Small and Medium Sized Enterprises account for over half of employment in the UK. The advantages of working for them are numerous: you will find yourself in a varied working environment with fewer of the formalities of larger companies, have the opportunity to gain a higher and more immediate profile within the organisation, as well as developing a clear and tangible sense of the contribution you are making.

UCL Talent Bank is uniquely placed to help you into an SME. Relaunched in April 2014, it has built relationships with around 200 employers, many of which fit into the SME category. Since April, 200 UCL students and graduates, of 850 who have made profiles, have made applications, with 80 shortlisted and 20 interviewed. UCL Talent Bank will work to match your skills and abilities with the specific requirements of organisations to give you the best possible advantage as you look to secure your ideal role.

UCL Talent Bank’s emphasis on SMEs means that it can give you the opportunity to find exactly the job you are looking for. As Nassim, who graduated from UCL this year with an MEng in Civil Engineering and has gone on to find work as a Business Intelligence Analyst at an SME put it: ‘I am extremely glad I managed to find the position…The role advertised was exactly the graduate position I wanted to do – I would even describe it as my dream job!’

This is the level of precision with which UCL Talent Bank can match you to a role.

Create your profile now.

It’s over! UCL Careers has just finished running the two week Employability Summer School as part of the Global Citizenship programme. Taking place over two weeks, from 2 – 13 June, we saw over 70 penultimate and final-year students, from a whole range of different departments, go through the fortnight building upon their skills as well as improving their confidence in the job hunting process. With over 20 interactive events tackling a whole host of topics, it was an intense first-time experience for many – the days were jam-packed with information, guidance and plenty of opportunities to put it all in to practice.

What did they do?

Beginning with an ice-breaker to get things going, students kicked off the programme with a day looking at how to connect with employers – a session rounded off with an opportunity to chat with a UCL Alumni panel and network afterwards. The following day’s workshops focused on CV and applications as well as interview techniques and ended with a chance to speak to start-up businesses at the Small Companies Big Jobs fair. The week was then split in to sessions full of tips on online job searching, psychometric testing, mock assessment centres, post-graduate study and international job hunting with plenty of 1-1 coaching interspersed. Throughout the week, mornings were spent with varied plenaries from Capco and Save the Children which were engaging and insightful.

Week two followed a differed flavour with a group ‘job searching’ session and an opportunity to put everything they had learnt in to practice at the annual UCL Careers Jobs Market. The students then divided up over the next three days with some attending the case-study-centred ‘Focus on Management’ and others developing strengths-based skills at the ‘Marketing yourself as a Global Citizen’ strand. The last day was dedicated to action-planning and forward thinking as well as a chance to celebrate the past two weeks – rounding out a successful programme of workshops with an HEAR accreditation and a well-deserved lunch.

What did they build their confidence in?

On their first day, students took a ‘confidence measure’ which got them thinking about how they felt in regards to their personal situation. With a score of one to five, they marked their self-confidence in:

• Connecting with employers
• How to write a good CV
• Filling out applications
• How to succeed at interviews
• How to find relevant jobs
• Making decisions about their future careers choice

They then filled this same indicator out on the last day and compared them both – the idea being that they’d hopefully see an improvement from their first day. It is safe to say that there was a huge improvement! Every one of these pointers saw the numbers rocket from a score of around 1-3 to a confidence-inspiring 4-5 by the final day. Proving the value of all they had picked up over the two weeks, students felt that going forward, they were more ready and able to approach the job search armed with the right information and resources, as well as the support of UCL Careers in the months and years ahead.

Well done class of 2014!

What did students think of the Summer School?

 “The best course I’ve done at UCL! It has increased my confidence in connecting with employers and finding job that suits my strengths and personality as well.”

“Enjoyable, interactive and applicable to real life.”

“Finally someone turned the lights on in a pitch black room!”

“UCL Careers is a great asset to the university – use it!”

Want to find out more about this unique opportunity to hone your employability skills? Visit: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/students/skills/summerschool

Throughout the year we run many events aimed at supporting students and recent graduates in all parts of their job search. Find out more: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/students/skills/calendar

The Sprint Development Programme for women undergraduates and graduates, sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland, Microsoft and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, is back!

So what is Sprint?
We all know that students have a tough challenge balancing their academic studies along with trying to attend as many events as possible but Sprint, a bespoke programme designed by the Springboard Consultancy in partnership with Oxford University & Cambridge University to support the professional development of female undergraduate and graduates, offers something very unique.

Building on the success of the Springboard programme for experienced women at work, Sprint was developed & delivered to address real issues faced by most undergraduate & graduate women. Research carried out by Oxford University indicated female undergraduates and graduates tended to possess strong negative perceptions of careers within industries such as Financial Services, Engineering and Technology, as well as a lack of confidence, assertiveness and access to relevant role models which often led to them deselecting themselves from such industries.

Originally pioneered at the University of Cambridge and more recently at the University of Oxford, the 2013 summer programme was held at City University for their students, but was also piloted to UCL students studying in the Department of Management Science & Innovation to great success & is now returning to City University in July 2014 – it’s open to students across all courses at UCL, City and Kingston Universities.

