Success story from City Law for Ethnic Minorities! Read how it helped Alex land his dream job at Baker & McKenzie!

Alex attended City Law for Ethnic Minorities in June 2012, find out how the event helped him land his dream job at Baker & McKenzie!

This event was brought to my attention by a lecturer during my first year at University. Some of my course mates and I applied and we were very pleased to have been successful.

Day 1
Following a brief introduction, we were split into small groups and we were immediately given a series of intense, interactive and challenging tasks. These tasks were led by members from graduate recruitment teams of various City Law firms and included advice about applications and interviews.  This was an invaluable opportunity, as it was these same people that would be reading and assessing our vacation scheme and training contract applications in the near future.

Once the skills sessions were over, we were given half an hour to network with trainees and graduate recruitment staff from a array of law firms. This opportunity proved to be incredibly important to me as it was then that I had my first interaction with my future employer, Baker & McKenzie. This opportunity enabled me to develop meaningful relationships within the Firm and when it came to applying for a vacation scheme with them, I felt that I had a genuine understanding of their culture and values. Moreover, the trainees that I met on the day provided me with help and support, where they could, throughout the application process. 

Day 2
On the second day, we were separated into small groups and taken to different law firms. My group were taken to Reed Smith's offices, where we were given presentations by a trainee, an associate and a partner. They discussed the Firm's values, their work and how to be commercially aware. Later, we were given a group exercise based on the London 2012 Olympics. This experience proved to be very beneficial, as it was similar to group exercises that I was required to do during vacation scheme assessment days. 

Following this session, we were taken to Wragge & Co's offices (now known as Gowling WLG), where we were given a talk on due diligence. After this we undertook a research task and we were asked to present our findings to a panel comprising of members of the firm. Again, this experience mirrored assessment day tasks. I believe that it was extremely beneficial to me to be able to practice these skills in a controlled and less pressured environment. 

Finally, we were taken to Mayer Brown's offices where we were given a Q&A panel session with partners from City law firms. 

Fast-forward 1 year
Applying the advice that I was given at the City Law for Ethnic Minorities event, I was successful in obtaining a place on Baker & McKenzie's summer vacation scheme.

Fast forward 2 months - (1/9/2013)
Following my vacation scheme with Baker & McKenzie, I was offered a training contract with the Firm to start in September 2015! 

I believe that my experiences at the City Law for Ethnic Minorities event were instrumental to beginning my legal career and I would strongly recommend applying!

To find out more about the next event, visit the website HERE!

Read Oishi's story on how she got a Vodafone internship through TARGETjobs Events!

Oishi attended many of our TARGETjobs Events, including IT's not just for the boys!, Future Female Engineers and STEMinism presents Vodafone. All helping her gain valuable insights to a variety of STEM related fields and learning insider tips for applications to major companies in these fields.


As a result of the event, Oishi secured an internship with Vodafone. We caught up with her to find out how she got on..

My internship at Vodafone

I am Oishi, Software and Electronics Engineering undergraduate student at University of Leicester, and I have just completed my second internship at Vodafone over the summer. I was working as a ‘Technology Operational Management’ intern in the team of the Vodafone’s Technology Director and senior managers. It was a great experience to work closely with such senior people at Vodafone. I worked on various weekly and monthly technology reports which involves analysing and checking data. I was responsible for production of Technology Weekly Trading Pack and the reporting pack for the Director. My role involves analyzing and managing monthly Technology Objective Dashboard and Technology Key Performance Indexes (KPIs). I was also responsible for managing the Director’s meeting governance and creating agendas, minutes and pre-reads for various meetings.

Through these accountabilities I improved various skills which includes analytical thinking, while gathering, analysing and managing information for production and review of various reports. I further improved my written and verbal communication skill while interacting with various teams within Vodafone to fetch information for regular reports. Furthermore, I improved technical knowledge of telecommunication networks and transmission techniques through courses in Vodafone Academy. These helped me to relate to the technical aspects of the reports much clearly. 

I really enjoyed working with such great people at Vodafone. The internship has been a great experience and has definitely boost my confidence a lot. I highly recommend and encourage other students to get involve with internships and build up their skills. Moreover, the internship at Vodafone became more memorable as I got the opportunity to celebrate my birthday there. Just a week before finishing the internship it was my birthday, and my team greeted me and gifted me with a bracelet. I never expected it, and I was really surprised and so pleased. I was so fortunate to be able to work with such amazing people. 

Before I could realize, the eight weeks were gone. On my last day, I had farewell lunch and following that was awaiting my final internship review, I was anxious to know my performance and was so pleased to receive great feedback from my manager. I am glad I made the most of this opportunity and will always cherish this wonderful experience and the amazing people I met. 

So, how did I get the internship?

I found out about this internship having attended IT's not just for the boys! I passed the selection process and was offered the internship for the summer. Following the first internship, I was invited back again for this summer. 

