Other Industries

Advertising

TV, radio, print & online media, public relations and advertising; these are just some of the sub-sectors that make up the creative economy in the UK.

Advertising: Advertising sits happily and readily in this cluster of creative endeavours, providing essential growth, inspiration and funding for the sector as a whole. It helps promote and fund many other creative industries such as the performing arts and publishing. It provides important economic contributions to growth and exports, and develops many of the world’s renowned creative ideas and productions that make the UK a global hub for culture and creativity. Advertising is at the core of creativity in the UK

Media:

Public Relations:

BDH

BDH is a multi-disciplinary design company whose reputation and remit has grown along with the awards cabinet.

As recipients of BAFTA, D&AD, Royal Television Society Awards, and Grammy and Emmy nominated work, BDH have, for over 10 years, directed commercials, created brand identities, music screen visuals, motion-graphics, ‘creative content’ for television productions and a growing catalogue of documentary film work.

Our main office is in Bristol, with a satellite base in London.

Ogilvy

Ogilvy is a communications agency that specialises in advertising, direct marketing, online marketing, PR, design and promotion. It is known as one agency, but is made up of 12 different companies that each specialise in one area of advertising, marketing or PR.

Training

Ogilvy believe their graduate training is the best in the industry. It consists of six weeks of initial training and then three years spent at three different companies within the Ogilvy group.

Ogilvy's Companies

The companies which make up the Ogilvy group include:

Ogilvy Advertising - Mostly TV, Radio, Press and Print advertising
OgilvyOne - Specialises in one-on-one communications, direct marketing and digital
Ogilvy PR - Public Relations
Ogilvy Healthworld - Deals with healthcare communications and medical related advertising
Coley Porter Bell - Brand design consulting
Dialogue - Promotion specialists
OgilvyAction - International promotion specialists

For more information on Ogilvy visit the WikiJob forums.

Ogilvy Graduate Scheme

Ogilvy Fellowship Scheme

Ogilvy runs a small but very highly rated graduate scheme, called the Ogilvy Fellowship Scheme. More details are available at www.ogilvyfellowship.co.uk

Training

The Ogilvy Fellowship Scheme offers graduates six weeks of initial training, followed by a three year period where graduates will work in three different companies that operate within the Ogilvy umbrella group.

When you start working for Ogilvy, you will be called an Account Executive.

Applying to Ogilvy

Officially, there are no set requirements (academic or otherwise) for candidates to have in order to apply for the Ogilvy Fellowship Scheme. All you need to be is enthusiastic, be able to demonstrate passion for advertising and have great ideas.

Ogilvy Interview Questions

The application and assessment process at Ogilvy is as follows:

Online application
Interview
Assessment day

Assessment day

The Ogilvy assessment day lasts from 9:30am - 5:30pm. The day will start with introductions and a company presentation.

Personal Presentation

You will be required to give a five minute oral presentation at the start of the assessment day, as a way of introducing yourself to interviewers and other candidates. For this, you will be asked to bring an object which you feel represents you to the assessment day, and to talk about it for five minutes. This is a lot like "show and tell", although you will need to be professional: confident, interesting and coherent, to do really well.

Interviews

You will meet four interviewers over the course of the day who will each ask different questions, in their own style. Expect lots of discussion about "why advertising" and "why Ogilvy". Make sure you have researched who "Ogilvy" was and why he was such an important driving force in advertising. At the very least, make sure you read books written by David Ogilvy and about him, as at least one of your interviewers will certainly ask you about him.

Expect specific questions such as:

What is your favourite advert at the moment?
What is your favourite advert of all time?
Why do you want to work for this agency?
Where else have you applied?
Who are Ogilvy's main/direct competitors?
Why do you want to work in advertising?
Have you read any books on advertising?
What do you think makes a good advertising campaign?
Do you know about an advertising campaign which has actually made a company worse off?

Also be prepared for competency based questions and questions about your education, history, background, CV and application. Watch out for:

Situational questions during the interview, and;
Questions to assess how switched on/assertive you are.

For example, you might be asked to: "Think of a photo of a group of men in the 1930's, 1940's and even 1950's. All the men are wearing hats. Imagine a group of men in the 1960's. These men are not wearing hats. Why is this?"

Group Presentation

At some point during the assessment day (morning or afternoon) you will be given a product and asked to come up with an advertising campaign for it. You will then have to present your ideas to the rest of the interviewees and about ten interviewers, all from different parts of the agency.

Specifically, you will be given a brief and then told to split into groups of about four people. You will then have four hours to come up with a way of relaunching the product and subsequently asked to give a fifteen minute presentation explaining it.

Overall the assessment day is relaxed and not excessively pressured. You should bear in mind however, that you are at all times "on show" and even when talking and joking with your interviewers, they will still be assessing you, and deciding whether or not you would make a good team fit.

Also See - Ogilvy information on the WikiJob Advertising Forum.

Recent Assessment Day: Feb 2011

Had a 15 minute interview discussing two different adverts- one from Ogilvy and one from a competitor

Then had a group excersise during the afternoon. As there were 47 candidates, it was split into groups of 6. We had three hours to re-launch a brand and its services. Then complete a 10 minute presentation explaining our campaign.

It was watched by all candidates and assessors from the day.

A very competitive environment, I would suggest understanding how to deal with 'difficult people' in a group situation before attending.

Ogilvy Working Culture

Working Culture

Working at Ogilvy is probably more exciting than working at many other companies. Employees wear shorts, T-shirts and trainers and often play music at their desks.

Saatchi & Saatchi

Saatchi & Saatchi is a global advertising agency founded by two brothers named Saatchi.

The London office, the home of the original agency, is on Charlotte Street and has its own pub, named "The Pregnant Man" after the firm's first famous ad.

TBWA

TBWA is an advertising agency that specialises in identifying Disruptive strategies and developing Disruptive advertising campaigns. TBWA was founded in Paris in 1970 and opened offices in London in 1973.

TBWA Graduate Scheme Interview Process

The TBWA Account Management graduate scheme interview process is a one and a half hour session/assessment. You'll be interviewed by one interviewer for 30 minutes, then by another interviewer for a further 30 minutes, and finally by both for 30 minutes.

Expect to be asked industry specific questions such as:

What is your least favourite advert, and why?
What is your favourite advert and why?
Why have you chosen advertising as a career?
What will you do if you don’t get into advertising?
Why have you applied to/what do you like about TBWA?
Where else have you applied?

Other questions will probably be competency based or CV/application based, such as:

Think of a situation when you have had to bring other people around to your view point.
What experience of teamwork/leadership do you have/give me an example of a time when you have shown leadership?
Why do you think we should employ you?

There is only one exercise/presentation during the assessment which requires you to work in collaboration with another (and only one other) candidate. As a pair, you will have to pick an advert concept (from a selection of five provided) and with your partner ‘pitch’ this idea to a "client" (played by the interviewer).

If you have further information about the TBWA interview process, please help others by adding to this wiki.

WPP

WPP Group is one of the world's largest communications services groups, employing over 110,000 people working in over 2,000 offices in 106 countries.

The Group is structured as follows:

Advertising

Global, national and specialist advertising services from a range of top international and specialist agencies, amongst them Grey, JWT, Ogilvy & Mather, Enfatico, United Group and Y&R.

Media Investment Management

Above- and below-the-line media planning and buying andspecialist sponsorship and branded entertainment services from GroupM companies Mediacom, Mediaedge:cia, Mindshare, MAXUS and others

Information, Insight & Consultancy

WPP's Kantar companies, including Research International, Millward Brown, Henley Centre HeadlightVision and many other specialists in brand, consumer, media and marketplace insight, work with clients to generate and apply great insights.

Public Relations & Public Affairs

Corporate, consumer, financial and brand-building services from PR and lobbying firms Burson-Marsteller, Cohn & Wolfe, Hill & Knowlton, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide and others.

Branding & Identity

Consumer, corporate and employee branding and design services, covering identity, packaging, literature, events, training and architecture from Addison, The Brand Union, FITCH, Lambie-Nairn, Landor Associates, The Partners and others.

Direct, Promotion & Relationship Marketing

The full range of general and specialist customer, channel, direct, field, retail, promotional and point-of-sale services from Bridge Worldwide, G2, OgilvyOne, OgilvyAction, RTC Relationship Marketing, rmg:connect, VML, Wunderman, Maxx Marketing, and others.

Healthcare Communications

CommonHealth, GHG, Ogilvy Healthworld, Sudler & Hennessy and others provide integrated healthcare marketing solutions from advertising to medical education and online marketing.

Specialist Communications

A comprehensive range of specialist services, from custom media and multicultural marketing to event, sports, youth and entertainment marketing; corporate and business-to-business; media, technology and production services.

WPP Graduate Marketing Fellowship

The WPP graduate scheme is called the WPP Marketing Fellowship (for graduates and MBAs). The programme aims to develop high-calibre management employees and provide experience across a range of marketing disciplines.

The Program is comprised of three one-year rotations through WPP's companies, with each rotation chosen on the basis of the individual's interests and the Group's needs.

Energy

The UK’s energy and utilities sector comprises the oil, gas and petroleum, and also nuclear power, coal, renewable energies, waste management and water industries. The UK’s oil and gas industry has been self-sufficient since 1980. It is expected to remain self-sufficient in oil until approximately 2016, and in gas until well into this century. However, the UK’s oil reserves are declining.

The petroleum industry consists of more than 200 companies refining, distributing and marketing petroleum, including large multinational oil companies, supermarkets, retailers and rural filling stations.

The nuclear industry employs over 50,000 people in the UK. Nuclear power provides about 22% of the UK’s electricity. Approximately 15,000 well-trained, highly skilled people operate and decommission nuclear power stations in the UK. The industry needs 9,000 graduates over the next decade to maintain existing operations. There will be a further need for scientists and engineers due to the approval for a new generation of nuclear power stations.

The UK’s coal industry employs around 5,600 people, the majority of whom work in England. Nearly 80% of all coal is burnt for electricity production, and 34% of all electricity generated in the UK comes from coal. About 5,500 people in the UK work in this new industry, with employment steadily increasing (London Energy Partnership).

The UK waste management industry employs around 141,000 people, dealing with approximately 100 million tonnes of waste generated annually from households, industry and commerce.

The water industry in the UK collects, treats and supplies over 16 billion litres of high quality water to domestic and commercial customers, then collects and treats over 10 billion litres of wastewaters.

Approximately 160,000 people work in water and associated fields. Currently there is a shortage of skilled workers such as modellers, planners, environmentalists, ecologists and operational engineers.

BP (British Petroleum)

BP is a global business that employs over 16,000 people within the UK.

Graduate Schemes

[Edit] The company offer many different graduate programmes for people interested in:

Science
Engineering
Business

Working Culture

BP has a reputation for being a diverse employer and a firm that looks after its employees. The firm has a positive attitude towards flexible working hours, although the amount of hours worked each week is quite high. Managers tend to work on average 11-12 hours a day although this depends on which area you work in. In Sunbury and Aberdeen the offices can be empty at 5pm. The company is high powered and successful but also relaxed, for example the dress code at BP is generally casual (i.e. no suits).

Application and Interview Process

[Edit] The application and interview process is as follows:

Online application
Online aptitude tests
Initial interviews
Assessment centre

Online Application

Candidates must choose and apply for graduate schemes at BP on the company's website. On submitting an application, the applicant will be sent online aptitude tests covering both verbal, non verbal and numerical reasoning.

Initial Interview

Candidates will be invited for an initial competency based interview. The interview will focus on the candidate and try to find out your achievements, goals and ambitions. There will also be some technical questions if you have applied for an engineering or science based role.

Assessment Centre

The BP assessment centre lasts for one evening and then the following whole day and consists of several interviews, a presentation and both competitive and collaborative group exercises.

Day 1

Attendees are advised to arrive at the assessment facility (usually a hotel) by 4pm and gather to meet with those administering the event to check in, have their photo taken and receive their schedule for the event. The day then proceeds with:

Meetings and introductions
Company presenation on graduate schemes
Candidates split into groups
Technical interview with two assessors for up to one hour.
First Group exercise
Second group exercise
Third group exercise
Individual in-tray exercise
Competency based interview with two interviewers.
Lunch
End

Technical Interview

Science and engineering graduates face a technical question during the technical interview. For non-science candidates, this interview consists of one or two scenarios
involving the day-to-day decisions facing a BP manager. The scenarios are likely to be based on a real life example. Two assessors lead the candidate through the decisions to be made and develop the answers with further questions.

Group Exercise

Each group exercise will be a group game with a number of other candidates. There will be lots of information to assimilate on an individual basis, followed by a group discussion to reach a consensus. A number of assessors will be present to look at each candidate's behaviour, assessing them against the skills and key competencies the firm is looking for.

Competency Interview

This is based on the four key competencies identified by BP as important for its recruits. Many companies make detailed information about the competencies they look for available on their website and in their recruitment marketing. See competency based interview for more information.

E.ON

E.ON UK is an energy company in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of E.ON, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. E.ON generates, distributes and supplies energy in the Midlands region, and in the electricity and gas supply markets.

The international head office of E.ON is based in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Graduate Jobs

There are several different types of graduate job at E.ON:

Corporate Management
Engineering
Other functions
Finance

Interview Process

[Edit] The interview process at E.ON is as follows:

Online application
Numerical and verbal tests
Telephone interview or face to face interview
Assessment centre which lasts for two days.

Telephone Interview

 It is either a competency or technical based interview, sometimes both!

PLEASE HELP OTHERS BY EXTENDING THIS SECTION OF THE PROFILE!

Assessment Centre

PLEASE HELP OTHERS BY EXTENDING THIS SECTION OF THE PROFILE!

EDF Energy

EDF Energy is a vertically integrated energy company in the United Kingdom, with operations spanning electricity generation, electricity transmission and the sale of gas and electricity to homes and businesses throughout the United Kingdom. It employs over 13,000 people and handles 5.5 million customer accounts.

The company is wholly owned by the French energy company EDF SA and was formed in 2002 following the acquisition and mergers of SEEBOARD (formerly South Eastern Electricity Board), London Energy (formerly the London Electricity Board), SWEB Energy and two coal-fired power stations and a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station.

EDF Energy Graduate Jobs

EDF Energy are looking for graduate with a minimum of a 2.1 at degree level for the following work areas:

Engineering
Business & Customer Management
Energy Analysts
Commercial
Legal
Finance
Business Improvement & Technology
Internal Audit
HR
Nuclear

ExxonMobil

The Exxon Mobil Corporation, or ExxonMobil, is an American oil and gas corporation and a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company. It was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil.

Interview & Assessment Process

[Edit] The ExxonMobil interview and assessment process consists of:

Online application
Online examination
Telephone interview
Formal interview

Online Examination

Successful applicants (most applicants) are invited to complete an online test focusing on numeracy skills, such as ability to read graphs, calculate percentiles, and other statistics and accounting based skills

Telephone interview

Exxon will conduct a 15-20 minute telephone interview with successful candidates following the online test, this consists of questions about examples of times when you have achieved something or demonstrated a skill, for example:

Give me an example of when you have demonstrated leadership skills.

Following this personality test, successful candidates will be asked to attend a formal interview

ExxonMobil Interview Questions

The interview and assessment process at ExxonMobil is as follows:

Telephone Interview

[Edit] The ExxonMobil telephone interview is a competency based interview. The questions given can be quite complex, such as

Give an example of a time when you had an obstacle to overcome - how you did this?
Give me an example of a time when you used initiative?

The interview may last longer than 30 minutes.

Assessment Centre

The ExxonMobil assessment centre is 24 hours and includes an overnight stay. It begins at about 6pm in the evening, with dinner. The dinner consists of you and about 12 other candidates, with one or occasionally two ExxonMobile HR staff.

The following day, exercises will start at 9am. The day includes a:

Case study
Written Exercises
Group Exercises
Presentation
In-tray exercise
Competency based interview (this may be a panel interview)

During the case study there will be lots of material to read and to take notes on (which will be taken and marked). After this, you will discuss the material and choose the options with the other candidates.

Teams will be of about six people.After drawing your conclusions you will have to give a presentation to the ExxonMobil HRs. Each candidate will need to present and each presentation lasts about 10 to 15 minutes.

Maersk

Maersk is one of the largest shipowners in the UK, and own various vessel types ranging from product tankers and container vessels to some of the world’s most powerful offshore support vessels. The company has over 5,000 staff operating on both land and sea. Maersk handle about four million container movements in the UK and Ireland each year. Maersk is also active in the oil and gas sectors.

Maersk UK is part of the global A.P. Moller - Maersk Group, which has more than 110,000 employees in more than 125 countries across the globe.

Graduate Jobs

Maersk hire around 10 graduates each year for a two year graduate programme. The main stream are: General Business and Finance.

Offices

Maersk has its head office in London and offices in 20 locations across the UK and Ireland.

For more information on Maersk visit the WikiJob forum.

Shell

Graduate Schemes

Shell offer candidates a range of technical and commercial graduate schemes.

Technical

Geologist
Production engineer
Field engineer

Commercial

Market analysts
Human resources
Co-ordinators
Marketing advisers

Shell recruits 250 graduates annually for its activities within the regions of Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia. Graduates recruited from the UK could be working in any location within these regions, although most are usually based in Britain for their first assignment, either in London, Manchester, Aberdeen or Cheshire.

Applicants for graduate schemes must have a degree, but this can be in any discipline for applications to the commercial side of the company. For technical graduate schemes, applicants must have a specific technical degree.

Shell Graduate Scheme Interview Questions

Graduate Scheme Application and Interview Process

The student and graduate recruitment process at Shell can take between two and six months. Prospective applicants should apply as early as possible. The recruitment process consists of the following:

Online application
Interview / Telephone interview
Assessment day
Compatibility meeting

Online Application

Graduate candidates must complete the Global Graduate Application Form found on the Shell careers website to apply for a graduate scheme. This must be sent, together with a candidate's CV to Shell’s human resources department.

Applicants may also be asked to complete two online questionnaires as part of their application.

Interview

If successful at the initial screening stage, candidates will be invited for an interview. This will either be a face-to-face or telephone interview if a candidate cannot make it to the proposed interview location. A Shell assessor or trained business manager will conduct the interview.

It is very important to prepare well before this interview. Find out as much as you can about the work Shell do, the history of the company and their plans for the future. Think about how your skills and experiences would be of use to Shell, so that you can sell yourself in the interview.

Candidates should expect the following CV based and competency based questions:

Why have you applied to us?
What do you know of our business?
What qualities/skills do you have which make you suitable?
Tell me about your extracurricular activities.
Give an example of when you worked in a team/led a team?
Describe a time when you were under great pressure.
- How did you cope?
- What was the outcome?

Assessment Day

If an applicant does well in their first stage interview they will be invited to the final selection stage, the assessment day, which takes place at an assessment centre either in London or in The Hague in the Netherlands. A Shell assessment day typically lasts from 7am to 6pm.

The assessment day is divided into four main sections, with a break for lunch in the middle:

Presentation
Role play
Lunch
Group exercise
Individual interview

During the interview and assessment process your academic credentials and results will play almost no part in determining whether you're a suitable employee for Shell. These are only really important for getting past the online application stage. During the interview and assessment stages your assessors will predominantly focus on analysing your: personality, inter-personal skills, presentation skills, communication skills, ability to influence other people, maturity and ability to work in a team.

Presentations

The first interview session at Shell assesses candidate's presentation skills, by asking them to give a short talk on a general issue. The candidate group will be given a sheet of paper that consists of information about several related issues, e.g. the environment, the state of education, employment, fuel prices, etc. Each candidate in your group will need to pick a different subject to present on, and then you will all be given about 20 minutes to prepare. After this time your group will be told to stop writing, and you will take turns to deliver your presentations. The presentation session will be attended by two assessors, and last about one hour.

Role Play

The second interview session will involve a role play session between candidates and two different assessors. These assessors are managers and executives normally picked by the HR department from different areas of the company, e.g. finance, HR, off shore operation, sales and trading or procurement.

Candidates will be assigned a role to play (e.g. the CEO of Shell) while the two assessors act as your right hand people (e.g. VP Sales and VP Operations). Your task is to attend to problems raised by the two assessors, make decisions and advise them. For example, your VP Sales may tell you that a group of people are planning to stage a nationwide protest against oil companies, and as the CEO you will need to advise them what to do.

Lunch

Although your lunch hour will not be officially assessed, you will almost certainly spend it dining in the company of your assessors. Use this opportunity to ask questions you may have about the firm, your training and the specifics of the job you have applied for.

Group Exercise

For this session, each member of your candidate group will be given a different location and asked to individually analyse if it would be a suitable location for mining activity. After this, the candidate group will work together, as a team. The group will be asked to discuss each member's location in turn and discuss each member's primary individual analysis. The team must finally come up what they believe to be the best location in which to start mining.

This task is used to determine which candidate had the best skills in terms of leadership, communication and teamwork. It is important that you try to lead the discussion, offer intelligent input all the way through the discussion and defend your opinions if criticised by another candidate.

About five assessors will observe this group exercise and group discussion.

Individual Interview

The final interview session is an individual face-to-face interview that lasts approximately one hour. This will include several competency based questions, general CV based questions and questions about the assessment day itself.

Compatibility Meeting

Following the assessment day, successful candidates are invited to a attend a more informal meeting with a relevant business manager to find out if their personality is suitable for the particular department of the company they have applied for. If the meeting is successful, a formal offer will be made.

List of Energy Firms

Below is a list of Energy firms and similar companies (such as Petrochemical and Process companies) with graduate schemes. If you would like to create a new profile for any of the firms below, simply click on it and begin writing.

Other Utility Firms

Vertex

For more information about careers in this type of company, see Energy.

Engineering

Engineers work in many different environments and alleviating poverty through technology and infrastructural developments. These are just some of the key issues that scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians (STEM) are working together to solve, right now.

Graduate Engineering Opportunities

A major attraction of an engineering career is that it offers something for everyone. There are a huge variety of jobs and employers to choose between to suit your interests, range of skills and personal circumstances. You can choose between many engineering sectors and consider taking a job in areas such as design, development, research, production, quality assurance, maintenance and projects.

Here are some of the key options:

Civil Engineering and Construction

These industries are affected by the current financial situation but still need graduates in civil and structural engineering; there are not enough graduates in these disciplines to meet their needs. Consultancies such as Arup and Atkins, Jacobs Engineering Group and WSP are international organisations with offices and projects all over the globe. WSP seeks engineers who "build trust, support each other, share knowledge and have a passion for constant improvement", while Atkins wants "talented individuals who want to make a difference and will be involved in projects from day one".

Like many others, Arup recruit many different engineers including civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and environmental engineers. You could be working on geo-technical engineering and checking out foundations, designing building services or drainage, calculating stresses and strains on a structure and many other activities. Trainees usually begin their career in design and progress from there to managing projects, liaising with clients and architects and supervising contractors to ensure the work is completed to plan. Engineering consultancies range from these large firms to quite small organisations. Some can be found on the website of the [www.acenet.co.uk Association of Consultancy and Engineering]. Others can be investigated through the websites of the professional engineering institutions.

At major construction companies like John Laing, Costain, AMCO and Taylor Wimpey, a leading house builder, the emphasis is more on management than design, though some are engaged in "design and build" projects where they complete the design work themselves. You could soon be working on the preparation for a bid, organising the logistics of a project or setting out and eventually managing a construction site. John Laing seek recruits with "a good degree, plenty of drive and initiative and the ability to work in teams". On the one hand the government is committed to building new "eco towns" but on the other finance for mortgages is not as readily available as it was. The availability of opportunities in 2009 will depend on how the situation develops.

Opportunities also arise to work for local authorities who have huge infrastructures to manage in their roads and buildings. The Highways Agency, an executive agency of the DFT (Department for Transport), is responsible for all the motorways and trunk roads in the UK and employs engineers to manage projects, improve safety and take responsibility for the maintenance and development of their network. They want engineers with "a vision and passion to drive change in modernising the country’s roads".