What will I experience on the programme?
The programme is very intensive & geared towards building female undergraduate & graduate confidence and giving students access to strong peer & professional networks. Students will be put through their paces with lots of practical exercises designed to improve self awareness and esteem, taught how to identify & use personal power, use assertiveness positively, build their own image, confidence & networking skills and engage with inspiring industry role models.

It’s a great opportunity for female students to experience some very bespoke development, get access to employer mentors and to an ongoing network of graduate and employer peers, which they will be able to utilise both during university and afterwards throughout their career – all for free!

Student participants from UCL’s Department of Management Science & Innovation who took part in last summer’s programme threw themselves into what proved to be an incredibly intense but ultimately rewarding four days, experienced increased confidence both personally and professionally, got ongoing access to an employer mentor, and the opportunity to be part of the selective but growing Sprint community!

When is it?
Co-sponsored by The Royal Bank of Scotland, Microsoft and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, the Sprint Programme will be held on 29^th, 30^th, 31^st July and 1^st September 2014.

Those shortlisted must be able to attend all four dates!

How to apply?
Applicants will need register through their My Careers Service account AND submit a CV and a 300 word letter explaining why you, as a female undergraduate or graduate student, deserve a place on the Sprint Development Programme.  Any questions to Weronika Benning w.benning@ucl.ac.uk or Charlotte Turnbull c.turnbull@ucl.ac.uk.

Deadline for applications is 6^th July 2014 but early application advised!

Applicants will be shortlisted according to how well they evidence having thought about their future career and demonstrating effectively why they wish to participate in the course, and how it will meet their development needs.

This event is aimed at women but open to students from all years at UCL.

View further details on the programme and book now through your  My Careers Service account (search for Sprint in the events calendar).

UCL Careers Employability Summer School ended on Friday 13^th June with the chance to celebrate (of course!) and to reflect on an exciting and intense two weeks of events. Over 70 students had the opportunity to take part in a range of interactive sessions, workshops and talks with employers, Careers Consultants and Alumni to really give themselves the competitive edge in today’s global job market.

All students took part in the crucial component ‘Successful Job Hunting’ which, after a week of tackling practical parts of the process including CVs, applications and interviews, was a great way to hone all they had learnt thus far. Led by four UCL Careers Consultants, it was an opportunity to explore the broad range of job hunting strategies and learn from tackling case studies in an environment where students were encouraged to talk with each other and share ideas.

What did they learn?

• Tips on where to look for jobs and how to go about beginning their job hunt

From online jobs boards to the hidden jobs market, students leant about the novel and creative places to find jobs and openings. From social media to speculative applications, they then weighed up the pros and cons of each and how accessible they were. In understanding the value of each job search-type they were then able to make an evaluation as to its relevance to them.

• How to develop a personalised action plan for their own job search

Through looking at other case studies, it is easier to formulate suggestions about strategy and develop starting points as well as a potential plan of attack. Students also looked at timescales and goals – to really get focused, the importance of a thorough plan, including contingencies, was stressed throughout the interactive exercises.

• An ability to think in creative ways and try alternative strategies

The opportunity to discuss thoughts and bounce around ideas with Careers Consultants and other job seekers proved invaluable, with many students suggesting techniques which may have been missed or not considered by others. An almost informal informational interviewing session then took place, it allowed students to reflect on their job hunting strategies and consider what might work and what might need revising if proved unsuccessful.

Students had an opportunity to continuously discuss ideas and present to other members of their groups for useful feedback. A vital part of any job seekers job search is to talk though ideas – not only does it keep up morale but it gives fresh perspective to previous strategies, especially if it’s not quite as fruitful as hoped. The goal of obtaining a job is rarely as easy or as straight-forward as it seems – there will often be hurdles along the way but with some careful planning as well as consistent and meaningful searching, it can happen.

Top tips from UCL Careers Consultants:

• Do your research
• Treat job hunting as a job in itself
• Plan (and have a back-up plan)
• Network
• Volunteer or take courses
• Create a good work/life balance

And remember: planning, positivity, persistence

Find out more about the range of events UCL Careers runs throughout the year here: www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/events

Current student or recent graduate? Book in for some one-to-one advice and guidance with a Careers Consultant: www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/students/advice

On Friday 13^th June 2014, four UCL Students saw off 139 other university teams from across the UK to gain third place in the CIMA global business challenge UK final – a brilliant success in such a competitive competition. As well as this, the team (consisting of Menghui Wu, Lifeng Ye, Shihui Xu and Hanshuang Shen) also achieved the accolade of ‘Best Team Report’ out of all entrants. A fantastic and inspiring achievement, UCL Careers found out what made the team take part, the skills they’ve picked up both individually and as a team (and used to get so far!) as well as how valuable they thought being involved in a business competition is.

Could you tell us a little about what you are studying (and how this has helped you during the challenge)?

