Best Practise guidance on securing a place on a graduate program
Aasia Baraky, Senior Talent Acquisition Consultant - Early Careers at Buro Happold, gives her best practice guidance on securing your graduate programme place.
Graduate schemes and programs are an excellent way to kick start your career; however the process can be quite competitive and sometimes long. Every organisation is different in terms of how they assess and recruit their early careers talent, however it typically starts with an application. The below tips can be useful considerations for your application success:
- Make sure your application is relevant to the job you are applying for. It may seem obvious however it is important that you demonstrate your understanding of the job requirements and apply if you have the relevant degree discipline and/or skills
- It is not actually essential that you meet the “desirable” list of skills/knowledge. However, it is important that you express your enthusiasm for the type of work the team specialise in.
- Ensure that you explore the organisation before starting your application and genuinely make note of what excited you about the organisation and/or their projects.
- Researching sought after technical and software skills for the discipline and/or industry you want to get into can be incredibly useful. There are many excellent resources available to upskill yourself on such software’s which can strengthen your application
- Familiarise yourself with the recruitment process for the organisation you want to work for. Many organisations have “Candidate Packs” available on their website for you to access, alternatively you can always contact the early careers recruitment team.
- Ensure that you prepare for each stage of the recruitment process as much as you can. Every organisation’s approach may be different, some incorporate assessment centres in their selection process and others rely on the quality of your application to make their decision to interview.
- Take advantage of the resources available to you. Many university career’s teams and online partners offer services that allow you to practise your skills before the big day.
- Please share any details or adjustments that you need to make the experience comfortable for you. Many talent acquisition teams and hiring managers attempt to make the process as comfortable and inclusive as possible so try not to avoid making suggestions or requesting alternative’s that will help you perform at your best.
- Finally, try and be patient and enjoy the process. Although the application process can be challenging and frustrating at times, try and enjoy the conversation you have with employers and the insights each stage of the process brings to you.