We are open Monday to Friday throughout the year.
Know exactly what you want to do after graduation or haven’t got a clue? Want to get a job straight away or considering a gap year, postgraduate study or self-employment? Whatever your situation, the University of Bristol Careers Service and this guide can help you get your future on track. Read on for the following and a great deal more: Choosing the right career
Careers Service 5 Tyndall Avenue Bristol BS8 1UD
Where to find employers in your chosen field Help with applications, interviews and assessment centres
Phone us Whenever we are open you can call us on 0117 928 8221 (internal 88221).
Ask a question
Alternative directions – gap years, postgraduate study and selfemployment
Log in to mycareer to ask us a question online.
Invaluable job-hunting resources – how the Careers Service can help
bristol.ac.uk/careers
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Thousands of jobs with employers keen to recruit Bristol graduates.
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THE BRISTOL CAREERS SERVICE GUIDE 2016
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INSIDE THIS GUIDE
Bristol and your career
Explore all your options
Wanted: Bristol graduates.................................4
Do something different ...................................32
Information, advice and guidance on your doorstep ..............................................................6
Internships and work experience ..................34
Careers in Bristol................................................9
Postgraduates ..................................................39
Further study....................................................36
What do Bristol graduates do?.......................10 Bristol boosts your employability ..................12
Take action Successful applications ..................................40
How to get started
Be an interview success story.......................47 Get your career sorted.....................................14
Succeeding at assessment centres..............50
Meeting employers ..........................................24 The Bristol PLUS Award....................................26 Job-hunting made easy ..................................28 Get connected!.................................................30 Advice for international students...................31
Not sure what to do? See our career planning guide on page 14
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bristol.ac.uk/careers
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Jobs and course providers Leading employers and course providers who want to hear from you .........................................................................................51
Visit the Careers Service website for...
Employers AIG ........................................................51 Bain & Company ................................51 Bank of Ireland UK ............................52 CHP Consulting ........................52, (52) Cummins ............................................53 Dialog Semiconductor........................53 Dixon Wilson ......................................53 Frontier Economics Ltd......................53 Frontline..............................................54 FTI Consulting ................................(IFC) ICAEW........................................54, (IBC) J A Kemp..............................................54 Johnson Matthey ..............................54 Lane Clark & Peacock LLP ................55 Madgex ................................................55 Morgan Stanley ......................55, (OBC) Mott MacDonald ......................55, (56) NERA ECONOMIC CONSULTING ..........56 Newton Europe ..................................56 OC&C Strategy Consultants ..............57 Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (Europe) LLP....................57 bristol.ac.uk/careers
RBB Economics ..................................57 RPC ......................................................57 Sidley Austin LLP................................58 Simmons & Simmons........................58 Skadden, Arps, Meagher and Flom (UK) LLP ........................58 Softcat ................................................58 Sullivan & Cromwell LLP....................59 Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd ....59 Teach First ..........................................59 UHY Hacker Young..............................59 Willis ..........................................60, (60)
• • • • •
Advice and support Jobs and internships Events and opportunities Information resources Alumni contacts to help you
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Course providers Bath Spa University............................61 Cardiff Law School ..............................61 University of Oxford ..........................64 Sotheby’s Institute of Art ..................64
IFC = inside front cover IBC = inside back cover OBC = outside back cover ( ) = display advertising
And don’t forget Go to targetjobs.co.uk to find your ideal graduate job, work placement or part-time job. You can search thousands of vacancies by sector and location, as well as access topnotch careers advice. And go to targetpostgrad.com if you're considering postgraduate study. Find the right course for you, as well as advice on funding and how your postgraduate study options affect your career prospects.
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Bristol and your career
BRISTOL AND YOUR CAREER WANTED: BRISTOL GRADUATES
Bristol is one of the ten most targeted universities by the top graduate employers in 2014-15 (High Fliers Research).
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etting a degree from the University of Bristol is a great first step in your career. The Careers Service is here to help you – use it to the very best of your advantage.
What is the Bristol advantage? • The University of Bristol is ranked among the top five institutions in the UK for its research, according to analysis from the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF). Teaching quality is similarly highly ranked. • There are a wealth of clubs, societies and extracurricular activities, allowing Bristol students to develop excellent transferable skills and to enhance their personal as well as academic development. • You are part of a vibrant student community with students coming from over 100 different countries, providing an unusually diverse culture. Bristol students come with A level results among the highest in the country – and over 80 per cent leave with a first or a 2.1.
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THE BRISTOL CAREERS SERVICE GUIDE 2016
• The quality of today’s students attracts many recruiters. The Careers Service has close links with all sorts of employers, from blue-chip companies and specialist niche operators to not-forprofit organisations. We run one of the largest events programmes of any university, bringing hundreds of recruiters onto the campus. Among many you’ll recognise are Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Schlumberger, RollsRoyce, Barclays, Jones Day, PwC, Linklaters, Deloitte, Accenture, Teach First, Bain & Company, Bloomberg, HSBC, KPMG and Allen & Overy. • The result of all this is real success in getting into internships, jobs and postgraduate study. That’s brought home to us every year when we survey the destinations of all the previous year’s class of graduates. In the most recent survey, of 2013-14 graduates, unemployment figures were among the lowest for any university in the UK. The range of activities and careers that our students move into is truly outstanding.
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Bristol and your career
WHY EMPLOYERS LOVE BRISTOL STUDENTS...
Students from the University of Bristol have been some of the most successful applicants for ICAP’s full-time and internship programmes. We’re a fast-moving, global financial services company and we value the diverse range of personalities and skills sets that Bristol students have to offer. Sally Fryer, Head of Graduate Recruitment and Development – EMEA, ICAP
From Bristol to ICAP Florence Fox-Andrews gained a BA in theology and sociology from the University of Bristol. She joined the London 2011 ICAP Graduate Class.
Ovo are looking to find the best recent University of Bristol graduates to build into the great leaders of tomorrow. We aren’t looking for lots of experience, as long as you have a strong academic background. What is most important is that you can demonstrate the qualities Ovo look for when identifying future talent. So if you are smart, confident, curious and creative, love getting stuck in and display a high level of initiative with a positive approach, you are just what we want. Natasha McArthur, Talent Acquisition Lead, Ovo Energy
bristol.ac.uk/careers
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Bristol and your career
INFORMATION, ADVICE AND GUIDANCE ON YOUR DOORSTEP What we can offer you.
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here is a wide range of help, support and services on offer that you can access online and at the Careers Service: • Find out about different job areas and sectors and how to get into them, as well as tips for succeeding at applications and assessment centres. • Research further study options and working abroad by browsing the resources on our website. • Keep up to date with internship, work experience and graduate job opportunities advertised on our website. • Apply for internships through the UoB Internship Scheme. • Attend employer-led workshops, presentations and careers fairs to network, and find out more about organisations and how to get into the industry you want. • Speak to a member of staff about any career-related topic. • Attend skills sessions delivered by the Careers Service to boost your employability skills. • Contact Bristol alumni through the Careers Network to gain inspiration about what to do after your degree and be inspired by the career paths that people have taken to get to where they are today. • Keep in touch with the Careers Service on Facebook and Twitter and also read our blog for helpful hints and tips on how to succeed in the recruitment and selection process.
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Come and talk to us! We are conveniently located at the heart of the University campus, on Tyndall Avenue. We’re next door to the Computer Centre and between the Arts and Social Sciences Library and the Centre for Sport, Exercise and Health. For more information, look at the university precinct map: bristol.ac.uk/university/maps/print.
THE BRISTOL CAREERS SERVICE GUIDE 2016
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Bristol and your career
Visit our website bristol.ac.uk/careers you’ll find: Advice Covering everything from how to write a winning CV and applications, and how to study or work abroad, through to disclosing a disability and information on networking to find ‘hidden’ job vacancies.
Jobs Hundreds of jobs updated daily, including graduate training schemes, internships, parttime/term-time work, vacation schemes and immediate vacancies advertised by employers of every size in every sector.
Events Details of the programme of presentations, workshops, recruitment events and practical sessions on interviews, applications, skills development and career planning.
Information resources From details of where to find out about postgraduate study, through to information on different job sectors and options of what you can do with your subject.
Alumni contacts Successful Bristol alumni working in a range of different job sectors and organisations who are willing to give you advice and information on your career.
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Visit the Careers Service and our staff will be able to help you find the most relevant resources and use them effectively to: • Explore options – individual jobs and sectors • Identify employers and how to network • Find international work and study opportunities • Research further study options • Locate key print and electronic resources
You can come to the Careers Service and use the PCs to access electronic resources and careers guidance programmes, as well as the photocopier and printing facilities. There are many free publications for you to take away as well as other resources, including skills-based, international and sector-specific books and magazines.
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Bristol and your career
After graduation We’re happy to support students after they’ve left university. For your first three years after graduation you can use the Careers Service for free, and you will be able to access many of our services and resources both within the Careers Service and from a distance. Full details of available services and resources are shown on our website.
Careers information resources
Feedback on the Careers Service Team
Visit bristol.ac.uk/careers/resources for details of the range of print and electronic resources available to support you, including: • A searchable list of employers who have advertised vacancies to Bristol students and graduates • Further study information • International work and study pages • Sector information
“Many thanks for the speedy response and the information. It was exactly what I was looking for and gives me plenty to investigate.” “I did some research myself yesterday following my appointment and really know where I need to be going and what I need to be doing, which is great.”
Events at Bristol 2015–16 Throughout the academic year the Careers Service organises a varied programme of events, including talks and interactive workshops covering everything from CVs to networking. There is also an extensive programme of employer presentations and recruitment events as well as careers fairs. More details of these and other events can be found on our website.
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Event
Date
Investment Bank and Management Consultancy Evening
5 October 2015
Autumn Careers Fair
13 and 14 October 2015
Engineering and IT Careers Fair
20 and 21 October 2015
Careers with a Science Degree Fair
28 October 2015
Law Careers Fair
4 and 5 November 2015
Bristol PLUS Employability Skills Day
Spring term 2016
Feedback from students at events
Met loads of new contacts... and gained better insight into industry.
It was great to hear individual stories... you can research advice on ‘how to get your foot in the door’ but personal experience is invaluable.
Well structured with plenty of time to speak to speakers and ask more in-depth questions. They were all very receptive for further discussion with us, which was great!
THE BRISTOL CAREERS SERVICE GUIDE 2016
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Bristol and your career
CAREERS IN BRISTOL
Bristol is home to a diverse range of employers offering many exciting roles.
B
• • • • • •
ristol offers a wide range of graduate opportunities. Some of the city’s major areas of employment include: Aerospace and engineering: RollsRoyce, Airbus, BAE Systems. IT and electronics: EE, Hewlett Packard, NVIDIA. Finance: Triodos, AXA, Bristol and West, Lloyds TSB. Higher education: University of Bristol, UWE. Arts and media: Aardman Animation, BBC Natural History. Low-carbon industries: OVO Energy, Sustain Ltd.
Why go small? Working in a small organisation is a great way to develop skills and knowledge. Being part of a small team often involves taking on a broad range of tasks and responsibilities. Reasons to go small: • Understand how a business works. • Use a range of skills. • Help an organisation grow.
Smaller organisations In recent years the city has created an environment where small organisations launch and thrive. Key areas include: Charity and social enterprise: Being a socially conscious city, Bristol boasts a powerful community of local charities and social enterprises that support a range of causes. High-tech: The West of England is at the heart of a cluster of high-tech start-ups, including robotics, silicon chip design and embedded software. Art and design: We have an exciting community of artists, creatives and technologists producing fantastic new products and services. Web platforms: Bristol is home to numerous new ventures that develop innovative apps, websites and web services for rapid deployment.
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Finding local jobs Search for local employers under the Careers Service jobs section careers.bristol.ac.uk/students/jobs The Bristol Post job vacancies Find out what Bristol graduates do bris.ac.uk/careers/be-inspired/bristolgraduates Get advice from Bristol graduates bris.ac.uk/careers/be-inspired/alumni Bristol City Council vacancies bulletin jobs.bristol.gov.uk
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Bristol and your career
WHAT DO BRISTOL GRADUATES DO?
Actors, clinical psychologists, software engineers, teachers... successful Bristol alumni can be found in all walks of life.
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round 6,000 graduates leave Bristol every year. Roughly 70 per cent start work, just over 15 per cent go on to further study and 4 per cent go travelling. Fewer than 5 per cent are unemployed six months after graduation. There are a wide range of options that you could find yourself doing after you graduate. Find more information on alternatives to full-time employment on pages 32–33.
The Careers Network Find out what Bristol graduates do at first hand. The Careers Network is an exclusive way to get career insights from Bristol graduates. You can read testimonials and send direct questions. Visit bris.ac.uk/careers/be-inspired/alumni.
A traditional graduate traineeship This is a job with training attached, with a large firm in a sector such as finance, manufacturing, management consultancy, engineering, IT or advertising. These are the employers most likely to attend recruitment fairs or to use the milkround. Smaller and medium-sized firms also offer
opportunities, as do employers in fields such as charity work. Entry onto one of these schemes is usually very competitive and some students choose to defer applying until after they have graduated. In many fields of work, few formal training opportunities exist, so people have to find less structured entry routes than a graduate training scheme.
Just a few of the career routes Bristol graduates have gone into over the past few years... Accountant, Actor, Account Executive, Audiologist, Business Analyst, Chemist, Civil Engineer, Civil Servant (Fast Stream), Clergy, Clinical Psychologist, Consultant Engineer, Dentist, Doctor, Economist, Editor, Educational Psychologist, English Language Teacher, Events Coordinator, Film Director, Financial Analyst, Geologist, Human Resources Coordinator, Insurance Broker, Investment Banker, Journalist, Management Consultant, Marketing Executive, Mechanical Engineer, Media Analyst, Music Publishing Executive, Officer Cadet, Paralegal, Parliamentary Researcher, Policy Adviser, Project Manager, Recruitment Consultant, Research Assistant, Royal Navy Officer, Secondary School Teacher, Social Worker, Software Engineer, Tax Adviser, TV Presenter, Veterinary Surgeon, Web Developer.
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THE BRISTOL CAREERS SERVICE GUIDE 2016
Temporary work Many graduates start here, needing to pay off debts, sort out their career ideas or save money for travelling. Relevant temporary work can sometimes provide essential experience for people hoping to move into professional areas such as librarianship or social work. Usually graduates will move on to something more permanent after a few months.
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Bristol and your career
Time out/travelling A number of graduates choose to postpone permanent work for up to a year and either work in the UK first to save for a trip, or combine work and travel. A year out can be a useful experience that allows you to build awareness and skills. It is important to plan your time to make the most of your year out, and to ensure that when you return you can find the right opportunity and don’t miss out on the recruitment cycle.
Voluntary work This is a good way to develop the skills and contacts needed to break into fields such as broadcasting, environment, charity work and arts management. Others do it for purely altruistic reasons, wanting to do something for others. It’s not uncommon to combine voluntary work with travel and plenty of schemes exist to help you do this. Doing voluntary work at home or abroad is in general a great way to build the skills that all employers value.
Further study This covers everything from research-based PhDs to vocational courses needed for professions such as social work, journalism, teaching and law, or even a four-year fast-track medical degree for graduate entrants. Some students also
choose conversion courses in fields such as computing and marketing, giving them new skills to add to their first degree.
Self-employment Many Bristol graduates aspire to be selfemployed; this includes starting a business, freelancing or commercialising a bright idea. The University offers lots of ways to grow the knowledge and skills needed to be self-employed, such as: • Basecamp: a friendly team who can help you understand business • Spark: an award-winning enterprise bootcamp • The New Enterprise Competition: a chance to win funding and get feedback on your ideas
Further information The Careers Service website has lots of information including: Details about what jobs Bristol graduates do Events – employer events held on campus often feature Bristol graduates Careers fairs – meet employers, explore career options and talk to graduate employees Careers Network – connect with Bristol graduates
Bristol has produced many famous faces and you will find them at the top of their profession in many different areas. Your knowledge of well known alumni may depend on your interests, but here are a few for starters: Michael Aylwin (BSc sociology 1994; MA medieval studies 1996). Rugby writer (Observer and Guardian) and author.
David Walliams (BA drama 1992). Writer, comedian, actor and television presenter. Julia Donaldson (BA French and drama 1970). Writer and author of children’s books including The Gruffalo.
Charlotte Uhlenbroek (BSc psychology and zoology 1988; PhD biological sciences – animal communication 1997). Wildlife TV presenter. Credits include Congo’s Secret Chimps, Talking with Animals and Jungle. Derren Brown (LLB 1994). Illusionist/hypnotist. Live performer and TV presenter, including Derren Brown: Mind Control for Channel 4. Sarah Montague (BSc biology 1988). Presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Bristol graduates’ 2013–14 destinations, six months on...
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Illustrious alumni
Working
69.1%
Further study
14.9%
Unemployed
4.4%
Due to start a job
2.5%
Not available (travelling etc)
4.1%
Other
5%
Dr Mark Williamson (BEng 1996; PhD engineering 2003). Director of innovations, The Carbon Trust.
Tom Avery (BSc geography and geology 1998). Polar explorer. In 2002 became the youngest ever Briton to reach the South Pole. In May 2005, led the team that became the fastest to reach the North Pole on foot.
Simon Pegg (BA drama 1991). Actor/comedian, screenwriter. Credits include Shaun of the Dead, Spaced, Hippies, Faith in the Future, Big Train and Hot Fuzz.
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Bristol and your career
BRISTOL BOOSTS YOUR EMPLOYABILITY
From fresher year to final year, there are some easy things you can do to help you get a job after you graduate.
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degree in itself is no longer enough to impress in today’s competitive job market. Employers are looking for interesting people with a track record of involvement, who are prepared to take on responsibility. The range of activities on offer at Bristol is immense and can give you a chance to do something you enjoy or something you’ve never tried before, as well as providing evidence, experience and skills that will give you an advantage in your job search.
Start early if you can It’s never too early to plan for your future, so whatever year you are in, try and set some time aside for career planning. Research – the process starts with initial research into what careers are out there and whether you need experience or other skills to gain entry. Being informed allows you to fully use your time as a student to build your CV and gain relevant experience – for example, writing for the student newspaper if you aim for a media career, or getting a summer internship to
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help secure a place on a graduate training scheme. Keep up to date with deadlines to ensure that you don't miss out on great opportunities.
