This page discusses graduate jobs in IT and Technology. Over one million people are estimated to work in IT in the UK. Despite this, there is a massive skills shortage in qualified IT staff and each year, many roles at companies go unfilled. Some IT roles have a large technical element such as ethical hacking, programming/developing, software testing and systems analysis. Others have a greater business emphasis, are less technical and will not require pure computer science degrees. These areas include IT technical support, technology consultancy, IT project management and other more analytical areass.
It is not uncommon for successful graduates working in IT to have come from science and numerical degree backgrounds. For these positions, employers want to see evidence of conventional job requirements, such as a good standard of degree (2:1 or above ideally) drive, ambition and commitment to a career in IT. The focus of these roles is in varying degrees less on using technical know-how and more on strategy, communication, or finance.
Almost all IT roles can be divided in to six main categories:
Graduate roles in IT are likely to be in a development or IT service provision role. As people become more experienced, they tend to move in to more strategic or managerial positions.
Some typical graduate roles include:
In addition to advanced technical skills, it is vital for modern graduates to have people skills. In the past IT professionals have, on occasion, been viewed as geeks, but in the modern world of IT not only is this a rather stereotypical view but also a rather outdated one. These days, soft skills are as vital as technical ones. Being able to work alone and in a team is a valuable asset and business awareness is also highly desirable.
Employers are increasingly interested in the well-rounded graduate, with understanding of the environment in which a computer system will operate. If you are interested in a job in the client-facing end of IT, a theoretical IT degree is a poorer preparation than one with finance, management, or another engineering subject. With one of these degrees, you will have an understanding of the problems your clients are facing, their attitudes and the language they are using and you will be well placed to act as translator between the client and your in-house team.
The following list indicates the IT skills employers are most interested in graduate level employees possessing:
1. SQL
2. Java
3. Unix
4. SQL Server
5. C
6. C#
7. .net
8. Oracle
9. C++
10. MS Office
11. ASP
12. Visual Basic
13. XML
14. SAP
15. HTML
16. TCP/IP
17. Linux
18. J2EE
19. Exchange
20. Javascript
21. Cisco
22. Windows XP
23. Access
24. Focus
25. OOP
26. Sas
Graduate starting salaries are good for roles in IT. For large graduate employers you should expect to earn more than £25,000 from year one.
IT skills are highly transferable and are almost always globally recognised. This mean it is easy for people working in IT to work in other countries if this is of interest.
Many IT professionals are contractors. However, before deciding to work for yourself, it is a good idea to have gained some experience and contacts in the industry by working for an employer.
For more information about graduate jobs in IT and Technology see the WikiJob forums.
You will be responsible for writing the programming code for user software requirements. Through your knowledge of computer languages and development you will plan, design and implement applications. This role can also be known as Software Engineer.
A Database Administrator will be responsible for database management, including planning and development, maintenance, security, delivery and the implementation of accurate database content. You will ensure that all data is clear, efficient and accessible.
An IT Analyst will design IT solutions for clients to heighten business performance based around their existing models. You will be responsible for all elements of installation, testing and maintenance, working with the client to implement your proposed solutions.
Ancillary Skills refers to the type of job role where IT plays a part in what you do but the role normally requires another set of skills and knowledge as well. These are roles in marketing, sales, technical documentation, education, or training. If you wished to go in one of these directions, technical knowledge would be very useful, but you may also have to train in another skill, such as teaching.
Through technology you will resolve business problems for clients, advising on methods to improve company functionality.
The Job of the IT consultant, is a client facing role in which you may deal with a broad range of industries which require a person with detailed knowledge of how IT can benefit the business.
The important aspects of the job are:
With computers and e-commerce becoming increasingly sophisticated and part of daily life, the role of ergonomics is growing in status. There is an increasing number of people specialising in the ease of using IT, be that systems, software, databases or websites.
Once software or hardware has been developed, testers check that everything is working correctly before it is handed over to the installation team and the customer. An up-and-coming role in testing is that of ethical hacking, where IT professionals see whether they can breach organisations' systems to check the level of their security. This is a highly debated within the security industry though as many don't agree with the term 'ethical hacking'.
IT Procurement and Management Support roles require some technical knowledge combined with other general management skills. Procurement managers, for instance, need technical knowledge about what they are buying but also need to have skills to build relationships with suppliers and be financially savvy.
IT Project Management is an example of where some technical knowledge is combined with financial and communications skills. Project management is about working out timescales and resources needed for a project, for example installing all the IT necessary for a new oil rig and then making sure the project keeps to budget and meets the deadline.
