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MAKE YOUR MARK YOUR GUIDE TO CAREERS IN SALES AND MARKETING p07 MAY 2007 FREE TO STUDENTS CAREER ADVICE + INSPIRATION + JOBS + GRAD NEWS + YOUR FUTURE + www.realworldmagazine.com MARKET FORCES EMMA PREEN DESCRIBES A CAREER IN MARKETING p16 MARK BURNS TELLS US ABOUT RECRUITMENT p30 GLENDA LEE HAS A SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE CAREER p24

May 2007

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Page 1: May 2007

MAKEYOURMARK

YOUR GUIDE TO CAREERS IN SALES AND MARKETING

p07

MAY 2007 FREE TO STUDENTS

CAREER ADVICE +INSPIRATION + JOBS + GRAD NEWS + YOUR FUTURE +

www.realworldmagazine.com MARKET FORCESEMMA PREEN DESCRIBES A CAREER IN MARKETINGp16

MARKBURNS TELLS US ABOUTRECRUITMENTp30

GLENDA LEE HAS ASOCIALLYACCEPTABLECAREER p24

COVER..indd 1 24/4/07 15:10:34

Page 2: May 2007

Issued by HSBC Bank plc

We are an equal opportunities employer and seek to employ a workforce which reflects the diverse community at large.

What’s on offer?● You are recruited onto the programme as a

Trainee Financial Planning Manager.● This is an 18 month fast track programme to

develop the skills and knowledge you need tobecome a Financial Planning Manager in aregulated sales environment.

● We will sponsor you and provide you with all the training you need to gain your Certificate forFinancial Advisors and Certificate in MortgageAdvice and Practice qualifications within this 18 month period.

Salary and benefits:● Basic salary of £20,610 pa.● Additional territorial allowance of up to £4,000

depending on location.● Other benefits include 25 days’ holidays, study

leave, private health care, contributory pensionscheme, mortgage subsidy and preferential loansand discounts.

Your role:

You will provide a limited financial planning serviceto new and existing customers by identifying theirneeds and selling appropriate products and servicesto meet those needs with particular emphasis onmortgage, protection and general insuranceproducts. As your career progresses the serviceyou provide grows.

What you need?

If you are:● Motivated by being paid on a commission basis.● Keen on becoming an expert in wealth finance.● Enjoy the challenge of prospecting for new

customers.● An excellent communicator and have relationship

building abilities, then this could be the rightenvironment for you.

To register your interest for positions across UK,please forward a copy of your CV and coverletter to [email protected] by 18th June 2007.

Wealth Management ProgrammeWealth Management is an exciting, fast-paced environment that gives ambitious and motivatedprofessionals the opportunity to build a reputable career in one of the world’s leading financialinstitutions. Essentially it’s about looking after and making the most of people’s wealth, by deliveringinformed financial planning solutions that meet customers’ needs.

AD_TEMPLATE.indd 1 24/4/07 15:58:46

Page 3: May 2007

P30P16

WWW.REALWORLDMAGAZINE.COM RW 3

EDITOR’S LETTER

FEEL LIKE YOU’RERUNNING OUT OF TIME?

W e know how you feel: the pressure is on to do well in your end of year exams

and you’re trying to give revision your full attention. But at the back of your

mind you have a niggling worry that it will be hard to fi nd a job when you

graduate. Never fear – this issue we bring you a comprehensive roundup of some

terrifi c companies that still have vacancies for graduates with an autumn 2007 start.

And, once you graduate it’s easy to gravitate towards London as that’s where all

the graduate jobs are, right? Wrong. While the capital obviously has its appeal, it’s

not the only option for graduates looking for a fantastic career. We take a tour of the

country and visit some of the hotspots for graduate careers.

If you are still trying to make your mind up about what career could be right for

you, why not turn to our features, which look at sales, marketing and recruitment as

careers. While all three areas are quite distinct, you might be surprised to know that

similar skills are required for all three. These careers also offer tremendous

opportunities for the right graduate, no matter what degree you’re doing.

For those of you who already know that a career in social care is the one for you,

but are unsure about what area you would like to specialise in, turn to our case

studies. We talk to four social workers who each focus on very different aspects of

social care, but all love their jobs.

Good luck with exams and job-hunting, and let us know what you think of this issue

at [email protected].

Catherine, Editor

Editor Catherine Watson • Art Director Jennifer van Schoor • Designer Yang Ou • Sales Paul WadeHarmesh Sansoa • Marketing/Distribution Manager Mitul Patel • Managing Director Darius Norell Client Services Manager Marie Tasle• Real World is a publication of Cherry Publishing: 22-26 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TJ • Telephone: 020 7735 4900, Editorial – 020 7735 2111 Fax: 020 7840 0443 • E-mail: [email protected] • Copyright © 2007 Cherry Publishing.

Website: www.realworldmagazine.com - for job vacancies, career advice and case studies.

RW

LEAD STORY04 Little Britain Laura Goodman

scours the country and fi nds that

great graduate jobs are not just

limited to the Big Smoke – the UK

has a whole lot more to offer

BRAINFOOD08 How do you get the perfect

CV? Author Rebecca Corfi eld

shares her top tips

09 Jobs you never thought of Katie Williams looks at how you

can become an auctioneer

10 Graduate of the Year: We’re

looking for an outstanding fi nal

year student. Could it be you?

11 Real World online We bring

you fi ve easy steps to help you

to land a top job

RW FEATURES12 Situations vacant A roundup

of some fantastic jobs still

available with an autumn

2007 start date

16 Making your mark Sales and

marketing offer excellent

opportunities for graduates, but

what do the roles involve?

24 Dare to care Luke Barras-Hill

reveals that social care can be

an extremely rewarding career

30 Finding the perfect match

Recruitment consultancy

could be an ideal and

lucrative career for inquisitive

and hard-working graduates

IN THE NEXT ISSUE>> The big fi ve-o Real World is

celebrating its 50th issue and

brings you a selection of its top

50 recruitment tips

>> Think outside the box Could

you become this country’s

next great entrepreneur?

ON THE COVER

CONTENTSMAY 2007

No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher. We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs or for material lost or damaged in the post. The views in this publication or on our website are not necessarily those held by the publisher.

Careers in marketingGet a job

in recruitment

CONTENTS.indd 3 24/4/07 16:49:42

Page 4: May 2007

MANCHESTER

BIRMINGHAM

While london has plenty to

offer graduates, the regions

should not be overlooked for

job opportunities. you may find

that your perfect job is

located outside the big smoke,

as laura goodman reveals

LITTLE BRITAIN.doc 4 24/4/07 15:22:25

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EDINBURGH

BRISTOLbritainlittle

London has long been seen as a magnet for graduates. Just a

couple of years ago, degrees were viewed by many as a

ticket to the capital city – the only place to go to get a foot in

your door of choice. Fast-forward to the age of the two-car

household and the one-penny flight and it is no

surprise that the magnet’s forces are

beginning to zig-zag. More and more

graduates are shunning

astronomical housing

prices, lengthy

average

commutes and

high crime rates for

regional cities. According to a

survey carried out by credit card

company, Capital One, London and the

South East attract 30 per cent of graduates, but a

growing number are choosing to stay in or relocate to

other UK regions, with two-fifths specifying during the

application process that they’d prefer to work outside London.

A graduate’s eligibility to join this “mini-exodus” is industry

dependent. Most notably, the creative industry remains

content in the Big Smoke and, generally, to pursue a career in

PR, marketing, events or advertising, most graduates want to

be London-bound. Nick Evans of Impact Creative Recruitment

says, “The number of fresh graduates registering at Impact

each year has not decreased. It’s important to remember that

London is the hub for the entire European creative industry;

any changes to that are going to involve much more than

building a couple of regional offices across the UK.”

In contrast, accountancy giant Deloitte has 21 offices across

the UK, aside from its largest one in London. Sarah Shillingford,

graduate recruitment partner, says she has not noticed a

marked increase in applications for jobs in regional cities, but

admits that most applicants prefer to be placed elsewhere.

“There are a few reasons for this; some graduates are keen to

return home, some move to be near friends and some move for

a specific job, but most often it’s just about individuals choosing

the lifestyle that suits them,” she says.

While it is often true that areas of specialisation exist in

London, alternative offices may also have their own specialisms.

Sarah says that opting to work outside the city usually forms no

barrier to career progression: “There are great jobs at Deloitte’s

regional offices that hold the potential to take the employee to

the top of the organisation, and ultimately become a partner.”

Real World takes a look at some of the regional cities offering

great opportunities for graduates:

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LEAD STORY | LITTLE BRITAIN RW

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1 EDINBURGHWith more bars per square mile than

any other European city, Edinburgh is a fair choice for those campus-sick graduates keen to stop their raging social lives from dwindling. Yet, the fi erce young workforce here is highly-skilled and new arrivals will have to work hard before they can get out and play in the manner to which they are accustomed.