Network Rail is responsible for track, signals, bridges, tunnels, level crossings and much else. They recruit civil, electrical and mechanical engineers who are "self starters ready to play their part in landmark projects". Their engineers specialise in track, signalling, electrification and telecommunications.

Oil, gas and water companies also have a continuing need for civil, environmental and structural engineers to design, install and maintain their pipelines, rigs and the structures and foundations of other installations. Thames Water, for example is building a London Ring Main and the Tideway Tunnel, an enclosed reservoir.

Utilities

All the major water and electricity utilities companies such as British Energy, E.ON, Thames Water and United Utilities offer career development opportunities for engineers. The range of engineering disciplines that they need to employ is diverse including electrical, control, environmental, nuclear, chemical and water engineering.

Government is currently leaning strongly in favour of expanding nuclear power and is expected not only to replace nuclear power stations coming to the end of their life but also to expand this source of energy. British Energy, which supplies 20% of our electricity from its nuclear power plants around the UK, seeks engineers who "put safety first, communicate openly and honestly, treat everyone with respect and strive for quality as a professional". The engineers it recruits every year are from the disciplines of electrical, electronic, control and instrumentation, civil, mechanical, chemical and nuclear engineering.

United Utilities, by contrast, is a major player in both the water and conventional electricity industries. Details of all UK water companies can be discovered on the [www.water.org.uk Water UK website]. The water and electricity research organisations WRc and ERA Technology both recruit engineers for contract research projects related to their respective industries.

Oil and Gas

Demand for oil and gas is outstripping supply and providing a huge range of engineering careers. You might be part of an exploration team conducting seismic surveys on land or at sea. You could be drilling wells to develop an oil and gas field. Some engineers are wire-line loggers, slowly lowering equipment down a well to analyse the structure and oil bearing properties. Others are petroleum engineers calculating the value of a field, how much oil can be recovered and how to do it optimally.

Once oil is found engineers are employed on production rigs, getting the oil and gas out of the ground and separating it from water before sending it down pipelines or liquefying it for transportation. More jobs arise at refineries and petrochemical plants where the numerous bi-products of oil are manufactured. All of these operations demand efficient and safe electronic control systems. Finally some engineers work to research novel methods, monitor effects of pollution on the environment, organise distribution and many other activities.

The leading recruiters are BG, BP, Exxon and Shell, but much of the work is outsourced by oil companies to contractors such as Schlumberger and Baker Hughes who do the detailed design of plant, take on the drilling, and provide electronic systems and many other services to the industry.

Chemical Industries and Petrochemical Contractors

Chemical engineers are often attracted to work in the chemical, petrochemical, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, agrochemical and food industries. They can be running a processing plant and optimising production, considering novel changes, or planning maintenance schedules. Some have responsibility for the environmental effects of effluent and gas emitted into the atmosphere.

While those employed by manufacturers including oil companies, GSK, Akzo Nobel, Procter & Gamble and Unilever have responsibility for the overall design of a processing plant, the detailed design and construction is usually organised by contractors such as AMEC and Fluor. AMEC seek around 60 engineers a year who "over achieve, have exceptional talent and thrive on hard work".

Telecoms

The telecommunications industry is increasing its global reach. The companies are investing heavily in their networks providing an ever increasing range of services.

Engineers are required to develop, install and maintain the networks, so there is a broad range of jobs. Vodafone recruit graduates directly into specific jobs, so you must know what you want. They include Technical Business Management, Service Operations, Telecommunications Systems and Information Technology.

You might be a project manager setting processes in place to develop new services for customers or a product analyst, owning a piece of technology and building a clearer understanding of its potential. They also employ technical product specialists who deliver solutions for each product.

At BT they recruit into technology design and consultancy, software and platform engineering, IT operations and network engineering and management. Network engineers work on network design, mobile communications, data services, internet, network signalling and protocols.

Equipment suppliers such as Nokia, Nortel, Phillips and Siemens also offer career opportunities. There you could be working on cables, integrated circuits, semi conductors, mobile phones and lots more. The phone now provides maps, music, photography, information, games and many other services. Developing and maintaining these services is the challenge for engineers. The work is often achieved in project teams where electronic specialists work closely with software engineers.

Siemens, for example, have a technology consultancy, Roke Manor Research and also recruit into their broadcasting and communications division for research, development, design, manufacturing operations and maintenance. There is plenty more information about this industry on the website of the regulator [www.ofcom.org.uk OFCOM].

Transport

Now more than ever engineers are involved in designing and planning our roads so that we can get to our destination as safely and as quickly as possible. Increasingly transport engineers use "modelling" in the design process to forecast the types of trips people are likely to make and how frequently they make them in addition to considering human factors such as analysing the existing set up and anticipating how people are likely to react to road layout. They are knowledgeable about the best materials needed to design safe and efficient roads and pavements. Transport engineers work as part of a large team on new and existing projects, providing solutions to a variety of perplexing giant puzzles for both private and public sector organisations.

Medical Engineering

This area, sometimes called bio-medical engineering, is about the application of engineering principles to the medical field. This area of engineering combines design and problem solving skills with biological sciences to find solutions to a variety of medical problems, such as improving the efficiency and effectiveness of a range of artificial limbs, the diagnostic equipment that is used in hospitals e.g. MRI scans and the latest drugs.

Medical engineering is a relatively new discipline but one that is constantly expanding to include new areas of research and recent medical advances. Medical engineers may work in hospitals or research and development companies. Medical engineering roles are varied and are likely to involve working with health professionals and a range of suppliers from pharmaceutical companies to the manufacturers of scalpels.

Systems Engineering

Systems engineers focus on how complex engineering projects should be designed and managed. Issues such as logistics (where things are and how they get to where they should be), the co-ordination of different teams and automatic control of machinery become harder when we deal with large and complex projects, for instance the design and running of the international space station. Systems engineering deals with work processes and tools to handle this. Systems engineers would be involved from the start of a project to prototype, testing and right through to launch. They would work with a range of people including users, designers, programmers, project managers and specialist technicians to deliver a solution. They find solutions to very complex problems.

Environmental Engineering

The quality of the land, air and water around us is becoming increasingly important with the onset of climate change. Engineers are at the forefront of preserving our planet and ensuring that modern technology is kind to the world in which we live. Being an environmental engineer might mean that you have a special interest in ecosystems and biology, or other branches of engineering like civil engineering (buildings, roads and structures). People who deal in public health matters may also be environmental engineers, helping to ensure that our world is preserved for humans as well as for plants and animals.

Renewable Energy Engineering

Renewable energy engineers are concerned with the production of energy through natural resources such as the sourcing and use of wind, solar and wave power. They are involved in developing and maintaining power stations and the machinery used in alternative energy sourcing and production e.g bio-fuel sourced from crops. Energy engineers construct equipment designed by engineering designers, and conduct testing and make modifications prior to installation and running. This involves extensive use of computer technology. They may work for industry, university or government research departments. They may hold senior positions, head up a team of energy engineers or have a key post in the team. Ultimately these engineers are focussed on finding efficient, clean and innovative ways to supply energy to millions of households for years to come. Renewable energy is extremely important to the future of our planet and that is something that we’d all like to rely on.

Aeronautical engineer

An aeronautical engineer applies scientific and technological principles to research, design, maintain, test, develop and manufacture high-performance civil and military aircraft, missiles, weapons systems, satellites and space vehicles.

Aeronautical engineering offers a wide range of roles and the possibility of an international location. Most engineers specialise in a particular area, such as research, design, testing, manufacture or maintenance. The aerospace industry is a well established major employment sector in the UK, with many rewarding roles available.

These roles are challenging but exciting. Working for a company such as Rolls Royce or BAE Systems may involve varied shifts and being away from home for periods of time.

Textile engineer

Textile engineering is the application of scientific and engineering principles to the design and control of all aspects of fibre, textile, and clothing processes, products, and machinery. These include natural and man-made materials, interaction of materials with machines, safety and health, energy conservation, and waste and pollution control. Most textile engineers work on product research and development, either improving current textile based products or creating new products. They may also be involved with finding uses for new fibres, yarns, fabrics, or textile finishes in this country (new organic materials, sports clothing etc..) and overseas where developments in textile technology can allow humans to survive some of the most difficult climates on earth.

Routes into Engineering

To become an engineer you need to consider whether you enjoy science and mathematics subjects, because many engineering and technology roles are based on complex scientific and mathematical principles. Depending on what kind of job you would like, you will probably need qualifications in these subjects, such as a degree in Maths, Science or Engineering. Qualifications in ICT and design and technology (D&T) are also extremely useful.

It may also be helpful to know that there are three nationally (and internationally) recognised professional levels that you can work towards: Engineering Technician (Eng Tech), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and Chartered Engineer (CEng). Each of these levels can be achieved by various routes of study – going to university to study an engineering course is just one of the many options available to you.

Engineering: Graduate Salaries and Trends

There is a lot of demand for engineering graduates at the moment - almost certainly more than in any other sector. In 2007 the number of vacancies for civil engineering graduates rose 40% and for mechanical engineering 35%. This has also been reflected in the increase in starting salaries for civil engineering (up by 9.5% in 2007).

There is not a lot of variation between salaries in different engineering disciplines. Chemical engineering held the highest average salary in 2007 with £27,000 and electrical/electronic engineering came lowest at £22,500. A review of starting salaries by type of employer shows that engineering companies offer excellent remuneration to the graduates they take on.

It is often the case in engineering occupations that bonuses or other increments based on, for example, experience and postgraduate qualifications may be offered as well. This can give you the flexibility to earn more.

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) shows that those working in engineering occupations have the potential to earn very good salaries throughout their career, whilst combining a relatively high level of work satisfaction and work-life balance.

Atkins

Atkins is a multinational engineering and design consultancy, that helps resolve complex challenges presented by the built and natural environment.

Atkins Graduate Scheme Assessment Day

Assessment Day

[Edit] The Atkins assessment day consists of:

Personality questionnaire
Perception test
Technical interview
Communication test

Personality questionnaire

This questionnaire lasts for 30 minutes. Candidates should expect open ended questions like:

What sort of people do you enjoy working with?
Where do you see yourself in five years?

Perception test

This test lasts for 60 minutes. Candidates must read lots of information about an imaginary bridge being built. This information pack will include:

Letters from the council
Letters from contractors
Maps

Candidates are asked to write short answers to approximately eight questions such as: "Which date is best to undertake the works"?

There will be too much information to take on board at once and candidates are more or less forced to skim read most of the information.

Technical interview

This interview lasts for 60 minutes. Although called a "technical interview", most of this interview will be very general, with only a few specific technical questions.

A member of the department you are applying to will ask questions about you, your CV and why you want to be an engineer, as well as a couple of specific technical questions.

Communication test

This will last for approximately 40 minutes. First, you will be asked to read an article (almost certainly a text book extract about corporate social responsibility (CSR)). Next, without the original article, you will be asked to explain to the interviewer what you have read. Candidates should remember that they can use diagrams to explain themselves, as well as just talking.

Finally, you interviewer will begin an argument/discussion about the subject of the original article. You will be asked to take one side of the argument, whilst they will take the other, and it will be your job to convince them that your opinion is the right one.

BAE Systems

BAE Systems is an international company that develops, delivers and supports defence and aerospace technology, in the air, on land and at sea.

BAE Systems employ approximately 100,000 people across five continents.

BAE Systems Graduate Schemes and Requirements

BAE Systems run three graduate schemes: Graduate Development Framework, Finance Leader Development Programme, and Sigma Leadership Programme.

Graduate Development Framework

Is BAE Systems' main graduate entry route. It is a 2-year scheme which take people into nearly all areas of the business. It is the principal route into Engineering – which includes Systems, Software, Support, Electrical and Electronic, Mechanical, Structures, Project Management and Manufacturing – and also into Business functions – which include Project Management, Procurement, Commercial, Human Resources and Sales & Marketing.

Requirements

Engineering entry requires at least a 2:2 in an engineering-related degree with a minimum of 220 UCAS points (or equivalent, excl. General Studies).
Non-Engineering entry requires at least a 2:1 degree in any discipline with a minimum of 280 UCAS points (or equivalent, excl. General Studies).

Finance Leader Development Programme

A 5-year programme, incorporating CIMA training and qualification for the first three years and then a senior accountancy position for a further two years. It is intended as a programme to create a 'talent pipeline' of future finance leaders and directors.

Requirements

A 2:1 degree in any discipline and a minimum of 280 UCAS points (or equivalent, excl. General Studies).

Sigma Leadership Programme

A 3-5 year fast-tracked leadership programme designed for high-calibre engineering and business graduates who will be future leaders in the business.

Requirements

Both routes require a minimum of a 2:1 degree and the right to live and work in the UK.
Engineering entry requires an engineering-related degree and at least 280 UCAS points (or equivalent, excl. General Studies).
Business entry requires a business-related degree and at least 320 UCAS points (or equivalent, excl. General Studies).

BAE Assessment Centre for FINANCE !!!

Hey guys if anyone has had experience of the BAE assessment centre for finance, PLEASE SHARE!!!

QinetiQ

QinetiQ is a defence, technology and security company.

Rolls Royce

Rolls-Royce is a provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air. the firm operates in four global markets - civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy.

Rolls Royce Graduate Scheme Application Requirements

Applying to Rolls Royce

[Edit] To apply to one of the Rolls Royce graduate or internship programmes, you will need to have obtained:

A minimum of a 2.1 (or be predicted to get a 2.1) degree.
If applying for engineering, you will need to have an A level Grade B or above in Physics and Maths (or equivalent) together with a Masters level qualification. Rolls Royce prefer candidates to have an MEng, or an BEng with an MSc.

Skanska

Skanska UK is a construction company.

Tate & Lyle

Tate & Lyle is a manufacturer of renewable food and industrial ingredients. All ingredients are produced from renewable crops, predominantly corn (maize) and sugar cane. Tate & Lyle take these renewable crops and transform them through the use of technology into value added ingredients for the firm's food, beverage and industrial customers.

Total

TOTAL E&P UK Limited is the fourth-largest operator in the UK sector of the North Sea, in terms of production and reserves and is one of the largest exploration and production subsidiaries of the TOTAL Group.

List of Engineering Firms

The following is a list of companies in the Engineering and Motor industries and related areas.

+ Hydromat Engineering Ltd.

Automotive

Daewoo UK Limited
Dunlop Tyres Limited
Fiat Auto Ltd
Ford
General Motors (Europe) AG
Inchcape Plc
Iveco Ford Truck Ltd
Jaguar Cars Limited
Jaguar Land Rover
Leyland Trucks
Mercedes-Benz (UK) Ltd
Nissan Motor Manufacturing Ltd
PSA Peugeot Citroen
Renault UK Ltd
Rolls Royce (& Bentley)
Toyota (GB) Ltd
Triumph Motorcycles
Vauxhall Motors Limited
Volkswagen Group UK Ltd
Volvo Car (UK) Ltd

FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods)

FMCG's (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) is one of the largest sectors of the business world. FMCG's are products that are manufactured by organisations such as Unilever, Procter & Gamble and GlaxoSmithKleine and are typically bought by consumers frequently (essentially they move from retailer's shelves to consumer very quickly). This industry encompasses a large number of job roles. A career in this sector can be hard work; it involves a wide range of activities from market research, pricing and product development, purchasing, to advertising and brand awareness - you may find yourself responsible for one or more brands. Although graduate starting salaries in this industry can be fairly standard, working in this industry can lead to excellent rewards and benefits.

Reckitt Benckiser

Anheuser-Busch

Anheuser-Busch, Inc. is the largest brewing company in the United States and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev. It holds a 48.8% share of beer sales by volume in the United States. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and nearly 20 others in other countries.

Anheuser-Busch is also responsible for the operation and maintenance of ten theme parks across the United States through the company's family entertainment division, Busch Entertainment Corporation.

Anheuser-Busch InBev

Anheuser-Busch InBev (also known as AB InBev) is the multinational parent company of Anheuser-Busch and InBev. AB InBev operates in over 30 countries and is based in Belgium and listed on Euronext Brussels. The firm is an international brewer and consumer products company.

Anheuser-Busch InBev manages a portfolio of over 200 brands that includes brands such as Budweiser, Stella Artois and Beck's.

Anheuser-Busch InBev leverages the collective strengths of its 120,000 employees based in operations in over 30 countries across the world.

Britvic

Britvic is a British producer of soft drinks. They are the number two soft drinks producer (by volume and retail sales value) in the UK. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

Cadbury

Cadbury is the world's largest confectionery manufacturer. The firm was formerly known as Cadbury Schweppes before de-merging in May 2008, separating its global confectionery business from its Americas beverage unit, which has been renamed Dr Pepper Snapple Group. Cadbury is the largest confectionery retailer in the world.

Cadbury UK also owns Trebor Bassett, Fry's, Maynard's and Halls.

Danone

Danone is an FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) company with over 90,000 employees and operates in 125 countries World-wide.

Danone's brands include Evian, Actimel, Volvic and Activia.

InBev

InBev is a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev. The company existed independently for several years - since the merger between Interbrew and Ambev and until the acquisition of Anheuser-Busch. InBev has operations in over 30 countries and sales in over 130 countries. In 2006 it had a market capitalization of €30.6 billion and net profit of €3.2 billion on sales of €13.3 billion.

Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble Graduate Careers

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is a large multinational manufacturer of various product ranges sold in supermarkets all around the world. Procter & Gamble produce goods including personal care products, household cleaning products, laundry detergents, prescription drugs and disposable nappies.

Procter & Gamble consists of over 138,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. Procter & Gamble goods are sold to consumers in over 180 countries worldwide.

As of 2008, Procter & Gamble is the 23rd largest company in the USA by revenue and 14th largest by profit.

Procter & Gamble Application Process

Applying to Procter & Gamble

(also see Procter & Gamble Interview Questions)

Graduate applicants should have, or be expecting a minimum of 2.1 degree and 280 UCAS points.

Application Process

The application and assessment process at Procter & Gamble is as follows:

Online Application
Online Questionnaire
Reasoning Test
First Interview
final Interview

Online Application

You will need to apply online for a graduate position at Procter & Gamble. Visit the Procter & Gamble website and check current job vacancies. If you find a position that suits you, click 'apply now' to begin your application.

To make an online application you will need an electronic copy of your CV (in English) and a summary of your latest grades to input into your application. Once you have successfully applied for a graduate role you will receive a confirmation email.

If rejected you will not be allowed to re-apply for 12 months. Successful applicants will be invited to complete an online questionnaire (although not all roles require candidates to complete this).

Online Questionnaire

Based on the position you have applied to, you will be asked to complete a 20 - 30 minute online questionnaire. This will be relatively straight-forward but will be used to discern which candidates to invite to the next stage of the assessment.

The online questionnaire is composed of two parts:

1. Success Drivers Assessment - Involves a series of short questions that ask how you would respond to a particular situation or problem in the workplace. Some questions will also ask you to evaluate your own academic standing and leadership qualities.

2. Reasoning Screen - Involves 15 questions that test your figural reasoning. This test is strictly timed, 2.5 minutes per question. Make sure you accomplish this test in an environment free of distractions.

Reasoning Test

If you successfully complete the online questionnaire you’ll be invited to complete the Procter & Gamble Global Reasoning Test at an office location, or on campus during a company recruitment event.

This multiple-choice test lasts for 65 minutes and contains 40 multiple-choice questions. This test has three sections: (1) Numerical Reasoning, (2) Logic-based Reasoning, or (3) Figural Reasoning questions. A calculator and extra paper are provided.

As an example of Numerical Reasoning:

1. In 2001, a company marketed 730,000 units of its product. In 2001 its yearly volume was 50% of its volume for 2004. The 2004 volume represents how many units for each of the 365 days of 2004?

A. 5,000 units
B. 4,000 units
C. 2,000 units
D. 1,100 units
E. 1,000 units
Correct answer: B

As an example of Logic-based Reasoning:

2. Purchasing can have a significant effect on an organization’s total profit. However, the success of a purchasing function relies on competent buyers and a purchasing manager who employs systematic purchasing methods and implements technological advances. If an organization’s profitability is in jeopardy, the efficiency and skill of its purchasing function may determine whether it operates at a profit or at a loss. As such, the purchasing function bears a significant amount of the responsibility for an organization’s profit, and, whenever an organization strives to produce profit, it will expend the effort required to hire capable and qualified buyers as well as a knowledgeable, intelligent purchasing manager. From the information given above, it can be validly concluded that:

A. If an organization’s profitability is not in jeopardy then the competence of its purchasing function will not determine
whether it operates at a profit or at a loss.
B. There are at least some purchasing functions that are not responsible for a significant amount of an organization’s
profit.
C. A non-purchasing function will not bear significant responsibility for the profit of an organization.
D. An organization whose profitability is in jeopardy may depend on the efficiency and skill of its purchasing function to
determine whether it operates at a profit or at a loss.
Correct answer: D

Recommended preparation would be to answer sample GMAT questions under timed conditions. Work as fast and as accurately as you can. This test is not negatively graded, so DO guess if you need to, or if you are running out of time.

Note: The Reasoning Test replaces the P&G Problem Solving Test. If you have taken the Problem Solving Test in the past, you are still required to take the new Reasoning Test.

Interviews

If you successfully pass all the testing stages of the Procter & Gamble assessments, you'll be invited to an interview at an office or possibly on campus. Most interviews last 45 - 60 minutes and typically involve up to two senior leaders from the function you are applying to.

Most interviews are competency based and you should prepare for competency based questions about your academic and personal history.

Procter & Gamble are looking for evidence of what they call “Success Drivers” at the interview. These are specific core competencies that define how P&G people succeed in today's business environment. They are also how P&G measures performance in the Company.

Procter & Gamble "Success Drivers" fall into three categories:

The Power of P&G Minds - This is about your attitude to display an infinite curiosity, be eager to create with a healthy disregard for conventional thinking, to discover the world around you and your profession and form your idea of all this to then move your business forward.

Essentially, you need to show interviewers that you are willing to "think outside the box" and should show evidence of this if asked competency based questions about your past.

The Power of P&G People - Procter & Gamble want to establish a working environment where everybody feels free to contribute at their own best. You will need to show interviewers that you listen to other people's opinions and are prepared to keep an open mind to new ideas.

The Power of P&G Agility - Procter & Gamble are looking for potential employees who can jump from issue to issue quickly and decisively. You will need to show evidence of this in your interviews.

If you are successful in your first interview, you will be invited to a second (and possibly final) interview. For more information on the Application Process, please visit https://pg.sitebase.net/pg_images/taleo/stepsToSuccess.html.

Now see - Procter & Gamble Interview Questions for information about interviews with Procter & Gamble.

Procter & Gamble Graduate Schemes

Graduate Schemes at Procter & Gamble

[Edit] (also see Procter & Gamble Working Culture)

Procter & Gamble hire approximately 100 graduates for their operations in the UK each year. Graduates are hired for the following business areas:

Accountancy
Finance
General Management
Human Resources
IT
Logistics
Manufacturing / Engineering
Marketing
Purchasing
Research & Development
Sales

Graduate training at Procter & Gamble

	Your assistance is required to complete this section. Please help others by adding information. Click the 'Edit' button at the top to do so.

Now see Procter & Gamble Working Culture

Procter & Gamble Interview Questions

Graduate Interviews at Procter & Gamble (P&G)

(also see Procter & Gamble application process and the WikiJob discussion forum)

The interview process at Procter & Gamble is as follows:

First Round Interview
Second Round Interview

First Round Interview

This will be with one Senior Manager and will last 45 minutes - 1 hour. The interview will be entirely based around personal skills which Procter & Gamble define as "Success Drivers" (see Procter & Gamble application process). A section of the interview is likely to be competency based, but even these interview questions will be measured against the company's "Success Drivers". You should expect around 5 - 7 competency questions in your first interview.

