Decisions: do I get a graduate job or do postgraduate study?

If you’re struggling to make a decision between doing postgraduate study or getting a graduate job, here are some pros and cons that might help you weigh up your options.

Pros of postgraduate study…

• It might be the key to your dream job. Some graduate schemes and roles require a masters/post-doctoral degree or equivalent. Some sectors require graduates to undertake a conversion course if your first degree isn’t in a relevant discipline – including IT, law and property – and a PGCE is the usual route to becoming a teacher. For graduates whose dream career requires this kind of further study, it’s a no brainer.

• You get to spend more time studying the subject that you love. Some graduates can’t wait to delve deeper into the topics that interest them through postgraduate study. However, you might have hated your degree and find the idea of studying for another year (or more, if you fancy a PhD) unimaginable. If so, it’s probably not the right choice for you…

• More letters after your name. Maybe you just really fancy having ‘Dr’ as your title…

Cons of postgraduate study…

• It can be hard to find funding. This is probably the number one factor that puts students off committing to further study. However, there is help out there – use TARGETpostgrad.com to browse hundreds of bursary, scholarship and fee waiver options to see whether financial support is available for your course.  

• The wealth of options for postgraduate study can be bewildering. If you think that you’d be interested in postgraduate study but feel as if you need more information about what’s available to you then get down to the TARGETpostgrad Study and Funding Fair. The fair is touring the UK until March 2016, giving you the chance to meet course providers and funding experts who will help you answer your questions.

• You might be worried about getting a job afterwards. In some cases postgraduate study is used as an excuse to put off entering the world of work. It’s important to be sure that you really want (or need) to embark on further study rather than using it to bury your head in the sand. If you’re worried about employability, it’s worth noting that most employers will value a year of work experience above a postgraduate degree, unless it is directly relevant to the role.

Pros of getting a graduate job…

• You earn a wage. After three or more years at university living off a student loan, many graduates can’t wait to start to start earning money. Even if it’s just to start paying back some of that debt…

• You usually get on-the-job training. Many graduate schemes and jobs offer the opportunity for candidates to work towards a professional qualification or receive training while working. Some employers also allow graduate employees to take designated study leave to prepare for exams. If financial concerns are putting you off postgraduate study, but you’re keen to work towards further qualifications, this could be the route for you.

Cons of getting a graduate job…

• It might be more difficult to start postgraduate study later on. It is not uncommon for people to return to education later in life, but obviously this is not always simple if you are in a full-time graduate position – it can sometimes involve taking time out of work.

• It can be pretty stressful. University is tough and embarking on a demanding graduate career immediately after graduating can be a recipe for burnout. Although it’s not advisable to take a five year break, it’s not uncommon for graduates to take a year out if they do feel overwhelmed.

• You have to start paying back your student loan once you start earning £21,000. Need I say more?

Whichever route you choose to take, TARGETjobs and TARGETpostgrad have plenty of advice, from tackling the mission that is writing a cover letter for a graduate job to deciding where to do your postgraduate study. If you’re really struggling, the TARGETjobs career planner can help you to become clearer about your career options and make a more informed decision about your career path.

Considering postgraduate study? Want to know more?

If you are considering undertaking postgraduate study, chances are you have a fair few questions - 'How will I get funding?', 'Which universities should I apply to?', 'What course is right for me?'

TARGETpostgrad is the leading provider of postgraduate fairs in the UK, giving you the opportunity to meet course providers and funding experts from across the UK, Europe and beyond. All of this and more for FREE!

2015/16 PG Fairs - dates and locations

• Glasgow: 19th November 2015
• Newcastle: 26th November 2015
• Birmingham: 3rd December 2015
• Cardiff: 4th February 2016
• Sheffield: 18th February 2016
• Liverpool: 25th February 2016
• Southampton: 3rd March 2016

Find out more and register to attend on the TARGETpostgrad website now. 

GET SOCIAL AND FIND A GRADUATE JOB

Social media is one of the largest forms of marketing. So why not use these networks that are so readily available, to market yourself? Are you looking for a job? Using social channels such as Twitter and LinkedIn could really help you get your CV out there.  If you do not know already, you will find that the majority of companies and corporations are on social media in one form or another. Social media allows you to connect with these companies and speak to them about your ambition. No-one is going to market you better than yourself. So make a lasting impression and start networking!

