tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10925368019797265502024-02-19T03:52:08.405+00:00TARGETjobs BloggersWelcome to TARGETjobs Bloggers. We are the largest community of student job-seekers in the UK, whose mission is to provide up-to-date info and advice to help you choose the right employer and get hired. Share with us your job hunt experiences, tips on how you got hired, gap year advice or funny job or interview stories.
Through our website, events and publications we are dedicated to giving you the edge when it comes to getting a job. Get involved: email jack.hawkins@targetjobs.co.ukTARGETjobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447266458824214640noreply@blogger.comBlogger458125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-21501058305526170072018-01-03T15:37:00.001+00:002018-01-10T15:10:15.146+00:00Nalise Hahn reviews Future Female Engineers and how it helped her become Mace's next Sustainability Graduate!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Future Female Engineers stood out as an opportunity to meet
like-minded students who wish to build their professional network whilst also
consulting known industry professionals within the engineering sector. The
application process for the event was simple and transparent with numerous
hints and tips on how to answer the few questions they asked during the online
form and phone interview – it was clear they wanted you to do well! All the
communication I received was prompt and encouraging with clear details
regarding the next stage and what to expect on the day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The event ran very
smoothly, starting off with a get to know each other exercise in the personal
branding session lead by Kate Taylor– surprisingly I learnt as much about
myself as I did about the women next to me! After hearing about creating my
personal brand to stand out in the industry I had the opportunity to meet in a
small group with recruiters from the companies, who walked me through their
application processes. They were able to answer a lot of the questions we asked
and gave us useful advice about how to secure a role in the engineering sector
and the information was really useful when applying for graduate roles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My favourite part of the day was the insider insights
networking drinks with graduates and industry professionals from the
engineering companies. They gave me an invaluable understanding of their
company’s culture, progression within their companies and how they succeeded in
acquiring their current role. One graduate even offered to help me tailor my CV
to industry expectations. This event helped me to network with some of the best
individuals from leading firms in the industry, as well as hearing how women in
the industry succeed. After the event, I was able to tailor my applications
more accurately to Arup, AECOM, and Mace who were all present on the day. I
also included the fact that I had attended Future Female Engineers in all my
applications which I felt made me stand out as an individual who is actively
seeking personal and professional development. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Following the event, I progressed onto the next stage for
all the companies I applied for, with some companies feeding back that I was
fast tracked due to attending Future Female Engineers. During my interview at
Mace I was able to talk about how the event helped me to understand the growing
expectations within the construction and engineering industry and how I, as an
individual, would be able to meet them. I built my personal brand after the
event and demonstrated this successfully during my interview. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">During the final
stage at the assessment centre I used the skills I gained during the event’s
team challenge to work together with individuals to solve complex challenges
whilst remaining professional. During my individual presentation on the day, I
also used the advice given to me during the panel discussion at the event to
sell my ideas and myself to the sustainability director, resulting in me being offered a place as a Sustainability Graduate!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I would recommend the event to anyone who is considering a
career in the engineering sector, not only will you stand out in applications;
you will gain universal skills and an unrivalled opportunity to secure and
further your career.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Applications are now open for Future Female Engineers March 2018. You can apply by visiting <a href="https://targetjobs.co.uk/events/future-female-engineers">https://targetjobs.co.uk/events/future-female-engineers </a></span></div>
TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-58309552670618054902017-10-06T11:59:00.002+01:002017-10-06T14:14:14.520+01:00Future Female Engineers Project manager, Justine, shares her advice on how to succeed at the event<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 108.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -108.0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My top 5 tips for gaining the most from the day are:<b><span style="color: #00b050; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #00b050; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">Research, then research some more: </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">This step is absolutely crucial if you want to get the most out of the event. You have the opportunity to meet and spend time with recruiters from some of the most sought-after companies by graduates, so you’ll want to stand out! Make sure you research grad schemes and internships that most interest you and read up on what the company values are, and be ready to talk about current projects they are working on! Prepare questions that are not generic or questions where you could easily find the answer to on company websites. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.25pt;"><b><span style="color: #00b050;">Submitting a brilliant question to the panel discussion is a great way to draw attention to yourself at the event</span>. </b>The panel consists of female senior managers and partners from each of the companies, </span>so you may wish to ask questions on their experience, work/ life balance and advice for people at your stage of their careers. <b><span style="color: #00b050; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwzEdD0ucJidn_s1x27cPGKvLMUkXENvKQltEi6y4ug602wi8TNR-iQAzg-z64Uzsu7yrUPS7NQpGSIU9qXUrw7dzlj6bWxv9CNG1-qjkcqTHdSk-2j-OS1RcrhyK_8-DcaH9rKw0lh4d/s1600/IMG_20170803_184756592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #00b050; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">Network, network, network!: </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: .25pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 20.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 14.0pt;">Employers will never know who you are and what you can offer them if you don’t speak to them when you have the chance! As well as questions about their own experiences, this is your chance to spotlight why you want to work for them and get any tips/advice about the application processes. Make sure you speak to as many companies as you can, there may be a company there, who you haven’t previously considered, with the perfect opportunity for you! This is your chance to get a real insight from the people in the know.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: .25pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 20.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 14.0pt;"> If you’re anything like me, you’ll like to talk… a lot. This is great but make sure to also consider what other people have to say, share experiences, but also learn from what other people have to say. If you spot someone who’s looking a bit shy or overwhelmed, help them out! Introduce yourself and ask them questions and make sure that they feel included. </span>Need more advice about networking? Our colleagues at TARGETjobs have got you covered! Click <a href="http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/career-planning/328935-how-to-network-at-careers-events"><b>here</b></a> to see what they have to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #00b050; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">Get Involved</span></b><b><span style="color: #72bf44; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">:</span></b><b><span style="color: #00aabe; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></b>Make sure you interact and participate in all the sessions. This event is designed to mimic the assessment process you will encounter when applying for a job, so use this as practice! Not to mention that the companies who are attending will be actively looking for talented female students like yourselves to apply for their various roles, so why not get a head of the game and beat the boys? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #00b050;">Don’t be late: </span></b>Although a given rule, you’ll be surprised how many people will turn up late and blame the traffic, make sure you have planned your journey and give yourself plenty of time to allow for traffic related issues you may encounter. Arrive dressed in smart office wear and remember to bring a pen and notepad, turning up late in your pyjamas without a pen is not the look you want to go for when impressing potential employers! If you would like more advice on these formalities then check out <a href="http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/career-planning/328915-careers-event-tips-what-to-wear-and-how-to-prepare"><b>this</b></a> handy article from TARGETjobs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #00b050; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">Have fun</span></b><b><span style="color: #72bf44; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">: </span></b>Possibly the most important point. This is a unique opportunity, make the most of it, be yourself and enjoy!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-41756860493299078132017-08-25T10:22:00.000+01:002017-08-25T10:47:55.197+01:00Learn from Nakai as she shares her experience and gives advice for attending IT's not just for the boys! <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I started researching career events in my last year of university and came across <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">TARGETjobs IT’s not just for the boys!</span> event. This was indeed a lucky find! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In order to attend the event it was necessary to submit an application. I was nervous, as it was more detailed than I had initially anticipated. Looking back, the information that I used in this application really helped me with subsequent applications. It’s also a great opportunity to get down ‘on paper’ what excites you about the technology sector. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">There was a telephone interview prior to the event. This was a great opportunity to practice all the skills required for future internship, placement and graduate job telephone interviews. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Before the interviews and the event I was quite nervous so browsing <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">the IT’s not just for the boys!</span> website and seeing how lively and engaging past events looked, was really helpful. I also used this as an opportunity to research and highlight companies that I was interested in. This was invaluable as there were so many companies I had never even considered, especially as I didn’t come from a stereotypical computer engineering background. It really proved to me that there were opportunities in the <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">technology</span> field for someone like me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Just before the event I was extremely nervous as I had only been to a few on-campus networking events and nothing of this size. I made sure I picked an outfit that was clean, presentable, professional and comfortable. This meant I could really engage with the speakers and activities and not worry about anything as the day went on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The day itself was amazing and went by so quickly! The speakers, especially Anne-Marie Imafidon’s inspiring talk, really got me motivated for the rest of the day. Especially as it resonated so much with me and the other girls that were there. There were group activities later on and this gave you an opportunity to meet and speak to my peers, this was great as I didn’t know anyone prior to attending. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">By the end of the evening it was difficult to leave – as I tried to say goodbye and thank you to everyone (plus attempting to jot down everyone’s names for <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">LinkedIn</span> and/or <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Facebook</span> at a later date). However, this was great because I met quite a few other girls at subsequent interviews and assessment centre days (and I think seeing a friendly face at these future stages really put me at ease). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I thoroughly enjoyed the day and ended up attending several assessment centres and interviews for graduate schemes as a result. I am really pleased to say that I will be taking up a positon at Capgemini in September and I cannot wait to get started. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="background-color: white;">All made possible by the really unique and awesome day that is <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">IT’s not just for the boys!,</span> organised by the really supportive team at <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">TARGETjobs</span> (who have kept in touch since the event last year!) </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-39225175400890758532017-08-18T15:47:00.000+01:002017-08-18T15:47:23.389+01:00Jade Davis talks us through her day at IT's not just for the boys! <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">I was excited to attend the IT’s not just for the Boys! event </span>hosted by J.P Morgan at their Glasgow office as I couldn’t wait to meet other like-minded females and experience a corporate office. Before attending the event I ensured I was prepared with formal attire and something to jot down notes during the day- any hints, inspirational messages or CV tips I gained during the day! