TARGETjobs news roundup

Hello, good afternoon, and welcome to the TARGETjobs news roundup. We have all the news and advice that matters from the world of graduate recruitment. First things first though, we want something from you: if you’ve got some spare time on your hands you should take part in the trendence Graduate Barometer 2013 survey. The results will form part of the Guardian UK 300 – a vital resource for many graduate job seekers – and the more people take part, the more valid the results are.

But enough about that: On with the news! This week it was the financial sectors that made the biggest splash. Accountancy firm Grant Thornton has announced positive results, Financial Services Authority has revealed its new banking legislation, and a new programme has been launched to get people involved in financial services:

• First up, Grant Thornton has announced a 10.6% increase in revenues for the financial year ending 30 June, 2012. This is the third year in a row that it has had such strong results – proving that the firm is a safe place to be in a crisis.
• In much anticipated news, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) has announced how the two new regulatory bodies will be run. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) will be introduced over the course of 2013.
• And in news that might interest those who have been out of the game for a while, up to 150 unemployed graduates interested in financial services careers will be starting a new pilot programme this week. The ‘Graduate Foundation College’ will give an extra boost to those who need it.

Once again it has been a busy week for marketing job hunters, and would-be consultants will find something to interest them too:

• First off we heard that graduates from marketing degrees have a good chance of getting a job. Six months after graduating 71% were in employment, way above the national average, and media studies graduates did well too.
• If you're looking for marketing jobs, one way you could go about it is to send a creative application. ‘Creative applications’ are a way of getting an employer’s attention and demonstrating your skills at the same time.
• For those who are interested in strategy consulting, you’ve got less than a week to apply for a place on 'The Pitch'. This workshop, run by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants will team would-be consultants up with entrepreneurs keen to deploy their ideas.

And of course there is still more for those of you who are not interested in those sectors:

• The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) has announced that it is campaigning to persuade its members to stop discriminating against candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds. It has been argued that some selection criteria can discriminate against disadvantaged groups.
• We have a tasty selection of jobs with deadlines closing all next week. There are jobs in retail, logistics, social networking, finance and engineering available, so if this is where your heart lies, get your application sorted now.
• And finally, if you are putting online applications together, then make sure you watch the word count. This is a useful guide for those who follow different rules for different situations – tweeters and essayists included.

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

TARGETjobs offers the largest choice of 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.