TARGETjobs news roundup

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the TARGETjobs news roundup. We are nearly halfway through the autumn term now, and Halloween is less than a week away. That means that right now is the best time to get applications in for graduate schemes and work experience placements. Don’t put it off! Many graduate recruiters say they get their best applications at this point in the year.

This week it’s property and the built environment that is dominating the graduate recruitment news. It’s a pretty competitive industry to get into, so any additional info you can gather could give you the edge on competition. This week we have an announcement about BNP Paribas, and a neat little tip on hidden recruitment markets:

• First up, BNP Paribas Real Estate has announced that it is removing the competency questions from its graduate application form. It is moving to a traditional CV + covering letter application which should give applicants a little more flexibility.
• And if you are interested in graduate jobs in property, you should consider alternative routes into the profession such as management. Some graduate recruiters think property graduates focus too much on the standard application routes.

But of course, not everyone wants to work in property, and we also have news and advice for the legal, civil engineering, IT, consumer goods and investment management sectors:

• First up, there’s some top advice on how to secure a training contract with one of the most innovative businesses in the country. Norton Rose is an authority in several different areas of international law, and you can use that to your advantage.
• In engineering news things are starting to look up. We’ve been busy poring over this year’s Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education report and it looks like more of you are finding your way into full time jobs.
• From the same report there’s mixed news for IT graduates. More IT grads are finding work in their own sector, but the unemployment rate is still high. One hint for you, the government has begun introducing £20,000 grants for Science, Tech, Engineering and Maths (STEM) teachers. IT could be next.
• Brewer AB InBev has launched its Best Beer competition. Teams have to design a beer which embodies their university, and present it in a head-to-head competition with candidates from across Europe. Not only does the winner receive a hefty cash prize, they’ll also have some top-quality CV fodder.
• Deloitte has won the City A.M. Award for Professional Services Firm of the Year. It clinched the award because of the 750,000(!) hours of work it put into the London 2012 Games
• We’re also inviting you to get involved with our Women in Investment Management event on November 2. If you were always intrigued, but were put off by the macho culture, make sure you apply.

And of course, there’s the usual mixed bag of news:

• First up, we want to know whether you are the Undergraduate of the Year 2013. There are cushy placements on offer to the successful competitors.
• We’ve also got some solid advice for you on how to write a CV – try skipping right to the point. Recruiters only have a limited amount of time to read applications, and if yours screams ‘hire me’ from the start, you stand a better chance.
• Finally, there is this week’s massive haul of graduate jobs with deadlines closing soon.There's plenty on offer, so check them out before they disappear.

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.