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">On arrival, I was greeted with many sociable women whom like myself were students in STEM. The day started with a welcome by a <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">senior representative</span> at J.P. Morgan, where she introduced J.P. Morgan and the opportunities they provide. While this was being explained I was frantically jotting down in my notepad (the current one I am using to reminisce and write this post). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Kate Taylor gave a motivational speech</span>, which was one of the most memorable parts of the day. Being in a male dominated course it can be daunting having the confidence and courage to take opportunities. This speech encouraged us all to be brave and take opportunities when they arise, not just the safe option. Women need to break the stereotypes placed upon them and this talk helped encourage just that. The memorable final quote which was placed on the screen and was ingrained in my memory forever; "She believed she could so she did". <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Networking over lunch allowed me to talk to current graduates and <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">network with recruiters from all the companies</span>. Socialising with graduates allowed me to get an insight into the companies that attended. <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">This was my chance</span> to ask any queries that I wanted answering and socialise with other women, retelling stories of our experience in higher education. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">After lunch, we were all split into groups to experience the group <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">sessions</span>. Since I had yet to experience an assessment centre this was going to be very interesting. The group exercise involved creating an application for a healthy eating website, <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">where we had to create an app that we had to pitch, keeping in mind our desired target audience.</span> This was great to experience the group activities that could arise at future assessment centres. We then proceeded to be able to talk to the companies in groups and be able to find out more about the graduate opportunities available and the application process. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">The day ended with networking and I ensured I <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">connected w</span>ith the <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">inspirational</span> women whom I had met on social media to keep in touch in the future. The event encouraged me to take opportunities and to apply to the graduate schemes of these amazing companies whom are helping promoting women in technology.</span></div>
TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-37606327433547018632017-08-09T09:17:00.000+01:002017-08-14T12:24:06.040+01:00Katie Bennett secures a placement with Arup by attending Future Female Engineers! <div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">I had been interested in <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Arup</span> as a company since starting my second year at university and being encouraged to secure an industrial summer placement. My interest was spiked when seeing some of the hugely prestigious projects that <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Arup</span> had been involved with. One of them being very close to home, the engineering building that I have studied in for 90% of my university career The Diamond, an £81m multidisciplinary engineering facility for the University of Sheffield. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Around the same sort of time my university was advertising the <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Future Females Engineers event</span>, which was conveniently going to be hosted in Arups’s HQ in London! The application for the <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Future Female Engineers</span> event was a straightforward example of what to expect from a placement application, this was really useful as an opportunity to practice for the real thing. The telephone interview was also very straightforward, there was no need to stress as long as you had prepared! I researched all the companies attending and concluded that I was most interested in <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Arup</span> and Wates. This was asked about in my interview and I was put with these two companies on the day of the event.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">At the event during the team building exercise I was put with Aman Gill, a recruitment officer who works for <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Arup</span> in London, as my team’s mentor. She told us a lot about the recruitment process at <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Arup</span> and what they value from their potential employees. I took Aman’s email address and contacted her subsequent to my application to the summer placement opportunity for <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Arup</span> Sheffield. Aman was in contact with the Sheffield office supporting my application. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">I was so pleased when I got the confirmation of an interview for the placement and was so grateful that I had been able to attend the event. I also mentioned attending the event to my interviewer at Arup and they seemed to be impressed with my efforts. What I took from the event was the importance of interest and passion with a company in helping to secure a placement. I was really interested in <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Arup</span> as a company before the event and I made this clear in my application.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69Hm6KCpYBR-6fr17zlPyblEhs-D6RlN4JOaNUM1zO8Qlrli17GGxUPfX4tuTozfnireJggBldiUq0Bh9r0S4QKmcX5QS3Naz76pSKZ7awW1Y4vCgYS6BEGHbqIzBQLepEm64wXRY2MZM/s1600/Katie+Bennett.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The placement itself has been really interesting! I’ve been working in the MEP building services team as an electrical engineer and have travelling around to Nottingham and Liverpool with my team to meetings and site visits. I’ve been working mostly on a high rise residential building in Liverpool developing the schematics for all the electrical systems inside the building, for example, </span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">working on the telecommunications schematic, fire alarm treatment drawings, doing lighting calculations and working on containment layouts. <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Arup</span> was a fantastic company to secure a summer placement with, the support from everyone was great and the facilities are impeccable. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="background-color: white;">I was inspired by all of the female engineers that I met at the event whether they were just aspiring or qualified. I had never felt such a friendly and positive atmosphere at a networking event before. I was also pleased to see my team at <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Arup</span> being very balanced in its representation of women which was so refreshing to see in such a big engineering consultancy. </span><span style="background-color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-29262718800422972662017-06-08T09:57:00.000+01:002017-06-08T11:49:35.462+01:00Amira met IBM at IT's not just for the boys! Since she has secured her dream security placement with IBM <div class="MsoNormal">
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My name is Amira Remadna and I am second year student at Oxford
Brookes university; studying a combined course- computer science with business
management. During my studies it took me a while to realise what I really wanted
and what my passion is. The support I received from family and friends and TARGETjobs
IT’s not just for the boys! event really helped this process. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I have always been a maths girl, which lead me to study maths<span style="color: red;"> </span>stream<span style="color: red;"> </span>at secondary
school. At the very last minute before applyi<o:p></o:p></div>
ng through UCAS I changed my
personal statement and my course from foundation degree in science to maths
with business management information, international business and research
studies- in order to have a business management and computer science degree.<br />
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After my first year at university and getting involved in
societies especially being the Oxford Brookes faculty ambassador for both
departments (business school and computer science) I started to lean towards the
computer science route. I attended IT’s not just for the boys!, which is a special
event ran by TARGETjobs, <span style="background: white;">designed exclusively for female students who are
looking to find out more about opportunities within technology . It was an
excellent day and it made me realise how big the sector is and the amount of
different opportunities available. At the end of the day you gain such
confidence and inspiration you realise that you can achieve anything regardless
of your gender. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background: white;">When I first decided to apply
for a placement I had very little confidence because I had no work experience related
to technology. I thought it would be impossible for me to get experience as I
knew other students already had a lot of experience. However I did not give up,
I decided to start working and build my CV before applying. The event extremely
boosted my confidence and has allowed me to develop as a candidate and helped
me to secure my placement. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;">My dream job has always been
with IBM and luckily for me they happened to be one of the companies that attended
the event. During the day students participated in a team challenge, which was a
perfect chance to showcase my skills to IBM. The longer I spoke to IBM representatives
and current graduates on their schemes enabled me to gain more information from
them, which helped me stand out from the crowd. It was simply the perfect
chance to meet IBM and learn tips for their applications. Moreover, I spent all
day interacting with various companies and great people such as senior managers
at Dell. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;">Straight after the event I
applied to IBM and it was my one and only application, so I put in all my
efforts, to get my dream job. After passing the first stage of the application
form, I attended many interviews where I showed my interest in security. Each stage<span style="color: red;"> </span>of the application grew more challenging, until one
day I received an email stating I had passed the assessment centre, where I then
received an offer for a security role interview.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">My interview went well, despite
the fact I am not studying a security degree. Nevertheless, it was exactly the
job I wanted and after a few days I called IBM and I told them that I’m ready
to take the challenge and willing to learn before the final interview. Within a
short period of time I was able to learn Linux and various other technical systems,
which I believe enhanced my application and prepared me extremely well for the
interview. Shortly after my interview I received the news that I secured the
job! I was one of three students who secured a placement with IBM and the first
and only Oxford Brookes student to secure a role within security. I am now
extremely excited to start my role with IBM on 28</span><sup>th</sup><span style="background-color: white;"> June and grateful
to the IT’s not just for the boys! event for helping me in gaining the
confidence to land my dream job! </span><br />
TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-41595348015610778892017-05-26T14:39:00.001+01:002017-06-01T15:46:33.885+01:00Bronwyn O'Neill, Female Undergraduate of the Year 2014 finalist, sheds some light onto life after the Awards...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWPJZU2OsfjTMfrLHCC3y8o4hM0vCP4UL3Brx_7fEKgFc7c3by3RRHA8892ExNwlo0hWVcCCzGcmmyPKJ2PwtE9RdozcTH2Xg8C3wwBcQrNnWGK5F9R430GHklVB2ytZ1BlUhu-6xtA97/s1600/Browyn+O%2527Neill.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWPJZU2OsfjTMfrLHCC3y8o4hM0vCP4UL3Brx_7fEKgFc7c3by3RRHA8892ExNwlo0hWVcCCzGcmmyPKJ2PwtE9RdozcTH2Xg8C3wwBcQrNnWGK5F9R430GHklVB2ytZ1BlUhu-6xtA97/s320/Browyn+O%2527Neill.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div>
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I was a top 10 finalist for Rolls Royce's Female Undergraduate of the Year Award 2014. After the award process,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>I graduated from the University
of York in 2015 and a month later moved to Matsuyama City, Japan. I was
accepted onto the JET Programme as an Assistant Language Teacher, and since
then have been teaching in five rural Elementary and Junior High Schools on the
island of Shikoku. The past two years have been a real whirlwind and I've
learnt so much - I've now got conversational Japanese language, teaching
skills, and a great deal of experience with cross-cultural
communication. I’ve built a good network and I’ve also had some
fantastic opportunities to publish some of my travel writing. As well as the
professional skills I’ve developed, being in Japan has been a great opportunity
for travel, personal development, and making some wonderful friendships. I will
finish my time on the programme in August 2017, and although I will be a
heartbroken to say goodbye to my wonderful students and life in Japan, I am
very much looking forward to starting my career in the UK. I hope to use and
continue to develop my language, communication, and creative skills in the new
challenges that lie ahead.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Being part of Female Undergraduate of the Year has
influenced my career path so far in subtle but noticeable ways. Visits to the
Rolls Royce facilities and networking at Canary Wharf definitely opened my eyes
to the world of possibilities open to me as a hardworking young professional.