During your interview it is unlikely you will be asked what you think of Procter & Gamble as a company, or why you have applied for a specific role or function, although you should of course prepare for these questions.

Questions previous candidates have been asked include:

Can you tell me a time when you've overcome a problem in a professional environment to reach success?
Tell me about a time you have successfully led a team in the past.
What skills do you think you can bring to Procter & Gamble?
What is your greatest achievement?
Tell me about a time when you had to make an important decision and how did it turn out?
Describe a situation in which you effectively developed a solution to a problem by combining different perspectives or approaches. (This is a favourite, was asked in both first and second interviews.)
Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a conflict with a client, customer, or user.
Tell me about a time when you took a big risk, and how you mitigated it.
Tell us about a time when you worked with a team to tackle a problem.
Tell me about a time when you had to take the initiative to solve a problem.
Tell me about a time when you had to teach or training somebody, how you did it and how it turned out.
Tell me about a time when you influenced other people and why.
Tell me about a time when you had to adjust yourself.

Second Round Interview

If you have been successful at the first round, you will be invited to return for another interview, this time with two Senior Managers from the function of Procter & Gamble you have applied to.

This second round interview will consist of further competency based interview questions and more taxing questions, specifically about the function you have applied to and what you think you'll be doing as a graduate trainee.

Questions previous candidates have been asked include:

Can you tell me about a complex problem that you solved? Describe the process you utilized.
Tell me about a time when you had to make a split second decision.
Tell me about a time when you set a goal and weren’t able to meet or achieve it.
Give me an example of a time when you used your expertise to solve a problem.
Tell me about a time when you responded to constructive criticism.
Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way.
Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks.
Describe a time when you were able to come up with a new idea that became the success of some activity or project.

Questions for the Interviewers

In each of your interviews, you will be given around 15 minutes to ask questions about P&G. Make sure you do your research and read as much as you can about the Company. Ask intelligent questions that demonstrate your passion to work for P&G and your willingness to learn more about the Company. Know the Company's Purpose, Values, and Principles (PVP), and some of their billion-dollar brands.

Further Information

Now see Procter & Gamble Application Process and Procter & Gamble Working Culture.

Procter & Gamble Working Culture

Procter & Gamble Company Working Culture

[Edit] (also see Procter & Gamble Graduate Schemes)

Hours

Procter & Gamble have a company culture of moderately flexible working hours if the need arises. However, your working week may be long. You will be hired to work a 40-hour week, although in practice this usually increases to approximately 50 - 70 hours a week.

Salary

Graduate training salaries at Procter & Gamble start at between £25,000 - £29,000. There are reasonably good benefits including company pension scheme and healthcare (but not dental care).

There is no signing on bonus at Procter & Gamble and employees do not receive bonuses until they've worked at the firm for at least five years.

Travel

For sales (CBD) - a lot of travelling to clients and colleges. Possible to go to Germany or Spain for client meetings.
For finance - much less, but once a year sales finance goes to Geneva for 1 week to exchange experience.

Dresscode

Procter & Gamble employees wear business casual attire for internal meetings and business wear for external meetings.

Career progression

Procter & Gamle employs a team of people to plan out career moves within the company. Its important for you to promote yourself with your manager to ensure your career path is being planned in the same way you have planned it. Every year you review your achievements with your manager, who then tells you what roles you should do to develop certain qualities (like people management, sales skills) in order to progress.

Secondments

Secondments to Procter & Gamble's european HQ's (e.g. Geneva) are common after 2 - 5 years although not usually during graduate training.

Holiday

Graduates receive about 25 days holiday per year (although this differs slightly between 20 - 25 depending on areas of company) and one additional "company" day, which all employees are allowed off.

If you work on a Saturday or Sunday (which you are likely to have to do at some point) you can claim back 1.5 holiday days in lieu of the 1 day worked.

Now see Procter & Gamble Graduate Schemes

Reckitt Benckiser

Reckitt Benckiser is a global FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) company which produces big-name household items such as Finish, Vanish, Cillit Bang, Nurofen, Dettol and Veet.

They are a FTSE top 20 company with over 23,000 employees in more than 60 countries around the world and sales in around 180. Reckitt Benckiser was founded in 1814 and the global headquarters are based near London, England.

More than 200 graduates worldwide start with the company every year on the Graduate Development Programmes.

Graduate Programmes

[Edit] Graduate programmes are offered in:

Marketing & Sales
Supply Chain
Information Systems
Research & Development

Application Requirements

Reckitt Benckiser hires graduates from all over the world.

The firm suggest that you will spend your initial years in your country of hire, although you will then be expected to move to other countries for two or three years, before moving on again. The moves depend on the opportunities available and your personal aspirations.

Reckitt Benckiser suggest that graduates will be given ownership of the work they deliver and responsibility for results.
They expect constant improvement, innovation and drive. However, it's not an enviroment anyone could thrive in.

Reckitt Benckiser is looking for character, resilience and ambition from their hires. You will need to be quick-thinking, enjoy early responsibility and be happy to start a global career, as you will be expected to move around internationally.

Interview Process

The assessment process for Reckitt Benckiser is a three-step process: you will need to be successful in each phase to move on to the next.

Working Culture

According to Reckitt Benckiser, graduates are given quality training at the firm and you will be expected to make a mark.

The firm encourage bold thinking and calculated risks and promise the rewards will be great over a short period of time. So your career will grow at a rate that’s determined by your performance, rather than by arbitrary time periods. New ideas are very important and the firm suggests that "many a graduate’s ideas have ended up on a shelf three months later".

Reckitt Benckiser suggests its graduates need to be well prepared - personally, academically and professionally.

Unilever

Unilever is one of the world's largest consumer goods companies. The company manufacture and market brands such as Dove, Persil and Lynx.

Graduate Schemes

The Unilever Future Leaders Programme is designed to train graduates in management, and then launch them in to senior management level positions within the company. This scheme lasts for two years and is made up of an average of three to four placements in different areas of the company (and as a consequence, quite possibly the country too).

During this programme graduates are supported by Unilever to gain Chartered status or train for relevant professional qualifications, such as CIMA and CIPD. The company's accredited training programmes include IMechE, IChemE and IEE.

There are six types of Graduate Leadership Programme available to graduates:

Customer development - any degree discipline
Financial management - any degree discipline
Business & Technology Management - any degree discipline
Marketing - any degree discipline
Supply Chain - preference for a degree or Masters in Engineering, Supply Chain, Logistics, Operations Management, Maths, Science, Finance or Business & Administration. A second language or a willingness to learn a language is also an advantage.
Research & Development - specific degree required
Human Resources - any degree discipline

Unilever Interview Questions

The application and interview process for Unilever is as follows:

Online application form
Online tests aptitude test
Telephone interview
Assessment day

Online Application

The Uniliver application form is relatively long. Make sure you pay attention to all sections and don't make any mistakes - spelling and grammar is very important. It is crucial that your application form is an accurate and compelling statement of your interest and suitability for the scheme. Only a third of the graduates who apply to Unilever will be offered a first stage interview, so you must impress to make certain of getting through this preliminary assessment stage.

Be selective, concise and relevant in your answers. Think about what the question is looking for and try to use examples from all aspects of your academic, working and social life to convince Unilever that you are capable of dealing with the the work and responsibilities of a graduate scheme. Use a different example to answer each question, and only use the space provided in the form.

Competencies

Unilever will analyse your application for evidence that you possess the key competencies they are looking for in graduate employees. Think about what you have achieved, or what groups and teams you have been part of have achieved because of your involvement, and discuss this in your answers on the application form. Try to describe yourself and you achievements in terms of the key competencies outlined below.

Candidates are assessed against Unilever's competencies throughout the firm's selection process, so it's worth familiarising yourself with each of these, and considering how you measure up against each one.

Unilever's competencies are:

Growth mindset

You have a positive attitude about the company's future and a passion for growth and winning. You take the lead and seek fresh opportunities; insist on innovation and never settle for 'good enough'.

Consumer and Customer Focus

You have a passion to improve the lives of our consumers and customers and bring their voice into everything we do and the decisions we make. You are externally focused and go the extra mile in order to exceed consumer and customer expectations.

Bias for action

You bring a sense of urgency to getting things done and making tough decisions, avoiding over-debating or over-analyzing issues. You're results-focused, and drive for simplification by keeping the end goal in sight at all times.

Accountability and Responsibility

You make commitments and hold yourself accountable for delivery. You take pride in delivering work to the highest standards and acknowledges when things are not up to scratch. You let people know clearly, at the beginning what is expected in terms of performance and hold them accountable for delivery.

Building Talent and Teams

You inspire through action and lead by example. You challenge people to do their best work and spend time coaching individuals and teams to ensure that they realise their full potential. You constantly challenge yourself to grow and improve.

Application Form

Once you submit your application form it will be evaluated by a trained assessor, and not by a computer. If you are successful, senior managers from Unilever will be shown your application and also make their own assessments of it. You will be notified if you have been successful within four weeks.

Keep a copy of your form after making your application. You should expect to talk in depth about the points you raise in your interviews.

Online Test

Candidates who are successful at the application form stage, will be required to complete an online numerical and logical reasoning test aptitude test.

Telephone Interview

This is the first stage of the Unilever assessment process, should your initial application be successful.

Candidates will be asked several competency based questions. Your answers should demonstrate evidence of Unilever's desired key competencies (described above). You should use different examples from your life (academic experience, work experience, extracurricular experience, etc) to answer each competency question.

You may also be asked questions like:

Why have you chosen to apply for supply chain (or the area you have applied for)
Why have do you want to be a manager/work in management?
Why do you want to work for Unilever?
What is your favourite Unilever product? Why?

Candidates will be notified with three weeks if they have been successful after the telephone interview. Most candidates will be notified much sooner, often by text or email.

Assessment Day

This is the final stage of the Unilever assessment process. The assessment day is otherwise known as a Selection Event. Assessment days are held in Leatherhead (Surrey) between January and April.

The assessment stage lasts for one day and consists of the following:

Some of these exercises are designed around a business case study, which enables Unilever to assess candidates' potential whilst giving an insight into what it’s actually like to work in a Unilever company.

Competency Based Interview

During the assessment day you will attend a competency based interview where you will be asked to give situational examples from your past, about times when you have shown evidence of characteristics such as leadership, communication, teamwork and other key competencies.

Case Study

The case study focuses on business issues, although candidates do not need to have any in-depth business knowledge to tackle this. Instead candidates need to think logically and laterally, using their life experience and interpersonal skills.

It is essential that candidates know the key competencies Unilever are looking for in candidates, for the assessment day. You will be marked on them throughout the day, during each exercise and interview.

Group Discussion Exercise

You will have a group discussion during the assessment day. It is essential that you treat the other candidates with respect, although you must also aim to shine during this session. Be polite, and do not interupt anyone else. If you disagree with someone then be constructive, and ask others for their opinion too. Try to offer intelligent input throughout the discussion, and try to conclude ideas and summarise smaller discussion points. If you can, try to lead the conversation and assume the role of chairman.

During the assessment day you are quizzed on decisions you have made earlier. Make sure that you stick to your ideas and don't necessarily change your opinions if assessors point out a flaw. Feel confident enough in your decisions to argue for and back up your opinions, unless you realise a decision was completely flawed. In this case, explain that after further thought you have changed your mind - but don't apologise for being wrong. This is a sign of weakness.

Offer

Unilever let candidates know the outcome of the assessment day within 24 hours and will give you feedback regarding your performance during the day. If successful, you’ll also be offered a position in one of Unilever's operating companies.

Unilever try to take personal preferences into account when selecting a position for each candidate, but you should be prepared work in any of the company's UK operations during your first two years.

Your offer will remain open for 10 days, giving you time to visit your operating company and meet the people you’ll be working with before making a final decision.

List of FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) Firms

Below is a list of FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) firms that operate graduate schemes.

For more information about FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) firms visit the forums.

Domestic & General

Domestic & General provides warranty services for UK and International clients and comprehensive product protection for more than nine million customers.

For over sixty years we have been looking after people when things go wrong. Our primary focus is on providing comprehensive product protection for major domestic appliances and consumer electronic products. Together with our manufacturing, retail and financial services clients, we provide warranty services for over 150 major UK and International brands. We manage the whole warranty process, including customer mailing, contact centres, repair networks, in-house administration, and claims handling.

We operate across a number of different international markets, with offices in Australia, Germany, Spain and France.

Domestic & General started out in a most unlikely place - the Western Australian outback. It was there in 1912 that our founder, Samuel Copley (who was originally from Huddersfield), started the Western Australia Insurance Company Limited (Waico), a small insurance company initially specialising in cover for sheep and cattle transportation.

Two years later Sam brought his business expertise back to the UK and set up a branch of his - by now thriving - company. He was also a philanthropist, purchasing the freehold of the town of Huddersfield from the local Ramsden family and holding it free of charge until the town was able to form a corporation and raise the funds to finance the acquisition.

The introduction of breakdown cover on early televisions proved to be our major business breakthrough in 1950. We were the first company to offer protection for the cathode ray tubes in the black and white televisions that were increasingly appearing in UK households. From there Domestic & General grew rapidly as we responded to the changing lifestyles of the day. Cover for kitchen equipment was introduced in 1977 and central heating followed in 1978.

Domestic & General was floated in 1988 and became fully listed on the London Stock Exchange. In November 2007 the company once again became privately owned when it was bought by Advent International Corporation and Domestic & General Group Holdings Limited was formed.

Today, our focus is on providing comprehensive product protection services. We work with over 150 UK and international brands, including many major manufacturers, retailers and financial services clients.

While the UK is our largest market, our international business is now an increasingly important part of our success, with 22% of our sales coming from overseas.

Domestic and General have 5 key departments:

MARKETING

Based in Wimbledon, this department is responsible for the look and feel of all communication to our customers via direct mail, the internet and press. With annual volume of around 78 million direct mail pieces distributed, D&G is one of the biggest producers of mail in the country.

This department offers client relationship management and administrative support to the Sales team. Primary roles include support at client review meetings, day to day client contact and regular liaison with most other departments to ensure the smooth running of accounts.

Our Direct Marketing sector manages the insight and research functions providing customer and market insight across the Group. Also responsible for customer retention and performance of routes to market. We also have a division responsible for our customer database including data cleansing.

CONTACT CENTRES

You will learn about the running of one of the fastest growing contact centre operations in the country. This will include inbound and outbound functions and involve the projection of call volumes, the use and implementation of call management technology, client liaison, call scripting and the effective management of sales teams.

UNDERWRITING AND STATISTICS

A key department providing underwriting for all insurance activities. They also support the sales team and other departments with statistical analysis such as the provision of client reports, fees and financial budgets.

WARRANTY ADMINISTRATION

You will develop an overview of the way in which incoming applications and data are transferred onto our database as well as the way in which we deal with customer issues including payment processes and the administration of all claims.

INTERNATIONAL

Moving into international markets and developing existing overseas operations is a key part of our business objectives. We operate or support clients in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain and Sweden.

Our International team, based in the Wimbledon head office, announced an increase in overseas revenue of 130% between 2007-08, as the Group continues to expand in new markets. Our Australian operation launched in 2007 and now administers over 1.2 million plans.

Graduate vacancies can be found on their site

Insurance & Actuarial

The following wiki pages are about graduate actuarial and insurance jobs.

Working in Insurance

For more information, see - graduate jobs in insurance.

Working as an Actuary

for more information, see - graduate actuarial jobs.

For more information about graduate actuarial jobs or jobs in insurance, have a look at this list of insurance and actuarial firms or visit the WikiJob forums!

Actuarial Study Package

As an actuarial trainee, you will be working and studying for the actuarial professional examinations under the Faculty or Institute of Actuaries.

Actuarial graduate schemes normally include a competitive study package to support you for your examinations till you qualify as an actuary. A typical study package include:

(1) Study Days
Up to 40 days per year. The number of study days allowed for each exam will differ. A common practice is to allocate a certain number of days for each first sitting, with an additional allowance that was half the original if a resit was required. An approximate average for such an arrangement might see initial credits of nine days for a CT (Core Technical), 26 for CA1 (Core Applications 1), 13 for an ST (Specialist Technical), and 18 for an SA (Specialist Applications).

(2) Exam Fees
For each paper, companies normally pay for your first sitting. If you fail the exam and are doing a resit, some companies will pay for the resit, some will refund a successful resit while others do not pay for resits.

(3) Study Material
In terms of the allowance for study materials, a CMP (Combined Materials Pack) and ASET (Actuarial Solutions with Exam Technique) are generally provided. Many employers also cover both tutorials and marking.

In terms of rewards for each successful sitting, generally companies offer salary increases of around £500 for a CT pass, £1,500 to £2,000 for CA1, £1100 for a ST pass, and perhaps £1500 for the SA. However, a sizeable proportion of companies are considerably more generous – usually offering double these amounts, often with additional bonuses for a first-time pass or completing a series.

PLEASE HELP OTHERS BY EXPANDING THE ACTUARIAL STUDY PACKAGE OF MAJOR ACTUARIAL EMPLOYERS !!

List of Insurance and Actuarial Firms

Below is a list of Insurance and Actuarial firms and similar firms that employ graduates.

The areas firms employ graduates for is written after the firm's name for insurance companies (who often offer several different types of graduate scheme apart from actuarial).

Insurance Firms

Allianz Cornhill (Corporate Management, Underwriting, Finance and IT)
AON (Insuance & Risk Management and Actuarial Consulting)
AXA (Underwriting, Insurance & Risk Management)
Brit Insurance (underwriting, insurance and risk management)
Catlin (Underwriting, Actuarial, Catastrophe Aggregate Management, Claims and Finance & Accounting)
Congruent Solutions UK Ltd
Endsleigh
First Assist
Fortis Insurance UK
Irish Life
JLT Insurance Brokers (insurance and enterprise risk management)
Legal and General
Lloyd's of London
Marsh (international risk management and insurance)
Norwich Union
Prudential
Punter Southall
RBS Insurance (brands include Churchill, Direct Line and Green Flag - part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBOS))
Royal & Sun Alliance
Saga
Standard Life (accountancy and actuarial)
Talent Pro
Buck Consultants
Lane Clark & Peacock
Barnett Waddingham
Hymans Robertson
Skandia
FSA (Financial Services Authority)
Zurich Financial Services

Actuarial Firms and Accountancy Firms (who offer actuarial services).

Other Firms

For more information on actuarial or insurance jobs and employers see the WikiJob forums!

AXA Graduate Scheme

Entry requirements for the AXA Graduate Scheme

A 2.1 degree in any subject
Eligibility to work in the EU for the duration of the programme
Geographic mobility

You'll need to identify with required behaviours, which are:

Strategic Vision
Building Capability
Focus on Customer
Team Leadership
Change Leadership
Share to Succeed
Results Orientation
Benefits and rewards

Benefits of working for AXA

Basic salary of £24,000 p/a
Regular pay reviews at the end of each completed placement
25 days annual leave
Company pension scheme
Relocation Support
Performance related bonus at the end of each completed placement
Share options
Support for financial services qualifications
Sports and social events
Product discounts

Programme outline

AXA Graduate Programme starts in September 2009 for a period of two years. A typical two year programme will include three eight month placements in some of the following areas:

Financial Services:
You will work in areas such as Finance, Audit, Risk or Compliance, understanding and experiencing the financial services market and regulatory environment.

Strategy:
You will work on projects that are future focussed analysing market data and making recommendations on the future direction of the business.

People Management:
You will work in areas such as Customer Services and Claims allowing you to develop your delegation skills, influencing skills and your ability to deliver results through others.

Products:
You will work in areas such as marketing and product development enabling you to get close to our customers and their needs.

Punter Southall

The following is information from Punter Southalls website.

Punter Southall is a successful professional services company, having grown from nine staff in 1988 to over 700 staff in 2010. We offer you a challenging career, interesting work, a can-do attitute and a friendly, sociable environment.
We have had Investor in People standard accreditation since September 1997. Our achievement of this standard recognises our commitment to training and development of our staff, which helps us to achieve our aims, goals, vision and strategy. This benefits both our company and our people and ensures that all staff are motivated and offered progressive career paths.
We offer a full range of actuarial, employee benefit consultancy and pension administration services across the UK. Our clients are pension scheme trustees and employers from a broad spectrum of businesses, charities, unions and institutions.

Punter Southall is a friendly and exciting place to work, offering wide-ranging and rewarding career opportunities.
Opportunities to contribute to our continued success include offering careers in: pensions administration, actuarial and business development as well as our supporting functions enabling us to deliver our core business such as IT, marketing, finance, HR and secretarial.
We have a can-do approach to business, being solution-focused and innovative; going that extra mile for our clients.
We are committed to excellence in the professional services we provide and believe that we will continue to be successful as long as we keep attracting and retaining talented people who feel motivated and enthusiastic.
We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefit packages and are committed to helping our staff realise their full potential through our extensive training and development programme.

We can offer you an exciting and wide-ranging exposure to an actuarial pensions consultancy in a friendly and stimulating environment. Trainees and qualified actuarial staff work closely with our pensions administration teams. Our main business is to provide actuarial consultancy and administration services to pension schemes of corporate clients. We are committed to excellence in the professional services it provides. In a consultancy business we believe that the company will continue to be successful only so long as it can attract, develop and retain talented people who feel motivated and enthusiastic. This in turn depends on successful recruitment followed up by motivating and excellent remunerative career opportunities.
We believe all these ingredients are on offer at Punter Southall. In particular you can expect exposure to a wide range of actuarial activity, early responsibility and the challenge of contributing to an expanding business. We are committed to the continued support of our people, which is reflected in our Investor in People (IiP) accreditation. In combination with relevant professional training this forms the cornerstone of our training and development policy.

We have successfully completed our 2010 Graduate Actuarial Trainee Programme and therefore at present are not actively resourcing additional applications.
Closing date for applications
Our closing date for email and postal applications for our 2010 Graduate Actuarial Trainee Programme was Friday 6 November 2009
Graduate Actuarial Trainee Programme 2011
We will be commencing our recruitment process for our September 2011 intake in September of this year, further details on this scheme will be available towards the end of the Summer.

Summer Internship Programme 2010
Our Summer Internship Programme is specifically aimed at individuals who are interested in pursuing a career within the actuarial profession. The programme runs for 6-8 weeks during the months of July and August, commencing on Monday 5th July 2010.

Criteria

Internships are normally available to individuals who would be available to commence employment within 12–18 months of this placement.
You will need to be studying (or have studied) for a degree qualification in any discipline with an expectation to achieve a 2.1 or above.
In addition, we require a minimum of 340 UCAS points or equivalent (excluding General Studies and AS Level grades) including a grade A in A-Level Mathematics or equivalent.
Key attributes
In addition to the necessary academic achievements, we are looking for well-rounded individuals who possess and can demonstrate the following key attributes:
An ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
An aptitude for working with people
Excellent interpersonal abilities
A client focused approach
Well-developed communication skills both orally and in writing to people with a diversity of social and educational backgrounds

AON

Aon is a business involved in risk management, insurance broking, reinsurance, employee benefits and HR consulting services. In Gaelic the name AON name means 'oneness'.

Catlin

Catlin Group Limited is an international specialist property and casualty insurer and reinsurer, writing more than 30 classes of business. Operating four underwriting platforms – the Catlin Syndicate at Lloyd's (the largest Syndicate in Lloyd’s of London), Catlin Bermuda, Catlin UK and Catlin US – as well as over 50 offices worldwide. Catlin shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange, and the company is a member of the FTSE 250 Index.

Graduate Recruitment

Catlin is recruiting graduates for 2010 in five areas: Underwriting, Actuarial, Catastrophe Aggregate Management, Claims and Finance.

The two year programme combines a mix of personal development, professional qualifications and cross-departmental business rotations.

