TARGETjobs news roundup

Hello, good afternoon and welcome to the TARGETjobs news roundup. We’re here to give you the lowdown on what’s going on in the graduate recruitment world. Up and down the country it’s Fresher’s week, and while most people might not be thinking about graduate jobs just yet, you can get the edge on them.

The first way you can do this is by getting to know your target sector a bit better. This week we have specialist advice from a whole heap of different sectors, including accountancy and finance, law, IT, media, public service and government, business and engineering:

• To get things rolling there is good news from accountancy firm PwC. It has maintained its record recruitment levels, including 1,200 graduate hires from June last year.
• In banking news, Goldman Sachs is no longer using two year contracts for graduate analysts, and instead is putting them straight onto full-time employee salaries.
• Financial services firm Swiss Re has bold plans for the future. In spite of the tough economic climate it has outlined a confident growth strategy and a strong position for future development.
• Meanwhile magic circle law firm Linklaters has launched a gender equality initiative to attract the top female associate solicitors. The Women’s Leadership Programme will run in conjunction with Cranfield School of Management.
• It looks like IBM is using its graduate scheme to improve its talent base, offering bigger salaries and more spaces. This development could be of particular interest to anyone who has previously not considered them.
• For anyone who wants to work in the press we’ve got some helpful advice on whether you should do your experience with a national or a local newspaper. There are pros and cons to each situation, so make sure you know what you are getting yourself into.
• If you’re interested in working in public service and governments, then you should check out the civil service fast track, which opened for applications this week. There are a number of different paths involved, so it is definitely worth checking out.
• The shortlist for The Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award has been announced. Check it out, if you need to develop commercial awareness for business interviews you could do much worse.
• And in the world of engineering, there are new opportunities on the horizon. A couple of large-scale recent developments in the UK power sector could mean that graduates from these sectors find it easier to get hired.

But of course it’s not all happening in the sectors, there’s plenty more general news.

• First up, we’re looking at the application process from a recruiter’s perspective. What might seem impossible odds for you are just as daunting a task for them, but you can make things easy for them, by being appealing from the word go.
• You might know her from Dragons’ Den, but in a new BBC documentary, Hilary Devey is giving us an insight into why there are so few women in management positions.
• We also have some quality advice for all the procrastinators and work avoiders out there. Good intentions – they just don’t last – so instead you should figure out the best way to take advantage of the way you normally work.
• Finally, we have our regular roundup of graduate job deadlines. It’s a particularly busy week for anyone looking for jobs in IT or HR, and as usual, there isn’t much time left for you to get applications in.

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.