So after a long journey to Newport’s Celtic Manner, the RateMyPlacement team finally made it to the AGR Conference on July 5th ready for a fun filled few days of Graduate Recruitment.

For those that don’t know, The AGR Awards, now in their 32nd year, recognise and reward graduate recruiters for creative and innovative campaigns that attract the best graduate talent to their organisations. They are designed to highlight best practice in terms of graduate recruitment and to ensure standards within the industry remain high.

At RateMyPlacement, we take competitions very seriously and the race for the best stand was high on the priority list! The team pulled out all the stops and set up a horseracing stand complete with trophies, champers (Cava) and Ali dressed in an outfit he clearly found at home (see above)

Unfortunately our stand had a lot of competition so congratulations to TotalJobs who won the winner of the Best Stand in the conference exhibition for the second year running. Accenture came away with the top prize at the 2010 AGR Awards, as well as several other winners including Slaughter & May/SAS Design for literature and TeachFirst/Euro RSCG Riley + City & Law for best website.

Thanks AGR for a great few days and we look forward to coming back next year!

For more details on the AGR Conference click here

A new policy paper from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has called for an end to unpaid internships for university students – and the introduction of a new ‘training wage’.

The CIPD’s own research reveals that, at present, more than a third (37%) of internships are unpaid.  The new paper – ‘Internships: To Pay or not To Pay?’ – proposes that all interns should be paid a guaranteed minimum wage, arguing that this would help to reflect the contribution they’re likely to make to their organisations.  It should also help to promote social mobility by encouraging people from poorer backgrounds to apply.

According to Ri5 the intention would be for the proposed training wage (of £2.50 an hour, which is also the current minimum rate for apprentices) to cover all interns and apprentices, regardless of occupation or industry sector.  Under the proposals, any position advertised as an internship would automatically trigger a legal obligation on the part of the employer to pay “at least the training wage” throughout the duration of the internship.

CIPD skills adviser Tom Richmond says: “The continued existence of a major loophole in the national minimum wage legislation has created a lot of confusion and concern around the issue of whether interns should be paid or not… the creation of the training wage would represent a significant step to ensuring that internships promote social mobility, provide young people with valuable experience, and help tackle exploitation in the workplace.  What’s more, organisations would still be able to recruit young talent at a reasonable rate during this difficult economic period and beyond.”

For full article click here

After a recruitment process which involved questions such as, “What is your favourite Biscuit?”, I certainly knew from the start that this placement was not going to be the same as many currently on the market. However, I chose to work here because I wanted something different – I didn’t want to be a small fish in a big pond, I wanted to be a substantial part of the team.

A week and a half in, I have already been thrown in at the deep end and I am currently working on a project with TaxBack4Students. More information on that will be coming in the next week!

For now though, I have put together a Video which shows a few things that I have encountered so far! Click below to play and enjoy!

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to let you know that I am Amy; one of the most recent interns to join the RateMyPlacement team and the world of work (oh no!)

So how has my first week been?

Well, its been fantastic, apart from the 5am starts! That has been a bit of a culture shock after spending the past 2 years at University getting up at 9am and watching Jeremy Kyle, but all in all it has definitely been worth the lack of sleep!

So far this week I have been involved in several large projects that I am really excited about (and there was me thinking I would be filing bits of paper and making cups of tea). Instead I have been helping the wonderful Lizzie with the organisation of our AMAZING Intern party – definitely an event not to be missed. The team has also been coming up with campaign ideas to get more women into investment banking, as well as to make plans for the launch of the 2011 top 20 Awards in January. This is definitely a placement that involves lots of responsibility, fun and hard work!

The highlight of the week has definitely been the banterful company outings to reward all our hard work. On Friday we ventured out of the office to go on a duck tour of London (google it… hilarious)!….. Luckily we didn’t sink!  The “work hard play hard” attitude is definitely something I am loving… along with the office dress code which includes flip flops and sunglasses!

I am really looking forward to meeting everyone in September when the team hits the road to attend placement and fresher’s fairs around the country!

See you all soon

Amy

Bi-monthly, the Financial Services Skills Council ask employers, professional bodies and trade organisations to respond to a question which has been asked by careers practitioners.