Participants are required to undertake appropriate industry-related qualifications:
Underwriting, Claims and Catastrophe Aggregate Management - Chartered Institute of Insurance qualifications
Finance - ACCA or CIMA qualifications
Actuarial - Actuarial qualifications
Full study support is offered including all costs and study leave.

All roles are based in Catlin's offices in the City of London. The start date for graduate roles is September 2010.

Application Process

The application and interview process is as follows:

Online application form - competency based. Questions include "Why you are interested in pursuing a career at Catlin?", "What are your achievements to date?", etc.
Telephone interview - questions include details about your interest in Catlin and refer to the answers provided in your original application
Face to face interview with a member of the business and Human Resources teams.
Full assessment day at London offices

The Catlin application period opens on 28 September 2009. The deadline for applications for Finance and Actuarial Streams is 30th October 2009. The deadline for all other streams is 11th December 2009.

PLEASE HELP OTHERS BY EXPANDING THE APPLICATION PROCESS SECTION OF THIS WIKI!

Application Requirements

Candidates should have a minimum of 300+ UCAS points and have attained, or expect to attain a 2:1 for a degree in any discipline.

First Actuarial

First Actuarial is a growing actuarial consultancy business with a focus in the UK pension arena. The firm was established in 2004, growing relatively fast from a team of 25 to over 80 people, now with five UK offices in Basingstoke, Leeds, Manchester, Peterborough and Tonbridge.

Graduate Schemes

First Actuarial are looking for graduates with strong academic achievements. In particular, the firm are interested in strong results in mathematics, statistics, economics or similar subjects.

The firm are also interested in soft skills and competencies such as:

Being able to accept responsibility at an early stage in your career (see - responsibility).
Be personally motivated (see - career motivation and commitment to career).
Have strong communication skills (see - communication).
Have an ability to tackle and solve problems (see - problem solving).

Graduate Development

First Actuarial provide graduate trainees with support to study for the Fellowship of the Institute or Faculty of Actuaries. The firm's current study package includes:

Exam success rewarded through pay rises.
Payment for required study materials and tutorials.
Up to 40 study days per year.
Exam entry fees.
Membership subscriptions for the Institute or Faculty of Actuaries.

Benefits

The firm encourage a casual dress policy and flexible working hours.

Application and Assessment Process

Candidates can make applications to join First Actuarial from August each year. The recruitment process is typically just one interview. To apply candidates should send a CV and covering letter to the firm.

Summer Placement Programme

First Actuarial offer internships to potential employees. These are available to penultimate year undergraduates aiming for a good degree result.

Placements involve working in a team of actuaries and actuarial students on a wide range of pensions related work. You are likely to get involved in drafting letters and reports, carrying out pension scheme calculations and working on spreadsheets.

GAD (Government Actuary's Department)

GAD the Government Actuary's Department is an actuarial consultancy "in the public sector, for the public sector".

Competencies

GAD's key values are:

Making client service our priority.
Professionalism (including impartiality, integrity, honesty and objectivity as well as actuarial).
Treating people fairly and with respect.
Being flexible; sharing as individuals and as an organisation.
Enjoying a work/life balance.
Being forward looking and pro-active.
Pursuing a fulfilling career.
Having a strong public sector ethos.

Graduate Actuarial Jobs

The following article is about graduate Actuarial jobs. Actuaries provide commercial, financial and prudential advice on the management of assets and liabilities, especially where long term management and planning are critical factors. Actuaries traditionally work in finance, investment and risk management, general insurance, life insurance, pensions and social security.

What do Actuaries do?

Actuaries apply financial and statistical techniques to solve real business problems. These business problems typically involve analysing future financial events, especially when the amount of a future payment, or the timing of when it is paid, is uncertain. A lot of actuaries' work might be thought of as 'risk management', assessing how likely an event may be and the costs associated with it.

Actuaries apply financial and statistical theories to solve business problems. Although there is a wide variety in the work of different actuaries, there is a common theme. For most actuaries the role involves making financial sense of the future. This involves:

analysing the past;
modelling the future;
assessing the risk forward;
and communicating what the results mean in financial terms.

Actuaries are most publicly associated with pension schemes and insurance.

Understanding how businesses operate, the possible impacts of legislation and how financial economics may affect future values are all essential actuarial skills. However, what really stands actuaries apart is their core mathematical, economic and statistical understanding applied to real financial problems.

Where do Actuaries Work?

Actuaries work for actuarial firms, actuarial consultancies, accountancy firms and insurance companies, as well as other types of company. Actuarial firms provide actuarial-only services and actuarial consultancies provide actuarial advice, whilst insurance companies and accountancy firms use actuaries to calculate risk and help work out financial investments.

Generally actuaries start working for either a traditional life (insurance, assurance, pensions offices) or a consultancy company. The main difference between these two options is that joining a life office you will be working for one internal client, the company, whilst at a consultancy it is likely that you will be working for more than one external client at a time.

Actuarial consultancies are probably the biggest employers of actuarial graduates in the UK. Many actuarial consultancies offer advice to employers and trustees who run occupational pension schemes. The advice to clients will cover a wide range of topics from setting up of a new scheme to assessing the level of contribution to be paid by the members and valuing the fund if the company is to be taken over.

Additionally, consultancies will offer a whole range of services to their clients, such as acquisitions, mergers, corporate recovery and financing capital projects. Because of their knowledge of the finance industry and their technical skills, actuaries work alongside other business professionals in consultancy firms.

In life assurance actuaries are involved at all stages of product development and the pricing, risk assessment and marketing of the products. In addition, actuaries fill key roles in financial management and the investment of policyholders' money: developing strategies that ensure customers get a good return

General insurance is a fast growing area of employment for actuaries, both within insurance companies and at Lloyd's of London, where they also have certain statutory duties. Actuarial and statistical techniques are used extensively in the analysis of often susbstantial amounts of data. Increasingly, actuaries are being asked to provide formal opinions on the technical provisions for general insurance companies.

Some other types of graduate employers of actuaries are listed below.

Actuarial Consultancy

Actuarial consultancies are the biggest employers of actuaries in the UK. Many offer advice to employers and trustees who run occupational pension schemes. The 1995 Pensions Act made it a statutory requirement for the trustees of a pension scheme to appoint an actuary. The advice to clients covers a wide range of topics from setting up a new scheme to assessing the level of contribution to be paid by the members and valuing the fund if the company is to be taken over. Additionally, consultancies will offer a range of services to their clients, such as enterprise risk management, mergers and acquisitions advice, corporate recovery and financing capital projects.

Click here to find out what it's like to work for an actuarial consultancies on a daily basis.

Government Actuary's Department

The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) provides advice to the Government via Royal Commissions, as well as giving advice to other government departments and a wide range of public sector bodies, including local authorities and the NHS. An important part of this work concerns the occupational pensions for about four million people via the operation of the National Insurance Fund.

Life Insurance Companies

Life insurance companies provide life insurance, pensions and other financial services. Actuaries are involved at all stages in the product development and in the pricing, risk assessment and marketing of the products. In addition, actuaries fill key roles in financial management and the investment of policyholders' money by developing strategies that ensure customers get a good return.

It is currently a legislative requirement that each UK life insurance office appoints one or more actuaries to perform the actuarial function, advising the firm's directors on the firm's ability to pay claims and how to ensure that the life assurance and pensions benefits from the many millions of pounds invested by policyholders are secure.

Firms that have with-profits business must also appoint one or more with-profits actuaries to advise the firm’s directors on the use of discretion in the management of with-profits funds and in particular the addition of bonuses to policies, having regard to the fair treatment of with-profits policyholders.

Enterprise Risk Management

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) is the process, effected by an entity’s board of directors, management and other personnel, applied in strategy setting and across the enterprise, designed to identify potential events that may affect the entity, and manage risk to be within its risk appetite, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of entity objectives. Actuaries working in this area are supported by the Enterprise Risk Management Practice Executive Committee.

Finance and investment

The Finance and Investment Practice Executive Committee gives broad support to actuaries working in the finance and investment area. Prior to March 2008, finance and investment and risk management were dealt with by the Finance, Investment and Risk Management Board.

General Insurance

Although it is still true that only a relatively small part of the actuarial profession works in general insurance, there has been significant growth in recent years. Furthermore, although any material involvement only began about 30 years ago, actuarial contributions to general insurance go back to the first edition of Journal of the Institute of Actuaries in 1851. Actuaries working in this area are supported by the General Insurance Practice Executive Committee.

Health and Care

Today actuaries are making an impact in many aspects of healthcare, and are supported by the profession via the Health and Care Practice Executive Committee. In both the private sector and public sector actuaries' work will expand as the government seeks ways of restructuring the welfare state to meet the demands of a changing population.

Life Assurance

Actuaries have traditionally worked in life assurance, and their role and responsibilities have evolved as life assurance itself has developed external relations. The Life Assurance Practice Executive Committee supports those members working in both insurers and consultancies who are concerned with long-term (life assurance) business.

Pensions

Advising on company pensions is a time-honoured role for an actuary in a rapidly developing area. Pensions actuaries now advise trustees, companies and scheme members on arrangements including defined benefit, risk-sharing and defined contribution schemes. They work with specialists such as pensions lawyers and administrators to help keep schemes running well and meeting the needs of employers and pension plan members. Actuaries working in this field are supported by the Pensions Practice Executive Committee.

Social policy

The Social Policy Board ceased to exist on 1 March 2008, when the profession's revised structure took effect. During its lifetime it provided input to Government and others on the development of social policy, wherever actuaries have a contribution to make. There are a number of member interest groups which are continuing the work undertaken by the Social Policy Board and its committees.

What is the difference between working for a consultancy and an insurance company?

Although there are many opportunities available to actuaries, generally actuarial trainees start working for either an insurance company office or a consultancy firm. Having decided on a career as an actuary, you ought to contrast and compare the opportunities offered by the life, non-life and pensions companies, as well as the consultancy firms. These opportunities offer different lifestyles and challenges. Working in an insurance company environment means that there is usually only one client; your employer. Variety of work is available but tends to come more slowly – often you’ll be asked to work in one area for a period of about one year before moving on to the next challenge, taking the experience you have gained with you. The day-to-day work within consultancy firms tends to be more varied, as in any year you are likely to work for a number of different clients (and partners) solving different types of problems. This can become particularly challenging if you have a number of projects running in parallel and you need to ensure that you meet and manage each of your clients’ expectations and deadlines. Some consultancy projects can involve working at the client’s premises, which may not be in the same town as your own office. This can give you an excellent opportunity to work with other people and see the running of an organisation other than your own consultancy. However, you would need to consider the impact of being away from home. You may also find yourself working on just part of a project rather than seeing it all the way through from start to finish.

What qualifications do I need to become an actuary?

In practice the majority of employers are looking for graduates with at least a 2.1 and excellent A levels or equivalent. The minimum entrance requirements for admittance as a student of The Actuarial Profession are maths A level at grade B, along with a second A level or equivalent in any subject at grade C, English GCSE at grade C and two other GCSEs in any subject at grade C (or equivalent).

For holders of a second class Honours degree or above in any subject, the maths A level requirement is reduced to a grade C. For holders of a third class Honours or above in a mathematical or actuarial science degree, the maths A level requirement is dropped.

Which degree subject should I study?

Graduates from any degree discipline can work as actuaries, provided they meet the minimum entrance requirements for an employer. However, most employers recruit highly numerate graduates, with degrees in disciplines such as mathematics, statistics, actuarial science, economics, business, engineering, physics and chemistry.

How many years does it take to qualify as an actuary?

In order to become a Fellow of the Faculty or Institute (FFA, FIA), students must pass examinations, demonstrate satisfactory completion of modules and acquire a satisfactory level of work based skills. Average qualification time is currently three to six years.

Training

An actuary’s early training has a split focus on passing the professional exams and building practical experience. Once qualified many actuaries go on to be practising specialists in one of the traditional fields, with many actuaries becoming senior managers in insurance companies or firms of actuarial consultants.

However, there are many different career paths available for actuaries. Some actuaries specialise in technical research, whilst others may focus more on commercial activities.

Salary

Although qualifying as an actuary is a demanding process, the rewards are considerable. An actuarial career offers a challenging, well respected and well paid future. Graduate entry salaries are offered between £25,000 to £35,000 and senior actuaries can earn £100,000 plus.

Working for an Actuarial Consultancy

The work of an actuary within a consultancy may include advising on pensions (designing schemes and calculating contributions), general insurance, HR management, risk management, mergers and acquisitions, corporate recovery, and financing projects. The exact nature of the work undertaken therefore depends on the focus of the employing organisation and the specific projects within their portfolio, but the work of most actuaries can be summarised by what is known at the 'control cycle' model. Actuaries monitor the general economic and commercial environment, specify targeted outcomes and assess risks, develop appropriate solutions and then monitor the experience and impact. The results of their decisions may require earlier stages to be revisited and revised; hence the cyclical nature of their work.

On a daily basis, consulting actuaries draw upon and apply their knowledge of economics, accounting, marketing, legislation and business practice. General responsibilities may include:

using mathematical modelling techniques and statistical concepts to determine probability and assess risks;
explaining the implications of this work to clients and advising on risk limitation;
advising on the marketing and administration of pensions and life assurance schemes;
writing detailed reports and letters;
applying a range of techniques to resolve different types of business problems;
undertaking actuarial valuations;
liaising with clients and dealing with queries as they arise;
working with IT professionals to develop systems that ensure compliance with the requirements of regulatory bodies;
collaborating with a range of colleagues, including accountants, solicitors, underwriters and investment managers;
selecting and using appropriate IT software to manage and manipulate data;
researching current developments within the business and financial worlds.

Trainee actuaries may choose to focus on the consultancy environment because it tends to offer more varied work, affording the opportunity to deal with a variety of different clients and possibly to travel, working at client sites. Balancing a wide range of responsibilities, projects and client demands can be challenging but also rewarding.

Graduate Jobs in Insurance

This page is about graduate jobs in Insurance. Insurance is one of the UK's most important service industries and one of the UK's largest invisible export earners, involving some of the most substantial funds in the world; over the last five years it has generated half of Britain's invisible earnings.

Within the Insurance industry there are five main business sectors: pensions, insurance, life assurance, investment and actuarial work. Over 300,000 people are employed in the insurance sector, either in insurance companies, of which there are several hundred, or in insurance broking, arranging cover with the insurance companies.

How Insurance Works

Insurance operates by a large group of people paying fixed amounts of money, known as premiums into a fund. Providing a claim is legitimate, money is then taken from these funds when compensation for a loss or accident is required. Therefore insurance products protect individuals and institutions in the event of these circumstances.

There are seven main areas of insurance:

Aviation
Liability
Marine
Motor
Property
Life
and Pensions

There are many different areas of specialism in the insurance world but all fall within two principle business factors: life and general insurance. Life is concerned with insuring people against premature death or permanent injury, also providing for the financial needs of individuals through savings and in retirement. Pensions and long term investments contracts fall within the life category. General insurance provides protection against damage to property, personal injury and liabilities - everything from motor and household insurance to risk protection for high cost installations such as oil risks or satellites.

A third major facet of the industry is reinsurance, whereby insurers spread their risk by taking on their own insurance against claims. This spreading of risks accounts for a large proportion of the business which comes into the UK every year and represents a growing area of insurance activity.

The establishment of the single European markets means that UK insurers are having to cope with new business conditions, to ensure that they increase their share of the European business and respond effectively to the increased competition from overseas insurers within the UK.

In recent years there has been a large expansion in the services provided by insurance companies. The majority of the larger insurers now offer services ranging from unit trusts to mortgages, and this is a direct result of the increasing diversification of all the major institutions within the financial world. Insurance companies, building societies and banks increasingly find themselves battling for the same financial services markets. Within a decade it is likely there will be very few companies or brokers left dealing solely in insurance. Coupled with the increasing globalisation of the insurance market, there has been a marked trend in recent years towards the merging of rival companies in order to survive.

A further development is the increased provision of online insurance. At the moment, this is mainly concerned with personal insurance, since this is the easiest area to market and operate. However, as technology develops, new online services will be increasingly available for many areas of commercial insurance.

Careers

Insurance services cover a broad number of roles across the whole process of the insurance life cycle from selling policies, administering insurance claims, analysing and calculating risks, setting premiums, fund management and processing claims.

The merging and diversification of the insurance industry, along with advances in new technology, is good news for graduates. Insurance companies require more graduates than ever before and are able to offer a great variety of positions. New trainees may be employed in one of the main areas of insurance, or in developing sectors such as information technology and finance. Most positions allow employees to follow professional insurance exams leading to associate membership of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII).

Generally speaking it is the very large organisations that dominate the insurance markets although there are the smaller actuarial consultancies or insurance brokers that can offer graduate careers. Many different financial services providers, such as banks and retail organisations, now sell insurance. These brokers are intermediaries who go to an insurance marker on your behalf to negotiate the level of cover you require. The market provides an arena for the broker to negotiate the best deal with an insurance company. However, particularly in personal insurance, customers can also deal with insurance companies direct without using an intermediary.

Life assurance companies provide a variety of savings and protection services to policyholders. They are very different from general insurance companies that sell insurance policies for you car for example. Rather than selling short-term policies that tend to be renewed every year, life assurance companies sell long-term policies.

Sales are obviously the front end of insurance, dealing with the public usually face-to-face and advising them on the right insurance policy for them. There are also insurance organisations that specialise in providing insurance for companies and these organisations also offer sales positions for graduate entrants. Actuarial positions involve the calculation of the risk the organisation undertakes for the return on investment. This usually involves the use of statistical models to predict risk. Fund management is also the calculation of risk the organisation undertakes for the return on investment however less complex mathematical equations are used in actuarial work but more emphasis is placed on the subjective interpretation of data.

All the different graduate entry positions in insurance are generally segregated from each other. This means that you generally can't move within a company from one role to another, i.e. sales to actuary. As a result each type of graduate entry position will lead to different career paths within an organisation. The main graduate job roles can be divided into two main categories: technical functions and support functions.

Technical Functions

Technical functions in Insurance are:

Underwriting - analysing risks and setting premiums
Claims - answering queries and administering claims from call centres
Insurance broking - analysing your needs and negotiating the best deal with insurance companies
Actuarial - the number crunching side of the business
Accounting - ensuring the numbers add up and liabilities are met

For further information about graduate jobs in insurance, visit the WikiJob forums!

Hewitt Associates

Hewitt Associates provide HR business process outsourcing (BPO), offering both HR outsourcing and HR consulting. The firm primarily help organisations around the world to manage their employees' pension schemes.

Hewitt Associates' consultants analyse the past, assess the present and predict the future to help clients control the risks that affect their pension schemes. They analyse the investments backing client companies' future payments and the financial and demographic changes that have affected the amounts and timing of those pensions. This requires detailed data analysis and mathematical modelling skills as well as knowledge of the legal rules relating to pension schemes.

Graduate Scheme Requirements

In order to be considered for a graduate role at Hewitt, you will need to meet the minimum criteria, which are:

Expected to attain a 2:1 or equivalent grade in your degree
Have a grade B in A Level Maths (or equivalent)
Have a grade B at GCSE English Language (or equivalent)

Graduate Schemes

Hewitt are looking for highly numerate graduates with good communication and strong people skills.

Investment Practice

Hewitt's investment practice analyses the investments that finance the future pension payments for companies' employees. The work involves analysis of the past: investment market returns; returns achieved by specific investment managers; and the theories and practices adopted by those investment management companies.

Hewitt hire five to 10 graduates for this area of their business each year.

Consultant Development

This business area is specifically for graduates looking to specialise in providing investment advice. Some will focus on technical research while others will support consultants advising clients, whilst developing the skills and specialisms that will ensure a successful career.

Pensions

Hewitt's pensions practice analyses the pensions that are promised to clients' employees. It is the largest part of Hewitt's business. Teams of 50 to 150 people work in this business area in each of Hewitt's six UK consulting offices. The work involves analysis of the past: changes in employees' pay; employee job movement; and pensioners' ever lengthening lives.

Graduates working in this practice area will give advice to help clients manage and monitor their risks and financing. On other occasions they will be helping them re-design the type of pensions they provide.

Hewitt employ 25 to 30 graduates for this business area each year. Graduates will start working in the firm's Pensions Actuarial Services (PAS) team, and, over a period of approximately four years, you will acquire the knowledge and essential skills that provide the foundation of your career, whilst providing services to our clients.

Secondments

Hewitt graduates are regularly able to choose secondments at other UK offices on a part-time or fixed-term basis to assist with client work or join a specialist team. Some consultants and trainee consultants will also be able to spend some months working in client offices as a full part of their team.These clients include the Government bodies responsible for the control of pension schemes. Some graduates may also be able to work in the firm's European Actuarial Services team in Budapest, participate in a US exchange programme or spend secondments to countries such as Italy, Portugal, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Korea and Sweden. There will also be regular future opportunities to work in the Netherlands or Switzerland.

Language isn’t a barrier to taking advantage of overseas opportunities as English is spoken in all international offices.

Hewitt Associates Interview Questions

The application and interview process for Hewitt is as follows:

Online application
Online numerical reasoning test
Assessment centre

Online Numerical Reasoning Test

This test consists of a number of scenarios in which you need to analyse some data and interpret numbers quickly. It is a standard test used by employers across the banking and finance industries, with the scoring reflecting the number of scenarios answered correctly in the set time period. It is very unlikely that you will get through all of the questions, but the more you manage to do, the higher your score will be. The mathematics itself is straightforward.

Assessment Centre

Assessment centres are usually scheduled to take place over the months leading up to Christmas and the New Year.

When you arrive for the assessment centre you will meet some of Hewitt's recent graduate recruits who will answer any questions you may have. You will also hear from a trainee consultants, who will talk about their work and study experiences to date, and an experienced consultant who will tell you more about the firm's business, work and some client experiences.

There will be further opportunity for you to talk informally to more people over lunch and during an office tour.

The Hewitt assessment centre is made up of five portions, introductions, lunch and an office tour:

Numerical reasoning test
Written exercise
Group exercise - debate
Individual exercise - task planning
Interview

Numerical Test

This test will be a paper based numerical test, similar to the online numerical test you have already completed. The focus will be on financial scenarios that you might encounter in your work at Hewitt. Calculators will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own if you prefer.

Written Test

For this exercise you will be asked to write a short memo to summarise your interpretation of the sort of information that you might find when advising one of Hewitt's clients. As well as demonstrating your ability to write clearly and effectively, you will need to be able to analyse information and make a recommendation. You won’t be expected to know anything about pension schemes, actuarial techniques or investments. You ability to clearly and concisely communicate is the main skills being tested during this assessment.

Group Debate Exercise

All of the candidates on the assessment day will be separated into two teams to debate an issue given to you before the assessment day. You will be required to demonstrate your ability to communicate verbally during the debate as well as your teamwork and communication skills when preparing for the debate.

You will be given the topic for debate prior to the assessment day so that you can carry out your own research, although you will not find out which side of the debate you will be on, until the official assessment day.

Individual Task Planning Exercise

You will be given an individual exercise in which you will be asked to plan a task. You will have some time on your own to prepare before discussing your ideas with two of our assessors. They will be looking for an innovative approach to the task and a project plan that will ensure that the task is completed on time and to a high standard.

Interview

Your interview will be conducted by two assessors who will use the opportunity to find out more about you as an individual, your experiences and aspirations. Personality is a big factor when building successful relationships with clients, and will be a big factor during the interview.

Standard Life Interview Questions

Application Process

[Edit] The Standard Life application process consists of:

Application form
Online numerical reasoning and verbal reasoning tests.
Criterion based interview
Gallup interview
Occupational testing

Criterion based interview

In the criterion based telephone interview you will be asked 3 questions. Try to tie in all your answers with an example of when you were leading or part of a team.

As always smile, relax and take you time!

Example Questions:
"Why Standard Life"
"Tell me about a time when you had to take some challenging criticism and how did you responded to it.

