e-mag

Plan A. is on track but what about Plan B. or Plan C...

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29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES

Editors letter—Plan A on track... 3

AllAboutCareers.com—Mix it up! 4

5 Top Ways to Improve Your Employability... 5

Business Champions—the story of ‘Exbay’ 6

What do students really want when they meet recruiters on campus? 8

Need a career break? 9

Give your Careers Service a Chance 10

The BIG Network 12

100 Students, 35 Universities, 16 Graduate Recruiters—all under one roof 13

Recruiter News: 14

ACCA 15

Accenture 16

Bibby Financial Services 18

Centrica 19

Deloitte 20

Eversheds LLP 21

Financial Services Authority 22

Hiscox 23

IBM 24

ICAEW 25

Kantar Worldpanel 26

KPMG 27

npower 28

Pinsent Masons 30

PwC 31

Softcat 32

Contents *Front cover Image courtesy of Horia Varlan, ‘High resolution book photos’

BRIGHT FUTURES 29 SEPTEMBER 2011

So you’ve managed to get through the trauma of A-levels and further education to get you that all important place at university. Plan A (your Academics) is firmly on track, even more so if you are a second year or finalist. But have you considered Plan B and Plan C? Many students look into setting up their own business (Plan B) or lining themselves up for their dream career (Plan C). This month’s edition of the Bright Futures e-mag will share with you how you can start developing your other plans in and around your academics. Business Champions is ready to be launched come 1st October and sets about embracing entrepreneurial spirit in a ‘live’ business competition. Offering students the chance to put their ideas to life with the opportunity to gain real funding with professional support throughout. The main aim is to raise as much money as possible from their business idea for charity, gaining great skills along the way and prizes up for grabs. And who knows, you may even end up with a business of your own! Be

inspired and read about one of last year’s participants—Exbay. You can also check out the npower Future Leaders Challenge and bag yourself a trip to ‘The Land of the Midnight Sun’ (that’s the Arctic to you and me) and make yourself a whole team of furry friends whilst dog sledding across the vast snowy plains! If you are more of a Plan C kind of person, you might want to check out all the fun and interesting activities our Bright Futures Investors are up to by giving the recruiter pages a peak along with The BIG Network. We also have great advice given by our partners AllAboutCareers on embracing variety at university, as well as finding out about how your university Careers Service can help you , written by our guest blogger Matthias Feist, Head of Careers and Business Relations at Regent’s College, London. When it comes to deciding on your plans, it doesn't have to be one or the other. In fact, employers want you to show you’ve had a balanced lifestyle and pushed yourself beyond the world of lectures, exams & essays. So check out this month’s content and see how you can get the ball rolling to help you stand out from the crowd. No matter what year you are in, what discipline you decided to study, what your future interests are, or even if you have already graduated, Bright Futures is here to help. Enjoy the journey...

Jackie Regional Manager

Plan A on track, but don’t forget about Plan B & Plan C...

Mix it up! Variety is the spice of life… In a time when employers are looking for so much more than ‘just’ a degree, it’s important to get involved with as many extra-curricular activities as possible. This shows that you didn’t just sit around all day, attending the odd lecture and coming up with new drinking games. It also shows that you didn’t just bury your head in the books. After all, university is about so much more than expanding your mind academically; it’s about becoming a well-rounded, versatile individual. You’ve got to mix things up to keep them fresh and exciting!

How am I supposed to balance everything? You may be wondering how on earth you could fit something

else in on top of your workload, but if you plan ahead and stay organised, you’ll have enough time for absolutely anything. So, what can you do outside of your university work? The options are pretty endless. A good start would be to attend the Freshers’ Fair at the beginning of each year. You’ll have the opportunity to try out anything and join all kinds of societies, from sports teams to knitting groups and tea-appreciation societies, not to mention the Bright Futures Society. Anything you do, will give you a great opportunity to meet new people and take on something that will offer an alternative to your studies. If you find that there isn’t a team or society for something that you’re interested in, don’t be afraid to set one up. If you have enough people who are keen to get involved, then why not? It shows initiative and will look fantastic on your CV. You’ll also find that joining a club will improve your social life no end. With various nights out, events and weekly gatherings or fixtures (for the sportier ones amongst you), there’s loads to keep you busy and take your mind off those looming deadlines. A lot of students boost their work experience by getting involved in something that they’re already interested in. For example, if you want to be a journalist, get writing for the student paper. If you’re interested in music, start up a student band. It’s all valuable experience and will help you to combine your extra-curricular interests with your career development plans.

Where does university work fit into all of this? It’s important to remember that work comes first, but that doesn’t necessarily have to mean locking yourself away in a dark room with a pot of tea, a laptop, the latest Radiohead album and 284 textbooks for company.

Chat to the other people on your course and think about starting up a study

group. This way, you’ll be mixing with other people, sharing ideas and getting

some work done. No student can be expected to stare at the same four walls all

day. You’ll be surprised at how many people on your course will appreciate you

setting up something like this. You could even have your first study group

session at the pub!