The skills most relevant to project management are:
You don't need IT skills to be an IT project manager, although you may find that employers (and your new team) take you more seriously if you have a technical background. As your project management skills develop you will establish enough credibility to be able to manage projects relating to any topic. However, in the early days it can help to have a grounding in the subject matter so you know when colleagues are pulling the wool over your eyes, especially in relation to estimating task durations!
You would be surprised at what project management experience you already have: planning parties or a gap year, managing your household budget, influencing stakeholders at all levels in a voluntary or part-time job. All this is good material for your application. Anything you learned as part of your studies will also help: presentation skills, communications skills, analysis, report writing, working with other people on a particular task, and hitting deadlines.
You can also turn to the wealth of project management material already available from recognised organizations, so you are speaking the same language as your future employers. You could get a copy of PMBOK, the Project Management Institute's book of knowledge, or PRINCE2, which is more widely used in the UK and Europe. For IT roles you could also research ITIL and CMM.
Read widely: there is plenty of information online available for free that will give you the jargon required to 'talk the talk' with prospective employers, and make your first day on the job that little bit less daunting. One list of useful resources is available at here, and a Google search should bring up plenty of others.
If you are enthusiastic, keen to learn, treat your colleagues with respect and have a great skill set to build on, you will be recognised for your talent and hard work, and you’ll get that project management job you’ve been working for.
People working in IT Strategy and IT Planning roles are likely to have good technical knowledge but not be using it hands-on. They tend to be more senior roles, which, for example, a programmer could progress into.
A continuity manager, for example, looks at how IT services would continue to run in case of an emergency such as a fire destroying an organisation’s infrastructure. Architect roles, one of the industry’s current career buzzwords, also come under this category. Architects give guidance and direction-setting on large products, including writing policy documents, managing contracts and advising on the technical elements of a project.
If you work in IT Technical Support you will be responsible for installation and configuration of computer systems, detecting hardware and software problems, and solving technical issues both over the phone and face to face to maintain an organisation's computer systems.
Once programmes, databases, systems and networks are installed, an IT team usually takes on the role of supporting them. There are a large variety of roles in this area of service provision: supporting users, operations or infrastructure.
All large companies will have a helpdesk, which staff can contact for help with computer problems and queries. Behind the scenes, other IT professionals are ensuring the organisation’s network is functioning correctly. Others could be administering a database, which could, for example, list all the company’s contacts, or collate market data needed by staff.
Below is a list of IT (Information Technology) and Technology firms and similar companies. If you would like to create a new profile for any of the firms listed below, simply click on the company's name and begin writing.
For more information about any of the companies in the above list of IT and technology firms visit the WikiJob forums.
3M employs more than 75,000 people worldwide. The firm manufacture thousands of products, develop new technologies and supply a range of services to consumers and businesses in more than 200 countries.
3M brands include Scotch, Post-it, Scotchguard, Thinsulate and Scotch-Brite.
Graduate roles at 3M fall in to three main categories:
There is also a general Graduate Development Programme that offers training and experience in several key business areas.
3M graduates are encouraged and supported to take relevant professional qualifications including CIPD, CIMA, IMechE and CIPS.
Candidate Requirements
Applicants for graduate jobs at 3M should have:
The graduate starting salary at 3M is approximately £23,000 to £25,000.
The graduate recruitment is run by an external company called Volt Europe.
The assessment and interview process at 3M is in four stages:
Candidates must complete an online application form on the 3M website. The application form is fairly standard, with a few background and competency based questions.
If you are successful at the online application stage, you will be invited to complete two online tests, one numerical reasoning and one verbal reasoning test. These will be SHL tests, similar to the practice tests aptitude tests on WikiJob.
At this telephone interview stage of the interview process successful candidates will be interviewed by a member of the 3M HR team. The interview itself takes about 20 to 30 minutes and is fairly straight-forward. Candidates should expect general questions on their CV and application form and general background. There will also be questions about the company itself and why you want to work there and competency based questions about your skills, competencies and capabilities.
The 4th and final stage of the assessment process is the assessment centre. This may last for up to 24 hours and coudl be held over two days. The assessment centre consists of:
You may also be asked to prepare and give a presentation. There will also be opportunities to meet current trainees and other graduates from the speciality you have applied for.
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services, and outsourcing company. The company has over 200,000 employees (as of Sept' 2010), operates from over 150 locations in 49 countries and reported revenues of US$19.7 billion in 2007.
Accenture is one the largest consulting firms in the world (if not the largest) and is one of the largest computer services and software companies on the Fortune Global 500 list.