The Scottish capital’s graduate community is predominantly composed of bankers, fi nanciers and life assurance advisers employed by the companies for which the city is renowned. For instance,

Standard Life, Scottish Equitable and The Royal Bank of Scotland Group have their head offi ces in Edinburgh, making it a very large fi nancial centre, second in the UK only to London.

David Greenwood, having completed a BSc in mathematics and an MSc in fi nancial mathematics with management at the University of Newcastle, took up one of two places on the three-year Royal Bank of Scotland graduate scheme. David felt that Edinburgh was the place for him to embark upon a fresh start as a professional having spent his life up until now in and around Newcastle. He tells us: “I knew that Edinburgh’s banking industry was incredibly well established and that I wanted to be challenged in order to better myself within that sector. I would have considered London had the right job come up but the opportunity in Edinburgh was perfect and I grabbed it with both hands. I haven’t looked back. Edinburgh is a lovely place, full of culture and history. I absolutely love the festival… and the twice-yearly group fi nance party at the castle isn’t bad either.”

2 BIRMINGHAMBirmingham University’s website claims that 40 per

cent of students choose to stay on in Brum, and such a fi gure is unsurprising given the ample opportunities for which to stick around. England’s second largest city boasts the largest fi nancial services and creative sectors outside London, but also plays host to a substantial and growing number of SMEs (small to medium-sized enterprises).

In a survey by Growing Business magazine, Birmingham was placed second in a list of top cities from where to run a business. The city’s central location and excellent transport links put it way ahead of sprawling London. Many of Birmingham’s SMEs are employing graduates for growth, snapping up their talent, enthusiasm and fresh ideas, as well as their (supposed) lack of bad working habits.

Huddersfi eld University graduate Lee Hunter, having grown up in Birmingham, was in an ideal position to begin pursuing his dream career in graphic design. He started out as a graphic designer for Advertising Synergy, a Birmingham-based advertising, marketing and design fi rm in the year following graduation. “It was really hard getting started,” he reveals. “I was lucky that I had the luxury of being able to do it from home. I compiled list after list of agencies in Birmingham and, in the end, Advertising Synergy was the only company with a vacancy. It has all worked out very well as I’ve been able to get a thorough grounding in the type of work I wanted to do.

“Now, if I did decide I wanted to move to London in the future, which I would defi nitely consider, I will

have suffi cient experience to feel confi dent in giving it a go.”

3 MANCHESTERManchester is an exceptionally

young city, with 20-24 year olds forming the biggest age group. Those graduates, eager to balance the ever-alluring city life with a youthful feeling of community, could do a lot worse than a position under this northern spotlight. Moreover, most graduates are likely to be able to fi nd something suitable here as opportunities are wide ranging, from the fi nancial sector to biotechnology and IT.

Sarah Chislett, 23, moved to Manchester to work on Deloitte’s building products team, having graduated from the University of Cardiff in June 2006. She did her research and the prospect that Deloitte advised 12 out of the top 20 public limited companies in the northwest excited her.

Furthermore, she found that the specifi c department to which she wanted to apply was undergoing a lot of growth. “Whilst applying I was given access to information on positions available in each city.

I’d been to Manchester before and loved the fact that there was always so much going on in terms of nightlife and the general social scene. Some people choose their destination by location

and some choose by job, I was just very lucky that both matched up. I have no regrets whatsoever. I love my job, my fast-

moving workplace and my vibrant new home town.”

4 BRISTOLBristol means “the place at the bridge”, and rather than

take this in literal reference to the Clifton suspension bridge, Bristolians like to think of their city as a bridge to the future.

For us, that future means a plethora of graduate careers. A designated “Science City” and “City of Culture”, Bristol’s offerings are clearly an exciting fusion of both new and old.

Bristol is a popular city for the relocation of established businesses from elsewhere and

a major focus for innovations in media and new technology. The HTML web language

was partly developed by the Hewlett Packard presence in Bristol. The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) was founded and is largely run from

Bristol, Rolls-Royce is based here and Concorde was built nearby.

After spending the third year of his electrical and computing engineering degree on placement at

Hewlett Packard in Bristol, University of Nottingham graduate Russell Smith was itching to return to his top-choice company and city.

“I can only really compare Bristol to Nottingham and London, and for me it has the perfect balance,” he says. “It’s bigger than Nottingham but less claustrophobic than the capital, without the overwhelming congestion. I love the fact that everything’s accessible and you have the option of

getting out to somewhere more secluded.”A huge factor in Russell’s decision to return to

HP as a solutions storage engineer was the multitude of resources the science city has to offer. “It’s just a very exciting place to be. On top of the two universities in such close proximity, Airbus is just up the road and I have been able to see that develop, and I even got to witness Concorde’s fi nal landing.” n Ph

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E NO REGRETS. I LOVE MY JOB,

WORKPLACE AND HOME TOWN

6 RW WWW.REALWORLDMAGAZINE.COM

LEAD STORY | LITTLE BRITAINRW

The Scottish Parliament

CentralLibraryin Manchester

Selfridges,Birmingham

A modern offi ce building in Bristol

1

3

2

4

LITTLE BRITAIN.doc 6 24/4/07 15:23:12

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Bloomberg 20Brunel University Graduate Fair 14Enterprise 18Ernst & Young 35Essex County Council 26HSBC 02London Borough of Barnet 28Matchtech Group 32

Milkround 22PricewaterhouseCoopers 36Randstad 32SouthWestern Company 22Summer Grad Fair 07Teach First 14University of Glasgow Graduate Fair 23

list of advertiserswww.realworldmagazine.com+ mORE JOBS + ADVICE + APPLY ONLINE

+ EMPLOYERS

RECRUITING NOW

REALW.0705.D_REALJOBS.indd 4 1/5/07 10:08:39

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NEWS y VIEWS y ADVICE y STRATEGIESBRAINFOOD BF

� RW WWW.REALWORLDMAGAZINE.COM

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Constructing a winning résumé is something of an art form. We enlist the help of bestselling author, Rebecca Corfield, for her top CV tips

How do you get the perfect CV?

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Page 9: May 2007

1…GET INSIDE THE HEAD OF YOUR EMPLOYER This is my fi rst “do” because I

think it makes the biggest difference and,

bizarrely enough, people just don’t do it.

Of course, you know best what you want

to get out of your career and it is natural

for your own objectives to be forefront in

your mind whilst compiling your CV, but

those who will receive it couldn’t care

less about what’s in it for you.

As soon as a recruiter picks up your

CV, they are scrutinising every sentence

and picking things apart to decipher

exactly what it is that is on offer (you) and

what you will be able to contribute to

their business.

In essence, what can you do to

benefi t them? That’s what you should be

thinking about all the way through the

preparation of your CV. Look for ways to

indicate that meeting you will be of

benefi t to your potential employer.

2…SHOW US WHO YOU ARE This is

something I believe in very strongly and

the thing that I believe distinguishes my

book from everybody else’s. I like to

encourage a focus on the individual

behind each CV, because the document

itself is just a couple of pieces of paper

and yet we expect so much from it. An

employer will reasonably assume that

you have constructed your CV as a

representation of yourself, and so it is up

to you to ensure that you are jumping out

of it from every corner.

Recruiters are fully aware that you can

be taught the technical things you need

to learn, but that if you are not the right

sort of person you are not going to

succeed in the job or get on well within

the company. You are probably not

going to be happy there either so it is in

your best interests to do yourself justice.

Don’t underestimate the importance

of hobbies. Many people hurry through

this section or avoid it altogether, but the

things you enjoy doing are what make

you who you are. If you enjoy going to

the cinema, which fi lms in particular do

you enjoy, and why?

1…RUIN IT ALL WITH A POOR LAYOUT Don’t make your CV too long.

This is particularly true for a graduate or

junior candidate who hasn’t had many

jobs. At this stage, even if you’ve done

endless amounts of work experience,

volunteering or entrepreneurial activity at

university, keep it to an absolute maximum

of two pages. Be ruthless with the content

of your CV, always considering what is

relevant to the job you’re applying for.

2…GO INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL People nearly always give far too much

intricate detail about a particular

experience, when they should just focus

on the skills that they took from that

experience. Lots of information about

what you did is useless if you do not

indicate the specifi c and, most

importantly, transferable skills that you

picked up. Employers want to know what

skills you acquired that you can use in the

job you are hoping to secure. If you

developed communication skills, there is

no job where that won’t be helpful. Also,

did you learn to budget? Or manage IT?

What is it that each experience has

enabled you to handle? nInterview by Laura Goodman

Don’ts

1) …RUIN IT ALL WITH A POOR

LAYOUT

Don’t make your CV too long. This is

particularly true for a graduate or

junior candidate who hasn’t had

many jobs. At this stage, even if

you’ve done endless amounts of work

experience, volunteering or

DON’TS

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BOOKGIVE-AWAY!

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Charlie Thomas has been an auctioneer at Bonhams for almost fi ve years. Charlie specialises in antiques and furniture.