Seeing myself on the same level as so many amazingly talented undergraduates
also gave me a confidence boost that went a long way towards securing my place
on the JET Programme, a competitive and very rewarding graduate scheme. I found
the Female Undergraduate award process particularly interesting as I met many
high-level women at Rolls Royce and got a unique perspective on a previously
male-orientated professional field. It really piqued my interest and heightened
my drive towards breaking the glass ceiling.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My advice for prospective applicants is not to
underestimate yourself! Make your application personal and give yourself enough
time to properly give yourself credit for the great things you’ve already done
as an undergraduate. You never know where it might lead you!</div>
<o:p></o:p>TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-3388170314905508632017-05-23T16:49:00.003+01:002017-05-23T16:52:24.526+01:00We caught up with Shilpa after attending our Future Female Engineers event back in 2015! <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I found out about Future Female
Engineers through an email I received from TARGETjobs in 2015. I went online
and looked at the videos, photos and the companies who had attended previously
and was very impressed. The help and advice given during the event seemed
exactly what I needed at that point in my education; an independent voice
offering me fresh ideas helping me think outside the box. It was also the fact
that the event was for female engineers, which is a subject very close to my
heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I applied online and waited for my
telephone interview, which arrived the following week. The lady I spoke to was
very friendly and the call did not feel like an interview at all! It was a
friendly chat where she wanted to know a bit about me and my background, why I
was interested and so on. She helped me with any questions which were not clear
to me; she let me take my time and really listened to me which was very
helpful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On the day of the event I got to know
the girls very quickly, as the day began with an introductory session with
breakfast! We had a few talks from very motivated and established female
engineers, before moving onto the team challenge, which was such a success for
my team because we won! What did we have to do you ask? Well, our team
designed, delegated and built the tallest, most price efficient and free
standing balloon tower (yes, a balloon tower) amongst all the groups. All this
in under an hour with a group of girls you only met a few minutes ago, makes
you realise what you can achieve if you put your mind to it with a committed
team around you. The sense of satisfaction and excitement this activity gave
me, spurred me to go along to more team building activities within my
university and my job which has helped me became a more confident and able
engineer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After the lunch, we had the chance to
speak with three of our chosen companies. We were given in-depth information
about their online application, tests, interview processes and assessment days.
This was really helpful as the information was more detailed than what you
would get at a graduate or recruitment fair. Kate Bellingham, who is an
advocate for STEM and WISE gave such a powerful and inspirational speech; I
think I had tears in my eyes! The stories of these women of how they came to be
where they are today and the situations they faced was amazing to hear, some
that you could relate to as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Since attending the event, I graduated
from university the following year and got my first job in a space of four
months! It was difficult at times, especially when I had no offers from any of
the companies I had applied to. However, if there was one thing I took away
from the event was to keep trying, never give up and in the mean time to do
anything to make you stand out as an engineer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I got an offer from Westfield
Sportscars (WSC) in the Dudley, West Midlands to work on their amazing
driverless Pod project. I joined as a Project Engineer and was able to do much more
than I had ever imagined to as a newly graduated engineer. I got to liaise with
customers, pick up tools and built vehicles, do design work on CAD, etc. I will
never forget the valuable experience and information I gained from attending TARGETjobs
Future Females Engineers. I strongly believe that it has helped me a great deal
to get to where I am today. I hope that one day I get to help more girls who
are in the position that I was in back in 2015 and be one of those strong women
they will remember. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-63106370459684120422017-05-22T16:29:00.000+01:002017-05-23T16:51:30.661+01:00If you love tech, this is not to be missed! Sravani Royyuru shares her experience at IT's not just for the boys! event and her Spring into Technology programme with J.P. Morgan<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">October’s <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">IT’s
not just for the boys!</span> event was a fantastic way to get tech savvy women
clued up about the real-world applications of technology. The day was hosted at
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">J.P. Morgan</span> in Canary
Wharf, which <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">wa</span>s a
fantastic backdrop and provided a snapshot into the power of <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">technology</span> within
financial services.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhksGBRieojohVrifDDc9sBQ8QgKZOKOgJY9pFyl-BrIFAbpUyZA7xj_Tlp0Tzp-2EDotlOPMe-FKpKAYNNMSSzKbztcl-ncIQOFnBA0ilDYevq1KTZqbS1lAIVpNkYYnJ7qITdxwddnKLh/s1600/Sravani+Royyuru.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhksGBRieojohVrifDDc9sBQ8QgKZOKOgJY9pFyl-BrIFAbpUyZA7xj_Tlp0Tzp-2EDotlOPMe-FKpKAYNNMSSzKbztcl-ncIQOFnBA0ilDYevq1KTZqbS1lAIVpNkYYnJ7qITdxwddnKLh/s320/Sravani+Royyuru.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Throughout the day, interactions with the differen<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">t c</span>ompanies provided valuable
insights into the different roles of technology across multiple sectors. As the
day progressed, the opportunit<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">ies</span>
to participate in simulated assessment centre exercises, networking with <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Technology MDs</span> and the <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Panel Q&A with senior females in
tech,</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">all</span> helped
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">to</span> dispel myths and
discuss challenges about being a woman in technology. <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">I also received some great tips a</span>nd tricks to make
myself stand out from the crowd. The icing on the cake was the ‘Lean In’ style
presentation by Anne-Marie Imafidon <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">(founder of social enterprise STEMETTES)</span> – her passion and humour <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">was</span> electric and in turn
enthused the whole <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">audience</span>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Following the event, I was extremely interested in applying
to many of the employers who were <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">involved in the event</span>, including <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">J.P. Morgan</span>. Interacting with the <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">J.P. Morgan</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">representatives</span> allowed us to
gain perspective into what starting as an Analyst may be like, and I found
myself appreciating the culture that I saw. This led me to <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">apply</span> to <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">their</span> Spring into Technology
programme, despite being from a non-computer science background<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">,</span> the event gave me
confidence in my analytical skills. Following a phone interview that tested <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">my</span> passion <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">for</span> technology, I was offered
a place on the programme and spent three fantastic days in Canary Wharf,
learning in detail about the firm’s focus on technology, its developments in
client facing platforms and the overall opportunities available to STEM
graduates.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My confidence to apply <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">to J.P. Morgan</span>, as well as the detail I could provide
in my <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">interview</span>, is
largely because of my participation in <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">IT’s not just for the boys!</span> – I would like to
wholeheartedly thank the whole team at <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">TARGET</span>jobs <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">E</span>vents, all the inspiring women <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">on</span> the panel and all the <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">companies who were at the event</span>
for a fantastic day<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">. I</span>