How well do you know yourself? The key to job satisfaction is finding a career that suits you. Follow our advice in the section on career planning (pages 14–23) and take some time to look at these key things: • What are you good at? • What do you enjoy doing? • What motivates you and how does this fit with your beliefs and values? Reflection on these areas will help you to think about what you want from your career so that you can plan accordingly.
Networking can help you Networking is a skill worth developing that will boost your career opportunities and help you find out more about careers that interest you. You might not be aware of it, but you often network without realising it.
THE BRISTOL CAREERS SERVICE GUIDE 2016
For example, think about when you have made an important decision, such as buying a computer, or choosing your university and course. Who did you ask for information to help support your decision? Friends, family, teachers, shop assistants or other contacts? What did you ask them? Networking uses the same approach for finding out about jobs: what people actually do, how they got into different areas of work, what they like and don’t like, useful tips etc. It will give you an insight from people in the know and could lead to advice on where to find job vacancies or work experience opportunities. The Careers Service organises careers fairs and other employer events on campus and these provide you with a good opportunity to meet employers and network. Don’t forget to use our Careers Network, which enables you to contact successful Bristol alumni in a range of jobs who are offering to help current students with advice and information about their career.
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Bristol and your career
Make the most of your time at Bristol First/second year – explore options and your career potential rsity life and develop Get involved in unive for your CV: ce en skills and experi ties cie so d an bs clu • Join s itie tiv • Try out new ac skills ways to develop your • Investigate other me a co be le, ; for examp and enhance your CV US PL l sto Bri the course rep, undertake ies lunteering opportunit Award, or look for vo org -it. do at k loo a ke outside university (ta for ideas)
Explore what you would enjoy doing as a career. To help e shape your ideas, us rree ca some of the le planning tools availab d an ts ec sp Pro including Windmills Interactive
Find out about what careers and jobs you can do with your degree by visiting the Careers Service website and s, review the case studie sector guides and information on what Bristol graduates do
Gain some work experience and improve the skills you can offer to an rtemployer through pa job time work, a summer e rol y tar or a volun
Penultimate year – develop your skills and experience to boost your chances of success in the job market Take on more responsibility or a leadership role in your extracurricular and activities (e.g. clubs a in or societies) volunteering or parttime role
Reflect on your skills, experience, values and and personal motivation explore the different ns careers and job optio available with your degree
Attend careers fairs and employer events on campus to meet employers in d your chosen areas an t ou ab find out opportunities in their organisations
Gain some relevant work experience and apply for an n internship in the autum ive lat ecu sp term or make applications to st companies that intere u yo
Develop your online profile (including ct LinkedIn) and conta graduates from the rt Careers Network to sta networking
Find out about specific deadlines in your chosen d sector, or options an r deadlines for furthe study and funding
Develop your CV and draft applications and covering letters
Final year and beyond – compete for your chosen role Apply for graduate scheme and directentry jobs
bristol.ac.uk/careers
the Prepare yourself for d an ss ce pro n tio selec skills, perfect your interview le nd ha to w ho ing includ tests and assessment centre tions. The nta se pre at ed succe books and s ha ce Careers Servi t can help tha s rce ou res e onlin you with this
Apply for postgraduate courses if applicable
Research travel, volunteering or work options if you t want to take a year ou on ati du after gra
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How to get started
HOW TO GET STARTED GET YOUR CAREER SORTED
Confused and not sure what to do – or pretty certain but need a few pointers? Our career-planning guide will help you.
Choosing the right career If you’re concerned you have no idea what to do when you graduate, you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the options available to you or you are frantically searching for the perfect job, stop right now. Choosing the right career is a process that takes time and requires some self-reflection and focus; it rarely happens with an overnight flash of inspiration.
Where to begin Put all the detailed information about specific careers and options your friends are choosing to one side and concentrate on working out what you enjoy doing, what you are good at and where your strengths lie. When you use your strengths, you perform at your best and are able to learn new information and progress. If you enjoy what you are doing, you are more likely to get job satisfaction and be successful at the career you ultimately choose.
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To help you out here are some questions for you to consider: Your skills: Do you enjoy… 1. Creativity Yes No – coming up with new ways of doing things not following a format developed by others, including artistic creativity to work in different art forms
5. Precision Yes No – detailed tasks that require patience, accuracy and attention to detail 6. Influencing people Yes No – persuading others to change their attitudes or opinions
2. Research Yes No – finding things out and generating knowledge, truth and understanding
7. Diplomacy Yes No – dealing with people and issues sensitively
3. Project management Yes – organising people or events
8. Physical challenge Yes No – tasks that require bodily strength, speed, dexterity or agility
No
4. Communication Yes No – expressing your ideas in writing or speech, including developing language skills
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9. Problem solving Yes No – tackling complex issues and creating solutions
bristol.ac.uk/careers
G
How to get started
LV INVO ED ET
Your values: Do you want… 1. Money Yes No – the ability to purchase the essentials and the luxuries of life
NAME Avanindra Saklani DEGREE BSc economics and management, 2013 JOB Graduate trainee EMPLOYER Rolls-Royce
2. Status Yes No – to impress and gain admiration for the nature and/or level of responsibility of your work
In my first year, I joined AIESEC (a student-run society that helps with employability skills) and the Hindu Society at the Freshers’ Fair. In my second year, I joined the JCR Committee of Manor Hall after being elected as the Treasurer for the academic year 2011–12. These opportunities taught me a lot and were a great learning experience as I developed leadership, teamwork, time management and various other employment skills essential for my career prospects. During my time at Bristol, I also undertook parttime jobs from time to time. I worked as the ambassador for the International Office during term time and took up employment at Subway food chain as a sales assistant during holidays. These jobs helped me adapt to different work cultures and meet new people. I was offered a graduate role with Rolls-Royce and I firmly believe it was my experience and the set of skills I learnt at university that worked as a strong signal to the employers. Try to engage yourself in tasks and activities that in return teach you a lot and will also be beneficial for your life in the future.
3. Autonomy Yes No – control over the nature and structure of your work 4. Stability Yes No – a job that is secure and work that is largely predictable and not likely to change over a long period of time 5. Practicality Yes No – to be involved in work that produces a practical or useful result 6. Variety Yes No – a frequent change of routine and tasks 7. To be helping others Yes No – to be involved in helping people directly, either individually or in small groups 8. Work-life balance Yes No – a job that allows you adequate time for your family, hobbies and social activities 9. Location Yes No – to be able to have a choice over where you live 10. Moral fulfilment Yes No – to feel your work is contributing to ideals you feel are very important
Your personality Are you someone who enjoys… 1. Excitement and adventure Yes No – a high degree of stimulation and novelty in a job that frequently involves taking risks 2. Pressure Yes No – working at a fast pace with no margin for error 3. Calm Yes No – a tranquil environment without pressure 4. Competition Yes No – opportunities to pit your abilities against others 5. Working with others Yes No – close working relations with a group and working as a team to achieve common goals
bristol.ac.uk/careers
6. Working alone Yes No – completing projects individually, with minimal contact or input from others 7. Aesthetics Yes No – appreciating the beauty of things or ideas 8. Recognition Yes No – receiving positive feedback and public credit for a job well done 9. Being an expert Yes No – being regarded as very well informed and acknowledged as an ‘expert’ in a particular area 10. Fun and humour Yes No – working in a setting where it is possible and appropriate to joke and have fun, with opportunities to develop a social network
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Top tips:
Helpful resources:
1. Ask friends and family what they think you are good at and what you might enjoy. 2. Add things to the lists that are specific to you! 3. Reflect on what you have experienced or achieved in the past – what have you enjoyed or disliked, and why? 4. Prioritise your preferences to the essential five or six to help you focus your job search. 5. Are there any fundamental constraints such as location or family that you need to consider?
Books available at the Careers Service: • How to Get a Job You Love by John Lees • The Art of Building Windmills by Peter Hawkins • What Colour is Your Parachute? by Richard N. Bolles
Keep in mind:
I graduated from Bristol in June 2011 and I had always wanted to start my own business. A chance meeting with two Aussies the summer before had led to starting my current venture. I now run two businesses in the events industry and really love what I do. The university has so much to offer in terms of support for entrepreneurs, and if you’re interested I would strongly recommend seeking out Student Enterprise. This consists of two societies, Bristol Entrepreneurs and Bristol Social Enterprise. If you really are keen on starting a business, then Basecamp is the place to visit. This is the student business incubator where the Graduate Entrepreneur in Residence sits and can provide lots of help with all aspects of business, as well as organising meetings with a range of professionals who offer pro bono help to Basecamp members. It’s the perfect place to start a business. Gaining the Bristol PLUS Outstanding Award was great as it was a way of demonstrating that my entrepreneurial activities at university were valid and credible. The pitch to the panel of professionals was great fun and it’s nice when they are genuinely interested. It’s something that I would advise all students to go for, whatever they choose, as it can give you an edge over other candidates.
STRONG SKIL P O
NAME Sanjana Narang DEGREE MEng electronic and communications engineering, 2015 As an international student, I understood the importance of securing an internship in my penultimate year. It is the best way to get a graduate job with the employer of your choice. I applied to both Schlumberger and Goldman Sachs for an internship. To make it through their numerous competitive assessment stages, I made use of countless resources available from
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Remember that with the online tools, considering the questions asked will be as valuable, if not more so, than the final career suggestions.
NAME Will Goodwin DEGREE MEng civil engineering, 2011 JOB Entrepreneur
LS
DEVE L
1. You want your work to be something you enjoy and find rewarding! 2. A job may account for 70 per cent of your waking hours. 3. You are not deciding on a career for the rest of your life. 4. You may change career paths several times. 5. Some jobs will be ‘stepping stones’ to better ones, but you will still develop skills.
Online tools to help you consider your skills, interests and motivations: • Mind Tools website – the career skills section: mindtools.com • Windmills online: windmillsonline.co.uk/interactive • Prospects Planner: prospects.ac.uk/planner • TARGETjobs Careers report: targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report
N ENTREPR EA E
UR NE
BECO M
How to get started
the Careers Service, which helped me a lot to secure a place with both the companies. I also participated in various events organised by the Careers Service, which helped me develop key soft skills. In my second year, I stood for election as Part-Time International Students' Officer, which gave me the opportunity to develop strong interpersonal skills and build selfconfidence. To further increase my commercial awareness and to meet a range of new people, I attended various insight days organised by different employers, such as PwC and Schlumberger. These events gave me an opportunity to gain an appreciation of the work that is carried out in industry and also to build good connections with employers.
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bristol.ac.uk/careers
How to get started
How to get inspiration and explore your options We all make assumptions about certain sectors and jobs that may not be entirely accurate. At this stage you are testing your values and gaining knowledge, so be open-minded and consider a variety of options. The best way to do this is to talk to people who are in the role or sector that you are interested in; this may seem a daunting prospect at first but having the courage to ask for help will often result in a positive reaction and gaining valuable insights. Remember: what’s the worst that can happen? A contact tells you they are too busy to help – but they might know someone else who has more time!
Here are some suggestions of ways for you to generate ideas: 1. Consider what Bristol alumni have gone on to do once they’ve graduated – don’t just limit this to students from your course.
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2. Research sectors, and read occupational profiles or career stories. These will give you information about work/life balance, day-to-day activities, salary and progression prospects. 3. Review job adverts from company websites or job sites and collect those that appeal to you – be aware of any themes that emerge, and examine what you are drawn to, be it sectors, working with people, location or salary. 4. Be proactive and talk to people doing the type of role that interests you. Seek out opportunities for job shadowing, work experience, insight days or just a coffee to talk about what the sector or role is really like. 5. Gain insight by getting work experience or volunteering. Actually spending time in the type of role you are interested in will enable you to see what you like or dislike first hand. (There is more about how to get experience in the ‘Explore all your options’ section of this guide.)
Keep in mind: 1. The values and skills you’ve already identified when considering options. 2. Up to 60 per cent of all jobs are not advertised; investing time and effort in tracking down these jobs will almost certainly pay off because fewer people will be applying for them. 3. It's not all about whether you are right for the job, but also whether the job is right for you. Finding a career that suits your skills and values is important and passion for the role will show at interview. 4. Don’t base career choice on job titles alone. Roles change over time, so focus on finding companies where you feel you would develop professionally, rather than being led solely by an impressive job title. 5. How far you are prepared to compromise. No single job is perfect – there will always be a mix of what you love doing, and what you don't, so identify your non-negotiables.
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How to get started
Helpful resources: 1. The Careers Service website contains information on the careers of alumni, sector guides, case studies and access to our Careers Network. 2. Prospects.ac.uk contains over 400 job profiles that can help you gain a better understanding of what’s involved in a wide range of jobs.
3. Targetjobs.co.uk contains sector advice on the major graduate careers as well as adverts for graduate jobs, schemes and work experience opportunities. 4. Considering self-employment? Be inspired by joining one of Bristol’s entrepreneurial societies (Bristol Inc, Enactus) or take part in Spark, our enterprise boot camp. See the box below for more information.
Take some time to consider what your dream job would look like if there were no limitations. Brainstorm some ideas in this ‘think cloud’ to start getting inspiration. Consider things such as: where would it be, what types of people would you work with, what sorts of activities would you be doing? Remember: there are no limits…
My dream job...
Student Enterprise Numerous Bristol graduates have gone on to be entrepreneurs, business owners and freelancers. The University can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to be ready for future self-employment. Basecamp is the first point of call for any student interested in enterprise. The Basecamp team arrange a series of inspiring guest speakers and workshops and can offer one-to-one support. They also work with the University’s enterprise societies, Inc and Enactus.
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If you’re ready to launch a venture during your time at university, you can apply to the New Enterprise Competition. It awards funding to help turn your ideas into reality. See: businessbasecamp.co.uk/ new-enterprise-competition.html. You can also apply to the Enternship programme, which provides an opportunity to do a paid internship on your own business idea over the summer.
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bristol.ac.uk/careers
Review and evaluate your options Now you have reviewed your values and skills and explored your options, it’s time to prioritise the roles you are interested in by establishing which are most likely to give you job satisfaction. To do this, list the key skills and values that you identified were important to you in the exercise earlier and three job roles that are appealing to you in this table.
Skills/values
Total score
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Job 1:
Mark each job out of ten depending on how closely you believe the role meets your values or allows you to use the skills you enjoy. If you are unsure how closely they match, then do some more research online, or ask someone in the industry who might know. This is an activity that you can do several times over when you find out more information or consider different options.
Job 2:
Job 3:
HING EMPLO Y RC
S ER
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How to get started
NAME Luke Milton DEGREE MEng computer science EMPLOYER Google, PwC, EY I found a job opportunity that actually interested me and, as a result, preparing for and learning about it was genuinely exciting. I researched the company, the ethics and their plans for the future, and tried to develop an understanding of how they framed their business and what their most important assets were. This was far more research than I had ever done for previous failed job applications and it definitely paid off. My advice to anyone would be to do loads of research on an area or business you think you might be interested in. Go to as many networking events as you can, especially for businesses you’ve never heard of – you’ll be surprised how a single conversation with someone can change your view on an entire industry! If you’ve found an area or company you’re planning on applying to, a great way to stay on top of current events and manage those dreaded commercial awareness questions is to set up Google alerts for news stories containing any related keywords. You won’t have time to read them all in depth, but just skimming them every day makes you aware of any current issues or challenges that are affecting the market.
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O KEEP IN MI ST
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How to get started
what went well and what went wrong, so you can correct any mistakes. Practice interviews at the Careers Service are a great way to do this without the pressure of an actual job on the line.
NAME Amy Grisdale DEGREE MEng aeronautical engineering, 2013 JOB Customer operations graduate EMPLOYER Centrica When I first started applications I found the process quite daunting but I discovered there were a few tactics that helped make the process a little easier.
Get feedback Feedback is so helpful throughout the whole process, whether from recruiters, careers staff or university lecturers, so use it to your advantage. Remember that even if you are unsuccessful in a job interview, you can often request feedback on
What to do when you just can’t decide! Then it is time to consider the pros, cons and any implications a potential decision might have. Also it’s important to be aware of anyone else influencing your decision making, in a positive or negative way, to ensure your choices are about fulfilling what is important to you, not someone else.
Plus
Score
Stick to: S (Situation) T (Task) A (Action) R (Result) I found this structuring tool really useful, especially when applications had restricted word counts or when I was nervous in interviews – it stopped me from waffling! By using STAR you can get your point across in a really clear and concise way that a recruiter can follow and understand. Also, you’ll never miss out any important information so long as you stick to STAR.
Use the Careers Service However, my main piece of advice for any student is to make the most of the Careers Service; it only takes five minutes to pop in and find out what they have to offer you.
Use the table here to help: 1. Underneath ‘Plus’, write down all the positive results of taking the action. 2. Underneath ‘Minus’, write down all the negative effects. 3. In the ‘Interesting’ column write down the implications and possible outcomes of taking the action, whether positive, negative, or uncertain.
Minus
Score
Once you’ve done this it may be obvious whether or not the decision is a good idea. If it’s not clear, consider each of the points you have written down and assign a positive or negative score to it appropriately. The scores you assign may be quite subjective, based on your feelings rather than fact; this is valid and can help you come to a conclusion. Once you have done this, add up the score. A strongly positive score shows that an action should be taken; a strongly negative score that it should be avoided.
Interesting
Score
Totals
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EC
AREERS SER E VIC
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How to get started
NAME Alexander McNeill DEGREE MEng electrical engineering with management, 2011 JOB Management consultant EMPLOYER PwC After graduating from the University of Bristol in July 2011, I joined PwC as a management consultant. At Bristol I worked hard to be very proactive when it came to planning my career.
Decide your next steps and take action How are you going to put yourself in the best position to land that graduate job? One way is to develop a plan; those who are successful know clearly what they want to achieve, believe they can make it happen, and create a plan so they know how they are going to achieve it and when. Follow these steps to success: Step 1: assess your current skills, by asking yourself the following questions: • What are you good at? Recognise and record your skills to help you when preparing to apply for roles. • What would you like to do better? Consider what you really admire in other people that you’d like to be admired for yourself. • Do you need any additional skills or experience to gain entry into your chosen area of work? Consider how you match the skills listed in the job description.