“The job mainly involves being on the road and visiting clients who have antiques or furniture to sell. I am a furniture specialist so value it before it goes to auction. The furniture is photographed for catalogues and the internet so prospective buyers can view it before the auction. The internet has helped a great deal in selling the items, as people can view them for free (the catalogues cost £10 to £15) and they can start bidding online from home.

“I studied fi ne art evaluation at Southampton Institute, and after I graduated, became a porter at Phillips Auction House. Following this, I insured antique collections for private clients. I soon missed the buzz of the auction room, however, so I consequently became an auctioneer for Bonhams.

“I always liked antiques, especially furniture – it is practical and useful, and antique pieces can be good value for money. I enjoy researching the pieces of furniture we acquire and it is fantastic when something sells for a lot of money, especially for a greater amount than they are valued at. It is very exciting when the bidding falls between two people; everyone is looking at them and at me, anticipating the outcome. One of the highlights of my career was when we sold the contents of Midland Bank’s HQ. The room was packed; it was a big sale.

“It is best to start off as a porter. This involves jobs such as setting up sales, making sure auctions run smoothly and helping clients move furniture.

“It is not what I would call a glamorous job, but an extension on your education and an important process to go through if you want to become an auctioneer. It enables you to view many different types of auctioning so helps you decide which area you would like to focus on, whether it is fi lm memorabilia, antique collections or, like me, furniture.” n

Charlie Thomas was interviewed by Katie Williams

AuctioneerJOBS YOU NEVER THOUGHT OF...

Real World has fi ve copies of Rebecca Corfi eld’s “Preparing the Perfect CV”. To win a copy, send your postal address to [email protected]. It’s fi rst come, fi rst served. The book is published by Kogan Page and retails at £6.99.

How do you get the perfect CV?

DOS

“ AS SOON AS A RECRUITER PICKS UP YOUR CV, THEY SCRUTINISE EVERY SENTENCE AND PICK THINGS APART TO DECIPHER WHO YOU ARE”

BF.indd 9 24/4/07 15:26:21

Page 10: May 2007

SPONSORED BY

We’re looking for

final year studentsWho’ve made the most oftheir time at university

entries open in march

outstanding

to pre-register ornominate someone visitWWW.realWorldmagaZine.com

have you got What it takes?

Win £10,000

GOY A4 POSTER.indd 2 23/2/07 13:26:08

Page 11: May 2007

REALWORLDONLINE BF

HowDoYouGetAGreatGraduateJob?

You

STEP 1: LOG ON AND REGISTERAll you need to do is visit www.

realworldmagazine.com and register your

details. It only takes a few minutes, but it

could be the fi rst step to landing a

fantastic job. Once you’ve registered with

Real World you get access to exclusive

content, as well as details of great

competitions and book giveaways.

STEP 2: JOB ALERTS DIRECT TO YOUAfter you have registered, you will

regularly receive tailored job alerts and

informative newsletters straight to your

inbox. Whatever career path you are

interested in, we will make sure you are

the fi rst to receive details of relevant jobs.

In addition, every fortnight we will send

you a roundup of the latest graduate

news and careers advice.

STEP 3: SPRUCE UP YOUR CVFound a job vacancy or work experience

placement you want to apply for? We

It is easier than you might think! All you need to do is follow our fi ve simple steps and your job search will become a whole lot simpler. Real World tells you what to do.

are here to help. As a registered user

you get exclusive access to our digital

editions, which feature top tips on how

to fi ll in application forms, plus our

excellent CV clinic.

STEP 4: PERFECT YOUR INTERVIEW TECHNIQUEOnce you’ve got an interview lined up,

there’s no better place to turn than

www.realworldmagazine.com. We’ve

got loads of great advice from leading

authors, careers advisers, and recruiters

themselves on how to perform well in

interviews, and get the most out of

assessment centres.

STEP 5: GET READY FOR THE REAL WORLDLanding your fi rst graduate job can be an

exhilarating, yet daunting experience.

But don’t feel overwhelmed! With our

career survival guide we offer some

superb advice on how to get your

graduate career off to a fl ying start. n

Congratulations to Claude Gayle an applied sociology fi rst year student from London Metropolitan University. He walked away with a Nintendo Wii last month. For details of more great competitions and giveaways like these, check out the competitions page on:www.realworldmagazine.com

Have you seen our digital edition? In addition to all the features in the print edition, this month you’ll also get access to our superb CV clinic. The digital edition is fully searchable so you can fi nd previous features at the touch of a button. All you need to do to access it is to register atwww.realworldmagazine.com

check out the competitions page on:www.realworldmagazine.com

do to access it is to register atwww.realworldmagazine.com

REALWORLDREALWORLDREALWORLDREALWORLDREALWORLDREALWORLDONLINEONLINEONLINEONLINE BFBFBF

Congratulations to Claude Gayle an

Winner!

WWW.REALWORLDMAGAZINE.COM RW 11

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3M: fi ve

analytical

chemists

Nestlé:

two sales

vacancies

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SITUATIONSVACANTHAVE YOU BEEN CHAINED TO YOUR DESK FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS CONSTANTLY REVISING? YOU ARE NOT ALONE. BUT NOW THAT EXAMS ARE UNDER WAY YOU SHOULD BE TURNING YOUR ATTENTION TO GETTING A JOB OR WORK PLACEMENT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS SCHEMES WITH VACANCIES FOR A SUMMER OR AUTUMN 2007 START. WE TELL YOU HOW TO APPLY

GENERAL GRADUATE

SCHEMES

GENERAL GRADUATE

SCHEMES

AMEC Nuclear:

graduate

development

schemes ENGINEERING

ARM: software,

hardware

support

engineers

ENGINEERING

JOBSTILL.indd 12 24/4/07 15:30:17

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Y ou will have been working hard revising and concentrating on exams, but now is the time to start thinking about what

you are going to do when you graduate and during your placement year. There are many graduate programmes with vacancies still available, so what are you waiting for? Have a look at our listings with details of companies you can still apply to – then go for it!

GENERAL GRADUATE SCHEMES3M: The technology company has numerous vacancies across the country. It is looking for fi ve analytical chemists and a process development scientist based in Loughborough, fi ve IT graduates, a customer insight co-ordinator and a digital marketing co-ordinator, based in Bracknell. To apply please visit: http://solutions.3m.com

Aldi: Discount retail chain Aldi is on the lookout for graduates to join its national graduate recruitment programme. The company takes on 90 graduates each year. In return for a demanding management role, it offers a starting salary of £39K, rising to £56K after three years. Applicants should apply online at www.aldi.com or send a CV and covering letter to Area Management Recruitment, Aldi Stores Ltd, Neston Distribution Centre, Chester High Road, Neston, CH64 3TS.

Co-operative Group: The world’s largest consumer co-operative is looking for 12 commercially-minded people (with a 2:2 or above in any discipline, or equivalent) who are focused on a business career in general management or fi nance. The starting salary is c£21K with 26 days of annual holiday, and is based in Manchester with some travel. The application form and more details can be found at www.altogetherdifferent.com

GAP SPORTS: The organisation is seeking a volunteer manager to work in Ghana, managing all aspects of the volunteer experience. You will need to be motivated, have management experience and have travelled extensively, preferably to West Africa. You will receive a package including fl ight allowance, free accommodation, and annual bonus. To apply send a full CV and covering letter highlighting relevant experience to [email protected]

Graduate Promotions: The company plans, arranges and delivers marketing campaigns for graduate recruiters and advertisers of consumer brands. It has fi ve vacancies for trainee campaign executives and student marketer network executives plus six opportunities for event management and marketing interns. The positions are based in central London with a salary between £17.5K and £20K depending on the role. Send your CV and a covering letter to [email protected]

Closing dates are the end of May. Most roles start in late August or early September.

Nestlé: The fast-moving consumer goods giant has two vacancies for sales graduates based in Croydon or York. The salary is £24.5K, plus £2K London weighting. Visit Nestlé’s website and apply online: www.nestlecareers.co.uk

RM: The leading provider of software systems, services and infrastructure to UK schools, colleges and universities is recruiting for the following roles to start on its graduate scheme in July – September 2007: software engineers, business solutions developers, technical support engineers, network support engineers, systems engineers, fi nance trainee, product manager, business analyst, graduate project manager, sales consultant and buyer. For more details on the roles and how to apply please visit www.rmgraduates.com

Siemens: The engineering and electronics specialist has more than 50 vacancies with an autumn 2007 start. Roles are UK-wide and salaries are in excess of £20K. Apply online at www.siemens.com/grad

Teach First: The organisation’s mission is to transform exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fi elds. It has positions open in maths, science and ICT – these close on 1 June. From 4 June it will recruit teachers across the board to start in 2008. Candidates may be able to defer their start date for a year. For more information visit: www.teachfi rst.org.uk

GE: fi nancial management programme

FINANCE

Ernst & Young:

account,tax, and

advisoryFINANCE

Venn Group:recruitment

consultantsRECRUITMENT

Angela

Mortimer: 20

recruitment

consultants

RECRUITMENT

JOBS AVAILABLE | OVERVIEW RW

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I taught firstwww.teachfirst.org.uk

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Tesco: The supermarket chain is expanding its key growth business areas and has a number of new roles with a September 2007 start date. It has vacancies in commercial, property and engineering, and support offi ce. You will need leadership and analytical skills, as well as a 2:1. For more information about these roles, plus all the fi rm’s 2008 programmes, visit www.tesco-graduates.com

Thistle and Guoman hotels: The UK hotel chain is seeking 30 recruits to join its highly successful UK-wide management training programme. The application deadline is the end of May, with assessment days held in May and June. Email your CV and covering letter to [email protected] or for more information call the recruitment team on 0845 345 9728.