fully recommend this to everyone – if you love tech, this is not to be missed<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">!</span></span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-49023763193847113482017-05-15T14:15:00.001+01:002017-05-17T12:19:16.916+01:00Katie Lofthouse is TARGETcareers School Leavers' Challenge 2017 Winner! <br />
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An advocate of the TARGETcareers School Leavers' Challenge, my head of sixth
form urged me to complete the online assessment in order to be in with the
chance of attending the grand final. Little did I know that this would lead to
me lunching on the coveted rotating level of the BT Tower, looking out over the
landscape of London midway through a day of challenges, informative talks, and
networking with companies and other students. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
So, how did I get there? Initially, the online aptitude test required both
mathematical and employability skills, with the first of these sections based
around analysis of data you may encounter in the business world (no difficult
algebra!) and the latter assessing thinking of a more lateral nature to see how
you respond in different circumstances everyone encounters when starting a new
job. For the test, it is important to leave yourself enough time – you don't
want to be rushed – and have a calculator, pen, and paper ready for any working
during calculation questions. Also, try not to fixate on what is the 'right'
answer in the employability section – it is likely there is no set in stone
correct answer to any given question, and the test is simply to understand your
personality and how it transfers in a business environment. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Following a tense few months of waiting to see if I qualified for the final,
I was finally invited, and a couple of weeks later found myself on an early
morning train to London, headed for the landmark BT Tower. Upon arrival, it
became rapidly evident that with such a large group of students from a wide
range of backgrounds, all of the finalists were happy to chat and find some
common ground; the friendly atmosphere really helped to build my confidence
before the tasks started. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
After an introductory talk, I was then whisked to the observation level of
the Tower to undertake the first of two assessment tasks of the day; the aptly
named 'Marble Mayhem', which required strategy, concentration, technique, and
teamwork – as well as a good sense of humour! The second task, mysteriously
named 'Card Exchange', took place in the afternoon, and centred on having a
business-minded approach, with many creative and unorthodox negotiation tactics
attempted within my group in order to ensure the highest point score. Throughout
these tasks, different business sponsors were assigned to coordinate and assess
the different groups of students, although I can't say I felt pressured by
their presence; in fact, I hardly noticed they were there. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
The grand final also incorporated more general advice and informative
sessions regarding personal branding, the different pathways available for
school leavers, and the history of BT as a company. These, I found, were very
useful in expanding my knowledge of areas I had not previously before
considered, broadening my horizons and outlook of the somewhat intimidating
world of work waiting for when studying was over. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
The most invaluable aspects of my day were, no doubt, networking with new
friends and companies whilst observing the breathtaking view of London, and the
knowledge I have gained from all the sponsors and volunteers who helped to
organise the event. To anyone who is considering entering the School Leavers’
Challenge next year – just do it, be yourself, learn from every experience it
offers, and have fun. You never know where it will take you; as for myself, the
next place will be the BT Headquarters, and this time next year, that may be
you.<o:p></o:p><br />
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TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-10440582383186473642017-05-15T12:14:00.000+01:002017-05-17T12:20:23.553+01:00TARGETcareers School Leavers' Challenge finalist Ashleigh Stent shares her experience at the BT Tower!<div class="Standard">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">I am very grateful to
BT and TARGETcareers that I had the chance to visit the BT Tower in London for
the final of TARGETcareers School Leavers’ Challenge. After having
completed the online assessment as the first stage on a whim, I am so grateful
for my experience and would encourage everyone to have a shot next year!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHO5OEm5TbuQX0fmpoPsO6gv4_FTUxLrhHz07CwDmJmTYQdO0l3nxuAvSv8dOAYecL8l5mbWm5vhlDbkzs8bKPPrgXxa6IWrc1rllAQsNpJ3NZ9Fcbpdx_8bb-nmpG4weYG9EAh8Xu2y9/s1600/tjpbs2017scolchal0342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHO5OEm5TbuQX0fmpoPsO6gv4_FTUxLrhHz07CwDmJmTYQdO0l3nxuAvSv8dOAYecL8l5mbWm5vhlDbkzs8bKPPrgXxa6IWrc1rllAQsNpJ3NZ9Fcbpdx_8bb-nmpG4weYG9EAh8Xu2y9/s320/tjpbs2017scolchal0342.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">The first stage of the
competition involved completing an online quiz. There was a section concerning
situational judgement, where the scene was set and you answered questions about
how you would response in certain scenarios. Following this, there was
a timed section in which we were asked to answer (challenging) maths
questions, mostly about data evaluation. After you complete the tests, you
are given a score, placed on a leaderboard and receive an email with tailored
feedback concerning your strengths and how to develop them further, possibly entailing
evaluations of your team work skills or drive.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">I had no expectations
about coming anywhere notable on the leaderboard and the challenge
had slipped my mind until I received an email closer to the closing
date informing me that I was on track to receive a place in the
final. Luckily enough, I managed to maintain my place in the top 100 and was
invited to the BT Tower!</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">I bought my train
ticket, returned my forms and awaited my trip into London! Luckily, I don’t
live too far from London, so I got to leave my house at the time I’d
usually leave for school – although I had met people there
that had travelled from Northern Ireland to be there. I’m sure
we’d all have agreed it was worth the trip even if it was long!</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">Walking into the BT
Tower, you’re immediately met with modern, and artistic decoration of the
building – with many interesting adapted telephone boxes around (purple,
covered in coins, mirrored – just to name a few). I signed in and
awaited the event to start. We were split into groups with different coloured
lanyards and within each group had two teams. The activities we took part in
were challenging and revolved around teamwork and collaboration. Despite this,
each of us were individually assessed throughout on a variety of skills by
representatives of various employers. We were being assessed, but the
activities were incredibly enjoyable and fun! They were a great chance to work
with and connect with the new people I had met in my group. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">Between the activities,
we got to enjoy a lovely and tasty lunch, in the revolving part of the BT
tower. I got a bit disorientated by the spinning but once I had worked out what
was going on, I could focus on and enjoy the incredible views of London!</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">The highlight of the
day for me was a session about personal branding. The session was
inspiring, encouraging and motivational. It included a great balance of
practical advice relating to careers and more abstract and encouraging ideas
about how to express our personalities throughout the work we
will undertake during our future careers.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">Finally, the award
ceremony- I was not for a moment expecting my name to be announced, but it was
a great surprise and I am really excited to have the opportunity to attend BT’s
Adastral Park Centre!</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">Everyone I met there
seemed to enjoy their day as well as myself and would agree that the experience
was encouraging, informative, and exciting! Good luck to everyone who chooses
to apply for 2018’s competition and thank you again to everyone who made the
day possible.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-90125857702574840962017-05-12T16:15:00.000+01:002017-05-17T12:27:26.853+01:00You miss every shot you don't take! Jemma Hart shares her experience at Future Female Engineers event and securing her dream graduate job with Arup. <div class="MsoNormal">
My name is Jemma Hart and I am in my fifth and final year of
a Masters of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering at Heriot-Watt University.
I attended the 2016 TARGETjobs Future Female Engineers event, held at the
Atkins office in Bristol. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I applied for the event online by submitting my CV and
answering some straightforward questions, mainly focusing on my desire to
attend the day. After passing this stage, I received an invitation for a
telephone interview. I was asked again about why I wanted to go to the event
and also which companies appealed to me and why. This stage of the application
process was very relaxed and I was encouraged to be myself. Because of this, my
passion for engineering shone through and I was able to convey my enthusiasm
for the event. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The day kicked off with a welcome talk which set out the
busy day arranged for all of the attendees. We received a speech from the
keynote speaker Roma Agrawal and a guest speaker Caroline Norris from Atkins.