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I used the Careers Service throughout my university studies to help me explore the career options that were available to me and to get invaluable guidance on how to apply for jobs. I attended several workshops, looked around multiple recruitment fairs and sought the advice of the Careers Service staff on many occasions. During my third year at university, I was awarded the Bristol PLUS Outstanding Award, which recognises the effort many students make to improve their employability skills. This acted as another arrow to my quiver when it came to presenting myself to a prospective employer.
Step 2: decide on your overarching goal for the future, remembering to: • consider what drives or motivates your goal • be honest with yourself about your capabilities • define smaller milestones along the way • be honest about the levels of personal investment you are prepared and able to make. Step 3: develop an action plan to get there, focusing on: • breaking the goal down into small achievable steps • making your actions simple, clear and easy to understand • ensuring your actions are realistic and within your ability/control to achieve • gathering any support from others or resources you might need • defining what success will look like when you’ve achieved your goal
• considering what might stop you from achieving your goal. Remember, an action plan is all well and good in principle, but it will only be as useful as the amount of effort and dedication you put into it.
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How to get started
Now you might have some goals, desires, or aspirations in mind, but often they can start out a bit vague. Creating a plan provides you with a structure and gives
you a map that will move you from contemplating your goal to achieving it. Use the following template to action plan your next steps:
My overall goal is:
To be achieved by: _______________________ What are the actions I need to take to achieve this?
Tasks/actions involved
Resources/people who can help
Timescale
1.
2.
3.
4.
5... and so on
Are there any obstacles to achieving your goal? YES/NO If yes, how will you overcome these? What will success look like?
Reflection: How did it go? What would I do differently next time?
Remember: career planning is ongoing and changing, so you need to keep reviewing and updating your goal and action plan by reflecting on what you have achieved and what you would do differently next time.
Do you have the skills employers are looking for? Having considered the skills you have and where you need to develop you might be concerned that you don’t have the right
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skills. Maybe you’ve not had work experience in the sector you are interested in or your degree is in an unrelated discipline. Don’t panic. You might be surprised to discover that for a number of graduate and entry-level positions, recruiters are more interested in identifying potential. Yes, it’s true that some jobs require specialist knowledge; however, at this stage in your career, transferable skills
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(the skills you develop in one area that can be transferred to another context) can play a big part in how employable you are. The key is to work out how to get them and make them sound relevant to the job you’re applying for. On the opposite page are some key skills that the majority of employers are looking for and ways to develop your experience and build on existing skills to fill any gaps you identified earlier.
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How to get started
Skill
How to develop it
How to demonstrate it
Effective communication
• Writing essays, dissertation or project reports • Contributing articles to Epigram or other student publications • Developing publicity material for a student society • Writing a blog and experience using other social media platforms • Having a slot on Burst radio
Discuss times when you have explained complex ideas with clarity. Illustrate your understanding of the audience you are communicating with and how that altered your style.
Confident presentation
• Joining student societies such as debating societies, drama groups or even the magic society. • Presenting projects as part of your course.
If you are involved in this type of activity think about how you changed your style to suit different audiences or talk about public speaking under pressure and overcoming nerves. Oral communication is also about pace, tone and expression. Take these into account in practical activities.
Teamwork
• Group work as part of your degree • Member of a sports team • Event organiser or committee member for a student society • Work experience that involves working effectively with others to achieve results
This is an opportunity for you to talk about how you are able to recognise and understand the viewpoints of others, appreciate the contribution made by all and have built strong interpersonal skills.
Problem solving
• Work experience that requires providing good customer service, being friendly and approachable and solving customer problems effectively • Overcoming obstacles to achieve a personal goal • Creative solutions to complex problems as part of your degree
Think about times when you have identified areas where things aren’t working or could be done better and suggested a solution. Always considering all the implications of any proposed solution such as cost and impact on others.
Planning and organising
• Managing your own workload, work experience and extra curricular activities throughout your course • Organising sports, social or charity events • Travelling in vacations or on a gap year
Good organisational skills are about demonstrating excellent time management, understanding how to effectively prioritise tasks and using techniques such as to-do lists to keep you on track.
Leadership skills
• Liaising with academics as a course representative, suggesting changes to curriculum for students • Being the president or member of the management team of a student society • Captain of a sports team • Volunteering activity where you’re required to delegate tasks to others
Consider here what attributes make a good leader and where you have demonstrated those qualities. For example an effective leader will adapt to new surroundings and situations, doing his/her best to adjust. They will also actively listen to others, asking many questions and consider all options.
Tip... Consider any specific skills that the role you are interested in has highlighted and how you might go about developing those skills. Remember that skills can be gained in all areas of your life, including during your degree, work experience, extracurricular projects or volunteering.
bristol.ac.uk/careers
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How to get started
MEETING EMPLOYERS
A diverse range of employers deliver a variety of events and activities on campus – there’s something to suit everyone.
E
mployer events provide you with a chance to discover potential companies to work for and to gain an insight into various industries. Employers come to Bristol to promote their company to you and to recruit the best talent for their business. Meeting employers is a great way to learn about real working life at a particular company and provides you with inside tips that stand out on an application.
Types of employer events
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Type of event
What does the event involve?
Good for...
Careers fairs
Large recruitment trade show with multiple employers.
... talking to multiple companies by attending one event.
Employer presentations
Formats range from formal presentations, interactive workshops and case studies.
... detailed organisation and recruitment information.
Promotional events
Casual events to raise a company’s profile among students.
... exploring your options by gaining a broad overview in a relaxed setting.
Employer-led skills sessions
Workshops based around an employability skill valuable for all types of professions – not recruitment focused.
... gaining an employer’s perspective on professional skills. There is usually an opportunity to talk about recruitment after the session.
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How to get started
How to make the most of employer events Five top tips! 1. Do some research Before the event, have a look at company websites to see what positions are available. The sector an employer is from doesn’t necessarily dictate the roles they are recruiting for – you may be surprised by the opportunities on offer. Many employers look for students from a range of disciplines and different backgrounds, not just those related to the business area. If you like what you find, dig a little deeper! See if the company you’re interested in has a social media platform or has been in the news recently. Use this information to come up with some good questions you can ask at the event. 2. Ask some good questions Questions that show your knowledge of the company and commercial awareness will make you stand out. Try to target the right question to the appropriate person: queries about what it’s like to be on the training scheme should go to the recent
Event
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graduate; questions about progressing in the industry go to the senior person; and questions about the application process should go to the HR representative. 3. Ask for contact details If an employer has spent some time with you at an event and you developed a good rapport, you could ask for their contact details. This is useful if you think you might have further questions or if you think you might like to work there in the future. You should follow up with an email or telephone call within two days of the event and always thank them for their time and help. When writing applications, mentioning their name and what you learnt from talking to them can be a good opener. Remember, you may want to use professional contacts later on in your career, so it’s a good idea to stay in touch and keep their details somewhere safe. 4. Dress neatly and be enthusiastic A positive attitude and good manners go a long way. You don’t necessarily need to wear a suit but looking tidy and professional will leave a good first impression. The people present at events
Research required
may read your application or be your interviewer one day. They will not forget a strong candidate. 5. Have fun! Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Employer events are also there to help you work out if a certain career or job is the right choice for you. You may rule some industries out or discover an option you had not previously considered. It is worth having some discussions with employers to gain these insights and practise your networking skills with professionals who could be your future colleagues one day.
Stuck for a question to ask? Try these... In your opinion, what do you think makes you different from your competitors? Can you describe a typical day in your role? If I was to work for you, what would be expected of me in the first six months?
Questions to ask
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How to get started
The Bristol PLUS Award The Bristol PLUS Award recognises and rewards University of Bristol students who have gained significant professional and life skills through work experience, volunteering and other activities outside of their studies.
A
degree alone is no longer enough and the reality is that students need to demonstrate a variety of skills and experience on top of their university degree in order to remain competitive. The Bristol PLUS Award provides a framework for you to develop professional skills through activities outside of your degree, all of which will help you to stand out from the crowd when applying for graduate roles and internships. The Bristol PLUS Award is designed to help you: • enhance your CV and stand out from the crowd • develop a variety of employability skills • articulate your skills to employers and be prepared for the interview process. The Award is endorsed by many leading graduate recruiters including Zurich, Airbus, EY, Cancer Research, Burges Salmon, the NHS and Unilever.
Award structure Bristol PLUS Award
Outstanding Award
Introduction workshop
Introduction workshop
50 hours of work experience
Online application form
4 workshops
Presentation preparation workshop
Intensive skills activity
Presentation
Reflective report
Feedback
Final review
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Students dedicate a significant part of their life to achieving their degrees, and those degrees are used as benchmarks by employers when students apply for graduate jobs. But in an age where competition for jobs is higher than it has ever been, we, as employers, are looking for that something extra: a CV that says ‘I’m an all-rounder’, that says ‘I will fit in with the culture of your organisation’.
The Bristol PLUS Award scheme has been instrumental in helping me improve my professional skills in terms of public speaking and selling my skills. Most of all, the award has allowed me to gain a better understanding of the career and profession I want to pursue and how to achieve that goal.
Zurich
2015 Bristol PLUS Award student
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bristol.ac.uk/careers
How to get started
Outstanding Award The Outstanding Award is open to students who have completed the Bristol PLUS Award and been involved with additional activities that have allowed them to demonstrate a high level of employability skills. The award process involves planning and delivering a presentation, during which you must articulate the following skills: • • • • •
Leadership and teamwork Problem solving Management of resources Commercial awareness Knowledge of sustainability/ corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The presentation is designed to prepare you for the type of presentation you may be required to give as part of the selection and recruitment process, and the feedback given is intended to help you improve in this area. For further information about the Bristol PLUS Award and Outstanding Award, including how to register, visit our website.
The most valuable aspect of the Outstanding Award was being given constructive feedback directly after the presentation itself. It was very helpful to identify the skills I had achieved and this will definitely help me at interviews. Outstanding Award student
The experiences I have had while attaining the award have massively improved my confidence, commercial awareness and knowledge of the skills required in the workplace, and have enhanced my CV in their own right. I hope to continue to develop skills that enhance my employability by pursuing the Bristol Outstanding Award. 2015 Bristol PLUS Award student
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How to get started
JOB-HUNTING MADE EASY
Everything you need to know to take the strain out of finding a job.
J
ob-hunting may seem scary, but it’s not that bad once you make it more manageable by breaking it down into a few simple steps.
When do I need to apply? It depends on what you’re looking for. Job vacancies for new graduates mostly turn up at one of three times: • The high-profile period is September– December. Lots of employers advertise and a number visit the campus for fairs, presentations and interviews. Employers in engineering, finance, law, IT and the Civil Service start recruiting early in the academic year. • After graduation, from June through the summer, is the time for a series of national recruitment fairs. At this time vacancy publications are thick with advertisements. • Lastly, a lot of recruitment is on an ad hoc basis, throughout the year. A number of employers look for graduates as and when they need them.
Creative job search and networking You might need to be more creative to find vacancies in your field. Creativity means being aware of and tapping into the hidden job market. Often small employers without lots of advertising funds or very popular employers can’t or won’t need to advertise. This means it’s a good idea to: research the companies you are interested in get in touch for more information about the company; how they prefer to receive applications; and any opportunities to get experience develop a network of contacts within your areas of interest to ensure you are noticed and remembered. The article ‘Successful applications’ on page 40 has details on how to make effective speculative applications, including how to write a winning CV and covering letter.
Networking: the art of establishing and using contacts Consider everyone you know well, including friends of friends, friends of family, previous employers, people you have contact with through clubs, teams and societies, and even your old teachers. If they are aware of your interests, they might be able to offer advice, information or even experience. They might know someone you could talk to. Establish new contacts. You could contact an organisation in search of information initially. Once you have made an initial contact, you might be in a position to ask for work shadowing or experience. At this stage, you should be seeking to raise your profile and build contacts within the organisation, rather than directly asking them for a job. Focus on getting the information to help you get a job and/or being in the right place at the right time, ie when opportunities arise. For more information visit the Careers Service website and also see the article ‘Get connected’ on page 30 for advice on using social media to develop your career network.
What could I do? Graduate schemes Many ‘graduate jobs’ are advertised by large organisations that place graduates into a structured training scheme in order to sustain graduate-level roles. Typical jobs include: law, accountancy, investment banking, human resources, engineering and roles involving a fasttrack route to management. Graduate roles exist within small and medium-sized companies as well, but they may not have the same high-profile presence or offer the same kind of structured programme of work. See ‘Creative job search and networking’ on the right to find out how to reach these companies.
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Equal opportunities Information, help and support is available from many sources, including the following websites: TARGETjobs offers a good round-up of all things to do with equality and diversity specifically targeted to students: targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/equalityand-diversity
Disability The Government disability website is a good starting point: gov.uk/browse/disabilities Disability Rights UK is a well known organisation supporting independent living, equality throughout society and mobilising disabled people's rights: disabilityrightsuk.org
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UseMyAbility is a project specifically targeting Universities and students with practical advice to help students develop their employability skills: usemyability.com/index.php?p=1
LGBT Starting out – LGBT careers guide is a well known website: startingoutguide.org.uk Out at work – LGBT business guide with useful news and events: outatwork.co.uk
Criminal records Unlock is a charity providing information, advice and training surrounding ongoing criminal convictions – unlock.org.uk ACAS is a useful website bringing together all kinds of issues, situations and problems that may arise in a workplace. The index page lists the various areas of information: acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1390
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How to get started
Something different Some graduates don’t actually want to go into things like investment banking, law or accountancy. Visit the Careers Service website to explore options in different sectors and to find out what jobs graduates from different degrees have gone into. Charities, central and local government, the education, health and social care sectors all employ graduates. Small and medium-sized firms will also seek to employ graduates, but may use different recruitment methods. Each year, the Careers Service runs events on work areas, where students can
listen to speakers from different fields, ask questions and make contacts. Unlike the high-profile companies, many employers don’t advertise directly with the Careers Service. Make use of the table (below), ‘Where to find jobs’, to find alternative avenues.
How do I look for vacancies? Use the table below to review where you can search for jobs. Don’t just focus on one source. Use a range, sign up for email alerts if offered by your favourite websites and target the websites of companies that really interest you. The Careers Service
Where to find jobs Whether it’s a graduate job you’re looking for or a part-time job to go alongside your studies, there are many places you can look.
General
Employers
Remember, it’s not always about advertised vacancies either – sometimes you’ll have to get creative with your searching and apply speculatively.
We’re always updating mycareer with new jobs of all different kinds. Log in to have a look: careers.bristol.ac.uk/students/jobs Websites such as gumtree.com, indeed.co.uk and gov.uk/jobsearch advertise many different types of jobs but may be particularly useful for those looking for part-time work Newspaper websites such as jobs.theguardian.com and jobs.telegraph.co.uk both have appointments sections Professional bodies are a great source of information about a profession and most have jobs boards too. See the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) for an example (cipd.co.uk) and for a list of professional bodies see totalprofessions.com/profession-finder Sector specific magazines usually have jobs sections. Take a look at New Scientist, Physics World and Third Sector for examples The Guardian produces the UK 300 (targetjobs.co.uk/uk300) and the Times publishes the Top 100 (top100graduateemployers.com), which are both great sources for graduate jobs If you know the name of the employer(s) you’d like to apply to, have a look at their job pages to see if they’re advertising. If they’re not advertising, look for a contact so you can apply speculatively Many employers have contact with the university through fairs, promotional events and talks. All these employers are listed on mycareer: careers.bristol.ac.uk/students/organisations The Bristol Business Guide has a directory of employers in the local area: bristolbusinessguide.co.uk gradsouthwest.com has a directory as well as job market information and careers advice and guidance Our local paper, the Bristol Post (bristolpost.co.uk) has a jobs section and gumtree also has a section for Bristol: gumtree.com/bristol
Social media
You might not think it, but Twitter can be a great place for creative jobhunting. Try searching for an employer, job title or recruitment agency: twitter.com A number of employers have recruitment-specific careers pages alongside company information on facebook.com – IBM Careers, for example LinkedIn advertises hundreds of jobs and you can usually find company and employee information alongside vacancies: linkedin.co.uk
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Where should I work? Depending on what you want to do, you may need to show flexibility in your preferred location. For example, areas of work such as commercial law, investment banking or certain areas of the media will be largely based in London. Be realistic – if you really want to work in, say, Cornwall or the Hebrides, you may find that many areas of work will not exist in that region.
FAQs about job-hunting
Local links
Overseas opportunities
website advertises many job opportunities.
If you want to work overseas, please go to our dedicated web page and explore the links and resources provided (bris.ac.uk/careers/ be-inspired/international)
Q Is it worth asking for deferred entry? A Some large employers may allow time off before starting but it is not that common. Many employers, particularly smaller ones, don’t have the resources or flexibility to accommodate deferred entry. However, if this is something that you are interested in, autumn term presentations and careers fairs are an ideal opportunity to ask. You could also bring up the subject at a later stage in the selection process – if an employer has had a chance to become seriously interested in you, they may be prepared to be more flexible. It’s also worth noting that for many employers, taking a few months off rather than a full year may be preferable.
Q Can I wait until after I graduate? A Some people concentrate on getting their degree first. Employers have recognised this, resulting in an increase in summer recruitment. And there are plenty who recruit at any time of the year. For the autumn recruiters, you can apply in the autumn after you graduate.
Q How many applications can I make? A An obvious answer might seem ‘as many as possible’, but a few well prepared applications will get a much better response than a flood of half-thought-out ones. Engineers, for example, looking for jobs related to their degree often need to complete fewer forms than someone interested in marketing or advertising, where there are usually more applicants per job. Either way, you’ll be lucky to get away with fewer than eight or nine high-quality applications, while many applicants run well into double figures.
Further information The Careers Service website lists many job opportunities, tips for job-hunting and information on career sectors. Visit targetjobs.co.uk and prospects.ac.uk for lots more information.
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How to get started
GET CONNECTED!
Use social media to help you in your job search.
