Bethan came to one of our STEMinism events and now has landed a graduate job with Vodafone 2 years early! Read below to find out how you could too!!

Bethan Reeves is a second year Maths student studying at Cardiff University. She attended IT's not just for the boys! in October and now as a result of attending the event, she has secured a graduate job for 2 years time!! Read her story here.....

“IT’s not just for the boys!” is an inspirational event geared towards female students who are currently studying STEM subjects at university. I heard about the event through the careers service at university only six days before I attended and following a speedy application process I booked my train tickets and couldn’t wait!

I soon found myself at Bloomberg HQ tucking into a free lunch and chatting to the other students and employers/recruiters. My apprehensions about being a 2^nd year Maths student in amongst coding pros and technological genii were soon diminished and I had a fantastic day. Clutching my bag of goodies, I went away buzzing with excitement about all the things I’d heard but little did I know, further amazing opportunities were right around the corner...

In the weeks following the event I received all sorts of emails and information from companies such as EMC, HSBC and ThoughtWorks as well as encouragement from Target Jobs to enter the ‘Undergraduate of the Year’ competition. Above all, just two months after attending IT’s Not Just for the Boys, I had a VIP invitation to a Vodafone assessment centre for their technology graduate scheme in my hands! All I had to do was complete some short online SHL tests and upon passing these, I had my assessment centre place secured.

I headed to Vodafone global HQ in Newbury where I took part in the various elements of the assessment centre, had a guided tour and opportunities to chat to graduates already on the Discover schemes. The day had a wonderful feel to it and I was truly put at ease; it was great to meet other students and speak to the graduates. Yet again, I could never have anticipated what was still to come as two days later I received a phonecall to tell me the incredible news that I had got the job!!

I was astounded by this; a graduate job secured before I was even halfway through my degree! I’m still required to get a 2:1 but this hasn’t stopped me from picturing myself riding around Newbury on the Vodafone buses and what life on the Discover scheme will be like (and that’s before I even consider the £29,000 salary!).

All of these experiences will be with me forever and it has truly shown me that there really is no glass ceiling for us girls and no divide between males and females within technology. Out of the 9 students at the Vodafone assessment centre, only 2 of us were girls and I got the job. That’s not to say the guys didn’t get job offers but it’s really shown me that there’s nothing to be afraid of; my life has taken a turn I could never have imagined and it feels fantastic!

So girls (and guys too!), take this from me, every opportunity you are given presents itself for a reason so take your life in both hands and put yourself out there – what have you got to lose?

Update: Since writing this blog Bethan has also taken part in Vodafone's summer internship. She's now even more excited to join them this September! Could this be you next year? Apply for the March event now! 

Daphne came third in the 2013 National Student Challenge! Read about her day!

About Me

I’m a second year English and European Law student at Queen Mary, University of London. It’s essentially a normal three-year law degree with an extra year abroad, which I’ll be spending in Paris. My choice of discipline of course gives away my interest in a career in law, but I’m very open to learning about other professions. The National Student Challenge was great in that respect as it enabled me to gain exposure and chat to employers in other fields, which is invaluable in itself. After the Challenge, employers often get in touch with students they particularly liked – it’s a great foot in the door!

The Online Element

I came across the Challenge when looking to practice some of the online tests many employers now make students take. They tend to leave us hanging with regards to results so I was curious to see how mine compared to those of my peers. Overall, I thought it was a lot of fun and very exciting to track my progress on the league table. The advice I would give to people taking the tests is to practice loads before the real thing to avoid feeling like a deer in the headlights. They're supposed to be based purely on ability but it does take a few tries to get your head around the format.

The Grand Final

I was astonished I'd made it to the Grand Final – it was a lovely surprise! The group exercises were not at all what I was expecting – there were some very creative ones like organising a star–studded event and building a paper ramp to slide a ping pong ball down (my favourite). It was quite difficult because we might be working in a team towards a common goal for one exercise, then have to argue against each other in the next. Similar to my surprise at reaching the Grand Final, I did not in any way expect to reach the top 3. It feels great now, though it did take a while to sink in. My large £250 cheque (or my 'two fiddy' as I like to call it) is now proudly hanging on my wall.

How the Experience Will Help Me in the Long Run

Prizes aside, this was a great experience and fantastic preparation for assessment centres. University careers services do run mock sessions but they’re no substitute for the feeling of genuine competition I got from participating in the NSC. Such days are all about teamwork and bringing out the best in the other members of the group, each of whom will bring their own skills and unique way of contributing to the table. Every team is different so it’s important to get loads of practice to get comfortable with assessment centres. A tip I would give is to be careful about how others perceive you. Although it can be tempting to go in there with an 'in it to win it attitude', the others will see this and it will create a difficult atmosphere for co-operation. Much of the positive feedback other winners got related to the fact that they'd made the rest of their group feel at ease and tried to involve everyone in the day's activities.

If this sounds like something you are interested in, why not apply for our Undergraduate of the Year Awards 2014! 12 awards, from 12 employers, for 12 students - do you have what it takes? APPLY NOW!

Hello from the TARGETjobs Events team!

Each week we hear from hundreds of applicants trying to secure a space at one of our events. So, whether you’re a future STEMinist, interested in Investment Management, our Asia and Middle East fair or many others, we have some tips on how to make your application stand out!

1.       Write a good cover letter: Your letter should be laid out correctly and contain at least two paragraphs worth of information. We’re looking to hear a little about you and why you want to attend our event; so whether there is a certain sponsor you’re interested in meeting or a passion for the sector this is the time to tell us and stand out from other applicants!

2.       Update your CV: Include details of the grades you received both at school/college and since attending university. Most of our events require applicants to be able to display academic excellence – if it’s not included at this stage we may not have time to chase you for it.

3.       UCAS points: If you did A levels, a BTEC, IB or similar it’s likely you have UCAS points, something we ask for as part of our application form. Working them out only takes a few minutes if you use a calculator like this one and goes a long way towards making you look prepared and informed - checking ‘no’ and listing them individually does not!

4.       Attention to detail: Make sure you double check your application; have you given us the right telephone number, uploaded the right documents and included any details we have asked for.

5.       Get the name of the event right: Need I say more? Make it clear you have read the information available to you and understand what you’re applying for.

If you follow all of the above and meet the event criteria it’s almost certain we’ll be inviting you to a telephone interview before long. So, best of luck with your application and we’ll hopefully see you at an event soon!

Kat, Katy, Becca and Katie

Visit TARGETjobs Events now!