Unilever: The international manufacturer is continuing to recruit for its graduate leadership programme for the functions of supply chain and IT. 2007 salaries start at £26K and include a number of benefi ts. It also offers a limited number of deferred places. If you are interested visit the websitewww.unilever.co.uk/careers

ENGINEERING3M: In addition to the many vacancies mentioned above, the diversifi ed technology company is looking for a number of engineers. It is recruiting nine optimised operations engineers for various locations around the country, to start immediately or in September. It is also looking for a project engineer based in Loughborough and a display and graphics engineer for Bracknell. Visit the web address shown on page 13.

AMEC Nuclear: One of the leading international engineering consultancies within the nuclear industry is looking for 30 graduates in the following disciplines to join its accredited graduate development scheme: mechanical, C&I/electrical, physics and chemistry. Offi ces are based in Cheshire, Cumbria and Berkshire. Salaries are competitive. To apply send your CV to [email protected]

ARM: The technology design company has 25 vacancies for software, hardware and support engineers, plus at least four industrial placements on offer. The majority of positions are based in Cambridge. The salary for graduates is £22K to £25K and industrial placements will receive £14K to £16K. Review jobs at: www.arm.com/employment/ and send an email stating your interests.

BOC: A global industrial gases provider, the company has plenty of opportunities for full-time engineering/technical graduates. You may be required to travel to any BOC site in the UK and therefore must be fl exible in your

approach and fully mobile. Please visit: www.bocjobs.com/UKGraduates/Default.asp

British Nuclear: The organisation has vacancies with an autumn 2007 start for civil, electrical and mechanical engineers at many of its sites. All applications are dealt with online. For more details, see:www.britishnucleargroup.com/graduates

Laing O’Rourke: A leader in construction solutions, the company is seeking 200 graduates for its 2007 intake. Disciplines required include civil and structural engineering, building, quantity surveying, mechanical and electrical engineering, building surveying, construction management and environmental engineering. Other disciplines welcomed. The salary is £24K plus company car/allowance. Please apply online via www.laingorourke.com

Siemens: The engineering and electronics specialist has vacancies for electrical, electronic, metallurgy, materials, process/chemical and mechanical engineers. Roles are UK-wide and salaries exceed £20K. Apply online at the company’s website:www.siemens.com/grad

FINANCEBOC: The company has opportunities for full-time fi nance/accounting graduates. Its fi nance training programme is a three-year scheme designed to develop future senior managers. You will be required to pass your CIMA qualifi cation. For more information visit: www.bocjobs.com/UKGraduates/Default.asp

Ernst & Young: One of the ‘big four’ accountancy fi rms, it still has vacancies in

audit, tax and business advisory areas. Locations are based nationwide and salary is highly competitive. The graduate programmes start in September 2007. It accepts online applications only through its website. Visit www.ey.com/uk/graduate

GE: Fancy working for the world’s largest company by market capitalisation? GE’s fi nancial management programme is open for applications from graduates for July 2007 entry. Salaries are competitive and vary depending on location. Visit the ‘careers in fi nance’ page at www.gecareers.com

RECRUITMENTAngela Mortimer: The recruitment agency is looking for 20 aspiring recruitment consultants for its offi ces in Bristol, Birmingham, London, Manchester and Nottingham. The basic salary is £14K-£18K. Send a CV and covering letter to:[email protected]

Venn Group: The consultancy is ranked the 28th fastest-growing company in the UK. There are Venn offi ces – and opportunities to work – in Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, Leicester, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Slough and Watford. To fi nd out more about a career in recruitment contact Marie either at [email protected] or 020 7557 7667.

WORK PLACEMENTS3M: If you are looking for an industrial placement, the diversifi ed technology company could be the one for you. It has opportunities for 20 marketing co-ordinators based in either Bracknell or Loughborough. It is also offering a placement for a sales representative. The position is fi eld-based, although initially located in Bracknell. Visit: http://solutions.3m.com

Ernst & Young: This major fi rm is offering vacancies for its summer internship programme, starting in July 2007. It accepts online applications only. Visit www.ey.com/uk/graduate to apply for a position that could seriously boost your start in working life.

Step Enterprise: Searching for a placement for summer 2007? Step Enterprise has secured more than 100 placements funded through the London Development Agency. Small businesses across the capital require bright, talented undergraduates to complete innovative, business-focused projects over eight weeks of the summer. It also has 40 placements funded by the South East Development Agency. Please visit www.stepenterprise.co.uk for information on how to apply for a placement.

For details of more work placements have a look under “General graduate schemes” and “Engineering”. Want to fi nd details of more current vacancies? Take a look at our website www.realworldmagazine.com. n

“ IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AN INDUSTRIAL PLACEMENT, THIS COULD BE THE ONE FOR YOU”

3M:

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Job title:

Marketing Manager

Name: Mark Miller Company: Dream Marketing

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MarketIng and SaleS are both popular career choIceS for graduateS, but what do they actually Involve and how do they dIffer? real world InveStIgateS

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SJob title:

Head of Sales

Name: Sally Slater Company: Euro Sales

MARKETING & SALES | Overview RW

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ales and marketing – how often have

you seen these two careers linked?

More often than not, probably. The

truth is that they are quite different

professions, requiring different skill sets.

But there is a degree of overlap

between the two – what they share in

common are opportunities for excellent career progression.

So, what do these careers entail? Sales, not surprisingly, is the

art of selling products or services (or, in the case of recruitment,

selling people). Sales positions are target-based and, as a result,

earnings often depend on those targets being reached, with

bonuses awarded when they are met. According to Paul Drew,

marketing manager at sales and marketing specialist Pareto

Law, sales is a growing area for graduates to enter. “Sales is

becoming an extremely important part of business, and each

company is after the best-profile graduates to enhance the

position of their business,” he tells us.

On the other hand, according to the Chartered institute of

Marketing (CiM), marketing is: “the management process

responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer

needs profitably.” it also emphasises that marketing is not just

advertising, nor is it a “fancy word for selling”. There are many

different types of marketing. For example you could be working

for a fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company like Heinz

or Kellogg’s. Professional services and financial services firms like

KPMG and Prudential respectively also have marketing

departments. industrial companies, like rolls-royce, offer

marketing roles for graduates. And an expanding area is

e-marketing, with the likes of Amazon offering positions.

Lisa Carr, careers adviser at warwick University, thinks

marketing is a popular graduate career choice because it’s

seen as very accessible to students. “Students often have some

experience of marketing at university, such as through charity

fundraising,” she states. “it’s something that may seem less scary

than, say, investment banking. No specialist exams are needed,

like accountancy, and you don’t need specific qualifications to

start out. Generally the marketing environment is fun and its

“work hard, play hard” ethos is very appealing to graduates.”

So how do marketing and sales differ? “Sales is a more face-

to-face and people-oriented role,” explains Paul Drew. “Sales

can actually be done by most people, but it’s the right calibre

person that shines as a good salesperson. You have to be

confident and passionate, and have a need to be business

oriented to achieve higher goals and bonuses.” Marketing is

broader than sales according to warwick’s Lisa Carr, although

she says the

distinction is

becoming harder to

make. “Boundaries are

blurring a bit between sales and marketing. while sales used to

be all about cold calling and following up leads, now it’s more

about cultivating long term relationships, finding solutions for

businesses, and achieving higher spend per customer. Marketing

also encompasses brand management as well advertising.”

in terms of the qualities needed to succeed in sales or

marketing, both require commercial awareness. in addition,

employers don’t tend to look at degree discipline or even work

experience. For marketing, what’s more important are personal

skills such as initiative and being an influential and persuasive

communicator. “You also need to be able to juggle numerous

projects, be enthusiastic, as well as being a lateral thinker –

being able to think outside the box is important,” says Lisa Carr.

while for sales, you need negotiating skills, and be able to strike

up a rapport and develop relationships. “You need the ability to

deal with different people in a positive way, plus have an

understanding of the business and its products and services.”

Still not sure that sales or marketing is the career for you? Paul

Drew believes that career progression and monetary rewards

are key reasons why sales could be a great graduate career

choice: “A lot of sales graduates go on to be fast-tracked into

management because they learn quickly how a business works

commercially and technically,” he says. “it’s not unheard of for

graduates to move quite quickly up the career ladder and to

be earning £50K-plus a year.”

For sales graduates, basic earnings in the north of the UK are

around £17-20K, and £22K in London. However, with on-target

earnings you could take home more than £30K in your first year.

