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Why is capturing your skills so important?

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Listen to what recruiters have to say

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Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment. - Lao Tzu

When graduate recruiters are viewing applications and making decisions about who they wish to shortlist, they are looking at a range of criteria which will enable them to decide who they wish to consider. Fundamental to this process will be your academic achievement to date and predicted degree grade. Given that many applicants will pass this initial sift, recruiters will then go on to explore the following:

Jenny TaylorAt IBM, we are constantly looking for able, personable and well-rounded individuals, from all academic disciplines. Whilst our company values and encourages academic study and subsequent achievements, our new recruits must demonstrate that they've got something extra. Running a society, event or volunteering team on campus is an excellent way to demonstrate your skills in project management, handling a budget and team-working. Being able to communicate this effectively to us in interviews and application forms will definitely catch our attention.

Jenny Taylor, IBM UK Graduate Programme Manager

IBM

IBM - Winner of the Target Graduate Employer of the Year 2007, 2008

  • reasons why you have applied for this specific position;
  • reasons why you have applied to this particular organisation;
  • what you have to offer the organisation;
  • evidence of the skills and experiences you have gained to date and how these are relevant and transferrable into this setting;
  • how you have developed personally as a result of your experiences;
  • how you have taken responsibility for creating opportunities to further your learning and development.

It is this combination of motivation, evidence of research, your ability to match your skills and experience and reflect on your learning that will make your application unique and therefore more likely to stand out.

Deloitte, along with a number of employers, use an appraisal process to assist employees in effectively managing their own professional development. This system allows employees to document successful areas of work undertaken and indeed to learn from areas that are viewed as areas for development. It is important for our staff to take time to reflect on areas that need development in order for them to enhance these areas further. Students that manage their own personal development and can demonstrate that they are self aware to potential employers, will be among the more successful of our future employees.
deloitte
ChristineA number of graduates from Warwick University have joined Accenture to begin their career in consulting. The continuous success of students is due to excellent academic records, combined with good teamwork and communication skills which have been developed through practical experience. We look for well-rounded individuals who go the extra mile to work at building and improving these skills. Giving us examples of teams you have worked in, ideas you have come up with and problems you have solved will definitely help you in your application or interview.

Christine Williams, Accenture
accenture
 

Catherine BlofieldEveryone in BT is encouraged to improve their knowledge and skills, not only through traditional training but also peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing. As a student, being able to demonstrate that you have taken a proactive approach to develop and expand your skills will be extremely attractive to future employers. Taking part in extra-curricular activities is great, but it is the reflection on your learning and how these activities have improved your skills in teamwork, organisation, communication and leadership, that will help you stand out from the crowd.

 

Catherine Blofield, BT’s Graduate Attraction Manager

BT

 



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Page contact: Warwick Advantage Last revised: Tue 11 Oct 2011
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