How many graduate schemes to apply for?

What is a good number? I've heard that quality is paramount so I shouldn't apply to hundreds, but what is a number that most people aim for?

Also, is it usual for people to apply for more than one industry?

I'm particularly interested in management accounting, so I'll be applying to both finance roles at IBs, and finance roles at technology/energy companies. I'm also going to apply for Big4 financial accounting roles. Is that a sound plan? Or should I narrow my choices even further?

Thanks in advance.

Reply 1

Smack

Volunteer Team

Original post by Virtus May

As much as you can.

People always overestimate the importance of "quality", where quality is synonymous with spending hours and hours and nights and nights on an application. If you're not what they're looking for, if you don't have some relevant work experience, if you can't provide good answers to the competency questions, then you're not going to be successful no matter how long you spend on the application.

Reply 2

Virtus May

Haha indeed I am. As an Engineering graduate I have little experience in accounting, but of the little experience that I do have, I know I want to do accounting that is more involved in the running of the business from day one.

I'm thinking 5 to 10 banks, all big 4 firms and a couple of mid cap accounting firms (e.g. BDO, GT etc.), and 5 to 10 technology companies. If I have the time I will definitely do more.

I'm about to study an MSc in Management in September. The good thing I suppose is that I already have a decent undergraduate result, and apparently most firms will only want me to pass my masters, so I guess that takes a bit of pressure off. The bad side is that it's at a top business school, so it's probably very difficult to pass..

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 3

Narcissist

As you've got a good UG result and strong academic background you should be able to progress quite well through the Big 4 selection process. Thorough 'guides' to the selection process can be found really easily on the web so you just need to ensure you tick every box at every stage. Should for whatever reason you not get through any of the Big 4, I'd just keep going down the Top 50, while there's nothing wrong with smaller firms, the Top 50 are more likely to have vacancies throughout the year.

http://www.accountancyage.com/static/top50-this-year

Reply 4

Virtus May

Original post by Narcissist

Brilliant thanks. One more question, know any good websites for practising numerical/logical reasoning tests?

Reply 5

chad_bro_chill

Maybe try some service companies like Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, Weatherford. You can also try Total, ConocoPhillipps or smaller independent operators like Apache, Marathon etc... E-On also has jobs in this sector I think (not sure).

Original post by Virtus May

I'm about to study an MSc in Management in September. The good thing I suppose is that I already have a decent undergraduate result, and apparently most firms will only want me to pass my masters, so I guess that takes a bit of pressure off. The bad side is that it's at a top business school, so it's probably very difficult to pass..

Yeap, I've never heard of a company asking for a Merit/Distinction for the MSc degree so a pass is fine. For quite a number of these tech companies a BEng is already good enough, although of course there are some streams that require an MEng/MSc or even PhD. Really depends on what you want to do. I'm just finishing an MSc in engineering but it wasn't even required for the grad job I'll be starting in autumn. Don't stress about failing the degree, I think that would be highly unlikely.

Original post by Virtus May

Brilliant thanks. One more question, know any good websites for practising numerical/logical reasoning tests?

From the grad scheme applications I did last year (primarily energy companies, particularly oil & gas and nuclear) most of the tests were either SHL or Kenexa:
http://www.psl.com/practice/
http://www.shldirect.com/practice_tests.html

Of course there are companies that decide to make their own tests so there's really no way to practice for these. Good luck

Reply 6

wanderlust.xx

Original post by Narcissist

This sentence implies that people fly through the first few stages purely due to their academic background... which is ridiculous. If they like you, they take you... real HR people read your initial application and even the follow up tests are ridiculous. People with firsts in maths from Oxford have failed numeracy tests, and likewise people with C's at GCSE have gotten through. I know the tests are to do with basic numeracy, but the initial application and the tests don't differentiate candidates that have potential and the ones that don't. Only a face to face interview can really do that, and you won't get there unless you really show them what you've got in the beginning.

I guess what I'm saying is that it's far more hit and miss than people tend to think. AAA + 2:1 from LSE won't guarantee you a phone interview, they're assessing you as a person.