My message to other students

I definitely encourage other students especially females in STEM to take part in TARGETjobs Events and to make the most out of these opportunities. Who knows, you might end up with an amazing internship experience!

With the team at Vodafone.

Read on to see what our runner up Alexander has been up to since the UGOY awards!

Name: Alexander Mäkelä
University: University of Lancaster
Course: BA (Hons) Politics, Philosophy, and Economics

I felt that the Undergraduate Of The Year contest truly kicked in during the assessment center. It was thrilling and exposed me to an industry I’d never considered before. I’ll always fondly remember working on a business case for Armani fragrances as part of our individual tasks. Using creative thinking and applying things you learned at university felt so exhilarating. It sparked an interest, so when I found out that I’d been shortlisted as a Undergraduate Of The Year finalist and invited to attend the Grand Gala in London I felt proud.

The gala itself was an amazing experience and TARGETjobs couldn’t have organized a better event. It was great to be surrounded by young, ambitious, and bright people – the vibe and energy was certainly contagious! While I didn’t win I still saw reaching the final stage as an achievement and a treasured memory. I’m also glad I was able to ride on that feeling and the momentum far into the summer.

Fresh out of university, I welcomed the first guests to the refugee housing facility I’d been working on for bit over a year and I co-founded a new initiative focused on fostering innovation on a Nordic level through large scale incentive competitions. Trying to create a public-private partnership unlike anything attempted before. With this aim I attended two separate week long political festivals in both Denmark and Sweden with goal of gaining support. I’m happy to say that I was invited to present a proposal to national representatives from the Nordic countries at a Nordic Council meeting in Oslo just a few weeks back and the dream is very much still alive! Even as I’m writing this blog post, I’ve just returned from the Association of Space Explorers’ annual congress, oddly enough due to another contest I entered - trying new things and following your dreams can truly bring you to unexpected places!

Apart from that, as a finalist of the Undergraduate Of The Year I was offered a placement within the L’Oréal group - one that I gladly accepted. After the summer, I ended up within the commercial development team at The Body Shop. So far the job has been great, plenty of new things to learn (especially as I’m working with new makeup products – as a guy that’s not easy I’ll tell you!). Plus living in London and getting to explore the city has been a fantastic experience so far and I’ve only gotten started!

I’d say take bold steps as you’ll never know where you’ll end up and who you’ll meet during your journey. For me, the experiences I got with Undergraduate Of The Year opened new opportunities and paths I could never have imagined before. I live and work in one of the most vibrant cities on the planet. Every day as I walk to work I think to myself, I live in a city that almost has as many people as my home country. It always baffles me, it’s simply amazing and I can’t thank TARGETjobs and Undergraduate Of The Year enough for that feeling.

Pre-register for the 2016 Undergraduate of the Year Awards now.

Runner up Laura tells us what she's been up to since the UGOY awards

Name: Laura Mckechnie
University: University of Strathclyde
Course: BA (Hons) Finance and Marketing

I first heard about the TARGETjobs Undergraduate of the Year competition from an e-mail sent to me by my careers service at my university. I had no expectations of making it through the online tests given the tough competition but nonetheless, I had nothing to lose by applying.

The online tests were something I had never experienced so I was extremely surprised when I found out that I was through to the top 36. I can remember my excitement when I set off for ACCA’s headquarters in London for their assessment day. This was by far the most challenging part of the competition. I was pushed out of my comfort zone but I remained confident in my own abilities. There was no way of telling how each candidate had performed but I left having met some very inspiring, talented young people.

To my amazement, I found out that I had reached the final 10! Before the final in Canary Wharf, I was invited back to ACCA’s headquarters to meet and network with some representatives. It really hit me when these busy professionals had taken the time to come and speak to me and the other finalists about our career aspirations. It was at this point that I also noticed I was one of only two females to make the final cut. This filled me with even more pride.

The final in Canary Wharf was something else. The highlight for me was sitting next to the CEO of ACCA, Helen Brand, throughout the award ceremony. It was a surreal experience that I will never forget. I would just like to take this opportunity to thank TARGETjobs and ACCA for their input and organisation of the event.

If you have read this blog and are thinking of applying this year, my advice would be to go for it! Even if you are having doubts, just think – what’s the worst that can happen?

My top tips for this year's applicants would be:

1) Prepare – carry out research and practice online tests (I found SHL.com very useful)
2) Get involved – don’t stand back and let everyone talk over you but don’t be over powering either
3) Enjoy and learn from the experience – you will most likely encounter challenges, some harder than others, but try and learn from them as this will help you in the future

Feel free to contact me on LinkedIn!

Pre-register for the 2016 Undergraduate of the Year Awards now. 