Blogs Set up your own blog or website to demonstrate your communication, creative skills and initiative. If used well, this helps you to stand out from the competition and showcase your talents. Websites such as wordpress.org provide the basic tools to develop a personal blog, which allows you to receive feedback from other users. You can also follow other blogs that relate to the career you are interested in and if you post comments on what you read, you can continue to build your public profile.
E
mployers are now using social media in their search for good candidates. Give yourself an advantage in your job search by using social networking to enhance your public profile and demonstrate that you are proactive and motivated. Use social media to help build your network of contacts, research employers and information, and learn about or create new opportunities.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a professional social networking community with members in over 200 countries and territories. As an individual you can create your own professional profile and many companies have a company page. How you can use LinkedIn for careers research: • View profiles of people working in your area of interest to see their career path. • Make connections to ask questions and find opportunities. • Join relevant groups to ask questions or join in discussions. • Follow companies to keep updated about their news, improve your commercial awareness and find contacts.
Facebook As well as using this for social purposes, take a look at employer Facebook pages that interest you. Many graduate recruiters have Facebook pages to provide updates on their business, publicise their recruitment activities or enable potential candidates to chat to recent recruits. Build your network of careers contacts by looking through your list of ‘friends’ and see if they, or any of their friends, are working in sectors or jobs that interest you. Send a message with a quick, informal question – perhaps about how they got their job. Most people will be flattered that you’re interested.
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Twitter Twitter can be a good way to connect with employers that you are interested in, to find out their views, learn about opportunities as they arise, or create new ones. Follow relevant professionals, read their online conversations and start to participate in these. You can use Twitter’s job search site or online ‘Twellow’ directory to identify employers or professionals who interest you, or follow @TwitJobSearch for specific jobs. Follow the relevant Guardian Twitter feed: jobs.guardian.co.uk/twitterfeeds for a tailored job search in a specific sector.
Be vigilant! When using social networking, think carefully about who can access your data and ensure that you use your privacy settings effectively to manage your online reputation. Increasingly, employers use social media to review the online presence of prospective candidates, so if you don’t want them to see all of your social activities on Facebook, make sure that you control access so that they can only view your professional profile.
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Connect with Careers Facebook: facebook.com/UoBristol.Careers.Service Twitter: @uobcareers Blog: universityofbristolcareers.blogs.ilrt.org LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/ university-of-bristol
bristol.ac.uk/careers
How to get started
ADVICE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
International students have access to the same services as UK and EU students, but there are some extra areas of advice and support that you might need.
Working in the UK Term-time work Use the Careers Service for help finding term-time work. If a potential employer is not aware of your right to work while studying, you can refer them to the following websites for useful advice: www.bristol.ac.uk/careers/ international/uk-job-market and www.ukcisa.org.uk/international-students/ study-work--more/working-during-yourstudies. You will also need to apply for a National Insurance number once you have started working. Work and voluntary experience Both are really useful for enhancing your CV and job applications, and they can also be used towards completing the Bristol PLUS Award (bristol.ac.uk/careers/ plusaward). They help you achieve a greater understanding of UK culture, job roles, industries, companies and sectors, as well as developing your own transferable skills. Come into the Careers Service and talk about the different options. Graduate jobs and visa issues The Careers Service offers help to all students wishing to apply for graduate jobs through workshops, talks and employer events. However, some UK employers will only accept applications from people who do not require permission to work in the UK. Understanding the guidelines related to the different tiers of the points-based system run by the UK Government is essential when looking at possible careers in the UK. Knowledge of the visa processes will allow you to evaluate realistically whether an employer will be able to successfully sponsor an application for permission to work on your behalf and also help you to explain the process to them if they haven’t experienced it before.
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The Careers Service cannot offer advice on visa/immigration issues. If you require further clarification, please refer to the ‘International toolkit’ on this page and visit the International Office.
International toolkit Research sectors and companies
Working overseas Most international students return to their home country to work. A high degree of planning and research is necessary when applying for jobs or work experience from such a distance. Networking Having graduated from a UK institution, you are immediately part of a global community of UK alumni. This provides you with the opportunity to meet not just future friends but also contacts in different industries. Useful contacts include: • global community of UK alumni – British Council britishcouncil.org • University of Bristol alumni community bristol.ac.uk/alumni. Join the Bristol alumni group on LinkedIn too. Networking doesn’t just focus on contacting alumni groups; it also involves remaining in regular communication with your friends, family and previous employers for information on any possible opportunities that may interest you.
www.bristol.ac.uk/careers/beinspired/careers-sectors www.bris.ac.uk/careers/ be-inspired/international www.britishchambers.org.uk/business/ international-trade www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ uk-trade-investment www.onlinenewspapers.com
English language skills Continuing to develop and improve your English language proficiency is essential for finding work in the UK and overseas. At the Careers Service we offer feedback on application documents but do not offer a proofreading service. For extra English help, access the support at the Centre for English Language and Foundation Studies (www.bristol.ac.uk/englishlanguage/study/current-students).
Useful links for immigration information www.ukcisa.org.uk www.bristol.ac.uk/international-office www.bristol.ac.uk/careers/international/ uk-job-market www.jcwi.org.uk
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Explore all your options
EXPLORE ALL YOUR OPTIONS DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT
M
any Bristol graduates take time out before full-time employment for various reasons, including:
• to travel • to live abroad and maybe learn a language • to put something back into society, perhaps through voluntary work • to build up the unpaid work experience needed to break into some careers • for a rest from exams and deadlines • to give them time to work out what they want to do long term. Depending on your situation, time out can be invaluable; however, it’s important that it enhances your CV. Here are some options for you to consider:
Work experience (paid or unpaid) Maybe you missed out on the recruitment rounds this year or you need to develop experience for your preferred area of work, or perhaps you want to raise funds to travel. It’s also common for graduates to work while deciding what they want to do. There are lots of opportunities, which range from voluntary or paid work experience to temping or permanent roles. Internships can be a great way to gain experience while getting paid and many employers recruit graduate interns. For more information and to view current vacancies, see the UoB Careers Service Internships webpage.
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Other options include paid placements between 12 and 36 months for graduates with the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP). These placements cover subject areas from science and engineering to social sciences. For more information on these opportunities refer to www.ktponline.org.uk.
Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) A popular but often short-term option to use and develop language skills in other countries while experiencing the culture and travelling. Opportunities exist in a wide range of destinations. A TEFL qualification is commonly required before you go, although some opportunities exist without this. More structured opportunities such as JET (Teaching English in Japan) or the British Council scheme are also available, but these are often more competitive to get onto. For more information, see: • www.jetprogramme.org • Careers Service Teaching and Education webpage • Prospects website
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Self-employment Some students choose to start their own businesses either on a short-term basis or as a long-term venture. The information on job-hunting shows the resources available to help you if this is what you want to do. Information on career planning and networking in this guide may also be of interest along with the ‘Student Enterprise’ box on page 18.
Travel and working abroad Travel, whether alone or in a group, will equip you with lots of skills to present to employers. If you want to travel abroad but experience work and earn money at the same time, there are a number of options including fruit picking, bar work, temping, ski instructing, working as an au pair and so on. If you are planning to work, you will need to contact the embassy of the countries you plan to visit to check their visa requirements. Some countries do offer working holiday visas.
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Organised schemes may involve work and travel (for example, a conservation expedition). You need to be clear about the costs to you and what they cover, where the money goes and what support will be offered by the company – including fundraising support, living conditions and support in the working environment. Also, try to speak to people who have been there to get their feedback and advice. For more information, see: • www.gapyear.com • www.lonelyplanet.com • www.statravel.co.uk • www.trailfinders.com • www.hostels.com • www.roughguides.com • www.bunac.org.uk • www.fco.gov.uk (Foreign and Commonwealth Travel Advice) • graduatejobsineurope.com Volunteering – UK or abroad People choose to volunteer for many reasons – personal satisfaction, giving something back, developing experience to use in their chosen profession, learning more about an organisation or combining a structured activity with travel abroad. Employers value voluntary work because it represents a commitment to something, as well as allowing participants to develop important skills such as communication, teamworking and the ability to build relationships/rapport with others. Some opportunities provide funds or benefits, eg accommodation, which may help volunteers to sustain themselves. For more information, see: • www.volunteerbristol.org.uk – for local opportunities • www.do-it.org.uk (national volunteer bureau) – good for finding local opportunities • www.vso.org.uk (Voluntary Service Overseas) – particularly good for lowcost projects and they have a Global Xchange (GX) programme for 18–22 year olds • www.volunteering.org.uk (National Centre for Volunteering) • www.wwv.org.uk – volunteering opportunities in the UK and worldwide • www.csv.org.uk – UK volunteering and social action charity • www.charity-commission.gov.uk (database of charities and their work).
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BEIN G
Explore all your options
OACTIVE PR researched many careers extensively and changed my mind numerous times before deciding I wanted to work in business management within a large corporate firm. Although I will be starting a graduate scheme two years after graduating, I do not regret applying NAME Lydia Murphy later as I used my time efficiently to make sure it DEGREE BSc economics and management, was the correct path for me. 2012 JOB Business management graduate scheme My gap year definitely helped me to secure EMPLOYER BT my place on the BT graduate scheme and gave Deciding what you want to do after university is a me plenty of things to talk about during interviews. It helped me focus on applying only confusing, stressful and time-consuming process with the tendency for many students to to the firms I really wanted, which meant I had the time to tailor each application to the company panic and apply to as many graduate schemes and job role specifically. That way, I could make as possible without researching the job role or sure I was applying to the correct scheme for me the company in detail. I had no idea what I wanted to do after graduation so I decided to take at a company that suited my career ambitions. a gap year to gain some work experience and decide what it was I wanted from a job. I
Timing and deferred entry There will come a point when you want to get a permanent job. A few lucky people will have deferred offers waiting for them but most won’t. Timing your return to the job market is crucial. Some of the highestprofile employers concentrate on autumn term recruitment, with closing dates as early as November. Miss this period, and you may be forced into another year out! So find out as much as possible about the recruitment cycle while you still have easy access to the Careers Service.
What do employers think? Selectors’ views on taking a year out vary according to economic climate, company culture and the individual bias of your interviewer. In practice it’s rarely a problem, particularly as people often feel they have developed considerably as individuals. It’s up to you to sell the benefits.
Rewards and risks of taking time out Rewards The satisfaction of doing something you find worthwhile and fulfilling before starting work. Developing new skills such as time management, languages and flexibility, as well as developing independence. Time out to make decisions or test out ideas and gain experience. The opportunity to earn some money. Experiencing different cultures and lifestyles.
Risks It is easy to start ‘drifting’ rather than using your time productively. This is unhelpful in the longer term and not attractive to employers. Poor planning can increase risks such as a disappointing experience and missing the following year’s recruitment dates.
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Explore all your options
INTERNSHIPS AND WORK EXPERIENCE
Employers want evidence of work-related skills that can only be gained through experience.
W
ork experience is anything that gives you practical experience of a workplace. It could be anything ranging from workshadowing at a small company to an internship at a large employer or volunteering at a local charity. The value of work experience is increasingly recognisable, but it’s also important to consider what you hope to gain from it before you start making applications.
Recruiters have confirmed that a record 37 per cent of this year’s entry-level positions are expected to be filled by graduates who have already worked for their organisations – either through paid internships, industrial placements or vacation work – and therefore are not open to other students from the ‘class of 2014’. High Fliers, The Graduate Market 2014
I gained so much confidence in myself throughout the internship and met some amazing people who I expect I will meet again later in my career. UoB Intern
The scheme makes it very easy for employers to find intelligent and driven talent able to support specific and well defined initiatives.
What are internships? Internships are work experience opportunities that allow you to gain an insight into graduate-level jobs either with large graduate recruiters or smaller organisations and charities. Internships should involve significant work, and may include a project. Some placements are called internships but these may be longer, up to one year, and can sometimes form part of a year in industry. Internships or placements are generally advertised in the autumn term through mycareer, however you will find opportunities all year round. You can often find your own internship through speculative applications. The Careers Service runs a number of events in the autumn term to help you find out more about internships, including meeting employers and help with the application process. The UoB Internship Scheme provides students and recent graduates with opportunities to undertake high-quality, paid internships in small and medium-sized organisations (SMEs). Internships previously part of the scheme have included marketing and events management roles, IT development internships and fundraising positions. Participating organisations have ranged from publishers, research consultancies, local and national charities, and financial organisations to social enterprises. UoB internships are advertised on mycareer throughout the year. Students and graduates can also get involved by sourcing an internship themselves and applying for funding.
Factors to consider Money: a three-month paid internship at a large recruiter in the summer may be more financially attractive than a volunteering opportunity at a charity. Where to look: depending on the industry and location, you may have to make speculative applications to secure the role you want. Length: work-shadowing may be for up to a week or two, whereas an internship can last for three months or longer. Location: whether you want to do something in Bristol, or find something during the vacations in your home town, or go abroad. Type of experience: do you want to experience working in more than one company in the same sector, or experience as many different organisations as you can? Skills development: you may be looking to enhance skills such as teamwork or communication, or learn more about a particular application your chosen sector favours. If you’re not sure what work experience you’re looking for, start talking to as many people as you can: friends, family, the Careers Service, tutors and employers.
UoB Internship Scheme employer
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bristol.ac.uk/careers
Explore all your options
Bristol has a thriving SME population, with a significant number of professional services and third-sector businesses, and strengths in the creative and digital industries and high-tech sector.
Benefits of work experience Career planning: trying something out can be a great way of finding out if a job or sector is for you. Workplace understanding: working environments can differ substantially depending on the sector and business size, and it’s important to appreciate the differences. Network creation: you have the opportunity to find out more about a particular industry and the people who work within it. Future employment: more and more organisations are choosing to offer permanent roles to students who have worked for them previously. Developing skills: employers look for and can help you develop skills such as teamwork, problem solving and communication.
Working in an SME An SME is any business that employs up to 250 people. The majority of UKregistered private sector businesses are SMEs and there’s great variety in the category, from micro-businesses that employ a handful of people to larger, medium-sized organisations with a workforce in the hundreds. Working in a smaller organisation provides a different type of experience from that gained in a large enterprise. Students and graduates who choose to work in an SME, either during their degree or after graduation, often enjoy gaining varied experience and
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responsibility very quickly, working alongside senior members of staff (sometimes including the business founders or CEO), developing an understanding of the ways in which businesses grow and develop, and working in a fast-paced environment.
Volunteering The Students’ Union advertises opportunities to students wanting to volunteer with local charities and get involved with community projects. It holds a Volunteering Fair at the beginning of the autumn term and supports students with training and DBS checks.
I think that small, start-up or charitable businesses have a lot to offer an intern, and it is great to have these doors opened by the scheme and be able to do paid work. UoB Intern
The UoB Internship Scheme is a simple but excellent idea. It’s easy to sign up to and it provided us with a fantastic candidate who made a real contribution to our team during the 10 weeks they were here. UoB Internship Scheme employer
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Explore all your options
FURTHER STUDY
If you want to gain an advantage in the workplace or pursue an academic career, postgraduate study could be your next step.
T
here are many different reasons why you may consider taking a further degree.
You are planning to change career path
If you have graduated in one discipline but wish to convert to another, there are some postgraduate courses that facilitate this. For example, the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), also referred to as the Common Professional Examination (CPE), enables non-law graduates to transfer to this discipline.
You want to study further to set you apart from other graduates
However, some employers may prefer relevant experience, gained either within or after your degree. You need to be clear on this. In some areas of science, for example, there may be a ceiling to your progression without further qualifications.
You are contemplating working within academia or research
Without further qualifications, this option would not be open to you. You need to consider your areas of interest carefully and get advice from academic staff.
You need a particular qualification for your chosen career
For many areas of work, such as law, social work and teaching, a postgraduate qualification may be a prerequisite for entry. However, explore whether there are also opportunities to gain the relevant qualifications while in the workplace instead of through full-time study.
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You want to improve on your first degree classification
Be aware that some employers will take a postgraduate qualification into consideration, and others will still consider your undergraduate performance.
You really enjoy your subject
This is a common reason and perfectly acceptable, although it is a good idea to consider your longer-term plans, including what skills your qualification will provide.
You want more time to consider what you want to do
If you do this, you should be prepared to spend lots of time looking into the opportunities available and testing them out. It could be that at the end of another year you have still not decided. You need to be able to clearly explain your choice to study further to prospective employers.
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Explore all your options
Planning for postgraduate study PENULTIMATE YEAR Research your options: find out where you could study, funding options, what previous graduates have done subsequently and whether the course is a requirement for your chosen career. Still not sure about the difference between an MA and an MRes or a PhD and an EdD? Our pages on types of postgraduate study will hopefully help you: www.bris.ac.uk/careers/be-inspired/further-study/types Give some thought to: location, academic reputation, facilities, your own employability, potential supervisors and possible links to industry. Check application dates. If planning to study in the US, you need to apply this year. FINAL YEAR – AUTUMN TERM Apply for: teaching, graduate-entry medicine and law conversion courses. PhD – identify your area of research and make contact with potential supervisors. Some popular masters courses will take applications this term and these courses can fill their places up fast. FINAL YEAR – SPRING TERM Spend time preparing your application and submit it before any course or funding deadlines. Sort out finances and apply for funding: www.bris.ac.uk/careers/be-inspired/further-study/funding Submit a formal application for a PhD.
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Explore all your options
Where to get funding
Further information bristol.ac.uk/careers/ be-inspired/further-study – for information about applying, funding and writing personal statements. targetpostgrad.com – search for taught and research-based courses by subject and institution. Lots of advice on how to choose the right course and improve your career prospects. www.findaphd.com – search across institutions for PhD studentships and research assistant posts. prospects.ac.uk.
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Combining different sources
Some students combine part-time work with part-time study, and use savings and family contributions to pay their fees and living costs. Another option is to investigate the Knowledge Transfer Partnership, which provides schemes combining postgrad study with jobs in industry and research/technology organisations – www.ktponline.org.uk.
Research council grants
Government research councils provide funds for both PhD and masters study. There are seven research councils covering different areas of study. See: www.rcuk.ac.uk.
Bursaries (university, college, department)
Some institutions give a small number of awards to cover fees and maintenance – ask your department.