The speakers discussed their accomplishments during their working careers and
shared their true opinions of being a women in a predominantly male
industry. Following this, we were given
the opportunity to chat to recruiters about the application process. This
really opened my eyes to exactly what employers look for in a CV and I
definitely saw an improvement in my own CV after applying their advice. We were
put into company teams based on one of the employers you had shown a particular
interest in. This was a fun way of getting noticed by employers and also gave
us a taste of what to expect at recruitment assessment centres. The rest of the
day was spent chatting to graduates, established female engineers and company
representatives were available throughout so it’s a fantastic way to get a
better idea of each company (and for insider tips!).<o:p></o:p></div>
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I initially applied for the event as I knew it would be an
effective networking opportunity, helping me in my applications to graduate
jobs. However, I was blown away by how inspired I was by the event. Before the
event, I had started applying for graduate jobs which is a lengthy process; I
was lost on what job I really wanted and where I would be best placed. After some time it’s easy to lose momentum,
but I found this event gave me the fire I needed to apply for the opportunities
I have been working towards for years. In February this year, I was offered my
dream graduate job with Arup which I accepted and I will be starting this
September. The TARGETjobs Future Female Engineers event helped give me the confidence
to apply to roles enormously and helped me to stand out from the crowd.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sometimes it’s important to remind yourself that you miss
every shot you don’t take. In applying for the TARGETjobs Future Female
Engineers event, I gained a rare opportunity to propel my career forward and
gain valuable knowledge from inspiration people. As a woman just starting my
career in engineering, the day removed any concerns I had about being in the
minority by introducing me to strong female role models who are established in
the engineering field. The event is an unmissable opportunity for any woman
with a passion for engineering. <o:p></o:p></div>
TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-92063450486294554862017-04-05T12:34:00.000+01:002017-05-18T09:27:13.176+01:00Cindy Jiang secures a summer internship with AIG<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cindy attended the TARGETjobs Event IT's not just for the boys! event in November 2016. As a result she's managed to secure a summer internship with AIG - one of the companies she met on the day! Congratulations Cindy! Read about her day below and why she recommends that you take every opportunity and attend the next event!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My name is
Cindy Jiang and I am a second year student at the University of Birmingham studying political economy. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“It’s not just for the boys!” was a great and inspiring event
which has highly influenced my professional life plans. Despite not coming from a computer science background, through my own research and meeting various companies on campus in my first year I
slowly begun to develop an interest in IT. My knowledge of technology is quite limited (in regards to coding or logistics) but I am fascinated in the challenging
and innovative industry of IT. This
event was therefore the perfect opportunity for me to go outside my comfort zone and
learn more about the various positions and schemes some IT related companies
had to offer!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
<br />In order to attend the event, the team at TARGETjobs require students to complete an online application - this ensures that only the highly motivated and genuinely interested students attend the event. The application process was really smooth, I first had to submit my CV and outline the reasons which inspire me to attend the event. Having passed this stage I was then selected for a telephone interview, which again I had to prepare for but it wasn’t too difficult- it's important to demonstrate your true interest to the event.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I personally really
enjoy these events as you are able to meet so many representatives from companies that you have either barely heard of or not heard of all and you get to speak to lots of other like minded students. The event
was very well organised and the incredibly friendly members of TARGETjobs and the company representatives made me at ease throughout the whole day. The event I attended was held in the fascinating Bloomberg offices
in London, with superb facilities! The day started with the
amazing guest speaker Kate Taylor (an empowerment coach) and followed by many
activities which involved team challenges and networking sessions.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During
a networking session I was able to meet a representative from AIG and at this stage I was very unfamiliar with the company and insurance. Through this conversation however I learned a lot on the insurance industry, but more importantly i learned more about AIG. I
had the chance to talk with a member of the graduate recruitment team who outlined
the various positions they have to offer to undergraduates. I seemed to have the right skills set matching one of their positions and I was highly
recommended to apply to a scheme. At this event I was also able to chat to recent graduates from the various companies and learn first hand more about their respective roles. I was able to
compare and make my own choices of which companies and areas I would most likely
see myself working in.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Following the event I carried out further research and submitted an application for a summer internship with AIG. I successfully passed the online application process and was kindly invited for an
assessment day a few months later. This process seemed to go pretty quickly and I have now secured a Commercial Underwriting
Summer Internship with AIG for summer 2017!<br />
<br />To any student who is still unsure of your future career path, my recommendation is to be curious and attend as many interesting events as you can! </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Years go
by quickly, so make the most of it, meet employers and develop new skills- it
is always in your advantage!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you've just read Cindy's story and it sounds familiar! Why not apply to attend one of our next IT's not just for the boys! events! Visit the website here to find out more!</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://targetjobsevents.co.uk/its-not-just-for-the-boys" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">targetjobsevents.co.uk/its-not-just-for-the-boys</span></b></a><br />
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TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-81084647000388260312017-01-12T11:27:00.001+00:002017-05-18T09:29:21.106+01:00Undergraduate of the Year ‘Future CFO’ 2016 winner Molly Ashton visits the capital of the European Union<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVr9Zee3vjFVnYJbXbn1QcmXUfgN-L2RMHs2qvmbnr_arN_BaL5iUI0SvLinUQbbcIUGX2VYQGoeFI06WWf8Dm1J1SDsBfDMxfwaEI3Xejml6pfQXMOwh16V1GlX9q_KOKtgDL9derNB0/s1600/Email+header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVr9Zee3vjFVnYJbXbn1QcmXUfgN-L2RMHs2qvmbnr_arN_BaL5iUI0SvLinUQbbcIUGX2VYQGoeFI06WWf8Dm1J1SDsBfDMxfwaEI3Xejml6pfQXMOwh16V1GlX9q_KOKtgDL9derNB0/s320/Email+header.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Shortly about to commence her final year of
studies before starting a graduate role in Tax at PwC, Molly was chosen as our
winner. Intelligent, with an adaptive thought process having the power to
influence others, she showed all of the skills desirable for a future CFO.
Molly also proves that you don't have to fit a certain mould to become an
accountant: she is an avid fashion and beauty blogger, traveller, and animal
lover! She describes her trip to Brussels in her blog</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://therosebeautyfiles.com/2016/09/05/the-travel-diaries-brussels-august-2016/"> <b>here </b></a></span><span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With our finalists being asked to debate the threats
and opportunities associated with BREXIT for a small to medium business owner,
a part of Molly’s prize was the unique opportunity to spend 2 days in the
European Headquarter in Brussels, to meet with influential business advisors, EU
officials, and even getting an exclusive tour of the European Parliament,
organised by ACCA Brussels office.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">First on the agenda was a meeting with Clara Lemaire,
Head of the Brussels Office of Centrica, Sean McGuiree, Director of the CBI
Brussels office and Cian Rice, director of EU Government relations for
Barclays. They all stressed that the Brexit vote had increased the necessity for
UK businesses to have a presence in Brussels. This allows companies to obtain
intelligence on, and influence policies affecting their activities, and also to
act as a link between the EU institutions and their UK offices. Meeting with
influential people in the financial sector in Brussels helped Molly to
understand some of the wider issues taking place following on from the BREXIT
vote. Molly also heard a presentation by our Brussels office on ACCA’s EU
affairs activities and on how Brussels works. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>On Day 2 of the trip,</b> after
a meeting with Peter Ujvari, a member of ACCA Corporate Reporting Global Forum and
senior IFRS expert at the KBC bank, Molly received an exclusive invite to the
European Commission and to the European Parliament. One of the </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Commission's
main roles is to propose legislation, which is then adopted by the
co-legislators, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The ACCA delegation
visited the Directorate General in charge </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">for Financial Stability,
Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (DG FISMA), <span style="background: white; color: #141823;">where Valérie Ledure, an ACCA member and
the Deputy Head of the Accounting and Financial Reporting Unit, gave an
overview of the work of the European Commission in general, and of her unit,
more specifically. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbTpgCWduyHoygK97RZEuuIu9wuo-GSKqZd3AajZSLLqxb07NRdLMVfi7l8NGNhQCw4cVGnsDaGPDchDDbfP8llnT79zpS7HtfHTqOV25550iszOb1sV_JU3XMZKd8kYI7nuKTCQZ55wx/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbTpgCWduyHoygK97RZEuuIu9wuo-GSKqZd3AajZSLLqxb07NRdLMVfi7l8NGNhQCw4cVGnsDaGPDchDDbfP8llnT79zpS7HtfHTqOV25550iszOb1sV_JU3XMZKd8kYI7nuKTCQZ55wx/s320/1.jpg" width="180" /></a><span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The group then had the opportunity to get a private
guided tour around the impressive European Parliament by Rhiannon Price, the
Senior Policy Advisor of Welsh MEP Kay Swinburne, predominantly active in the
field of financial services.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After lunch at the EP’s canteen, the ACCA group
was joined by Andrea Laskava, a special adviser to EPP’s President MEP Manfred
Weber, who shared with us precious insights on the functioning of the EP and the
internal political games.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoCRmfDIEmQbcCIvCcALFRbytq2oQ_fef5fhQNG1tLGAFNIRxT_1-bfiWPX65itApu-4Qh-7wj_qvLKD5Iszq20G7wNPZw8mThPE1-9V8-ml4DnWUibFFODwXBjKF2qlAAqkXzuYvGR7o/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoCRmfDIEmQbcCIvCcALFRbytq2oQ_fef5fhQNG1tLGAFNIRxT_1-bfiWPX65itApu-4Qh-7wj_qvLKD5Iszq20G7wNPZw8mThPE1-9V8-ml4DnWUibFFODwXBjKF2qlAAqkXzuYvGR7o/s320/5.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In addition to better understanding the role of
the European institutions, Molly also got to enjoy the cultural side of
Brussels with visits to the Magritte Museum, the Royal Palace, the old town
centre and of course eating Belgian waffles and frites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Reflecting on the trip Molly said:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"I thoroughly enjoyed the trip to
Brussels, understanding more about the EU parliament and what ACCA's role is in
the city was really interesting. It was strange to go from ACCA's huge London HQ
to an office of two members in Brussels who work more closely with the
parliament and commission to understand policies. The trip has helped me
understand how diverse ACCA's role is across the world and has definitely
intrigued me to find out more in the future!"</span></i></div>
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TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-902663245846532082017-01-09T15:35:00.002+00:002017-05-18T09:30:52.732+01:00You have to be in it to win it! Words of advice from Management Undergraduate of the Year Shona McCotter<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hi everyone, my name is Shona McCotter and I have been
lucky enough to receive the coveted TARGETjobs Management Undergraduate of the
year award 2016, sponsored by Enterprise-Rent-a-Car.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGZVRPSiT8GlkLE11iHBT2H1-lXSMmETKEnVMy9UQIfnCDaDfyV0yqAwbzRYSCgCMkSoLPwSnvajKeDE3p17t9_S8wuvmRd-SWtjIrN5K8hHE0-XtWbB0m-0DOKzsxKcmcs53r2F8AlmT1/s1600/ShonaMcCotter.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGZVRPSiT8GlkLE11iHBT2H1-lXSMmETKEnVMy9UQIfnCDaDfyV0yqAwbzRYSCgCMkSoLPwSnvajKeDE3p17t9_S8wuvmRd-SWtjIrN5K8hHE0-XtWbB0m-0DOKzsxKcmcs53r2F8AlmT1/s320/ShonaMcCotter.PNG" width="180" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I was reading through my university emails one day
when I saw this particular opportunity to enter the UK Undergraduate of the
Year awards. It immediately took my interest and I chose to enter the
Management category. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">What I really liked about this category was that
Enterprise-Rent-a-Car was the sponsor. Having won graduate employer of the year
on various occasions and with a summer internship and a week in the states up
for grabs I knew this is would be an amazing opportunity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Having completed my online application and passing my
phone interview, I was then invited to an assessment day at their European Head
office in Surrey. To say I was nervous in the days and hours beforehand was an
understatement (I travelled from Barcelona – so I had a lot of time to dwell!).
