TARGETjobs news roundup

So, it has come to this; my last ever news roundup. I’m Ross by the way, hi. As of next week I will not be here to write these little slices of joy. I know – very sad. But that’s enough navel-gazing; we’ve got serious business to attend to.

Are you looking to move into the IT sector? Have you considered the fact that there might be more on offer? This week we’ve got articles about map making and e-commerce careers, and some of the deadlines in the weekly jobs roundup are for IT consultancy positions:

• First up, could you make maps? The UK’s leading mapmaker – Ordnance Survey – is recruiting six graduates in 2013. As well as computer science graduates, some roles are open to those with geography, maths, physics or other relevant specialist degrees.
• When you’re applying for graduate jobs it’s important that you think of things from the recruiter’s point of view. In Asda’s case that means you have to know the ‘Asda mum’. The profile of the ‘typical’ customer didn’t spring from nowhere, so can you help her shop?

We’ve also got this little gem from the law sector which just missed last week’s deadline:

• We’re running a ‘How To Get Hired’ series at a handful of the big universities and some interesting tips have come up. Not content to impart wisdom to a select bunch of lucky students we’ve decided to share it with the world. Feast your eyes people!

But of course we’ve also got some general news for your information:

• In the last decade the number of you who are going on to become entrepreneurs has nearly doubled. If you’re interested in taking this route, cast an eye over this chunk of advice. Starting out on your own can seem scary, but this will set you off in the right direction.
• And finally (and I finally mean finally) we’ve got the jobs deadline roundup. This week it’s the consultancy jobs that are going thick and fast. If you want to work in HR, IT or management consultancy, this could be the place for you.

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

TARGETjobs offers the largest choice of graduate jobs, placements and internships. 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.

TARGETjobs news roundup

Hey there, how’s it going? You’ve reached the TARGETjobs news roundup, and we hope you’re feeling chipper. The days are getting longer and sunnier, and while summer is a good thing, it is also when a whole load of new graduates are unleashed on the jobs market. Are you ready for it?

While we normally kick things off with a look at what’s been going on in each particular sector, that’s not the way things are going to happen this week. It has been a pretty cool week for general news, with celebrations all round, so take a look and find out why we’re so happy:

• It was Student Volunteering Week (SVW) from Feb 9 to Feb 16. If you want to get involved, but don’t quite know how, we can set you on the right track. Volunteering isn’t for everyone, and some activities will suit you better than others.
• There was also this other thing that happened this week. Valentines Day or something? We’ve got some pearls of wisdom for you on the subject of office romances. Sometimes they can work out really well. Other times you’ll find yourself in twice the trouble.
• TARGETjobs has reached the fabulous age of 25! So has Comic Relief! In celebration we’re going to do the appropriate thing: bake a cake.  Join in! For every cake picture you post to our Facebook wall, we’ll donate £1 to Comic Relief.
• And of course it’s job deadline time. If you are looking for a graduate job, now is the time to get applying. There are a whole load of graduate jobs with deadlines closing over the next week, but particularly if you want to work in IT. Check out our latest deadlines here.

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

TARGETjobs offers the largest choice of graduate jobs, placements and internships. 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.

Do social with style - 'The social style matrix'

Hi, I’m Chris and I’m a student at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. I take a keen interest in employability and graduate attributes and write a blog on this area; chrismilborrow.tumblr.com

I’d like to take this opportunity to share my experiences and thoughts having spoken with graduate employers and recruitment and HR specialists and I hope you find some value in what I have to say.

I’d like to start by asking a question. Why do employers use interview in order to select candidates?

I believe there are two main reasons.

We all have a tendency of coming across very confidently on a CV.  If we didn’t, then we wouldn’t even get to interview stage. As a result, we may over exaggerate our skills and experiences and, let’s face it, going on CV content almost everyone I know describes themselves as an ‘Ambitious leaders with the ability to work well on their own and in a team.’

And, you know what, we all probably do demonstrate skills similar to one another, it’s very public knowledge that organisations are looking for a certain skill set and I’m not disputing that a large number of applicants have, and can demonstrate, these skills in some context or another.

This brings me nicely onto reason number two.

The main reason why recruiters use interviews is because a huge part of any professional role is based on interpersonal relationships and how we interact with others.

Employers don’t want CV writers; they want driven, impactful individuals who are going to add value to the organisation.

I have come to realise, having gone through recruitment processes and having worked for a short time in recruitment marketing, that recruiters are looking for students who not only have the skills but that can also communicate them effectively.

This being the case, I believe that knowing who you are communicating with and, importantly, what kind of person you are and how you communicate, is vitally important in being successful in both interviews and eventually when you are in a job.

