Which can I apply for? Are graduate schemes right for me?

If you haven’t applied to a graduate scheme already, you might be asking yourself some of these questions. There’s no need to worry. If you want to find a programme, there are still plenty currently taking applications. You might even decide that graduate schemes aren’t worth it. After all, one in six graduates leave their first employer within the first two years.

Which graduate schemes are still open?

Many of these programmes are still taking applicants. Others take on graduates on a rolling basis. So who’s recruiting students? Prospects have put together a handy online tool where you can search open graduate schemes. Use their filter options to reveal graduate programmes which you can sort by industry and location.

So which employers are still looking for current students and recent graduates? Here’s a little taste of the ones that are still open, from a range of sectors.

• Charity: British Heart Foundation
• Publishing/business: Cambridge University Press
• NGO/communications: Nuclear Graduates
• Software/technology: Balfour Beatty

Find out who’s still taking applications on the Prospects search tool.

Clearly employers are still searching for students to recruit, so do some research across the web and try and meet as many graduate recruiters as you can at our events.

Are graduate schemes right for me?

It is easy to feel pressured into applying for a graduate scheme – but these schemes are not your only choice. Most employers (including those who run graduate schemes), hire graduates on a continuous basis.

You only need to check the current vacancies on myUCLCareers to see this for yourself. You can search other major jobs boards, such as LinkedIn or Indeed, including the term “Graduate” and you will see plenty of graduate roles that aren’t part of a particular scheme.

This is particularly true for organisations who are not large enough to warrant a graduate scheme. This is why international organisations which hundreds of staff are much more likely to have schemes on offer. Working for a company like this might not suit your goals, so don’t be afraid to look elsewhere for graduate jobs. Read more about the difference between a graduate job and a graduate scheme on Gradtouch.

Further study is another popular choice, with 30% of UCL graduates in 2016 securing further study courses after six months.

 

 

How can I improve my applications? (for all graduate jobs)

All graduate jobs, whether part of a graduate scheme or not, want you to demonstrate your motivation, desirable qualities, skills and experience.
One of the best ways to do this is through volunteering and work experience. By finding an internship or other work experience you will show your motivation to employers, gain useful real-world experience, and learn more about that particular role or sector.

You might realise that you don’t enjoy a particular sector as much as you expect. This means you can look for something different when you graduate. If you love the job, you’ll be able to demonstrate your awareness of the sector to future employers. It’s very common for people who do internships while they study to secure a job with the same employer when they graduate.

Have work or volunteering experience? Let graduate recruiters know what you learned using examples. Be sure to tell them how you can apply those lessons when working for them. It’s what you’re aiming to do after all!

In your final year or recently graduated?

It might be time to start looking at what’s available and applying.

Our careers consultants can help you review your CVs and applications in one-to-one advice sessions and mock interviews. These will give you the confidence you need to evidence your best qualities when applying.

Graduate schemes often use recruitment tools such as assessment centres and psychometric testing to filter applications. Although these can seem intimidating, the more you know about them, the less scary they become.

UCL Careers run a range of workshops, talks and employer-led events through the year. These include mock assessment centres, employer networking and application sessions. Any of these could help with your graduate job applications, so see the full events calendar and book your place.

Remember, UCL Careers is here to support you, no matter what stage your at in your career planning; whether you’re applying to graduate schemes or any other kind of work or further study. Find out more about what UCL Careers can offer you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image: Young Woman With Diploma, ABQ Museum Photoarchives

Just graduated? Congratulations. The world is now your oyster. But for a lot of recent leavers, moving on from UCL doesn’t come easy and can be more than a little daunting. Don’t forget that as a recent leaver, you now have access to our services via UCL Careers Graduates, our 2-year provision of continued 1-1 coaching, workshops and events to continue supporting you.

In the meantime, here are 5 key tips to kick start your job hunt and keep you motivated :

1. Think of job hunting as a job

Like most things in life, the more you put in to something, the more you get out of it. Job hunting takes time. Put in as many hours and as much energy as you would doing a job in order to get things moving and keep up your motivation. As well as looking for roles and making applications, do your research and keep up to date with industry news. An action plan can be a great way of structuring your time and giving you a sense of achievement when you can tick things off that you’ve done.

2. Connect with people

Opportunities can come from those you know and those they know, but the biggest source of opportunities are actually people you don’t know – YET! Join Linkedin and start connecting with people who might be in a position to help. Contact a UCL alumni careers mentor, go to conferences or events organised by industries you’re looking to work in. Engage with the industry by following companies through social media and get involved in discussions. Connecting with people is a great way to gain more knowledge of an industry – find out what the realities of the job roles are, any skills and knowledge required and what the big issues are that are likely to define the industry going forward. People love talking about themselves and what they do – just give them the opportunity! Once you’ve begun to connect and establish relationships, who knows where those conversations could lead! Remember, more people find jobs through ‘word of mouth’ than online job boards so make sure you spend some time thinking about how best to use connections.