Accenture UK operates from London, Manchester, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
Candidates should think carefully about their intended career path before applying to Accenture as there are various possibilities available.
Unless you have specialist technical skills or experience, or a particular reason for wanting to start elsewhere, the Analyst Consulting Group may be the best place to start your Accenture career. The Analyst Consulting Group provides core consulting experience and opportunities to work across different industry groups and areas of specialisation within Accenture. This group is home to most new graduate entrants and a great place to start because it provides opportunities to learn about, and gain experience in, different areas of the business – all supported by training.
Find out more information about specific Accenture graduate schemes.
Be prepared to discuss information on your application form at interview.
You should hear back from the Recruitment Team at Accenture within 10 working days of receiving your application.
TIP: Be detailed in your application. Make sure you include all your extra curricular activities to show that you are a skilled and well-rounded individual. Always check your application thoroughly before submitting it.
The minimum entry requirements for graduate roles at Accenture are: 340 UCAS points at A Level (or equivalent if you studied outside the UK) and a 2.1 honours degree (any discipline) with some flexibility for very strong candidates. For example, if you do not meet these academic criteria but you have excellent experience, specific technical skills or could speak several languages, then you are very likely to be considered for interview. Accenture accept job applications throughout the year. Accenture also accept applications from candidates with GNVQ qualifications. Call the company helpline 0500 100189 for more information.
Graduate hires will need to be able to work in Accenture's London, Manchester, Edinburgh or Newcastle offices although the majority of the opportunities are based out of London. Full staff mobility is essential.
Candidates MUST have a strong interest in consulting, business and technology.
The company look for people with more than just excellent academic records (although this is important). Accenture favour individuals who are passionate about something outside their academic studies, highly motivated for success and with at least some level of work experience.
Your work experience does not need to be commercial or related to the work Accenture does. For example, teaching English in Brazil is good experience.
There are four main graduate schemes available at Accenture:
Accenture offer 8-week summer placements in July/August for penultimate year students expecting a 2:1 or better.
Your help is required to develop this employer profile.
The interview process at Accenture is as follows:
The selection process starts with a 45-minute interview with a member of the Recruitment Team or a Manager from Consulting. This interview will take place at Accenture's London office or via a telephone interview, if requested.
TIP: Before attending your interview find out EXACTLY what Accenture do and what you will be doing if you are successfully offered a job here.
TIP: Prepare to be asked to name Accenture's competitors and clients and a case or two they have been working on recently.
You are likely to be asked about your long-term career plan and motivation, about your interest in IT, consulting and business, and several competency based questions.
Additionally, you will be given a mini case study to test your logic and problem-solving skills.
Your interviewer will want you to provide recent examples of interpersonal skills such as communication and initiative. Also, you will be thoroughly questioned about your motivation for this role. You interviewer will want to be certain that you have researched your career options and can show your commitment to a career in business and IT.
You will find out if your interview was successful within 10 working days of your interview taking place. If you have any questions in the meantime, you can call the Accenture recruitment helpline on 0500 100189.
If you pass the initial interview stage you will be invited to attend a half-day assessment centre, once again at the London office. Typically, six to ten candidates attend each assessment.
The half-day assessment centre will be made up of the following:
You will also get the chance to meet some of the people who work at Accenture.
The third round assessment is for those potentially suitable for a strategy or SITE (strategic IT Effectiveness) position and consists of two interviews.
You will be likely to discuss where you might fit best within Accenture and he or she will answer any further questions you may have about the company and your job.
Your interviewer will be looking for evidence of your ability to think logically and laterally within and ‘around’ the problem, your capacity to prioritise and to suggest solutions and action plans where relevant. The case study interview is intensive and you will have to think on your feet.
Throughout the two sessions you will be assessed on a number of criteria, including your problem-solving skills and initiative, as well as your level of career focus and interest in strategy.
You will be informed of the outcome of your interview by e-mail within 10 working days, so make sure the company has your email address and that you check it regularly!
Once you've joined Accenture, you will gain access to a special "Waiting Room" site. This is designed to help you transition smoothly and easily into the company. It provides you with a central source of information with everything you need to know as a new starter, including contacts for help and advice, a guide to company technology, a 'Who's Who' guide and a helpful jargon buster.
Accenture’s dress policy is smart business casual. This means that staff wear tailored trousers or a skirt, a shirt with collar or a smart top/blouse (for women). When you meet your interviewer, he or she may not be wearing a suit.
Candidates are not required to wear a suit (although they are not discouraged from doing so) but must be smartly dressed. There is more information regarding dress code in the General interview advice section.