Written by Jack Collins Managing Editor @ AllAboutCareers.com

29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES

Image courtesy of woodleywonderworks, ‘chilli on white’.

BRIGHT FUTURES 29 SEPTEMBER 2011

5 TOP WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR EMPLOYABILITY...

AS A STUDENT:

1. Societies and Clubs – get actively involved, ideally at committee level. Employers recognised that taking a lead role in a society was, after an internship, the best way to develop the skills wanted for the world of work. So, try societies like the Bright Futures Society, the UK’s largest career focused student society.

2. Get an internship or placement – it is seen by employers as the number one way to develop work based skills.

3. Do more than just your degree at University – do non-academic activities, and if not in societies & clubs, then in activities that will get you noticed and show your can achieve to a high level. Examples vary from music to running a marathon; organising a large event to working abroad (and not just Australia!)

4. Get any work experience but make the most of it – seek additional responsibilities (which means ask for rather than waiting to be given).

5. And hugely important; learn how to sell yourself and the employability skills you have gained. Look at our link on how to write a strong CV. http://www.bright-futures.org.uk/cvs/ and also check out our youtube video “Top Tips to CV Writing” http://youtu.be/glVu3FU1wRE

AS A GRADUATE:

1. Get into work as soon as you can after University the longer the gap the more employers question you AND when in work you are developing your skills and with them your employability

2. Don’t think that post graduate study will automatically make you more employable – it might for some but not for all

3. Volunteer for a charity to fund raise – as this will develop great selling and persuasive skills along with project management skills if you are organising an event

4. Don’t worry if it is not your ideal role as long as it is a step in the right direction and part of a long term plan you will be able to show to future employers you had a plan and were not drifting, like too many graduates do.

5. And as with student learn how to sell yourself and the employability skills you have gained. Look at our link on how to write a strong CV. http://www.bright-futures.org.uk/cvs/ and also check out our youtube video “Top Tips to CV Writing” http://youtu.be/glVu3FU1wRE

Whether you are a student or a graduate you can find out more about Bright Futures by visiting our website www.brightfutures.co.uk here you can also check out more hints and tips,

advice and information about careers, job hunting and recruiters.

http://brightfutures.co.uk/events/business-champions.html

THE BEGINNING Exbay all started when we received a newsletter telling us about a competition hosted by Bright Futures & PwC that enabled students with a business idea to start their own business and receive funding and mentoring. So a few of us got together and came up with something Exeter University was lacking; namely a place for students to get the items they needed for cheap, or sell the things they no longer wanted for some extra cash. For this we thought nothing would be more flexible and student-

friendly than a website, which meant an online based exchange point. We didn't want to charge commission to users so we decided to make our revenue from advertising on the website.

GETTING THE GO AHEAD We sent in the application to Bright Futures and waited. But, it didn't take long until we were invited to a development day in London. Here we met other teams, worked on developing vital skills and met our PwC mentor, Victoria Knox. Victoria deserves a large thank you for helping us get organised, spot problems and becoming a better team all around! The development day also included how to give presentations. Not many first years have much experience in giving presentations to a panel of senior partners, so the advice was of great help. It put every team in the mindset of the business competition, which required a rigorous, but genuinely fresh and original production. We were indeed given inspiration to deliver an interesting and smart presentation, without letting it fall into a dull conventional “déjà-vu”.

DEALING WITH THE CHALLENGES Things were going great after the launch, signing up two contracts and promoting to the students. However, we faced various challenges along the way. One of the biggest was working as a team while being in 3 different countries for our holidays. Management of the funding received from Bright Futures was another. We had to follow budget constraints throughout and reach a consensus among the team-members about what is worth spending money and what is not. This made us thoroughly consider the consequences of any investment made.

A PRIZE WORTH WORKING FOR In March we were to give two presentations before the judges. By now we had gelled enormously as a team and felt we were well prepared for the final. Managing to overcome the inevitable nerves (and a particularly bad case of food poisoning), we were awarded second prize and places on the PwC Insight Academy! This was a fantastic experience with an action-packed three days of assessments, presentations and networking; which focused on both our individual and inter-personal skills.

FUTURE AMBITIONS We have ambitious plans for our business. Clearly, the overriding priority is to increase our presence on the Exeter campus. To achieve this we will be stepping up our marketing, meaning plenty more posters, leaflets and social media campaigns, in addition to spreading the word through fresher’s week. We also plan to increase links with the Student’s Union as part of our effort to reach a larger section of the student population. Beyond this, we are looking at the potential of introducing the concept on campuses throughout the UK.

Business Champions has given us a truly unique opportunity. Without the seed funding, mentoring and the opportunity to develop as businesspeople, we would have neither a business nor the numerous skills and experiences the competition has given us.

BRIGHT FUTURES 29 SEPTEMBER 2011

Business Champions: The Story of ‘Exbay’

29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES

What do students really want when they meet recruiters on campus?

