Charlotte is an International Relations with Spanish student from the University of Liverpool. She secured a place on the Area Management Graduate Scheme at Mitchells & Butlers in Birmingham, through Bright Network. 
First, please tell us a little bit about yourself.
"When I was younger, I wanted to be an Olympic gymnast. Then a fashion designer. Then a children's author. Then an interior designer. I have always been a very busy person with lots of hobbies, and was definitely someone who could be described as a 'nerd' as I often had my head in a book.
As I got older, I was Vice Chair of the Leeds Youth Council. I was really passionate about making the world a better place and improving people's lives. Loving languages too, I decided to study International Relations with Spanish.
I am in a privileged position to be able to go to university for a non-vocational degree, and I knew I was going to university to grow my independence and become comfortable living alone.
When it came to applying for graduate jobs, I knew I didn't want to be bored. Sitting behind a desk where I can get paid to twiddle my thumbs didn't appeal to me, and so when it came to applying for graduate schemes, I was more motivated when it came to opportunities and variety than a specific sector."
What motivated you to apply for the role?
“Mitchells and Butlers had listed a variety of roles and I ended up applying for two for different reasons.
For area management, I liked the idea of being given responsibility from day one and having autonomy over my working life. Having worked in hospitality, I knew it was a sector that is always evolving and would not have two days which looked exactly the same.”
What was your application journey like?
“Initially I had to submit my CV and fill out a lot of diversity information. Then I was invited to do a video interview. These didn't take long, but I was apprehensive about them, as I knew it would be hard to stand out from the other applicants at this stage.
After that, I was asked to attend an in-person discovery day, where I had an informal interview with HR, completed group tasks and attended a Q&A with current individuals on the scheme.
It was really helpful, and meant I felt a lot more confident headed into the final round of interviews, which required a total of 25 minutes of preparation. Ahead of both rounds of in person assessment, I visited my university's Careers Team for advice and a mock interview with the career coaches.”
How did Bright Network help you secure your role?
“Bright Network helped me secure my role by listing the roles in a clear, concise way on the website. I also loved using the Deadline Tracker to keep track of my applications.”
What are you most proud of about your journey?
“I found it challenging to apply my non-business degree to more corporate jobs, especially at the point of completing online assessments.
Additionally, it was hard to find the balance between doing work for my degree and filling out applications to a high standard, so I’m proud of being able to overcome both of those things and secure a role.”
What are your tips for people looking to follow in your footsteps?
“My advice would be to fill out applications as and when you can but try not to put pressure on yourself.
I would also recommend making the most of your university Careers Team, even as an alumni!
Remember there is so much luck involved in job hunting and the most unexpected experiences can be really helpful in getting you to the next stage in the application process.”
Tell us about the future. What’s next?
“The scheme is two and a half years long and I will be relocating for it.
I look forward to having my own space and establishing myself within a new team. Hopefully I get on well with the other graduate recruits as they’re often friendly. I’m excited to be able to apply my knowledge in real time, instead of just writing about what I know in endless essays.”
Find insight schemes, graduate jobs, internships and more at Bright Network.
