The Gradconsult blog

By Mike Grey One of the recurring themes in our work with careers services across the UK is supporting them to identify how their employer engagement provision can evolve existing transactional relationships into strategic partnerships with target employers. As employability has moved higher up the agenda across UK HE, the appetite to deliver more meaningful activities with employers has increased. A recent government report revealed that students are just as likely to talk to academic staff about their future career plans as their university careers service: It is therefore vital that academics engage with employers and work in close partnership ... read more

By Rebecca Fielding We’re well into the graduate recruitment season and in the coming months quite a few graduates are going to find themselves in the position of having multiple job offers. And despite a general Brexit-related economic gloom, all signs seem to me to be pointing to an increase in the number of graduates finding themselves in the position of multiple offers – particularly in high demand areas such as Teaching, Engineering and Software. Why do I think multiple job offers might be on the increase? • The ISE (Institute of Student Employers) graduate recruitment volumes have increased in ... read more

This is the second blog from our 2018 Microgrant winners. Sebastian Cordoba, PhD student at De Montfort University, was awarded £440 for research into understanding the psychological, linguistic and social experiences of people who don’t identify as men or women in the UK. Read his story below. I am soon starting the third – and last – year of my PhD in social psychology at De Montfort University. My research focusses on the linguistic, social, and psychological experiences of those living in the UK who do not identify solely as men or women: non-binary and/or genderqueer people. I am particularly ... read more

This is the first blog from our 2018 Microgrant winners. Victoria Reay, of Lancaster University, was awarded £200 for working on a project to see how electronic patient records affect the way clinicians work together. Read her story below. My PhD is going to examine how using electronic records shape the way that hospital work is done in the NHS. This idea grew out of personal experience. I was working as a doctor on an inpatient unit in a hospice in Cumbria, when our record keeping system changed from paper to digital. Instead of writing a patient’s notes on paper, ... read more

We at Gradconsult are delighted to announce the six researchers who beat hundreds of other applicants to win our second year of microgrants to help further their good work. Initially established in 2017 to aid new researchers and early career academics by giving them a funding track record, Gradconsult’s microgrants have been formed to give some of the UK’s finest researchers extra help to make a case for larger funding bids. As a business that works hand-in-hand with many universities, clearly seeing the effect of research in higher education, we want to do our bit to start the momentum for ... read more

We’re delighted to share the third blog post in the series of updates being produced by our 2017 Microgrants beneficiaries. The following post is from Lina Brand Correa, University of Leeds, whose work concerns how energy is related to society and the economy, with a special focus on human well-being. It has been almost a year since I applied, and was lucky enough to receive, one of Gradconsult’s microgrants. A lot has happened in that time, both personally and academically. Although my personal experiences over the last year would certainly be more captivating –perhaps even good enough for a soap-opera-type ... read more

Is running on-campus events an art or a science? Actually, I’d argue it’s a martial art. It requires preparation, discipline and taught techniques but also mental agility, quick reactions and creativity. From careers fairs to panel presentations, alumni talks to pop-up coffee carts, university campuses are awash with events designed to inform, advise and attract students. Careers services, graduate recruiters, and marketing teams spend huge amounts of time, money and effort second guessing student behaviour. It’s big business and hard to master. So, ahead of our On-campus Events workshop on 8th March, here are the critical qualities you need to ... read more

If SMEs were in the dating game they would be the ones we would take home to meet our mothers. Genuinely caring about their business and employees, and not ones to play the field with other universities, these organisations are the keepers we should want to get in bed with. Far from showy fly-by-night corporate behaviour we can sometimes see, SMEs can offer real opportunities in record time. Big corporates may turn our heads with their gifts and promises of large graduate intakes but, in the cold light of day, the conversion rates often make it clear that the same ... read more

We’re delighted to share the second blog post in the series of updates being produced by our 2017 Microgrants beneficiaries. The following post is from Nathan Case, Lancaster University, whose work aims to make the general public aware of possible sightings of the Northern Lights. Back in May this year, I visited the Gradconsult office (or GC Towers at it’s better known!) as one of five recipients of the innovative “microgrant” scheme. The scheme, which enables new researchers and early career academics to get experience of writing and managing funding bids, provides small but very welcomed pots of money to ... read more

