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Most of the recruitment sections on a company's website will
contain the information but it really is worth calling and speaking to
people. They can provide more information about the job and who they are
looking for, what candidates can expect from them and what they expect from
a candidate. If nothing else this will save the time and stress of applying
for a role which doesn't suit and waiting for a response, which can take a
long time, believe me!.
This brings me on to another important point: Graduate recruitment
schemes take time from initial submission of application to final decisions
on acceptance. Depending on the organisation, a recruitment and selection
process lasting 6 months is not unexpected, and for this reason a new
graduate absolutely cannot afford to keep all their eggs in one basket!
Encourage them to apply for as many schemes as they are interested in - if
all goes well they will be in a position to decide which job they favour
taking.
Of course graduate schemes are not the only way into a career, the tried
and tested methods still apply. Scour the papers, use the job search sites,
register with agencies and keep an eye open for positions with potential. A
job with a low initial salary can still provide a valuable entry into a
company with wider promotion prospects. It all comes down to keeping a
long-term view!
Choosing a career within degree discipline
The main question here is what will be required over and above a degree
to access and further a particular career, that is assuming that the degree
topic wasn't directly vocational. Arranging for further study, potentially
for several more years after graduation is a major investment of both time
and money, and generally carries the additional burden of reducing the
amount a graduate can earn initially in comparison with a strictly
commercial graduate scheme. This is why it becomes important to really do
some homework - find out if there are organisations who will pay for or
subsidise the professional development of graduates who work for them, while
still paying a professional (as opposed to trainee) salary. As an example HM
Prison and Probation Service will support their graduate psychologists'
development up to chartered status.
Another important source of information when considering a career (either
following a specific degree or for general information) is the appropriate
professional body - the Chartered Institute of Marketing or the British
Psychological Society for example. Providing a list of the links to every
professional body in the UK would take far too much room, however they are
universally easy to find on the web.
Below are some of the links we've selected as being very helpful starting
points and resources although there really is no shortage of very good sites
to look for. The key points are to decide what to look for, do the research
and give it everything. |