For marketing, you can expect around £20-25K for a graduate

brand manger post at a major firm, and advertising will typically

pay in the high teens. Salaries at not-for-profit organisations may

be less. it depends on the sector and specialism. Many

marketing directors are on six-figure salaries.

Careers adviser Lisa Carr believes that both professions offer

great opportunities for graduates: “There are fantastic

transferable skills that you can use in either business functions,”

she reveals. what’s more, she adds: “Both sectors are very

open-minded, and in terms of creating your own career path

the sky’s the limit.”ima

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YES, I’D LIKE TO SPEND AN ETERNITY INMY BOSS’S SHADOW UNTIL MY IDENTITYDISAPPEARS INTO THE ETHER.

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MANAGEMENT TRAINING SCHEMEWill most industry-leading companies really make the most of your talents? You’ve spent all those years atuni, so the last thing you want is to end up as an expert in photocopying and making coffee. Better makesure that’s not your fate by joining the 1000 plus graduates who enter the Enterprise Management TrainingScheme each year. We’re an international car rental company with over 440 locations across the UK,Ireland and Germany and a multi-billion pound turnover. And we’ll teach you how to run your own businessin as little as two years. You’ll learn about everything from sales, marketing and customer service tooperations and finance, so you can make crucial business decisions and reap the rewards. You could bepromoted twice in one year. And earn in two years what could take you five elsewhere. We’re here to makethe most of your potential, not let it wither and die. To apply, go to www.enterprisealive.co.uk/rwm07or call 0870 850 1232.

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Emma Preen

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Age: 22Degree and university: BBA Management degree, 1st, Lancaster UniversityJob title: Consumer insight planner for Nestlé UK

Why did you want to work for Nestlé? I spent my year in industry, a compulsory part of my degree, with Nestlé. I worked in an internal consultancy called ‘business, analysis and research department’. I also liked the culture and the exposure to important projects within the business. After I left, they offered me a job. I enjoy project work and being able to develop different skills. Nestlé’s marketing scheme is a comprehensive programme with lots of opportunity to develop.

What do you do in your job? I’ve been asked to develop a new role within Nestlé. We are trying to become more “channel-focused” and more customer-facing. We want to answer the needs of the consumer, as well as of organisations like train stations or cafés. We felt that it was an area where we needed to develop consumer insight, and we need to make sure we have a plan going forward. The second part is that I am on secondment to a customer two days a week working on a vending project; my role is to develop the customer relationship. It’s very early days, but

Nestlé is well positioned to offer lots of vending expertise.

What do you like most about your job? The variety. It’s so challenging and there’s a huge amount of responsibility because it’s such a new role. One of the challenges is making people aware of what I’m doing and the benefits of the project. I enjoy the fact that it’s project-based and you learn different skills.

What is the most challenging aspect of the job? The internal politics, but that’s inherent in any large corporation and I see it as something you can work around. As a result, you need to manage people’s expectations and inform all the key stakeholders of what you’re doing.

Future plans? The secondment will play a big part in my job for the next six months. After that I hope to continue in the consumer insight team. Then I’d like to move into an assistant brand manager position and move up as opportunities occur.

Advice for readers considering a career in marketing? Try to get some business experience before embarking on a career. It opens your eyes and makes sure you’re going down the right career path. It’s not just about academic qualifications; you need to be expanding your skills-base.

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MARKETING & SALES| CAsE�stuDIEs RW

Age: 25Degree and university: Business Studies, 2.1, Staffordshire UniversityJob title: Direct sales manager, Phones4U

Why did you want to work for Phones4U? To be honest it was going to be part of a stopgap before travelling. I just wanted a sales job so I could save up, but after a couple of months they asked me about career progression and I was put on a fast-track scheme. I can’t speak highly enough of the company; they like to promote from within and are very focused on their people. There’s no real limit on where you can get to; the company will recognise the work you do and reward you accordingly. I still plan to go travelling, but rather than with a rucksack, I want to be on a beach sipping Champagne, with money in my back pocket.

What do you do in your job? I spend 70 per cent of my time coaching sales consultants, trying to understand how their techniques could be improved. My other time is spent setting targets and doing administrative tasks. Additionally, I objectively see how we can sell more, what areas can be improved, looking at things like customer service areas.

What do you like most about your job? When you start the day and you’ve some serious targets to hit, and it looks like a lot of money to do in a month – but then you do it – you get a real buzz. I like doing 70 sales in a day,

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BEmotivatEdFiNaNCiaL SaLES, data aNaLYSiS, tECHNoLoGY aNd JoURNaLiSm CaREERSWelcome to the challenging world of financial information and technology. You will be exposed to many possibilities and be empowered to take advantage of them. You will be rewarded for your dedication and creativity, and will advance rapidly when you embrace the challenge.

careers.bloomberg.comBloomberg is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. ©2006 Bloomberg L.P. All rights reserved. 21358804 1006

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ÓJo LockettAge: 27Degree and university: Public relations and communications, 1st, University of LincolnJob title: Marketing manager, Tesco

Why did you want to work for Tesco? It came from two things: firstly I wanted to work for a big, national company. It had to be big for the reason that I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, so working for a big company meant I could move into other areas. Second, I chose Tesco because I’d worked on the shop floor at Marks and Spencer, and knew I liked retail. Wanting to work for a big retail organisation lead me to Tesco.

What do you do in your job? I joined Tesco in 2003 and undertook the 18-month graduate scheme. Now, I’m completing a 12-month placement. I project manage around nine marketing teams and make sure they link up. They have different aims and it’s difficult to get them to join up. I am working on two projects: one is sports for schools, and the other is health.

What do you like most about your job? My role is interesting because I work with loads of different departments. I don’t physically produce anything, but I touch on lots of areas. For example I work with Tesco Magazine, as well

Age: 24Degree and university: Chemistry and management, 2.1, Manchester UMISTJob title: Graduate trainee, technical sales specialists - pharmaceutical, Johnson Diversey

Why did you want to work for Johnson Diversey? I was looking for a job that would give me the exposure to gain experience in lots of areas of the

business and that offered clear opportunities for career progression. I applied for a number of different jobs where my chemistry background would be an asset – The Johnson Diversey graduate scheme was a perfect match.

Johnson Diversey is a chemical manufacturer that supplies hygiene solutions to a vast array of industries, from hotels and hospitals to food and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. We manufacture a huge range of chemical cleaning products and market a wide selection of household brands in the industrial market including Persil, Dove, Mr Muscle and Comfort.

What do you do in your job? The major focus of my job for the first year was to develop Johnson Diversey’s presence in the NHS as a supplier of specialist cleaning products for in-house pharmaceutical manufacturing units, a huge market that offered large

Will Grayson Ï

as new products. I get to move outside marketing every so often and learn about things like commercial affairs, which helps me get more experience. One of the best things is the chop and change; in other companies if you get itchy feet you have to look for another job externally.

What is the most challenging aspect of the job? I’m very clear about what I need to do, but my work involves lots of people – and making sure everyone is joined up is a challenge. For example, Tesco Magazine knows three months in advance what it is going to feature, but with point of sale we’re lucky if they decide four weeks before – they have really different time scales.

Future plans? I am going to work in an advertising team. So I will have gone from having quite a general role to choosing a specific discipline. I don’t really know anything about the role yet!

Advice for readers considering a career in marketing? I’ve really learnt that so many skills are applicable to marketing. When I look around the office I see people who are extremely analytical, while others are really creative. You have to be open-minded about your skills and where they fit in best.

potential to the pharmaceutical sector of the company. The role meant winning business and setting up accounts in NHS hospitals across the UK. It was a case of finding contacts, building relationships and a basis of people in the industry. Also, I managed a number of cosmetic and pharmaceutical accounts throughout the country, growing them and monitoring that everything was running smoothly at site level.

What do you like most about your job? The best feature of a sales role is the buzz when you win a new account. I like the freedom to manage my time and choose where I go each week. I plan all my time myself – apart from when I need to respond to a customer. A great feature is that you see the results you’re attaining and keep track of what you’ve achieved. The sales teams are the foundations of the company, and it is great to see what effect my job has on the company.

What is the most challenging aspect of the job? As with any sales job the hardest challenge is getting appointments to see people. This has been tricky at times, but it’s a hurdle you have to overcome. People’s time is stretched in most companies, but on the whole it’s in their best interests to see you.

Future plans? My sales role has provided a good basis to build my career upon; I have developed a strong understanding of the company and our customers’ needs. I am now progressing into a marketing role, which will see me looking after the product range that I was selling; my experiences and knowledge gained in the sales role will be a valuable resource in my new role.

Advice for readers considering a career in your field? To succeed, you need to be highly motivated and results driven. It helps to have a keen interest in your chosen field as enthusiasm makes selling much easier. I would recommend anybody considering a sales career to gain work experience in that field and to arrange to shadow someone for a couple of days to gain a better understanding of the job. I took a year in industry as part of my degree, working in a marketing team for a multinational company. n

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MARKeTING & SALeS | CASE STUDIES RW

or setting records. The atmosphere is quite young and it is a youthful environment, (music is playing in the background as we speak). We have the music playing to try to get everyone going.