Looking for some light reading on a crisp autumn day? Check out our latest newsletter and find out what we’ve been up to over the past few months!read more

By Ollie Tarrant My route to Gradconsult has been somewhat unconventional, but at the same time, wonderful. I left the University of Sheffield with a law degree, knowing I wanted to come back to the Steel City to work. I applied for, and was successful with, a job at a local small business, only to have the position pulled a week or so before I was due to start. Despite my disappointment, I decided to go to the business induction day, even though I no longer had a business to be inducted into! I went with the low expectation of ... read more

By Mike Grey Originally published on LinkedIn In many of the training courses that I deliver, I like to use an icebreaker where I ask participants: “What did you want to be when you grew up?” As you would expect, very few had dreams of working in careers, placements, employer engagement or graduate recruitment…… as it turns out our industry is home to dozens of squeamish people that abandoned dreams of a being a Vet and a fair few humanities graduates that never really mapped a career journey in their time at university. However, most go on to share that ... read more

Originally published in Issue 1 (Autumn 2017) of ‘The Student Employer’ Magazine by ISE. By Rebecca Fielding If you’re new to the world of student recruitment I’m here to give you a great big welcome. You have joined an innovative, collaborative and fun sector at an exciting time. And I can say that as someone who has worked in it for 17 years! Every year seems to bring new challenges (apprentice levy anyone?), exciting technological developments (AI and virtual reality – eek) and a deeper understanding of the important role our profession plays within people’s lives (candidate experience, fight for ... read more

Originally published in Issue 1 (Autumn 2017) of ‘The Student Employer’ Magazine by ISE. By Amy Collins and Rachel Seignot Bright Network research suggests graduates see a prestigious reputation and a fast-growing, innovative image as the most important criteria in an employer. But what other, more practical, aspects are they looking for? As recent graduates who have taken a wider look at the graduate recruitment market whilst working at Gradconsult, Amy Collins and Rachel Seignot explain their decision-making process behind applying for graduate jobs. When first considering graduate job applications, we both created a ‘checklist’ to narrow down the myriad ... read more

By Ollie Tarrant At 11:10pm on Tuesday 26th September, I received a message from Rebecca (six days before I was due to start working at Gradconsult) inviting me to the launch conference of the Small Graduate Recruiters Club (SGRC). I was eager to impress my new (apparently nocturnal) boss, and to understand more about the field I was going into. The following morning, not quite knowing what to expect, I arrived at the Chimney House in Sheffield’s Kelham Island. After meeting with six of my soon-to-be Gradconsult colleagues, as well as some local businesses people from Sheffield and further afield, ... read more

I hate goodbyes. They are never easy, but they are particularly difficult when you work in a close-knit team with people you care about. Today, I am picking up the Gradconsult quill for the last time and signing off duty. I’m leaving the green Sheffield pastures and heading for the big smoke to start my career in the music industry. I’m left feeling both excited about what is to come and sad to leave the team who over the last 18 months of my journey have become more than mentors, coaches and colleagues. 583 days ago, I, Chikka, a fresh-faced ... read more

Today, the worthy winners of Gradconsult’s first ever microgrants scheme are being informed of their success. Established to help new researchers and early career academics get a ‘foot in the door’ with funding bids, our microgrants are providing them with a track record to go on and secure larger funding bids to conduct research in their field. The five admirable winners who were chosen from a huge pool of strong entries will be given their prizes at an official event to take place in May, when they will be invited to Sheffield to meet the team and celebrate their achievement ... read more

As tea time was rapidly approaching, I was supposed to sit down and write something about my day with Gradconsult. What to mention? What was the key point of the day? What did I learn? To help me answer these questions, I had to remind myself of why I came to Gradconsult in the first place. Surprise, surprise, it was for career advice. I hadn’t been to University (worked in the media sector after my A-Levels) and recently moved to Sheffield from Poland, so I was looking for guidance, some information, and a well-informed source that would be able to ... read more

We are over the moon to announce that our GC Microgrant scheme is now open for applications! We want to put our money where our mouth is – we see the great value that quality research adds to our Universities, and as an SME working in early careers, we want to support individuals starting their career in academia or research to get a foot in the door. If you have less than three years’ postdoctoral experience and want to kick start your funding record, or know someone who fits the bill, use the following link to find out more and ... read more