We here at TARGETjobs understand how stressful and hard work job hunting can be. So, here are our five top tips to kick-start your career through social media:

MANAGE YOUR ONLINE REPUTATION

Ensuring that your online presence helps rather than hinders your job hunt you need to make sure you have really considered what your social profiles look like. If you would rather recruiters did not see the content on your social channels then review your privacy settings. It is worth some serious thought as to who can access your data. Don’t let a crazy Facebook picture prevent you from getting a job. Find out more on how you can manage your online reputation.

GIVE YOUR SOCIAL CHANNELS A PROFESSIONAL MAKEOVER!

Okay, so we are all guilty of posting random pictures of cats etc. But, now is the time for you to start thinking on a professional scale. How can you redesign your social media to make it sell you and your skills? You may want to start with changing your tag name to your actual name! Select a profile image that represents you well and try not to post drunken videos or images of yourself. 

IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP TO LINKEDIN, REGISTER TODAY & CREATE YOUR PROFILE

LinkedIn is almost like an interactive CV. Your profile allows you to not only showcase your experience, qualifications but also enables you to connect and network with prestigious companies, job search and more. You can update your profile quickly and even include any work you have produced so it is easily seen by recruiters and employers.

USE THE BIO SECTION OF YOUR PROFILES TO PROMOTE WHAT JOB YOU'RE LOOKING FOR

The biography section on the majority of social media channels is one of the first sections employers see when viewing your page. It is the perfect space for you to express what you want to do and what your ambition is. Use all the tools available to you, whether you include your portfolio or a sentence which covers what you want to do. Keep it light yet professional.

USE SOCIAL AS A NETWORKING TOOL

Start following companies you would be interested in working for. Many companies will promote when they have a vacancy they are recruiting for. So following them could enable you to find out about the job first and apply quickly to get your CV and application noticed. It is a good idea to get involved in conversations and get your profiles noticed.  Find out how you can use Twitter to get yourself job.

For more advice on how to get yourself a graduate job or internship visit TARGETjobs.co.uk

 

By Roxanne Chand

TARGETjobs career advice weekly roundup

Hello everyone, welcome to this week's weekly roundup post! 

Are you looking forward to the bank holiday?

This week I have decided to focus on CV advice, as well as sharing with you all the latest news.

So, let me start off with the internship and graduate job deadlines.

Internship deadlines

 Get some work experience on your CV: internships to apply for this week are here, apply now! 

Graduate job deadlines

There are some big deadlines this week, time's ticking and you don't want to miss out! Apply here for these graduate jobs. 

Writing your CV can be a difficult process. If you are struggling to perfect your CV, look no further. Watch our video ' The 6 step guide to perfecting your graduate CV' 

                    

 Here are some article which you may find useful to help you write your CV:

The 6-step guide to perfecting your graduate CV

The worried student's guide to creating a great graduate CV  

The graduates guide to job application forms

Writing CV's for different types of graduate jobs
 
Public service, charity and social work

Who you choose to work for will make a big difference: not only to your job itself but to the impact you work towards. Consider the different types of charities, roles and entry routes to help you make the best decision. Have a read of our article 'Choosing the right employer for your graduate career in the charity sector'.

Unpaid volunteering roles are commonplace in the charity and non-profit sector, but there are plenty of roles in charities that will reward graduates with a good starting salary. Have a read of our article 'What starting salary can I expect as a graduate working for a charity?'

Finance

Get your tactics right - know when to apply and what to say in online applications for graduate jobs in investment banking and investment management. For more information read our article 'Online applications for jobs and internships in investment banking and investment'.

 

Management and Business

You know you've got what it takes to be a great graduate manager but your CV doesn't show it. Here's how to get the management internship or work experience you need, to learn first-hand what it's like to be a manager. Find out more in our article 'Management internship: the experience you need and how to get it.' 

Career advice

 

If you don't know what to do with yourself now that you have graduated, then have a read of our helpful guide 'I have a degree, now what?' to get some ideas.

Find out which professions offer the highest starting salaries and see what's on offer from big recruiters in our article 'Which graduate career offers the best pay?'