Catching up with our UGOTY runner up, Andrew Wilson

Name: Andrew Wilson

University: Glasgow Caledonian University

Course: Environmental Management

Award: Low Carbon Energy

Being in my final year of my degree, I was constantly looking for opportunities to expand my personal development and boost my CV. So when I received an email from TARGETjobs about the UK Low Carbon Energy Undergraduate of the Year, it really captured my interest.

The process itself was testing to say the least, made even more difficult by the prospect of upcoming exams and coursework deadlines. However, after completing the various stages of the assessment including four online tests designed by SHL and a competency based interview with EDF Energy, I was happy to learn that I had made the final 10 for my category.

The final 10 were invited to the awards ceremony in Canary Wharf, London to hear who had won. This was a fantastic experience as I got to network with students, employers and professionals from across the country and hear of the fantastic things that they were doing. After an excellent 3 course meal, the winners were announced. Although I didn’t win, I am extremely proud to have got so far and to have had the opportunity to represent Glasgow Caledonian University as their sole finalist. When I entered I had no idea how far I would get, so to be a runner up in such a prestigious competition far surpassed my expectations.

After this, everything was a win-win. Not only had I gained experience by going through a challenging application process against some of the brightest undergraduates in the country, but I had something on my CV which intrigued many employers.

It is true that after the Undergraduate of the Year Awards I have been very busy, with numerous opportunities presenting themselves to me. Since mid-May I have been completing a United Nations Environment Programme internship with the Environmental Management Group and Sustainable United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. One of my main responsibilities in this role is to help deliver the climate neutral strategy, which this year needs to be completed a few months earlier in December to present before COP21 in Paris. The experience I have gained from the Undergraduate of the Year process without a doubt helped me to get through a tricky interview and ultimately secure this position.

I have also recently been offered a role with SPACE Canada as their CDF Coordinator in their upcoming space-based solar power project. Although I cannot reveal too much details about the project at this point in time, I can say that it concerns gathering solar power in space and beaming it back down to earth through microwave beams as a form of renewable energy. I have also been accepted to do a PhD in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Strathclyde directly relating to my research in this. Again, I feel largely indebted to the Undergraduate of the Year process for giving me the confidence and skills necessary to achieve this.

I would strongly recommend applying for the Undergraduate of the Year Awards. Even now, I still feel a huge sense of accomplishment. When first applying, I didn’t think I stood much of a chance, but there I was in the middle of Canary Wharf and all because I took a couple of hours out of my day to apply for the award.

To anyone thinking of applying, what have you got to lose? In the worst case you end up with nothing less than you had before. And you might just surprise yourself! 

Apply for the 2016 Undergraduate of the Year awards now!

What to wear and how to prepare for TARGETjobs Events!

I have been at TARGETjobs Events for just over two years and the two questions we always get asked about our events are: What should I wear? and Do I need to do anything to prepare?

For our events we recommend that you dress as you would for a job interview. Get your outfit together and try it on in advance in front of a full-length mirror. Your outfit doesn’t have to be a plain black suit and white shirt – colour is fine. Nor do you have to go completely against your personality in terms of appearance – you’re looking for a good match between who you are and your potential employer.

The most common mistake we see? Footwear! Some of our events can involve a lot of walking and some of the venues we go to have a lot of stairs, so make sure you can walk in your shoes. On the other hand, don’t even consider wearing trainers (not even black ones!). We had someone turn up to an event in bright green trainers once, and needless to say, we turned him away. Ladies: if you want to wear high heels, there’s nothing wrong with bringing a smart pair of flat shoes in your bag as back-up – we do it all the time!

Men: wear a suit, shirt and tie (make sure they have both been ironed!) and wear matching socks.

Ladies: skirts or dresses should be no shorter than just above the knee and make sure you check the length is still OK when you sit down! Always try to avoid chipped nail polish, too.

Finally, keep any piercings discreet, and it is more than OK to wear religious dress.

What should I do to prepare for the event? Our top three things: research, research, research!

The most common misconception that our attendees have about events is that attending one is a fast-track to a grad scheme or internship. Our events are an introduction to an employer, so the more you put in to prepare, the more you are going to get out of it!

Recruiters are not there to answer the simple questions that you find on their websites. Hopefully you will have already done some research into the companies for your interview so attending the event is now your chance to find out the nitty gritty. Demonstrating your knowledge of a company will not only help you come across as someone who knows what you are talking about, but enables you to have better conversations and hopefully be more memorable. Remember there could be 50+ other students in the room that they will also talk to!

Have a list of questions written down in your pocket so you don’t leave the event thinking ‘I wish I’d asked that’. A few students also bring business cards. It’s not at all essential, but it can make you look professional and on the ball. It’s particularly helpful in networking situations if you meet people you’d like to stay in touch with.

Check out all of our upcoming events on the TARGETjobs Events website.

Best of luck and I can't wait to meet you at our next event!

