Top 100 Graduate Employers 2016-2017 - Tuesday October 4 2016 - High Fliers Research
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Tuesday October 4 2016
Top 100 Graduate Employers
2016-2017
The hot 100 3 Meet the winners 6-7 Paths to glory 8-9 Expert advice 11
2 1GX Tuesday October 4 2016 | the times
Top 100 Graduate Employers
An essential guide
GETTY IMAGES
discount retailer Lidl has jumped an
impressive 11 places to 14th position.
Santander is the year’s highest
newcomer, returning to the rankings
to making the best
in 63rd place. And with a leap of 34
places, the Bank of England is the
biggest climber of 2016.
Several of the leading strategy
of the good jobs
consulting firms have done well in the
new rankings. McKinsey & Company
has moved up for the third
consecutive year, taking it to just
outside the top 20 employers, while
The verdict is in continues to provide an independent
annual assessment of the employers
the Boston Consulting Group has
jumped sixteen places to 37th, its best
from the Class of that new graduates rate most highly.
The 2016 edition, published today,
ranking so far.
A total of 211 organisations have
is based on research with more than now appeared in The Times Top 100
2016 on the top 18,000 graduates from the Class of Graduate Employers since its inception
“
2016 who left UK universities this
100 firms, reports summer. In an outstanding
achievement, PwC, the global
Martin Birchall accounting and professional services
firm, has been voted the UK’s leading 211 organisations
W
hen the first edition of
graduate employer for the 13th year
running. The firm took over the top have now figured
The Times Top 100
Graduate Employers
spot in the rankings from the Civil
Service in 2004. in the rankings
was published in 1999, Aldi’s popular trainee area manager
barely a fifth of the programme remains in second place, and more than 40 of these have made
population had access to the internet, while the widely acclaimed Teach First it into the rankings every year since
Tony Blair’s government had just scheme — which has grown to 1999. The most consistent performers
introduced the first student tuition become the UK’s largest individual have been PwC, KPMG and the Civil
fees — £1,000 a year — and fewer recruiter of graduates since its launch Service, which have never been lower
than half the UK’s leading graduate in 2003 — has moved up to third. than 9th place in the league table. The
employers paid starting salaries of The Civil Service, best known for its NHS has also had a formidable record,
£20,000 or more. respected Fast Stream graduate appearing in every top ten since 2003,
The original aim of the guide was to programme, is in fourth place, its while the BBC, Goldman Sachs and
help university leavers to understand highest ranking since 2010. But in a All the Big Four accounting and This year’s chart will EY have all remained within the top
the increasingly complex graduate surprise move, after rising up the professional services firms are ranked prove an indispensable 20 throughout the past decade.
job market and identify the country’s rankings in nine of the previous ten within this year’s top ten. KPMG has building block for Martin Birchall is editor of The Times
most prestigious and sought-after years and reaching No 3 in last year’s moved up to sixth place, overtaking aspiring professionals Top 100 Graduate Employers and
employers. Seventeen years on, The Top 100, Google, the internet giant, rivals Deloitte and EY. managing director of High Fliers
Times Top 100 Graduate Employers has slipped back to fifth place. Elsewhere in the new Top 100, Research
the times | Tuesday October 4 2016 1GX 3
top100graduateemployers.com Top 100 Graduate Employers
