TARGETjobs news roundup

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls; welcome to the TARGETjobs news roundup. It has been a busy week here at TJ HQ. While you’ve been putting your feet up and catching up with home friends, we’ve been slogging away to bring you all the news you need for your graduate job hunt.

This week it has been law that is making the biggest impact on the headlines. There have been some interesting developments at one of the City’s major firms. On top of that, next week is the deadline for most pupillage applications.

• Starting on a positive note, female law students may be happy to learn that efforts are being made to tackle sexism in the sector. City law firm Herbert Smith is training 20 senior partners to notice and deal with unconscious bias.
• For would-be barristers there is an important date next week. Thursday26 is the deadline for all Pupillage Portal applications. Our list of vacancies should help you out, and there are plenty of jobs in other sectors too.

But law wasn’t the only sector experiencing interesting goings-on. There were also significant developments in financial services and the built environment.

• RICS and Macdonald & Company were pleased to announce that building surveyors and facilities managers have also had significant pay rises. It seems that this is something of a trend at the moment, following in the wake of a similar story last week.
• Regular readers of this blog will know that we have been offering hundreds of pounds worth of Amazon vouchers to job hunters in different sectors. This week we are asking students and graduates looking to go into accounting to fill in our survey.

While there isn’t much going on in the sectors, there is still plenty of interesting news and advice for you this month.

The Undergraduates of the Year (front row) and award sponsors (back row)

• This time last week we were in the middle of the Undergraduate of the Year awards. Finalists in twelve categories were invited down to a dinner in London, and one winner from each category walked away with the title. Pre-registration for Undergraduate of the Year 2013 is already open, so if you think you have a chance, try your luck.
• If you are a high flier then there is more good news for you. Many graduate employers are offering flexible benefits in order to attract the very best talent that there is available.
• On the other hand, if you’re expecting to get a 2.2, don’t panic! While many employers do filter graduates at this level out, there are still plenty of ways to give yourself a chance.
• We also have an update in debate about whether employers should be allowed to intrude on the privacy of job applicants. This time we asked a handful of employers how they feel about the practice. Their responses make for interesting reading.
• Finally, we brought you the latest in our series of the top 10 skills and competencies you need to get a graduate job. In this week’s edition we looked at customer care and how important it is, regardless of the industry involved.

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.