Postgraduate study

Are you considering taking a postgraduate course? If you're unsure about what you want to do, have a read of our article ' Getting the most from a postgraduate fair' and find out how to make the most of the opportunities available to you.

That's all from me this week!

I hope you enjoyed the article, have a wonderful weekend!

Roxanne

Goodbye student life, HELLO graduate living

As graduation is fast approaching, job hunting is the top priority for most students.

After the ceremony has ended and the few days you spent celebrating with your friends and family are over because yes you have finally made it, and hooray you didn't fail. It is time for you to organise yourself and figure out what you're going to do.

Whether you have decided to take a year out to travel around Australia or the USA or to find yourself your first graduate job, it is better to have a plan. 

When looking for a job there are a few steps you need to take to get the process started.

I understand this process extremely well, so I decided to share what insight I have to encourage and hopefully help you with your transition from student life to graduate living.

When I began my job hunt I had to create a list of my expectations, what my priorities are and what was most important to me.

The list

The questions I asked myself...

What am I looking for?

Where could I see myself?

Which industry is right for me?

I came to the conclusion that I wanted to work within an industry where progression was important, where I could develop my knowledge and be able to freely use my creativity to inspire and design products. 

I also wanted a job where I could earn good money so I could still relish in those student antics of a good night out, but most importantly I wanted a job that I enjoyed. 

And here I am – a digital marketing executive for the biggest student recruitment company within the UK. 

When you've finally made the decision of what you want to do, you have to then start the application process.

What to expect

• Create your CV and covering letter – if you’re thinking of applying for various roles you will need to cater your CV to that specific role in question. Here are some hints and tips to help you.

• Filling out the application - almost every graduate job-hunter encounters a job application form at some point. Read 'The graduate's guide to job application forms' for guidance.

• Preparation – once you have secured an interview you will need to research the company vigorously, you won’t be expected to know everything however you will be expected to know the basics and be in a position to answer their questions with confidence.Have a read of our article 'Eight steps to graduate interview success'.

• What to wear – your appearance matches your ambition in an interview, you want to make a good impression. People tend to form their opinion of a person within the first few seconds of meeting them. Don't make that first impression a bad one. If you look scruffy you will come across as unprepared. Business attire is what you should be aiming for, formal wear – you have to look the part to be the part. 

         Read our article ' Dress for success at your graduate job interviews'.

• Interview questions – if you have gone through a recruitment agency they will put you through your paces to prepare you. Understanding the company's expectations from their candidates is important, you need to be able to answer the interview questions honestly, sufficiently and confidently. Read here for more information.

It may sound daunting to begin with, and you may not feel prepared but there is no better feeling than making a good impression and being offered your first job.

I hope you have found this useful!

Best of luck,

Roxanne Chand

  

TARGETjobs career advice weekly roundup

Welcome to the weekly graduate recruitment roundup. This is where you find the roundup of all the latest graduate career advice we have written this past week. 

Let's start off this week's roundup with the internship and graduate job deadlines.

Check out our roundup of upcoming deadlines for internships and placements, lasting from 12 week's to 12 months. There are placements available in engineering, IT and marketing, but you'll have to be quick as they all have deadlines coming up over the next week.

Don't miss out on these great graduate opportunities available from targetjobs.co.uk. There are vacancies with imminent closing dates within a range of sectors, including graduate schemes in IT and technology, retail and engineering. Popular employers with application deadlines coming up include the John Lewis Partnership and Royal Bank of Scotland Group. So if you think any of these jobs might be for you, don't wait around - be sure to apply this week!

Now on to the career advice section:

Finance

Would you like to start off you finance career working for a bank like Credit Suisse? Well, I am going to tell you how you can. Credit Suisse requests a covering letter to accompany its application form. This additional layer is intended to weed out the motivated candidates from the unmotivated; the well-researched from the uninformed; and those who genuinely want to join the team from those who just want a job. Read here how to write an impressive cover letter for Credit Suisse and what they expect to see.

To increase your chances at the next stage of the process find out how to tackle the Credit Suisse graduate interviews and questions. Have a read of our article which describes what they look for in a potential candidate and how to beat those interview nerves by researching the company. Preparation is essential with every interview. 