©High Fliers Research 2016
The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers 2016-2017
Rank 2015 Employer Industry or Business Sector Graduate Starting Salary Rank 2015 Employer Industry or Business Sector Graduate Starting Salary
Vacancies in Vacancies in
2017 2017
Accounting & 51 64 ExxonMobil Oil & energy Varies £37,500+
1 1 PwC 1,500 Competitive
professional services 52 81 Amazon Retail 500+ Competitive
2 2 Aldi Retail 150 £42,000 53 55 Newton Europe Consulting 120 £45,000-£50,000
3 4 Teach First Public sector 1,750 Competitive 54 34 M&S Retail 200 £23,500-£28,000
4 5 Civil Service Public sector 900+ £25,000-£27,000 55 83 MI5 Public sector 150 £30,000+
5 3 Google IT & telecommunications Varies Competitive 56 50 Slaughter and May Law 80 £43,000
Accounting & 57 63 Baker & McKenzie Law 30 £45,000
6 9 KPMG 1,000 Competitive
professional services 58 78 Nestlé Consumer goods 30-35 Competitive
Accounting & Investment banking
7 6 Deloitte 1,200 Competitive 59 48 Citi Unknown Competitive
professional services & fund mangement
8 7 NHS Public sector 100+ £22,896 60 66 Danone Consumer goods 25-30 £28,500
Accounting & Penguin Random
9 8 EY 900 Competitive 61 85 Media 50+ Competitive
professional services House
10 10 BBC Media 35-40 £22,000+ 62 58 Police Public sector 250 £29,331
11 13 Unilever Consumer goods 50 £30,000+ 63 NEW Santander Banking & finance Up to 50 £30,000
Investment banking 64 NEW Virgin Media IT & telecommunications 50+ £29,000
12 14 JP Morgan Varies Competitive
& fund mangement Investment banking
65 59 Deutsche Bank Varies Competitive
Chemicals & & fund mangement
13 12 GSK 50+ Competitive
pharmaceuticals 66 100 Bank of England Public sector 60+ £30,000
14 25 Lidl Retail 240+ £36,000-£44,000 67 47 Royal Navy Armed Forces Varies £25,727
Investment banking 68 62 Airbus Engineering & industrial 80+ £26,000+
15 15 Goldman Sachs About 300 Competitive
& fund mangement 69 96 Herbert Smith Freehills Law 70 £44,000
16 18 HSBC Banking & finance 500+ Competitive 70 97 AECOM Engineering & industrial 400 £23,000-£26,000
17 17 Accenture Consulting 500+ Competitive 71 70 Boots Retail 40-60 £25,000
John Lewis Dependent on 72 95 Wellcome Charity 10-12 £26,000+
18 11 Retail 30+
Partnership scheme 73 NEW RAF Armed Forces 500-600 £30,000+
Engineering 74 60 DLA Piper Law 75-80 £24,000-£42,000
19 19 Jaguar Land Rover 250 £29,000
& industrial 75 71 Mott MacDonald Engineering & industrial 250+ £24,000-£28,000
20 16 Barclays Banking & finance 300+ Competitive 76 76 Network Rail Transport 125-175 £26,500
21 22 McKinsey & Company Consulting Varies Competitive Bank of America Investment banking
77 84 200+ Competitive
22 28 L'Oréal Consumer goods 28 £30,000 Merrill Lynch & fund mangement
Engineering 78 87 Norton Rose Fulbright Law Up to 50 £42,000
23 23 Rolls-Royce 200+ Competitive
& industrial 79 93 Lloyd's Insurance 25 Competitive
24 21 IBM IT & telecommunications 300+ £30,000+ 80 54 Diageo Consumer goods 50+ Competitive
25 30 Lloyds Banking Group Banking & finance 400+ £28,000+ Accounting &
81 90 Grant Thornton 200+ Competitive
26 20 BP Oil & energy 100+ £33,000+ professional services
27 26 Shell Oil & energy 70+ £32,500 82 61 Hogan Lovells Law 60 £43,000
28 35 Army Armed Forces 650 £25,727 83 73 Siemens Engineering & industrial 70-80 Competitive
29 29 Microsoft IT & telecommunications 40 Competitive 50+ voluntary
84 86 Oxfam Charity Voluntary
30 33 Clifford Chance Law 100 Competitive internships
Investment banking 85 NEW Irwin Mitchell Law 50 £25,000+
31 36 Morgan Stanley Varies Competitive
& fund mangement 86 45 European Commission Public sector Varies £41,500+
32 24 Tesco Retail 150-200 £24,000-£32,000 To be
87 52 British Airways Transport Competitive
33 31 Arup Engineering & industrial 250+ Competitive confirmed