Whether it be a grad scheme, internship, or a ‘regular’ job, for many graduates stepping onto the career ladder the main goal is getting there (wherever there may be for you). But what happens after you’ve arrived and settled? How will you react when your priorities change? And how will you cope when the ‘new’ becomes… well, the norm! You might not have all the answers right now, but keep these questions in mind to help you recognise the warning signs if the going gets a little tough. You will undoubtedly experience a range of emotions as you grapple with ... read more

The Cover Letter conundrum Today, I am going to attempt to teach you how to tame a beast that has been wreaking havoc in the recruitment world. This beast leaves many a candidate dazed and confused over how they could have applied for so many jobs with no success. Yes, you guessed it, I am talking about the Cover Letter. A modern day conundrum for even the brightest of the graduate bunch. In my first year managing recruitment processes and sifting applications, this is where I have seen a tremendous number of applicants fall down. I can only imagine the ... read more

I really didn’t know what to expect from an internship, having heard tales from friends on grad schemes of rigid induction schedules, endless reams of printing and walking a marathon in coffee runs. Thankfully I can report that my first week at Gradconsult could not have been more different (well maybe except the number of coffee runs, but I promise they were all entirely for my own benefit). The week started as expected: receiving an induction pack with a “what you will be doing this week” training schedule, a tour of the office and getting to know the team over ... read more

Recruiting graduates is not the sole privilege of large corporate employers. 90% of graduates consider working for an SME as a viable option, there is some great talent out there that can have a fantastic impact on your business. Graduates recognise that SMEs can provide a broader scope of work and responsibility more quickly than is typical at larger employers. However, before you even think about how you can recruit a graduate you need to ask yourself why you are pursuing this option. Is it to fill a skills gap or to bring new talent into your organisation to succession ... read more

If I could just do one simple thing to improve my graduate recruitment process, what would you recommend? I’m asked this question regularly. And whilst I am not so naïve as to believe there is ever one silver bullet that works for every employer or sector, I have identified one simple thing that makes a massive difference and is under-used. I’ve done it myself for over ten years with great success. This change to your process can have a positive impact on your employer brand, candidate experience and student employability. What is this bright idea I hear you cry? Tiered regret emails. Yep, nothing ground-breaking or complex. No ... read more

Before you start telling me I am an egotistical maniac with narcissistic tendencies, this article is NOT about me. It’s about a guy called Mike Grey. Apart from being distantly descended from the bloke that gave the name to the famous tea, he has rather taken the University Placement world by storm over the past decade. #fact On Friday last week, other’s in the industry made sure he knew about it. Mike scooped the award for Outstanding Contribution at the National Undergraduate Awards ceremony. Mike led the EC Futures Team at Coventry University from its inception in 2011, through to ... read more

  That’s right folks, 127 days later and I’m still rocking my star spangled GC boots (well, not literally but I do have a serious spring in my step!). If you hadn’t guessed by now, it’s Chikka here, dusting off the keyboard. The debut days of September seem to be nothing short of a distant memory. So much has happened since the start of my career with Gradconsult. I hadn’t realised just how much I had accomplished over the last 4 months until I took a second to breathe. I honestly wasn’t hyping it up in my last blog when ... read more

  No, not contextual recruitment and not even employers scrapping degree or UCAS requirements. That is mere small fry compared to the impact the upcoming Apprentice Levy will have on the early careers market! With the government announcing ambitious targets to increase apprenticeship starts to 3 million by 2020, it was only a matter of time before the methodology to fund this grand plan became clear. From April 2017, all employers with a wage bill exceeding £3m will pay a levy of 0.5%. For many corporate employers this equates to millions of pounds of new tax liabilities that can only ... read more

I thought it had happened again. This week the office had a new addition that most offices don’t, deckchairs. I assumed my idea for business hammocks in the office was being considered and the deckchairs were a semi trial run.  Deckchairs, by the way, are nowhere near as confusing to put up as all those 1970s sitcoms told me they are (damn it Terry and June). Sadly the deckchairs are not going to be a permanent addition to the office. They have been bitten by the bug and are off to seek their fortune in London. Like Dick Whittington but ... read more