How to get a graduate job in Management

Careers in Management: An Introduction

Practically any organisation requires calm, steady thinkers, those who rope a workforce together and provide a sense of direction. If you have what it takes – namely a large amount of tact, drive, and inspirational characteristics – then a career in management could be for you. 

Broadly, the management sector is broken down into two camps: business management, and consultancy. The first type consists of management figures working within a company, actively making the choices that carry a venture forward. The second acts on an advisory basis, suggesting to the former category how to use resources and time effectively. 

Companies need managers to bring their vision to life. This could be in the form of marketing, e-commerce, IT, supply and distribution, or countless other areas that involve a tight network of people. Anyone looking to get into this sector should therefore appreciate the scope of available positions, as well as analysing the expertise that can justify their application. 

Why it’s such a popular route 

Simply put, leading a team to excel can be very satisfying. Graduates who show they can grasp the central tenants of a company’s outlook, and be perseverant enough to see them through, will relish the chance to jump a few steps ahead in a hierarchy. 

Management careers land you above typical entry-level wages and responsibilities, asking you to represent, enhance and maintain core values that’ll reward your efforts with progression right to the top. 

Key skills employers look for 

To be a viable management candidate, you have to exhibit a couple of core traits. Here are the most important skills you’ll need to stand out from the pack:

Ambition: The lowest barometers of a project’s success aren’t enough for you. You always want to reach higher, pushing your capabilities to the limit. 

Emotional intelligence: Natural leaders listen to and value their colleagues’ input, accommodating personal issues when they arise. 

Organisation: You have to know what’s going on at all times if you’re in charge of particular resources. 

Reliability: Deadlines don’t phase you, nor does the pressure of reporting your activity to anyone higher up. 

Charisma: People respond to your influence positively, perhaps without knowing it. Your manner and high standards encourage others to work well. 

Read more about the top Skills for a Career in Management.

Major players in the industry 

Below are the best management consultancy firms in the UK, along with more general employers renowned for their management training schemes. 

• Deloitte 
• PwC
• Microsoft 
• KPMG
• EY
• Coca-Cola
• McDonald’s

How to make your application stand out 

Above all, passion will make your CV shine, as well as proven examples of leading a group to make good on its promise. You should demonstrate just what makes you a unique and strong-headed individual, without coming across as arrogant or overly bullish. 

A lot of organisations are hungry for concrete results; your proven experience, therefore, in whatever part-time work or extra-curricular projects you’ve encountered lets an employer visualise how useful you’d be, and how quickly you might progress. Great managers always strive for more, so it’s wise to clarify why leadership fulfils you in some way. 

Additionally, demonstrate that you never balk under pressing issues. Evidencing a creative approach to spinning multiple plates at once will help your application get to the next level. 

Learn more about CVs and how to impress on your application form.

Summing up

Successful management candidates can’t help but drum up enthusiasm, innovation and great conversation around their chosen industry – if this is the route you want to follow, it’s likely that your leadership qualities are irrepressible. 

If the only thing stopping you from launching into a management career is the quandary of where to look for it, Bright Network is your new best friend.