A personal perspective

“We love to meet senior management. Promote the fact that

they are coming”

“I want to talk to individuals beyond the graduate team who

would be also happy to talk to me after the event and quick to

respond”

“When we feel like we have met real people not just the

rehearsed corporate person we want to hear about real experiences,

who they are, not just work related”

“Why they enjoy the job. Why they do it not what they do”

“All presentations are the same and they are too repetitive”

Hands on experience

“Business games/case studies and educational events are a big draw” “Interactive events deliver message in an enjoyable way” “Talk about work life balance, working hours etc what its really like” “Follow up with events in your offices”

More than what is on the website

“I can find out the content of most presentations in 5 minutes from the comfort of my bedroom” “Meeting people at fairs who just tell you to go to the website makes you wonder why you made the effort”

Want to have your say? Change the way recruiters engage with students on campus by telling us what you think of the recruitment process and how you think it could be better. Contact us today: society@brightfutures.co.uk

Don’t give the wrong messages

“Don’t reject me for lack of technical skills if you didn’t tell me they were important in the first place”

“If you are already on campus, why aren’t you interviewing me?”

“Tell me realistically what my chances are”

…And afterwards

“If I met some one with a great CV I would fast-track them to assessment centre”

“Help me be more successful through the application process”

“Why can’t I have the telephone number of the recruitment team? Don’t they want to recruit me?”

BRIGHT FUTURES 29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES 29 SEPTEMBER 2011

Need a career break? Why in Holly’s case a sabbatical makes everyone a winner

Sabbatical = a month ‘off’, a break, some time away, i.e. an easy ride. Oh how wrong you can be..... I spent my entire sabbatical working a 6 day week up at 6am every day and enjoyed every precious moment [well best not to ask about my rat/snake/deadly ant problem!] I set off from the UK flying out through Amsterdam and Kenya before touching down in Tanzania prior to a 10 hour bus journey and 3 hour off road drive. 29 hours of travel later I arrive in the Mufindi area of Tanzania where I am welcomed by the two members of the Peace Corps I was to work with. Having spent the first few days getting to grips with the work of the NGO most broadly I elected to take on four projects in Education, Healthcare, Income Generation and General Admin. All had their own separate challenges and ensuring I could get each one completed within the timescale is was unquestionably tough but the satisfaction of achieving each is so widely impactful I can’t complain. Although to some extent I am using the skills I have in my ‘day job’ their application has been so vastly different it is great to use them in an alternative way and a good reminder about flexibility. It is a great opportunity to see what can be achieved when time and resources are short and your greatest currency is your skill.

I [like many] could talk all day about my time in Tanzania but if you would like to find out more do check out the Bright Futures blog at http://brightfutures.co.uk/news/our-blog.html here you will find a summary of each of the projects objectives and conclusions to give you a feel and perhaps some inspiration. After 4 weeks of the best hard work I could have imagined. I have come back into the business renewed and refreshed with a focused vision of not only my own skills but a greater confidence in my ability, single handed or in a team to make things happen. The team I worked with were buoyed by new enthusiasm, the community I worked with have

moved things forward they were unable to do single handed and Bright Futures and I have both benefited from the experience. So all in all I can now say first hand, if you are looking for a career break, a sabbatical really might be the answer. One thing though, if someone asks you if you fancy doing some volunteering work out in Tanzania in your summer, do remember that in July it is 3⁰c and Kilimanjaro is not the only mountain – need I say more?

Holly

29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES

If you follow the recent coverage on careers services and how they support students, you will find a certain amount of anxiety. Ever more graduates apply for a scarce number of positions, while universities are under increasing resource pressure to return on the investment made by their students. For those working in your uni to support you, this may often feel like having to do more with less. Investing into career services, for students, is crucial to help you – you can rely on their heads to push for more resources as you read this; but there are three things you can do to help them – and yourself – to achieve this return on investment:

Go see them now! Don’t wait, here … take my bike. As soon as you finish reading, call them, email them, open their website, or just walk

there – just do it right away. You will find that at whatever stage in your studies you are, they will have some activity or resource to engage

with – so make sure you book an appointment. We often see with candidates who have an ‘urgent’ enquiry that it is only urgent because they didn’t prepare well in enough in advance. And there are things you can prepare in first year that will become relevant in your final year. Here’s your chance – do it right now, and your stress levels will be significantly less than

later. I’ll wait until you’re back…

Ok, now that you’re back: prepare for that visit! Again, the more prepared you are, the more you can make of the experience. If I were

to give you one website on which you can pretty much find any

chance...

Give your

Careers

Service a

1.

2.

BRIGHT FUTURES 29 SEPTEMBER 2011

Give your

Careers

Service a

resource for careers guidance to start you off, I would nominate www.prospects.ac.uk. It’s the official voice of careers advisors in the UK and their resources are simply stunning. From helping you answer the question of ‘what job would suit me’ to detailed information about whole job sectors, roles and real live vacancies, along with statistics on graduate employment. This stuff is a must, wherever you want to work (or go for interview) in the UK. There are literally hours of reading to do, right up to your appointment (and then after that). Subscribe to their RSS feeds, friend them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter. Again, as soon as you’ve closed this page … you get the picture.

