Category Archives: Employers
Attempting to categorise people with labels and boxes is fundamentally flawed, explains Rebecca Fielding from Gradconsult and an ISE Fellow. It’s 2032 and the new hire in your talent team is researching early careers and future talent, specifically looking at Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). They call (or hologram/VR in who knows!) you and ask: ‘Did we really used to ask people who they were sexually attracted to when applying for a job?! Why on earth did we ever think that was appropriate?’. We will be the people defending and explaining the EDI metrics we find ourselves using today. How ... read more
by Rebecca Fielding I’ve launched graduate schemes many dozens of times over the last twenty years, both in-house and more recently with clients. In this third and final blog, of a three-part mini-series this Summer, I share my final tips to set your graduate scheme up for success. You can read the first ten tips in detail in part 1 and part 2 of the series. But let’s take a look at my final five top tips here: 11. Recruit for potential Assessing and recruiting graduates is different to recruiting experienced hires, namely as: You often do not have proven ... read more
by Rebecca Fielding Turnip? Yes, turnip. Not the vegetable but the shape. Healthy, cost effective, sustainable tech organisations (that will generate long term return) are shaped more like pyramids, not turnips. And right now it feels like we’ve got far too many turnips. In conversation with a CTO client recently he referred this to phenomenon as a diamond rather than a turnip, but for my money that gives it a little too much undeserved ‘shine’! But why do I say this? And why now? The why The business case is clear. Against a backdrop of: Skills shortages in tech A ... read more
by Rebecca Fielding I’ve launched graduate schemes many dozens of times over the last twenty years, both in-house and more recently with clients. In this second blog, of a three-part mini-series this Summer, I share tips 6-10 to set your graduate scheme up for success. To read tips 1-5 please check out part 1 in the series here. 6. Bust the myths with benchmarks and data When you are launching a new graduate scheme lots of people internally will have a view on things like the recruitment criteria, which universities you partner with or salaries to pay. These views can ... read more
by Rebecca Fielding I’ve launched graduate schemes many dozens of times over the last twenty years, both in-house and more recently with clients. In this blog, the first of a three-part mini-series this Summer, I share my five top tips to set your new graduate scheme up for success. 1. Be clear on the WHY There are a couple of typical scenarios where a business wants to launch a graduate scheme. Most frequently: Making ad hoc hires of graduates, interns and placements individually has reached a tipping point where it is more efficient and effective to take a co-ordinated, programmatic ... read more
By Rebecca Fielding The transition from education into employment is, and always has been, a rough one for most students. Working full time, with typically 20 days holiday per year, with colleagues from a wide variety of backgrounds, doing work we perhaps weren’t expecting, comes as a shock to most graduates – one that I’m sure many of us later in our career can still vividly remember! Even for those lucky few who secure a role on a structured graduate development programme, the mindset shift required is significant and the changes in personal circumstances can also be huge. Here, I ... read more
By Rhea Chokshi Over the summer, I was lucky enough to work as a Digital Marketing Intern at Gradconsult. As I neared the end of my second year at the University of Nottingham studying Chemistry, I thought about how I could use the skills I’d obtained from my degree and bring my experiences into the working world and within a sector I was interested in. This brought me to Gradconsult, a place where I could gain hands-on experience, work within a team of consultants and develop my marketing skills. The application process While studying, it can be really useful to ... read more
By Rachel Brown I’d love to get your thoughts on setting targets to improve diversity within organisations. Recently, I was encouraged to read that 92% of respondents to a research survey in the UK reported that their organisations are already focused on improving diversity and inclusion. (“Let’s Get Real About Equality: When Women Thrive 2020 Global Report“ published by Mercer in March 2020). A couple of weeks ago, I was pleased to join a roundtable session that demonstrated just that. Organised by Shepherd and Wedderburn for their suppliers and wider network, it focused on Diversity and Inclusion (or Belonging and ... read more
By Sarah Chatterley If I knew back then, what I know now…… It’s been an incredible first couple of months in my new role. My past career has seen me sat at both sides of the TA table (poacher come gamekeeper some would say) for over 20 years. Prior to joining Gradconsult, I created the Talent strategy from acquisition through to development and succession, as Head of People & Resourcing for a rapid scale-up infrastructure company. My emerging talent/early careers strategy, however, was very firmly sat in the ‘apprenticeship’ groove and excluded any graduate consideration. I was blindsided by the ... read more
By Tim Elgar For some of you – this is easy. There is someone who jumps right into your mind and you can quickly recount why you thrived under their leadership. However, I ask this question a lot as part of leadership development programmes and for the majority it’s a difficult question. Most responses take attributes or characteristics of certain leaders and piece meal them together. Some openly admit they don’t think they have ever had a great leader and find it much easier to reflect on the ‘bad’ leaders they have experienced. Some have never reflected before on the ... read more
By Rachel Brown Why its important your new starters feel “safe”. For many years I have been working with leaders to support them in creating psychologically safe work environments. Employees who feel psychologically safe are more engaged, less fearful, more innovative, and perform better (the list goes on – if you want to know more, I highly recommend “The fearless organization” by Amy C. Edmondson.) 10 weeks ago, I started a new role and was plunged into a completely new type of organization with a very different culture. It got me thinking of the importance of psychological safety for new ... read more
By Georgia Lee To set the scene. I’d just completed my second year at the University of Nottingham studying History and had been looking for an opportunity to get my first real taste of the world of marketing. Coming from a degree unrelated specifically to marketing, I had been fortunate enough to participate in a Digital Marketing course within my university. However, I was yet to gain real hands-on experience within the sector. That’s where Gradconsult comes in! Following an application process including a virtual interview I was offered the role and was set to start in the next few ... read more
