1. Stand out from the crowd!
Preparing for graduate employment

2. By the end of today’s session you will be aware of:
Factors affecting graduates 2010
Factors affecting your employability
Your skills as a graduate engineer
What support is available to develop your career and skills at Warwick

3. Are there any graduate jobs?
How ready am I to apply for a job?
What do I need to do?
What can I do?
What will happen if I don’t get a job before graduation?

4. Reasons to be cheerful
Graduate recruitment news
UK Picture- Sept 2010

5. Reasons to be cheerful The UK Picture- Sept 2010
“Despite mixed economic news recently, there are welcome signs of greater stability on the graduate market front - plus a number of reasons for optimism.”
UK economy 1.7% growth in the 2nd quarter -positive contributions from key sectors such as... “manufacturing and construction (including engineering)”
1/10 firms failed to fill all their current graduate vacancies and (73%) still accepting applications
projected level of graduate recruitment for 2011 >26%
Sources: Institution of Engineering and Technology report Sept 2010
Explain who the AGR are : Association of Graduate Recruiters – represent the largest (often global) employers in the UK who represent around 17,000 vacancies at top employers
Consulting was affected variably depending on type of firm eg Big 4 Advisory divisions and the top tier strategic consulting firms reduced their intakes but firms which are more technology or data based like CapGemini and Accenture reamined fairly buyoyant. So the 52% increase was not felt at the type of firms MSM graduates generally have tended to apply to .
Confidence is now increasing amongst some graduate employers and they are cautiously starting to rehire – in fact banking and finance is expecting a strong bounce back and there are also reasonable prospects in areas like general commercial graduate training schemes. Lets see what is predicted for next year

7. Sample of jobs Engineering graduates- 2008/2009
Project Manager, Information Security, Procter and Gamble
Production Planner, Colgate Palmolive
Engineering Consultant, Arup
System Analyst, IBM
Graduate Leadership Programme, Unilever
Senior Project Accountant, Network Rail
IT Consultant, RBS
Distribution Manager, AstraZeneca
Engineer, Cathay Pacific Airlines

8. Employers who take on Warwick Engineering graduates
Procter & Gamble
Centrica
Unilever
Cummins
GE Aviation
EDF Energy
Fujitsu
National Grid
Rolls Royce
Aston Martin
Lagonda Ltd
Airbus
Atkins
IBM
Network Rail
RWE
Npower
Schlumberger
Siemens
We have more than 70 different employers coming to do presentations. The ones on this slide represent some you may find particularly relevant, However, we also attract law firms, banks, accountancy firms and others such as public sector organisations.
These are also at the top of Rootes. Usually they are presented by a team of employers including approachable new graduates. They usually do a presentation followed by informal chat over – food!
To find out who’s coming have a look at our website.
If you’re not so interested in these companies we have many diverse companies doing more informal talks. These are also on our website under ‘Careers Sessions’. To give you some examples we have – getting into social work, working in an embassy and Careers in arts and cultural management.

9. Are you employable?

10. To be employable is to be secure.
What is employability?
“To be employed is to be at risk,
To be employable is to be secure.
Dr Peter Hawkins, 2005

11. The Graduate Jobs Formula
E= Q + WE + S x C ?
Employability = Qualifications +Work Experience + Strategies X Contacts
The Graduate Jobs Formula, 2010, Dr Paul Redmond

12. What Employers Seek AGR UK Survey July 2010
2.1 Undergraduate Degree : 77.5%
Specific Degree Subject: %
From particular Universities %
Relevant Work Experience: 33.5%
Demonstrate certain competencies 62.8%
Recent research by large graduate employers in the UK give a fascinating insight into what is important to them
Explain what we mean by ‘2.1’ – explain if your degree is from outside UK employers will look at equivalent (ie about 60%+ in your degree). Some also ask for’UCAS’ points – explain. Can use naric organisation to check how many UCAS points their non A Level or international qualifications amount to.
Specific degree subject – explain that for other 67% it doesnt matter what your degree is in! Even for: accounting and finance, law etc. Good news – you can pretty much go into any areayou like (other than science, medecine, engineering ) as long as you show a real interest in that career area and can explain where you have gained relevant general skills. Bad news- you’re in competition for jobs in your sector with undergraduates and/or graduates in subjects like English and history.
Provided you have a 2.1 from a reasonable quality Uni – the employer then turns their attention to other factors.
Experience – relevant means in the same sector. Surprised ? This is becoming more important but still not of primary interest to large employers (smaller employers may feel differently). Relate to specific sectors students are targeting
Skills and qualities: idea of competencies.(behaviours associated with success often indicating management potential).Show what these are next...

13. What factors influence your employability?
Work experience
Knowledge of target market
Employability
Self presentation
Awareness of
career options
Your work experience (pre Masters and during your studies)
Your academic results
Your awareness of the options
How well you research your target market
How soon you start your search
Clarity and presentation of your CV
Your employability, your skills, motivations, interests
Motivations & interests
Academic results

14. goal for improving your
How employable are you?
Think about your:
Work experience?
Market knowledge?
Academic results?
Self presentation?
Motivation?
Career options?
Time for Action
Set yourself one SMART
goal for improving your
employability this
week

15. Online Engineering Information
www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/careers/departments/science/engug

16. How can we support you? Access to placement opportunities
Online vacancy list
Employer Events & Workshops
1-1 Guidance
Warwick Advantage

17. Events and workshops Technology & Engineering Tuesday 23rd Nov
For more information,
register on My Advantage

18. Your Careers Consultant
Andy Lloyd
Careers Consultant
School of Engineering
Phone:
If you want a good job like those shown in the last slide, you need to start early! It may be hard, but because of the way recruitment works in this country, you will need to take action almost as soon as you start a Masters if you want to work in the UK.
Most jobs in large organisations are openly advertised
Most have clear selection criteria and methods
Many recruiters start looking for staff a long time before they need them to start work
Most UK courses finish in the Summer, so many firms plan to start their new recruits in one group

19. How to contact us In person: Help desk:10.00am to 6.00pm
University House, Ground Floor
Careers & Skills Library open 24/7
Phone: (general enquiries)