Katie

Out with the old and in with the new at TARGETjobs Events

After three long and happy years at TARGETjobs Events, we are sad to announce that Katy Phillips is leaving us for pastures new. As Senior Project Manager, Katy has worked on many of our top events. She’s taken the lead on IT’s not just for the boys! Undergraduate of the Year Awards and City law for ethnic minorities, to name but a few. Today is Katy’s last day in the office and we would like to wish her well in her exciting new role as an Event Manager!

Katy says…..’It’s been a real privilege to work with so many incredible people during my time at TARGETjobs Events; from the support and encouragement I’ve received from the companies and representatives involved in our events, to the reward of seeing students change from applicants to attendees to graduate representatives enjoying new roles. Mostly though, I have loved being part of such a tight knit team; for me the people are the most important factor in any job, and these girls have such a positive work hard/play hard mentality that has made each day a giggle. Thanks ladies :)  Katie W, I wish you the best of luck and hope you enjoy it as much as I have!’

However. Do. Not. Worry! We don’t like change very much here at TARGETjobs Events so we’d like to introduce the newest member of our team…Katie Walton! Those of you who attended the most recent City law for ethnic minorities event will have already met Katie, but she’s joining us full time on Monday and she can’t wait!

We’re all looking forward to our autumn events (hint: applications are open now!) and hope to see many of you there!

Katie, Katie and Nakita!

Hear from a finalist from the National Student Challenge 2014 and why you should give it a go!

Name: Sanjana Narang
University: University of Bristol
Degree area: Electrical engineering & related
Graduation date: 2015

I attended the National Student Challenge in October 2014. The event was held at The Crystal Building in London and was hosted by Siemens. The day comprised of five assessment centre group tasks organized by different employers, namely, Cognizant, Siemens, Bank of Ireland, Norton Rose Fullbright and Capital One Bank.

The students were selected on the basis of an online application that comprised of numerical and verbal reasoning tests. They helped me prepare for psychometric tests that form the first stage of almost every recruitment process.  In addition to this, there were commercial competency exercises to complete and the top 50 scores were selected for the final event. I found the selection process very interesting and engaging.

The finale was very well planned and the day was very well structured. Upon arrival, we were given a presentation about the day from TARGETJobs Events. Once that was over, the 50 students were divided into 5 groups of 10 and were rotated between the various activities delivered by the different employers.

It was an immense experience to work in teams and solve industry level problems with some of the most reputed employers in the world. I really learnt a lot from everyone around me as each person had a unique insight into the task. The day passed by really quickly and was extremely enjoyable. I had a chance to make some great new friends, ones that I am still in touch with. 

For anyone visiting the event in the future, I would just advise them to enjoy the day to the fullest and learn as much as you can. Everyone is very friendly and the atmosphere is extremely healthy. For the exercises, I would say – don’t be nervous and try to work well in teams. Listen to everyone and take initiative where you can! Just remember to respect one another and actually engage yourself in the task.

The National Student Challenge really shines on my CV and has really made me stand out in interviews and assessment centres. I would encourage everyone to give it a shot! Its worth it!

The 2015 Challenge will be opening soon - to find out more visit the website here - www.studentchallenge.targetjobs.co.uk

Meet the 2015 Languages Undergraduate of the Year Award winner!

Name: Aysel Kucuksu
University: Queen Mary University of London
Course: LLB English and European Law

Aysel won the Languages Undergraduate of the Year Award 2015 with EU Careers and still now can't believe she won!! 

I was on my year abroad in Denmark when I first saw an email from the Law department at Queen Mary, University of London outlining the various categories one could compete in as part of the ‘Undergraduate of the Year’ competition. Although the title itself was intimidating, I really wanted to challenge myself. Besides, the Languages Award seemed to accommodate for my love for languages without making a degree in it a prerequisite for an application, so I knew I could not miss this opportunity. The prospect of networking with fellow language enthusiasts and EU professionals as early as the Assessment Day stage also had its say in prompting me to apply; not to mention the opportunity to visit Brussels, the ultimate destination for lawyers and linguists alike.

Embarking onto the application process had its tough moments, however. The elaborate six stages I had to go through, varying from interviews, through essay writing, to psychometric tests (definitely as terrifying as they sound), were really designed to seep out the best candidates. So much so that by the time I reached the Assessment Day stage, I knew just how tough a competition the people I met during it would be. They were smart, ambitious, and coming from a plethora of educational backgrounds, and they also made for a great conversation. The Assessment day was probably the best stage of the application process precisely because I got to interact with these incredible individuals, some of whom I now call my friends.

The highlight of the competition was unquestionably the East Wintergarden dinner at Canary Wharf, however entering this outstanding venue, I was incredibly flattered by the effort that was put into the event and impressed by TARGETjob's remarkable attention to detail. Having Fiona Bruce as our host for the evening was the cherry on top of the cake. After a few lovely conversations, several delicious courses, and a couple of Fiona’s stories, it was time to announce the winners. Hearing each winner’s bio's before the time for the Languages Award came, I felt both extremely delighted and privileged to join their ranks once my name was announced.

