We recently caught up with Kyle about their experience securing a Marketing, Communications & Enablement Specialist role with IBM, from making his application stand out to his top tips for Bright Network members looking to follow in his footsteps.
Tell us a little bit about yourself
My story is about pushing boundaries. I don’t have any A-Levels and I dropped out of college, so I didn’t go about getting a job in the conventional way. Through work, I learned transferable skills, gained experience and this helped me to do a foundation degree and from that get accepted to a Russell Group business school. I never thought it would be possible for me to go to a top university, but I did! Keep pushing, stay motivated and resilient.
What stood out to you about IBM?
What stood out to me was the culture. IBM is a global company, and they have global opportunities! IBM felt different to the other companies I applied to because, throughout the application process, they actually allowed me to express what I wanted to get out of the role and discuss the opportunities I’d be interested in. They made me feel like they cared about what I want to do and where I want to go.
How did you make your application stand out?
By researching the company and the role. I found out what IBM’s corporate values are and exactly what they’re looking for. It usually says on the website or in the job description about their values and what they like to see in employees.
I also looked at how I could personally impact the company positively and the opportunities I could undertake. In the applications, I included how I would fit into IBM and how I resonate with the values and how I could bring value to the company.
What part of the application process did you find most challenging?
The digital interview. This was because it wasn’t like a standard interview. You don’t interact with a real human in a digital interview, and it can feel strange compared to face-to-face or virtual interviews. Little stumbles, forgetting to say something, or even looking away from the camera can affect your performance. I prepared for the digital interview using a method called STAR. I wrote down different points I wanted to include and memorised them beforehand.
I think a key thing is knowing which parts you struggle with in the application process and making the other areas of the application process really stand out, so when you do get to the final interview you can fully express everything you want to there.
If you want help with your virtual interview, complete this tackling virtual interviews module.
How did Bright Network help you secure the role?
Bright Network has been an instrumental tool in helping me look through companies and the roles. They helped me find which roles would be best for me because you can add your preferences in the job search and tailor it to what you’re looking for.
The emails are a great match-making tool. I might get an email about a role I hadn’t considered which is really interesting and fits with what I want to do.
What are your top tips for tackling tough interview questions?
Prepare! If the interview is competency-based, prepare answers for different questions like your motivations, how you’ve shown resilience and things like that. When they do ask the question, you have a variety of answers you can give to them. This keeps it more like a conversation than if you’re spending time thinking about what you want to say.
What top three tips would you give Bright Network members looking to follow in your footsteps?
- Research. This is the most important one. Never go off one source or one person’s information if you’re trying to build a clear image of what the company’s like and what they’re looking for.
- Prepare for the individual stages of the process. Bright Network helped me understand the different steps of the application process and this meant I could prepare for what was coming. Understand what they’re looking for so you can demonstrate how you fit it.
- Network. Use tools like LinkedIn to build rapport with employees and show enthusiasm for the company.
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.