Gallup Interview

The Gallup interview is a special kind of interviewing technique designed to determine what makes a successful candidate. This interview is different from a competency based interview and is conducted as a telephone interview.
Note: This is no longer used.

Occupational Testing

Occupational testing consists of numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, abstract reasoning and comprehension tests.

Media

Bloomberg

Bloomberg L.P. is a financial software service, news and data company. The company provides financial software tools such as analytics and an equity trading platform, data services and news to financial companies and international organisations Bloomberg Terminal. Bloomberg L.P. runs a global news service, consisting of television, radio, Internet and print publications.

Bloomberg Interview Questions - Researcher

The application and assessment process for graduate research positions at Bloomberg is as follows:

Telephone Interview

The Bloomberg telephone interview is a classic HR type interview, full of career motivation questions. The interview will last approximately 30 minutes. Previous candidates have been asked the following questions:

Why do you want to work for Bloomberg?
What do you know about the position you have applied for?
- What do you think it is going to be like?
What do you know of what Bloomberg is doing?
Where do you see yourself in three years?
What are your salary expectations?
Where else are you applying?

It is essential that candidates research the firm and understand the nature of what the job they have applied for will entail, to be successful at this interview.

Technical Interview

This interview will feature technical questions about the nature of the department you are applying to.

For more information on Bloomberg interview questions visit the WikiJob forums.

Pharmaceutical

The pharmaceutical industry develops, produces, and markets drugs licensed for use as medications. Pharmaceutical companies can deal in generic and/or brand medications. They are subject to a variety of laws and regulations regarding the patenting, testing and marketing of drugs.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is a global company with 99 sites across 39 countries, including 20 sites in the UK alone.

UK Offices

GlaxoSmithKline's global headquarters is GSK House, Brentford, Middlesex. There are another 19 company sites in the UK: Barnard Castle (Co Durham), Beckenham, Coleford, Crawley Park, Dartford, Greenford, Harlow, Irvine, Maidenhead, Montrose, Slough, Stevenage, Stockley Park, The Frythe, Tonbridge, Ulverston, Ware, Weybridge, Worthing.

Graduate Schemes

[Edit] GSK offer the following graduate schemes:

Sales and Marketing
Finance
Purchasing
IT
Engineering
Science
Statistics
Manufacturing
Regulatory

Interview & Application Process

[Edit] The application and interview process at GSK is as follows:

Online application (including CV and covering letter
apptitude test

Interview and Assessment Process

[Edit] Every interview at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is based around the following three questions:

What makes you the ideal candidate for the job?
What is it about the role that interests you?
Why have you decided to apply for GSK?

The GSK assessment centre consists of five exercises:

NOTE: For those applying to the pharmaceutical marketing summer placement- the assessment centre is the same as that for the grad scheme decribed here.

For a technical placement there is a technical interview rather than a competency based interview and there is also a technical presententation based on a solution to a problem that will be sent to you inadvance of the assessment centre.

Analytical Reasoning Test

This test involves specific scenarios. Questions will be similar to the following:

(1) Your group will be given the scenario of a product sale, its characteristics and the target audience. The sale types were four:

a)successful;
b)medium;
c)low;
d)disaster.

Then assessors will give you a new product and ask you to classify the product to the sale type.

(2) You will be given four groups of shapes. Your group will have to identify the rule that connects each shape.

Role Play

You will have to read a paragraph about a situation and respond to it. Your role may be a manager and yoru assessor will play the part of an employee. The scenario may involve something like the employee wanting to leave the company. You will have to decide whether to let them go or persuade them to stay. In order to decide, you should ask a lot of questions that you think are relevant. The final goal of the exercise will be to identify the reason that the employee wants to leave and explain why you asked specific questions.

Group Exercise / Presentation

In order to complete the group exercise and the presentation you will be given a booklet the day before the assessment centre. This will include information about a virtual pharma company and the different departments and business units. You will have to read this and work out the way the company works.

The next day you will be given five different solutions to invest in, one to each candidate. The goal of the exercise will be to present your investment solution according to the information given and the information in the booklet. The presentation will be made in front of two recruiters and the other team members. Each candidate will only get five minutes to present.

Presentation / Meeting

After the presentation, you will have to conduct a “meeting” and decide which of the solutions presented is best to invest in. You will be given some instructions to follow and you will be able to use the information in the booklet as well. This is not difficult and the recruiters will not be concerned with the result, only about the way you and other candidates communicate.

Interview

This interview will be a typical competency based interview, much like the original telephone interview.

The key competencies GSK are looking for throughout the day are:
- information gathering and search
- identify advanced business solutions
- developing people
- selling ideas and under-leading people
- communication
- achieving change (taking responsibility)
- customer focus
- measure success (improve)

GSK are looking for candidates who score at least 3/5 in every competency - so good all rounders.

Public Relations (PR)

List of PR firms

The following is a list of PR (Public Relations) firms and similar companies.

Financial PR

Public Sector & Government

Public sector & Government employment consists of three main areas:

Central government and Civil Service;
regional and devolved government; and
local governments.

Central Government and Civil Service

[Edit] Central government and civil service breaks down into:

Departments - these are usually headed by a minister, or in the case of non-ministerial department by a senior civil servant. They are responsible for devising policies and ensuring that they are implemented.
Agencies - largely independent organisations that carry out the policies decided upon by government.
Non-departmental public bodies - these are not part of government departments and are not staffed by civil servants. Examples include regional development agencies and national park authorities.

Regional and devolved government

The National Assembly for Wales represents all the people of Wales and provides a democratically elected and accountable body responsible for the most important public services. It also has the power to make subordinate legislation to meet Welsh circumstances. Business is conducted bilingually in Welsh and English. It has two distinct areas, each with its own responsibilities. The Welsh Assembly Government covers economic development, health, education and other affairs.

The Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government, previously known as Scottish Executive, were established in 1999. The Scottish Government is based mainly in Edinburgh and Glasgow. It operates in a similar way to the UK government with certain legislative and policymaking responsibilities. It is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Scotland, including health, education and training, justice, rural affairs and transport, amongst many others.

The Scotland Office represents Scottish interests in those matters (such as defence and foreign affairs) still reserved to the UK Parliament by the Scotland Act and promotes the devolution settlement for Scotland.

The Northern Ireland Assembly was first created in 1998 under the Good Friday Agreements. It has been suspended on a number of occasions since then. The latest suspension came to an end in 2007. Since then, the Assembly has had devolved responsibility for most of the day-to-day matters of the people living in Northern Ireland. These include education, health, environment and culture and arts, amongst others.

The Northern Ireland Office is headed by a UK MP and currently has responsibility for Northern Ireland’s constitutional and security issues, in particular, law and order, and policing. It has a number of agencies tasked with executing these powers.

Local Government

Local government is the collective term for local councils, sometimes referred to as local authorities. Local authorities work within the powers laid down under various acts of parliament. Their functions are far-reaching. Some are mandatory, which means that the authority must do what is required by law. Others are discretionary, allowing an authority to provide services if it wishes.

Local councils are made up of elected councillors (members) and council staff. Decisions are made by these elected members; council staff carry out the policies as well as briefing council committees on possible future policy. Councils either provide services directly to the public or arrange for others to do so.

What kind of work can I do?

The opportunities offered by central government are countless, as they need generalists and specialists in all areas. They classify their opportunities into three broad categories:

Corporate services delivery - provides key services to departments that are fundamental to the successful conduct of their business, such as human resources, finance, IT and communications.
Operational delivery - focuses on the provision of top quality services direct to the public, ensuring excellence in projects and processes, and has significant management responsibilities.
Policy delivery - research, analysis and the development of government policy.

What’s it like working in this sector?

What is it like Working in the Public Sector

The public sector offers reasonably secure employment, a strong continuous professional development ethos and the knowledge that the work has a significant influence on the quality of people’s lives. The length of time it takes to get things approved can be frustrating, and changes in legislation or funding lead to unforeseen obstacles as well as new opportunities. Salary varies depending on type of public sector employer, role, level of experience, and location. Working hours tend to be well regulated and many local, regional and national government institutions operate flexi-time systems and offer generous holidays.

How big is the public sector?

In 2008, almost three million people were employed by the local government and almost 2.5 million people by the central government. The public sector, including the NHS, is one of the largest employers in the UK, employing 19.5% of the UK workforce.

Where can I work?

Opportunities to work for the national government exist in many places in the UK. Only 1 in 5 civil servants are based in London.

The Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly Government and Northern Ireland Office employ over 24,000 staff, mainly in Edinburgh, Glasgow; Cardiff; and Belfast.

Opportunities to work in local government exist everywhere within the 468 local authorities throughout the UK.

List of Public Sector & Government Employers

The following is a list of national, regional and local public sector & government employers who hire graduates. Many of them receive only a small number of graduate applications as they are less well known amongst candidates, although they are no less eligible to apply to.

National Public Sector & Government Services

National Cross-Departmental Government Graduate Schemes (Graduate schemes for specific job roles that may lead to employment at one of several government departments)

Financial Management Development Scheme (DWP, DfT, HO)

Regional Public Sector & Government Services

Local Public Sector & Government Services

Local/Regional Cross-Organisational Government Graduate Schemes (Graduate schemes for specific job roles that may lead to employment at one of several regional organisations)

London Treasurers' Graduate Finance Scheme (London boroughs)

AWE (Atomic Weapons Establishment)

The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) has been central to the UK’s defence for almost 60 years, providing and maintaining the warheads for the country's nuclear deterrent.

The AWE is the UK's largest high-tech research, development and production facility and covers the whole lifecycle of nuclear warheads from initial concept and design, through component manufacture and assembly, to in-service support, decommissioning and disposal.

The Atomic Weapons Establishment ("AWE") provide and maintain the warheads for the country’s nuclear deterrent, Trident.

Trident is a submarine-launched, inter-continental ballistic nuclear missile weapons system, carried by Royal Navy Vanguard-class submarines. The role of AWE is to manufacture and sustain the warheads for the Trident system, ensuring optimum safety and performance, but also to maintain a capability to produce a successor system should the Government require one in the future.

The Atomic Weapons Establishment employs over 4,500 people. Employees range from highly specialist scientists, engineers and qualified business people, through to apprentices and graduate scheme trainees.

Graduate Schemes

The AWE are recruit graduates who have or expect a good degree, HND, MSc or PhD. The AWE also actively promotes diversity in employment. The organisation welcome applications from women and men, regardless of disability, sexual orientation, racial or ethnic origin, or age.

Applications from women and ethnic minorities are particularly encouraged. Successful candidates will be selected solely on their ability to carry out the duties of the post. The normal contractual retirement age at AWE is 65. Because of the nature of the work associated with these posts, they are subject to special nationality rules and are open only to British citizens. All selected candidates will be required to undergo security clearance.

Graduates are mainly hired for one of four different types of role at AWE, Business, Science, Engineering or Assurance.

Business

AWE's Business Support graduate scheme lasts for two years. AWE recruit graduates into HR, Finance, Corporate Communications, Business Strategy and Procurement, through the Business Support scheme.

Whatever area you work in, AWE will support you to gain a professional qualification relevant to your field such as CIPD, ACCA, CIMA or CIM.

Science

The AWE science programme is two years long. You will be placed into a particular department to apply and develop the knowledge and skills you’ve gained at university. The content of the programme varies greatly depending on the specific area you join, and it’s perfectly possible that you could end up doing a placement in one or more areas of the business.

AWE will also actively encourage you to study for a relevant Masters or PhD if it’s in line with the organisation's business needs, along with helping you to gain professional accreditations such as RSC and IOP.

Engineering

The AWE engineering graduate programme lasts for two years, with a series of three to six month placements that will give you exposure to both practical and strategic projects. Graduates joining with a Bachelors degree will be offered support to take a Masters as well as receiving assistance to gain professional accreditations such as IMechE, IET, RSC, IoM3 or IChemE.

Assurance

This programme also lasts for two years. Trainees will work in areas such as Health and Safety, Major Hazards Assessment Groups, the Criticality Safety Group, the Health Physics Skills Centre, Occupational Health Services and the Acceptance Review team. You will gain experience in both practical and strategic aspects of the job.

Interview and Assessment Process

Please help other users by contributing you interview feedback.

Audit Commission

The Audit Commission is a public corporation based in the United Kingdom that appoints auditors to all local authorities in England and health service bodies in England and Wales. Auditors appointed by the Commission are responsible for auditing local government in England, National Health Service Trusts and other local agencies, covering local government, health, housing, criminal justice and community safety.

Since 1 April 2005 the Commission’s functions in Wales have been the responsibility of the Auditor General for Wales.

The Audit Commission employ nearly 2,000 people working across England. The organisation's work spans four main areas: Audit, Assessment, Research and Data matching.

Audit: The Audit Commission is the primary auditor of local public services. They appoint auditors to provide assurance and promote value for taxpayers' money across local government, health, housing, community safety, fire and rescue and other public services. Some of these auditors work for private audit firms, but the majority work for the Audit Commission's own audit practice.

Assessment: The Audit Commission carry out performance assessments in local government and housing associations.

Research: The Audit Commission carries out research and provides independent, authoritative analysis to give insights into complex social problems and best practice in tackling them. The Audit Commission makes practical recommendations for policymakers and for people delivering public services.

Data-matching: The Audit COmmission help public bodies detect fraud and error by comparing sets of data, such as payroll or benefits records. The organisation's National Fraud Initiative has identified around £450 million of fraud and overpayments since it was established.

Civil Service Fast Stream

The "Fast Stream" is the accelerated development programme from the Civil Service for graduates. Those who join the Fast Stream are guaranteed a series of job placements designed to prepare them for senior managerial positions within the organisation. Fast Streamers move between projects and sections within their departments at intervals of between 12-18 months; unlike in other professions, there are no set dates for rotation but rotations take place when convenient. After completing two years in a department, you may be able to switch to another department as a Fast Streamer but this requires permission from your home department.

Application Requirements

The Civil Service require a minimum of a 2:2 in any degree discipline from graduate applicants. Generally you must also be a UK or EU National. The Civil Service look for particular competencies from graduate applicants. Graduates must be: results oriented; decisive; good at relationship building; good at making an impact; professional and have flexible thinking.

Both the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development have said that they are looking for people who have got a lot more than the school to college to university standard background. The Department for International Development are looking for people with operational experience in particular. Experience living/working in a developing country, multiple language skills and specific international economic knowledge would be useful for applicants to have.

There is a comprehensive vetting procedure, which asks for details of every job you've had in the previous three years, every country that you've visited and any serious illness that you've had.

Applying

When deciding which department to apply to, think about which policy area interests you the most rather than the department of state itself. Some departments may sound more interesting or exciting than others, but it is most important for you to be happy about the policy area you will be working on, than anything else.

The Foreign Office, Ministry of Defence and the Treasury are all departments where overall strategy is generally quite consistent each year. If you look at some of the other departments at the Civil Service, you will find that several policy areas are still evolving. Working in these areas may be more exciting and stimulating, and can provide you with more scope to make decisions that directly effect policy.

Applying for the Foreign Office, Department for International Development and the Ministry of Defense

Almost every candidate favours these departments when applying to the Civil Service. Many people do not get placed in these departments though, commonly because few people understand what working for them really entails or what skills these departments are looking for.

Getting into the Foreign Office and Department for International Development is even more competitive than just getting on the Fast Stream (where just one in one hundred applicants get the job) so it is very important for applicants to do their research. Applicants must also be highly skilled and have a very good academic record.

Departments - Where will I end up?

The process by which the Civil Service place graduates in departments is highly complicated. It is a hard process to manage, which is why candidates may not always end up in the department they have applied to.

Each year HR departments from the ministries submit the number of fast stream vacancies that they anticipate for the coming year, and inform the Cabinet Office. As and when these vacancies come through, the Cabinet Office try to match them up with applicants. The civil service is very varied: departments have different security rules, annual-leave allocations and training budgets.

Although applications are made to all departments, a Fast Streamer's home department treats him/her as their own resource. Moving across departments can be complicated and subject to vetoes by the head of department or line manager. It is particularly difficult when the offices are located in different cities.

Those recruited under the Graduate FastStream are referred to as "policy workers" and are overwhelmingly concentrated in London. Economists, operational researchers and statisticians are grouped as "analysts"; if the department has offices outside London, the analysts are likely to be concentrated there. This reflects the closer contact policy workers have with Ministers; the changeable nature of their work requires proximity to the government.

Deferring

For the graduate fast stream, you can only defer under certain circustances: to take part in the Teach First programme, to complete a qualification or course, or due to specific extenuating personal reasons.

Secondments

Gus O'Donnell, the current head of the civil service, has promoted the taking of secondments outside government to broaden the experience of staff. However, the public-sector cuts have made secondments difficult to obtain. You are not allowed to go on a secondment for the first two years of your job.

Opportunities for secondment are advertised through internal e-mails and may be addressed only to Fast Streamers. The usual practice is for your home department to continue to pay you and manage rights at work.

Training

Departments vary in terms of the training they provide or want you to follow. This really depends on the culture of your HR people. In some departments it is up to the individual fast streamer to make the business case for specific training (such as an MA) and to convince the department to fund this from their training allowance. Fast Streamers in some departments have training budgets of £3000 per year, whereas those in other departments may have no set budget and be expected to justify the need to go on any training.

The National School of Government is the civil service's internal training centre, which provides courses on working with ministers and the structure of government as well as on analytical skills for economists, operational researchers and statisticians. However, the NSG's future is uncertain given the scale of the public-sector spending cuts. Westminster Explained is an independent training provider used by civil servants, as they provide courses on the nature of government and on current departmental policies. Civil servants may attend short university courses and seminars of professional bodies on subjects relevant to their work.

Some departments offer specific training courses, such as "An Introduction to Parliament, Government and the Civil Service".

Working Culture

Working hours and environment varies hugely across departments. In some cases, Fast Streamers seldom have to stay late and have as many as 30 days of annual leave. In other cases, FastStreamers are given deadlines to meet on a daily basis and have as few as 23 days of annual leave. The most intense environment to work in is a minister's private office, in which working hours are very long and you may be disciplined robustly for any mistakes, as they have such important consequences. However, many FastStreamers who work in private office enjoy being at the heart of government and say that it's the reason why they chose to join the civil service. The pace of work tends to be slower in offices outside London.

All departments have 10.5 "privilege days". In addition to the 8 bank holidays, they receive a day off in lieu of the Queen's birthday, an extra day off in the Christmas period and a half-day for Maundy Thursday. In Scotland, St. Andrew's Day is also a privilege day. All departments have flexi-time and comprehensive pension programmes.

Further Information

[Edit] Now see:

Civil Service Graduate Fast Stream Interview Process

Civil Service Graduate Fast Stream Interview Process

The application and interview process for Civil Service Fast Stream graduate jobs is as follows:
* Online application
* Numerical and Verbal reasoning on-line [[aptitude tests]]
:
==Interview process==

The interview process for Civil Service Fast Stream graduate jobs is a three stage process:
* '''Computer based tests'''
** [[Aptitude tests]]
** [[E-tray exercise]]
** Email response exercise

* Stage two
{{Assistance_Required}}

* '''Assessment day'''
** [[Group exercise]]
** Written exercises
** [[general interview advice|Interview]] / [[competency based interview|competency interview]]
** Briefing exercise
:
===Stage one - Computer based tests===

There are three sections to the first stage of the Civil Service Fast Stream assessment process. There are no interviews at this stage.
* [[Numerical reasoning]] and [[verbal reasoning]] [[aptitude tests]]
* [[E-tray exercise]]
* Email response exercise

'''Aptitude tests'''

To confirm that you took the pre-assessment online tests, you will be asked to repeat the numerical and verbal reasoning tests that you have previously completed online.

{{Numerical Test Book}}

'''E-tray exercise'''

The Civil Service Fast Stream E-tray exercise lasts approximately one hour and is entirely computer based.

For the first fifteen minutes of this exercise you are given a set of documents to read. These documents may be about a new youth rehabilitation centre.

You will then have 45 minutes to answer approximately 25 emails, which will constantly appear in your in-box. You will be able to choose your response from a range of multiple choice answers, selecting which action out of four would be the most appropriate and which would be the least. Portions of this exercise may be quite ambiguous.
:
'''Email response exercise'''

This last section will last an hour. You will be given two questions from a line manager and these will follow on from the [[E-tray exercise]].

The first question will ask you to prepare your line manager for an upcoming meeting with the potential questions they might face and also, how they could be answered.

The second question will ask you to think of imaginative and radical solutions to the problems associated with the E-tray proposal (i.e. the rehab centre).
:
Source: [http://www.whatwilltheyask.co.uk/Civil-service/civilservice2.htm]
:
===Stage two===

'''Assistance Required!'''
:
===Stage three - Assessment day===

The third stage of the Civil Service Fast Stream interview process is a full day [[assessment day|assessment centre]].
:
'''Group exercise'''

The first exercise (although the order of events changes for different groups) was a [[group exercise]]. The group exercise starts with 30 minutes of preparation, during which you are told you represent a particular department of the Civil Service and given some literature regarding a fictional issue. Your task will be to represent your department's point of view, and make the case for it.

The actual exercise lasts approximately 45 minutes, and you have to make a decision on which factors you think are the most important and which of four projects will be the best solution to the problem. In the last 10 minutes your assessors will stop you and tell you that you have to present your case to a minister and think of responses to potential problems that may be raised over the selected solution.
:
'''Written exercise'''

There are two written exercises during the [[assessment day]]. One is quite short and only lasts 30 minutes, in which you have to judge a situation and make comments upon it.

The next written exercise lasts for approximately one and a half hours and involves a lot of reading material which includes peoples' views and statistics concerning a set of proposals. It is your job to weigh up the proposals and make a decision based on the information and stated goals. There is no right answer to this exercise. You are being assessed on how you make your case.
:
'''Lunch'''

Candidates will have lunch (which is apparently rather tasty) and an opportunity to talk freely with other candidates and quite possibly Civil Service graduate employees currently on the Fast Track scheme.
:
'''Interview'''

The interview lasts approximately 45 - 60 minutes and is of general interview format. It consists of the usual general interview questions and [[competency based questions]].

'''Competencies'''

Employees of the Civil Service must be able to analyse and evaluate huge amounts of information, in order to prepare documents such as briefs for ministers. They must have excellent [[communication]] skills, so that they may write drafts of government White Papers and excellent [[teamwork|teamworking]] skills because much of the work they do will be team based. It is also important that they exhibit [[leadership]] qualities, to allow them to make key decisions and persuade other people of their point of view

At interview, candidates must demonstrate that they fulfil these key [[competencies]] that the Civil Service require of their employees. These are generally: '''[[Teamwork]]''', '''[[Leadership]]''', being able to '''analyse''' information, being able to '''plan''' effectively, being able to '''compile information''' and draft documents, and '''[[Decision making]]'''.

Use examples from your academic, working and extracurricular experiences to answer any questions you may be asked. For example, talking about how you successfully argued on a topic for a debating society at a university competition shows evidence of [[teamwork]] and co-operation, [[leadership]] and persuasiveness, and that you have successfully understood, analysed and re-drafted information.

Examples of specific questions candidates have been asked in the past include:
* When have you worked under pressure?
* Give me an example of when you have worked under pressure?
* How did you cope with this pressure?
* How do you motivate yourself at work?
:
'''Briefing exercise'''

The briefing exercise is the final part of the assessment day. This starts with candidates being given a list of three options of fictional solutions to a problem (which may involve new local/national transport schemes).

You are given very little information concerning the solutions and a list of criteria that the solutions should fill. You have to pick one of the solutions and then prepare a 5-10 minute [[presentation]] for 25 minutes.