And this is the tough one – give your Careers Service a chance: they won’t always know what you want at first, and they won’t always be

able to give you right away what you’d like. But they will be committed to help you find out and achieve your aims. They are ,in

that sense, a bit like a gym – I know, because I’ve worked in both – membership alone doesn’t yield the benefits you’re looking for. It’s how

often … no, … it’s how well you use it. A high volume of usage doesn’t mean always better results. It’s much more effective when you make sure you are prepared (see above) for every single session. Researching jobs and sectors, and writing CVs and applications are admittedly boring – but yielding the results (in the form of interviews and offers) is not. One leads to another – and nothing motivates your careers team to help you more than showing that effort, and challenging them to give you their best.

So in a nutshell – it’s a tough market, but the best chance of succeeding is to give your careers service a chance: Book now, prepare in advance, and engage with them fully. That’s how you get the most bang for your buck. And, did I mention … now?

Written by Matthias Feist Chair of Placenet—Placements in Industry & Head of Careers and Business Relations @ Regent’s College, London Follow him on Twitter @matthias_feist

3.

100 Students, 35 Universities, 16 Graduate Recruiters—all under one roof

“It’s that time of year again” - the words on everyone’s lips at the beginning of September when it comes to the wild world of university. It’s not just an anxious period for those heading off to university for the first time, but it’s also hugely busy for those who work in the graduate recruitment industry, those who employ students and graduates, those who have sons and daughters at university, and not to mention us here at Bright Futures HQ. Here at Bright Futures HQ we have been super busy planning, organising and sweating over a whole host of events and activities to ensure that each & every member of the society gets the very best experience from it. The first action on our hit-list was to ensure all our committee members from right across the UK were filled to the brim with knowledge, guidance and inspiration to tackle their Fresher’s Fair with confidence and most importantly they have the passion for what they are trying to do for fellow students at their university. In order to achieve this we hosted our annual Society Training Conference at the FSA offices in Canary Wharf on Friday 16th September. Here we gathered over 100 students from 35 universities, each networking with one another to share best practice, chat about ideas and experiences and create a network that will inspire generations of Bright Futures Societies to come. This event was quite possibly one of the biggest representations of UK universities by a single organisation. But it wasn’t just themselves that they networked with; we also had a wide range of top graduate recruiters present from ACCA to npower, IBM and Centrica, Explore Learning to Pinsent Masons, RBS and ICAEW, Bibby Financial Services to Deloitte, Accenture and KPMG, not to mention the FSA who kindly offered the use of their superb offices. Placed in a

structured speed networking session, each society engaged with each employer to secure & schedule events, share event ideas and build relationships. All in all, the event was a huge success and we are hugely looking forward to the next society conference. But, before we get too excited about the event in December, we have The BIG Network to stick our teeth into where we connect with our national student membership and offer them an exclusive opportunity to engage with recruiters on a more personal level, developing their own relationships and professional network, hearing right from the horse’s mouth what it takes to stand out from the crowd when applying for internships and graduate schemes, as well as the opportunity to secure real placements with a whole host of companies in attendance at the event on Thursday 27th October, Regent’s College, London. Find out more on our website at: www.brightfutures.co.uk

BRIGHT FUTURES 29 SEPTEMBER 2011

Recruiter News: 14

ACCA 15

Accenture 16

Bibby Financial Services 18

Centrica 19

Deloitte 20

Eversheds LLP 21

Financial Services Authority 22

Hiscox 23

IBM 24

ICAEW 25

Kantar Worldpanel 26

KPMG 27

npower 28

Pinsent Masons 30

PwC 31

Softcat Ltd 32

Recruiter News Contents

29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES

A career in accountancy, finance or business can be fulfilling, challenging and hard work. With ACCA, you can go all the way to the top… Qualifying with ACCA is your first step towards a successful career in accountancy, business and finance. Whatever your ambitions are a background in accountancy will ensure that you are equipped to achieve them. Why ACCA ACCA is the largest and fastest growing international accountancy body, with over 424,000 students and 147,000 members in 170 countries. The breadth of the ACCA Qualification makes it the perfect platform to launch any business career. You can acquire the technical skills that employers are demanding to steer the business through these volatile times, without pigeon-holing yourself for the future. As a global professional accountancy body, ACCA is better positioned to benefit graduates both now and in the future. The global portability of the qualification means that you can seek opportunities both home and abroad. We’ve been in China for over 20

years and Russia for 10 years and our reputation in those countries is stronger than any other international accountancy body. Our flexible approach means that there are no artificial barriers to prevent you from qualifying whatever you face in the short-term. There are three equally important elements to qualifying as an ACCA accountant - exams, practical experience and an online ethics module. Internships at university can count towards the practical experience requirements of the qualification and enhance employability. Also exemptions from a relevant degree mean fewer exams for students to sit. View the ACCA website: http://www2.accaglobal.com/ukgraduates Follow ACCA on Twitter @ACCAUK_OnCampus Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ACCA.Official

Where will ACCA lead you?