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The assessment centre was a lot less daunting than I
imagined. The ERAC team were genuinely so friendly and down to earth, and this
made me feel much more comfortable in expressing myself throughout the
different tasks with other candidates and in my one to one interview. They
really wanted each of us to do well! I learned a lot about Enterprise’s working
environment and noticed how most of the employees started as management
trainees – so they really had a found respect for what interns do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The awards ceremony itself in Canary Wharf was such an
amazing experience and the presentation by Fiona Bruce was really inspiring. I
had never been to anything like it. As the winner, I was presented my award by
Khaled Shabo, Corporate VP and MD for UK and Ireland who has contributed
enormously to the success of Enterprise-Rent-a-Car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I will undergo my USA trip next summer in the global
HQ for Enterprise-Rent-a-Car! ERAC have
also asked me to be their Campus Brand Manager this year, which has been a
great experience so far, allowing me to promote their opportunities in careers
fairs and to my peers. Since winning the award I have interned in Beijing,
China on a scholarship and have had graduate offers based on my achievement, so
it has really brought me far and was definitely worth the application!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“You have to be in it to win it” is a phrase we’re all
very familiar with but very few of us take it seriously. One piece of advice I
would give after this experience is to have some faith in yourself and go for
it! It was worth it for me, it might just be for you too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-1699062744569069732017-01-06T16:44:00.001+00:002017-05-18T09:34:09.745+01:00Do yourself proud! Martin talks of how there's nothing to lose when applying for the Undergraduate of the Year Awards<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I was just finishing some January
assignments at University and had a free afternoon where I thought I would
apply. I always wanted to apply, and the Department of Economics at Warwick sent
around emails encouraging us to do so, but I was not quite sure which category
to go for and didn’t have too much time to look into it but once the
assignments were out of the way, I concluded that the Future CFO category
best-suited my skillset. Not only that, but the prize – a trip around Europe! –
looked incredible!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">After answering three competency questions,
we had four online tests to do. These were quite hard, especially given the
time pressures, but ultimately if I wasn’t very good at analysing pie charts or
answering the other numerical/logical tests, then I wouldn’t make a very good
CFO anyway! So it was a very good test and one which tells you a lot about
yourself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Soon after, I got an email from ACCA
inviting me to the next round: record yourself in a one-minute video outlining
your views on Brexit! This was something I had done a lot of research in, and
understandably had a lot of interest in given I study economics, so I was very
happy to do so, but there were still some nerves knowing you have to record
yourself on camera!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Amazingly I got through to the next round: a
debate with an MP furthering our views on Brexit from what we outlined in the
video. This was a superbly well-run event and given the calibre of students I
was so pleased to be able to share the room with these people and give my
inputs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Whatever the outcome, I knew I had done
myself proud with my research and met some fantastic people who I could learn a
lot from, but it was then amazing to get the email telling me I had got through
to the final!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I was so excited for this event, as were my
University! After a long, but ultimately very fun and interactive, selection
process, this was a day for us to mingle and get to know other incredible
like-minded people. It was such an incredible opportunity to get here, to meet
Fiona Bruce, to meet other ACCA professionals and to build my network with
other students from different degree fields. The three-course meal was
fantastic, and whilst I did not win, I was super pleased for the eventual
winner and I know I walk away from the competition much better placed in terms
of the graduate job market with this to my CV, and also with an ever-increasing
network built.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">My advice is clear: apply! I walked away so
proud of myself – I knew I didn’t let myself down and couldn’t have done much
better – so there is nothing to lose, be yourself and utilise every opportunity
in life to make yourself stand out – and this is one of the best ones to take!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-7617909450122658272017-01-06T16:23:00.003+00:002017-05-18T09:35:13.165+01:00A journey full of experiences and rewards: Luisa's Undergraduate of the Year story<div class="MsoNormal">
The Final event was in the Winter Gardens in Canary Wharf, filled
with 120 of the brightest and most high achieving undergraduates, and every
single one was reminded of their excellence by each speaker on stage. I was
sitting amongst those 120 undergraduates, having been shortlisted to win the
female undergraduate award. Every now and again I would experience a wave of
insecurity because I could not understand how I managed to get through to this
last stage. I do not think I realised the significance of these awards until I
was there, surrounded by so many incredible students and company sponsors.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The entire journey, from sending in my CV and completing the first
online psychometric tests to the final event, was the most challenging but also
most rewarding journey I have embarked and looking back at it I would recommend
anyone with the least bit of ambition to apply for one of the TargetJobs
awards. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I experienced a two-day assessment centre (which is not very
common), but it raised my confidence and helped me prepare in the best way
possible for any future assessments I will face. We had to do group
assessments, presentations, interviews, write individual reports but we were
also taken round the incredible sites of Rolls Royce in Derby, whereby we
learnt more about the company. I was offered a summer internship with Rolls
Royce despite of not having won the award itself, but that was because they
spotted potential in me during the application process. I got to spend a day in
Canary Wharf and take a selfie with Fiona Bruce. But most importantly, I made
more than 119 new valuable contacts from several industry fields, who will
certainly in future become some of the most influential leaders of our time. I
also got to speak to high level managers and executives from Rolls Royce who
all shared about their own career paths and gave me valuable tips. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">About mid way through this journey I started to see it less as a
competition and more as a networking opportunity. I experienced the beauty of
encouragement and the importance of supporting one another in our successes
because there is much more value in celebrating each other than putting each
other down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">As you can see, it was all in all a hard process but I got much more
out of it than I had asked for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">You never know what might happen or how far you might come. If you
never try you will never succeed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-33646007097011998522017-01-06T16:16:00.001+00:002017-05-18T09:37:08.710+01:00Give the Undergraduate of the Year Awards a go like Adam did, and you too could gain a lot!A<span style="text-align: justify;">fter speaking to one of my friends who reached
the final of the competition last year, I thought I would throw my hat in the
ring and give it a go myself. Indeed, I too was fortunate enough to make the
final ten for Management Undergraduate of the Year. In this short piece I
thought it would be useful to share the most pertinent takeaway for me, which
relates largely to the benefits of being exposed to an entire recruitment cycle
so early on during your time at university.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhvFHXsGSabMrVvCnZpS_FgyGhsaR8OEBDa3KtLe2hdpIbYMdqxHfR3w-MB5aukw8T2NPfLkPtJ1Fnkr22YdQCEKYAtf6B0nMesK3N4yzAqpukJcCil7H06zfWhcS0sZ8lsxhQbGBa0Aj/s1600/Adam+Bevan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhvFHXsGSabMrVvCnZpS_FgyGhsaR8OEBDa3KtLe2hdpIbYMdqxHfR3w-MB5aukw8T2NPfLkPtJ1Fnkr22YdQCEKYAtf6B0nMesK3N4yzAqpukJcCil7H06zfWhcS0sZ8lsxhQbGBa0Aj/s320/Adam+Bevan.jpg" width="218" /></a><span lang="EN-GB">The first port of call was to submit an online
application including two or three short essay answers, as well as online
verbal and numerical reasoning tests. This was followed by a 30-minute
telephone interview to understand my motivations for applying. My advice to
anyone who makes this stage would be to do some research around Enterprise
Rent-A-Car and really get to grips with how diverse the business is. More than
anything, of course, just be yourself and convey a genuine enthusiasm for
reaching the next stage and you’ll do just fine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Once the telephone interview is complete you’ll
be invited to an assessment centre at the European Head Office in Surrey. This
is a half-day centre with roughly 6 or 7 other applicants from universities
around the country. We started with a group exercise and then moved into one-to-one
interviews before finishing up with an individual exercise that definitely
tests your ability to manage and lead right from the outset. Although that
sounds terrifying, don’t worry about anything – one of the most surprising
things for me was how welcoming and friendly everyone was. It’s a target-driven
environment with a flexible and hospitable atmosphere, and you’ll feel like
you’re already part of the company within the first hour. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Once the assessment centre was complete we were
invited to join the finalists and distinguished guests from Enterprise Rent-A-Car
at Canary Wharf. There we were treated to lunch with Fiona Bruce before the
awards were presented. As I pointed out earlier, the biggest learning curve for
me was experiencing the full recruitment process, from online application all
the way through to assessment centre and interview. No matter what stage you
get to, you’ll have that experience in the bank to draw upon when it comes to
applying for placements and/or graduate roles. That has certainly proved
valuable for me when attending assessment centres and interviews in recent
months. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">In short, my advice would be to throw yourself
in and get involved as it’s a great, risk-free environment to develop those
transferrable skills that you’ll need when it comes to applying for that all
important placement and graduate position. Of course, networking with fellow
applicants and the guys from Enterprise is also one of the most valuable things
that you’ll take from the experience. And even though there’s only one outright
winner, whatever stage of the competition you get to is certainly a great asset
on your CV, and will give you a great foundation from which to talk about your
experiences in interviews.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I’m more than happy to answer any other
questions or have a more general chat if you want to get in touch. My email is </span><a href="mailto:ajb204@bath.ac.uk"><span lang="EN-GB">ajb204@bath.ac.uk</span></a><span lang="EN-GB"> or connect with me on LinkedIn.</span></div>
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TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-89156424596193107342017-01-06T15:50:00.002+00:002017-05-18T09:40:08.373+01:00TJ talks us through his valuable experience at Sky!<div class="MsoNormal">
The Explore Sky Finance Insight Day was fantastic and it
gave me a great idea on what life would be like working at Sky. Walking in to The
Sky Studio Campus and knowing that you are seconds away from the sports and news
studios is both daunting and awe inspiring. The campus in Osterley is huge and
it reminded me of going to university for the first time. But what I enjoyed
most about this day, was the atmosphere which was very vibrant. This made me
think that the staff are happy to work at Sky and truly value their job.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although this was a financial insight day, everyone came
from a range of different academic backgrounds. Some students were in their
penultimate year studying accountancy, while others were in their final year
studying geography. A student on my table was doing her masters in chemistry!
