What networking really is

When (one of) the founder(s) of LinkedIn gives their perspective on effective networking you’ve got to pay attention. And Reid Hoffman didn’t let me down. It’s a long article but see if you can pick out the following stand out themes. Then think how to apply them yourself.

1. Try to help others first rather than thinking about what you can get. The ‘strong’ connections in your network should be a collaboration, not a trophy or what you personally are wanting
2. Prioritise fewer high quality relationships over lots of contacts
3. Put yourself in that other person’s shoes. Offer them a small gift to help solve a problem you know they are having or to fill a gap in what they have
4. Start with the people you already know and when it comes to the working world and job hunting it’s 3 degrees of separation, not 6. I like those improved odds
5. Get connected through a personal introduction from the person who knows you and who knows the person you want to connect with
6. See the value in ‘weak-tie’ acquaintances, i.e. those with different backgrounds from you and what you’re looking for

The grad scheme door is not yet shut

Whilst I spend a good deal of time diverting attention away from grad schemes towards other graduate entry level jobs I don’t lose sight of the fact that they are still a much sought after route for final years and recent grads. In January a certain amount of gloom can descend on those who haven’t yet made it to the latter stages of assessment as rumours go round that “the schemes are all closed by now”. As with much of this type of chinese whispers it’s not actually true. A good deal of schemes will be closed to new applicants now but there will also be quite a few that are definitely still looking for new applicants. Then there are those companies who “go back to market”. In other words, they reopen for applications as they’ve got a new request from the business to go out and get more grads. For evidence of this AXA UK are going back to market in early Feb and are looking for digital marketing grad talent to join them.

This is just one example. Keep your eyes peeled. The grad scheme marketplace is still open for business.

Grad opportunity of the week: paid IT related internship, Uxbridge

Hertz International, the car hire people, are looking to take on a recent grad for a paid (£6.08 an hour) 6 month internship in their offices in Uxbridge. The role involves, amongst other things, first line support and some database work involving SQL. Full details can be found here. The closing date is the 2nd of March 2012 though there’s always merit in getting your application in a bit sooner than that. Focusing on the quality first, of course.

2,000 new jobs can’t be wrong

Found out this morning that in the brief period between September and December 2011 over two thousand new jobs were advertised through the Placement and Careers Service. Companies looking for students and grads. Must admit that the type of jobs ranged from full time and part time, undergrad placements and graduate roles, grad schemes and grad jobs. But it goes to show that in the face of continued negative media reporting, often based on unrepresentative small sample surveys, there are pockets of jobs out there in good numbers. Remember, you can sign up for vacancy alerts here.

Paid Grad Marketing Assistant competition

Although it feels a little gimmicky there’s no doubt there’s a paid Marketing Assistant position currently on offer from Technology Partners. They’re holding, quite literally, a competition for places. Check out full details here and if you like the thought of a full time £18k position in Slough it might be for you. Closing date, Feb 17th 2012.

A unique new addition to the grad scheme offering

I’m always on the look out for new and interesting ways the employers are using to recruit grads and this offering really stands out. Track & Train is an initiative by the rail industry to attract new talent to it. It’s open to those who’ve graduated in the last two years. It’s an 18 month program that involves placements with a number of rail industry sponsors. It’s got a similar recruitment process to many grad schemes (online application form, assessment centre etc.). The money on offer is very competitive (£22k per annum) and things are moving quickly (application deadline Jan 27th, assessment days in Feb and March and start dates shortly after).

It stands out because I’ve never heard of an industry running it’s own program. Will be interesting to see which other industries might follow suit.

Still got the app-etite for job hunting?

This post comes courtesy of some advice from a recent Brunel grad. He’s alerted me to 2 particular smart phone job finding apps he’s found particularly useful so there’s every chance you will as well. In both cases they trawl a number of different job sites to deliver jobs to your phone:

• Job Search by Indeed.com
• Job Search Hire-a-Droid

On top of that remember our very own Brunel PCC job vacancy app.

A graduate program for the entrepreneurs

Now I’ve never come across anything like this before. A grad scheme/program directly targeted at those who have an interest in setting up their own business. It’s called Entrepreneur First. There’s a similar application process to the grad schemes where you end up working for someone else, but in this case if you’re selected to join Entrepreneur First you will spend almost all your time building your own business. A really interesting initiative.

Inside the mind of a Small to Medium sized (SME) recruiter

During a recent conversation with a Brunel grad they said something which stopped me in my tracks. I was talking, as I do, about the value of applying for SMEs as well as the big players in the grad market place. After all, 99% of businesses in the UK are SMEs. “I have been”, they said, “but the SMEs tend to require me to have work experience whilst the grad schemes seem to require this less”. Then we talked about the old chestnut of not being able to get the experience needed to prove you have the experience to get the grad level job. Chicken, egg.

It stopped me in my tracks because it is a real conundrum – needing work experience to get work experience. Then I did some research with some people who work closely with SMEs and I’ve discovered something very key when it comes to catching the eye of an SME.

SMEs have less people in them than big companies. Obvious enough. The impact on you as a graduate applicant is

The hidden LinkedIn job market

It must be said I haven’t been looking that hard but I’ve seen the first instance of an immediate start grad job being advertised by an individual on LinkedIn. It was posted in the London Marketing Community LinkedIn group by Dorothy Briggs (Mead) who is looking for “two bright young marketing execs with passions for social, digital and marketing metrics”. It appeared on my LinkedIn wall because someone I am linked to ‘liked’ the posting Dorothy made. It demonstrates a numer of things to me:

• The value of looking for and joining relevant groups on LinkedIn
• How making connections in LinkedIn can connect you with information indirectly. In this case through a connection I have in LinkedIn with another individual
• That jobs are advertised in this way on LinkedIn

It’s worth reminding you that LinkedIn has a specific job finding site as well.