What is the most challenging aspect of the job? The increasing targets on a monthly basis probably! But seriously, it’s difficult to single out one thing really.

Future plans? The next level up is business operations manager, that’s what the business would dictate. But since the company has been taken over there are other areas I’d be interested in.

Advice for readers considering a career in sales? You’ve got to be resilient and a self-starter, plus it helps to be money-motivated. You also need to have a willingness to learn and an ability to win.

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ever thought of running your own sales business in the USA this summer?

take a look atthe company that gives thousands of studentssales training and a summer of experience thatlaunches their careers.

For more information visit www.southwestern.comto apply online or email your name, university, course and contact number to [email protected]

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Real World Guide to Work Experience, your guide to staying ahead of the competition.

Welcome to the Real World Guide to everything you need to know about work experience and internships.

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AD_TEMPLATE.indd 1 24/4/07 16:10:59

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The Social care ProfeSSion haS undergone a number of changeS in recenT yearS and could Provide you wiTh a challenging and diverSe career aS Luke Barras-HiLL diScoverS

dareto care

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equity derivatives

social care | Overview rW

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Caring for people from different backgrounds and having the

ability to devise strategies for assessing the nature of people’s

problems, as well as implementing solutions for people from all

walks of life, is no mean feat. However, social care is an area of

work that is becoming increasingly attractive to new graduates,

mainly because of the challenges it offers them to aid people to

change their lives.

Social work is divided into adult and children sections with

various subsections within each. working with children can

involve child protection services, fostering, adoption, children

with disabilities, children who have offended, and those in

residential care. Adult services include, amongst others,

working with the elderly, those with learning difficulties or mental

illness, those with alcohol or drug related problems, and dealing

with those seeking asylum. Newly-qualified social workers need

to work with a broad demographic of people: the elderly,

families, young children or people with disabilities.

From developing drop-in centres to aiding young people with

issues on sex or alcohol abuse, or working as a personal assistant

with the elderly, the opportunities for graduates are endless: “The

social care profession employs a lot of graduates in other areas

such as policy, strategy, audit and planning”, says richard Banks

at the Skills Council’s sector, skills for care and development.

Opportunities to specialise in specific areas and tailor your interests

to your job roles are an important part of social work’s flexibility and

diversity, a point made by ruth Cartwright of the British Association

of Social workers: “it can be a rewarding career if you are able to

feel you have helped some people to a better quality of life,” she

says. “The ultimate aim is to do yourself out of a job, with a person

or family finding they can manage without you.”

educating and supportingrevolutionary changes have been made in the areas of social

work education; particularly in the way people enter the

profession. The compulsory introduction of a three-year

undergraduate course in social work at an accredited university

has replaced the old style diploma system. it ensures that all

social workers on the General Social Care Council (GSCC)

register have successfully completed an honours degree in social

work, having undertaken and experienced a mixture of formal

academic learning and 200 days of relevant experience essential

to entering the profession. Bridget Millmore, assistant director of

the career development and employment centre at the

University of Sussex, cites this as an important factor in attracting

new people to the industry: “The changes to how you can train

to be a social worker may have opened up the career to a

SOCIAL.indd 25 24/4/07 15:38:28

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Achieving qualitythrough equality

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Essex offers you more room togrow professionally.

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Find out more by visitingwww.jobsatessex.co.uk where you can apply

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AD_TEMPLATE.indd 1 24/4/07 16:12:09

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ÈGlenda LeeAge: 46Degree and university: Social work, North Middlesex UniversityJob title: Hospital social worker, London Borough of Enfield

What does your job involve? I am part of the duty assessment team. A referral could come to us under section 17 of the Children’s Act, which protects children in need. A manager will allocate a case to a social worker and sometimes we have to complete an initial assessment within seven days. Another element of the job is to attend weekly meetings with doctors and other medical staff to discuss any children attending the hospital that week. For example, sometimes the child may have been intoxicated or self-harmed.

What was your motivation in choosing this career? I was a family centre worker for about 16 years in West Yorkshire and London. I decided to do a social work degree as I wanted to work with families from the point of referral to the end result. One reason for choosing the career is that I have a passion for working with children and families. I was one of Enfield’s “grow your own scheme” a government scheme to encourage people employed by a local authority to go into a social care career.

What do you enjoy about your job? I like the fact we’re very much at the frontline and the work is varied. At times, the work can be demanding but I enjoy the challenges it brings. I also enjoy learning new things, particularly on the medical side. Working in a hospital, we are learning medical terminology and I find that stimulating.

What is the most challenging aspect? Making a difference in people’s lives, particularly having an impact on children’s lives. It is also challenging meeting timescales and managing my workload.

And the worst part? I like my job, so it’s difficult to say what the worst part is. Sometimes you are overloaded; I don’t like it when things are not organised. I like clear directions and to be managed appropriately.

What advice would you give to readers considering a job in your field? You’ve got to be open to a challenge; if you are it can be very rewarding emotionally. When you’re on the frontline it can be very demanding; but the satisfaction that comes with a good piece of work outweighs everything. You should also look for a job with good supervision – regular support from higher management is important – without that you can’t do a good job.Ph

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SOCIAL CARE | CAsE stuDY RW

wider range of people. social work, like

teaching, now offers routes at

undergraduate and postgraduate level

that offer flexibility for students to choose

to train at different stages. I believe this is

important to attract a diverse range of

entrants into the social work profession.”

Working conditions can vary

considerably, and can be emotionally

demanding and stressful particularly in

areas with heavy caseloads. A working

week can be up to 37 hours with

unsociable hours. starting levels of pay are

generally good, particularly in central

London where salaries range between

£19K and £25K. there is a wide range of

financial incentives available to new

graduates and an array of ways to

progress up the career ladder. According

to Ruth Cartwright some employers offer a

“golden handshake” or a recruitment and

retention repayment, usually paid in

instalments after certain periods of time,

which is separate from salary.

PERSONALItY CHECkYou have to be empathetic,

sympathetic, patient and resourceful.

You need to be able to form relationships

with people from different walks of life

while devising strategies for solving their

problems. “this job tests you,” notes Bob

Bielby, acting service manager for the

access and assessment service at

Hounslow Council in London. “We want

people who will come in, look at things

and try to understand why they are the

way they are.” With this in mind, for a

career that is emotionally challenging

but equally rewarding, and can do a

power of good for people, look no further

than a career in social work. n

FINANCIAL SUPPORtthe General Social Care Council offers a non-means tested bursary to students not funded by prospective employers. the bursary includes a contribution towards fees and a travel allowance for placements. Postgraduate students can apply for an income-assessed grant, and undergraduate students can apply for a higher education student loan through their local education authority on top of the bursary. For more information on the social work bursary scheme and funding as well as information on institutions running social work courses, contact www.gscc.org.uk and www.socialworkandcare.co.uk.

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See it from a new perspective

Putting the Community First

Come and play a key role in the lives of Barnet’s vulnerable children and young people. We’ve given our benefits acomplete makeover and the impressive package now features:

Opportunities for Qualified Social Work StaffUp to £35,799 pa (pay award pending)

Altogether this makes Barnet the outer-London borough with inner-London rewards for qualified Social Workerslooking for a challenge and recognition. Our most recent JAR inspection rated our Children’s Service as one ofthe best in the country to date. So join us as we embark on the next exciting phase of our development, to create a children’s workforce that’s second to none.

Full details about the roles and rewards we offer can be found at www.likethenewbarnet.org where you canalso register for email alerts to opportunities matching your current skills and experience, and details of ourforthcoming recruitment events. Alternatively, you can call our specialist advisor on 020 8359 4925 for aninformal discussion.

• Up to £2,000 annual retention bonus • ‘Signing on’ fees of £3,000 for targeted posts• Placement bonuses for student supervisors of £2,000 • Excellent final salary pension scheme• Your own personal hand-held PC • Small teams and manageable caseloads • Strong supportand supervision • Comprehensive professional development programme • Discounted local services

As we are committed to the protection of children and vulnerable people we will be recruiting to all posts using safer recruitment methods asrecommended by the Warner Report. Therefore, short listed candidates will undertake a personal interview as part of the recruitment process.

Barnet Council is committed to promoting equality, challenging discrimination and developing community cohesion. We welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to the Investors in People Standard.

Visit our website www.likethenewbarnet.org

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Age: 23Degree and university: Law, Oxford UniversityJob title: Social care trainee, looked after children, London Borough of Barnet

What does your job involve? I am working in a scheme that will give me two years’ experience of social care. After this, Barnet will put us through the MA in social care at Middlesex University. Then, I will become a fully qualified social worker. There are five of us who started as trainees; we are all in different teams: adoption, children in need, referral and assessment, and fostering. I am in the ‘looked after children’ section, working with children in foster care. My time is taken up with children and families. The local authority acts as corporate parents to the children, and we have lots of targets to be met in terms of health and education.