It shows Sky welcomes all and that the skills you obtain in any degree can be
transferable.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The event gave us the opportunity to listen to the
recruitment team at Sky for the placement and graduation schemes. What they
said was extremely useful as they showed us how applicants should differentiate
themselves from other candidates. Looking at the past applications together and
pointing out the flaws and the positives will help in the future, when applying
for Sky.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After this, we had a chance to listen to people that have
been part of the Sky Graduate schemes and placement schemes. This part of the
day gave me an insight into what it would be like working for Sky. Being told
that it is fast paced and there are a variety of tasks that you need to do as
there a range of jobs, excites me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The tour of Sky was probably the most exciting part of the
day. I could not stop smiling when I was in the Sky Sports studios. But the
tour of the campus itself was hugely impressive. All the different departments
seem top class and the scenery was beautiful.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The day ended with the opportunity to show our skills in a
challenge where as a group we had to launch a plan for a new product or service
for Sky and then present it to the other participants and the judges in the
room. This was interesting as our group realised that our idea was like other
groups around us, something that Sky must often come across. We had to find a
way to make our product stand out and look unique. This task improved my
presentational marketing skills, which will help me in the future.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Overall I
would recommend anyone interested in working for Sky or a career in finance
should come to this insight day. The information you receive about the
application process and what it is like working at Sky is so valuable. The day
is extremely enjoyable and memorable as there are numerous moments where you
are either learning something valuable or looking at the many incredible scenes
and studios at Sky.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-8508329267218602912017-01-05T15:11:00.002+00:002017-05-18T09:41:42.384+01:00We catch up with the Future Business Leader Award winner 2016!<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: 14.4px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sarahjane studied international business with business law at Glasgow Caledonian University. With a love for travel, Sarahjane completed an Erasmus exchange in France and taught English for one year in Senegal with Project Trust. Several of her experiences helped her develop a passion for sustainability within business, so she saw the Future Business Leader of the Year award as the obvious choice for her.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I was already familiar with the Undergraduate of the Year
Awards before I had even considered applying, as I had used Target Jobs
throughout my time at university to look for placements and graduate
employment. Out of them all, the “Future Business Leader of the Year” was
easily the category where I felt myself best placed. I was studying
International Business and had previously worked in f</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">inance, procurement and
CSR. Yet, despite this, I had still spent some time deliberating whether I
should apply, especially looking at previous winners and their own backgrounds.
However, I was drawn to the FMCG focus of the application, as this was the
sector I had wanted to enter, and Mars being the sponsor company was naturally
extremely attractive. So, perhaps partly due to dissertation procrastination, I
decided to submit an application.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Everyone says it, but I really was genuinely surprised each
time I passed a stage of the application. The initial psychometric testing was
similar to those I was completing when applying for graduate jobs, so I was
really encouraged when I had passed this and motivated me to continue with the
application. Having saying that, the next stage involved a telephone interview
and was probably the stage I felt I had messed up the most! I had spent so much
time preparing generic interview questions that I was completely thrown by the
more informal, person-centred approach of the interview. I was probed on my CV
and specific experiences as opposed to the generic competency-based scenarios
which I was so used to, which made it harder for me to try and work out how
well or poorly I’d done. Looking back though, the interview was a good
indication of what was to come: an assessment centre designed to really
understand candidates further than simply what can be taken from a CV. This was
probably my favourite thing about the whole process; I felt like I had really
got to understand Mars (and also the other candidates in my category) and that
Mars had taken the time to understand us. When I think back to how I was
undecided about applying, I’ve learned that embracing having differences as
opposed to being intimidated by them really paid off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Winning the award was the most perfect way to finish off
final year and gave me so much more confidence for graduate life. Admittedly,
throughout the process, it struck me how well everyone got on, particularly in
comparison to other assessments I had been involved with. One of my highlights
from the awards was how much fun we all had together – the real source of competitiveness
surrounded which category had had the best table (which “Future Business Leader”
had 100% won thanks to all the chocolate goodies courtesy of Mars). Even after
the ceremony, so many of us have stayed in touch, whether this be via our
social media group or by supporting each other’s business ventures. I truly
feel like I have met people who I can rely on later in my professional life,
and if that’s what the next generation of undergraduates look like, then I look
forward to what lies ahead in my career!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-265091945498365592016-12-12T14:54:00.001+00:002017-05-18T09:44:25.609+01:00Mandeep shares his experience at the Explore Sky Finance Insight day<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm;">
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Coming from a Physics degree, a career
in finance has always seemed like a natural route for me. However, after
attending many career events I found myself continuously hearing the same
information from similar types of companies. So, when I heard about Explore Sky
Finance Insight day I was intrigued straight away. The next thing I knew I was
filling out an application form, completing a telephone interview and I was in!</span><span style="color: #212121;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When I got to Sky I was taken in by the
sheer size of their headquarters, Google Maps really does not do it justice! I
was greeted with a warm smile from TARGETjobs and taken over to the new Sky
building which is full of shops, canteens a dry cleaner... And oh yeah, open
offices!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The day itself was fantastic; there was
a welcome talk from the head of finance and a few senior leaders. After this,
the Sky graduate recruiters spoke about the application process for the
graduate scheme, highlighting common places where applicants slip up. It really
put into perspective the subtle, yet very effective ways to make a much
stronger application, not just for Sky but for any application you may make.