34 27 P&G Consumer goods 100 £30,000 88 67 Local Government Public sector 120 £24,174+
35 51 RBS Banking & finance 300+ Competitive Investment banking
89 79 BlackRock 120 Competitive
36 39 Allen & Overy Law 90 £42,000 & fund mangement
Boston Consulting 90 89 Facebook IT & telecommunications Unknown Competitive
37 53 Consulting Varies Competitive
Group 91 46 Cancer Research UK Charity 8 £25,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Investment banking
38 32 Law 80 Competitive 92 92 UBS 300 Competitive
Deringer & fund mangement
39 41 Linklaters Law 110 £43,000 Investment banking
93 99 Credit Suisse Varies Competitive
40 42 Atkins Engineering & industrial 350 £22,000 & fund mangement
41 43 Sky Media 90+ £25,000-£32,000 94 NEW Savills Property 170 Competitive
42 40 Frontline Public sector 300 Competitive 95 NEW Standard Life Banking & finance 50 Competitive
43 49 BAE Systems Engineering & industrial 350+ £28,000-£30,000 96 65 Bloomberg Banking & finance 250+ Competitive
44 37 Apple Consumer goods Varies Competitive Mondelez
97 80 Consumer goods About 40 Competitive
45 38 Mars Consumer goods 40 Up to £32,000 International
Chemicals & McDonald's
46 75 AstraZeneca 80+ £28,000 98 68 Retail 100 £21,500-£24,500
pharmaceuticals Restaurants
47 44 BT IT & telecommunications 250 £27,500-£31,500 Engineering
99 NEW BMW Group 20-30 £31,000
48 69 Transport for London Public sector 150 Competitive & industrial
49 72 WPP Media 1-10 Competitive Accounting &
100 94 BDO 250 Competitive
50 56 Bain & Company Consulting Varies Competitive professional services
The hot 100: how undergraduates decided where opportunity knocks most loudly
The Times Top 100 Undergraduates taking more than 1,500 different Employers is published entry requirements and
Graduate Employers for part in the research were organisations. The 100 as a full-colour the universities they will
2016 has been compiled asked the open-ended employers with the most hard-backed book and be visiting during the
by High Fliers Research question: “Which nominations from the provides details of the 2016-2017 campus
from face-to-face employer do you think graduate class of 2016 graduate jobs and work recruitment round.
interviews with 18,353 offers the best form the new Top 100 experience available It is available now,
final-year students who opportunities for rankings. from the country’s priced £19.99, from
left UK universities graduates?” The 2016-2017 edition leading employers in top100graduate
earlier this year. Altogether they named of The Times Graduate 2017, their minimum employers.com.
the times | Tuesday October 4 2016 1GX 5
Top 100 Graduate Employers
Recruiters make light of referendum fears GETTY IMAGES
Despite apocalyptic about Britain’s impending exit of the
EU have yet to be answered, recruiters
Brexit warnings, it are not thinking about the immediate
needs of their organisation but several
years ahead. “We are already starting
is business as usual to think about our strategy for
recruitment for 2018,” Bryan says.
for employers so far, “We are considering how we need to
recruit, to attract and develop the
writes Greg Hurst graduates to be capable for the future.
These candidates won’t roll off the
I
programme until 2020, but it’s
t was known as Project Fear. important that we think ahead to
Opponents of Brexit warned attract young leaders of the future.”
repeatedly that jobs would go, Martin Blackburn, UK people
financial markets would slump and director at KPMG, says: “We typically
recession would beckon if Britain hire around 1,000 graduates each year
left the European Union. Spending and we expect this year’s intake to be
would be cut, taxes would have to rise. broadly in line with this.