The budget for first round and second round interviews is £120. If you are likely to spend more than this on travel you may be able to claim a slightly larger amount but you will need to confirm this by replying to your Invitation Email and confirming with HR that it is acceptable to do so.
TIP: Try to meet a member of staff from Accenture at a graduate recruitment fair before you make your online application as they will be able to provide you with useful hints and tips for applying.
Accenture offers a number of internships and placements that are designed to give you an insider's view of the company life. You can find more information here.
Your work at Accenture could involve anything from programming computers, testing systems, processing reviews, helping to train users in systems, research and analysis, working on a client proposal and various other things.
The company also offers:
You can also join a selection of clubs and societies, many of which are subsidised by the company.
Consulting work can take you all over the country (literally anywhere, as you will often be working at client offices) and beyond. You may frequently find yourself working in a location far from your home office.
There are now seven options available for some employees, to allow greater control over how and where work gets done. These are: flexible hours, home working, compressed working, revised home/office/client site ratio, part-time working, job sharing and outcome-only working.
Booz Allen Hamilton is a global management consulting and technology consulting firm. The firm employs over 10,000 people on six continents.
Capgemini is headquartered in Paris, France and operates in more than 36 countries. The firm has over 86,000 employees in North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. Apart from management and support roles, the firm's employees are grouped into four major disciplines, each of which is governed by its specific economic rules, and managed with its own profit:
The Capgemini application process involves three or four main stages, depending on which programme you apply for:
The Capgemini telephone interview lasts for approximately 30 - 40 minutes. Questions may include:
Competency Questions you may be asked during the telephone interview include:
Final telephone interview questions may include:
Candidates are usually told if they have been successful at this stage within 72 hours.
A Capgemini assessment centre is usually as follows:
The CDC management consulting assessment centre consists of:
Group Exercise
For the group exercise you will sit with other candidates in a small room of four to six people with two capgemini assessors. You are then given 15 minutes to read a great deal of material (skim-read this to find out the important bits) and then 30 mins to complete set tasks. Make sure you say things that are constructive and intelligent.
Partner Interview
The partner interview at Capgemini is vigorous. This is where you discuss your prepared business case study and also complete a separate "on the spot" business scenario test/case study.
The BTC graduate scheme assessment centre is as follows:
Manager interview
This interview is mainly an in-depth discussion about you, your education and university experience and competency based questions about teamwork, leadership and career motivation.
Questions previous candidates have been asked include:
Diagramatic Test
The diagrammatic reasoning test is a series of shapes and processes which change these shapes.
Group Exercise
For the group exercise you must work as a team, rather than competing with the other candidates at the assessment centre. Make points in relation to finance, ethical issues, community involvement, employment rates, etc.
Your group exercise may be about a factory relocating to a new place, or expanding at their existing location. It may be advantageous not to volunteer as the person that writes on the whiteboard during this exercise, as this will distance you from the group and you will not be involved in the discussions as much as you should be. However, you may be able to demonstrate leadership skills if you do volunteer to be in control of the whiteboard - but make sure you are as involved with group discussion as you can be.
If you find that you are all agreeing on the same place try and choose the other place and justify your reasons. They are looking for people who are not afraid to be challenged and can articulate well in an argument, but dont take it too far as then you may be seen as being overly argumentative.
Cisco (Cisco Systems) is a multinational corporation with more than 66,000 employees worldwide. Cisco designs and sells networking and communications technology and services under five brands: Cisco, Linksys, WebEx, IronPort, and Scientific Atlanta.
The company's headquarters are in San Jose - California.
The Cisco assessment process is as follows:
The Cisco assessment centre consists of:
Technical Interview
Candidates should refresh their basic networking knowledge for the technical interview, although they should not focus entirely on technical preparation. For graduate Associate positions Cisco will also be interested in candidate's soft/professional skills (such as competencies like teamwork, communication and problem solving) and evidence of your past academic and working experiences.
Data Connection is one of the world’s leading complex communications technology companies. Data Connection's software and hardware products are used by some of the biggest names in the telecommunications and IT industry, such as BT, Microsoft and Cisco. This company is now known as Metaswitch Networks and is featured in the Times 100 best employers.
Detica is a business and technology consultancy who specialise in helping clients collect, manage and exploit information to reveal actionable intelligence.
Detica focus primarily on helping clients use intelligence to identify and counter those who threaten the safety of the public, the security of the state or seek to commit serious and organised crime.
Detica typically recruit around 100 graduates and placement students throughout the year.
The business outlook at Detica is good. The firm have had sustained rapid growth in the past few years and have seen their number of employees triple from around 500, to 1,500.