3. Be visible

The more you let people know what you’re looking for and make them aware of what you can offer, the more likely you are to find opportunities. Don’t be afraid to speak to people both on and off-line about your job plans as they may be able to give valuable insight or pass on contacts or information you could use. An up-to-date and complete Linkedin profile is fast becoming a must for students and graduates to manage their online brand. Employers use social media as a way of advertising jobs so get connected by following recruiters and relevant job boards. Upload your biography with a link to your LinkedIn account, and start engaging with people in your chosen industry sector.

4. Target your applications

Keep your CV and cover letters relevant and targeted to individual opportunities. Employers continually tell us they’re put off by applications that are general and not specifically adapted to the roles that they’re recruiting for. Use the person specification as a guide to the evidence you need to provide and format your CV in a way that allows the recruiter to relevant information easily. Use Careerstagged, our online careers library to learn how to draft targeted applications and get a UCL Careers consultant to look over your CV, cover letters and draft application form answers in a 1-1 appointment.

5. Create a balance and stay positive!

Job hunting can be a full time job, and like any job, you need to take time out. Make time for exercise, relaxation and fun. Meeting people, eating healthily, exercising and doing things you normally enjoy are all ways to stay positive and avoid the job-hunt taking its toll. Feeling daunted by taking the next step, dealing with rejection and lack of structure to your day can be difficult at times but it’s essential to try and keep a positive mind-set in order to keep your motivation up. Remind yourself of all your positive skills, talk to family and friends to boost your confidence. Remember, lots of recent graduates will be in a similar situation- read our job hunting case studies from previous graduates describing how they tackled the transition on from UCL and see if there’s anything you can learn from the experience.

Best of luck.

By Dave Carter, Careers Consultant.

For other next steps, connect with other UCL Graduates about the job hunt via our dedicated UCL Careers Graduates Facebook and Twitter pages, and make sure you’re subscribed to UCLAlert! to receive the weekly Graduates newsletter.

As part of our #UCLInspireMe series, Marco Attanasio talks to us about Gousto and shares some tips for UCL students who want to get into the sector. For more insights from recent graduates working for smaller organisations, visit https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/ucl-careers/ and search #SMEProfile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where do you work and what do you do?

I work as Head of Business Operations at Gousto, the number 1 recipe delivery service in the UK. I have two parts to my job, Customer Care and Strategic Projects.

In Customer Care we help customers get the most out of their Gousto experience – from tracking their deliveries, to explaining how the service works.

In Strategic Projects the team works on Gousto of the future, figuring out how we can continually innovate and push the boundaries for our customers and the company.

How did you get into your role?

I’ve had quite a varied career to date, but I’ve always been doing something I love. After my Masters at UCL I went to work in the renewable energy sector, project managing in product development.

Five years later I decided to follow a lifetime ambition of opening and running my own restaurant (it’s hard work!), which I did for a couple of years. When I returned to London, I had a strong desire to combine my passion for food, technology and the startup world; I found Gousto, applied for an internship and have been here for the last two years.

What are the best things about working in your role?

I love the people, the challenge and the opportunity.

We have a team of incredibly smart, motivated and passionate individuals who all pull together to make Gousto one of the best places to work around. Working at Gousto presents daily challenges and problems to solve, we succeed because we tackle the difficult problems head on, which means I’m constantly learning. Gousto has a huge opportunity to disrupt an industry and it’s great to be a part of that journey.

What are the biggest challenges you face in your work?

One of the biggest challenges of working in a successful startup like Gousto comes from one of the business’s great strengths – adapting quickly. We’re a fast-paced company, and this means we sometimes have to pull out all the stops to deliver continual improvements in short timescales; but that’s also what makes it such a rewarding job!

What top tips would you give to a student interested in this type of work?

Test, measure, adjust and test again.

What does a typical day in your job involve?

I don’t really have a typical day as projects evolve and are always in different phases. It could involve meeting with new suppliers, carrying out testing or figuring out how we’re going to tackle a particular challenge. It’s so varied, which makes it even more enjoyable.

What skills are important in this role?

Passion, attention to detail, a love of problem solving and great people skills.

Do you currently have any opportunities for students at Gousto?

We’re constantly on the look out for smart, passionate and eager students and graduates in all areas of the business. Apply for an internship at Gousto via our website and we’ll take a look at your application, as a former intern, I meet and interview every intern as part of the process. Being an intern at Gousto is a fantastic opportunity, 60% of our Management team joined the company as interns, so the sky’s the limit!