So far at least, things haven’t turned “Recently we have invested heavily
out that way. The economy appears to in our graduate recruitment process,
be growing. There has been no introducing Launch Pad, which
emergency budget, although the Bank combines the traditional three stages
of England did move quickly to bring of first interview, assessment centre
interest rates closer to zero. and final interview into a single day, to
The graduate recruitment market, make it easier and more engaging for
too, appears to have been relatively millennials to apply to us.”
unaffected to date by the referendum Jenny Taylor, graduate programme
result. The 2016 Top 100 employers manager at IBM, says: “We have seen
have increased their graduate no impact on graduate recruitment
vacancies for 2017 to 22,009, up by would be as benign. Louise Bryan, It’s a deal: like the UK that time it was too early to say. It is numbers or outlook post the Brexit
3.2 per cent on this year’s total for the head of colleague and leadership economy, graduate still too early to say what the impact referendum.”
same companies. development at Lloyds Banking recruitment seems to would be in the candidate market, and There may yet be big implications
This does suggest a levelling off after Group, recalls a meeting with its 400 be relatively unaffected we have no plans to make changes to for graduate recruitment when Britain
five years of consistent growth: last summer interns, who will be looking by the vote to leave our graduate programme.” leaves the EU, depending on the
year the graduate recruitment market for graduate jobs for autumn 2017. the European Union Like many leading employers, Lloyds negotiated exit terms. For now,
expanded at a rate of 7.9 per cent. It is “It was June 27, the Monday after hired a full complement of candidates however, students can put any
positive growth, nonetheless. Brexit, and 80 per cent-plus of the for this autumn’s graduate programme: anxieties aside.
It did not always look as though the Q&A was linked to Brexit and what 404, similar to the previous year. Greg Hurst is The Times
short-term impact of the referendum the impact would be,” she says. “At Although many of the questions education editor
6 1GX Tuesday October 4 2016 | the times the times | Tuesday October 4 2016 1GX 7
Top 100 Graduate Employers top100graduateemplo
aduateemployers.com Top 100 Graduate Employers
Starting package delivers
ALAMY
This year’s movers and shakers
results for supermarket REX FEATURES
There are seven new entries
or re-entries in The Times
Top 100 Graduate
Employers this year.
The highest entry is by the
2nd Aldi Santander banking group,
which has had an emphatic
Aldi, the ambitious discount retailer return to the rankings in
that is currently opening a new store 63rd place, just ahead of
each week in the UK, may not be the Virgin Media, the IT and
most obvious choice as the country’s telecoms company, which
second most popular graduate makes its Top 100 debut at
employer. No 64.
But the company’s eye-catching The Royal Air Force and
starting salary of £42,000, plus an Savills, the property firm, are
Audi A4 company car, has helped to back in the league table in
take Aldi from 65th place in 2002 to 73rd and 94th places organisations have moved
almost the top of the rankings in 2015 respectively. up at least 20 places in the
and 2016. Irwin Mitchell, the law new rankings, including MI5,
Graduates are recruited for the firm, and BMW are both Herbert Smith Freehills,
company’s challenging area manager ranked in the Top 100 for another law firm and
training programme and within 12 the first time, while Standard AECOM, technical advisers.
months of starting work take Life makes a re-entry in 95th But Cancer Research UK,
responsibility for up to four of Aldi’s place. This is the Edinburgh- the European Commission,
stores. based finance company’s British Airways, Bloomberg
first year back in the and McDonald’s are heading
rankings since 2004. in the other direction,
The highest climbers in having dropped 30 or more
3rd Teach First the new Top 100 are led by places this year.
the Bank of England, which Organisations leaving the
Teach First’s mission is to recruit has jumped an impressive Top 100 in 2016 include
high-calibre graduates to teach in 34 places to 66, and Centrica, General Electric —
schools in some of the country’s most AstraZeneca, the and Sainsbury’s, which had
disadvantaged areas. pharmaceuticals company, appeared in the rankings
Since its launch in 2003, more than and online retailer Amazon, every year since 1998.