What was your motivation in choosing this career? I love working with people, and this is very much a people-friendly job. I also love working with kids. The Barnet scheme is good because you get two years where you are closely managed and supervised; then you go on to do a masters, after which you are guaranteed a job. What do you enjoy about your job? I love working directly with children. They are all pretty much teenagers, and to get through to them is quite satisfying. I like knowing I can try to help them make their lives better.

What is the most challenging aspect? It can be very frustrating because some of the children or families are very difficult to engage with. Sometimes you can feel like although you’ve made a lot of effort the family or young person have been unable to make the changes sought.

And the worst part? There can be a lot of boxes that need to be ticked or paperwork that needs to be done to meet statistics.

What advice would you give to readers considering a job in your field? Make sure you have lots of experience of working with children and families, or young or adult offenders. Having experience of working with people from lots of different backgrounds is very useful. Be prepared to work hard and put in 100 per cent. n

Age: 29 Degree and university: Diploma in social work; MA in intercultural work and conflict management from German universities; certificate in play therapy. Studying for KCC Foundation MSc systemic psychotherapy at Bedfordshire UniversityJob title: Specialist social worker, London Borough of Hackney

What does your job involve? We work directly with children and families, as well as with social services, schools and voluntary organisations. We discuss what needs to change and what would be the best outcome for the family, as well as working with colleagues in children and young people’s services.

What was your motivation in choosing this career? I like having a variety of work and getting direct feedback from the people I work with. Partnership work is about achieving something together, seeing what a young person’s strengths are and helping them achieve their full potential.

What do you enjoy about your job? The partnership work; if we work together we can achieve a good outcome. We have to be creative to engage young people, so might send a text message to get them in.

What is the most challenging aspect? The partnership working. Also, sometimes families have complex cases, with issues perhaps regarding housing, benefits, or immigration.

And the worst part? Nothing, really.

What advice would you give to readers considering a job in your field? Be passionate about the work you do and believe in what you’re doing. Remember if you treat families with respect they will respect you.

Polly CowanPetra SchmidtÈ È È

“���we discuss what needs to change to get the best outcome for the family”

Rachael TaylorAge: 24Degree and university: Social work, Angela Ruskin UniversityJob title: Social worker, Essex County Council

What do you do in your job? I deal with complex childcare cases including court childcare proceedings and child protection cases. I carry a caseload, which means I look after children on the protection register.

What do you like about your job? I enjoy the frontline aspect of the job. I am constantly interacting with service users and this is diverse, with so many different professionals in lots of different settings. Obviously, when it occurs to you that you might have made a positive difference to somebody’s life, however small, it is the most rewarding thing in the world. I find that it’s a constant reminder of why I chose social work in the first place.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job? Managing my caseload can be extremely challenging. I work with so many different people in completely different circumstances and it can be difficult to make sure you always make the right decisions with regards to each case’s wellbeing. Working with people means that there are always unexpected issues and problems, and I have to be prepared and able to prioritise.

Worst part? When you are working with a person who refuses to engage and accept help. This is particularly prevalent in my field – working with children and young people. It can leave you feeling helpless, especially when you can clearly see how much your help could benefit them. That’s one of the great things about having a strong team like mine – if you’re ever feeling despondent you can bounce ideas around and find new ways to tackle things. It can also be very hard to detach from work when you get home.

Advice to readers considering a career in your field? Arrange a visit to a social work team in your field of interest – just talking to people can be very helpful. Prepare to be emotionally challenged but don’t let that put you off; there are lots of opportunities to move between fields and the work is very varied. It’s ultimately so rewarding that you’ll never worry that you made the wrong decision.

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The recruiTmenT indusTry is big business. a career as a consulTanT offers financial rewards afTer jusT a few years, real world finds. case sTudies by laura goodman

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theperfect match

findingRECRUITMENT | Overview RW

when you think of a recruitment consultancy you probably

picture the ones you see on the high street, such as Adecco

and Office Angels. But you may not have realised that there are

numerous types of consultancies out there, and working for one

of them could be a very lucrative career.

while there are consultancies placing everyone from HGv

drivers to daffodil pickers in Cornwall, there are also highly

specialised companies that place people in iT or banking

positions, finding roles for accountants or a chairman of a FTSe

50 company. There are even ones that focus on graduates,

such as the Graduate recruitment Company (GrC) and the

Graduate recruitment Bureau (GrB).

Paul Farrer is CeO of GrC. “in my view you need to be

inquisitive,” he explains. “it’s not a case of just taking a brief from

an employer; a good consultant will challenge the brief, often

with something the employer hasn’t even thought of.” He also

emphasises that it is a consultancy role: “Management

consultants investigate a business, they will then be persuading

the client that the proposed actions are correct.”

But what do recruitment consultants actually do? “in many

ways it’s like running your own business,” confirms co-founder of

GrB, Dan Hawes. “You are given the equipment and then it’s

over to you. No two days are the same, there is a lot of variety –

you could be dealing with big or small firms, and different

candidates.” in fact there is a lot of overlap between sales and

recruitment as careers: “Sales and recruitment are exactly the

same role,” argues Michael Betts, divisional sales manager

at recruitment company STr. “The only difference is that with

recruitment the product thinks for itself.” But GrB’s Dan Hawes

believes there is only a limited crossover with sales: “You have to

sell the job to candidates, and likewise the candidate to the

employer, but that’s about it for selling. The rest is negotiation

and it is much more strategic.” He concedes that there are

transferable skills between the careers: “People do move from

sales into recruitment and vice versa. But with recruitment there

is more opportunity to develop and progress in your career.”

One of the main attractions of recruitment as a career is

financial reward: “it’s an incentive-led sector and a true

meritocracy,” reveals Paul Farrer. But he warns: “You might

inherit a client base, but it takes time to know contacts and

understand what they’re looking for.” So, how much can you

expect to make? “in the first year people should be joining on

£18K-24K,” says Paul. “You will also earn bonuses, which are

included in on-target earnings (OTe), so the reality is you’ll take

home around £25K in your first year.” However, he says that by

the second year you should be earning up to £35K and in the

third year the figures rocket to between £50K and £70K.

Take home pay isn’t the only incentive to join a recruitment

consultancy. “we offer better benefits than most,” claims GrC’s

Paul Farrer. “we provide a free breakfast; duvet days; 23.5 days

holiday in the first year; a pension scheme; private doctor; free

fruit; discounted massage; flexible working arrangements, and

one-off incentives.” GrC and other recruitment consultancies

also offer a great deal of training and the industry as a whole is

good for investment in training and career development.

recruitment consultants can take qualifications validated by

the industry body. Marcia roberts, chief executive of the

recruitment and employment Confederation (reC), says: “The

reC offers certificates to supplement people’s degrees. For

example, you can obtain a certificate in recruitment practice.

Most recruitment consultants take them; it is vocational training

directly relevant to the industry. Anyone can take the

qualification – the majority of people who do are in the industry

– but if you are thinking of becoming a recruitment consultant it

would be a good thing to do.” The reC offers a vocational

degree in recruitment practice at Middlesex University.

Finally, Michael Betts has some excellent words of advice for

students considering a career in recruitment: “As in any industry,

a career in recruitment is as good as the company you choose

to join.” To get a flavour of some of what it’s like to be a

recruitment consultant at different firms, take a look at our case

studies over the next few pages.

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GUIDE TO DIVERSITY

Real World Guide to Diversity aims to help you build a career based on your merits.

While many employers increasingly recognise the benefi ts of recruiting a diverse workforce, some students still face barriers to employment.

Packed with invaluable advice from graduates, experts and employers Real World Guide to Diversity gives you the best tools to get you the job you want, whatever you want to do.

DISCRIMINATIONSHOULD YOU DISCLOSE DISABILITY?

RELIGIOUS BELIEF AT WORKCOULD IT HINDER YOUR CAREER?

MATURE GRADSBUST THE MYTHS

USEYOURTALENTHOW TO FIND A GREAT JOB AFTER UNI WITHOUT SELLING OUT

G U I D E t o D I V E R S I T Y

ADVANTAGE

2006-2007 | FREE to StUDENtSWWW.REALWoRLDMAGAZINE.CoM

FREETO STUDENTSavailable from local careers services

R

Recruitment Consultants £18k-£22k + city allowances + bonus earnings up to 50% of salary+ industry-leading benefits packageNationwide opportunities plus start-up opportunities in London

Bring your commercial insight to Randstad, the world’s third largest staffingorganisation. Our business is all about developing effective relationshipswith our clients. Selling solutions that are right for them – not easy for us.Giving 100% satisfaction to existing customers while being the first torespond to gaps in the market. All to meet challenging branch targets.

Share our more ethical approach to sales and we’ll back you fully to makeour business yours. As a Sunday Times Top 100 Employer, our industry-leading training will equip you with a valuable portfolio of skills. You’ll berewarded financially and our UK expansion will bring exceptional long-termcareer opportunities.