There are three types of graduate programs available at Detica:
Note: Graduate entrants who want to go into business/management consulting will still need to do a lot of technology consulting to start with (including user acceptance testing).
Detica are looking for candidates with a strong set of A-Levels (or equivalent), and a minimum 2:1 in a numerate discipline at degree.
The company are also very concerned that candidates have highly developed communication and analytical skills and the ability to work effectively with colleagues and clients (i.e. teamwork skills).
Detica accept application all year round, and graduates may start work at any time.
Detica has a reputation for having (and hiring) smart people. A large number of employees have PhDs (although far fewer have MBAs).
Most of the people at Detica are technology consultants. management consultants represent only around 30% of the firm's employees.
Most business consulting projects at Detica are there to support technology projects or programme management projects.
Detica's market is fairly unusual as it focuses on Government and National Security work as well as Telecoms, Media and Financial Services. Few firms have ever worked in National Security and this is what really stands Detica out form other firms.
Only about a third of graduate level consultants are from Oxbridge at Detica, the rest are almost entirely from other Russell Group.
Working hours at Detica are much more relaxed than at other firms. Most consultants at Detica do not usually work more than 45-50 hours a week.
At entry level, major responsibilities range from capturing business requirements and data modelling to facilitating interviews and workshops with the client's managers and executives. Graduate trainees will also write up propositions and may contribute to the
recruitment process. From day one, graduates will be working on client site with teams of around 4 to 5 other consultants.
Starting salaries for graduate trainees will be in excess of £27,000, with two yearly reviews (with an increase around 3-5% every round depending on performance).
Graduates do have the opportunity to reach salaries of £40,000+ within 18 months (not including bonus).
See this forum post for users experiences of the Detica application process.
The assessment and application process for Detica is as follows:
Detica accept applications all year round and candidates can start with the firm at almost any time. To apply, candidates need to answer a small number of questions online, and then upload a CV.
Once Detica receive your online application and CV, if your application is successful you will be contacted, to arrange a 10-15 minute telephone interview to go through your application in more detail and find out why you are interested in working for Detica.
If you are successful after the telephone interview, you'll be invited to a character interview, typically lasting one hour.
Consisting of: presentation, case study and an opportunity to meet a current graduate trainee.
This assessment stage is a more in-depth interview, for which you will be asked to prepare a presentation, typically on a university project or a period of relevant work experience. This will be a long presentation, lasting up to 20 minutes, with a 10 minute question and answer period.
You will also be asked to answer questions on a written case study, which lasts about 45 minutes. No financial knowledge is needed and no maths based questions will be asked.
Detica suggest that feedback on your interview performance will be provided shortly after your interview.
Google employs graduates for a range of positions.
The Hewlett Packard (commonly referred to as HP) is an information technology corporation, with UK headquarters in London. HP is the largest technology company in the world and operates internationally. HP specialises in building various IT related products and media devices for both business and personal use and offers a range of service to businesses, such as management consulting.
HP are looking for candidates with a minimum of 2.1 in a related bachelor’s degree or country equivalent, either already obtained or expected.
There are four main graduate schemes available at HP for the UK and Ireland:
HP's internships last for 13 months and are available in the following departments:
Technical - HP's technical roles for Interns include but are not limited to software engineering, supporting IT applications for customers and infrastructure administration. The company are looking for Interns who are studying an IT, computer engineering or equivalent degree.
Sales - Sales interns will be involved with elements of pricing, marketing decisions, account management and supporting sales reps.
Marketing - Marketing roles in HP could see interns supporting campaign managers, liaising with external agencies in the coordination and delivery of marketing campaigns, involved with internal communications and market research.
Business - HP's business roles for interns cover planning, procurement, and operations through to customer service and project roles.
Finance - Finance interns could be involved with reporting, monitoring costs, process reviews and financial analysis.
The application and assessment process at HP is as follows:
When you apply online it is mandatory to complete all the online questions before attaching your CV. These are used for an initial screen and creating a profile for you. If these are not completed, your application will be returned and you will be asked to re-submit a completed application. Due to the volume of applications received, you will only be notified if you have been successful at this stage.
The deadline for online applications for the HP Graduate Programme is usually the end of January each year, although the company strongly encourage you to apply as soon as possible. They receive a large number of applications and review these in chronological order.
HP arrange a first stage competency based telephone interview to determine whether you have the general skills and competencies the company are looking for.
Successful interviewees will be contacted by telephone or email.
The HP assessment day consists of:
Candidates will be informed of the outcome of the assessment centre by phone or email within 48 hours of the day. Those who are unsuccessful have the option of receiving constructive feedback on their performance.
