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Graduate Scheme Tactics!

Not long now (just over 2 months ish) before a lot of Graduate schemes open.
As I have a non-specific degree (Geography), i'll be applying to a lot of schemes that require just a 2:1/2 or above in any subject.

Generally, if in a similar situation, what are people's tactics for this? I'm planning on sending applications to pretty much all the suitable companies on the Times and Guardian lists (plus probably others).

However, my main worry is if I apply in September to a scheme that I would happily do, but is not top of my list (e.g. BT, Centrica etc...), and they offer me a job whilst other applications are still processing, I would either have to settle for that straight away, or risk one of my more preferred and more competitive choices also offering me a position and therefore potentially ending up with nothing.

Saying that, I have no idea how long you can leave an organisation hanging if they offer you a graduate position, do you normally have to decide within 1-2 weeks?

Reply 1

monk_keys

I'd start by splitting the companies up into industries, finance, insurance, marketing etc and work on them in groups.

Secondly, do not think twice about accepting everything you get offered and rejecting in your own time. It happens all the time, companies are prepared for it and they would do worse to you in a heartbeat. You will not be arrested for breach of contract. :wink:

Worry about getting the offers first.

Reply 2

M1011

1) Don't go overboard with your applications. You'd be better off sending in 10-20 well thought out applications then applying to the entire times top 100.

2) Try to narrow down an industry which you are interested in, because if you simply apply to everything applicable you may well lack industry knowledge in interviews.

3) Before you even start on applications, spend a few hours listing everything decent you've ever done that could be applied to competency questions. It'll pay off long term.

4) As above mentioned, feel free to accept an offer but hold off signing anything until you're confident you want to stay there. I did that on several occasions and it was just a case of a simple phone call - 'sorry circumstances changed' - no problem at all.

5) Good luck :smile:

Reply 3

Smack

Volunteer Team

Original post by sion888

As I have a non-specific degree (Geography)

Whilst my degree is not in geography, and indeed it's a subject that I have no formal academic qualifications in, would still imagine that geography is specific in ... geography.

However, my main worry is if I apply in September to a scheme that I would happily do, but is not top of my list (e.g. BT, Centrica etc...), and they offer me a job whilst other applications are still processing, I would either have to settle for that straight away, or risk one of my more preferred and more competitive choices also offering me a position and therefore potentially ending up with nothing.

Saying that, I have no idea how long you can leave an organisation hanging if they offer you a graduate position, do you normally have to decide within 1-2 weeks?

If you sign a contract with a company and decide you don't want to work for them, they're very unlikely to sue you for breach of contract or anything. From their point of view they'd rather not pay someone's wages and training if they don't want to be there, especially when a lot of other people definitely would like to be there. I know several people on my course who signed contracts but got out of them without any problems when they got better offers.

What I'm going to do is create a list of all the companies I wouldn't mind working for in Excel and sort them by closing date so I don't miss any deadlines.

Reply 4

laura130490

I only applied for three grad schemes, got interviews for all of them and got a place on one of them (cancelled interviews with the other two after accepting my place). I don't think applying to tons of grad schemes helps much, it's better to focus on specific areas or schemes you'd really like to do and make good well thought out applications to them. All the people who I know who applied to lots and lots of schemes ended up without a job.

Reply 5

gurkin123

Not to worry about breach of contract, myself all my friends who have signed contracts to start in September with various firms say that there is pretty much universally a notice period within which you can break the contract legally. For reference, its 1 month for me- some of theirs range from a week to 3 months. So don't worry about accepting lots of offers!

Reply 6

M1011

Original post by laura130490

I think TSR gives a lot of people a very negative view of the graduate job market. Times are tough, but some people really do seem to go overboard don't they? I applied for 10, got rejected from 3, offered 4 and choose to decline assessment centres from 3. In retrospect I wish I'd followed your approach and applied to my preferred 3 as opposed to top 10, as they really are a drain on time when you consider all the stages etcetera.

Reply 7

ch0llima

Don't apply for every single one you see. I made this mistake and it was a huge waste of time, seeing as I only got to four assessment centres (was successful at one :bhangra: - got rejected after another one, withdrew from a third and the fourth got cancelled due to a change in the business decisions taken by the company).

Believe me, there is nothing worse than spending hours working on a form on-and-off then getting instantly rejected without feedback. That really really sucks.