In the final briefing you give the [[presentation]] and will then be asked questions regarding the merits of the scheme and how you would solve any problems that might arise. This is a thinking on your feet exercise. You cannot prepare for these questions.
:
'''Self-assessment'''

Throughout the day you will have opportunities to fill out self-assessment sheets, which ask you to describe how well you feel you have done at each assessment stage. These are assessed. They're looking to see how well you identify your own development needs. Be honest and say what your shortcomings are and how you would go about addressing them.
:
Source: [http://www.whatwilltheyask.co.uk/Civil-service/civilservice3.htm]
:
For more information about '''graduate schemes''' offered by the '''[[civil service fast stream|Civil Service]]''' use the WikiJob [http://www.wikijob.co.uk/forum forums].

DIUS (Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills)

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) brings together functions from two former departments: Science and innovation responsibilities from the Department of Trade and Industry and skills and further and higher education from the Department for Education and Skills.

Graduate Jobs

DSTL (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory)

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) is an agency of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and exists to supply impartial scientific and technical research and advice to the MOD and other government departments. The organisation's mission is to create benefits for the UK Forces and Government through the best use of science and technology, and the organisation's vision is to be the indispensable source of science and technology at the heart of Defence.

Graduate Jobs

The Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory recruits approximately 150 graduates throughout the year.

Candidates should have a minimum of a 2:1 degree to apply.

Internships

Industrial Placements
Dstl offers a broad range of university students the opportunity to participate in industrial placement schemes. These placements exist across Dstl and can last up to 50 weeks. During these placements students are invited to networking and development events to expand their current skill set and learn about careers in Science.

Summer Placements
Dstl offers a number of holiday placements, mainly in the summer. These placements generally run for 2-3 months and provide students with an opportunity to gain some relevant work experience whilst earning a small income.

Year In Industry
Dstl participates in the Year in Industry Scheme.

Interview Process

The application and interview process at Dstl is as follows:

Online application
Aptitude tests
Assessment centre

The assessment centre consists of:

Manager interview
Competency based interview
Technical presentation
Office tour

Once you have submitted your online application, Dstl managers will sift the applications for suitable applicants for posts and select candidates for assessment.

If you are selected you will be given a tour of the work area when you come to the assessment. Dstl conduct competency based interviews which may also include an additional technical presentation and interview. Normally you will be informed of the result of the interview within two weeks of attending.

DfT (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport (DfT) often recruits graduates and school leavers.

The Department for Transport creates the strategic framework for transport services, which are delivered through a wide range of public and private sector bodies.

The central Department consists of around 1,700 people working on transport policy, strategy and support services. Policy covers all types of transport - road, rail, air and sea - and services include finance, legal matters, communication, human resources and IT.

More visible to the public, are the DfT's six executive agencies that deliver an important range of services from conducting driving tests to coordinating search and rescue operations at sea. They are:

Driving Standards Agency (DSA);
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA);
Highways Agency (HA);
Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA);
Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA); and
Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA).

Financial Management Development Scheme

The Financial Management Development Scheme is a government run cross-departmental finance based graduate scheme. Candidates may choose a preferred government department when they submit their application form. If they are successful at interview, it is likely candidates will be placed at the government department of preference.

Government departments involved in the scheme: DfT (Department for Transport), Home Office and DWP (Department for Work and Pensions), DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), ECGD (Export Credits Guarantee Department), MoJ (Ministry of Justice), TSOL (Treasury Solicitor's Department), HMT (Her Majesty's Treasury), Foreign & Commonwealth Office, DCLG (Department of Communities and Local Government)

Interview & Assessment Process

The Financial Management Development Scheme interview and assessment process is the same for whichever government department you apply for. The process is as follows:

Online application
Online aptitude tests (verbal, numerical and SiftAbility test)
Assessment centre

Online Aptitude Tests

If you online application si successful, you will be asked to complete three online aptitude tests.

SiftAbility Test

This test puts you in real life situations and asks what you would do in these situations. Each question is multiple-choice, and will be followed by several options.

For example, questions may be similar to the following: "You are an event manager who is managing a huge corporate event. One of your client's staff is overseeing how the event is being run. During the event one of the staff working under you gets into a heated argument with the client's staff. What would you do?"

Questions will be followed by about seven or eight statements and possible actions. You have to decide which options you would decide on in such situations. The idea is to answer these questions honestly, avoiding the obviously incorrect actions, e.g. "Sack your staff in front of the client to make a statement that you value the clients".

Assessment Centre

[Edit] The Financial Management Development Scheme assessment centre consists of:

Group exercise
Briefing exercise
Written exercise
Interview

Group Exercise

This exercise is conducted in groups of five. Each candidate is asked to pretend to be from a different government department - the scenario involves the government giving a £70 million pound grant to one of the departments for a project, to deal with a specific problem caused by global warming.

You will have to argue a case for your department to get the funding and then decide between the group which department should get the grant based on certain criteria, e.g. economic benefits, social benefits, etc.

Briefing Exercise

This exercise is challenging. The scenario involves two local Job Centres that need to be relocated because there is not enough space available in either of them, and they are both no longer able to conform to minimum health and safety standards.

You will have three options:
- Close down both centres and open one new larger centre;
- Open a third centre; or,
- Expand both existing Job Centres.

The main problem with this exercise is that 11 pages of information will be provided for you to read, and candidates must pick out the advantage and disadvantages from this material. This 11 page document includes numerical figures - some calculations will be necessary. There is only 30 minutes to complete the whole exercise.

At the end of the exercise you will have to present your findings to two assessors and recommend one option.

Written Exercise

In this task, candidates will be given 16 pages of information, covering two companies who have been bought out by a third company. The purchasing company is looking to introduce new training software to train its staff on the services they provide. Four companies were tendering to provide the company with the training software. You role will be to analyse the four tenders and make a recommendation on which is the best option, based on certain criteria. Candidates will be given just one and a half hours to read and write this report.

Interview

This interview is fairly straight-forward. It is unlikely there will be any commercial awareness questions. Candidates will almost certainly be asked three competency based questions concerned with: teamwork, planning & organising and drive/motivation. It is also very likely you will be asked why you want to work in the public sector.

Financial Services Authority (FSA)

The role of the FSA is to regulate the UK financial services industry, delivering benefits to firms and consumers alike. The organisation's remit is broad and entails ensuring people throughout the country get a fair deal in their financial services to maintaining London's status as a world leading international financial centre.

The FSA's aim is to make a real, tangible difference to the world of finance - one where the interests of all concerned are protected and championed. The FSA work with firms ranging from banks, building societies and insurance companies to financial advisers, fund managers, mortgage brokers and insurance intermediaries. As a result, the FSA provides graduates with a relatively a unique insight into the entire financial services market.

Application Requirements

Candidates should be expecting or have attained a 2.1 or above in any subject, hold a minimum of 300 UCAS tariff points (excluding General Studies) and have the unrestricted right to work in the UK.

Candidates also need strong commercial awareness, and developed teamwork and leadership skills.

GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters)

The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) is a key part of the UK's intelligence and security service. Along with MI5 and MI6, its role is to counter threats to British people and interests. It works in two main areas - signals intelligence and information assurance - to support organisations such as the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and law enforcement agencies. It also advises and assists organisations whose computer systems are critical to national infrastructure, such as those in the water, power and telecommunications industries.

Graduate Jobs

[Edit] There are six areas graduates can work in at GCHQ:

IT specialists and engineers;
Language and culture specialists;
Intelligence analysts;
Mathematicians;
Information specialists; and
Corporate support.

Some jobs require previous experience or technical qualifications, but many are open to graduates from a wide range of disciplines.

GCHQ accepts graduate job applications all year round.

Applicants must be British citizens and successful candidates will be subject to a security vetting process.

GCHQ expects to recruit up to 350 graduates each year.

Interview & Application Process

[Edit] The application and interview process for GCHQ is as follows:

Online application
Assessment day (lasting approximately four hours)
Further interview

The assessment day consists of:

Interview
Personality test
Security questionnaire
Drugs test

Location

The headquarters of GCHQ is in Cheltenham and is home to more than 5,000 staff. There is also a satellite ground station in Cornwall and a communications collection facility in Yorkshire.

Salaries

Graduates joining GCHQ in 2009 will be paid between £24,500 and £27,500 depending on their skills, experience and qualifications.

Government Actuary's Department

The Government Actuary's Department (GAD) is both a government department and an actuarial consulting firm, operating along commercial lines.

There are actuaries in public sector roles in many countries, but nowhere else is there such a strong concentration of actuarial talent within a government department, and nowhere else does the Government Actuary advise on such a comprehensive range of topics.

The Government Actuary's Department provides an actuarial consultancy service to the public sector. Advice is provided in many fields where actuarial skills play an important part, including social security, employee pension arrangements and statistical studies. GAD also advise overseas insurance industry regulators.

A wide breadth of experience is offered, from assisting in the formulation of government policies which may affect millions of people to making recommendations on the terms of a financial settlement involving a single individual. While the department's main clients are government departments in the United Kingdom, advice is increasingly being given to governments and other organisations in other parts of the world.

The work includes investigations, analytical work and advice to clients on a wide variety of actuarial, financial and statistical subjects and involves frequent contact with clients, including other government departments and public bodies.

The work of the Government Actuary's Department is varied, and you will be given the opportunity to broaden your experience by working in different areas.

As a Trainee Actuary, you will work directly with fully qualified actuaries and acquire professional expertise by working on current assignments in the department while studying for professional examinations using a combination of correspondence courses, personal study, discussion classes and tutorials. You must be prepared to apply yourself to a demanding course of study over a period of several years. As a Trainee Actuary, you will be given substantial support with study leave, work experience, counselling and course and examination fees, to enable you to obtain your professional qualifications as quickly as possible.

Government Legal Service

The Government Legal Service (GLS) joins together around 1900 Government lawyers including, at any one time, around 50 trainee solicitors and pupil barristers. GLS lawyers work in some 30 Government organisations, from Departments of State like the Home Office to public bodies such as the OFT (Office of Fair Trading). Those organisationally separate areas of Government legal provision - the Crown Prosecution Service, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel – maintain close links with the GLS. So do the legal teams supporting the Scottish Executive and the Northern Ireland Departments.

GLS legal teams can range in size from one lawyer in smaller regulatory bodies to more than 350 in larger organisations like the Treasury Solicitors’ Department. You’ll have opportunities to move from one team to another, broadening your experience in a way rarely possible in the private sector.

GLS legal teams welcome lawyers of all kinds – solicitors and barristers, newly qualified or experienced; litigators or advisers; drafters or commercial specialists.

Government Statistical Service

The Government Statistical Service (GSS) produces statistics. the GSS is the largest employer of statisticians in Britain. The Government Statistical Service provides trusted, authoritative, relevant and timely statistics for the UK's Government, businesses and general population.

The Government Statistical Service hire trainees for 18 Government Departments including; Environment, Health, Treasury, Defence, Home Office, Trade, Education, Children, International Development, Transport, Communities, Welsh Assembly, Scottish Government.

HM Treasury

HM Treasury is responsible for formulating and implementing the Government's financial and economic policy. Its aim is to raise the rate of sustainable growth, and achieve rising prosperity and a better quality of life with economic and employment opportunities for all.

Over 1,200 people work at the Treasury, so it is a relatively small government department and is located at ultra modern offices overlooking St. James' Park in London. HM Treasury also have offices in Norwich where some of the organisation's Corporate Services staff are based.

HMGCC (Her Majesty's Government Communications Centre)

HMGCC (Her Majesty's Government Communications Centre)]] produces leading-edge communications equipment to support Her Majesty's Government's interests at home and abroad. HMGCC design, develop, manufacture and support unique practical solutions to the ever changing challenges our customers face.

HMGCC have opportunities for Electronics, Software, and Systems Engineers.

Highways Agency

The Highways Agency is a government agency responsible for operating, maintaining and improving the strategic road network in England. The Highways Agency tries to tackle congestion, improve safety, inform travellers of relevant issues, increase reliability of transportation systems and reduce journey times.

Graduate Scheme

The Highways Agency runs an annual Graduate Development Programme, consisting of three distinct graduate employment schemes: a leadership scheme, an accountancy scheme and an engineering scheme. All the schemes are placement-based.

The Leadership Scheme is a two-year generalist programme that aims to develop the experience and broad management skills for leading roles at the Highways Agency in the future. This scheme is open to graduates with a degree in any discipline.
The Accountancy Scheme is a three-year gateway scheme that enables graduates to become a Chartered Accountant. This scheme is also open to graduates with a degree in any discipline.
The Engineering Scheme is a three-year programme specifically for Civil and Electrical Engineers (with BEng or MEng degrees) which enables graduates to gain Chartered status.

Salary

[Edit] The Highways Agency offer starting salaries from £18,500, plus public sector benefits (i.e. more holiday than private sector equivalent jobs and good pension scheme). Benefits include:

30 days annual leave (plus a further 10 days of bank holidays and privilege days)
Choice of civil service pensions
Flexible working hours (maximum 37 hours per week)
Opportunities for secondments and placements in the private and public sectors
Study support towards Chartered Status

Kent County Council

Kent County Council (KCC) is the county council that governs the majority of the county of Kent in England. It comprises 12 district councils, and around 300 town and parish councils. The county council has 84 elected councillors. The Chief Executive and his team of chief officers are responsible for the day-to-day running of the council.

Over 30,000 people work for Kent County Council.

Graduate Scheme

The Kent County Council Graduate Programme, offers several different employment streams: Management, Finance, Transport & Development and IT & Computing.

A minimum of a 2:1 degree grade in any discipline is required for all streams. The T&D Stream requires an Engineering, Geography or Transport Planning degree. The IT Stream requires a degree in an IT related subject.

The Kent Graduate Programme is a fast track, two year development programme. Graduates will be placed in a number of placements, during the programme.

London Treasurers' Graduate Finance Scheme

The London Treasurers' Graduate Finance Scheme is a government run finance based cross-borough London council graduate scheme. It offers graduates the chance to work in finance within local government in London, at one of 17 London councils partaking in the scheme.

The scheme is a four year contract, providing a mix of operational and project work, aimed to coach graduates to become finance professionals, set for a management level position.

The scheme will support candidates through the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA) Professional Qualification. CIPFA is the only chartered body in the world to specialise in public sector finance.

Trainees will contribute to the full ranges of accountancy and finance work within the Borough they are placed in and will undertake work placements and formal training to achieve membership of CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy). A structured programme will be provided for each trainee to ensure their work experience meets the needs of their formal studies.

Approximately 40 candidates are hired each year, across the 17 participating London councils.

Application Requirements

Candidates should either have, or expect to obtain, a degree in any subject, as long as it is a minimum grade of 2:2. Candidates should also have GCSE Maths and English or equivalent (Grade C or above), strong numeric, writing, oral and presentation skills, a high degree of computer literacy and good time management skills.

Interview & Assessment Process

[Edit] The recruitment process comprises the following stages:

Online application form
Online numerical reasoning test
Telephone interview
Assessment centre (held in central London).
Final stage interview (held at two of your preferred participating Boroughs)

The interview process is generally completed by Easter each year and start dates will be between May and August, depending on candidates' availability.

The telephone interview will explore some of the information you provided in your application form and the behaviours and personal attributes which have been identified as essential for successful job performance.

Successful candidates will then be invited to attend a half day assessment centre in London to be held during February.

The assessment centre will comprise a number of exercises designed to assess the skills required and will provide you with an opportunity to find out more about the scheme.

Final interviews with the participating London Boroughs will be held in March, after which offers of employment will be made to successful candidates in early April.

MI5 (Security Service)

The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 (Military Intelligence, Section 5) is the United Kingdom's counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of the intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6), GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) and the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS). All come under the direction of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC).

Its remit includes the protection of British parliamentary democracy and economic interests, counter-terrorism and counter-espionage within the UK. While mainly concerned with internal security, it does have an overseas role in support of its mission.

Conversely, to ensure that the Home Secretary is responsible for intelligence operations within the UK, the Service may act on behalf of SIS and GCHQ even if the operation is outside its own functions (SIS and GCHQ report to the Foreign Secretary).

The service has had a national headquarters at Thames House on Millbank in London since 1995, drawing together personnel from a number of locations into a single HQ facility. Thames House is shared with the Northern Ireland Office and is also home to the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, a subordinate organisation to the Security Service.

It has been alleged that the Service has regional facilities with one claimed to be in Glasgow.

MI5 employs 2,200 people from its base at Thames House on Millbank in London, although there are plans to expand numbers to 3,000 or more by 2010.

Application Requirements

MI5 employs approximately 60 graduates each year as "Desk Officers". Each year approximately 10,000 people apply for graduate jobs at MI5.

MI5 are looking for graduates with a minimum of a 2:1 honours degree and at least one year's work experience, although the organisation may consider applicants without a degree who have the skills and wider life experience to undertake the work.

Starting salaries for graduates at MI5 are approximately £25,000 plus benefits.

Graduate jobs are based in London, although some overseas work may be required.

Interview Process

The graduate recruitment process at MI5 is rigorous, from the qualifying test to the final-round selection board. Discretion is essential and would-be applicants are warned not to discuss their career plans with anyone other than their immediate family. It can take nine months between first applying and receiving a job offer.

The Application process varies both in time-scale and dependant on the role applied for, but generally it follows the form of

Psychometric testing - verbal and situational judgement
Paper application - basic paper application
Security questionnaire, i.e. have you taken drugs? how much alcohol do you drink a week, will you become financially worse off by accepting a job with the security service, have you spent a significant period of time abroad - honesty is always the best policy as you will be asked these questions again later in the process.
Assessment centre - situational test and written assessment
Telephone interview - competency based questions about the role and your past experiences
Assessment centre - 'a day in the life' test
Interview - vetting interview
Final interview - selection board

MI6 (Secret Intelligence Service)

The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), colloquially known as MI6 is the United Kingdom's external intelligence agency, part of the country's intelligence community. Under the direction of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), it works alongside the MI5 (Security Service), GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) and the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS).

Since 1995, the Secret Intelligence Service has had its headquarters at Vauxhall Cross on the South Bank of the Thames.

The SIS employs over 2,000 people.

Graduate Jobs

MI6, which has been operating for nearly 100 years, now states it recruits openly. like other employers, and that it no longer relies on recruiting top level Oxbridge candidates via recommendations from University tutors. However, it is likely that traditional Oxbridge recruiting does still take place.

The SIS is increasingly looking to recruit more women, people from ethnic minority backgrounds and people of various sexual preferences. About 36 per cent of 2008 recruits were women and just under 10 per cent were of ethnic minority origin. The SIS must recruit from various sectors of society because the organisation's charter states its employees must reflect the structure of the population of the UK.

Graduate jobs at the Secret Intelligence Service include:

Operational Officers: Case Officers plan and carry out intelligence operations and run agents overseas. Reports Officers collate and disseminate foreign intelligence in Whitehall. You will need at least a 2:2 deree in any discipline to apply for this role.

Language Specialists: Linguistics specialists translate intelligence documents and provide language training.

Technology Experts: Technology experts create and run SIS global communications networks (often using bespoke technology) or ensure all SIS people from Operational Officers in the field to Administrators in London have the best equipment.

Opportunities are also now opening up for MI6 personnel to be given secondments to other areas of Whitehall, such as the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, which is run by MI5 (Security Service).

Application Requirements

The SIS do not look for specific degree subjects, although there are certain synergies between some degree subjects and some roles (languages and IT for example).

The SIS look for people with an enquiring mind, good judgement, an adaptable approach and a talent for collaborative working. You must be 21 (or 21 within the next six months) to apply.

Graduates of black or Asian minority origin are actively recruited by MI6, who must recruit employees from a range of ethnic backgrounds that reflects that of the overall make-up of the general population of the UK.

Interview Process

[Edit] The interview process at the SIS consists of:

Online application
Online aptitude tests
First stage interview
Assessment centre

Headquarters

SIS headquarters, since 1995, is at 85, Vauxhall Cross, along the Albert Embankment in Vauxhall on the banks of the River Thames by Vauxhall Bridge, London.

The building design was reviewed to incorporate the necessary protection for Britain's foreign intelligence gathering agency. This includes overall increased security, extensive computer suites, technical areas, bomb blast protection, emergency back-up systems and protection against electronic eavesdropping.

NHS (National Health Service)

The National Health Service (NHS) employs over 1.3 million people and is responsible for an annual budget of over £100 billion.

Application Requirements

If you have or are expecting a minimum of a 2:2 degree, you can apply for the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme.

Graduates can choose to work in Finance, HR, General or Informatics Management at various locations all over the UK.

PLEASE HELP USERS BY HELPING TO DEVELOP THIS PROFILE!

The Application process involves an online application form and 4 four tests such as numerical and verbal reasoning tests. The next stage is a face-to-face interview. The Final stage is the assessment centre held in Warwick.

National Audit Office

The National Audit Office (NAO) is a government organisation that audits the financial statements of all government departments and agencies, and many other public bodies.

Interview Questions

[Edit] The National Audit Office interview and application process is as follows:

Online application (With a requirement to take an online numerical test right after you submit the standard online application)
First Interview
Assessment centre (called Group selection)

If you are invited to attend an Interview or Assessment Centre, reasonable travel expenses and overnight expenses – if required – will be reimbursed. The interviews and assessments are held in London, so if you know that you’ll require overnight accommodation, the NAO suggests that you check with them first to make certain that your expenses will be covered. They also request that you inform them in writing in advance if you need to arrange special accommodations to attend an Interview or sit any tests. The NAO will make reasonable effort to ensure that the interviews and tests are accessible to all qualified applicants.

Online Application

Part of the National Audit Office online application is a series of questions regarding your previous experience. Your responses to these questions will play a large part in determining if you will be invited for an interview and assessment centre.

You will be asked to provide examples of experience that you have had to show that you have the skills and competencies that the NAO is looking for. Your application will be seen more favourably if you are able to give a wide range of experiences rather than drawing all of your examples from one single period of work experience.

When you’re presenting examples in your NAO audit recruitment application, you should use clear, understandable language rather than technical jargon. Explain your examples concisely and simply. The first level of NAO application reviewers will reject any applications that they cannot clearly understand.

Once you’ve applied, you’ll hear back from the NAO, but be patient. It may take a bit of time, but the Office says that they do eventually respond to everyone who applies. If you are not invited for an Interview or to the assessment centre, you are welcome to re-apply during the next recruitment campaign.

First Interview

[Edit] The National Audit Office first interview is fairly straightforward. This consists of:

Maths test
Interview with HR

Maths Test

Candidates should expect a Maths test. You will be given one hour to complete 30 questions no more difficult than GCSE level maths. The National Audit Office send each candidate a "revision guide" with practice questions in advance of the interview itself.

Interview

This interview is with a member of the National Udit Office's HR team. Candidates should expect questions such as:

Why do you want to work for the National Audit Office?
Why do you want to work in accounting?
Why do you want to work in audit?

Candidates should also expect competency based questions involving key competencies such as motivation, persuasion and communication. This interview is relatively informal and lasts approximately 30 - 40 minutes.

Assessment Centre

[Edit] The National Audit Office refer to their assessment centre as "Group Selection". This consists of:

Individual case study
Group exercise
Company presentation
Lunch + meet current graduate trainees
Presentation (pre-prepared)
Interview (with company director or senior manager)

Candidates will usually be offered a graduate job within seven days of group selection. Immediately unsuccessful candidates may be put on the organisation's reserve list, which means they may still be offered a position, if the National Audit Office do not find any more suitable candidates.

Office for National Statistics

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is based in Newport, Wales.

The interview and assessment process is as follows:

Aptitude Tests

You will be given a test in statistics.The test will be fairly simplistic and will be split into two papers; one that focuses mainly on questionnaire design and another that is based on fairly simple multiple choice statistics questions.

Group Exercise

In the past, candidates have been asked about an advertising campaign for a building society. Candidates have had to read a lot of information and then collectively come up with a plan that details the costs, etc, of this operation.