Loans
Career development loans are the most common possibility for vocational courses lasting up to two years. Loan amounts of between £300 and £10,000 are available. Go to www.gov.uk for more information.
Charities and trusts
See The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding in the Careers Service and look at bristol.ac.uk/careers/be-inspired/ further-study/funding.
Employer sponsorship
In some cases further vocational study is a prerequisite for the job, for example training contracts with law firms and teacher training. However, once you have found employment, if you can convince your employer that a qualification is worthwhile, they may sponsor you to complete it.
Research assistantship or graduate teaching
These are salaried posts usually offering the opportunity to register for a higher degree. They are advertised in the educational press and on specialist websites such as www.jobs.ac.uk.
Disabled students’ allowances
Disabled students may be eligible for these awards, as well as discretionary awards from individual institutions. Prospects has more information on the postgraduate disabled students’ allowance at www.prospects.ac.uk.
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bristol.ac.uk/careers
Explore all your options
POSTGRADUATES
Whether you’ve signed up for a one-year masters or a PhD, the Careers Service can offer you ongoing advice and support.
Masters students If you are studying for a vocational qualification, your course will be tailored to enhance your knowledge and understanding of your chosen field. Networking and work experience are key to establishing contacts within this sector. For more academic courses you need to decide whether to continue with a higher research degree (eg to pursue a career in academia) or to enter the job market.
Research students Employers are increasingly recognising the high levels of transferable skills of PhD graduates. You may be searching for a postdoctoral research position to pursue a career in academia, but many PhD students also seek employment outside academia. A PhD alone is not a guarantee of higher-level entry into employment, however, and it is important that you market yourself effectively to employers by demonstrating your personal skills, qualities and work experience.
Careers in academia Academia is one of the most competitive fields of work, with only around 20 per cent of research assistants likely to find permanent academic posts (although there is some variation between disciplines). This is mainly dependent on funding opportunities, and it is therefore likely that your early career will consist of a series of short-term contracts. Academic applications should highlight your research experience, teaching experience and any administrative experience.
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Use your research skills to identify opportunities in academic departments and then target applications to ensure that you demonstrate the right skills to meet their requirements.
Marketing yourself outside academia More than 50 per cent of PhD graduates choose to leave academia following the completion of their PhD. A Vitae survey of PhD graduates who had left academia found that almost 40 per cent of those who responded were working in non-research roles, demonstrating that a wide range of employers are interested in PhD graduates. It can sometimes seem that most vacancies are advertised only for graduates with a first degree because of the employers’ stated minimum requirements. It is true that employers target undergraduates in their recruitment material, but most will welcome applications from postgraduates and some may offer slightly higher salaries or more rapid progression. It is worth highlighting here that many organisations want applications in the previous autumn term, nearly a year ahead of when the job starts. Many students decide not to apply until after they have finished their studies, but it is important to realise that you will have missed the opportunity to join many of the major employers if you wait. Make sure you are aware of the deadlines for the sectors you are interested in.
Postgraduate toolkit Careers Service www.bris.ac.uk/careers/postgraduates Bristol Doctoral College www.bristol.ac.uk/doctoral-college Vitae www.vitae.ac.uk has information on many aspects of the PhD programme, including planning, self-development, supervision, raising your profile, completing your PhD and planning your career. targetpostgrad.com Search for ‘Your Masters, what next?’ and ‘Your PhD, what next?’ at www.prospects.ac.uk Academic, or related jobs, and careers advice on www.jobs.ac.uk
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Take action
TAKE ACTION SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS
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mployer advertisements and vacancy websites will tell you the form of application to use – it is important to follow their instructions exactly. Whichever method you use, the basic principle is to sell yourself as effectively as possible in order to get to the next stage of recruitment. Be specific, relevant and concise. To do this, it is important to research the company and the role before you start, and also consider the range and relevance of all your experiences to date. Think about things that make you interesting and what will make your application stand out from others.
Application forms Many organisations design their own application forms so that they can get the information they want from candidates. Most large graduate employers have online application forms that you submit through their website. Others may provide an electronic form that can be printed and emailed back as an attachment. To find out information about you and how your experiences fulfil their requirements, employers usually take one of two approaches.
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Top tips for application forms
1. Applications will present candidates with specific questions that must be answered within a word limit of, say, 200 words. For example: • ‘Give an example of a complex problem you have encountered. How did you resolve it?’ • ‘Describe a difficult or challenging project you have undertaken. Explain what you did, why you did it and the outcome.’ 2. Some employers, particularly in the public sector, provide a person specification and detailed job description. On the application form there is a large open space, often referred to as ‘additional information’, in which you need to write a statement about your suitability, meeting all the requirements listed on the person specification.
1) Before you answer, consider why employers ask certain questions, to make sure that you answer each question appropriately. 2) Download a copy of the form and type your answers into a document so that when you’re happy with them they can be pasted into the online application form. Don’t forget to save a copy of the final application form for yourself. 3) Stick to the word count provided and if there isn’t one, be concise. 4) Break complex question down into parts, highlighting any key words. 5) Try to use different examples for each question. Use experiences from your course, any part-time work or work experience you have undertaken, as well as extracurricular activities. Be as specific as possible with your examples. 6) Check your spelling, punctuation and grammar carefully and before you submit your application form, ask somebody you trust to have a final readthrough for you.
Use the STAR acronym Key points Explain why you are applying for the post. Answer every ‘essential’ requirement from the person specification with evidence. Don’t expect them to assume anything. Try to use a range of examples but always highlight directly relevant experience. Reflect the terms they use: eg ‘My excellent communication skills are demonstrable through my...’
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Structure your answers using STAR Provide specific examples of each of the statements in your application.
Situation – briefly explain the situation. Task – briefly explain what you had to do. Action – very clearly and specifically say what you did. Result – explain the outcome (and what you learned). It is important to be able to show that you have learned from situations and can reflect positively on things that didn’t necessarily go well. Employers are looking for candidates who can be developed.
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Take action Disclosure It is completely up to you whether or not you choose to disclose a disability on your application form or covering letter. If you decide to do so, you will need to ensure it is done in a positive way. Focus on your achievements and draw attention to your skills. Once you have been offered an interview, you will need to notify the employer about your disability if they are to make reasonable adjustments for you. This may include, for example, extra time for assessment exercises or ensuring appropriate access to buildings and facilities. The Employment Service’s ‘two ticks’ (disability symbol) employers guarantee an interview to candidates with a disability, providing they meet the minimum criteria for a post. Symbol users display the symbol on all job advertisements and application forms. For more information on equal opportunities, see page 28.
Covering letters Whilst your CV provides the facts, a good covering letter allows you to target your application and provide the recruiter with a compelling reason to consider you. Without this, the employer has to review your CV and think for themselves why you may make a good candidate. A strong letter needs to include the following elements: • who you are and why you are writing • what you want • what you can offer and why they should consider you • why you want to work for them. Take a look at our sample covering letters, which clearly state the job being applied for and the reasons why the application has been made. They also highlights those parts of the CV that are particularly relevant to the work, stressing the skills involved and therefore emphasising your suitability for the job role. The letter needs to fit on one side of A4. A covering email can also be used, where the body of the letter forms the text of the email (minus the postal address), with a CV attached to your email.
Example covering letter applying for a student industrial placement
Speculative applications In some fields up to three quarters of jobs go unadvertised. Applying ‘speculatively’ means sending a CV and covering letter to an employer asking whether they can offer jobs or work experience. Some things to consider: • Identify what type of work or organisation you want to apply for. • Research which organisations exist that offer the work you are looking for. • Tailor your approach – find a named contact in the company to send your application to and tailor your application to that organisation. • Follow up your speculative application with a phone call a few days afterwards and stay in touch. Your covering letter should offer a range of options, so if no vacancies are available you can at least establish personal contact and stay in touch. Think about asking for: • temporary or part-time vacancies • work experience • work shadowing • a brief visit/half-hour chat • an opportunity to meet a recent graduate.
53 Oakfield Road Clifton Bristol BS8 1PS
4 January 2015 Mrs P Maynard Placement Officer GlaxoSmithKline Research and Devel opment New Frontiers Science Park Harlow CM19 5AW Dear Mrs Maynard I would like to apply for the Year in Industry placement with Glaxo SmithKline that is being advertised through the Anatomical Science Department at the Unive rsity of Bristol. I am currently studying for a BSc in neuroscience at the university. My course develops an understanding of neuroscience throug h studying anatomy, physiology, psych ology, pharmacology and endocrinology, among other subjec ts. In particular, I have enjoyed learnin g about how these subjects interlink and how individuals respond differently to stress and diseas e. As part of my course, I have studied the module on genetics, which developed my interest in genetic influences. For this reason, I am interested in the placement in Genetics and Toxico logy within the Research and Development Department of GlaxoSmithKline. My course has involved working both independently and also with group members on a range of practical experi ments and research assignments, often working under pressure to meet strict deadlines. I enjoy researching information, conducting experiments, and analys ing and reporting on findings, therefo re I feel that the placement will be an extremely interesting oppor tunity for me as it incorporates all of these elements. I am keen to undertake the placem ent at GlaxoSmithKline as I would like to learn more about the company and to enjoy the privile ge of working in a world-class resea rch laboratory, alongside an experienced team of scientists on this important area of research. At this stage, I am hoping to base my final-year project in the area of individual response to stress and disease, therefore the placement will provide me with an excellent insight into how inherited genes influence individuals and how they respond to treatment. In addition to my studies, I have also gained work experience in a range of customer-facing environments. At university, my intere sts include team sports, particularly hockey, and I am an active member of the Photograph ic Society. All of these activities have helped to develop my communication and teamworking skills. I do hope that you will consider me a suitable candidate for the placem ent and look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely Sally Brown
bristol.ac.uk/careers
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Take action Example speculative covering letter enquiring about opportunities to gain work experience
Action words for applications Using action words to describe your activities (preferably a verb in the past tense) can give your CV and covering letter more of a dynamic feel. Some examples of words to use are:
Always send to a named person. Contact the company first to find out who to send your letter to. In your introduction, mention who you are and why you are writing.
Describe and summarise your relevant skills and experience and what makes you a good candidate.
Liaised Marketed Negotiated Organised Participated Performed Planned Presented Produced Represented Researched Reviewed Scheduled Specified Supervised Taught Utilised
Achieved Advised Analysed Arranged Budgeted Collaborated Convinced Created Delivered Devised Directed Established Facilitated Implemented Increased Initiated Investigated Launched
Focus on why you want to work for that employer and mention positive impressions that you have of their organisation. Try to make this distinctive if you can.
End on a positive note.
CVs What is a CV? Your CV is a concise factual document that is designed to demonstrate to employers exactly how you meet their criteria. Think of it as your advertisement – attractively presented, interesting, to the point and designed for a particular audience. There can be a lot of conflicting advice on how a CV should look and this highlights a basic problem – no single style of CV will please everyone. Your CV should be reviewed for each application you make because no two employers or jobs are the same and they don’t ask for exactly the same things. Whatever style you go for, the key things to ensure are that it is clearly structured, interesting, targeted and concise.
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Unless you are applying speculatively for a job or work experience, you should only ever send a CV if it has been requested in an advertisement.
How long should it be? • Your CV should not exceed two pages, unless the CV is for an academic research post that requires additional information beyond the standard content. • A few employers, usually investment banks, do specify a one-page CV.
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EXPERI EN BLE UA
CE
INVA L
Keep your request flexible so that they are more likely to be able to accommodate you.
NAME Melissa Hobson DEGREE English literature JOB Senior PR officer EMPLOYER Cancer Research UK I can’t honestly say that I’d always wanted to work in PR – even at university, I wasn’t entirely sure what PR actually entailed. One of the problems I faced was, although I had an idea that I would enjoy working in communications or the media, I didn’t fully understand what these jobs involved. To help me make a decision I applied for lots of work experience roles in different fields that I thought might interest me – such as marketing, PR, publishing and events management. I would definitely recommend trying to get as much work experience as you can while you’re studying – even if it’s not in the exact field you end up in, it will show that you’ve been proactive and will make you stand out from the crowd when applying for jobs.
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Take action
What should I put in my CV? Personal details
Employment or work experience
Name. Address. Phone number. Email (make sure your email address is professional and one that you check regularly). Nationality is optional. Don’t include: Marital status. Health. Age.
(in reverse chronological order) Include work experience, paid or unpaid, however unrelated to the job you are applying for. Expand a little – describe the duties and skills even for basic jobs. Include significant achievements and instances in which you ‘added value’ to the organisation. If appropriate, divide the section into ‘related’ and ‘other’ work experience.
Education University, degree subject, class expected or attained. College and/or school name. A levels (or equivalent) with subjects and grades. GCSEs (no need to list all subjects – just number and grades). Don’t include: Primary/prep school, university and school addresses, examining boards, minor qualifications unless they are directly relevant – include them under other skills/achievements.
Responsibilities (and achievements) Include: committee memberships, organising social events, being a student representative. Don’t just write ‘treasurer’ – describe what was involved and the skills you developed. Concentrate on your achievements at university over the last three years – don’t give too much space to school. If your formal responsibilities have been few or are non-existent, don’t have a separate section – just have an ‘Interests’ section.
Interests and achievements Don’t merely list your interests – explain your involvement and skills developed. If you play in an orchestra, that could mean ‘effective time management’ or ‘reliability’ – don't just state ‘grade 8 violin’. Emphasise the achievements from each one – if you’ve walked the Pennine Way, say so. Don’t drag up minor interests from years ago – you may be asked about them.
Other skills (and achievements) Languages (and fluency), computer skills, speech and drama, Duke of Edinburgh award, driving licence (if appropriate). When it comes to responsibilities, achievements and interests, everyone is different and these sections often merge together. Organise your information in the way that shows it off best and suits you and your experience.
Referees Always get permission from your referees first. Ideally one university and one employment. Make sure they haven’t moved house or changed their email address. Give postcodes, phone numbers and email addresses. ‘References available on request’ is fine if you lack space or haven’t finalised them yet.
Different styles of CV A traditional or chronological CV is probably the most common style of CV, and includes the information shown in the box above, usually in that order. A skills-based CV focuses on the skills developed through a range of activities. To highlight these, the information is arranged under subheadings relating to each of the main skills that an employer is asking for. This is helpful if you have lots of transferable skills but no directly relevant experience, or if you have lots of directly relevant experience that would appear repetitive if demonstrated in the traditional style of CV. Other approaches can be adopted and more examples can be seen on the Careers Service website, as well as at targetjobs.co.uk where there is a range of downloadable CV templates plus sectorspecific examples.
Jobs outside the UK Employers in other countries may have different expectations of how your CV should look. European and US models are typically shorter and carry less information on personal interests than the UK pattern. For CV and resumé advice and examples see GoinGlobal, the international work database, which is available through the ‘Resources’ section on mycareer. For country-specific advice on applications and country profiles visit prospects.ac.uk and targetjobs.co.uk.
bristol.ac.uk/careers
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Take action Examples of CVs applying to an environmental consultancy company Version 1: Skills-based CV example Profile is optional – if you use one, make it targeted and brief – don’t sound generic. Good if you are sending CV to a recruitment agency, otherwise maybe include these details in the covering letter instead.
Decide which subheadings are most appropriate to describe your experience and the skills that you want to highlight to the employer.
Provide context of where you developed the skill.
Begin next page with a new section. Additional Skills IT skills – Proficient in Microsoft Office, SPSS, Mat Lab Written and spoken Spanish (A level study plus numerous visits) Clean driving licence Qualified First Aider
• • • •
Highlight course content relevant to the role you are applying for.
Education 2011–14
The University of Bristol
BSc (Hons) Geography – predicted 2:1
tal Change and Spatial/Statistical Course covers Physical and Human Geography, Hydrology, Environmen associated with unauthorised waste Modelling. Dissertation project: Soil and water contamination disposal. 2004–11
Tunbridge Wells School, Kent A levels: GCSEs:
Geography A, Mathematics B, Physics B 9 (5 As, 4 Bs) including English and Maths
Work Experience July – Sept 2013
Greencap Environmental Sampling, Kent
of soil and water. Three-month summer placement carrying out environmental sampling test and advise on geological, Attended site visits with the Geotechnical Division to investigate, ground and structural conditions and risk factors. that companies adhere to Gained an awareness of testing, inspection and compliance to ensure health and safety issues and environmental protection guidelines.
• • •
June – Sept 2012
School of Geography, University of Bristol – Open Day Assistant
2011–12
Domino’s Pizza, Bristol – Delivery person
Achievements, Interests and Responsibilities • • • • •
If you need to save space, don’t include full references.
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for 200 people, raised £400 for Social Secretary of Geography Society – organised Geography Ball charity. Wells Half Marathon. Enjoy running and have completed Bristol Half Marathon and Tunbridge Member of Bristol University Karate Club. develop employability skills. Bristol PLUS Award – participated in extracurricular workshops to inter-railing around Europe. Enjoy films, reading, travelling and spent first year summer vacation
Referees
Available upon request
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Take action Version 2: Chronological CV example
Justin Creasey Flat 3, 6 St Paul’s Road, Clifton BS8 4PQ Tel: 0117 974 1699 Mobile: 0788 121 8931
[email protected]
Education 2011 –14
The University of Bristol • •
•
BSc (Hons) Geography – predicted 2:1
tal Course covers Physical and Human Geography, Hydrology, Environmen Change and Spatial/Statistical Modelling. carrying out Regularly work in small groups during practical fieldwork exercises, on a mapping, data collection and project work, operating as group leader skills. rotational basis. Developed good problem-solving and analytical unauthorised Dissertation project: Soil and water contamination associated with waste disposal.
2004 –11
Tunbridge Wells School, Kent A levels: GCSEs:
Geography A, Mathematics B, Physics B 9 (5 As, 4 Bs) including English and Maths
Work Experience Greencap Environmental Sampling, Kent July – Sept 2013 of soil and water. Three month summer placement carrying out environmental sampling • test and advise on geological, Attended site visits with the Geotechnical Division to investigate, • •
• •
ground and structural conditions and risk factors. to clients. Retested Analysed data from soil and water samples and communicated findings across the organisation samples to check for discrepancies and liaised with different colleagues to correctly interpret findings before reporting back to clients. l, hydrographic and Developed understanding of soil and rock classification and geophysica topographic surveying techniques. to ensure that Gained an awareness of testing, inspection and compliance procedures protection guidelines. companies adhere to health and safety issues and environmental
Include skills and knowledge gained from your degree, especially if these are relevant to the job you are applying for. Refer to relevant skills as described in the job description or person specification to highlight your suitability for the role. Start sentences with active words to give your CV a dynamic feel.
