We recently caught up with Alexandra about how they secured an HR Graduate role with Persimmon Homes, how Bright Network helped them secure the role and their top tips for members looking to follow in their footsteps.
What attracted you to the role at Persimmon Homes and to working for them?
I was initially attracted to working for Persimmon as I wanted to contribute to and work for a company that makes a positive impact. This desire is met through Persimmon striving to help meet the ever-growing housing needs of the UK through providing large numbers of new build and affordable homes. As an employee who has worked for Persimmon for over a year (three months in the Graduate Scheme), I can confirm that working for them is a rewarding profession. The role provides a great deal of gratification in the knowledge that you are working for a company that are helping to provide homes for a range of buyers, including first-time buyers and people who need support to get onto the property ladder.
How did Bright Network help you secure this role?
As a current employee at Persimmon, I reached out to the Director of Talent and Diversity internally to find out more about the Graduate Scheme. Upon finding out further details, I applied through the Bright Network webpage, submitting my application and details. The application process was clear and quite straightforward. Bright Network kept me informed throughout the whole application process and sent updates and support along the way.
What is the culture like at Persimmon Homes?
The culture at Persimmon promotes a good working attitude and encourages hard work, but also provides the support needed to be able to do this. The housebuilding industry is production driven, which can often create a perceived image of a poor culture that potentially disregards employees, however, I believe this is the opposite at Persimmon. In my view, at Persimmon’s Head Office, the culture is friendly, supportive and I believe everyone works towards the same shared goals of the company.
How did you show a passion for the firm?
During the application process and specifically the interview section it’s vital to show your passion for the company. I showed my passion for Persimmon through researching the company history (establishment year, previous CEOs and any landmark dates/activities), the strategy and then any big upcoming changes for the company, and mentioned these within the interview process. All of the information can usually be found on the company website, so I made sure to read over this and make notes. I also looked on LinkedIn to find supporting information. Additionally, within the interview process, I also made sure to include my thoughts around challenges within the industry, which highlighted my passion. As part of this conversation, I included potential solutions to increase the number of women within construction and how to increase and support talent within the business to help bridge talent gaps. Discussing these topics allowed me to show initiative and highlighted my interest in the industry, and specifically my interest in how to develop Persimmon.
What would be your top tip for Bright Network members to follow in your footsteps?
My top tip would be to utilise any support available. Many universities have a Careers and Placements Hub or department for students to use, I’d highly recommend using this professional support. These individuals have seen hundreds of applications and know all of the top tips to make an application stand out. Support available often includes CV writing, interview preparation etc., which all helps to build confidence. Alternatively, use a supportive organisation, such as Bright Network, whose role is to connect members to employers. Looking for graduate positions can be difficult and can often be challenging searching and applying for these alone. However, there are so many avenues for support and I really think this helps to increase motivation and provides well-needed support.
What has been the most exciting task you've worked on in your first few months in your role?
I have been working closely with the Director of Talent and Diversity at Persimmon to help support the pilot programme for the Talent Review. The pilot has been conducted in two Operating Companies and will be rolled out across the remaining 29 Operating Companies in 2022 (Persimmon has 31 Operating Companies across the UK). The Talent Review task enables each Operating Company to identify capabilities and define the development needs of the talent within each business. This process then helps with the identification of talent at all levels, to allow retention techniques to be utilised, development plans to be commenced and potential performance management plans to be actioned. My contribution has involved preparing data and presentations, along with attending Zoom meetings with members of the Executive Committee, such as the Regional Chairman, and many other directors. The task has given me great exposure to the process and to these employees. It’s great to be involved in such a high profile task as a Graduate at Persimmon.
Let us know where you've secured your work experience, internship or graduate role. We want to celebrate your success with a gift from us and exclusive invitations to evening networking drinks throughout the year.