Presenation

You will be given 20 minutes to prepare a talk from a table of data on holiday statistics. Your assessors will be interested to see how you: absorb the information available to you; identify critical points, and then; show that you can stand up and present information clearly.

Office of Government Commerce

The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) is an independent office of HM Treasury, established to help Government deliver best value from its spending. The Office of Government Commerce works with central Government departments and other public sector organisations to ensure the achievement of six key goals: Delivery of value for money from third party spend; Delivery of projects to time, quality and cost, realising benefits; Getting the best from the Government's £30bn estate; Improving the sustainability of the Government estate and operations, including reducing carbon emissions by 12.5% by 2010-11, through stronger performance management and guidance; Helping achieve delivery of further Government policy goals, including innovation, equality, and support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs); And driving forward the improvement of central Government capability in procurement, project and programme management, and estates management through the development of people skills, processes and tools.

Now see: Graduate Procurement Graduate Scheme (the graduate scheme of the Office of Government Commerce).

Graduate Procurement Service

The Graduate Procurement Service is part of the Office of Government Commerce.

Government Procurement Graduate Scheme

The Government Procurement Graduate Scheme (GPGS) is a procurement entry scheme set up and managed by the Government Procurement Service (GPS) in Office of Government Commerce (OGC). GPGS is a key part of the GPS strategy to ensure the availability of top-class procurement professionals for government. The scheme takes trainees through a two-year accelerated learning and development programme, including a variety of placements in procurement roles in their home department and in other departments and agencies.

There are two main elements of the scheme - formal training and exposure to different types of work experience. In the first year the trainees study for the Certificate of Competence in Purchasing and Supply while working on a variety of different projects in their home Department. In the second year the trainees study for the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Graduate Diploma while going one or more external placements in other Departments, agencies, NDPBs or private sector organisations as deemed appropriate by their home Department. OGC GPS funds all the formal training. Once the trainees have finished the two-year scheme a further year's work experience will entitle holders to qualify for full membership of CIPS.

The trainees have a support network including a mentor in their home department, who acts as a guide and helps with their career development. The second year of the scheme has also seen the introduction of a buddy for each new scheme member.

The scheme was launched in 2007 and there are twelve trainees across the following Departments: Central Office of Information, Government Communications and Planning Directorate, Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs, HM Prison Service, Ministry of Justice, NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency, Office of Government Commerce and Olympic Delivery Authority.

Now in its second year the scheme has allocated ten trainees to the following Departments: Cabinet Office, Department for Children, Schools & Families, Department for Transport, Department for Work & Pensions, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Highways Agency, NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency, Ministry of Justice (and National Offender Management Service).

Somerset County Council

Somerset County Council is divided in to four directorates: Children and Young People, Community, Environment and Resources. Additionally the Chief Executive’s Office supports the management of the council.

The council look after a population of over 515,500, educate over 70,000 pupils in 283 schools, look after around 390 children, support over 1,000 adults with learning difficulties to live independently, maintain over 6,500kms roads, deal with around 300,000 tonnes of domestic waste each year and host a stage of the Tour of Britain Cycle Race.

The council employ over 17,000 staff, in over 550 offices, schools, residential units, libraries and other facilities. The council also work with 140 partners and third party organisation to ensure their services are delivered effectively.

Somerset County Council hire approximately 20 graduates each year.

Graduate Scheme

Each graduate trainee will work within one employing directorate ("Children and Young People", "Community", "Environment" or "Resources").

The Council operates a grading system for all positions. Entry level for the Graduate Development Scheme is at Grade 12 with a clear development path that sees graduates progressing through incremental pay rises.

Generic and specific training and development activities including induction arrangements and the achievement of a postgraduate qualification will support graduates' workplace development. This qualification will either be in general management studies or a professional qualification dependent on your role. Additional support is offered through a general internal training programme.

To be considered for a graduate role, you must have completed a first degree, in any discipline, and have either a predicted or an achieved 2.2 minimum. For professional roles such as engineering particular disciplines may be required.

Key Competencies

There are a number of key competencies that you will be expected to achieve throughout the Council's graduate scheme – and there may be further competencies specific to the area that your position is within.

Somerset County Council's four, general key competencies are:

Customer Focus
Can Do Attitude
Collaboration
Care and Respect

Interview & Assessment Process

[Edit] The application and interview process is as follows:

Online application
Assessment centre
Interview (with line managers)

Both on the application form and, if selected, during the assessment process, Somerset County Council require candidates to provide clear and succinct examples of how you meet the key competencies, experience, skills, and personal characteristics they are looking for.

Graduates are selected through a series of interviews, presentations, aptitude tests, group exercises and an occupational personality questionnaire.

Applicants short-listed for initial interview will be invited to attend an assessment centre. Successful candidates will then be invited to return for an additional formal interview with prospective line managers.

If candidates are not successful in gaining a post initially but have passed the assessment centre stage of the selection process, they will be held in a waiting pool for up to twelve months until further graduate posts become available.

Retail

Graduate jobs in retail fall into five main categories:

Buying
Merchandising
Management
Distribution (also known as supply chain or logistics)
Marketing

Careers in Retail

The retail industry is a large source of job opportunity for graduates. Although some retailers (in particular electrical sellers such as Dixons and Currys) have seen a decline in sales in recent years, supermarkets have continued to boom, offering a growing number of graduate jobs as a consequence. In retail, the key roles for graduates tend to be based at either a company's Head Office (Buying, Merchandising, Marketing, Distribution) or in-store (Management).

Skills Required for Retail

Generally speaking, you will need the following key competencies to be successful in a graduate job in retail: commercial awareness, teamwork, leadership, communication and problem solving. Numeracy skills and attention to detail will also be essential for Buying and Merchandising. All graduate scheme applicants must be able to demonstrate an interest in retail.

Now see - List of Retailers in the UK.

ASDA

Asda is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, toys and general merchandise. It became a subsidiary of the American retail giant Wal-Mart, one of the world’s largest retailer in 1999, and is the second largest chain in the UK after Tesco, having overtaken Sainsbury's in 2003.

Asda is Wal-Mart's largest non-U.S. subsidiary, accounting for almost half of the company's international sales.

Asda's marketing promotions have usually been based solely on price, with Asda promoting itself under the slogan Britain's Lowest Priced Supermarket, 12 Years Running. As a wholly owned division of Wal-Mart, Asda is not required to declare quarterly or half-yearly earnings. It submits full accounts to Companies House each October.

Graduate Recruitment

Asda are a Times Top 100 graduate recruiter. The firm offers a structured training process for graduates, that is well-regarded.
The Asda graduate scheme is certainly better balanced than schemes at retailers such as Lidl or Aldi.

Asda recruits graduates for a number of different positions apart from Retail Management, including IT Solutions Management, Trading, Finance, Ecommerce, Property & Construction, Supply Chain and Distribution.

ASDA Graduate Jobs

ASDA's graduate job schemes typically last for three years. Scheme available include:

Retail Management
Distribution Management
Ecommerce
Finance (studying towards CIMA qualification)
Marketing
Project Management Systems Solutions (PMSS)
Property and Construction
Trading (buying and merchandising).

Locations

Graduates interested in the Retail Management or Distribution Management programmes must be flexible in terms of location, as they could easily be working anywhere in the country.

If you choose Property and Construction, Marketing, Project Management Systems Solutions, Trading, Ecommerce or Finance, you'll be based at ASDA House, which is in the centre of Leeds.

ASDA Interview Questions

The ASDA graduate scheme interview and assessment process is as follows:

Assessment centre

[Edit] The ASDA assessment centre consists of:

Pick a toy
Asda Monopoly
Group exercise
Role plays
Presentation
Interview

Pick a toy

The first thing you will have to do at your assessment centre will be to pick a toy to describe your personality and then describe why you picked that toy.

ASDA Monopoly

You will then have to play an ASDA version of monopoly, which involves mini-games which test your maths skills, verbal reasoning, and creative thinking; your answers will be analysed in front of you, with some good and some bad feedback given, to see your reaction.

Group Exercise

The group task will test your leadership, logical thinking, and group work.

Role Play

You will be asked to perform a role play with other members of your group, or current employees.

Presentation

The presentation is your chance to deliver your thoughts on the research provided to you before the assessment centre itself. It is a good idea to prepare slides, and prepare for this by doing online company research.

Interview

The ASDA assessment centre interview may be unusual. Candidates may be given a sheet of paper with questions about their motivations and the high and low points in their life.

Aldi

Aldi is a global supermarket chain with over 7,000 shops worldwide. The firm is also one of the world's largest privately owned companies.

Graduate Recruitment

Aldi is a highly aggressive graduate recruiter. The firm have a much higher recruitment marketing spend than other firms because they suffer from a very high burnout rate amongst their graduate hires.

Burnout rate is so high because the general graduate scheme is so demanding, with many recruits reporting working 70 hours or more each week, including working on both Saturday and Sunday, sometimes for months at a time.

Graduates who do last until the end of the Aldi training scheme will gain great experience of retail and be offered a very high salary to continue working for the firm, but for many, the life-cost of working in this capacity for the firm is just too much.

Working Culture

Aldi's graduate area managment trainee positions offer applicants one of the highest salaries of any graduate role in the UK - £40,000 a year immediately after graduation. Successful hires will also be provided with a company car (the infamous Audi A4) and promised rapid promotion, if they do well.

The Aldi graduate scheme, which officially lasts for one year, offers a good start to graduates with an interest in the retail industry, or gaining experience in management positions.

The firm seem towork their graduate trainees hard. Applicants should expect to work 60 - 100 hours each week, spread over six or even seven days a week, throughout the length of the graduate scheme. There is little time for a social life, or even a life outside work during the Aldi graduate scheme.

Reports indicate that the drop out rate of graduate hires at Aldi is quite high. Not everyone is prepared to work as hard as Aldi expect, and many graduates lured in by the very attractive starting salary do leave the company after a few weeks, or months.

Those who stick with the company are promised, and seem to acheive, swift promotion. Graduates have been known to become directors after just five years.

Trainees are expected to spend time working in every job role offered by the company during the graduate scheme. This includes less-skilled roles such as shelf-stacking, working on tills and cleaning, as well as office based roles.

Although the Aldi graduate salary and company car are attractive, reports suggest that Aldi offer very little else in the way of benefits to trainees. Staff kitchens are apparently not even stocked with tea and coffee; staff must buy their own.

The Aldi graduate scheme is tough, and will only suit graduates intent on earning money, gaining experience or achieving rapid promotion in the retail industry/management. Trainees must possess great leadership skills and be able to communicate effectively with employers at all levels. It is also essential for trainees to have a good level of physical fitness, to cope with the excessive amount of work, and have a great deal of geographical flexibilty, as they must relocate as and when the company decide.

Aldi Graduate Jobs

The Aldi graduate scheme is called the Area Manager Graduate Training Programme. This lasts for one year and offers graduates management training, the chance to work in many different roles within the company and the prospect of rapid promotion.

Salary

The Aldi graduate scheme starting salary is one of the highest offered by any graduate employer in the UK at £40,000, with a company car. Trainees can realistically expect to earn in excess of £60,000 after three years at the company.

Geographical flexibility

Graduate trainees at Aldi need to be highly geographically flexible and prepared to spend a large amount of time travelling. Once hired, you may be positioned anywhere within the UK, and may be moved at any time. Trainees will also need to travel extensively within their allocated region, in order to visit the four to six stores that fall within their jurisdiction as area manager.

Work diversity

During the first six months of the Aldi graduate scheme, trainees must spend their time doing each of the less-skilled store jobs that they will eventually manage. For example, trainees will mop floors, work on supermarket check-outs and stack shelves. After this inital six-month period, trainees will officially take on the responsibilities of an area manager.

Aldi Graduate Jobs Interview Questions

Aldi Area Manager Graduate Training Programme Interview Questions

The application and interview process at Aldi is as follows:

Aldi do not pay expenses for anyone attending interviews.

Assessment Centre

The Aldi graduate scheme assessment day consists of:

Presentation
Group exercise
Aptitude tests (numerical and verbal reasoning)
Question & answer session

Aldi usually invite about 12 candidates to attend each assessment day. The day lasts for about three hours and starts with an introductory talk from Aldi's Managing Director.

Presentation

After the introductory talk, candidates will be asked to deliver an individual presentation on something of personal interest. Everyone will have three minutes to prepare their presentation. Each candidate will then be asked to give their presentation in turn, and must talk for at least two minutes on their chosen subject.

Group Exercise

The Aldi Group exercise will almost certainly be about surviving a plane crash. There will be several questions that your group must decide answers to. For example, you may be asked to rank, in order of importance, items you would take with you from a plane that has crash landed. Your job will be to discuss with your team how you should evaluate items, and to come up with a system to rank items in order of necessity. It is essential that you show your leadership ability, by leading the discussion and taking the initiative, either by taking notes, or summing up the discussion at the end of the exercise.

After the exercise there will be a further group discussion about the plane crash scenario.

Aptitude Tests

After the group exercise candidates will be asked to complete verbal and numerical aptitude tests. You will need to rush to complete these, and each test will only last for a few minutes. The standard of the maths and verbal reasoning tests will be GCSE level.

Question and Answer Session

The assessment day will end with a Q&A session during which canidates can ask questions about the interview process, the graduate scheme or the company itself. During this tiem you may also be asked if you have visited an Aldi store. Make sure you do visit a store before the assessment day.

Aldi Assistant Manager Interview Questions

The Aldi Assistant Manager position is not specifically a graduate scheme, but Aldi do accept graduate applicants for this position.

Aldi usually invite up to five candidates to the Assistant Manager interview. To start, candidates will be asked to introduce themsevles. They will then be asked to talk about what they know about the company and the Assistant Manager role.

This is followed by a long question and answer round, during which you should ask pertinent and intelligent questions. If you want to impress, visit a store and talk to a store manager before the interview and find as much as you can about the role you are applying for.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is a privately held St. Louis, Missouri-based rental car company serving customers in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Ireland, Puerto Rico and the U.K.. They are also the owners of the Vanguard Automotive Group, operator of National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car in North America. The Detroit News reports that Enterprise currently purchases 7 percent of all new automobiles sold in the United States.

The Enterprise brand has a fleet of over 904,000 vehicles, more than 7,000 branches and over 66,000 employees.

Graduate Recruitment

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is a highly aggressive graduate recruiter. The company uses their recruitment budget
to advertise in media as well as to attend careers fairs all over the UK and Ireland.

The general graduate scheme at the firm offers a competitive salary with an excellent benefits package (including private medical for all employees). Enterprise gives the employee an opportunity to learn all aspects of running a business including sales, marketing, customer, management, operations and finance. The role is 95% people facing - including customers, accounts and employees. Their branches are open Monday - Friday from 8 am to 6 pm and open on Saturdays from 9 am to 12 pm. You can expect to work 45 - 50 hours per week.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Interview Questions

The application and assessment process at Enterprise Rent-A-Car is as follows:

Online application
Recruiter Interview
Branch Visit/Interview
Assessment Day

Assessment day

The Enterprise Rent-A-Car assessment day consists of:

Meet and greet
Company video
Company presentation (interactive)
Group exercise
Individual exercise
Role play
Interview

Enterprise Rent-A-Car's assessment centres take place at the regional offices. The day starts around 9:00am.

Meet and greet

The assessment day starts with an introductory talk from some of the firm's management team about the company. Managers will talk about their own careers to date and their background. They will then describe the agenda for the day.
This is followed by each candidate introducing themselves to the assessors and the other candidates in their assessment group.

Company video

Candidates will be shown the firm's recruitment video which discusses the company's values, expectations and possible career paths. There will be an opportunity for questions at the end of the video.

Company presentation

The final stage of company presentation is a talk from the Enterprise Rent-A-Car recruitment team about the company's history and future goals. You will hear about what a day in the life of an Enterprise Rent-A-Car management trainee involves and discuss opportunities and the prospects of promotion.

Group exercise

Candidates are given an equal role to play in this exercise which is based upon the Enterprise Rent-A-Car foundation. This is a group exercise, designed to look at how candidates can put forward a case, persuade and influence others, work together cooperatively and make a decision. It is designed specifically to assess the following competencies: communication and leadership.

Individual exercise

Half an hour in the life of…………… This exercise gives candidates the opportunity to get a taste of life at Enterprise. The exercise is designed to look at the candidate’s problem solving skills and using their initiative as well as work ethic and flexibility. This exercise will give the candidate an insight into the business.

Lunch

During lunch the candidate will have the opportunity to ask questions to current management trainees and the management team at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Use this time to ask some relevant questions.

Interview

Candidates will have a final 30 minute skills-based interview with a member of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car management team. This will consist of some competency based questions and will focus on actual examples of behaviour, rather than theoretical questions.

The assessment day then ends. Candidates will be notified within two to three days and given feedback.

Enterprise Rent-a-Car Graduate Jobs

Enterprise Rent-A-Car recruits all year round for their graduate management scheme. The firm aims to recruit 200 trainees for London and the South East and over 550 management trainees for the rest of the UK and Ireland each year.

Internships

Enterprise Rent-A-Car offers various 12-month sandwich placements to students on sandwich courses. In addition, they offer summer placements and work experience throughout the academic year.

LIDL

Lidl (pronounced as [lee-dhll]) is a European discount supermarket chain of German origin that operates 7,000 stores. In Germany, it is Aldi's main competitor. The full name of the company is Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG. It belongs to the holding company Schwarz, which also owns the store chains Handelshof and Kaufland.

Lidl (l-E-dl) has established itself in over 17 countries. It was founded in the 1930s by a member of the Schwarz family; then called Schwarz Lebensmittel-Sortimentsgrosshandlung. In the 1970s, the first Lidl stores of today's incarnation opened.

In the UK Lidl is attempting to quickly increase market share, and has already opened over 500 stores.

Graduate Recruitment

Lidl are a very aggressive graduate recruiter. They are constantly advertising and targeting their jobs to graduates because trainees on their schemes suffer from very high burnout rate. Trainees are known to work 70 hours or more each week, usually over twelve hours every day and commonly work at weekends too.

Many graduate are unable to cope with this very hard work pattern and consequently leave before the end of the two year scheme.

Application Requirements

Lidl are looking for graduates with good communication and management skills.

Lidl's three year graduate schemes offer training and development to trainees and should allow trainees to work in every area of retail and retail management.

LIDL Graduate Jobs

There are three types of graduate management scheme available at Lidl:

District Management
Graduate Store Management
Management Placement

District Management

This scheme involves having responsibility for running a multi-million pound district of up to five stores and leading and managing a team of more than 50 people.

Graduate Store Management

This scheme involves leading a team of up to 25 people within a store-based environment. The scheme lasts between 12-24 months.

48-week Management Placement

This 48 week placement enables candidates to gain experience working in Sales, Logistics, Property and Construction.

Marks & Spencer (M&S)

Marks & Spencer (M&S) is a British retailer, with 760 stores in more than 30 countries around the world.

Graduate Recruitment

The M&S Graduate scheme is a highly respected retail trainee scheme. In 2008, the graduate scheme was awarded "Best Retail Graduate Scheme" by TARGETjobs. Furthermore, Marks & Spencer is also a highly rated member of the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers list.

Marks & Spencer (M&S) Graduate Jobs

Our programme

The M&S graduate programme offers a range of opportunities across our different business areas. If you’re interested in retail management, it will take you to Commercial Manager level in 12 months, while our Head Office programme has roles in a range of areas, from IT and Food Technology, to Merchandising and Logistics. Either way, you’ll be on the right path to a successful career – one that will give you the chance to shape and grow our business

Our principles

Every person that steps through our doors has their own relationship with M&S; a familiarity and trust that goes beyond that of other retailers. And we work hard to earn this trust. It’s not just our pioneering Plan A pledge to help the planet and operate sustainably. It’s about doing the right thing for everyone, every day and in everything we do. It’s how we’ll continue to take the M&S experience forward – and create a company you’ll be proud to be part of.

Our rewards

We expect a lot from our graduates. High standards. Hard work. And a genuine commitment to doing the right thing for customers and colleagues. So it only makes sense you should expect plenty back in return. We're investing more then ever in the rewards we offer. Not just a competitive salary and the essential benefits you'd expect from a leading employer like M&S. But also a range of flexible rewards you can tailor to your individual needs.

Our team

M&S might be made up of thousands of different people, but they all have one thing in common – they believe in winning as a team. So, if you need a little help, someone will roll up their sleeves and lend you a hand. If you’ve got a question, someone will be happy to share their experience. Join the M&S family and you’ll feel valued, supported and respected. It’s good to know.

Our 2011/12 applications are now closed but to find out more, visit www.marksandspencer.co.uk/gradcareers

Marks & Spencer (M&S) Interview Questions

The M&S interview and application process is as follows:

Online application
Online aptitude tests
Assessment centre

Preparing for the Assessment Centre

As well as researching M&S also investigate the retail industry as a whole. Find out about Marks & Spencer's main competitors and how they are placed within the retail sector. Research trends within the fashion and food markets to help you in the presentation and role play stages of the assessment centre.

Morrisons

Morrison Supermarkets (Morrisons) is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies. Morrisons' market share as of January 2008 is at 11.4%, making it the smallest of the "Big Four" supermarkets, behind Tesco (31.5%), ASDA (16.8%) and Sainsbury's (15.9%), but far ahead of the fifth place Co-operative Group, which has a share of 4.4%.

Founded in 1899 by William Morrison in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, Morrisons was for many years focused in the north of England. With the takeover of Safeway in 2004, the company expanded southwards, and now has a total of 382 superstores across the UK.

The Morrison family currently own around 15.5% of the company.

Morrisons Graduate Jobs

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There are several graduate schemes available at Morrisons. These include:

Manufacturing Management
Logistics Management
Retail Management

Manufacturing Management Scheme

One of the reasons for Morrisons success – and their claim to be the ‘Food Specialist for Everyone’ – is their Manufacturing function, which covers a broad range of production from fresh bakery to skilfully prepared meat products, across a wide reaching geographical network. This ensures the stores are filled with the great ranges customers have come to expect, with the quality synonymous with the Morrisons brand.

As a Manufacturing graduate you could be involved in many parts of the chain, taking part in challenging efficiency improvement assignments, managing teams, driving quality and creating great new products. Morrisons manufacturing division is a growing business and as Britain’s fifth-largest food manufacturer employs over 5000 colleagues, set to grow further as they expand.

Retail Management Scheme

Morrisons Retail Management scheme could provide you with a career working for one of the UK’s largest companies, and the fourth largest retailer in the UK. Morrisons stores are multi-million pound businesses in their own right and the heart of the organisation. As a Morrisons Retail graduate you would lead large teams from diverse backgrounds, and deliver great customer service to take responsibility for a major part of the company.

The Retail Leaders Graduate Programme has been developed to produce strong leaders for Morrisons stores. You’ll work in and learn how to manage each of the departments within a Morrisons store, and after just 18 months you will be part of the senior management team. During this time, you’ll be provided with management and leadership training and the opportunity to meet and learn from some of the best in the industry.

Logistics Management Scheme

Morrisons Logistics teams are responsible for ensuring all products get from the suppliers and manufacturing facilities to the supermarket shelves fresh, safely, on time and economically for the ten million customers who shop at their stores every week. The expanding Logistics function sees graduates being responsible for bringing the supply chain together. It’s a sizeable and important function responsible for transporting products from local and international suppliers, to distribution centres across the UK, then out to the rapidly growing number of stores.

Morrisons Logistics graduates could find themselves enjoying real, hands-on experience within a distribution centre to learn first hand how products get to the stores, or working with transport operations, contracts, planning or international operations in determining and implementing strategies for the most efficient and cost-effective supply chain. The Logistics programme is an intense but highly rewarding scheme that will prepare graduates for a role in an exciting and constantly evolving part of Morrisons’ business.