Good to include tangible figures.
School of Geography, University of Bristol – Open Day Assistant June – Sept 2012 of Geography and campus Led groups of 30 prospective students and parents around the School • courses and facilities. during University Open Days. Effectively promoted the university Domino’s Pizza, Bristol – Delivery person 2011 –12 and fast delivery of Worked as delivery team member at Domino’s Pizza, ensuring efficient • takeaway meals to different customer addresses.
Use examples to provide evidence of the skills you refer to.
Include IT skills developed during your degree and work experience.
bristol.ac.uk/careers
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Take action One-page CV targeted to job in management consultancy
Further information For advice and resources on CVs and application forms, visit the Careers Service website. Visit targetjobs.co.uk and prospects.ac.uk for additional support.
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Take action
BE AN INTERVIEW SUCCESS STORY Congratulations – you've got an interview so you’re on the way to securing your first job. Now all you have to do is convince them you’re the one they want.
L
ots of people find the idea of interviews nerve-racking, but if you know what to expect and do the right preparation the whole process will be that much more enjoyable and, hopefully, get you a job offer!
What employers want to see from you... • Motivation and enthusiasm • Good oral and written communication skills • Interpersonal and teamworking skills • Flexibility and adaptability • Positive attitude to dealing with problems and difficulties • Commitment to continuing professional development • Initiative and a proactive approach • Business and commercial awareness
Employers also look at... • how you go about answering the questions • your attitude to problems and difficulties • whether you’ll ‘fit’ – are you the sort of person they would like to work with? • your motivations and self-awareness.
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Formats of interview • Competency/skills based – this is often the most common type of interview; you will be asked questions about your CV and will be expected to give specific examples of where you have developed skills that the employer is looking for. • Technical – you will normally be advised whether that you will be having a technical interview and this will primarily focus around your degree subject. • Strength based – focus on what you enjoy doing, therefore seeking out your natural strengths and ensuring you will be able to utilise them within the role.
• Case interview – they are commonly used by management consultancy firms, as well other city/commercial firms. The format usually involves being given a business scenario relevant to the organisation. You will be asked to analyse the data, present your solutions and answer questions on the business problem during the interview. • Academic interview – academic interviews often involve a presentation or technical interview focused on your area of research, and a panel interview, which may consist of up to five people.
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Take action
Common themes at interview Motivation
Interests and activities
This is almost a certainty – but is often overlooked in candidates’ preparation. For example: ‘Why do you want to work for us?’ ‘Why do you want this job?’
As above, consider what you learned and how you have developed as a person. Consider how these activities make you stand out from the rest. For example: ‘What skills have you gained?’ ‘How have you managed your time?’
Knowledge of the job/organisation/sector You will be tested on what you know and your understanding of key issues. For example: ‘What have you done to find out more about us?’ ‘Name some of our clients.’ ‘What do you think you will actually be doing in your first year?’
Competencies and skills You will be asked to provide evidence of abilities and skills. For example: ‘Give me an example of when you have demonstrated excellent problem-solving skills.’
Business/commercial awareness
General questions about you
You will need to demonstrate that you take an active interest in business. This can relate to things you have been involved in where you have applied your interest and/or understanding (for example in part-time work or societies) or things that you read about to keep up to date. You should demonstrate why it interests you and give your opinions on the issue. For example: ‘Tell me about a recent news story that has interested you.’ ‘Tell me about a business that you would change, and explain why.’
Questions about your strengths and weaknesses are common. For example: ‘How would your friends describe you?’ ‘What is your major weakness?’
Career motivation/direction Employers want to know if you have thought ahead and whether your answer ties in with your motivations for the role. They are looking for commitment to the job and the area of work. For example: ‘Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?’ ‘Who else are you applying to?’
Education and work experience Think about what you learned and the skills you used and developed, any problems you overcame during your education and any work experience – think about each experience individually. You may be asked about your choices to date and what you have enjoyed about your course/time at university. For example: ‘How would you improve your course?’ ‘Your results in a couple of subjects look poor – why is this?’
The presentation skills workshop and the experience gained as a committee member of a university society have honed my advocacy and interview skills – both of which are vital to future success in any profession. The ability to present eloquently and confidently is of prime importance in a career, right from interviewing with potential employers through to interacting with and managing employees or clients. Antoinette Chan, law and social sciences
Setting a problem This tests your ability to solve problems, think logically, react under pressure and be creative. For example: ‘Imagine... what would you do in this situation?’
Off the wall questions You can’t really prepare for this sort of question – it is a test of your thought processes when faced with something unexpected. Remain calm, take your time and don’t be flippant. Talk them through your thinking. For example: ‘How many alarm clocks are there in Britain?’ ‘If you were an animal (or a drink), what sort would you be and why?’
Topical issues/opinions You will sometimes be asked to comment on a current issue (not necessarily relevant to the job), giving your opinions. Be prepared to express your opinion, but also reflect the other side of the argument. Keep your eye on the news – and try not to just swot up a couple of days before. It can be easy to spot! Examples date quickly so use something fairly recent such as your opinion of how the general election result has affected the sector in which you’re applying.
Top tips for interview success Use concrete examples and vary them. Examples do not have to be BIG, just illustrative. Don’t expect your interviewers to assume anything, even if you know them. Be concise and avoid repetition. Give yourself time and don’t worry about pausing – have some filler lines prepared, eg ‘Can I have a moment to think about that?’
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Use the STAR technique to structure your answers (see page 40). If you haven’t understood something, ask the interviewer to explain. Think about your posture and eye contact. Don’t make anything up and avoid talking about things you don’t know much about – interviewers probe your responses. Smile!
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Take action
Before the interview Lack of preparation often means that candidates don’t perform as well as they could. You will need to know about the organisation and the job as well as thinking about what you might be asked. You should also decide on the questions you want to ask and write them down. Think about the practicalities as well. Plan your journey – aim to arrive 15 minutes early. This may sound quite obvious, but if you focus on the basics, you will feel more comfortable and prepared for your interview. How to prepare – top tips • Look back at your CV/application form and take it with you. • Decide on three key things that you’ll tell them about, whatever they ask! • Know how to answer the usual questions and prepare your evidence for skills/competency-based questions. • Know what the job involves. • Know the company: 1. Size, products, services 2. Sector and competitors 3. Current issues/projects. • Be clear why you want to work for them. • Plan what you need to take: 1. Your interview letter, phone number, name of contact 2. Map, mobile, water 3. Diary 4. Copy of application form/CV. • Decide what to wear – be smart, well groomed and comfortable.
When you arrive • Make a good impression on everyone you meet (including the receptionist). Think about your posture: keep your head up and shoulders back. • Breathe deeply and feel good about yourself. • Keep your handshake firm, make eye contact, and smile. • Don’t sit down until your interviewer has done so, or they invite you to.
During the interview • Be enthusiastic. Use phrases like ‘really enjoyed’. Don’t be afraid to use your hands – keeping them tightly clasped can appear negative. Hand movements add emphasis and convey enthusiasm.
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• Give lots of examples of your experience. Don’t be afraid to repeat things from your application form. • Give optimistic responses. If the interviewer wants to discuss something that didn’t go to plan, concentrate on what you learned from the experience. • Don’t be negative or apologetic about yourself. • Saying too little is as big a mistake as talking too much. Short answers put pressure on the interviewer – most like to relax and listen. • Use the STAR technique (see page 40) to structure your answers effectively.
After the interview
Dealing with offers... and disappointment If you are offered a job, and are unsure about your obligations, or don’t know if you can delay replying because you are still hoping to hear from other companies, look up the information on offers at targetjobs.co.uk and prospects.ac.uk. Don’t be afraid to ring up and ask for feedback. It may not always be given and, even when it is, it may not be very informative, but you may be able to pick up some useful tips. Most importantly, reflect on the experience, learn from it and don’t lose confidence.
Although you may not feel like it, make a few notes about the questions you were asked and your responses. Think about what went well and what did not go to plan. Consider how you might do things differently in future. Don’t forget that this could help you for interviews with other companies, but it is also common for second interviews to refer back to the first interview – particularly if any weaknesses have been highlighted.
The importance of developing commercial awareness Employers will ask candidates to demonstrate evidence of commercial awareness in their applications and at interview. If you are unsure what this means, it can be summed up as understanding how an organisation works and the wider environment in which it operates. Commercial awareness is required in every job, not just business roles, as all organisations have to adapt to changing market conditions in order to remain commercially and operationally viable. Commercial awareness includes knowledge of: A company’s customers, competitors and suppliers. Legislation or other factors that may have an impact on a company. How the business is organised, how effectively it markets and sells its products and how well it innovates and responds to change. Typical questions that an employer will ask include: What do you know about our organisation? Why do you want to work for our organisation? What are the problems and challenges that our industry is currently facing? Who are our clients? What evidence can you provide of your commercial awareness? How do you think we can remain competitive and innovative in a difficult market? What business story has interested you in the news recently? Employers may also use case studies, presentations and e-tray exercises to test your commercial awareness and to see how you prioritise work and respond to business pressures. There are many ways that you can develop your commercial awareness: Keep up to date with news stories online, in newspapers, journals and specialist press, and view and listen to business-related programmes on TV and radio. Attend employer presentations and careers fairs to ask employers about the issues facing their business. Contact alumni through the Careers Network to gain industry insights (see page 10). Gain work experience to see how a business operates and is organised. Become a committee member and get involved in student activities and societies to gain practical experience of running an organisation. There are also several student societies specialising in business and enterprise. Carry out thorough research into the employers and industry sectors that you are interested in.
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Take action
‘Winning’ the group exercise isn't half as important as how you got there. Interact with your fellow group members positively and contribute constructively towards the end goal. Don't dominate the discussion, but have an opinion and handle any disagreement with care.
SUCCEEDING AT ASSESSMENT CENTRES
Kevin Williams, MSc computer science
The next stage – selection and assessment centres.
T
he selection process often falls into two stages. After the initial interview, successful candidates may go on to a final stage some time later. Typically it lasts a day and involves a variety of activities (see below).
Second interviews Second interviews vary greatly as each company approaches selection slightly differently. Your interviewer could be a line or departmental manager, a partner (for law/accounting), or someone from HR – or perhaps a combination. It might involve different sorts of questions from your first interview, but it could also refer back to things you were asked, or things you said at the first interview, in more depth.
Technical interviews Technical interviews are sometimes used for science and engineering roles and for postgraduate posts. More likely you will be asked technical questions as part of a more general interview and they are less likely to delve into obscure corners of the syllabus, but may test your understanding of the area into which you are applying to work.
Selection centre activities
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Group activities
Group activities are designed to see how you work with and influence others. Employers will look at the role you play, eg whether you sit quietly or dominate, whether you contribute constructively or destructively, and whether you are logical or emotional. There is no ‘right’ way to behave, as some people are best at the ideas stage, others at pushing towards a conclusion and any team needs people with a variety of skills. Topics can be anything from a current news issue to a practical business problem.
Presentations
You could be asked to talk for 5–10 minutes about a personal interest or something directly related to the organisation. A few simple rules will help: Have a clear structure. Don’t overrun – it’s easy to overestimate what you can say in the time. Some employers will cut you off when the time is up, even if you haven’t finished. Talk to the audience rather than reading your notes. Scan everyone while you’re talking rather than addressing one person. Take time to check that you’re happy with the equipment before you start. Don’t go overboard with visuals. Keep it simple. Some employers state beforehand whether you should use things like PowerPoint.
In-tray and e-tray exercises
You may be given a pile of paper or a laptop and a load of emails and asked what action you would take with each item. Time is usually very restricted and extra items may be added while the exercise is under way. It’s about coping with pressure and is designed to see how you prioritise your workload. Stay calm. Go through all the material and decide on some order of priority. Don’t spend too long on individual items, particularly on your first sift. There’s often no right answer, but you will be expected to show a broad understanding of the material and justify decisions.
Aptitude and written tests
Employers are interested in verbal, numerical or diagrammatic reasoning ability. Sometimes tests are run at selection centres but more often they are run beforehand, increasingly online, as part of the initial filtering process. The Careers Service can direct you to ways to practise for these tests. Some employers also use personality assessments designed, for example, to assess your role in a team. These do not have right or wrong answers. At selection days, employers also use case studies to assess a candidate’s problem-solving ability and aptitude for processing information. Employers might present you with some kind of case study, possibly based on a relevant scenario with data and information you need to absorb in order to produce a report with recommendations, or this might form part of a role play exercise.
Social activities
This usually centres round a meal where you will be expected to use the opportunity to talk to graduate trainees and managers. Try to find out more information about the company and the work, but without demonstrating you haven’t already done your homework. Although this activity is not normally marked, selectors may take on board any anecdotal feedback from participants. Although it is a ‘social’ event, ensure that you don’t drink too much alcohol... Try to be yourself and engage in conversation.
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JOBS AND COURSE PROVIDERS
AIG 58 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3R 7LQ TEL +44(0)20 7954 7000 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.aig.com/campus SOCIAL MEDIA twitter.com/aigcampuscareer, @AIGCampusCareer MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS London (EMEA & UK HQ) EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) AIG harnesses our risk expertise and financial strength to create a better future. Insurance is all about assessing risk. Since risk is all around us, insurance is everywhere too. We deliver on our promise to help more than 88 million people in over 130 countries plan for the future, recover from loss, and retire with confidence. At AIG we are firmly committed to balancing your career, your professional development and your career aspirations. We provide the freedom, resources, and support to help map your career path across numerous disciplines and geographies. We offer internships and graduate positions in a variety of functions, including, but not limited to, underwriting, actuarial, investments, operations, HR, and IT. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline STARTING SALARY Competitive with excellent benefits package PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual. Will start in Oct and close in March/April FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE EMEA (incl. UK): 70. UK: 35. VACATION WORK/COURSES No
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Leading employers and course providers with thousands of vacancies who want to hear from you, plus sources of help about specific careers.
O
ne of the ways you might want to focus your career planning is through deciding upon a broad career sector and looking at what opportunities lie within it. The following pages detail some of the opportunities available from larger recruiters in traditional graduate career sectors. The Careers Service hosts careers fairs and events for many sectors, most in the autumn term – see our website for specific dates. Our website also has lots of information about other sectors and further study opportunities.
Stefanie Perica Bain & Company 40 Strand, London, WC2N 5RW TEL +44 20 7969 6108 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB http://www.bain.com/offices/london/en_us/index.aspx SOCIAL MEDIA https://www.facebook.com/bainandcompanyUK?brand_redir=1 MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS We have 51 offices in 33 countries around the world. AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) Bain & Company is the management consulting firm the world’s business leaders come to when they want enduring results. Together, we find value across boundaries, develop insights to act on, and energize teams to sustain success. We’re passionate about always doing the right thing for our clients, our people and our communities, even if it isn’t easy. Associate Consultants are the heart and soul of our organisation. As an AC, you will be our front line, developing powerful insights that will be used to convince senior executives to drive change across their organisations and support them in their initiatives. We welcome applications for full time positions from undergraduates, postgraduates and other advanced degree candidates. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline STARTING SALARY Competitive PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Applications open from September 1st, the deadline is November 1st FORM OF APPLICATION CV and cover letter to joinbain.com APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE No fixed quota VACATION WORK/COURSES No
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Bank of Ireland UK Bow Bells House, London EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.boigraduate.com MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS London, Bristol & Belfast AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) Join Bank of Ireland UK and you’ll play a vital part in delivering our vision of being a leading challenger bank. You’ll help us provide simple, flexible, accessible financial services and products to UK customers - directly and through partnerships with trusted, respected UK brands. To give you a deep and rounded understanding of our business and strategy, you’ll complete three placements across different business areas in our key UK locations: London, Bristol and Belfast. We aim to give you diverse experiences in customer and proposition development roles, as well as within areas such as Risk and Strategic Planning so that you gain a rounded understanding of our business and strategy as well as developing both your technical knowledge and interpersonal skills. With so much going on, it’s an exciting time to join us and build your career. After all, you’ve worked hard for your qualifications. Now’s the exciting time to put what you’ve learned into action. GRADUATES SOUGHT Preferably Commercial & Business related backgrounds STARTING SALARY Competitive PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual. Closing date will be 31st October 2015 FORM OF APPLICATION Online VACATION WORK/COURSES AVAILABLE No
Gillian Bray CHP Consulting 10th Floor 1 Fore Street Avenue London EC2Y 9DT TEL 020 7588 1800 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.chp.co.uk/careers MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Based in London with operations in the US, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) CHP Consulting helps asset finance companies improve their business performance by implementing our software - ALFA Systems - and applying our wide-ranging experience of the industry. Blue-chip clients such as Bank of America, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, Société Générale and Toyota Financial Services have reaped the benefits of CHP’s finest assets: our people. You will begin your career either on a client site or based in the office and your first role will typically be software development. As you gain more knowledge of the business and technology, you will have increased responsibility in our business change implementation projects. We only recruit people who we think will get on with each other, so the atmosphere is friendly and inclusive. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline STARTING SALARY £40,000 plus £5,000 sign-on bonus PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Continuous FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 15–20 VACATION WORK/COURSES No
IMAGINE
this is a shovel made of matchsticks, containing a ball. By moving just two sticks, remake it with the ball outside the shovel.
AN IT CONSULTANCY FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK. CHP employs graduates and professionals from many disciplines. You will be curious, have a logical mind, and be confident, ambitious and ready for a challenge. We are established in the UK, US, Asia-Pacific and throughout Europe. You will be based in our London City office and go on to work in a variety of roles on projects with some of the world’s leading leasing and asset finance companies.
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We will train you so you can work on any part of our business change projects, building and implementing our industryleading software. You will have an outstanding academic background including a 2:1 degree or better and a minimum of 320 UCAS points. Starting salary is £40k with a £5k sign-on bonus and excellent benefits. Find out more about opportunities with CHP Consulting at www.chp.co.uk/careers.
