Author Archives: davegilchrist75

About davegilchrist75

David has the very rewarding role of helping Brunel University's graduates take their first steps in their post graduation careers in spite of the challenging employment environment we're in just now. He's pulling on all his prior graduate recruitment experiences, recruiting 100s of graduates for organisations like Logica and Heinz.

The last goodbye

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As regular readers of this blog will know I’ve been known to slip in the odd one or two references to music to my postings. It’s a shared passion alongside an irrational love for a certain tangerine-clad Scottish football team. A solvent one. So it seemed fitting to borrow a song title from the untouchable Jeff Buckley to give notice that this will be my last post in this present guise at least. Today I move on to take on a new but similar role at City University, London.

Thank you for taking the time to read my posts. I know grads have found real grad jobs through it because they’ve told me. I’ve really enjoyed making it a forum for both career advice, and employers opinions on what they’re looking for from you. I hope beyond hope that you’ve gained confidence from my concerted efforts to give the REAL recruitment picture out there for you as a graduate. I’ve only been heckled once in all my postings so I think I must have been doing something right.

I leave you in the capable hands of Brunel University’s Placement and Careers Centre. A new correspondent will be found. The url and title of the blog may change but the quality of advice will not.

Two last things. I’m about 60 hits short of the 35,500 mark so see if you can help me break that barrier by the end of today. And the other thing? This isn’t the blogging last you’ve heard of David Gilchrist. Keep an eye out.

The smallest things can make the biggest difference

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An occasional frustration of a careers adviser is trying to make contact with a student or grad that you know wants help but who you can’t reach by telephone. The main frustration is when the student or grad in question doesn’t have an answer service on their mobile phone. Imagine if it was an employer wanting to invite you for interview or even offer you a job. If they can’t get hold of you the opportunity slips by. So please. Sort yourself out with an answering service today and be sure to leave a professional sounding message if you choose to record one.

Journalistic woes continue as newspapers continue to misconstrue graduate job picture

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Here’s the latest in a long series of sensationalist and misleading newspaper articles about the state of the grad job market. Sorry Louisa but it’s true. One day journalists might get their head round the fact that the AGR survey of members only represents a small proportion of graduate recruiters. Typically the large ones that only account for around 5% of all graduate jobs. So that’s a 1.2pc fall from a sample of around 16,000 grad positions. It’s really barely news-worthy. In fact the most newsworthy thing is that the graduate market place continues to run along at a consistent pace in spite of a couple of years of extremely challenging economic conditions. A miracle really and one to be thankful for.

Work experience with the leading urban media brand

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If you can get your hands on a copy of today’s Metro it could be worth it. There’s an ad in it today by The Metro itself looking for recent grads (and undergrads) to join them for two weeks (Feb 13-27) to do some real life research work. Particularly if you’ve studied media, business or psychology and have good numeracy and presentation skills. To apply or for more information email opportunities@ukmetro.co.uk. I did a bit of digging and  travel in zones 1 and 2 and lunch costs are covered and there’s a promise of Amazon vouchers at the end too.

Grad job of the week: graduate trainee accountant, Hayes

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If you haven’t picked up a copy of today’s Uxbridge and West Drayton Gazette you may not have seen that S W Frankson & Co are looking for a graduate trainee accountant to join their staff. Yes, that’s right. Advertised in an **actual physical paper. Apply in writing only to  M Finch FCA, S W Frankson & Co., Bridge House, Staton Road, Hayes, UB3 4BX. NO AGENCIES!

**the job vacancies in my original posting on the value of keeping an eye on actual newspapers probably have been filled by now.

What networking really is

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When (one of) the founder(s) of LinkedIn gives their perspective on effective networking you’ve got to pay attention. And Reid Hoffman didn’t let me down. It’s a long article but see if you can pick out the following stand out themes. Then think how to apply them yourself.

  1. Try to help others first rather than thinking about what you can get. The ‘strong’ connections in your network should be a collaboration, not a trophy or what you personally are wanting
  2. Prioritise fewer high quality relationships over lots of contacts
  3. Put yourself in that other person’s shoes. Offer them a small gift to help solve a problem you know they are having or to fill a gap in what they have
  4. Start with the people you already know and when it comes to the working world and job hunting it’s 3 degrees of separation, not 6. I like those improved odds
  5. Get connected through a personal introduction from the person who knows you and who knows the person you want to connect with
  6. See the value in ‘weak-tie’ acquaintances, i.e. those with different backgrounds from you and what you’re looking for

The grad scheme door is not yet shut

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Whilst I spend a good deal of time diverting attention away from grad schemes towards other graduate entry level jobs I don’t lose sight of the fact that they are still a much sought after route for final years and recent grads. In January a certain amount of gloom can descend on those who haven’t yet made it to the latter stages of assessment as rumours go round that “the schemes are all closed by now”. As with much of this type of chinese whispers it’s not actually true. A good deal of schemes will be closed to new applicants now but there will also be quite a few that are definitely still looking for new applicants. Then there are those companies who “go back to market”. In other words, they reopen for applications as they’ve got a new request from the business to go out and get more grads. For evidence of this AXA UK are going back to market in early Feb and are looking for digital marketing grad talent to join them.

This is just one example. Keep your eyes peeled. The grad scheme marketplace is still open for business.

Grad opportunity of the week: paid IT related internship, Uxbridge

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Hertz International, the car hire people, are looking to take on a recent grad for a paid (£6.08 an hour) 6 month internship in their offices in Uxbridge. The role involves, amongst other things, first line support and some database work involving SQL. Full details can be found here. The closing date is the 2nd of March 2012 though there’s always merit in getting your application in a bit sooner than that. Focusing on the quality first, of course.

2,000 new jobs can’t be wrong

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Found out this morning that in the brief period between September and December 2011 over two thousand new jobs were advertised through the Placement and Careers Service. Companies looking for students and grads. Must admit that the type of jobs ranged from full time and part time, undergrad placements and graduate roles, grad schemes and grad jobs. But it goes to show that in the face of continued negative media reporting, often based on unrepresentative small sample surveys, there are pockets of jobs out there in good numbers. Remember, you can sign up for vacancy alerts here.