BRIGHT FUTURES 29 SEPTEMBER 2011

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As a new academic year starts, new

opportunities are opening up. Internships

with Accenture are not just a great way to

experience global business but they will also

help you gain and develop essential skills by

working on live projects with world

renowned companies. Accenture has a

variety of options available to students and

graduates, from 48 hours at Boot Camp to

the 8-week Summer Vacation Scheme to a

year-long internship. All of them will

challenge you to achieve more.

To be eligible to apply for these schemes

you’ll need to have achieved 340 UCAS

points and have a predicted 2:1 degree or

equivalent. When you first arrive at

Accenture we will assign you a ‘buddy’ who

will be on hand to offer advice whenever you

need it. What’s more all but Boot Camp will

reward you with a competitive salary of

between £18,000 and £20,000 pro rata for

the duration of the scheme.

If you’re considering a career in consulting,

Accenture is an excellent place to start. You

will be surrounded by talented people who

will help you build new skills and gain broad

experience. You will add value to the

company from the start, working as a

genuine member of the team. You may even

earn yourself a full-time Graduate position in

the process.

Applications close on 1st December 2011 and

it’s worth applying early as places will fill up

quickly.

Visit accenture.com/ukschemes to find

out more.

Not just a great experience...

BRIGHT FUTURES 29 SEPTEMBER 2011

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We are looking for fun, energetic business graduates who like to get stuck in. If this sounds

like you, come and meet us!

Bibby Financial Services is a Global independent invoice financier providing

funding to over 5000 businesses worldwide. Visit our website and look

at details of our graduate vacancies.

Location: Nottingham

Date: 27th October 2011

Topic: Business Networking Event

Location: Edinburgh

Date: 31st October 2011

Topic: Effective CVs Workshop

Location: Hull

Date: 17th November 2011

Topic: Interview Skills Workshop

Location: Leicester

Date: 24th November 2011

Topic: Recruitment Investor Panel

Location: Essex

Date: 28th February 2012

Topic: Panel Presentation

Bibby Financial Services... pleased to be back!

Bibby Financial Services are delighted to be back for another academic year working with

the Bright Futures Societies across the UK.

We have already confirmed the following events at universities around the country to come

and meet you, and to introduce you to our business. The following events are confirmed;

however we hope to be able to communicate more shortly:

29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES

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Centrica—Where do you fit in?

As a new term begins Centrica are gearing up

for a busy year with Bright Futures, and

we’re really excited to be working with some

fantastic committees on a wide range of

student events. The new term sees Charles

Stanton heading up the Bright Futures

Relationship Team alongside Chris Parker

and Catherine Brittain, please do introduce

yourself to them when you see them

representing the company at corporate

events and on campus. They’ll be working

directly with your committees promoting our

company, and driving our graduate

recruitment.

Alongside a new term comes some new

objectives for Centrica’s graduate

programme, as well as our usual events we’ll

be promoting Technology and Engineering

events at your campus in support of these

often under-represented industries. We’re

also aware that in a harsh economic climate

students today appreciate gaining practical

skills in job-seeking, so we will also be

focusing on Application Form, Interview and

Assessment Centre workshops wherever

possible. Do be sure to let us know if your

campus is interested.

All that remains to be said is we look forward

to meeting you all very soon, and best of

luck in all of your events this term.

Visit us at www.centrica.com/graduates

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/

centricagrads

Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/

CentricaGraduateRecruitment

BRIGHT FUTURES 29 SEPTEMBER 2011

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Deloitte 2012 Careers Presentations

Come to our 2012 Careers Presentation to

find out about a rewarding career in our

Audit, Tax, Consulting, Corporate Finance

and Technology areas. As one of the world’s

leading professional services firms we

provide a culture which demands, supports

and rewards the highest performance,

allows everyone the opportunity to shape

their own career and provides an

environment where training and

development are genuinely first class. So

come and meet our friendly staff and find

out more from those who know and have

been in your shoes. We look forward to

seeing you there. It’s your future. How far

will you take it?

Find out more and register to attend at

www.deloitte.co.uk/graduates/events

Find us on Facebook: http://

www.facebook.com/yourfutureatdeloitteuk

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeloitteJobsUK

29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES

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As one recruitment season comes to an end...a new one begins!

Eversheds are currently working on their

university activity/events and are very much

looking forward to meeting you on campus.

Our campus and marketing activity is very

much designed to give you an insight into

the legal industry, life as a commercial

lawyer and what we look for in the future

talent of an Innovative, International Law

firm. We will be running skills sessions to

help you with the recruitment process, legal

topic sessions and Webinars to keep you up

to date with the legal industry and events

and Webinars that will share the experiences

of our current and future Trainees, Solicitors,

Associates and Partners – giving you a first

hand account of what it is like to work for us.