In some instances candidates may be invited back for a final face to face interview with HP, which will focus on the programme you applied for and your career interests.
HP are looking for candidates who exhibit initiative, problem solving capabilities, good interpersonal skills, leadership potential and a good knowledge of the firm.
HP are also looking for evidence of: creativity, a sense of humour, enthusiasm for change, passion for IT (commitment to career), independent drive and candidates who are customer focused.
IBM (formally International Business Machines Corporation) is a multinational computer technology and consulting corporation (for the consulting division, see IBM Global Services). IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and offers infrastructure services, hosting services, and consulting services in areas ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology.
IBM has been known through most of its recent history as the world's largest computer company; with over 388,000 employees worldwide, IBM is the largest information technology employer in the world. The firm has engineers and consultants in over 170 countries and IBM Research has eight laboratories worldwide.
IBM employees have earned three Nobel Prizes, four Turing Awards, five National Medals of Technology, and five National Medals of Science.
IBM employs around 500 students and graduate trainees at any one time. Each year, IBM recruit around 200 new graduates, at start dates throughout the year.
IBM recruit graduates from a variety of different graduate programmes, including: Business, Finance, IT and Sales. Graduates from any degree discipline are able to apply for less technical roles, such as those in Sales or Business programmes.
There are several graduate programmes available in Business at IBM. These include:
The IBM Finance organisation is an integral part of the IBM Corporation. It comprises over 10,000 employees worldwide, covering every geography and business unit within IBM. IBM sponsor graduate trainees to complete their CIMA or ACCA qualifications.
analysis; financial planning and forecasting; accounting; and working with bid teams on major projects.
Software Engineering - As a Software Engineer you will work in the heart of IBM’s software innovation and get involved in the design, test, implementation, delivery, integration, and support of IBM's software products.
Throughout your first two years with the firm, you will be rotated through a variety of product areas and roles, giving you the opportunity to enhance your experience, network and product knowledge.
Software Engineers work in IBM Hursley, Hampshire - a 100 acre estate with a flexible work environment and lively social network.
Graduate applicants to IBM need to have a minimum of a 2.1 at degree level and exhiit the following key competencies:
Graduates that need a work permit, or have a work permit for a limited time (e.g. Tier 1 Post-Study work permit, valid for 2 years) cannot apply to IBM graduate schemes.
The IBM selection process varies slightly depending on which role you are applying for. However, generally speaking the application and assessment process at IBM is as follows:
You’ll need to complete the IBM standard online application form and attach a copy of your CV to complete your graduate scheme application. IBM are looking for people who have the key competencies and skills to be successful at IBM, and provide a competencies based CV template on their application form for you to complete.
IBM allow applicants a week to take their online numerical reasoning and verbal reasoning aptitude tests.
First Round Selection/Assessment Day
If you pass the IBM online aptitude tests, you will be invited to attend a first round selection/assessment day. This will be held at one of the firm's offices in either London
or on the South Coast.
This day primarily focuses on your team working skills and IBM will assess how you work and interact with other people throughout this assessment period. If you are successful on this day then you will be invited to an assessment centre.
The IBM assessment centre has been designed to give you the opportunity to demonstrate a broader range of skills than you would be able to if you just had an interview. You will complete a number of different exercises and interviews aimed at giving you the chance to show a range of the skills you possess.
It is the assessment centre section of the IBM assessment process that is most different for each graduate scheme programme applied for.
The assessment centre for IT and technical graduate schemes is as follows:
Technical Interview
Some of the questions you may be asked during the IBM technical interview are as follows:
It is good to prepare yourself on these following topics:
HR Interview
This interview will be primarily competency based. You will be asked questions such as:
The IBM eXtreme blue selection process varies drastically depending on where you are applying to. Each different locale can interview very differently. This is based on the UK method of assessment for eXtreme blue.
You’ll need to complete the IBM standard online application form and attach a copy of your CV to complete your application. IBM are looking for people who have the key competencies and skills to be successful at IBM, and provide a competencies based CV template on their application form for you to complete. Some find this quite restrictive, however it is very useful for you as it provides an exact framework in which to talk about their key competencies.
IBM allow applicants a week to take their online numerical reasoning and verbal reasoning aptitude tests. This is called the IPATO test. It comprises of Sequence matching, Matrix Manipulation (tables, not horrific matrix maths) and some numerical / verbal reasoning questions. Be aware that is unlikely that you will be able to finish each section within the time given to you. Also be aware that cheating will be found out, see below.