All four of us are full-year affiliate students here from the same base university, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. I [Shihui] study Banking and International Finance back in Shanghai and here I’m doing Economics. Lifeng does Finance as well while Hanshuang and Menghui do Accounting. We have a common business-related background but specialise in different aspects, which allows us to see a ‘case’ from different angles and to form a bigger picture together.

What inspired you to take on the challenge?

We’ve wanted to do something to sharpen our skills and add some valuable experiences to our CVs (it’s all been very practical!) and a business game seemed like the ideal opportunity. The challenge organiser, CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accounting) is a big organisation of good reputation in the industry and their challenge is always tough but rewarding. So we thought why not!

Tell us about what the challenge specifically involved and what you as a team have achieved.

In this challenge, we played the role of a consulting firm to help a client, which is facing several strategic of financial issues. It’s just like a case study, but with more dimensions. In the first round, we were asked to hand in a report and in the UK Final, we did a presentation as well.

What have you got out of the experience?

It’s a very good opportunity to get some idea about how to be a good consultant and how to think like a real business leader. We’ve all learnt to think logically, think broadly, and deliver ideas to customers in an authentic environment. It’s especially helpful to those who want to study CIMA. We also got to network with a lot of top professionals during the UK Final.

Any advice you’d give to students considering taking part?

First of all, form a reliable and diversified team to help develop ideas from different perspectives, and secondly, put yourself in the client’s shoes to see if your work delivers value to them. For the first round of the competition, the only assessment will be the report you hand in. So make sure it has a clear structure and neat layout.

Business challenges take place regularly and with UCL Careers you’ll find help and support throughout the competition so you can really make the most out of the experience.

If you’re feeling inspired, find out more about how to get involved: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/students/skills/competitions

As a UCL alumnus, you probably appreciate that job searching can be quite daunting. You are also most likely aware of the anxieties and importance associated with that dreaded term – ‘networking’. UCL Careers have made the process as easy, effective and enjoyable as possible, with a focus on employers and students both getting the most out of participation. I had the opportunity to see the mutual benefit in taking part during a UCL alumni panel and networking event, run during the successful Employability Summer School. With over 70 willing and eager UCL students, I joined more than 15 alumni from a range of employers including TFL, PWC and TeachFirst.

The value of networking can’t be understated. It can generate leads and openings, create worthwhile business relationships and offer up personalised information in a short space of time. Enthusiastic and talented students are aware of this and actively seek opportunities to talk to top employers, find out as much information as possible and learn more about how they can develop their skills within a specific industry or company.

As Marketing Communications Intern at UCL Careers, I was best placed to bridge the gap between encouraging students of the benefits in engaging with the alumni panel but also to offer, hopefully, useful insights about my own career path as well as answer general questions about what it’s like to work in marketing.

As per previously sent-0ut instructions, all alumni were greeted and briefed fifteen minutes prior to the event, with introductions and mini-networking in a separate room. The event then began – we were split in to two rooms and a semi-formal approach was taken with students grouped in 3’s and 4’s with one alumnus per group. Ten minutes was then allowed for discussion before we moved around and spoke to a new and eager group, with a total of an hour and six rotations.

This was a great opportunity to give a little information about myself, UCL Careers and the marketing industry and then take some well-thought out questions from motivated and genuinely interested students who appreciated the information given. Many took notes and asked articulate follow-up questions to which I was able to provide more detailed answers. A comfortable and enjoyable experience, I feel the students left with an impression employers, and UCL Careers, was engaged and approachable.

Concluding the event, we were given two drinks tokens and an opportunity to mingle in a more relaxed setting with all the students, other alumni as well as UCL Careers staff in the downstairs bar area. This was a great way to discuss topics in more detail and highlight to the students relevant aspects of our roles and companies.

Attending panel events are a great way to give back to UCL Careers if you are a past student as well as maximising your company’s profile with talented and eager UCL students from a range of disciplines. Well-organised and engaging, the events usually take a few hours of your time but offer huge and lasting personal and organisational benefits in return.

To find out more visit: www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/recruiters or email careers.events@ucl.ac.uk

If you are looking for a graduate job now, or want to get an internship or some work experience this summer, come and meet over 40 employers with jobs, internships and training opportunities who are hiring now!

We have large employers offering places on their graduate schemes, as well as smaller organisations looking to grow their workforce with graduates and interns. Here are just some of the amazing roles and organisations you will find at Jobs Market:

• Arcadia Group with opportunities in Finance, Merchandising, Digital and Buying
• Bartonia Care who combine an entrepreneurial culture with roles in adult social care
• Capco with places on their associate talent programme in financial consulting
• Colas Rail with both engineering and fast track management roles
• KweekWeek with tech start up roles
• IMS Consulting Group with life science and healthcare consulting roles
• News Associates with places on their fast track journalism courses
• PwC with last minute places on their graduate programmes
• Teach First with places on their teaching leadership programme
• Willis with graduate roles in insurance and reinsurance

If you’re looking for graduate level work or experience now, you will find opportunities to suit you at Jobs Market.

When: Monday 9th June, 2:30 – 4:30pm

Where: 3rd Floor, ULU Building

Beat the queues on the day by confirming your attendance now at www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/summerevents