10,000 graduates from many of the which have both climbed 29 Two graduate employers
UK’s top universities have joined the places, to 46 and 52 that were new or re-entries
fast-track two-year teaching and than 900 recruitment events at many respectively. in the 2015 rankings – First
leadership programme, taking Teach
First from 63rd place in the Top 100 to
1st PwC of the country’s most prestigious
universities. And its commitment to
A further eight Derivatives, the Northern
Ireland-based technology
2nd place in 2014. providing open days, taster courses and consulting company,
Firm favouritte is a
Recruitment for the programme’s PwC, the global accounting and and work-experience placements helps and National Grid – have
2017 intake is already under way, with professional services firm, has been students to gain a first-hand insight also dropped off the list
up to 1,750 places available in both named the UK’s leading graduate into the firm’s graduate opportunities. this year.
primary and secondary schools in employer for the 13th consecutive year. PwC is already accepting Fourteen employers have
different parts of the UK. Since first reaching number one in applications for its 2017 graduate reached their highest Top
The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers vacancies and is preparing to hire 100 ranking this year,
ALAMY in 2004, PwC has recruited more than about 1,500 trainees for 29 UK offices including Lloyds Banking
perennial winner
winn
15,000 trainees and remains the including its London headquarters Group in 25th place and
4th Civil Service country’s largest private-sector (pictured). Up to half the vacancies are Transport for London at
employer of new graduates. at the firm’s accounting practice, but No 48, with Danone, the
With more than 900 vacancies on The firm’s enduring appeal with more than 700 new recruits will join yoghurt-maker, and Penguin
offer in 2017, the Civil Service Fast university-leavers is fuelled by its PwC’s consulting, actuarial, tax, Random House, book
Stream is one of the largest recruiters ambitious annual programme of more technology and legal businesses. publishers, in 60th and 61st
of graduates in the public sector. places respectively.
The Fast Stream is the principal
entry point for new graduates wanting
to work in major Whitehall
departments, such as the Cabinet 6th KPMG firms, has a staff of 212,000 people Chart hit: placed tenth numbers but graduates are recruited 13th GlaxoSmithKline planning to recruit about 300 2011, it has dropped down the Top 100
Office, Department of Health and the Although KPMG is the smallest of the working in 150 countries. The firm is in 2016, the BBC has to work as analysts in London, The healthcare company employs graduates for its London office in 2017. rankings for three years running. The
Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Big Four global accounting and currently recruiting 900 graduates been voted into the top Bournemouth, Glasgow and more than 100,000 staff worldwide company expects to hire about 30
government agencies or the Houses professional services firms, it has annually for its 18 offices in the UK. 20 by graduates every Edinburgh, with many hired through and has long been a favoured 16th HSBC graduates for its department stores
of Parliament. overtaken rivals Deloitte and EY in year for the past decade the bank’s internship programmes. destination for new graduates wanting The banking group HSBC has 6,000 and Waitrose supermarkets in the
Competition for places remains the latest Top 100 and is expecting to 10th BBC REX FEATURES to work in research and development. offices in 71 countries, serving more year ahead.
fierce, with more than 30,000 recruit 1,000 graduate trainees in 2017. The BBC is the world’s leading public But GSK also offers “future leaders” than 47 million customers. It expects
applicants for the programme in 2016. service broadcaster and is a programmes for graduates wanting to to recruit more than 500 trainees in 19th Jaguar Land Rover
7th Deloitte consistently popular choice for work in engineering, IT, marketing, 2017 for its global graduate The motor manufacturer holds the
GETTY IMAGES
Deloitte is the third of the major graduates aspiring to work in the sales, human resources and finance. programmes, with roles in commercial record for being the fastest-climbing
accounting and professional services media. There are opportunities to banking, global banking and markets, employer in the history of the Top 100,
5th Google firms ranked in this year’s top ten work on the BBC’s radio and television 14th Lidl retail banking, wealth management having jumped more than 70 places
graduate employers. The firm has channels and iPlayer, with up to 40 Discount retailer Lidl joined the Top and private banking. between 2010 and 2014. It is offering
It is just 20 years since Google 244,000 employees worldwide and places on graduate training schemes. 100 as a new entry in 89th place in 250 vacancies on its graduate
expects to hire 1,200 new graduates 2009 and has climbed the rankings 17th Accenture programmes next year, with roles
founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin
for its UK offices in the next year. 11th Unilever each year since. Now in the top 20 for The global consulting and technology available in engineering, research
built their first search engine while
With more than two billion customers the first time, Lidl is set to recruit at company Accenture is a former No 1 and development, IT, finance,
studying at Stanford University.