If you pass the IBM online aptitude tests, you will be invited to attend a first round selection/assessment day. This will be held at IBM Hursley.
This day primarily focuses on your team working skills by means of a single group activity. There will also be a written test comprising of either multiple choice questions based on a mixture of algorithms, small programs and SQL / Data or an essay based test depending on your application (ie, business or technical). If you are successful on this day then you will be invited to an assessment centre. This is the last part of the very technical questions for applicants.
The IBM assessment centre has been designed to give you the opportunity to demonstrate a broader range of skills than you would be able to if you just had an interview. You will complete a number of different exercises and interviews aimed at giving you the chance to show a range of the skills you possess.
There are a mixture of group activities, a presentation, a problem solving - role play activity as well as an interview. If you have got to this stage they already know your technical skill level and will not be assessing this as heavily as you might expect. At this stage of the assessment process they are much more interested in how well you fulfil the key competencies they have outlined on their website. You will not be asked to recursively program the Fibonacci sequence for instance, however you will be expected to show understanding of software engineering practices in the group activities etc.
IBM Global Services is the world's largest business and technology services provider. It is the fastest growing part of IBM, and currently employs over 190,000 people and serves customers in more than 160 countries.
IBM Global Services has two major divisions:
For IBM see the wiki profile, here - IBM.
IBM Global Business Services (GBS) is the professional services arm of IBM Global Services and comprises the management consulting, systems integration, and application management services divisions of the company.
IBM's strength is IT related consulting; IBM has a competitive advantage over its competitors, with unlimited access to IBM hardware, software and technical support. The business strategy and management consulting divisions of the firm are much smaller than IT.
Now see - IBM Global Business Services Graduate Schemes.
You will need to have achieved or be expecting a 2:1 honours degree in any discipline to apply to IBM. The firm are looking for adaptable, driven candidates who are good team players with a passion for the area of work they are applying to.
Now see - IBM Global Business Services Working Culture.
IBM recruit about 100 graduates into the following areas of its Global Business Services consultancy wing each year:
Generally all roles are based in London, although you will be expected to be flexible regarding travelling and working away from home for both short and extended periods.
The work graduates (and indeed all employees) do depends entirely on IBM's clients during the period of your employment.
IBM provide graduate trainees with a sizable amount of training days, including both compulsory and elective training.
Now see - IBM Global Business Services Interview Questions.
The application and interview process for IBM graduate jobs in consulting is as follows:
The first part of the online application involves filling out various personal details and answer several long questions that require 500 word responses. These include:
Once you have submitted your initial application you will be contacted almost immediately if successful, by IBM. You will now be required to sit an online aptitude test.
The IBM online aptitude test is similar to an IQ test, and aims to accurately measure your logic and analytical abilities. There is no real preparation you can do for aptitude tests apart from to sit practice papers before the real test.
This consists of:
If you successfully pass the online aptitude test you will be invited to an assessment centre. This lasts for half a day and consists of one hour long interview and two group exercises. You will also be required to sit a shorter version of the online aptitude test, which is repeated to authenticate the results of the online test.
Your interview will be with a consultant with five or more year's experience. The interview will be competency based and your interviewer will ask you about your experiences, strengths and weaknesses. You will be asked to give examples of situations which illustrate your capabilities. IBM are particularly interested in finding evidence of your team working and leadership skills. Make sure you have considered examples to provide at interview if you are asked on these topics.
Previous candidate's questions have included:
Your group exercises will be based around solving a problem, in a group of about five candidates.
One group exercise will be a logic problem, and you will have to use clues to piece together a situation in order to make conclusions and find answers.
The other group exercise will be shorter. Your group will have to work together to decide a list of important items to take into space. The answer is not important, but you will be assessed on individual communication skills, team work and leadership.
The final assessment centre will consists of:
Your first interview will be with a partner from the consulting business, although not necessarily aligned to the particular sector of consulting that you have applied to are being considered for.
Your interviewer will be testing your understanding of IBM as a firm and consulting as an industry as well as your passion for IBM and level of enthusiasm for working at the company.
You may be asked:
You may also be asked further competency based questions such as:
At this stage you will also be asked questions relating to issues that may arise if you were to get a job at the firm, such as:
This final interview will be conducted by someone from the graduate programme. It should be more relaxed than previous interviews and will feature questions about your hobbies and interests. This interview is effectively a chance for you to meet a potential future colleague, and a chance for them to find out if you are someone they would be able to get along with. Relax, be friendly and outgoing and most importantly, for this interview just be yourself.