Tesco

Tesco is a British supermarket chain that runs over 1,000 stores in 11 countries. The firm is the country's largest private sector employer, and is currently expanding, most notably in Central Europe and the Far East. TESCO employ 237,000 people worldwide and generate annual revenues of over £25 Billion in the UK alone. The chain sells food and non-food items, operates a banking arm called Tesco Finance and runs a large online presence, Tesco.com.

Graduate Recruitment

Tesco are a large UK graduate recruiter.

CSR

Each year Tesco donate 1% of their profits to charity. They are involved in various (CSR) activities.

Recycling

Tesco have an internal scheme to recycle more than 80% of paper, cardboard and plastic across our office sites. During 2007 the firm introduced fully-automated recycling machines at some of their stores.

Education

Over 14 years, Tesco's Computers for Schools scheme has given more than £100 million worth of computers and IT equipment to UK schools.

Further Information

Now see, Tesco Interview Questions.

Tesco Graduate Jobs

Graduates

Apart from an interest in retail, Tesco are looking for the following key competencies in graduates: people/communication, leadership and analytical skills. You must also have a minimum of a 2.1 deree (any discipline) and 3 A Levels (excluding General Studies and A/S Levels) grade C or above (240 UCAS points), for most graduate roles.

Graduate Benefits

Benefits for people on the Tesco graduate scheme include:

20 days paid holiday a year (with the potential to increase to 30)
Staff Privilege Card (10% off any store purchase over £1)
Discounts on Tesco Finance products (e.g. home insurance, life insurance, car insurance)
Pension (contributory pension scheme for all employees, from your first working day)
Life Assurance
Shares in Success (shares given to all long-standing employees)
Save As You Earn (share option scheme)

Graduate Programmes

All Tesco graduate programmes start in September, apart from Pharmacy which starts in August. In total there are 17 different programmes available for graduates, such as Store (shop floor/management), Office (e.g. Finance, IT, Law), Distribution (e.g logistics, merchandising and Pharmacy. Graduates are not supposed to apply to more than one scheme a year.

Mobility

All graduate employees need to be mobile during their graduate scheme. You need to be willing to relocate if required, although this is less important for graduates on the Store based scheme and Office scheme. All Tesco office placements are based in the firm's head offices in Hertfordshire. These will be in either Cheshunt or Welwyn Garden City.

Work Permits

Tesco can only accept applications from graduates who are already legally entitled to work in the UK. If you are invited to an assessment centre, you will need to supply your UK or European Economic Area passport, or similar supporting documents.

Training

The Store graduate programme starts with a two-day induction. During this time you will meet with all the other stores graduates so you can start to build up a network of contacts. We invite recent graduates and store managers who were previously on the programme, and operational directors to share their valuable knowledge and experience with you on how to progress within Stores. You will learn about the content of the programme and will have the opportunity to have any questions or queries answered before starting your programme in stores.

Tesco Interview Questions

Over 9,000 people apply for Tesco graduate schemes each year. Approximately 50 people are hired.

Preparing for interviews

Read Industry trade press such as The Grocer to prepare for commercial awareness questions at interview.

Competencies

[Edit] Tesco want to see that applicants are capable of the following key competencies at interview:

Winning other people's support
Managing decision making
Managing performance
Managing change
Drive
Customer focus
Personal integrity
Team player
Developing themselves and others

List of Retailers

The following is a list of retailers in the UK that either operate structured graduate schemes, or regularly employ graduates for their business.

Food

Non-Food

Dixons Store Group (DSG)
- Dixons
- Currys
- PC World
Debenhams
John Lewis
Home Retail Group
- Argos (part of the Home Retail Group)
- Homebase (part of the Home Retail Group)

Fashion

Arcadia Group
- Topshop
- Miss Selfridge
- BHS
- Evans
ASOS
Burton
Dolcis
GAP
Jacques Vert
Laura Ashley
Monsoon
Next
River Island
Signet
TK Maxx

Surveying

This wiki page is about graduate jobs in surveying.

Types of Surveying

There are many different types of surveyor:

Arts & antiques surveyors – responsible for valuing and auctioning valuable works of art.
Building surveyor - advise clients about the design and construction of new buildings.
Commercial property surveyors – work on property portfolios for multi-national corporations.
Construction surveyors, building surveyors & project managers – advise on constructing buildings (ranging from individual buildings to large regeneration projects).
Dispute resolution surveyor – resolves disputes including arbitration, adjudication and mediation.
Environmental surveyors – develop and preserve environmental assets and aspects of land and property.
Geomatics surveyors – work with the natural, social and economic geography of the natural and built environments.
Land surveyor -
Marine / hydrographic surveyors – map the sea bed to search for oil & gas.
Minerals and waste surveyors – work in the minerals extractive industries, quarries and the waste/remediation sectors.
Planning and development surveyors – Engaged in the conception and delivery of development schemes.
Quantity surveyor – consultant on construction.
Residential property surveyor – manage, advise and facilitate people buying and selling homes.
Rural surveyors – concerned with every aspect of rural life from conservation to planning, agriculture and asset management to livestock auctioneers and valuers.
Valuation surveyors – value property

For more information about graduate jobs in surveying, visit the WikiJob forums.

Building Surveyor

Building surveyors advise clients about the design and construction of new buildings and the maintenance, repair, renovation and conservation of existing ones. Clients can range from individual house owners to large commercial and industrial companies..

Your work as a surveyor would vary depending on the type of project, but would usually focus on three main areas: surveying, legal work, and planning and inspection. The typical day to day work of a building surveyor includes surveying properties, identifying structural defects and making recommendations for repairs; assessing damage for insurance and loss adjustment purposes, for example as a result of bad weather, fire or flooding; assessing dilapidation liability (who is responsible for building repair costs) and; advising clients on issues such as property boundary disputes.

Depending on the size of the company you work for, you may cover all of these and other work areas, or specialise in just one.

Qualifications

To qualify as a building surveyor you will need to complete a degree course accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), followed by a professional development course; or start in a trainee position with a surveying firm and study for qualifications whilst working.

Relevant degrees include: surveying, construction, civil engineering, building engineering.
If you have a non-accredited degree, you will need to take a postgraduate course in surveying. You can do this through a graduate traineeship once working or by studying full-time at an RICS-accredited university.

Land Surveyor

Land surveyors collect information and map out the shape of natural and artificial features on civil engineering and construction schemes, and use this data to develop site plans. Land surveyors work on road, tunnel and bridge building projects; land redevelopment, mining and quarrying; and the installation of power and water supply networks.

What do Land Surveyors do?

Working as a land surveyor, your work will involve:

Carrying out feasibility studies, including initial surveys and environmental impact assessments on potential sites to assess whether plans are workable.
Using surveying instruments and GPS to conduct geospatial measurements and chart exact coordinates of site features; producing digital images of sites (photogrammetry); and mapping land use with satellite photography (remote sensing).
Gathering data and using geographic information systems (GIS) to analyse and interpret site features.
Monitoring land movement and subsidence caused during the construction project or by natural processes.
Drafting 2-D and 3-D charts and maps of an area using CAD programs and and other cartographic techniques.

You may also be able to specialise in mapping inshore and offshore features, known as hydrographic surveying, which covers:

natural waterways and canals for environmental projects
dredging operations
navigational charts
oil and gas exploration
undersea mining
locating and salvaging sunken ships

Qualifications & Experience

Graduates normally need to have attained a degree or professional qualification accredited by the Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors (RICS) to become a land surveyor. Relevant degree disciplines include: surveying; civil engineering; geomatics; and, geographical information science.

Quantity Surveyor

Quantity surveyors manage the costs of a building project, from design stage through to the building's completion. It is a quantity surveyor's main priority to make sure that projects meet legal and quality standards, and that building projects are good value for money.

Quantity surveyors work on:

housing and industrial sites;
retail and commercial developments;
roads, rail and waterways.

Most of the time a quantity surveyor's role will involve carrying out feasibility studies to estimate the costs of time, labour and materials; negotiating and drawing up bids for tenders and contracts and monitoring every stage of the construction process to ensure costs are in line with forecasts. It is also the quantity surveyors responsibility to ensure that all legal requirements are met with during construction projects.

Qualifications

To become a quantity surveyor you would usually need to have attained a degree approved by the Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in a degree discipline such as: surveying; construction; civil engineering; structural engineering, etc. You could also study a degree which is acredited by The Chartered Institute Of Building (CIOB).

For more information about graduate jobs in surveying, visit the WikiJob forums.

List of Surveying Firms

The following is a list of Surveying, property firms and similar companies.

For more information on these surveying and property firms, visit the WikiJob forums.

Transport, Logistics & Supply Chain

Graduate jobs in transport, logistics and supply chain incorporate engineering roles, IT roles, management roles, environmental/science roles as well as purely transport orientated technical roles. There are opportunities for graduates from all degree backgrounds, particularly for graduates with a good academic record, solid IT and analytical skills and enthusiasm for the industry.

Graduate Jobs in Transport, Logistics & Supply Chain

Graduate jobs in transport, logistics and supply chain incorporate engineering roles, IT roles, management roles, environmental/science roles as well as purely transport orientated technical roles. There are opportunities for graduates from all degree backgrounds, particularly for graduates with a good academic record, solid IT and analytical skills and enthusiasm for the industry.

Postgraduate Qualifications

Postgraduate qualifications are sometimes useful when applying for careers in transport, logistics or supply chain companies. If you have a postgraduate qualification, you might be able to start higher up the career ladder, and progress more quickly to middle and senior management positions. Many universities offer courses in subjects such as logistics, supply chain management, transport planning and transport economics.

Graduate Salaries

Graduate jobs in transport, logistics and supply chain vary from about £15,000 to £25,000. If you develop specific expertise in a particular field, your earning potential can increase rapidly.

Graduate Jobs

There is often some overlap in graduate jobs within these industries. However, generally speaking positions available for graduates include:

Logistics - supplier management, purchasing management, materials management, manufacture and production, inventory management (stock-keeping).
Transport - operations management, facilities management, infrastructural analysis, fleet management, design and traffic management.

For more information about graduate jobs in transport, logistics and supply chain, visit the WikiJob forums.

List of Transport, Logistics & Supply Chain Firms

The following is a list of graduate employers who operate within transport, logistics & supply chain.

Arriva
Capita Symonds
DB Schenker
DHL Exel Supply Chain
DHL International
EPC Global
Faber Maunsell
Foster Wheeler Energy Limited
Gist
GMPTE
Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)
Mott MacDonald Group
Network Rail
Norbert Dentressangle
Peter Brett Associates LLP
Royal Mail
Steer Davies Gleave
Transport for London (Tfl)
Transport Scotland
Westinghouse Rail Systems
WSP Group

For more information about transport, logistics and supply chain firms, visit the WikiJob forums.

Network Rail

Over 35,000 people work for Network Rail. The business creates, innovates, invests, maintains and provides a service to over 2.75 million people every day. Network Rail manage the largest stations in the UK and are also one of largest landowners in the UK.

Network Rail Telephone Interview Questions

The telephone interview is a competency based interview.

Questions you are likely to be asked are:

Why do you want to work for British rail?
What are Network Rails future challenges (tip - look up future projects of Network Rail, e.g. 'Thameslink project' etc
Tell me about a time you had to buy the confidence of a team or group of people.
Tell me about a time you analysed historic more than one solution to a problem but came up with a different solution (worded very strange but basically means thinking flexibly, time you used initiative).
Tell me about a time when you overlooked something during a task or project and how did it affect your results/outcome.
Tell me about a time when you had to deal with conflict within a team.

The first two questions focus on your motivation for working at Network Rail. The remaining four focus on your skills and core competencies.

Online Numerical Reasoning & Verbal Reasoning Tests

Network rail uses online aptitude testing to test its candidates. The numerical reasoning test consists of 20 questions in 20 minutes, and the verbal reasoning tests consists of 30 questions in 15 minutes. The verbal reasoning test is particularly challenging. The tests are provided by SHL.

Transport for London (TfL)

TfL offer a range of schemes to both new and experienced graduates. While they officially accept applications for up to four years after graduation, there have been cases of people with up to six years of work experience post-graduation attending assessment centres.

Graduate Schemes

[Edit] TfL offer four main graduate schemes:

General Management, which has two service lines -
- Delivery – Station / Train Management
- Development – Planning, Project based work
Project Management
Electronic Engineering
Finance

For the majority of the schemes, no specific degree is required. The general requirement is a 2:1 degree from a good university, (such as a top 30 university). On some schemes, a 2:2 is also accepted.

TfL are looking for people who are passionate about the city of London. During all stages of assessment, it is important to show not only that you want to work in London, but also be a part of London. Stress the importance of the TfL network. For example, if the London Underground broke down for just one day, what the knock-on effects would be.

There are a number of key areas that affect the way in which TfL operate, and it is important to show understanding of these areas. While they are not explicitly outlined until the later stages of assessment, it would show commitment to career if you are at least able to name or make reference to these factors throughout the application and assessment process:

Commercial
External
Global
People (Staff)
Customers

Transport for London (TfL) Interview Questions

Below provides a general overview of the application and assessment process for the various TfL graduate schemes.

Assessment Process

[Edit] The TfL graduate scheme assessment process consists of:

Online application
SHL Test
Telephone interview
First assessment centre
Second assessment centre

Online Application

The online application is based on the usual competencies, i.e. “Why would you be suited to a position with TfL”?

When completing your application consider what experiences would be most relevant to the questions asked and provide specific details of what you did, why you took that particular approach and what the outcome was.

SHL Test

If successful through the application form, you will be invited to complete SHL tests. These will vary depending on the scheme you have applied for. The tests have been designed to assess a specific ability that is relevant to the scheme you have applied for.
Further information about the SHL test can be found on the SHL website where you are able to complete a practice test. This will enable you to familarise yourself with the types of test you will be asked to complete.

Telephone Interview

This is a standard telephone interview. It may be conducted by a third party organisation, or in-house, by TfL assessors.

You can prepare by thinking about the types of experiences you have had both in a work or non-work capacity.

The interview lasts 10-15 minutes and is an opportunity for TfL to have a more detailed understanding of your experiences to date, identifying the skills and capability you would bring to the graduate scheme.

First Assessment Centre

If you are successful at the Telephone Interview stage, you’ll be invited to the first assessment centre.

The assessment centre is split into two sessions.

During the morning assessment centre, the main tasks are:

Fast Track Test

This is an SHL test. You will be given a series of cards (roughly 20 per question). The cards each contain certain details and you have to ascertain the connection between the cards.

A crude example of what you are expected to do would be of a deck of cards, with the Ace of spades taken out and replaced with a blank card. By looking at the rest of the deck, you would ascertain that each suite has a certain number of cards, with there being 4 suites. From here, you could ascertain that since the heart, diamond and club suites all have an ace card; the spade suite is missing this card. Hence, you could assume that the missing card is an ace of spades. The test is similar to this, but more complex – i.e. using driver profiles in a taxi firm (each card has a name, position of driver, experience, car, engine size, etc.)

Group Exercise

Your group exercise will consist of six members. You will be provided some background information about the project you have been brought together for along with some additional information. As a group you will need to come to a decision of the actions you will take. The exercise has been designed to assess how you would work within a team, as while on the graduate scheme you will have the opportunity to work with a number of different teams and projects.

The assessment centre should be a fun and productive day, enjoy it and do your best. You are not competing with anyone, but make sure you stand out. Give a firm handshake, speak with confidence. Show passion for the role.

===Second Assessment Centre===(Afternoon)

If you are successful through the morning assessment, you will be asked to stay for the second part of the assessment.

This second assessment centre is an opportunity for the managers of the particular scheme you have applied for to meet you and assess your technical capability.

This assessment centre consists of:

Competency Based Interview

There is a competency based interview with a panel which will be assessing the skills and experience you have gained.

Presentation

One of the key tasks on this assessment centre is the 10-minute presentation that you are asked to prepare for, before the day of assessment itself. This presentation will be assessed by a member of the HR team, and a senior line manager.

TfL will send you details of your presentation seven days in advance, so there is plenty of time to prepare.

This is followed by a brief technical Q&A session about your ideas from the presentation, and some general questions (mostly from the line manager). Some key points:

Ten minutes goes very quickly when giving a presentation so ensure you have prepared and done a dry run of the presentation before you come to the assessment day.
You will be asked to provide paper copies of your presentation handouts. Ensure you don’t leave printing this off till the last minute.
The assessor will reserve any questions around your presentation until after you have completed your presentation.

Technical Q&A Session

The technical Q&A is said to be the hardest part of the assessment day. However, if you have researched your area and the material you are sent thoroughly, this should be easily manageable and a chance to put across your opinions and ideas.

Offer

After your final assessment centre, TfL should contact you within 5 working days with a response.

Example CV Resume Template

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

A curriculum vitae (C.V) or resume is a standardised means of setting out an applicant's educational and employment history. The layout of a CV has evolved over the years, and current standards vary from nation to nation. In the UK, there has been a strong trend towards the more objective American style CV resume over the last two decades.

Are you having trouble with CVs or cover letters? Why not try our 100% free CV review service or have your CV re-written by a professionally trained CV writer - Click here!

This article focuses on creating a British CV in line with the currently accepted style, suitable for students and graduates to use when applying for professional positions.

The CV contains, in the following order:

Full Name
Nationality
Address, Telephone and Email
Career objective (optional)
Educational history (most recent first)
Professional/Work experience & Employment History (most recent first) - put this above Educational History if not applying for a graduate position.
Professional accreditations/qualifications if you have any (e.g. ACA)
Specialist skills (e.g. typing, bookkeeping etc)
References

	In the UK a CV should be exactly two pages long. Keep things concise, and leave out anything that is not relevant to the position you are applying for.

Setting out your CV

The title of your CV should be your name, placed clearly at the top of the first page where it will be easily found by the reader.

Are you having trouble with CVs or cover letters? Why not try our 100% free CV review service or have your CV re-written by a professionally trained CV writer - Click here!

The next two or three lines should contain your contact details. Check these carefully as this is the only way recruiters will be able to get in touch with you. Include a mobile telephone number and email address if you have one. Include your nationality here too, if you want to.

If you have a driving license, you may wish to state this here, or in the "skills" section later on.

You should not include a date of birth or your age on your CV. Age discrimination laws mean that this kind of information should not be discussed at any point during the recruitment process, or even during employment itself.

Career Objective/CV Summary

Including a short personal description or career objective at the start of your CV allows you to clearly describe your career goals, hopes and aspirations to your potential employer.

Detailing what you aim to achieve, or alternatively indicating your main skills and qualities in a short personal statement at the start of your CV, can be an effective means of attracting a recruiter's attention to your application. It is quite acceptable to omit this section from your CV altogether, but it is highly advisable to include it, as it will help your CV to get noticed.

Are you having trouble with CVs or cover letters? Why not try our 100% free CV review service or have your CV re-written by a professionally trained CV writer - Click here!

Never use "I", "am" or "we" in your CV summary. Instead, write in the third person throughout. This helps to keep your CV more focused and direct.

An example career objective might be the following:

“Motivated science graduate, with internship experience at Hammond Partners. Interested in training as a chartered accountant, developing technical knowledge skills in audit and pursuing a career in finance."

Another example, using bullet points, would be:

Highly motivated first class science graduate with internship experience.
Skilled mathematician keen to train as a chartered accountant and develop technical skills in audit.
Passionate sportsman with experience of leading successful teams in football and rugby.

Educational History

If you graduated from university less than 12 months ago, or have only worked in low-skilled jobs since graduating that are not relevant to the industry you are now applying to, this section should go before "Employment History / Work Experience" on your CV.

Are you having trouble with CVs or cover letters? Why not try our 100% free CV review service or have your CV re-written by a professionally trained CV writer - Click here!

However, if you have worked in positions that are relevant to the industry you are applying to, put your employment history before this section. In other words, make sure the section that best supports your application goes first.

Write your educational history in reverse chronological order, with the most recent qualifications first. Your level of education will dictate how much detail you should include on your CV. For example, if you have a university degree, you do not need to include a list of your GCSE or high school subjects – just the grades will suffice.

You should include:

The date the qualification was attained
The grade obtained
The name of the subject
The name of the establishment, university or college from which you qualified.
The city/county of the establishment. If it was abroad, include the country.
Any additional details that you may wish to add that may support your application.

Employment History / Work Experience

In this section, list your employers in reverse chronological order, the most recent first.

Make sure you include:

Dates of employment
Company/organisation name
City (or country where relevant)
Job title
Details of position - what you did and experienced gained (including any training courses attended or skills acquired)
Further details - quantify anything impressive you have achieved in employment, e.g. "Initiated a number of operational directives that resulted in increased sales of circa £3k per month".

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Make sure you include any relevant internships or work experience here, clearly marking these positions as such.

It is not necessary to include every, or even any, particularly irrelevant positions you were involved in during university (e.g. working in a catering job when applying to be a lawyer), unless you feel they would support your application. However, it is advisable to make a note of every post-university employer on your CV. Some recruiters associate time unaccounted for on your CV with time spent in prison. If you do have extended gaps between jobs then clearly state why this is - e.g. travelling. If you have been involved in several stop-gap or short-term jobs after graduation state this on your CV, rather than listing every employer - recruiters are not interested in small details, but they do want to see that all periods of your life are accounted for.

Use bullet points to describe roles, key skills and any further details more concisely.

Never write anything negative about a past or present employer on your CV.

Targeting your CV

Candidates should refine their CV for each job they apply for. It is crucial to do this, because different recruiters and different jobs require different key skills. You should consider what each employer is looking for from job applicants before you send them your CV, and make sure you mention that you have these key skills specifically.

Specialist Skills

Include any particularly relevant skills you have on your CV so long as they relevant and support your application. Examples include bookkeeping, foreign languages or specialist IT software skills. Familiarity with Microsoft Office, email or the internet is considered as given and it is not necessary to mention this unless you are particularly able. Do mention anything that would set you apart from other candidates.

Are you having trouble with CVs or cover letters? Why not try our 100% free CV review service or have your CV re-written by a professionally trained CV writer - Click here!

References

Due to data protection laws candidates should never provide referees' names, addresses or any other contact details on CVs, unless they have the express permission of nominated referees to do so, IN ADVANCE. Referees should be approached ahead of time, and asked whether it would be acceptable to provide their details as referees. Once permission has been granted, contact information may be revealed. It is however, much safer if candidates simply write "References available on request" at the very end of their CV (positioning this in the centre of the page usually looks best).

If you are called for interview and need to supply references, recent graduates with little or no formal experience should generally provide one academic reference and one professional reference, if available. Experienced candidates should provide two professional references.

So remember: Always ask permission to provide someone with your referee's details. When you do, include telephone number, email address and postal address. Many employers will write by post to your referees and expect a reply, so it is in your interests to prepare them should this happen.

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You do not need to provide more than two references unless you are asked to do so.

	The most common reasons for CVs being rejected by recruiters are bad grammar, poor spelling and inconsistent and erratic punctuation. Spellcheck, proof-read and double check your CV every time you send it to an employer.

Photos

Including a photo with a CV is strongly discouraged except where a photo is required or expected (e.g. modelling, acting). Employers may still request a photograph regardless. If you do need to include one, make sure it is a professional head-shot, just like your passport photo.

Covering Letter

If applying for a specific position (rather than a graduate scheme), you should always include a covering letter (sometimes known as a cover letter) to explain your suitability. You should do this even if applying by email. Be aware that covering letters are not always read, and therefore you should include any particularly relevant information on both your CV as well as on your covering letter.

False information on a CV

Lying on a CV in order to get a job or anything else of value is fraud, a serious criminal and civil offence. An employer has the right to dismiss an employee or claim money from him or her in a civil court or even have the employee arrested for making false statements. As such CVs should be purely factual without implying skills which do not exist.

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It is, however, both reasonable and advisable to reflect on your experiences and achievements in a positive light when writing a CV or resume.

Writing The Best CV

If you'd like WikiJob to help you write or review your CV, we have a CV writing service that can help. Find out more here.