January’s question focuses on what a student should do if they have been unable to secure an internship within the sector, what type of skills building activities would employers want to see on their CV, which would enable them to compete for graduate jobs vacancies equally against other students who have completed internships?

If you are interested in the finance sector..these hints and tips from the likes of HSBC, ACCA, and ICAEW may well be worth a read!

It is certainly true that more people that have done an internship are successful in getting a graduate role. However what is important is the student demonstrates that they have the essential underlying qualities: - Experience of dealing with customers- particularly in solving their problems - Experience of working with others and leading a particular task - An ability to talk about the sector’s challenges – and evidence of reading any quality paper. John Morewood, Senior Graduate Recruitment and Development Manager, HSBC Bank Plc -www.jobs.hsbc.co.uk/14-en/HSBC.aspx

At RSA we would like to see students take part in activities that: - Enable them to develop their team building skills, so they can demonstrate how their individual effort made a difference - Help them to understand their learning and leadership style, so to demonstrate self awareness and how people react differently to situations - Support them in developing skills to overcome objections, so to demonstrate the ability to listen and identify the issues - Enable them to practice their communication and assertiveness.Taking part in activities which enable students to develop and put skills into practice will support students in competing for a graduate role even when they have not obtained an internship. Libby Morgan ACII, Chartered Insurer, Personal Lines Trader, RSA - www.rsagroup.com/rsa/pages/careers/careershome

There are many different activities a student can take part in to help build key skills that need to be demonstrated during interviews with employers. Key skills vital to a successful career as an accountant, or indeed in any business role include; communication, commercial awareness, team work and co-operation, numeracy, leadership and self management. As well as these key skills, employers are also looking for a number of other personal attributes. The following will be useful to think about when planning your applications and preparing for interviews; personal motivation and commitment, creativity and flexibility, planning and organization, and problem solving. If you are unable to secure an internship in the sector, you can demonstrate your understanding of these skills by taking part in activities such as business games run by the professional bodies or employers at your school or university, or by taking an active role as a member of a student society.. There are also many employer workshops on offer, which cover everything from advice on how to write your CVs and applications to developing your presentation skills, these are not only a great way to find out more about the employers and professional qualifications on offer, but a chance to enhance your communication and presentation skills. If you have travelled, taking a gap year or planning to take a gap year, think about the life experiences that you are gaining and how some of these are relevant to your future work career, or if you have a part-time job you should be able to show your commitment, time management and communication skills whether it’s retail or bar work or office based roles. Participating in activities such as Young Enterprise are also enhancing skills and business knowledge. The ICAEW also offer qualifications such as the Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business (CFAB) which can act as an entry route to the ACA. CFAB is open to all, regardless of academic background or experience. The things you will learn are highly relevant in many business sectors. CFAB provides an essential understanding of the fundamentals of finance, accounting and business. CFAB can be completed in less than 12 months alongside your university or school courses. The modules include: business and finance; management information; accounting (compulsory); law; assurance and principles of taxation. These modules also make up the knowledge exams of the ACA qualification, so you can go to an employer being part qualified for the ACA. All of these activities will help you to stand out from other students, think about the relevance of your experiences and how they apply to the roles you are considering. Louise Mason, Marketing Manager, The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales – www.icaew.com/careers

In the current economic conditions, it’s important to maximise your employability skills and being commercially aware is a skill that all graduates, regardless of degree, need to achieve. When you go to interviews or assessment centres, employers want to test your knowledge on a range of things including the job you are applying for, the organisation and its operations, the business sectors and competitors that operate within it, and your general understanding of the business environment. ACCA has developed a series of articles and podcasts that focus on the elements that make up commercial awareness and how to apply this to different employment sectors. You can download the podcasts from our website at www.accaglobal.com/graduates/media/commercial. You should also try to demonstrate an interest in your chosen career or profession by joining a student society at university, such as Bright Futures, and participating in graduate promotional activities. Joining ACCA’s Accelerate Lite scheme is a good way to stay ahead of the competition and develop the knowledge you need to show employers that you’re serious about a career in accountancy. It’s free to join Accelerate and as a member you can access a range of services designed to keep you up-to-date with accountancy news, trends and graduate jobs. These skills building activities will not only help you get that first graduate job, but they can also help you understand more about the type of career you may want to embark on and the kinds of organisations you want to work for. Laura Murphy, Head of Student Business Relationships, ACCA – www.uk.accaglobal.com

If you have failed to get an internship for this summer – don’t panic! As you can see there are other options out there!