The communications exercise involves writing a short email to a mock boss (this is the written exercise) and then presenting a sales pitch to a mock
client (verbal exercise) about a certain service or product.
The final group exercise is another problem solving exercise. Each candidate will be given clues individually, but you will have to work together to find the answers to your given questions. You will be allowed to use a white board, flip chart and post it notes.
You will be assessed on your contributions to the discussion, leadership skills, teamworking skills and ideas. If at all possible, try to be the group member who ties people's ideas in together, writes ideas on the white board, analyses other people's ideas and compiles all information into one tight conclusion, towards the end of the discussion.
The current starting salary for graduate trainees at IBM is just over £27,000 per year, plus an annual bonus of about 4% of salary. The expense package provided at the firm is generous, although only graduates who work away from the firm will receive this.
IBM is one of the largest consultancy firms in the world. Consequently it can be hard to shine, and promotion can be hard to come by. It is also very difficult to transfer to a different section of the consulting business once you have joined, so much sure the area you apply to is the best option available to you.
Although graduate consulting roles at IBM are described as business consulting or strategy consulting, the real focus of the company is on IT and you may find the work you do relates more to IT than anything else. The actual business and strategy consulting departments at IBM are tiny compared to IT and it can be hard to gain recognition if performing a businessfocused role within a technical project.
Now see - IBM Global Business Services Graduate Schemes.
IBM Global Technology Services (GTS) primarily works on infrastructure services. It includes outsourcing services, Integrated Technology Services, and Maintenance.
This part of IBM offers the industry's broadest portfolio of on demand computing services, delivering pay-as-you-go infrastructure support and business processes over the Internet. IBM provides utility-like computing services to help customers transform their businesses.
Microsoft UK was founded in 1982 and started life in a small office in Reading. Microsoft has offices in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Ireland.
Microsoft recruits graduates into the business through either a two-year programme of balanced training, called MACH (Microsoft Academy for University Hires), or for those with more of a passion for computer fundamentals, a six-month graduate course called the Software Development Graduate Programme .
Programming (also known as software development or software engineering) is a function required by most industries and many organisations, and one where many IT graduate trainees start out. Programming includes roles such as designing computer-generated characters for Hollywood films to developing and maintaining the functionality of specialist trading software for investment banks to writing programmes to control the technical operations of manufacturing processes.
Development work is not restricted to programming; there are also opportunities to develop hardware, databases, networks, systems and websites.
There are fewer jobs developing hardware than software as organisations often buy computer equipment as standard and then adapt software to meet their needs. Examples of hardware development could be to make more robust computers to be used in schools or to design computers that could withstand forces when taken into space.
For development roles, skills with Object Oriented Languages, such as Java, C++ and C Sharp are highly desirable. Knowledge of database technologies such as SQL are also in strong demand. Both academically educated and self-taught programmers are equally highly regarded by employers.
Software Testers are responsible for insuring that all potential application errors are resolved before reaching the user. In depth testing is carried out through assessing how the application could be used by a user, not how it should be used, to uncover all potential faults.
A Systems Administrator will be responsible for an organisation's servers, insuring that systems are operating efficiently and at peak performance at all times.
Thomson Reuters is a dual-listed company, consisting of Thomson Reuters Corporation, a Canadian company, and Thomson Reuters PLC, a UK company.
The Company is organised into the following businesses:
The Thompson Reuters technology graduate programme lasts for two years; employees typically undertake two placements, interspersed with both technical and business skills training.
During your two years on the programme you will also have the chance to work on global projects including six months based in a location outside the UK, such as Beijing, Bangkok, Singapore, Bangalore, New York and Gdansk
Applicants should have a minimum of: a 2:1 or above (or equivalent) in a Computer Science or related degree (e.g. Maths, Physics, Software Engineering, Electrical / Electronic engineering); evidence of knowledge or interest in new technologies & financial markets; and, an open-mind and willingness to use initiative and creativity to solve problems and suggest new ways of working.
It is also desirable for candidates to have technical skills, such as C#, C++, Java, RDBMS & networking/communication skills.
A Web Designer will combine creative and technical skills, to create programs for websites and further multimedia products to function. In more creative positions such as web design, a degree in a related discipline is essential. Familiarity with web based technologies such as CSS, PHP, JavaScript, XML and HTML would also be expected by most employers.
Software testing is a very loose term as it applies both in terms of testing traditional programming projects (for Desktop and Mobile applications) but also for all forms of web design and web programming as well.
The skills most relevant to being a good software tester are:
Nowadays there are many different programming and web development methodologies designed to minimise errors but it is always good practice to have a testing stage at the end of any project.