By Rebecca Fielding The Autumn semester has always been the period that graduate recruiters across the land pack up their stands, laptops and goodies to head out on a grand tour of the UK’s premier inns (other chains are available), bouncing from one careers fair, networking dinner or presentation to another. It can be great fun and exciting to chat to potential new hires, but also exhausting, inefficient, costly and bad for the environment. This year offers us the opportunity to break with tradition and do things differently. And I expect things are going to look and feel very different ... read more
By Ollie Tarrant Picture the scene – a nervous, sweaty 18-year-old sitting in the front of a Vauxhall Astra, on the lean, mean streets of St. Albans, about to sit his driving test. It’s perhaps not surprising that, from this description, I failed my test first time around. Since then, I have moved from St Albans to Sheffield for university, and have stayed here since (nearly 5 years now!). I have been working at Gradconsult for nearly 2 of those years and during that time have not really felt the need to drive. I was able to get to the ... read more
By Rebecca Fielding Whether you are a graduate employer seeking to increase (nay double) your available candidate pool, or a university wanting to improve the number of your graduates entering highly skilled graduate employment post-graduation there seems to me to be one simple solution that no-one is really talking about. It’s simply learning to drive. A recent (January 2018) report commissioned by the Department for Transport, conducted by the University of Oxford and the University of the West of England, Young People’s Travel – What’s Changed and Why?, has demonstrated a significant and sustained decline in the number of young ... 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
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
By Jane Clark The traditional university milkround has come and gone for this graduate recruitment cycle. An intense period for graduate recruiters travelling up and down the country on delayed trains and planes, laden with cumbersome boxes, bags and penguin stands. For those recruiters hiring high volumes of graduates, the assessment centre schedule is starting to wind down and for some recruiters, the hiring target has been met and it is now time for that well-deserved holiday. But beware, in my experience, there is still a way to go. Here are three major themes at this time of year that ... read more
I made the move into early careers from experienced hire recruitment almost ten years ago and quickly realised how differently I’d need to work. It was clear that my strongest allies would be my target university careers services, and that a long-term approach to the relationship would be my best bet. Over the years I’ve worked hard to build relationships with my target universities and I’ve been rewarded with strong pipelines to some of their best and brightest. I’ve also recently worked within a university Careers Service team and it was such an eye opener being on the other side ... 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
The first few months of any graduate programme from September to December are busy. From induction to line manager briefings, the first placements and inevitable first bouncers working out they are in the wrong place. January is often the first chance to come up for air and do some thinking about the year ahead. The programme structure, budget and core topics will most likely have been set for some time, but there are a few key questions I’d encourage all graduate developers to ask as we all plan and prepare for 2018: • Has the business environment, leadership, strategy or ... read more
By Kylie Cook Originally published on LinkedIn Every week, on movie night, my husband asks me what I want to watch, and every week I shout SHREK 2 at the top of my lungs. I don’t know how it started, but it always makes me chuckle on account of me being very easily pleased. My demands for the cinematic delight of everyone’s favourite CGI ogre are rarely indulged, but I know the film pretty well nonetheless. What’s the point? Well, there’s a bit where Donkey and Shrek are talking about people being like onions and having layers*, and I think ... read more
By Jane Clark Originally published on LinkedIn I wonder how many of us really practice what we preach? OK – so let’s clarify that question a bit more. What I mean is, I wonder how many of us find the time in our busy working day lives to take a pause, and get to know more about the people we work with daily and how we can support each other more? There are lots of different models, methodologies, frameworks and complexities to help us solve some of these questions, and it’s making use of the right tools at the right ... 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 Rachel Seignot I have just wrapped up my five week internship with Gradconsult and as predicted, it has flashed past. After some coaching from the GC team I’ve learnt how to redirect my arrow to shoot with a clear target. If like me you’re heading into your final year of University or have recently graduated, then you have some big decisions ahead. Here are my top GC insights to help you! At the start of my internship at Gradconsult I knew one thing about my future career path: I wanted to get onto a graduate scheme. They promised real ... read more
Last week, four of the Gradconsult team attended the annual AGR Student Recruitment Conference. It was Jane’s first conference with us, and it’s safe to say she loved every minute! We spent three days down in blustery Brighton, both leading sessions and attending workshops. Changing world of university partnerships @gradconsult with @FDMGroup, full session. #AGRconf17 pic.twitter.com/PqzvzWIL9n — AGR (@AGRorg) June 7, 2017 Mike delivered a fantastic session with Kate Croucher from the FDM Group on the changing world of university partnerships. They spoke about how the lines are blurred between careers services and employers as universities are getting more involved ... read more
We are delighted to be hosting eight new roles at Faradion Limited, a leader in the research and development of next generation rechargeable batteries for the utility, automotive and consumer sector. They have recently received £1.3million funding to develop ways of reducing the cost of electric vehicle batteries by using sodium-ion technology, and are so are expanding their team. Please click the links below for details of the vacancies and information on how to apply. Battery R&D Technician (3 roles, Sheffield) Qualifications required: STEM/related BSc, or equivalent industrial experience Material Process Engineer (Sheffield) Qualifications required: MEng/MSc in Process or ... 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