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Jo Chester Cummins 3rd Floor, Quayside, Dunedin House, Columbia Drive, Teesdale, Stockton on Tees, TS176BJ
Lauren Kennaugh Dialog Semiconductor WEB www.dialog-semiconductor.com
TEL 01642 412866 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB Careers.cummins.com SOCIAL MEDIA twitter.com/cumminsJobs, facebook.com/cummins.students.uk, linkedin.com/company/cummins-inc, youtube.com/user/CumminsCareers, cummins_uk_eu_grads
MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Dialog Semiconductor has offices in Germany. UK, Austria, China, Greece, Japan, Hong Kong, Italy, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, the Netherlands, Turkey, and USA. AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) Dialog Semiconductor creates energy efficient, highly integrated, mixed signal circuits optimised for personal portable, short range wireless, lighting, display and automotive applications. With its unique focus and expertise in system power management, and now with the recent addition of short range wireless and VoIP technology to the portfolio, Dialog brings decades of experience to the rapid development of integrated circuits for personal portable applications including smartphones, tablet PCs, digital cordless phones and gaming applications. GRADUATES SOUGHT Electrical and Electronic Engineering, some Physics and Software STARTING SALARY Competitive PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Continuous FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 40+ VACATION WORK/COURSES yes
MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Darlington, Co Durham; Huddersfield, West Yorkshire; Stamford, Lincolnshire; Peterborough, Cambridgeshire; Daventry, Northamptonshire; Wellingborough, Northamptonshire; Ramsgate, Kent; Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) A global organisation, Cummins is a leading player in the field of design development and manufacture of power solutions and associated technologies including diesel engines, exhaust after treatment systems, fuel systems, turbochargers and filtration. Cummins Offers a full spectrum of student and gradate opportunities from Engineering (full range from design & development through to customer support), Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Finance, HR, IT and Marketing. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline STARTING SALARY £28,500 PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual/Continuous FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 140 Placement Students / 60 Graduates VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY November 2015
Dixon Wilson 22 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1LS TEL 020 7680 8100 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.dixonwilson.co.uk MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS London and Paris AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) About Us Dixon Wilson is one of the leading accountancy firms in the UK, with offices in London and Paris. We specialise in the provision of tax, accountancy and advisory services to high net worth private clients, including their families, trusts and businesses, as well as companies, entrepreneurs and their businesses. We offer a personal, partner-led service. A high quality service is critical to both us and our clients and a number of our client relationships date back over 80 years and multiple generations. What you can expect We offer you a practical experience in audit, tax and accountancy in a 3 year fixed term contract. We allow you to gain exposure in these areas and to support you in you in achieving the ACA qualification. In addition you will be given the opportunity to work with senior members of staff as well as getting a good level of responsibility early in your career. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline, but a good level of numeracy and strong interpersonal skills are key STARTING SALARY Competitive PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE End of December – Spring Intake and End of April – Autumn Intake FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE London 14, Paris 1-2 VACATION WORK/COURSES Paid summer vacation placement in the London office, to penultimate year University students FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY End of March 2016 by sending CV and covering letter to
[email protected]
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Caroline Dean Frontier Economics Ltd 71 High Holborn London WC1V 6DA TEL 020 7031 7000 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.frontier-economics.com/careers SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Brussels, Cologne, Dublin, London, Paris and Madrid AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) Frontier is one of the largest microeconomic consultancies in Europe with over 120 economists. We help our clients to analyse and understand their markets (competition and litigation cases, strategy, policy design or regulatory) and to formulate strategies or policies based on sound economics. The methods and models we use are often complex, but our advice to clients is always succinct, clear and honest. Analysts will work across all our practices, allowing you to understand different markets and economic techniques whilst developing both your analytical and consulting skills. The ability to apply microeconomics to real world problems and be a first-rate communicator working together with clients to find solutions to complex business and policy problems is essential. Our culture is open-minded, friendly and non-hierarchical. GRADUATES SOUGHT Economics STARTING SALARY High Competitive plus bonus PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Thursday 14th January 2016 FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 20 plus VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY Thursday 14th January 2016
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Frontline 65 Kingsway London WC2B 6TD EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.thefrontline.org.uk MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Greater Manchester, Greater London, North East and South East. AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) Frontline’s graduate programme is a unique opportunity for high-achieving individuals to join one of Britain’s toughest and most rewarding professions. Our children’s social work programme offers you intensive practical and academic training, coupled with leadership development opportunities designed to shape a new generation of social leaders. Throughout our two-year programme participants will work in a local authority in one of our regions to transform the lives of vulnerable children and families. The programme consists of an intensive five-week Summer Institute, one year ‘on-the-job’ training in a team of four and a second year as a qualified social worker with the opportunity to study for a Masters. If you’re passionate about leading change in society, apply to Frontline. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline STARTING SALARY Competitive PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 180 VACATION WORK/COURSES No
J A Kemp 14 South Square, Gray’s Inn, London, WC1R 5JJ TEL +44 (0)20 3077 8600 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.jakemp.com SOCIAL MEDIA www.linkedin.com/company/j-a-kemp MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS London, Oxford and Munich AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) J A Kemp is a leading firm of European and UK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys based in London with offices in Oxford and Munich. Our Attorneys file and prosecute patent and trade mark applications in the UK, Europe and worldwide. J A Kemp is one of the largest users of the European Patent Office and well known for its expertise in appeals and oppositions, as well as its expertise in intellectual property litigation. J A Kemp’s client base ranges from start-ups, spinouts and SMEs through to some of the largest corporate clients and most prestigious academic institutions in the world. GRADUATES SOUGHT We require, in addition to at least 360 UCAS points, a minimum of a 2.1 honours degree in a scientific or technical subject, preferably physics, engineering, chemistry or biosciences. We are open to applications from candidates holding or studying for a bachelors, masters or PhD degree. STARTING SALARY Competitive PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE We encourage applications before the end of the calendar year for candidates who wish to start the following autumn. We will, however, consider applications from exceptional candidates at any time of the year. FORM OF APPLICATION Apply, to
[email protected] with a CV and a covering letter addressed to the head of the relevant group (see website). APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE Up to six Trainee Patent Attorneys. Our trainees usually join us in the autumn. VACATION WORK/COURSES No
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Student Recruitment ICAEW (The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) Chartered Accountants’ Hall Moorgate Place London EC2R 6EA Tel +44 (0)01908 248250 Email
[email protected] Web icaew.com/careers ICAEW stands for The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and we are a world-leading professional membership organisation. To become an ICAEW Chartered Accountant you’ll need to complete the ACA qualification from ICAEW. The ACA is one of the most advanced learning and professional development programmes available. It gives you the knowledge and expertise to perform at the highest levels in accountancy, finance and business. To successfully complete the ACA qualification, you will need to secure an ACA training agreement with one of ICAEW’s 3,300+ authorised training employers or authorised training principals. The training agreement details the commitment between you and your employer, and is vital to your success and development. It means you will receive the highest standard of training and be supported throughout your ACA training. You’ll receive tuition, be given study leave and supported through mentoring. What’s more, because you’ll be working, you’ll be paid a competitive salary too! Graduate training agreements typically take three years to complete and you don’t need to have studied a business or finance-related subject at university. Each employer has their own entry criteria which you will need to meet before you can make your application. In addition to your academic achievements, employers want you to be motivated and career driven, as well as commercially aware. Discover more about becoming an ICAEW Chartered Accountant and search for internships, placements and ACA training agreements at icaew.com/careers
Johnson Matthey Orchard Road, Royston Herts SG8 5HE WEB www.matthey.com/careers SOCIAL MEDIA @Johnson_Matthey MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Across the UK; including Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire, Teesside. International opportunities also available. AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) Johnson Matthey is a leader in sustainable technologies. Many of the group’s products enhance the quality of life of millions through their beneficial impact on the environment, human health and wellbeing. We focus on clean air, clean energy and low carbon technologies and are experts in the application and recycling of precious metals. Johnson Matthey has operations in over 30 countries and employs around 12,000 people. Our products and services are sold across the world to a wide range of advanced technology industries. We recruit graduates into a wide variety of job functions including Research and Technology, Development and Production, Sales and Marketing, Finance, IT and HR. Our graduates say “From day one... it was both fun and challenging to learn new skills and apply them to real world problems” GRADUATES SOUGHT Science and Engineering STARTING SALARY Competitive package and benefits PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Continuous FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 80 VACATION WORK/COURSES yes
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Graduate Recruitment Coordinator Lane Clark & Peacock LLP 95 Wigmore Street London W1U 1DQ TEL 020 7432 2266 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB http://www.lcp.uk.com/graduates MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS London and Winchester AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) We offer a full range of actuarial and consulting services to a wide range of clients in the UK and internationally, including FTSE 100 companies. We specialise in providing our clients with practical, bespoke and robust solutions, covering corporate pensions, strategic investment advice, general insurance and specialist financial services. One of the great benefits of working for LCP is the variety of projects you’ll be working on and the range of tasks involved in completing them. For example, you could be helping with pension scheme valuations, monitoring investment manager performance or assessing the impact of unlikely events. You could be building a spreadsheet model, using our own software, drafting letters to clients or writing full reports. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline STARTING SALARY Competitive PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual FORM OF APPLICATION online application form APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 28 VACATION WORK/COURSES No
EMEA Graduate Recruitment Team Morgan Stanley 20 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 4AD EMAIL
[email protected] WEB morganstanley.com/campus MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Amsterdam, Budapest, Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, Glasgow, Istanbul, Johannesburg, London, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Paris, Stockholm, Tel Aviv, Warsaw and Zurich. AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) Our business Morgan Stanley is more than a leading financial services firm. With offices spanning 43 countries and talented, passionate people bringing excellence and integrity to everything we do, the firm is truly global. Throughout the firm’s history, diverse and talented individuals have worked together to develop our new ideas and groundbreaking financial products. Our successes Morgan Stanley has maintained its leadership position in the industry for many years. The firm’s investment banking franchise regularly features at the top of the league tables for Mergers & Acquisitions and IPOs. Our research, strategy, and economics teams are consistently ranked highly in investor surveys. Our Sales & Trading, Prime Brokerage, Wealth Management and Asset Management businesses have won multiple awards over the years and Morgan Stanley’s commitment to diversity and equality has also received accolades. GRADUATES SOUGHT We welcome applications from all degree disciplines. STARTING SALARY Competitive + benefits PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual FORM OF APPLICATION Online (CV and cover letter) APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 400–450 Interns across European locations VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY The closing date will vary by internship programme. Please check our website.
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Harriett Morgan-Smith Madgex 1 Gloucester Place, Brighton. BN1 4AA TEL (01273) 810800 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.madgex.com SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/MadgexLtd, twitter.com/madgex, linkedin.com/company/madgex MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Brighton, BN1 4AA and Toronto. AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) As a leading technology company, and one of the Sunday Times Top 100 Best Small Companies to work for, Madgex has been providing job board and recruitment technology to our clients – who include The Guardian, Washington Post and Haymarket – since 2000. Due to our continued growth and international expansion we are keen to hear from talented developers wanting to join our development team, which builds, deploys and maintains our innovative solutions. GRADUATES SOUGHT Computer science/IT, Software engineering, Engineering, Mathematics STARTING SALARY £18K PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Continuous FORM OF APPLICATION CV APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 20+ VACATION WORK/COURSES No
Melissa Hopper Mott MacDonald Renaissance House, 12 Dingwall Road Croydon CR0 2NA United Kingdom TEL 020 8774 2176 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.mottmac.com/careers/graduate SOCIAL MEDIA Twitter: @MottMacGraduate, www.facebook.com/mottmacdonaldgroup www.youtube.com/user/mottmacdonaldgroup MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Our head office is based in Croydon and we have around 30 offices throughout the UK. AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) Mott MacDonald is an employee owned global management, engineering and development consultancy employing more than 16,000 staff, working in 140 countries and with an annual turnover of more than £1.2 billion. We deliver technical expertise across 12 core sectors: buildings; communications; education; environment; health; industry; international development; oil and gas; power; transport; urban development and water. We recruit graduates from engineering backgrounds as well as a number of other disciplines and in return you will have a place on our award winning graduate programme. GRADUATES SOUGHT Engineering and other STARTING SALARY £24,000–£28,000 PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE We are open on 1st Sept and close on 15th November. FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 300 VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY 15th November
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NERA ECONOMIC CONSULTING Marble Arch House, 66 Seymour Street, London, W1H 5BT TEL 020 7659 8500 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.nera.com MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Over 25 offices worldwide AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) NERA Economic Consulting (www.nera.com) is a global firm of experts dedicated to applying economic, finance, and quantitative principles to complex business and legal challenges. For half a century, NERA’s economists have been creating strategies, studies, reports, expert testimony, and policy recommendations for government authorities and the world’s leading law firms and corporations. We bring academic rigor, objectivity, and real world industry experience to bear on issues arising from competition, regulation, public policy, strategy, finance, and litigation. NERA’s clients value our ability to apply and communicate state-of-the-art approaches clearly and convincingly, our commitment to deliver unbiased findings, and our reputation for quality and independence. Our clients rely on the integrity and skills of our unparalleled team of economists and other experts backed by the resources and reliability of one of the world’s largest economic consultancies. With its main office in New York City, NERA serves clients from more than 25 offices across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. GRADUATES SOUGHT Economics, Finance and related disciplines STARTING SALARY Very competitive PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Continuous FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 20–25 VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY Rolling recruitment – no deadline
Hannah Rolph Newton Europe 2 Kingston Business Park Kingston Bagpuize Oxfordshire OX13 5FE TEL 01865 601300 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.newtoneurop.com/careers SOCIAL MEDIA Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS UK & Northern Ireland AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) Newton implements transformational, award-winning change across a wide range of sectors and projects, from construction of the nation’s warships, to increasing beer production, improving transport operations, and making significant savings across NHS trusts while transforming patient care. Newton brings together the world's most talented individuals, including more engineers and scientists than any other operational consultancy. With a unique approach, they works hands-on to generate sustainable results and real financial and operational improvement for some of the world’s most successful, innovative organisations. Unlike management consultants and improvement specialists who simply assess companies and deliver reports, the Newton team immerse themselves in businesses and actively implement change through working alongside their clients’ people to achieve sustainable results. They are invested and passionately involved each step of the way, not only because the work is meaningful and rewarding, but also because Newton confidently guarantees fees only on the reality of achieving results. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any STARTING SALARY £40,000 PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Continuous FORM OF APPLICATION Online
WE WANT TO HIRE YOU OK, that’s not quite accurate. Let’s rephrase it. If you’re hard working, talented, brave, smart, innovative, humble, confident, nice and most important, you LOVE working in engineering, then we want to hire you.
