I finished my degree, found myself floundering in a lack of interviews and ended up going on an additional 2 year microsoft training course. Moral? Don't take a games-related course such as programming and design unless its at one of the three reputed University's.
Yep.....that is definitely the case in alot of jobs (although obviously not all)Originally Posted by Barrichello
I thought I'd try to share an experience I had recently. FYI, I currently have a BEng (Hons) in Electronic and Computer Engineering and am just finishing a Masters in Mechatronics @ King's College London.
Being an international student and the way 'large' engineering firms tend to run 'assessment centres' for interviewing I applied for a job that I thought was almost 'perfect' on jimfinder.
It wanted a graduate familiar with electronic build and test, embedded systems design, web design skills and telecommunications exposure. I have all of them although I am not as competent in the web design area in a professional capacity - In my spare time though I have developed many a website in php/CSS with mySQL databases/CMMses etc. and have many years of experience with Linux/Apache and a lot more.
The recruiting lady tells me that she's impressed with my CV and passes it to the company for an interview, which they call for. The following week I get across to Oxford spending oh lets say 'a nice dinner out in town' on transport costs and during the interview it comes to light that the posted ad is.....wrong!
The recruiting lady admits that 'companies at this stage only find out what they are looking for, by first finding out what they are not looking for'. Suffice to say they did not want anyone with my skill set but someone more into the whole IT/.NET/ASP scene.
Just great...tell you what, I'm going to get back to my thesis now. Who needs a real job, get a PhD - you at least get paid for 3 years ;-)
(P. S. just jokin' about the PhD part obviously...but um, I'm actually seriously considering taking this route after I publish my first paper based on my Masters thesis).
Hope you have more positive results in the next couple of months though...I find interviewing and job hunting quite stressful, not to mention how costly it could become if one depends on public transport (including taxis!)...
bsodmike luck for the hope but i think me and god may be having words before i get any luck lol
Its is very annoying to go along for an interview and finding they want something totally different! My money situation is not great and with car tax and new insurance soon OUCH!
I wouldn't say I'm getting stressed more fed up by the day. I know companies can take a while to get back to you due to the number of applicants or getting higher management to have a look. But when they say 'i'll give you a call back tomorrow afternoon' and then don't that annoys me. I mean they may have no more news but a call just to say that, and that they will contact me in a week would suffice.
Aye, I know what you mean. It still felt rotten to have travelled to an interview with high hopes only to find it was all down hill from the get go.
Live and learn I guess. I was still suffering from Labrynthitis at the time (inner ear infection of a virus affecting my balance etc) and therefore my Mom accompanied me to Oxford, although I managed to 'go the distance' on my own thanks to a can of red bull just before the interview.
...all I wanted to do at the time was stay crawled up in bed. *Sigh*...
Has anyone been to an assessment day before? Reason i'm asking is that I just had a call from a company called Pareto. Yesterday I applied for a job that was advertise by this company and today get a call to go for a job with them lol
Even better got another assessment day next week with an engineering company.
Both assessment days take the form of group dynamic exercises, individual presentation, informal interview and a lovely psychometric test. At the moment i'm preparing my 3 min presentation for Pareto got to come up with a presentation on:
'Why Pareto should select me for a career in sales'
So fun fun fun lol
Any help on what to expect or just any little tip would be appreciated.
Thank you
I was about 4 when i first realized i had no soul, as the dripping remminents of the neighbors dog slowly began to settle through the storm drain I realised that decency isn't all its cracked up to be.
I'd been lying almost compulsively from an early age, by the time of my 6th birthday my technique was so well homed, so perfected i was able to get my teacher arrested on false molestation charges. It was that technique I've become to depend on in my later life, allowing people to build up a false sense of trust, whilst i rook them.
throw new ArgumentException (String, String, Exception)
Yes its sales but its more in the way of getting companies to use Pareto to recruit new graduate employees. The title of role is Business Development Executive.
I did a selection day a couple of years ago. Oh it was just a wall to wall laugh riot...
First hour was individual testing to see how quickly you learn new things. Apparently I did "very well" at that..
Can't give you any advice for that, just do your best.
The next bit was group tasks.. Key thing here is to stand out, for the right reasons of course. I sat back for a couple of minutes just to gauge how clever or stupid the people around me were and then launched myself in the debates and or challenges set for us. Don't wait too long to get yourself involved though. Taking charge from the get go is always good as well, but you won't know who is going to challenge you that way.
Argue your points clearly and well, negotiate where needed and do what you can to win. If you're training in law you should be able to do this well lol
After this stage was the interviews. I can't remember how many people were there with me, too many to count anyway, and I was the only one to get to the interview
That is where I did what I always do in interviews (hasn't let me down yet but it can back fire I'm sure lol) and that is to ask more questions than you answer. First it removes the need for you to answer many questions and also makes you seem interested in the job. I mean if you get to that stage you must have done something right so far so just try and use that to your advantage but without sounding cocky.. like "Why should I work for you?" *snort*.
Success I got the job!.. and turned it down
Well I didn't get the recruitment joband can't stand assessment centres which remind me of cattle markets lol
What's even more annoying is that i can't get any temp jobs! It's always the same thing 'your over qualified' etc etc Even applied for a temp job sorting recycling rubbish out, but can't even have that grgrgrgrg
Just want to earn some money and do something!!!! Anything!!!
/rant over- back to searching job sites
Well a month on and still no job
It really annoys me that i'm expected to knows a load of retail customer service skills without ever having a retail job before. I mean I have had jobs where I dealt with the public 90% of the time. Had I got the job i then had to go to a 2 day induction day where ....................they taught you about customer service.
Now, why the hell give a customer service test if your then going to teach it all to me?? Now I understand you need some customer service skills............but come on.
/rant over!
Seems i'll continue in this catch 22 situation for gods knows how long!!!
Stick in there, something will come upJust be patient and try a few new things.
I was very impressed the other day when a young girl knocked on the office door and very politely asked me if I would take a look at her CV. She couldnt have been any older than 18, straight out of college without a degree and I wish I could we could have offered her something that she was after as she had the guts and determination to try all of the offices (maybe 40-50) and hand over a CV and cover letter explaining the type of work she wanted.
The point im trying to get to is this. It doesnt matter if you have a degree or not, if you go out there and your willing to do what it takes to get where you want to be then go and do it. If it means travelling to every law company in your area with a nicely written CV, and a cover letter explaining what you wish to do, then try it. If that doesnt work at least they have your CV and cover letter, and you can then think of what else you want to do, and try the same thing. Something will come up!
It cant be any more soul destroying than being declined by Tesco or Asda or somewhere you know deep down you dont want to work.
If you give it a try, let me know how you get on
Good luck, its not easy but stick in.
AledJ (10-10-2008)
I have been to most of my local law firms to give them cv and cover letter (i addressed the cover letter individually to each firm) But they either have legal admin people working there or want someone with two years experience.
Just getting a bit frustrated at not having a job! Can't stand all this sitting at home lark!
Ah well will just have to continue to claim my JSA of £95! Not much but it did cover part of my car tax.
The day will come
Keep us all posted
did any one go to the graduate fair at Olympia today? i think it's on tomorrow aswell.
Well if you were finding it hard to get a good grad job when this thread started, you chances are even slimmer now given that the whole world economy is collapsing.... Great depression II is on its way
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