So if you would enjoy blending sales and customer service skills to deliverresults, please send your CV to [email protected], quoting referenceRWGR. We are an equal opportunities employer.

More than just another recruitment consultancy

www.uk.randstad.com

Belgium • Canada • China • Denmark • France • Germany • HungaryIndia • Italy • Japan • Luxembourg • Netherlands • Poland • PortugalSpain • Sweden • Switzerland • Turkey • United Kingdom • United States

I want to prove I’ve got a head for business“ ”

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“i admit i’m in this job for financial rewards, but i also enjoy dealing with people”

Degree and university: History, University of Kent, 2006Job title: Recruitment consultant, Michael Page

What do you do in your job? I recruit people looking for temporary accountancy work and fill various temporary vacancies across Michael Page’s central London client base. I am responsible for recruiting accountants who are looking to gain further experience in the sector. On a day-to-day basis I review CVs and conduct telephone and face-to-face interviews with potential candidates.

What do you like about your job?I particularly like working for such a well respected company. Michael Page is really dynamic and the general ethos is definitely “work hard, play hard”. I absolutely love the team I work with; we’re all very similar in that we love people. I enjoy all stages of learning about new people, and that includes the candidates I meet with as well as the clients who rely on me to get to know their individual needs.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job? It took me a while to get to grips with some of the terminology and qualifications, and understand what makes a great CV. I’ve also had to work hard on my time management. Now I can fully appreciate that there are times in the day for certain tasks and how critical good time management is.

Worst part? It can really ruin a day when a candidate you offer rejects your position.

Advice to readers considering a career in your field? It is very important that you can get over the disappointments that come with the job because when you make a placement it’s an amazing feeling. It’s about moving quickly on from the lows so you are closer to riding the highs.

Mark Burns Ë

Abigail Fisher Í

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Degree and university: Environmental science, Plymouth University, 2004Job title: Recruitment consultant, Robert Half

What do you do in your job? My job is essentially a sales job but I sit between the applicant and the client, finding vacancies and candidates through different sources. I get lots of people, particularly junior candidates and graduates, especially in London, who have no idea what’s out there.

What do you like about your job? I would be lying if I didn’t say I am in this job for the financial rewards, but I also enjoy dealing with people. I work with 60-plus people in an open-plan office, all extremely driven and tenacious team players, which is a real buzz. Many recruitment roles exist now whereby the entire recruitment process is conducted by telephone or email, but at Robert Half we have big budgets encouraging us to get out, even internationally, to make and maintain contacts. We sell people to people so it’s important to have a massive amount of contact with those people.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job? Motivation. It is challenging to plan a day’s work and stick to it but if you can do that you’re likely to be extremely successful quickly. There is incredible financial gain to be had but you cannot earn the money doing nothing. In essence, it’s a fairly straightforward job to do, but very hard to do right.

Worst part? None of it. I am a very stubborn person and I would not do the job if I didn’t want to. I suppose if I had to say something I’d say the hours can be long, but again, if you plan the day ahead they don’t need to be.

Advice to readers considering a career in your field? You really must want to do it. People have different motivations in life; I want to live a lavish lifestyle and retire early so I’m driven by recruitment – it’s just so rewarding. There is international opportunity at Robert Half and there is lots of possibility for progression; the team leaders here are organically grown rather than recruited externally, too.

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ÈRazuana Siddiq

Degree and university: Business studies, University of Coventry, 2006Job title: Recruitment consultant, Joslin Rowe

What do you do in your job? I recruit for the banking operations division of Joslin Rowe, covering the temporary and contract side. I specialise in investment banking, which is a huge responsibility given that Joslin Rowe recruits for the top two investment banks.

What do you like about your job? The pace. I love the fact everything about recruitment moves so quickly and is constantly changing. The market is fiercely competitive, which means I must always be on top of everything, ensuring I know the market and the clients inside out. I also really enjoy the contact with people at every stage of the recruitment process.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job? I suppose the competitive aspect that I love is also the biggest challenge. It is really important that I find the right skills in a particular candidate and work with them to develop those skills so that, in the end, I can meet my targets.

Worst part? For me, the worst part is when I haven’t met a target or found a particular candidate a job. It can be upsetting because you can’t force roles to accommodate people or people to fit roles, so you haven’t always got the person’s ideal solution at hand, even though you wish you had.

Advice to readers considering a career in your field? I would say go into recruitment with an open mind, it has moved far, far away from its image of straightforward cold-calling.

Degree and university: French and Spanish, University College London, 2001Job title: Recruitment consultant and team leader, Angela Mortimer

What do you do in your job? I joined Angela Mortimer’s graduate training scheme about five years ago. Since then, I have moved from temporary to permanent recruitment consultancy. I lead my own team and am responsible for mentoring my colleagues and helping them fill roles effectively.

What do you like about your job? It’s very fast-paced and sometimes the variety still astounds me. I work with some great people and the environment is so dynamic. There is also, of course, the potential to earn a highly satisfying wage!

What is the most challenging aspect of your job? The workload is heavy because the jobs that I manage are both huge in number and incredibly varied, so I have to rely a great deal on my own time management and sound planning. Plus, as a team leader I am responsible for overseeing the budget and reporting back to directors. It can be a lot like running my own business at times and, in that sense, I suppose it acts as a good apprenticeship if I ever wanted to do so.

Worst part? In recruitment you are dealing with people not inanimate objects and so there is much more scope for being let down. When people don’t turn up, particularly candidates to interviews, it can be particularly frustrating.

Advice to readers considering a career in your field? You have to be extremely motivated – especially at Angela Mortimer where there is absolutely no one telling you what to do. You have to have lots of drive and if you do it can be very rewarding, both financially and in terms of gaining business acumen. n

Degree and university: International hospitality management, University of Surrey, 2005Job title: Consultant, Euro London Banking and Finance

What do you do in your job? I place candidates in permanent roles within sales and trading. The positions include brokers, traders, investment banking origination associates and new business development executives in fields such as interest rate derivatives, equity derivatives, financial solutions, and hedge funds (amongst others).

Ross Golding

What do you like about your job? Banking and finance recruitment is extremely competitive, especially in the City where we are competing against many other firms to be the client’s favourite. The aspects I particularly enjoy are working on the client/candidate base through regular contact, pursuing new business leads, negotiating rates, meeting clients/candidates and attending international networking events. I also work within a fantastic team of dedicated bilingual consultants, all of whom work for each other, sharing similar backgrounds. Our working culture is unique.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job? Actually making the placements. Comparatively, arranging interviews and getting the roles can be exceptionally straightforward. Recruitment consultancy is both client and candidate focused so the challenge is managing both sides and keeping everybody happy.

Worst part? There are few aspects of my role which I don’t particularly enjoy: whilst the administrative stages like placing adverts and formatting CVs need to be carried out, they can be slightly time-consuming. Contrastingly, the benefit of carrying out both of these accurately reflects in the calibre of placements and client feedback we gain from our established client-base. It is essential to prioritise, time manage and erase any non-essential interferences on what is always a busy day.

Advice to readers considering a career in your field? I came into recruitment consultancy/financial services completely fresh having left university believing I would pursue a career in hotel management. So, I would probably advise anyone completely new to recruitment not to be daunted by the pressure. If you are prepared for the challenge and find the right training and the right team, there is no reason why you can’t excel as an established top biller.

Ë

Sharon Fidler È

RECRUITMENT | CASE STUDIES

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Your Opportunityto see if we’re right for each other.Ernst & Young is one of the leading professional servicesfirms in the world. We work with some of the biggest andbroadest companies around, from global corporates toentrepreneurial start-ups.

Our Undergraduate Programmes are an exciting way to findout about the world of professional services whilst buildingup those all important skills for your future careers. We willoffer graduate jobs to those students that thrive on ourprogrammes, so this is an exceptional opportunity to moveahead in your career before you have left university.

We still have positions available starting in July 2007, on these programmes:-

6-week Summer Internship Programme12-month Industrial Placement Programme

To apply and find out more please visit:

www.ey.com/uk/graduate

Ernst & Young is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.The UK firm Ernst & Young LLP is a limited liability partnership and a member practice of Ernst & Young Global.

GetinsidebusinessGraduate and Undergraduate Programmes 2007

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Everyone dreams of something different from their career. At PricewaterhouseCoopers, that’s fine by us. With our scale and scope, we’ve room for all sorts of ambitions. And all sorts of educational backgrounds. You see, whilst we look for at least280 UCAS points or equivalent and a 2.1, your degree needn’t befinance or business related. More important is that you possess the drive to make the most of all we have to offer. We’re the onefirm for all aspirational graduates.

www.pwc.com/uk/careers/GraduateOpportunitiesNationwide 2007

AssuranceTaxAdvisoryActuarialStrategy

We are an equalopportunities employer.

© 2007 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved. “PricewaterhouseCoopers” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (a limited liability partnership in the United Kingdom) or, as the context requires, the PricewaterhouseCoopers global network or other member firms of the network, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity.

W SHFUL

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