Reply 8

laura130490

Original post by M1011

I agree. I found it to be a very lengthy stressful process, especially considering most of the interviews and assessment centres etc take place around the exam period. I think people panic and just apply to anything and everything which probably leads to them rushing through applications. My friend applied to over 40 grad schemes after her preferred scheme rejected her post interview and she still hasn't got a place on one. I've read of people on here applying to over 100 :eek:

I remember I spent about 12 hours in total over three nights filling out the application form for the scheme I got on as it required you to answer a series of questions and take two tests. So you have to wonder what the quality of the applications are from people who manage to apply to such a high number of schemes whilst studying full time at university. I'm a great believer in quality over quantity :smile:

Reply 9

Chapeau Rouge

Original post by ch0llima

Believe me, there is nothing worse than spending hours working on a form on-and-off then getting instantly rejected without feedback. That really really sucks.

This.

Reply 10

bornfishy

Would echo the 'quantity over quality' statements, though I'd also caution that you'll not be inundated with responses immediately - even just to go forward to aptitude tests. From my experience this year...

Applied for 8 roles in January, of which 5 were graduate schemes. One was apparently hiring - haven't heard back from them. The other 2 immediately rejected, as they had no spaces. With regards to the graduate schemes - for one company, I was forwarded on from application, to aptitude test, to phone interview and assessment followed by a formal offer (8-10 weeks altogether), without hearing ANYTHING from the other 4 schemes. I accepted the offer. 12 full weeks after application, another company got back to me to ask if I was still interested, while another rejected me with no reasoning a week or two later. The other 2 just didn't acknowledge my application.

The moral being; apply to a fair few, but use your time wisely. Minimise the potentially massive amount of wasted effort, and be conscious that should you get invited forward, it'll likely be at the height of examination and dissertation stress.

Reply 11

Peel

I'm not sure if there's any 'tactics' really for graduate schemes. I think if you're a good fit it'll come through regardless of if you spend 20 hours on an application or 2 hours, so don't loose sight of the bigger picture.

Reply 12

BJP

I think the main 'tactic' is very simple:
- Do every application to the best of your ability.
- Be fully prepared for numerical tests etc. - try to do them in blocks if possible. E.g. do 1 a day for 3 days.
- Prepare extensively for telephone interviews and assessment centre interviews.
- Use the tricks in group discussions and presentations at assessment centres.

From my personal experience:
- I applied to 15-20 jobs last year. Most of these were 'finance' jobs but the odd couple were to do with risk or mergers/acquisitions etc.
- I ended up with several offers - a high street bank, Network Rail, J.P. Morgan (all for finance schemes).
- I proceeded to cancel assessment centres with PWC, Jaguar/LandRover, Deloitte etc.

In conclusion:
- Think. For example, don't submit your application if you are not fully prepared to do the numerical tests in the next 3 days (because they'll often ask that you complete the tests within a few days of application submission.
- Don't apply to jobs you don't want; it will be obvious.

Best of luck :smile:

Reply 13

BJP

Original post by bornfishy

Definitely agree with your points regarding not wasting effort/using time wisely. I think they best way to do this is to only apply to schemes you're interested in (otherwise they see through you straight away and you've wasted your time) and to prepare for interviews well.

But, just to give a different view to the OP: I found that the recruitment process of most companies was quite rapid. Especially at the beginning. I found that: submit application -> expect to have completed online tests within 4 days at most -> offered a telephone interview/first-round interview within 5 days after online tests -> delay of upto a week -> invite to assessment centre anything between 2 weeks and 2 months into the future.

I did most of my applying before January though, so maybe that's why?

Reply 14

M1011

Original post by BJP

But, just to give a different view to the OP: I found that the recruitment process of most companies was quite rapid. Especially at the beginning. I found that: submit application -> expect to have completed online tests within 4 days at most -> offered a telephone interview/first-round interview within 5 days after online tests -> delay of upto a week -> invite to assessment centre anything between 2 weeks and 2 months into the future.

I did most of my applying before January though, so maybe that's why?

Depends entirely on the company in question. I completed all stages of the Microsoft assessment from online application to tests to phone interview to assessment centre in 10 days. Similarly, it took 3-4 months with IBM to do much the same things (well, they have two assessment centres, but no phone interview). So it really does come down to the organisation.