Bi-monthly, the Financial Services Skills Council ask employers, professional bodies and trade organisations to respond to a question which has been asked by careers practitioners.

If you are interested in the finance sector..these hints and tips from the likes of HSBC, ACCA, and Citi may well be worth a read!

There really is one mistake that candidates make: insufficient preparation. These can be broken down into: 1. Lack of preparation; Interviewers want to know how well you are going to fit in to an organisation. Applicants need to think of examples which demonstrate this. 2. Prepare examples which are in 3 parts – describe the situation you were dealing with, what you did and what the results were (try to quantify results in terms of task, team and individual). 3. Candidates should think of examples where what you did didn’t go so well; the key thing is what you learnt from the process. John Morewood, Senior Graduate Recruitment & Development Manager, HSBC BANK PLC, www.jobs.hsbc.co.uk/14-en/HSBC.aspx

Applying for jobs is hard work, so once you get that first interview it’s really important that you make the most of the opportunity to show how capable you are in person. Unfortunately, some candidates let themselves down at interview. There are many reasons why this happens, but the top three mistakes made in interviews – and how to avoid them – are: 1. Failure to Prepare – you must undertake some research before the interview and show an awareness of the organisation, the business sector and current issues, and the role you are applying for. 2. Poor Communication – you need to answer questions concisely and succinctly, prepare for the difficult questions and respond to them in a positive way, and ask your own questions to find out more. 3. Lack of Personal Branding – you should be smartly dressed, use appropriate body language, and ensure that everything you say and do is individual to you, authentic and consistent. Once you build up experience and confidence in these areas, the standard of your interviews will improve and so will your chances of getting that job. Laura Murphy, Head of Student Business Relationships, ACCA UK – www.uk.accaglobal.com

The three key mistakes which candidates make in an interview situation are: 1. Insufficient preparation – not researching the organisation in any depth. Company websites make doing this research easy. 2. Not being sufficiently business focused – in dress and in approach to the interview conversations – there’s a need to show enthusiasm, engagement and drive. 3. Having no questions when it comes to “do you have any questions” time or having ones which are only focused on career advancement possibilities for themselves or the social side of work. Gillian King, Director of Education & Trustee Development, The Pensions Management Institute – www.pensions-pmi.org.uk

The three key mistakes which candidates make in an interview situation are: 1. Lack of knowledge of the organisation as a whole and in particular the role; little if any research undertaken which would assist preparation for the interview 2. Inability to provide specific answers to competency based questions. Prior to the interview, thought requires to be given to their existing skills /experience and occasions when they have displayed the behaviours required for the position 3. Arriving with incomplete application form/documentation – for successful individual this can delay the recruitment process. Tricia Crooks, Resourcing Consultant, Royal Bank of Scotland Group, www.rbs.co.uk

The three key mistakes which candidates make in an interview situation are: 1. Lack of preparation for the interview: Look at the job advertisement and make sure you understanding what the key requirements of the role are. These could be building relationships, planning and multi-tasking, producing reports etc. Having notes and examples from your experiences ready to draw on in these key areas if asked by interviewer will make a positive difference. 2. Poor or lack of candidate questions: This is the time for you to show off. The type of questions you ask the interviewer indicate not only the level at which you operate but your understanding and research that you’ve done into the role or the business. 3. Poor timekeeping – lateness! Make sure you know the route, and even do a trial run and be sure of where you need to get to! So many candidates get lost or arrive late. Of course employers are sympathetic to those who have genuine problems and don’t make it on time, but it always pays to check the route! Jo Hussey, Nationwide, www.nationwide.co.uk

From a Citi perspective, the most common mistakes that we see are: 1. Candidate’s lack of research regarding the position they are applying for or about the organisation to which they have applied. 2. Little preparation for competency based interviews. Candidates often struggle to come up with examples of situations they previously dealt with that show their competency in a particular area. 3. A general lack of preparation for questions that they themselves want to ask the hiring manager 4. Negative comments of previous employers and why they left the organisation 5. There have also been occasions when some candidates have been inappropriately dressed for an interview. Michelle McManus, Assistant Vice President, HR Site Head, Citi – www.citi.com

As you can see – many of the mistakes made are picked up by each different companyand in most instances it’s down to basic common sense; good luck for your next interview!