The deadline for the Royal Bank of Scotland Group’s Technology and Change Audit Graduate Programme has been extended until 30 June. This gives you a few additional days to decide what you’re going to include in your online application to persuade the bank to invite you for an interview. Have a read of our article 'RBS's Technology and Change Audit Graduate Programme: how to show you've a good grasp of technology risk'.

Law

Don’t miss that 31 July training contract application deadline! If you’re applying for a training contract that begins in 2016, you need to get your application completed. We’ve provided help on answering those tricky commercial awareness questions, presenting your experience and what you need to research about the firms. See the links below to get tailored help for RPC, Shearman & Sterling and Mayer Brown, or check out TARGETjobsLaw.co.uk for more information on how to get from application to interview and beyond. 

Calling future solicitors! As some of you will be all too aware, 31 July is the training contracts deadline for the vast majority of commercial law firms. We've had a look at the following firms’ application forms and offer our tailored advice on how you can best answer their questions: 

• Osborne Clarke
• Simmons & Simmons
• Jones Day
• Baker & McKenzie 

Retail

Interested in a managerial position at McDonald's? Have a read of our article 'Interview tips for McDonald's trainee manager job'.

Get the inside buzz

Get the inside buzz on what it’s really is like to work for top employers from those in the know. Recent graduate employees give their view on culture, training, salary and benefits and their overall satisfaction

• What employers say: their company information, jobs, internships and more
• What we say: our own top tips on how to get hired written by our expert careers editors
• What employees say: get the feel for working life from those in the know.

That's all from me this week, I wish you all the best of luck in your applications!

Have a great weekend.

TARGETjobs career advice weekly roundup

Welcome to the weekly graduate recruitment roundup. This is where you find the roundup of all the latest graduate career advice we have written this past week. 

As always I will start off the roundup with next week’s internship and graduate job deadlines.

Last chance to apply! These summer internships and graduate work experience placements are going, going, gone.. Apply now!

There's a busy week ahead for deadlines for graduate schemes and jobs on targetjobs.co.uk, with application closing dates coming up fast for vacancies with popular employers such as the John Lewis Partnership, Heineken and Tata Steel. If any of these opportunities catches you eye, act now to your application in before it's too late. Apply now.

Careers advice

To become a Doctor there are three stages that you will need to go through to achieve that goal. These three stages consist of medical school other wise known as University, foundation training and speciality training. If you want to work as a Doctor within a hospital here is what will be required of you 'Doctor (hospital) : job description'.

CVs for a graduate scheme with an investment bank usually fall into three types: straight and narrow, everyman and wildcard. Want to know where your CV fits and how to improve it? Have a read of our article 'Compare your investment banking graduate CV to the competition'.

Calling all aspiring trainee solicitors, applying for a 2016 training contract this July.  Keep our helpful list of application deadlines to hand and you won’t miss the boat: click here to find out the contract deadlines for each law firm.

And if you’re applying to regional firm, Osborne Clarke, you’ll need to tell the firm how 'your hobbies, interest and work experience will ensure that you are a successful trainee solicitor' Read our advice on how to tackle this application form question, and others. 'How to complete your Osborne Clarke application form'.

TARGETcourses

Getting funding for a postgraduate course is a little more complicated than for an undergraduate degree, principally because there isn't a graduate student loan system in operation. Have a read of our article 'Introduction to postgraduate funding in the UK' for more information.

That's all from me this week,

I wish you all the best of luck on you applications!

Have a wonderful weekend,

Roxanne

TARGETjobs career advice weekly roundup

We hope everybody is looking forward to the bank holiday weekend – here’s our weekly career roundup to make the weekend even better!

As always I will start with next week's internship and graduate job deadlines:

Summer and graduate internships and placements to apply for now, with application deadlines coming up next week - apply here.

There are graduate job deadlines coming up fast in a range of career areas here on targetjobs.co.uk, from financial services and insurance to engineering, IT and sales. Click here to apply now!

Job opportunity

Now, do you like what we do? Do you also have a passion for events? Then apply to be an Event Promotions Executive and join our team here at TARGETjobs!