While participating briefly in the Southwestern Advantage sales internship programme in the summer of 2012, I was introduced to the ‘Social style matrix.’ (Below)

What the social style matrix can be used for is to begin to understand your attributes and your personality traits. Have a look at the grid and ask yourself, ‘Where do I fit? Am I assertive? Am I responsive?’  

Become self-aware and tailor how you interact with others.

When we begin to understand the kind of people we are, the easier it is to begin to identify things in other people. We are all different, have different skills, we respond to different things. By knowing your audience, by knowing how they act, how they generally think and how they respond, you can begin to tailor the way you work and communicate to achieve and to avoid conflict.

I definitely found this matrix very useful in building rapport with others and tailoring how I approached different situation, including interviews. I hope you can gain something from it too.

I really appreciate you taking the time to read this blog post and would welcome any feedback and am happy to connect with anyone to discuss and share experiences and knowledge. Find me on twitter @ChrisMilborrow or Tumblr chrismilborrow.tumblr.com and on LinkedIn and Facebook. 

TARGETjobs news roundup

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, cats, dogs and guinea pigs, welcome to the TARGETjobs news roundup. You are in the right place to get the lowdown on all the goings-on in the world of graduate recruitment. We’ve got news, we’ve got advice, and we’ve definitely got jobs.

If you follow our news feed you could be forgiven for thinking that there isn’t much new going on this week. Far from it! Apart from one particularly big item of news, we’ve got loads of fresh advice for you, whatever graduate career you’re looking into:

• For example, if you’re an engineer, you might want to know what benefits are on offer. We can give you that information. It includes everything from welcome bonuses and location allowances to track days and charitable giving.
• If you want to be a solicitor then you should investigate TARGETjobs’ How To Get Hired workshops. We ran one at Durham that went down very well, and there are more in Bristol and Birmingham this month, and Southampton next month.
• And while you’re at it, check out this advice from Herbert Smith Freehills recruiter Tracy Foot. She’s got handy tips on everything from assessment centres to vacation schemes.
• If you want to build a career in retail then you should be looking at work experience. We’re taking a look at how to reap the maximum rewards from your experience. It’s even relevant to IT, finance, design and logistics job seekers.
• If you’re heading towards a BA and you don’t know what to do with yourself, you might be relieved to know that you are not alone. We featured some really relevant advice on this roundup last week, but now we’re looking at the hard figures of what you lot do after graduation.
• Investment banking is one good example of a career you can get into without a finance degree. Languages and IT students are among the most popular, and other degrees will be accepted too.

But as always, there’s plenty of general news as well:

• First up, make sure you watch our Facebook page for the next week or so because we’ve got an important announcement regarding Comic Relief. Find out how you can get involved with us to raise money while baking cakes.
• Speaking of announcements, we are pleased to tell you that TARGETjobs is teaming up with AGCAS (the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services). In practical terms this means you should see more of us on campus, and we’ll be better placed to offer you the best advice.
• It’s Valentine’s Day next week and if you are looking for a new position for that special someone; you should look no further. We have a range of top graduate vacancies on offer, and a number of them have very generous salaries attached. Check out our latest deadlines here.

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

TARGETjobs offers the largest choice of graduate jobs, placements and internships. 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.

Targetjobs news roundup

Hello, good afternoon and welcome to the first TARGETjobs news roundup of February. We’re already 1/12th of the way through 2013, scary huh? There has never been a better time to get your graduate job hunt in order. Whether it’s early days and you’re still building up experience, or whether it’s crunch time and you’re nailing down your applications, every moment counts.

With that in mind we’ve slimmed down the amount of news and advice on offer. There’s no point in giving you too much to focus on. This week we’ve got some helpful words for arts students, a look at some of the best work experience providers, a look at a few upcoming events and, of course, our roundup of all the graduate job deadlines in the upcoming week.

• Are you studying for a BA? Worried about what to do when you graduate? There’s good news; you are definitely not alone. What’s more, you might be surprised by the options available to you. Arts grads are more flexible than they may come to believe.
• The shortlists for the 2013 National Council for Work Experience awards are in, and some nominees are already getting plenty of attention. For example, the John Lewis Partnership and BP have done particularly well.
• January 31 was also your last chance to apply for the TARGETjobs Undergraduate of the Year awards. Entry has now closed, and for those of you who applied – even at the last minute – you should keep your inbox open for that email, and check your spam folder just in case.
• But if you’re looking for an event you can still get involved in, you should check out the Bristol Law Conference. It’s a good opportunity for both would-be lawyers and would-be journalists to boost their legal knowledge and find out about the profession.
• And finally there’s the reason we’re all here – graduate job vacancies. In particular there are vacancies in engineering and retail with application closing dates over the next week. It’s now or never! Check out our latest deadlines here.

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

TARGETjobs offers the largest choice of graduate jobs, placements and internships. 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.