Always looking to offer our users the latest scoop; I recently came across this competition and thought it might be of interest to those still looking for some work experience this summer within the Fashion and Retail sector. The only problem is that it is unpaid and based in London, so it won’t be for everyone – but if you are in the lucky position to be able to work for free for a few weeks take a look and go pick up your entry card!

Armani Exchange is teaming up with Grazia magazine and MTV to offer one reader the opportunity to win a three week internship in London. The judges are looking for someone with a passion for fashion – as well as amazing communication skills and self-confidence.

The winner will enjoy one week at Grazia magazine, shadowing the fashion team and seeing how a magazine is put together. The second week, they will go behind the scenes at iconic television network MTV. And the lucky intern will spend the third and final week at Armani Exchange helping the press and marketing teams. You’ll come away bursting with ideas about what you want to do (or, if you have a career already, what direction you’d like to take it in), plus have a CV jam-packed with contacts to help you on your way. What are you waiting for?

HOW TO ENTER

Entries can only be made by picking up an entry card at one of the six Armani Exchange stores across the country. For your nearest, visit armaniexchange.com. To enter, write one sentence saying why you should win. This should be no more than 50 words and completed on the back of the entry card. The competition closes 8 August 2010 at 6pm.

For all the lovely T’s and C’s check out the full article here

A recent article from the BBC describes how Aldi’s applications for the retail group’s management scheme have been astronomical. With a starting salary of £40,000 rising to £61,000 in three years, it’s easy to see why.

To get through the initial filtering from an online form, applicants need to have a 2:1 degree and recruiters are looking for evidence of leadership and commitment outside of studies. So what can set you apart from the rest?

“For us, graduates who stand out from the mix are those that combine academic and non-academic skills and experiences,” says head of graduate recruitment Richard Holloway.

“Leading a local or university sports team, carrying out voluntary or charity work, having a part-time job, or going the extra mile to reach individual potential is favoured over first-class honours.”

The article also describes how your CV can put you in good stead in the process. “Getting as far as an interview depends on a persuasive CV. Aldi give some top tips – advising applicants to provide an informative, succinct and spell-checked account of achievements, qualifications and skills, not spreading beyond two pages.”

To read more click here.

A recent article in The Independent by Kate Hilpern details how the Management Consultancy Industry is seeing its biggest upturn in recent years. If you have the right skills, you may be able to take advantage of the aggressive recruiting in the graduate market. Perhaps a Placement or Internship in the sector could be an invaluable experience to set you apart from the rest of the competition…

Kate writes “If you’d mentioned wanting to become a management consultant two years ago, you’d have seen more than a few raised eyebrows. Post-crash, the industry saw a decline in personnel to the tune of 8,000. But although the economic downturn is by no means over yet, the demand for new management consultants is up again – to the extent that the Big Four are battling over top talent.”

“There’s always churn in this industry, but we saw a sharp decline in numbers that is picking up rapidly because the marketplace wants to be well positioned to take advantage of the upturn,” says Alan Leaman, chief executive of the Management Consultancies Association (MCA). “The upshot is some aggressive recruiting in the graduate market, along with a lot of career changers coming in.”

“Even Josh Lewsey, who won the 2003 Rugby World Cup with England, has joined the profession, recently starting with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).”

“While there’s still a strong role for the generalist, there is a big demand for people with a high level of technical skill, says Leaman. Areas of specialism include business strategy, manufacturing and businesses services, marketing, human resources, quality management and environmental management.”

Would you be interested in a career in Management Consultancy? Feel free to comment and check out our Industry Zones for more information.

To read the full article click here.