Today, almost a month after the event in Canary Wharf, I still have not managed to shake off the excitement from it. With my trip to Brussels yet to happen, I am in constant conversation with a number of EU professionals, who are going above and beyond their duties to accommodate for my interests when it comes to visiting the city and its institutions. A month on and I cannot help but think about how lucky I am for getting this recognition simply for immersing myself into doing something I love.

Congratulations Aysel and to all the other finalists!

Pre-registration for the 2016 Awards is now open here! undergraduateoftheyear.com/register

Georgia gives her top five tips for attending an IT’s not just for the boys! event.

Name: Georgia Barker

University: Lancaster University

Degree: MSci IT for Creative Industries

I attended IT’s not just for the boys’ event and it was by far one of the most worthwhile and valuable experiences I’ve had. Through this event I secured a telephone interview for a summer internship and I now have a clear idea of the company and graduate job I am hoping to acquire.

In order to make the most of the day here are my five top tips:

1. Take a pen! – There is so much valuable information that you will learn on the day and you will want to take note of them. Event partners are more than happy to give out email addresses and sometimes phone numbers so make sure you have a way of noting them down!

2. Do some research – It will make you stand out to the event partners if you know what you are talking about! Do some light research on each event partner that you are interested in and it may be helpful to research the speakers on the day also! Being positively noticed will make you more appealing to the event partners, and may help secure further discussions with the employers.

3. Be friendly – This event isn’t just about meeting possible employers but is also about meeting other talented and creative women. Make friends! Any connection is a good connection that could help drive your future. The forums for the events are great ways to advertise positions and ask each other questions so make the most of it!

4. Be confident – Employees like people who are confident within themselves, this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be an amazing public speaker, or that you have to boldly introduce yourself to everyone, but I am more meaning that you should take pride in yourself. Dress smartly, as this gives of a good first impression, and speak calmly and clearly.

5. Have fun – Finally, just enjoy yourself! This is a great networking event and provides some great opportunities but just make sure you have fun! A smile is a girl’s best accessory!

Find out about our next IT's not for the boys! event HERE!

Meet the Computer Science Undergraduate of the Year Award winner for 2015!

Name: Chelsea Sievewright
University: University of Abertay Dundee
Course: Ethical Hacking and Countermeasures

Chelsea is the 2015 winner of the Computer Science Undergraduate of the Year Award with CGI! Chelsea has attended other events with us so we knew how great she was and she now hope to inspire other girls into a career in technology!


Having been to the IT’s not just for the boys! a few times, I was aware of the various events that TARGETJobs held. However, with my fourth year being so busy I didn't consider applying for the Computer Science Undergraduate of the Year Award at all.  But then I received an email from Katy at TARGETJobs Events a few days before the deadline urging me to apply. I thought, although the application will take me a while, I might as well go for it because I have nothing to lose! So I did, and to be honest, I can’t believe I'm now writing the winners blog! 

The initial application was similar to most jobs applications, which I had become accustomed to in my search for a graduate job. The online tests had put me off applying because they do take a while but I made sure I had no distractions and took the time to complete them. I thought I’d be rejected after this point, but actually, my results ended up being in the top 5 and CGI put me through to the assessment centre! I think all my previous practice really paid off when it mattered. 

I flew down to Reading for the assessment centre and expected it to be really hard and daunting, after all, I was competing in a UK wide competition. But in reality it was the opposite of what I expected, I enjoyed my assessment centre, it was fun and really relaxed. 

So then I got to the final….I couldn't believe it! From my small University in Dundee, I actually made it to a National final, in London. Amazing! I was super chuffed and so was my University. They wrote a news article about my place in the Final 10 and from this I received a request from the BBC to do a Radio Interview for BBC Radio Scotland. Without even winning I really got a huge amount of publicity which is great as a student. 

The final in Canary Wharf was unbelievable. The venue was grand, the food was exceptional and hearing Fiona Bruce reminisce on her student days was incredible. But then the nerves kicked in when the winners were to be announced, Computer Science was the first award and I knew I would have been so gutted if I didn't win, but I did not expect my name to be called out and my bio read out by Fiona Bruce!! I'm still in shock, walking up to the stage to get my award was so surreal and the amount of support I received from my University, friends, family, people I don’t even know and employers, past, present and future was just amazing and I want to thank them all for their support. 

I have worked so hard over the last four years at University that I feel I deserve it, but also it is an amazing achievement for women in tech. Hopefully by me winning this award, younger females will be inspired to choose a career in computing and will not be put off by the stereotype which surrounds computer science!



Congratulations Chelsea and to all the other finalists!
Pre-registration for the 2016 Awards is now open here! undergraduateoftheyear.com/register

We meet the first ever winner of the The Future CFO of the Year Award!