We will also be holding office events and

running our annual Big Deal event for first

year students. Please keep an eye on the

graduate pages of website for dates of

Events and how to sign up. Also, please feel

free to contact us at

gradrec@eversheds.com with suggestions as

to what you would like to see us run at your

university!

Visit us at http://www.eversheds.com/

Follow us @LegalTrainee

BRIGHT FUTURES 29 SEPTEMBER 2011

EVER

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29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES

Kicking off 2012 with a BANG!

Hiscox is excited to kick of our 2012 graduate

recruitment cycle with a bang! This year we

are planning to visit universities across the

UK, and are also looking forward to holding

an Insight Day for the first time at our 1

Great St Helen’s offices, just off Bishopsgate

in London, on Tuesday, 18 October 2011.

In 2012 we are looking to hire 12 graduates

with drive, flair and character – there is

nothing grey about our insurance company.

Our scheme who will offer development to

graduates who share our values of courage,

quality, excellence in execution, respect,

integrity and have the spirit to bring these

values to life. To put it simply, we want to be

the best and to do that, we only employ the

best.

To review positions visit www.hiscox.com/

graduates and apply online to our scheme.

Vacancies are now open for applications and

the deadline for applications is 11 November

or 23 December dependent position. We will

be holding assessment centres from

November 2011 – March 2012.

We will also be recruiting for our Summer

Internship scheme offering real life, hands

on experience and the opportunity to make

a difference in our growing business.

Applications for our eight Internship

vacancies will be open in November 2011,

and we will be holding assessment centres in

March 2012.

29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES

HIS

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FSA Opportunities and Hosting the Bright Futures Conference 2011/12

We were extremely happy to host this year’s

Bright Futures conference and had a great day

meeting representatives from Bright Futures

Committees. We are looking forward to working

with as many societies as possible this year.

As the primary regulator for financial services in

the UK, our remit is broad and encompasses the

full spectrum of the 27,000 financial firms in the

UK - from the UK operations of global investment

banks, through to sole traders and independent

financial advisors. Working for a financial

regulator means that you are personally

contributing to safeguarding the interests of

consumers, having the remit and the scope to

influence policy and the way financial institutions

operate, to ensure stability of the financial

system, and to facilitate and champion fair and

orderly markets.

The work of the FSA is varied and is an ideal

starting point for those interested in a career in

finance.

Our graduate development programme offers the

opportunity to spend time in a number of

different business areas, as well as a 6 month

external secondment to one of our regulated

firms. It suits both those who are keen to

specialise in a particular area of finance, such as

prudential risk, or those who want to get a broad

foundation. You don’t need a particular degree

background to join the FSA – just an interest in

finance and a desire to understand the regulatory

perspective.

The FSA is currently undergoing a period of

structural change, with this being an exciting time

to be part of a huge change programme and help

shape the future of UK regulation. Join now and

you will have the opportunity to help shape the

future of financial regulation.

For more information on our programmes please

visit www.fsagraduates.com

29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES

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Watching the Rugby World Cup? We’re sponsoring ITV’s coverage!

Here at IBM we are proud sponsors of the Rugby

World Cup 2011 coverage on ITV and STV. Rugby is

a game where a smart decision can make the

difference between winning and losing. And it’s the

same with IBM data analytics – making decisions

through smarter use of data makes for a smarter

business outcome.

So where do we come in? IBM has deep capabilities

in data analytics, and we can help interpret a

company’s data in many new and more useful ways.

To give you an example: 1 in 3 business leaders

frequently make critical decisions without the

information they need – crazy, right? With IBM data

analytics that needn’t happen.

Smarter Data for a Smarter Planet? The world is

alive with data and the more we understand that

data the more answers we find. That’s why data

management and analysis is already helping to

lower energy costs, ease traffic and detect diseases

faster – to build a smarter planet.

Sound like something you’d like to get your head

round? If you’re thinking ‘yes yes YES’, you’ll be

pleased to know we’re looking for high performing

graduates to apply for our Graduate Strategic

Analytics Consultant role. Not for the faint hearted,

this role requires you to be highly numerate and

analytical; you’ll be working within IBM’s Business

Dynamics Group, the centre of excellence in IBM

Global Business Services for analytics and business

modelling. So if you’re highly mathematical,

innovative, with the intellectual rigor and curiosity

not just to find the answer but also deliver it - what

are you waiting for?

Join us. Let’s build a smarter planet.

Folllow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook

BRIGHT FUTURES 29 SEPTEMBER 2011

IBM

Are you ready for a taste of success? With the new academic year upon us, the ICAEW Student Recruitment team thought it would bring

you a glimpse into some of our student events planned for the Autumn term.

Get a taste of working anywhere in the world – come and see us on campus in October.