8th NHS in 190 countries, Unilever makes some least 240 graduates for management graduate employer in the Top 100. It marketing, sales, purchasing and
In that time, Google has become
The National Health Service is of the world’s best-known brands. It development programmes in 2017, continues to be a substantial recruiter logistics.
one of the world’s best-known
Europe’s biggest employer, with has one of the UK’s longest-running with sector-leading starting salaries of of university-leavers in the UK and is
technology companies and a popular 20th Barclays
1.5 million staff. As well as the graduate development schemes and its up to £44,000. planning to hire more than 500 new
employment choice for new graduates. Barclays is an international banking
thousands of new graduates who join ranking in this year’s Top 100 is graduates in 2017, with vacancies in
Google first appeared in the Top 15th Goldman Sachs and financial services group with
the NHS each year as health Unilever’s highest since 2002. London, Manchester, Newcastle and
100 in 85th place in 2005 and has With a staff of more than 34,000 130,000 staff in more than 40
professionals, it recruits up to 100 Edinburgh.
now been ranked in the top ten 12th JP Morgan worldwide, Goldman Sachs is one of countries worldwide. Its operations
university-leavers for its Graduate
graduate employers in the UK for The global banking firm has reached the best-known names in investment 18th John Lewis Partnership include retail and corporate banking,
Management Training Scheme.
three years running. its highest position in the Top 100 and banking and financial services. It has Although John Lewis has been investment banking and wealth
It is has graduate vacancies in sales, 9th EY graduates rated it the top investment appeared in the top 20 graduate graduates’ employer of choice for management, mortgage lending and
technology, engineering, HR and EY, the fourth of the Big Four bank for the second year running. JP employers in each edition of the Top retail at The Times Graduate credit cards. The bank recruits about
marketing in 2017. accounting and professional services Morgan does not reveal its vacancy 100 for the past 15 years and is Recruitment Awards each year since 300 graduates each year in the UK.
8 1GX Tuesday October 4 2016 | the times the times | Tuesday October 4 2016 1GX 9
Top 100 Graduate Employers Top 100 Graduate Employers
Different paths can lead Variety adds Switch points towards career in property Applying hundreds of students
have followed these
to the same destination Wellcome early pays paths: 191 took part in
Hattie Maud underwent with people from across business insight week
spice to the a Damascene
conversion in her final
the company.
“The interview was a
handsome placements, 150 joined
the talent academy and
programme year studying theology
at Durham University.
couple of weeks later. I
thought they were
dividends nearly 500 were
granted summer
Instead of pursuing a genuinely interested in internships.
Elena Gillies was career relevant to her me, my hobbies and After his summer
Last-minute decision engineers a change of direction undecided about a
career, but then found a
degree, she decided she
want to work in the
interests. I was in the
choir at Durham and
Lucas Batchelor took
the first steps to a
internship and a testing
interview, Batchelor,
graduate development property industry and sang in the Albert Hall career when he just 17, now 19, received a
Nikki Clarkson, to do something more programme that offered embarked on a Masters and we talked about applying for a place on conditional job offer,
like many material to everyday life; the chance to work in in Real Estate at the that. I think they were PwC’s business insight some two years before
students, for example, you can’t many different divisions University of Reading. looking for people who week. This proved a many of his fellow
waited until go outside without of an organisation She says: “During the can relate to others great chance to undergraduates will
her final year seeing cars on the road. before settling in the My new role: course, I applied to join across a field of network with other start thinking about
at university The other job involved one best suited to her. Elena Gillies Savills [the estate different interests.” people, followed by careers. He needs to
to apply for process engineering.” She says: “Studying helps set up agency] as a trainee Maud, 22, joined time in an office achieve at least a 2:1,
a job — and Clarkson was one of English Literature, a Friday Lates surveyor on its Savills four weeks ago working with teams on but that should not be a
then chose a 330 graduates taken on subject I really liked, at at the Wellcome graduate scheme. and says: “I was given a live projects. problem because he
different in September last year. King’s College London I knew its training three-day induction He says: “It was was top of his faculty
speciality from the This year’s intake was was an exciting Collection
programme is the best course and there are brilliant, learning what summer internship with 90 per cent in the
one she was studying. 240 and the company opportunity. But when I in the property industry ‘lunch and learn’ type of work was on programme, a six-week first-year exams.