Name: Aataullah Naser
University: University of Manchester
Course: Masters of Mathematics

Aataullah is the first ever winner of the The Future CFO of the Year Award with ACCA! He wasn't really that bothered about it to begin with and never dreamed he'd get as far as he did!


Initially, when it came to the application I was not fussed as much as you would expect. Not due to apathy but because of revision! I wrote out my application form, nonetheless as best as I could, whilst juggling revision for exams. Continuing my revision, I could only hope for the best.

Then, one afternoon as I was getting home from the library, I received a call from TARGETJobs about completing the online tests and the lovely lady on the line (who I would like to thank very much!), told me looking at my application she believed I was a real contender to win the Future CFO of the Year Award. This really helped motivate me to get as far as I could in the competition. I gave my utter best during each online test, and a short few weeks later I received an email from ACCA Global inviting me to an assessment centre. I was excited to have got so far already!

The assessment centre at ACCA Global was a brilliant experience that had helped me develop in many ways. Some of the tasks were truly difficult, but I believe completing them helped me develop skills such as communicating, problem solving, and presenting, in ways that I have never been able to throughout my degree. I met many amazing people at the assessment centre who each in my opinion were worthy of the award. As a result, I had doubts of becoming a finalist after witnessing how well each short-listed candidate did.

When it came to finding out I was a finalist I was truly astounded, I felt that everyone did so well at the assessment centre and it would be impossible to get this far! Nonetheless, I was excited for being a step closer to potentially winning an Undergraduate of the Year Award! I was excited to visit Canary Wharf and the venue for the awards was just superb. I had a great time speaking to my fellow finalists and the people at ACCA Global. At the time, despite if I won or not I already felt having come this far was an excellent achievement and everything I had experienced would help me in the future, especially when it came to applying for jobs.

As Fiona was calling out the finalists and winners, I was unsure of what to think about my category. As it grew closer and closer, I was becoming more nervous but my mind was completely blank! Once my name was called out I was in complete shock, never expecting that I would win! It was a fantastic feeling and being presented by Helen Brand, Chief Executive at ACCA Global and Fiona Bruce was the cherry on top!

Winning such a prestigious award has been a brilliant experience, looking back in January, I had no idea I would get so far but if I never tried the chance of me winning would not even exist. I encourage everyone in the same shoes as I was to apply, you never know just how far you may get!




Congratulations Aataullah and to all the other finalists!
Apply for the 2016 Awards here! undergraduateoftheyear.com/register

What I gained from attending Women in investment banking and why you should apply

Siew tells us about her experience of attending Women in investment banking! 

Name: Siew Sanz Ng

University: University of Oxford 

Course: Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

Being a PPE undergraduate, my insights into the global finance industry were rather limited. What helped strengthen my knowledge base and connected me to different experts in the industry were Women in Investment banking. Apart from busting intimidating jargons, the event helped me to understand the differences between areas such as merger & acquisition, asset financing, sales & trading, asset wealth management etc., which area falls into the public or private side and how these different areas interact with one another. The event also equipped me with the tools and resources to find out more about each area specifically.

More importantly, I was interacting with key financial experts, allowing me to gain personal insights into the industry – what attracted them and what exasperated them. This helped me to better understand how my skills and personality will fit into the sector and eventually helped me to make the right decision on which division to apply. Furthermore, speaking to them definitely boosted my confidence in the interviewing process because I was able to draw on the insights on individuals who knew the industry inside out.

Hence, this is why you should apply for Women in Investment Banking. Not only will you get the opportunity to deepen your formal and informal understanding about the industry, you get to build sustainable relationships with both the experts and other attendees of the event. I still keep in touch with them and received support from them throughout my internship application process. If I had not attended this event, I would not have found out about the Deutsche Regional Internship Opportunity and would not have eventually received an internship offer from Deutsche Bank.  

Our next event is on 6 November 2015. Apply now!

http://targetjobsevents.co.uk/women-in-investment-banking 

We meet the Construction, Engineering & Design Undergraduate of the Year 2015!!

Name: Jessica Dowdy
University: Oxford Brookes University
Course: Construction Project Management

Jessica is the Construction, Engineering & Design Undergraduate of the Year 2015 with Laing O'Rourke! She never thought that she'd win let alone be planning a two month trip to Australia!


The process began for me when I visited the TARGETJobs stall at a careers fair during my first year of university. Over the next couple of years I received weekly emails of job opportunities in my sector, including industrial and summer placements. While these were always interesting to read, I was not in the position where I could utilise these opportunities as I already had placements arranged. However, receiving emails with the words ‘Undergraduate of the Year Awards’ in the subject line did draw my attention. As I read through the emails and information provided, I thought this was a great opportunity and was highly impressed by what I had read about previous winners. Whilst reaching the final never even crossed my mind at this stage, I had been through a similar process for a slightly different award the year before which had gone a lot better than expected. Therefore, after careful consideration and discussions with various peers, I decided to enter into the competition, with the opinion that it was likely to be an invaluable experience and I had nothing to lose. Little did I know, I had a lot to gain!

