Whilst studying History at QMUL, Rahim has done fantastically to secure himself a graduate role at The Frontline Organisation. Rahim was kind enough to answer our questions and offer his insight into the application process.
Why did you choose Frontline and this role in particular?
I have always had a passion for aiding those in need, and doing my bit whether through charity or community work to make a difference in society. I spent endless time searching for a career or sector to go into after completing my degree, however, I had no luck until I came across Frontline. It was their mission statement ‘to transform the lives of vulnerable children’ that captivated me, and I knew Frontline was for me.
Frontline is a non-profit organisation who are committed to transforming the lives of vulnerable children and families through recruiting outstanding individuals into child protection social work. Although going into a profession such as teaching is equally rewarding and allows you to make a difference, social work will enable to go beyond the school gates and tackle the issues facing individuals outside of the education sphere.
What was the hardest part of the application process? And your favourite part?
Ironically the hardest part of the application process was equally my favourite. The final stage of the application process was to attend an assessment centre where you would take part in various activities and would be assessed against Frontline’s competencies. From booking the assessment centre date to arriving, I was overwhelmingly anxious. However, after the first task, everything felt much smoother and could not wait for the next! One of the tasks that I anticipated to be the most challenging was the role play. This is when you will role play as a social worker having a one-to-one conversation with a family member, played by a professional actor. I had never done anything like this before, and did not know what to expect! Nonetheless, it was the highlight of my day and really put me in the shoes of a social worker.
Were you surprised by anything in the process?
I was very encouraged by the level of support the Frontline recruitment team provided throughout the application process. For instance, before attending the assessment centre, I was given a coaching call. This was extremely helpful and gives you a chance to ask any questions or query anything about the day.
What three top tips would you give to fellow Bright Network members looking to follow in your footsteps?
1. Always remain curious – be willing to go home after a jobs fair or learning about a vacancy on Bright Network and research it more in depth.
2. Be resilient – If I was asked this time last year “what are your plans after university?” I would not have had a clue. I remember being rejected for couple applications in different fields, and feeling that I would not get into any programmes or find a career that I genuinely wanted to thrive in. In spite of this, I did not give up, and I am very fortunate to have come across Frontline.
3. Follow your passion – perhaps one of my regrets is that I spent an endless amount of time in looking for graduate schemes or vacancies in an area that I knew I would not enjoy. Finance and banking, for example, is not a sector that I could envision myself in but I continued to apply because that’s the mainstream industry significant amounts of graduates go into. Be brave and willing to challenge the norm, and more importantly look into a sector that you could picture yourself part.
