TARGETjobs news roundup

Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of the TARGETjobs news roundup. We’re back once again to take you through the highs and lows of the week in graduate recruitment.

It is all about accountancy and financial services this week. They’ve got a celebrity endorsement in the shape of Kevin Spacey and there’s also the chance to win a trip to exotic Sri Lanka. If this is your sector then this is the only place you need to be right now.

 

• First up we gave you the lowdown on which financial services jobs are attracting the biggest pay packets. While this may not give the most accurate picture on what graduate starting salaries will be like, it certainly gives you something to aim for.
• If you fancy becoming a chartered management accountant then we might have just the thing for you. CIMA and Barclays are giving teams from around the world the chance to go to Sri Lanka to present their findings from a case study. The deadline for entries is March 23.
• In a spot of corporate social responsibility, accountancy firm PwC has teamed up with Kevin Spacey and the Old Vic theatre to create the PwC “Under 25s Club”. They are giving away 100 £12 tickets for shows at the Old Vic.

However, the news wasn’t only about financial services and accountancy. This week there were also some interesting developments in property and engineering as well:

• We told you how BNP Paribas REIM (real estate investment management) has achieved a gross turnover that is up 10% on the previous year and 37% on the year before. Success in the current environment takes a lot of muscle, so if you’re interested in this area this is one company to sit up and take notice of.
• We’re also conducting our second annual student engineering survey. The survey is important in getting your views heard. There’s also the chance to win £100 of Amazon vouchers, which could be very useful.

But if those sectors aren’t for you then there is still plenty more. We’re telling you all the good news, all the bad, and what to do to make it all better:

• The NUS organised a walkout  for Wednesday 14 March. While it was billed as the largest student protest since the demonstrations in winter 2010, it didn’t generate as much publicity. Their plan to lobby parliament on April 18 may have a greater impact.
• In addition the Soxedo University Lifestyle Survey found that more than half of students are worried about finding a job when they graduate. It also suggested that a quarter of them would not have gone to university if they had had to pay the proposed £9000 fees.
• However, if you are worried about your employability, then you could do far worse than follow our series on the top 10 skills and competencies you need. This week we looked at communication skills, something which nearly a fifth of employers are not currently satisfied with.
• Finally we gave you the lowdown on the graduate deadlines coming up over the next week. Retail, media and engineering jobs feature heavily, but there is something for everyone. Check out the latest jobs here.

To get graduate careers news as it happens, check out the TARGETjobs news feed. Alternatively, check out the roundup this time next week!

TARGETjobs offers the largest choice of  graduate jobs, internships and placements. Independent reviews on top graduate employers and career planning tools and expert guidance. Become a TARGETjobs blogger by getting in touch with jackie.balchin2@targetjobs.co.uk.