She says: “I started also continued to take started thinking about a obstacles to applying varied programme in “I have just joined the and one of the reasons either the residential sessions when different offer. When I decided to stretch in the Belfast He is likely to join
considering a career on students who had job, not too may people and after sending off my which the focus is on Wellcome Collection for wanting to be a or commercial teams talk about their continue to university, offices. 1,500 graduates hired
when choosing my been on placements. were interested in a form and a covering developing as broad a marketing and surveyor was a desire to development sectors. work.” the company was very Batchelor, pictured, next year, together with
A levels. Nikki Clarkson, inset, joined Jaguar Land Rover They all undergo non-numerical degree. letter, I was invited to portfolio of skills as communications team be out in the world Maud, pictured, says: Savills’ graduates are supportive. was attached to a team school leavers (145 last
“Being good at a lot of my final year on at a university careers presentations and “I wanted to stay in complete online tests, possible; or they may and am managing our meeting people rather “Savills tries to make given responsibility “I joined its two-day working in technology year) and students who
science and maths, I Gradcracker [the careers fair. It is a big, innovative inductions together — London and had visited do a phone interview choose to be more What’s On publications than sitting behind a the recruitment process from the start, in teams talent academy at consulting, a growing have been on work
was thinking about website for engineering company, mostly based “a good opportunity the Wellcome Trust [the and turn up for an specialist, basing their and helping to set up desk.” as relaxing as possible encouraged to value Easter during my first area in PwC, which, as experience placements
medicine and and technology in the Midlands, where I to make friends,” leading charity, funding assessment day in rotations on subjects our Friday Late Savills’ graduate in order to see your their contribution, and year at Queen’s Belfast, an economics student, (1,133 last year).
engineering but moved students], went to wanted to stay, and Clarkson says. research into human January last year. that really interest them. Spectaculars.” These programme offers the personality, but it was are surrounded by where I’m studying caused him some This year PwC is
towards engineering careers events and on offers a very attractive “Then it was straight and animal health] and “It was a long day, Gillies says: “I started are free and feature chance to gain an still rigorous and nerve- experts from whom economics and finance. concern. planning to hire a third
and was accepted for a site tours. salary. to work, joining the admired the work it did. with an interview, group in September last year workshops, creative internationally racking because I really they can seek help and On the second day we “I was quite worried, more graduates into
course at the University “Towards the end of “After an online materials engineering I discovered that its exercise, writing and so far have worked activities, performances recognised professional wanted to join the firm. advice. formed into teams for a but again the team was technical roles and is
of Birmingham in 2014, in my final year, I assessment, maths, department for three graduate programme assignment and with the education and and discussions. “What qualification. In Maud’s “First I sent a CV with Savills employs debate on Brexit and very supportive. also trying to open out
chemical engineering — applied for five or six literacy and situational months before two offered an extensive presentation task but it learning team and the an atmosphere!” Gillies case, the company a covering letter. That 30,000 staff and has our team came first.” Working as part of a its graduate recruitment
a subject I really jobs and was invited to judgment tests, I was further technical range of opportunities was worth going culture and society says. would support her to was followed by an 700 offices and A career with the team, you can pick up to a more diverse set of
enjoyed. go through the whole invited to an assessment placements and one within the organisation. through the hoops.” directorate. I have been “The organisation is train for the gruelling assessment day when associates worldwide. company seemed on what you need to know applicants, including
“As the course assessment process by centre for further tests non-technical with HR. “Although I applied for Gillies had applied for involved with education very focused on not examination to qualify we did exercises in It will be taking on 170 the cards and at the as long as there is ethnic minorities and
continued, I knew I two companies. and interviews. “It has been really six or seven graduate a rotational programme policy, a nationwide pigeon-holing you,” she for membership of the groups and a small graduates next year, end of his first year at someone to ask.“ those from less affluent
wanted a career in “One of them was “I got an offer from satisfying to develop a schemes, the Wellcome that offers candidates survey of young adds. “People are happy Royal Institution of piece of written work, with opportunities to Queen’s he joined PwC’s In the past year, backgrounds.