As an Event Promotions Executive, you will

• Develop your communication skills
• Gain hiring and management experience
• Be responsible for planning and executing your own event attendance
• Demonstrate you can exceed targets
• Learn from a hands-on marketing team
• Get you own company car!

If this sounds interesting to you then why not apply now! We currently have four opportunities available so don't miss out on working for a fun, inspiring and prestigious company.

On to our latest career advice articles..

If you're thinking of applying to Arup then we can tell you all about their interview process. Over the years, many students have asked TARGETjobs questions about succeeding at the Arup UK graduate recruitment process – whether at careers events or via social media. So we spoke to Aman Rai, graduate recruitment adviser at Arup, to get answers to your most frequently asked questions about applying to the firm. Read here to find out what questions they’re likely to bring up.

Now the interview is the second and final stage of the Arup graduate recruitment process in the UK, read this article to find out what Arup interviewee's are looking for in a successful candidate and find out how this could be you!

Are you interested in working in construction and property development? If your answer is yes then have a read of our article for application tips on how to apply for a graduate role with BAM Construct UK Ltd.

If you have decided to apply for a graduate position with BAM then we can tell you all about the interview process. The graduate recruitment process at BAM Construct UK is pretty simple: if you are successful at the application stage, you will usually be asked to participate in a telephone ‘screening’ interview and attend up to two face-to-face interviews. 

Members of the graduate recruitment team usually conduct the telephone interview. They will also sit in on at least one of your face-to-face interviews, which are usually led by senior managers in the region or sector you’d be working in. Read more on this topic here.

This article is for all the law students - Once you’ve submitted your targeted and proofread training contract applications before the July deadlines (having read all our handy applications advice on targetjobslaw.co.uk, of course), you’ll hopefully  be invited along to a law firm’s assessment centre. Find out in our article 'Be your best self in a law assessment centre group exercise' what we learned by being a fly on the wall at a Reed Smith group exercise – our advice applies to all law assessment centres. 

Did you know that GlaxoSmithKline was the most popular science recruiter at the TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2014? Maintaining their remarkable track record. The pharmaceutical company has won this award for as long as it has been up for grabs. So what is the secret of GlaxoSmithKline’s enduring popularity? If working in Pharmaceuticals is your desired career then have a read of our article 'The key to GlaxoSmithKline's popularity? Students who want to help'.  Find out why GSK is such a popular company amongst science undergrads. 

That's all from me this week! 

Best of luck with any applications that you make this week.

Have a great weekend.

Roxanne

TARGETjobs career advice weekly roundup

Hello everyone it's that time again for your weekly fix for everything that is going on in the world of graduate recruitment!

To start I would like to share with you all this week's graduate job and internship deadlines.

Check out next week's application deadlines for graduate jobs and schemes in IT, finance and more - here

Don't miss out on next week's internship deadlines, click here to apply.

Career advice

Do you aspire to work within IT & technology? Have a read of our article 'Good answers to CGI's graduate scheme online application questions' for hints and tips of how to progress in you chosen career and answer those significant questions in your application.

CGI assessment centres for graduate jobs last half a day and consist of a one-hour interview and a group exercise. There is also a writing task to submit before the day. Have a read of our insider advice on how to succeed at CGI assessment centres and interviews.

The Pupillage Gateway is closed, but there’s not much time to have a break. If you’re a law student or BPTC-starter who has applied for pupillage this year, get yourself in shape in case an interview turns up with top tips from professional barristers.

Work experience is the holy grail you need before you’ll be considered for a journalism job. Find out what does and doesn’t count as work experience in journalism as well as which employers to look at and what you need to do to get it.  Click here to find out more.

Interview techniques and tips

An invitation to an interview means you're well on your way to securing yourself a graduate job. But selling your skills face to face or on the phone is very different from selling your skills on paper. Here in our article 'Eight steps to graduate interview success' are the main steps to help you think on your feet and prepare for all eventualities.

Mostly everyone gets nervous before a job interview so we have collected some expert tips in case you need a last-minute confidence boost before your graduate job interview. Have a read of our article 'Last - minute interview confidence boost: if you don't feel it, fake it!'

That's all for this week!

Good luck in your applications and have a great weekend.

Roxanne