Graduate Schemes...

[darkstar]

I've been checking out various graduate schemes the larger companies have to offer, ad realised how tough the selection process is. Ranging from Numeracy tests, telephone interviews, panel interviews, presentation to groups work it's a challenge. The competition for each placement is so huge, I'm beginning to feel I won't make the grade.

Just wondering if anyone has been/ is currently on a grad scheme? Know anything about the selection process? Would it make more sense to apply to a small company, with fewer applicants?

 

[marinyork]

Don't worry about the numeracy tests, you'll be fine on those.

 

[darkstar]

Just need to watch out cursing them on the forum!

I'm just daunted by the sheer level of competition...

 

[marinyork]

Absolutely, but I would say that everybody feels like that and have observed people not sending off applications for fear of worry and just brooding over it a lot in their third year and wasting time. A lot of the processes are repeated in 'non-graduate' job application processes. I'd just give it your best shot and if you don't make it into the really big companies you'll find something else somewhere. Not all jobs worth doing are in these types of jobs, it's just that people big them up. I would particularly concentrate on the competency test.

 

[darkstar]

Cheers, some good points there. I suppose I'll need to apply with confidence and just take each step as a learning experience. I'll utalise the Universities career centre, and I'm sure they will teach me how to tackle each step.

 

[marinyork]

Best of luck really the careers things will probably do a few bits and bobs on this, mine did. There are a lot of self help books on competency tests and interviews and graduate recruitment. They won't necessarily make you good at them but will prepare you and give some perspective. I would add that many job interviews out there are panels (of three), it's just a couple of stages rather than five or six.

 

[zimzum42]

A grad scheme is a bit like a corporate version of a masters. If you're not sure about the grad schemes, and there are plenty of reasons to avoid them, just as there are many benefits of them, then do a masters instead - you'll have a lot more fun and you'll find it just as easy to get a corporate job afterwards

If you do a research masters instead of a taught masters then it's easy to move ont the PhD too.

If you're pretty sure you want to work in a certain industry for the rest of your life, then do the grad scheme thing. They may be competitive, but no more so than any top university or the civil service etc. If you're any good, they'll take you on...

 

[HelenD123]

There may be a social side to the selection process as well. A friend of mine took a group out bowling one evening as part of the selection process. Don't be fooled into thinking it's 'off the record'. They were observing how the candidates interacted so don't let your guard down at any time.

 

[taxing]

Just go for it, I reckon. If you don't get on a scheme then you don't get on, but at least you tried.

 

[meenaghman]

Social sides are great aren't they... I went for evening dinner before the interview process years ago. Had travelled over from Ireland to UK, was a bit knackered, had shower lay down on bed and fell asleep.. woke up.. supposed to have been down 15 mins before.. put on smart casual (as the dress code had advised) went to the pre-dinner kickoff , opened the door everyone bolt upright in suits/skirts with pens poised.. I walked in, apologised, and sat down at the one remaining seat right under the head of Personnel (they were called that then).. Within about 2 mins of me sitting down the words "and of course the selection process started from 6:00PM tonight" seemingly telling me.. you've blown it mate. Well I thought bugger that.. ah well there's dinner and a free bar afterwards.. so had dinner, all the empty wine bottles seemed to sit next to my place and afterwards had about 5 or 6 pints in the bar. Stayed drinking in the bar that night till about 2:30. Up next day at 7:00 to be out at 8:00.. cracking hangover, really hot day.. drinking gallons of coke/water/tea to rehydrate. Did the aptitude/competency tests, had my various interviews with the different managers in the company, flew home (ended up staying in a house in Dublin with 7 air hostesses but thats a different story). Thought nothing of it as expenses were all reimbursed and was then very surprised when two weeks later the postman arrived with a bundle which included offer letter and company employment contract/booklet etc..
Moral of the story is to be relaxed in the interview.

 

[simon_adams_uk]

Ditto the advice above - be yourself!

Oh, and try to find any opportunity to show your strengths, personality, etc. outside of the often rigid assessment structures that the assessors have to use (but really don't want to be using). As an example... I had a two-day graduate recruitment process where, on the first night, all the other candidates went to their rooms at 9pm to dutifully cram for tests/interviews the next morning. I however had a nice evening in the bar by myself with the assessors getting fairly tipsy for free, having a good chat, and selling myself far better than some run-of-the-mill numeracy test / stilted interview. Got offered the job but decided that, based on the relatively unguarded chat I'd had at the bar, the company wasn't for me.

Good luck!
S

 

[zimzum42]

Ditto again - interviews are two-way things - be yourself, because if you are and they don't like you, you're doing yourself a favour as you wouldn't have been a good fit in that company. Act all goody goody and if you get the job they will expect you to always be like that. I try to make a joke or three in interviews as that's what I'm like, and if they don't like it I'm going to have a nightmare working for them!