engineering but couldn’t Jaguar Land Rover, both companies but wide range of skills with Trust one was my top the chance to try out people’s attitudes to for you to be mucking in Chartered Surveyors, and were then given an work in many UK
make up mind about which had made an chose Jaguar Land help from experienced choice because it was so four jobs over two years. science and met school with everything and are specialising in opportunity to network locations.
what type of job. I spent impressive presentation Rover because I wanted colleagues.” varied. There were few Graduates can choose a governors and MPs. very supportive.”
Interviews by Tony Dawe and Jenny Knight
the times | Tuesday October 4 2016 1GX 11
top100graduateemployers.com Top 100 Graduate Employers
Apply yourself to avoid rejection It pays to make
There are many challenge, to reflect on these, what the
outcome was and what you learnt. Use
GETTY IMAGES
an early start
pitfalls to avoid examples relevant to the workplace,
not from your academic studies.
Don’t leave your job search until
your final year. While at school, try
Strengths-based questions describe a out work experience with a range
when chasing your situation and ask you what you would
do about it.
of employers, decide the sorts of
work you like, then investigate this
first job, warns Don’t go over the word limit, and
check what you have written. Some
further during university vacations
by undertaking internships in areas
James Darley employers will strike you out if you
have made spelling or grammatical
that interest you.
You need to establish where you
I
errors, or used “text speak”. would enjoy working. Visit the
n almost 20 years in graduate employer stands at careers fairs,
recruitment I have seen, screened, Online testing talk to graduates and find out what
hired and, sadly, rejected There are several categories of tests it’s really like to work there. You can
thousands of applications. Here are that employers use regularly, from do this better in the networking
a few tricks of the trade, to avoid ability tests such as verbal or session after a corporate
silly and costly mistakes. numerical reasoning, to personality presentation or at the company’s
and psychometric tests. Preparing in “drop-in” sessions.
Application forms advance is key. A university careers Does your family know someone
Honesty – employers will check your service can help you to practise at the company? Ask how many
academic qualifications. If you tell different types of tests and some graduates they take, how many
porkies you could find your offer employers include sample tests on they retain and what roles they
withdrawn. If your first-year results their recruitment websites. move to after the programme.
were not as good as you had hoped, What happens after the
include them but explain that you Assessment centres programme is key. If they are really
don’t feel they are representative of These can last for a half day, a full day committed to developing people,
what you are going to achieve. or even an overnight stay and feature there will be a structure. HSBC
Work experience — give a true and exercises, presentations, testing and established “ConnectUs”, which
accurate reflection of the work you further interviews. Remember you are provides learning, development
have done. Don’t fill gaps in your CV being assessed from the second you and networking for graduates and
to make it sound like you’ve done walk in. Testing time: group have any evidence of your strengths non-graduates post-programme.
more than you have. Recruiters aren’t In group exercises, you are thrown exercises can provide a and abilities. If an organisation doesn’t have
looking for a long-winded description into a team of other candidates and difficult challenge for Be yourself and try to enjoy it. The something like this, is it really
of activites; they’re trying to see what set a challenge. Many struggle with some candidates at best feedback that I receive is from interested in building a long-term
you have learnt and how you have this, thinking that they have to be the assessment centres candidates who say they have no idea relationship with you?
developed. leader. Instead, do something within if they got the job but they enjoyed the JOHN MOREWOOD
Questions — competency questions the team that helps to get the task day. They often leave with an offer. Head of Emerging Talent
ask you to write about a time when done. James Darley is director of strategic Europe at HSBC
you overcame a problem or rose to a But don’t stay silent, or we won’t alliances at Teach First
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