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Check out our amazing projects and find your next challenge at mottmac.com/careers/graduate
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bristol.ac.uk/careers
Danielle Lestrade- Recruitment Manager OC&C Strategy Consultants 6 New Street Square, London EC4A 3AT TEL 020 7010 8000 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.occstrategy.com SOCIAL MEDIA https://www.facebook.com/OCCLondon MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS 14 offices across 4 continents AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) “How much should we invest in emerging markets? Does the internet mean my business won’t exist in five years? How can we win in the downturn?” We answer the toughest questions facing businesses. We do rapid, high impact projects for chief executives and boards. In our London office, we have deep expertise retail, leisure, consumer goods, media, technology and business services. We are looking for graduates with outstanding analytical minds and eclectic interests: we encourage candidates from all disciplines. In addition to marketleading compensation and training, we offer up to 4 weeks of extra unpaid leave each year, grants to help you pursue your interests, and host biannual offsites (recently Chicago and Paris) – business needn’t make you boring. Interested? We’d like to talk GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline STARTING SALARY Top of the market PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual FORM OF APPLICATION Online CV and covering letter, apply by 8 November APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE No fixed quota VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes –Summer Internships, International Strategy Workshop FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY 17 January 2016
Dominika Cooper RBB Economics 199 Bishopsgate London EC2M 3TY TEL 020 7421 2410 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.rbbecon.com MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS London, Brussels, The Hague, Melbourne, Johannesburg, Madrid and Stockholm. AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) RBB Economics is an economics consultancy specialising in the application of economics to competition law. RBB is one of the largest competition economics practices in Europe. Competition economics concerns the behaviour of firms with market power, and covers issues such as mergers, vertical agreements, joint ventures, price setting and other potentially abusive behaviour. RBB provides professional, independent economic advice on such matters. We are looking for consultants with a range of quantitative and analytical skills and an ability to communicate complex economic concepts in a clear and concise style. Entry level candidate should have excellent academic credentials, generally to postgraduate level, in economics and preferably an interest in industrial organisation. GRADUATES SOUGHT Economics STARTING SALARY Competitive PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Continuous FORM OF APPLICATION CV and covering letter APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE No quota VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Halina Kasprowiak Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (Europe) LLP 107 Cheapside London EC2V 6DN TEL 020 7862 4600 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.orrick.com/careers/london/graduate-recruitment SOCIAL MEDIA www.twitter.com/orrick AND www.facebook.com/orrickrecruiting MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS North America, Europe and Asia AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) Orrick offers the benefit of a major full service international law firm with the opportunity for training and learning in a mid-sized office environment. Orrick has earned a global reputation advising both established and emerging companies, banks and international financial institutions. Much of Orrick’s client work involves cross-border transactions which have increased substantially in recent years with the development of the firm’s network of global offices. Our business units include Corporate, Energy & Infrastructure, Finance, Intellectual Property and Litigation. At Orrick, you will benefit from its core values of collegiality, integrity, excellence, enthusiasm and respect for individuality. As a member of a truly international team, your career development will include an extensive training programme, exciting and challenging work and mentoring. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline STARTING SALARY £38,000 (2015) PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual FORM OF APPLICATION Apply online by 30 June 2016 for 2018 APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 4 VACATION WORK/COURSES No – Open day only OPEN DAYS Apply online
Trainee Recruitment Team RPC Tower Bridge House, St Katharine’s Way, London, E1W 1AA TEL 020 3060 6000 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.rpc.co.uk/manifesto SOCIAL MEDIA @lifeinalawfirm MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS London, Bristol, Hong Kong and Singapore AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) If you’re looking for a predictable career in a traditional firm then please stop reading now. At RPC you’ll get a whole lot more. Of course clients expect their lawyers to understand the law. But what they really want is advice from smart people who get the commercial context and can spot the business implications. On this measure, you won’t find better than RPC; the UK’s leading client satisfaction report recently placed us in the top spot overall out of 106 firms benchmarked, and ranked us number one for quality of commercial advice. Not for the first time. Combining this commercial outlook with some of the leading lawyers in their fields and great clients, we offer a depth of knowledge and creative approach to problem solving that few firms can rival. It’s no surprise, then, that we’re regularly praised in the leading directories for the quality of our training programmes. GRADUATES SOUGHT Both law and non law STARTING SALARY £37,000 (London) PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual / 31 July 2016 FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 20 (London) VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY 31 January 2016
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Lucy Slater Sidley Austin LLP Woolgate Exchange 25 Basinghall Street London EC2V 5HA TEL 020 7360 2016 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.sidley.com MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS London, Chicago, Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Dallas, Geneva, Hong Kong, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Washington, DC AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) In London, we have over 100 lawyers, including 38 partners. Our main practice areas are: Corporate, Competition, Corporate Reorganisation and Bankruptcy, Debt and Equity Capital Markets, Debt Restructuring, Debt Finance and Structured Finance, Employment, Financial Services Regulatory, Hedge Funds, Insurance, IP/IT, Litigation, Real Estate & Real Estate Finance, Tax. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline STARTING SALARY £44,000 PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual FORM OF APPLICATION Online application form APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 10 VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY 31/01/2016
Aidan Connor – Graduate Recruitment Manager Skadden, Arps, Meagher and Flom (UK) LLP 40 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5DS TEL 0207 519 7000 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.skadden.com SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/skadden, twitter.com/skaddenrecruit MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS 23 international offices mainly in the United States and Europe AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) Skadden is one of the leading law firms in the world with approximately 1,600 lawyers across the globe. Our clients include corporate, industrial and financial institutions, and government entities. The London office is the gateway to our European practice where we have some 250 lawyers dedicated to top-end, cross-border corporate transactions and international arbitration and litigation. We have handled matters in nearly every country in the greater European region, as well as in Africa and the Middle East. Lawyers across the European network focus primarily on corporate transactions, including domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private equity, capital markets, leveraged finance and banking, tax, corporate restructuring, and energy and projects. We also advise in international arbitration and litigation, and regulatory matters. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline STARTING SALARY £42,000 PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 10/12 trainees 40 vacation scheme students VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY 12/01/2016
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THE BRISTOL CAREERS SERVICE GUIDE 2016
Graduate Recruitment Team Simmons & Simmons CityPoint, One Ropemaker Street, London EC2Y 9SS TEL 020 7628 2020 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.simmons-simmons.com/graduates SOCIAL MEDIA www.facebook.com/simmonsgraduates; @SimmonsGrads MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Beijing, Bristol, Brussels, Doha, Dubai, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Funchal*, Hong Kong, Jeddah*, Lisbon*, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris, Riyadh*, Rome, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo (*Associated offices) AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) We draw our clients from a range of industries and offer a full range of legal services. We have a particular focus on five key sectors: asset management & investment funds; energy & infrastructure; financial institutions; life sciences; and technology, media & telecommunications (TMT). We provide a wide choice of service areas in which our lawyers can specialise. These include asset finance; banking; capital markets; competition & regulatory; corporate & commercial; dispute resolution; employment, pensions & employee benefits; financial services; information, communications & technology; intellectual property; projects; real estate; and tax. We offer training contracts in London and Bristol. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline STARTING SALARY £40,000 (London), £36,000 (Bristol) PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Continuous FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 38 VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY 01 February 2016
Charlotte Scrace Softcat Softcat Limited, Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1LW WEB http://www.softcat.com/join-us MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Marlow, Manchester, Bristol, London, Leeds AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) This is an exciting opportunity for a tenacious and sales driven candidate to join a successful and established team as a Graduate Sales Executive. Softcat specialise in providing extensive IT solutions to private/public sector clients and are looking for talented Graduates to contribute. Key responsibilities: research and business intelligence; making effective outbound calls; issuing quotes and identifying new sales opportunities; account managing and taking responsibility for your own accounts; business – to – business cold calling; customer visits if and when required and achieving individual set targets The successful candidate will be educated to degree level or equivalent, demonstrate a strong desire to work within a sales environment and a highly motivated pro-active self starter. Officially a ‘Great Place to Work’. We like to take care of our employees, a fact which has recently been recognised by the organisation Great Place to Work, who ranked us the 2nd best large workplace in the UK for two consecutive years. We believe that having happy, motivated employees results in worldclass customer service, so we will reward your hard work with uncapped commission, trips abroad, team nights out and other perks. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline STARTING SALARY £18k–£20k with an uncapped commission structure PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Continuous FORM OF APPLICATION Candidates can apply by CV to
[email protected] or alternatively visit www.softcat.com/join-us APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 180
bristol.ac.uk/careers
Ms Kirsten Davies Sullivan & Cromwell LLP 1 New Fetter Lane London EC4A 1AN TEL +44 (0) 207 959 8900 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB http://careers.sullcrom.com/uk-trainee-solicitors
Stefanie Weigelt, Strategic Resourcing & Talent Specialist Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd Mythenquai 50/60, 8022 Zurich, Switzerland
MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Europe, Asia/Pacific, United States AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) The London office, established in 1972, is S&C’s largest office excepting its New York City headquarters. There are approximately 80 English, US and dualqualified lawyers working in the office, who adopt a multi-disciplinary approach, advising across a core number of corporate practice areas. The practice areas in London include: M&A and private equity, capital markets, finance (credit, leveraged and acquisition), restructuring, project finance, competition law, criminal defence and investigations, and tax. S&C London is perhaps unique in the scale, complexity and significance of the work carried out in an office of its size. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline STARTING SALARY £50,000 PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual FORM OF APPLICATION CV and covering letter APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 4–6 VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY 29/01/16
MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, Swiss Re serves clients through a network of over 60 offices worldwide. AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) Founded in 1863 Swiss Re Group is one of the world’s leading wholesale providers of reinsurance, insurance and other innovative forms of insurance based risk transfer. Our business at Swiss Re is about understanding and analysing the major risks that concern the world − from natural catastrophes to climate change, from ageing populations to cybercrime. We combine experience with expertise and innovative thinking to create new opportunities and solutions for our clients. And we enable the risk-taking essential to enterprise and progress. This is only possible with around 11,500 truly exceptional Swiss Re people across our group worldwide. Our goal is to attract talented people from a broad range of disciplines and backgrounds and offer them a place to succeed. As a knowledge-based company, we consider four areas to be particularly important for this: we foster diversity and inclusion; we provide excellent development and training opportunities; we work to maintain favourable employee relations; and we offer competitive compensation and benefits. GRADUATES SOUGHT All disciplines STARTING SALARY Competitive PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual FORM OF APPLICATION Online application, interview, assessment day APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 50 worldwide VACATION WORK/COURSES No
Teach First 4 More London Riverside, London SE1 2AU EMAIL
[email protected] WEB teachfirst.org.uk/graduates
UHY Hacker Young Quadrant House 4 Thomas More Square London E1W 1YW
MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS East of England, East Midlands, Greater London, North East, North West, South Coast, South East, South West, West Midlands, Yorkshire, Wales AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) We believe inspirational teaching and leadership is key to helping every child succeed, regardless of their background. Our LDP is a personalised programme encompassing high-quality training, supportive coaching, work experience and a PGCE qualification. You’ll gain the skills and experiences to become an inspirational leader who drives lasting change in education, wherever your career takes you. That’s why schools and other organisations working in a whole range of sectorsmany businesses recognise the programme’s ability to deffect change and to develop leaders for life who make education a fairer playing field. Put simply, they know that graduates who can engage, stimulate and inspire in the classroom can handle pretty much any situation, no matter where their career takes them. in any organisation. GRADUATES SOUGHT 2.1 degree or above and 300 UCAS points (or equivalent, excluding General Studies) required, in a degree or A-levels that satisfy our teaching subject requirements. STARTING SALARY Competitive PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Year-round applications, early submission recommended as subjects close as they are filled. FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 1,860 VACATION WORK/COURSES Our Insight programme is a two week work experience opportunity allowing undergraduates to gain a unique insight into our Leadership Development Programme.
TEL 020 7216 4600 WEB www.uhy-earlycareers.com
bristol.ac.uk/careers
TEL +41 (0)43 285 97 99 EMAIL
[email protected] WEB www.swissre.com/careers SOCIAL MEDIA Linkedin, Twitter, Youtube
MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS London, Birmingham, Brighton, Letchworth, Manchester, Newport, Nottingham, Sheffield, Sunderland, Scotland (with Campbell Dallas) AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) We offer all of the services you would expect from a firm of our size and a few you might not expect: • audit, accounting, payroll and bookkeeping; • corporation and personal tax; • corporate finance services such as strategic business advice, advice on selling business, raising finance, public listings – in particular AIM support services, and mergers & acquisitions; • advice on family matters, including Inheritance Tax, trusts and other tax planning; • specialist services such as VAT, corporate restructuring and recovery, international tax planning, tax investigations and litigation support; and • company secretarial services. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline with a 2:1 STARTING SALARY Competitive PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual FORM OF APPLICATION Online - www.uhy-earlycareers.com APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 35 VACATION WORK/COURSES No
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DON’T FORGET TO MENTION THE BRISTOL CAREERS SERVICE GUIDE WHEN CONTACTING EMPLOYERS OR COURSE PROVIDERS
Willis The Willis Building, 51 Lime Street, London, EC3M 7DQ, United Kingdom WEB www.willis.com/career/graduates SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/willisgroup; linkedin.com/company/willis; twitter.com/willisgroup; youtube.com/willisgroup; feeds.feedburner.com/williswire MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Led from New York and London, we have major service centers in Ipswich, England; Nashville, US; and Mumbai, India. The Willis network comprises more than 400 offices in over 120 countries. AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S) Willis is a leading global risk advisor, insurance and reinsurance broker. With roots dating to 1828, Willis operates today on every continent with more than 18,000 employees in over 400 offices. Willis offers its clients superior expertise, teamwork, innovation and market-leading products and professional services in risk management and transfer. Our experts rank among the world’s leading authorities on analytics, modelling and mitigation strategies at the intersection of global commerce and extreme events. Across geographies, industries and specialisms, Willis provides its local and multinational clients with resilience for a risky world. Critical to Willis’ aggressive growth strategy is attracting the next generation of leaders. Sponsored by senior management the Graduate Development Program is a 2-year cross-business rotational program. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any degree discipline STARTING SALARY Competitive PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE For our Graduate Development Program (GDP) we recruit each year for an August intake. Closing date for the GDP will be Friday 6th November, 2015 FORM OF APPLICATION Online APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE For the August 2016 intake we will have 50 roles available globally and 23 of those will be based in the UK. VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes, we offer a Summer Internship Programme FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY Friday 12th February, 2016
GRADUATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
18,000 ASSOCIATES | 400 OFFICES | 120 COUNTRIES | $3.5 BILLION IN REVENUE GLOBALLY
Insure your Future with Willis
Willis is a leading global risk advisor, insurance and reinsurance broker. Across geographies, industries and specialisms, Willis provides its local and multinational clients with resilience for a risky world. Sponsored by senior management, the Graduate Development Program is a two-year cross-business rotational program designed to attract high potential talent with demonstrated customer focus and leadership potential. www.willis.com/career/graduates
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THE BRISTOL CAREERS SERVICE GUIDE 2016
Willis is one of the world’s leading insurance brokers: it has a dominant position in the London market and has a truly global footprint. I was attracted to Willis’s reputation as a highly respected and professional firm. The people I met throughout the interview process were enthusiastic and passionate about the firm’s Values and strategy. All of this combined reinforced my opinion that Willis is one of the best places for graduates to embark on a career in insurance. Jamie Smith, 2013 Graduate, University of Bristol, Willis, London
bristol.ac.uk/careers
creative. a teacher.
innovation creativity discovery cutting edge inspired challenge coll opportunity iconic Pride revealing creative passion influential expre nventive inspiring global insight chance pride collaboration creativ passion verve expression spark insight global connections spark ins hallenge collaboration creativity opportunity sensibility passion ico
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pportunity spark iconic influential passion expression creative cutting obal spark verve revealing COLLABORATION global creative opportunit inventive chance passion CREATIVITY spark verve revealing passion glob expression global creative OPPORTUNITY iconic influential expression cr nge inspiring spark innovation global opportunity passion opportuni Achieve more with our postgraduate degrees Not all postgraduate degrees are created equal. Study for yours at Bath Spa University and give yourself a head start in the creative industries.
different thinking
Get more from your future. Visit bathspa.ac.uk/more
A Russell Group university, we offer a robust and challenging education experience informed by the very latest legal thinking. WE OFFER: • Graduate Diploma in Law • Bar Professional Training Course • Legal Practice Course • Masters in Legal Practice
CARDIFF STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM: • work placement schemes • award-winning pro-bono opportunities • excellent links with the legal profession • intensive support in a friendly environment • a vibrant capital city campus Contact our team directly 029
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
bristol.ac.uk/careers
CARDIFF LAW SCHOOL: The Complete Legal Education Come and see for yourself. www.law.cf.ac.uk
2087 4941
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Profile
Built env ironmen t – civil e Built env ngineeri ironmen ng t – cons Built env truction ironmen /b uilt envir t – quan onment Computi tity sur v ng & IT eying Consulta nts – ac tuarial Consulta nts – com puter/IT Consulta nts – ec o n omics Consulta nts – pro perty Consulta nts – rec ruitmen t
Advertis ement
Compan y name
JOBS AND COURSE PROVIDERS
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AIG www.aig.com/campus
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Bain & Company www.bain.com/offices/london/en_us/index.aspx
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Bank of Ireland www.boigraduate.com
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CHP Consulting www.chp.co.uk/careers
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Cummins Careers.cummins.com
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Dialog Semiconductor www.dialog-semiconductor.com
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Dixon Wilson www.dixonwilson.co.uk
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Frontier Economics Ltd www.frontier-economics.com/careers
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Frontline www.thefrontline.org.uk
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J A Kemp www.jakemp.com
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Johnson Matthey www.matthey.com/careers
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Lane Clark & Peacock LLP www.lcp.uk.com/graduates
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Madgex www.madgex.com
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Morgan Stanley www.morganstanley.com/careers
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Mott MacDonald www.mottmac.com/careers/graduate
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NERA ECONOMIC CONSULTING www.nera.com
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Newton Europe www.newtoneurop.com/careers
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OC&C Strategy Consultants www.occstrategy.com
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Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (Europe) LLP www.orrick.com/careers/london/graduate-recruitment
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RBB Economics www.rbbecon.com
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RPC www.rpc.co.uk/manifesto
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Sidley Austin LLP www.sidley.com
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Simmons & Simmons www.simmons-simmons.com/graduates
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Skadden, Arps, Meagher and Flom (UK) LLP www.skadden.com
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Softcat www.softcat.com/join-us
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Sullivan & Cromwell LLP careers.sullcrom.com/uk-trainee-solicitors
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Swiss Re www.swissre.com/careers
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Teach First teachfirst.org.uk/graduates
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UHY Hacker Young www.uhy-earlycareers.com
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Willis www.willis.com/career/graduates
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OTHER ADVERTISERS EMPLOYERS: FTI Consulting, inside front cover. PROFESSIONAL BODIES: ICAEW, inside back cover. COURSE PROVIDERS: Bath Spa University, page 61; Cardiff Law School, page 61; University of Oxford, page 64; Sotheby’s Institute of Art, page 64. IFC = inside front cover; IBC = inside back cover; OBC = outside back cover.
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THE BRISTOL CAREERS SERVICE GUIDE 2016
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Consulta nts – str ategic Enginee ring Finance – accoun tancy/fin Finance ancial m – actuari anagem al ent/taxa Finance tion – bankin g Finance – financ ial ser vic Finance es – insura nce Finance – investm ent Finance – stockb ro king Hospitali ty & tou rism Human re sources Industry – chemic al & pha Industry rmaceuti – oil & o cal comp il ser vice c Industry anies ompanie – other s Law Managem ent Marketin g, sales & media Not-for-p (includin rofit g adverti sing, ma Patent w rket rese ork arch & P Public se R) r vice – c iv il ser vice a Public se nd govern r vice – e ment ag mergenc Public se encies y ser vic r vice – lo e s cal gove Public se rn m e r vice – h nt ealth ser Public se vices r vice – u niformed Public se ser vices r vice – o th er Retail m anagem ent Teaching
LOCATION
EMEA (incl. UK): 70. UK: 35.
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THE BRISTOL CAREERS SERVICE GUIDE 2016
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University of Oxford Doctoral Training Centre
D T C
Fully Funded Studentships Available for Four-Year PhDs (RCUK eligibility criteria apply) The DTC offers suitably qualified students the opportunity to develop core skills essential for a successful interdisciplinary research scientist across multiple doctoral training programmes:
Systems Biology DTC EPSRC and MRC CDT in Systems Approaches to Biomedical Science Oxford Interdisciplinary Bioscience DTP EPSRC and BBSRC CDT in Synthetic Biology EPSRC and MRC CDT in Biomedical Imaging
www.dtc.ox.ac.uk OXFORD Interdisciplinary
Bioscience DTP
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bristol.ac.uk/careers
Your ambition...
Taking a career journey with limitless possibilities. Thousands of employers around the world train graduates from all degree disciplines to become ICAEW Chartered Accountants. In fact, 97% of the best global brands employ our members. Discover how you can achieve more as a chartered accountant.
icaew.com/careers
A WORLD LEADER OF THE ACCOUNTANCY AND FINANCE PROFESSION
Can you build a railroad with a spreadsheet? The question is can you build a railroad without one? What gets important projects moving is capital. Join us and help build the things that change the world. There’s work to be done.
What Will You Create? morganstanley.com /campus
Lyndal Analyst, Global Capital Markets
Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversifying its workforce. ʽȼȺȻȿ Morgan Stanley