The application stages were nearing the end when I chose to apply, so I had little time to fill in my personal details and answer the award-specific questions from the sponsor, Laing O’Rourke. Admittedly, I was so pre-occupied at work that I would have missed the completion deadline had I not received a call from one of the TARGETJobs Events team reminding me to finish my application, so thank you for that! The questions were thought provoking and challenging to answer within the word limit; yet they allowed me to express my views on two topics which I am very interested in so I enjoyed completing them. By contrast, I found the online tests really difficult and thought there was no chance I would be continuing to the next stage!

A couple of weeks later I received an email informing me that I had been invited to the Assessment Day with Laing O’Rourke at one of their offices. Nervous yet excited, I travelled up towards Nottinghamshire for what was a challenging but thoroughly enjoyable day. It was great to share experiences with the other candidates and to meet the assessors, some of which had been in a similar position to all of us not so long ago. We were even fortunate enough to gain an insight into the very technical and innovative engineering techniques through a factory tour of the Explore Industrial Park, where the off-site manufacturing takes place. Regardless of the next stages of the competition, I felt very grateful for the experience and it was wonderful to meet so many talented people; both assessors and fellow students.

Following on from this, the ten finalists received an email inviting them to the Grand Final in Canary Wharf; this was a shock to say the least! Receiving the invitation through the post and discovering that Fiona Bruce would be presenting was the icing on the cake as I have been inspired by her work over the last few years. The day itself was wonderful. Sitting in a room surrounded by so many talented, ambitious and hard-working finalists was extremely motivational; not to mention the attendees from sponsor companies who have all achieved great success in their careers. It was a great networking opportunity and very inspiring, particularly as a woman hearing Fiona’s speech and watching a high number of females collecting the top prize! Hearing my name called out as the winner of my category was totally unexpected, particularly as I was the only non-engineer, so thought I would be completely ruled-out! Sharing the stage and receiving an award from Fiona was surreal and didn’t sink in for quite some time, in fact I still don’t think it has! The other candidates were fantastic and I would like to congratulate them all and wish them every success in their careers.

Now that the competition is over, planning for my journey to Australia to complete a 2-month placement with Laing O’Rourke is just beginning! I cannot wait to get out there will make sure I keep you posted along the way.

Thank you to TARGETJobs, Laing O’Rourke and everyone else involved in the process. My advice to those of you who may be reading this and are in a position to apply for the 2016 awards, would be to ‘go for it!’ There is absolutely nothing to lose and you may end up surprising yourself just like I did. Good luck!


Congratulations Jessica and to all the other finalists!

Pre-registration for the 2016 Awards is now open here! http://undergraduateoftheyear.com/register

Male Undergraduate of the Year – My application, the awards ceremony and the long journey home!

Name: Harrison Dent

University: University College London

Course: European Social and Political Studies

Harrison is the fist ever winner of the Male Undergraduate of the Year 2015 with L'Oreal!

It all started when I checked through my university emails with one particular email catching my eye – Male Undergraduate of the Year. The more I read, the more I became curious; curious at the prospect of me actually winning this outstanding award and gaining an internship with L’Oréal, including a week in Paris. Applying, for me, was a no-brainer; being in Brussels on my year abroad, I had just one summer left to gain some valuable work experience before graduating.

The hours I spent fine-tuning my application and completing assessments paid off and L’Oréal invited me to their assessment day. Throughout the day, I met some of L’Oréal’s staff from across the company and what struck me most was how wide a variety of people from such diverse backgrounds worked there. Not only that, but how from the very first day of this potential internship, I would be thrown in at the deep end, and given real and valuable work to be done; more than photocopying or making another cup of coffee – I would be an intrinsic part of the L’Oréal team. Not that I needed any motivation, but this factor certainly encouraged me to perform to the best of my ability throughout the day.

The very next morning, I received the all-important phone call. I had made it to the top 10! When the day of the awards ceremony finally arrived, excitement and anticipation filled the room. Listening to Fiona Bruce discuss her career and the various paths she had taken along the way was truly inspiring. I felt proud, fortunate and extremely grateful to be sat around a table filled with some amazing students as well as more staff from L’Oréal who couldn’t help but be excited for each and every one of us!

When the time came and the Managing Director of L’Oréal UK & Ireland, Michel Brousset, read out my name, I was astounded. Even when taking photos with Fiona Bruce or while she spoke about my achievements and skills that had lead me to win this award, I was still in disbelief. Only on the long, overnight bus back to Brussels did it truly sink in. I’m the Male Undergraduate of the Year and my journey starts here.

Congratulations again Harrison and to all the 2015 finalists!

Fancy giving it a go? Preregister your interest for 2016 here: http://undergraduateoftheyear.com/register

We meet the Management Undergraduate of the Year Award winner 2015!