Wouldn’t it be great, when you graduate, to begin a well-paid and challenging career that could take

you anywhere in the world? Well, perhaps becoming a chartered accountant is for you. You’re invited

to join us at the ‘ICAEW global experience’ to find out why you’ll go further when you’re ‘chartered’.

We’ll be visiting:

As well as offering you essential career advice, information and the chance to win a £500 travel voucher, there’ll also be plenty of tasty treats from around the world to whet your appetite.

Women in Accountancy 2011

This popular event returns to Chartered Accountants’ Hall in London on Monday 21 November. Designed to offer some insight into becoming an ICAEW Chartered Accountant from a female perspective, the day is packed with workshops, employer networking and guest speakers. There’s also the chance to win a top prize from TM Lewin. Register now!

London Presentation Evening

If you’re a student currently thinking about chartered accountancy as a career, why not join us at Chartered Accountants’ Hall for the London Presentation Evening on Thursday 13

October? Find out more about the ACA qualification from current trainees, the ICAEW Student Recruitment team and some of our authorised training

employers. We’ll be glad to talk to you about your career and how you can become an ICAEW Chartered Accountant. Find out more…

Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/icaewcareers

Newcastle University Monday 17 October

Nottingham University Tuesday 18 October

Sheffield University Thursday 20 October

Leeds University Friday 21 October

Birmingham University Monday 24 October

Warwick University Tuesday 25 October

Bath University Thursday 27 October

Exeter University Friday 28 October

29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES

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Beer, fashion, FMCG... Have a view on brand strategy!

If you were a leading brewer and knew that beer loses around a quarter of its share if men drink in mixed company rather than male only

groups, would you change your advertising strategy?

Sound like the kind of commercially focussed subject you want to be involved with in your

Graduate Career?

This is one of the discussions our 20 new Graduates are having as part of their 2 week induction into our business, known as “The Knowledge”. They’re also meeting our directors, learning about how we help our major brand clients, and becoming familiar with the tools of the trade (apparently Powerview is much easier than you might think!). Oh, and they all joined in with our “it’s a knock out” style company sports day on

their second week in the business enjoying the sunshine, BBQ and seeing all their new colleagues in a slightly different light…. If really understanding how some of the

biggest consumer brands work and learning

how to be in a position to advise them on

their brand strategy sparks your interest (and

you can see yourself taking part in our sports

day next year!) then take a look at our 2012

Graduate opportunities.

View our website here

www.highlydefinedcareers.com

Follow us on Twitter and connect with us on

LinkedIn

BRIGHT FUTURES 29 SEPTEMBER 2011

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Straight talking from KPMG

At KPMG, the people make the place. And

what's that place like exactly? In short, its one

where everyone feels valued, and hard work is

recognised and rewarded.

What's more, our firm is growing. Since a

number of European firms merged to form

KPMG Europe LLP, we've become the largest

fully-integrated accountancy firm in Europe,

offering Audit, Tax and Advisory services to

everyone from oil companies to music gurus.

But it's not just what we do that's important.

It's the way that we do it. The values don't just

live on a wall. They're a way of life,

underpinning the way we work with clients

and with each other.

So what can you look forward to at KPMG?

Exposure to clients from day one. Working on

challenging projects. And if you're

studying for a professional

qualification, there's a fantastic support

network that includes a mentor and generous

study leave.

Despite the focus on qualifications, it's not all

work and no play. Whether it's joining

societies and sports teams or enjoying

volunteering days, free lunches and

secondment opportunities, KPMG is a

fantastic place to start your career.

We will be on campus this autumn waiting to

talk to you about a career with us. To find out

when we will be running events at your

university, please visit

www.kpmgcareers.co.uk/events

We look forward to meeting you soon.

KPMG

Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook

29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES

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Applications open for 2012 Summer Vacation Placements at Pinsent Masons

Pinsent Masons is an international law firm

headquartered in London, with offices in the

major UK business centres and that stretch

across the Gulf and Asia-Pacific region. We

offer a full service capability across a range of

core sectors. In each, our aim is to lead by

combining exceptional legal advice with

unrivalled market understanding.

We encourage all candidates interested in

pursuing a career in commercial law to apply

for a vacation placement at the firm. The

facts speak for themselves. A good 70% of our

trainees regularly join us after experiencing

the working environment first-hand, over our

two-week summer placement programme. It’s

by far the best way for you to get to know us,

and for us get to know you.

A summer placement is the start of our

investment in you. To make sure we give this

opportunity to the most promising people, we

interview for every position. If you gain a

placement, it’s because we’re already thinking

of you as a potential trainee. And over two

weeks, we’ll do our best to give you every

chance to prove us right. That’s why

placement students don’t need to make a

separate application for the training

programme. If you’ve already gained a

placement, in our eyes you’re already a

candidate.

We have just refreshed all our graduate

recruitment materials and will be undertaking

a number of campus events in the months

ahead. To find out more visit

www.pinsentmasons.com/graduate

The closing date for applications to our

vacation placement programme is 31

January 2012.