There was even a talk from CIMA (the global professional qualification you
complete whilst on the Sky Finance programme). It wasn’t all talks, there was a
Q&A session with the current graduates and even a chance to network with
them over lunch. This was my favourite part of the day as it is where I gained
the most valuable information and on top of that there was free lunch.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The day concluded with a tour of Sky
and then a team challenge which provided an insight into working life at Sky. I
found the team challenge particularly beneficial as it is a task that is commonly
asked at assessment centres. The only down side was that I didn’t meet anyone
famous but there is always next time I suppose.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-34987024074797656182016-12-05T16:08:00.000+00:002017-05-18T09:48:42.601+01:00Lowri Collins' Explore Sky Tech Insight Day experience<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A few weeks into my long university summer break, I
received an email from Targetjobs about their latest opportunity; a technology
insight day at the Sky campus in Osterley. After doing some research into the
culture at Sky, the various roles available and into the graduate tech scheme
itself, I decided to submit an application in the hope that, if I was offered a
place, I would be able to gain a better insight into a career at Sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fortunately, I soon received an email from Targetjobs
and was offered a telephone interview. I was asked several questions about
myself and my motivations to apply to the event, which was an insightful
experience, helping me to develop my communication skills and reflect on how to
sell myself to an employer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The ‘Sky bus’ enabled me to quickly and easily commute
to the Sky campus, giving me the opportunity to chat to friendly employees on
route. As I arrived at the Sky campus, I was amazed at the grandeur of the site,
as expected of a top tech firm. The laid back atmosphere at Sky reflected the
informal office style, with open areas to work. It was really beneficial to be
at the Sky offices, as opposed to meeting representatives at a careers fair, as
we were able to network with employees across a range of roles and managerial
levels, including meeting the grads, who were able to deliver a fresh
perspective on exactly what we would be doing at Sky. We were also able to
listen to the wise words of Colin McQuade, Managing Director of Group TV and
Digital Platforms at Sky, and ask any questions. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The layout of the day was well organized and a variety
of different elements of Sky were explored. From speakers to tours, to a talk
on how to enhance your application and a quiz, it was definitely an informative
day! In the afternoon, we were put into groups, in which we had to assign roles
and design and make a new app for ‘Sky Cinema’. This was a really fun activity,
challenging us to use our imaginations, as much as our teamwork skills in order
to finish the designing and coding. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As a humanities student, I was skeptical about whether
my skills would be compatible with a career in technology. However, at the
event, I was able to speak to grads and members of recruitment and learn that
students from diverse degree backgrounds are valued, as Sky embraces the
benefits of this diversity in team projects. I would definitely encourage
undergraduates and graduates alike to look into attending this event, as well
as the internship opportunities at Sky, especially if you have a passion for
technology and the digital revolution that is currently so pertinent to so many
elements of our everyday lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-63254343666091108852016-11-09T11:24:00.000+00:002017-05-18T09:52:17.522+01:00What can you get out of the Undergraduate of the Year Awards? And why everyone should apply!<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Walking onto the glass domed balcony of the East
Wintergarden in Canary Wharf, full of bright smiling faces, I could not have
imagined that my application for the Management Undergraduate of the Year</span><span style="color: red; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">would have brought me here just a few months ago.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">A few months prior to the award ceremony, an email from the
careers centre at my University had caught my eye. I’ve always loved
opportunities and the possibilities to stretch myself, so this seemed like
something I would be very interested in,</span><span style="color: red; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">so I
applied. I took the online tests and application thinking I had nothing to lose?
I was thrilled to find I had been selected as part of the top 40 for a
telephone interview, something which I had never experienced before, but I
wasn’t going to let that worry me. </span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When applying for these awards or indeed a job, I believe it’s
important to do your research, it shows you have enthusiasm for the company and
a desire for success. I got in touch with the area manager from the company
hosting the management award, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, she was more than helpful
in providing me with advice for my telephone interview and beyond. I kept in
contact with her throughout the process and she was a great support.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">A few weeks later, knowing I would soon be receiving an
email about the outcome of interview I nervously checked my email inbox, and
there it was, I was going to London for the assessment centre! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After what was a very long but inspiring day, in which I met
fantastic candidates and company representatives from all around the country, I
waited for the phone call to know whether I had made it any further. At this
point, after meeting the high calibre of candidates, I was proud to have
reached this point - especially since my first year at University had not yet
finished! I was then elated to learn I had made it through to the final. 10 out
of 400 applicants!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The day before the award I received a phone call from the
Area manager I had been in communication with, she rang to wish me the best of
luck for the award the next day and to offer me an internship with Enterprise, regardless
of what</span><span style="color: red; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">happened at the awards, I couldn’t
believe it!</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMRVH7I10_B6HAH-s7QwaDaBmep3c5tXfW30-1vCYYlvfFnuOK3OulLLPKJwVb4bH7Wz0tAQcXqIWS7VCOCMtB4duChHVUHJeddlsA5TYWqbvHa66jbWs9VcPUrIgxEnLlz_563nfmrZW/s1600/Beth+Atkinson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMRVH7I10_B6HAH-s7QwaDaBmep3c5tXfW30-1vCYYlvfFnuOK3OulLLPKJwVb4bH7Wz0tAQcXqIWS7VCOCMtB4duChHVUHJeddlsA5TYWqbvHa66jbWs9VcPUrIgxEnLlz_563nfmrZW/s320/Beth+Atkinson.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The awards were a fantastic day and gave me the opportunity
to meet so many amazing candidates and company representatives as well as catch
up with some of the people I had met on my assessment day, naturally as the
award announcements came closer I was nervous, however, despite not winning, I
still felt, along with many people I spoke to afterwards, that we had all won,
we were there at this incredible venue with some of the biggest names in
business in the UK!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">For the summer? I am spending ten weeks with Enterprise as a
management trainee intern and I cannot wait to see what opportunities it
brings!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My advice for applicants, it doesn’t matter what year of
university you are currently in, or perhaps what qualifications you may think
lack, these awards look for the people behind the application submissions, so
apply, you never know where you may find yourself!</span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-7426337693958470272016-11-04T12:22:00.000+00:002017-05-18T09:56:56.167+01:00Hayat tells us how close you are to landing a dream opportunity<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Hayat won the 2016 Civil Service Leader of the Year Award 2016. Here's what she has to say about the process...</span><br />
<u><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></u>
<u><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Application process:</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I saw an email about the Awards and was particularly
attracted by the opportunity to win a place on the Summer Diversity Internship Programme. I really didn't have the confidence to go for the application but my
mum told me I had nothing to lose and to just apply! This was definitely the
best decision I made as becoming a finalist and then winning the award really
increased my confidence in my own abilities. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I completed some online tests (after practicing for a good
couple of days as I had never done them before) I was told I could progress to
the next stage. Answering the employer questions was the most enjoyable part as
I was able to convey my passion for diversity and inclusivity in the work place
and particularly in the Civil Service! I then progressed onto a telephone
interview which was warm and relaxed so I was able to confidently express my
interests and my previous experiences in different roles. The whole process was
not as daunting as I imagined and I would definitely encourage anyone to go for
it as it is worth the effort!</span><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Awards Ceremony:</span></u><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Once the main application process was over and I was told I
was shortlisted in the final 10, it was a huge relief! To get this far was an
achievement in itself! The awards ceremony in Canary Wharf was amazing. The
venue was unlike any I had been to before and the array of eager and equally
excited students in attendance was welcoming. It was lovely to interact with
students and professionals from different fields and also to meet and speak
with civil servants from the Fast Stream. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My advice to any undergraduate would be to just go for it,
never to doubt yourself and to fulfil your potential! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Many thanks,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Hayat</span><br />
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>TARGETjobs Eventshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052107980285121128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1092536801979726550.post-45921677421677379292016-10-27T10:19:00.002+01:002017-05-18T09:55:31.513+01:00Mazhar talks us through his experience with the Undergraduate of the Year Awards 2016<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Application process<br />
</b>Initially, I dismissed the emails that advertised the Undergraduate of the
Year awards on the basis that such opportunities only apply to extraordinary
people. A week before the deadline I received a third email which finally
encouraged me to investigate further. This time the criteria seemed more applicable
and the possibility of me receiving such an award began to germinate. To
address a few concerns regarding my chances, I set out to uncover the traits of
previous winners through the 2015 blog entries. Many people held the belief
that becoming Undergraduate of the Year was unachievable for them, however, the
process still promised much to be attained.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";">
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<br />
As part of the application I needed to answer three
non-trivial questions designed by the sponsor, Expedia. I struggled to conjure
up anything relevant, leading me to conclude I wasn’t destined for this
journey. </div>
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<br />
Forty-eight hours before the deadline, I received a call
from the Undergraduate of the Year team urging me to complete my application. I
appreciated the thoughtfulness behind this gesture and the humanity behind the
team. So I readied myself to battle the questions. If not for myself, then for
people who place their faith in people like myself. </div>
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<br />
When it came to answering the questions, it proved
beneficial to brainstorm potential thoughts or experiences of mine which were
relevant to the questions. After this, I took three psychometric tests- what
helped me tremendously with these were the multiple examples and tips available
on the internet - definitely take a look at them!</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Assessment centre</b></div>
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While imprisoned by illness, I received an email inviting me
to the assessment centre and detailing the plan for the day. The assessment day
was held at Expedia’s London office and involved icebreakers and a group
exercise where we designed an AirBnB app highlighting nearby special offers. In
the afternoon, I networked with the assessors and current employees. Being
placed in groups with strangers to design and present an app in just forty-five
minutes made the group exercise a worthy challenge. In short, the day was very
pleasant despite its competitive nature. Moreover, speaking to the current
employees at Expedia informed me of the work completed at their offices.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Awards ceremony</b></div>
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</div>
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The final ceremony was the easiest part of the process. I
sat down with all the finalists and the Expedia staff members that I had gotten
to know, had a delicious three-course meal and listened to Fiona Bruce’s
amusing stories. Although I didn’t win, I increased the prospects of me working
for Expedia, featured on my university’s website and had an honorary mention
during my summer 2016 university’s graduation ceremony.</div>
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If you are eligible then grasp this opportunity and apply.
Seriously, throughout this process, nothing changed; I was still ordinary
Mazhar. I just happened to do that little extra by applying.</div>
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</span><br />
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