Name: Nathan Craig
University: University of Nottingham
Course: Industrial Economics

Nathan is the 2015 Management Undergraduate of the Year with Enterprise-Rent-a-Car! Since getting over the shock of winning, we asked Nathan about his experience!

Hi all!

My name in Nathan Craig and I am fortunate to be the winner of the TARGETjobs Management Undergraduate of the Year Award 2015. 

I decided to apply to the process in late January as a result of receiving an email from my university careers service. Normally I would just skim over my emails, but the award caught my eye in this one and immediately stuck me as an excellent opportunity. I have a keen interest in the automobile industry and have always fancied myself as a sales person, therefore the fact that a placement with Enterprise Rent-A-Car was up for grabs, suited me to a tee. I was invited to take 3 tests, occupational personality, situational judgement and inductive reasoning, within the next few days once I’d submitted my application. 

After a week or so, I was contacted by a talent acquisition manager from Enterprise who invited me to participate in a telephone interview. I tend to get nervous over the phone, so I kept myself as busy as possible up until the last minutes before the interview. The interviewer really was a calming influence and I was able to find my stride quickly. This resulted in me being invited to an assessment centre a few days after the call.

The assessment centre was a great experience. I like to think of Enterprise Rent-A-Car as an iceberg company, there is a lot more that occurs out of sight than you can imagine! I was genuinely surprised by the friendliness of all the people I met at the assessment centre, other candidates as well as current Enterprise employees. I felt I was able to express my personality throughout the day, which was action packed and a great learning experience. Many of the assessors had once been in the same position when they first joined the company, a comforting fact also demonstrating the scope for career progression at Enterprise.

I received an email, within the next few days congratulating me on making the top 10 candidates and inviting me to the awards ceremony in Canary Wharf, definitely a high point as it was an impressive achievement to make it this far into the process. The final was an unforgettable experience and a welcome break from revision. At the ceremony, headlined by Fiona Bruce, I was able to network successful candidates from other assessment centres as well as more Enterprise employees. After a 3-course meal, the winners for each of the awards were called. I was nervous when Fiona Bruce was announcing the shortlist in my category, perhaps because I knew what a great achievement it would be to win this award. As the winner, I was presented my award by Jim Burrell, a remarkable man who has contributed vastly to the success of Enterprise in Europe.

 All in all, I have had a very positive experience, from applying in January to winning in April. I am looking forward to my placement with Enterprise Rent-A-Car, in particular, the week I will have in the USA. I would encourage everyone to apply to this award because it is a fantastic experience regardless of the outcome, and of course you have to be in it to win it! 

Congratulations again Nathan and to all the 2015 finalists!

Fancy giving it a go? Apply here: http://undergraduateoftheyear.com/register

We meet the Law Undergraduate of the Year Award winner 2015!

Name: Cara Goldthorpe
University: University College London
Course: LLB Law with French Law

Cara is the 2015 Law Undergraduate of the Year with Mayer Brown. Since the final we've caught up with her to find out why you should take part next!

When I saw the Undergraduate of the Year Awards advertised through my university careers newsletter, I signed up almost immediately; there was nothing to lose but so much to gain. However, before progressing very far, I encountered some difficulties in France where I am currently studying on exchange.  I put my application to one side for a couple of months, and only returned to it after I’d received several reminders from the team at TARGETJobs. Looking back, I’m so glad that they phoned me up and nudged me to push on with my application, as otherwise I doubt I’d be where I am today!

After all this, I was just so happy to make it to the top 35. Making the shortlist of 10 was an achievement I had never anticipated and I went to the assessment day with a positive frame of mind feeling proud of simply coming this far. I found the day very enjoyable; it was nice to meet the other shortlisted candidates and to put faces to the name of Mayer Brown, who were clearly investing a lot in the competition.  Numerous members of the firm gave up their time to be on the judging panel and networking drinks followed where we had the opportunity to mingle with the graduate recruitment team, trainees, associates and partners.

Being announced as winner on Friday last week was an even bigger surprise and I’m just glad that the work I put into my application paid off; as well as grateful for the opportunity TARGETJobs created by organising the awards and Mayer Brown for their sponsorship. I’m very excited to be joining the firm on their summer scheme later this year, as everyone who I’ve met from the firm so far has been lovely and I am keen to learn more about the work that they do.

I’d strongly encourage any penultimate year law student to apply for the competition. The application itself is not that time-consuming when you compare it to other applications for work and work experience, which have far more stressful assessment days! As for the competition, not only is there a great prize at stake, but if you’re shortlisted you’ll have the opportunity to meet other talented students from a range of disciplines at the award ceremony. It’s a great atmosphere and nice to see so many employers reaching out to students in this way.

Congratulations again Cara and to all the 2015 finalists!

Fancy giving it a go? Preregister your interest for 2016 here: http://undergraduateoftheyear.com/register