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The new academic year for RWE npower—is

going to be hectic!

Energy is the lifeblood of modern society; access to

energy that is reliable, sustainable and affordable is at

the heart of the country’s economic recovery and

continually developing our employees and expanding

our expertise is essential to respond to these

challenges.

Our graduates are an essential part of this expertise

and RWE npower requires a diverse mix of graduates

on its scheme, offering a mix of qualifications,

different thought processes and different

experiences. The cohort is small, offering a more

personal experience, a diverse mix of placements with

a large supportive network and graduate community.

During the coming months, RWE npower will be

attending careers fairs, delivering our Pole to Pole

presentations at a number of universities and we

will also be opening ‘The BIG Network’

hosted by Bright Futures on

Thursday 27th October.

Alongside these

events we will

be running

our

competitions, the Future Leaders Challenge and the

Energy Challenge; these competitions keep us very

busy but are win-win for all concerned, offering

students valuable employability skills and fabulous

prizes, whilst raising awareness of RWE npower and

giving us access to amazing students.

Applications for the Future Leaders Challenge close 9th

October, thank you to you all for helping us raise

awareness of it and good luck to those of you who

have entered.

19th October sees the launch of the RWE npower

Energy Challenge competition at a reception at The

House of Commons.

The Challenge is an annual inter-university

competition, for students in their penultimate or final

year of undergraduate study in the UK, Netherlands

or Germany. In teams of four and with the help of a

supporting lecturer, you need to develop a solution to

the RWE npower Energy Challenge question – what is

the cost of your energy?

Finally, we are offering our graduate opportunities in

10 different business areas. Applications will open at

the end of September, with assessment centres

running from mid-November onwards.

www.brightergraduates.com

Find us on Facebook

29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES

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http://www.npower.com/futureleaders

What we offer...

About PwC

We help our clients and our people create the

value they want. We work alongside our

clients – from public and private companies to

governments and charities – to measure,

protect and enhance the things that matter

most to them. We have big ambitions to grow,

and if you're serious about a career in

business, we don't think anyone else can give

you a better start. Students agree: we’re

proud, based on the opportunity we offer,

they’ve voted us number one in The Times

Top 100 Graduate Employers survey for the

last eight years.

What we offer

Get a unique insight into what we offer on

one of our Insight programmes for

undergraduates ranging from our Talent

Academy for first year students to our

Internships and Business

Placements for

penultimate year

students. Final

year students can join our full time

opportunities in one of our business areas;

Assurance, Consulting, Tax, Financial Advisory,

Actuarial and Technology.

Business Champions

Don’t miss our Bright Futures Business

Champions competition which challenges

undergraduates to come up with a workable

money making idea and turn it in to a reality.

Supported by seed funding and a PwC mentor,

we’re challenging you to try and raise as much

money as possible for this year’s chosen

charity. Keep an eye out for more information,

we’ll be launching it at our careers

presentation evenings.

What you need

A 2:1 or above in any degree discipline

A UCAS tariff of at least 300 (or equivalent)

How to apply

Be part of something special, visit

www.pwc.com/uk/careers

29 SEPTEMBER 2011 BRIGHT FUTURES

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New term, new careers

Given the endless stream of bad news about the UK

economy, recent graduates would be forgiven for

thinking that their futures are anything but bright

when it comes to forging a career. According to

recent research from Birmingham University, even

engineers are struggling to find employment.

Apparently a quarter of them are working in non-

graduate jobs or unskilled work. But hang on – isn’t

UK plc crying out for well-qualified scientists and

engineers? Apparently not…

This research is at odds with comments from the

CBI, who suggested recently that employers still

complain of a shortage of good, employable

candidates. We have some sympathy with the CBI’s

statement. We are always on the lookout for good

graduates, but we have to interview a lot of them to

find the ones who we think will succeed at Softcat.

So who are we looking for? Applications from

engineers and scientists are very welcome, but in

fact we’re more concerned about whether you are

intelligent, articulate, and have excellent

communication skills than your degree subject.

Although IT is our core business, some of our most

successful IT sales executives graduated in subjects

like biology, drama and history. We offer training

and development through a structured programme,

which supports new recruits in attaining relevant

qualifications.

We’re conscious that today’s graduates look for

careers that offer prospects for development. And

together with outstanding training, pay and perks,

and a working environment like no other, that’s

exactly what we have to offer. We provide

outstanding rewards for those who work hard, and

the opportunity to progress quickly into team leader

and sales manager roles.

Careers in London, Manchester and

Buckinghamshire

Softcat is an exhilarating place to work. Find out

about us, and our next graduate open days, on our

Facebook page.

Alternatively call 01628 403 408 and visit our

website to apply.

Apply here: http://www.softcat.com/join-us/how-to

-apply

Softcat Careers on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/softcatcareers Softcat Careers on Twitter: http://twitter.com/softcatcareers

BRIGHT FUTURES 29 SEPTEMBER 2011

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