Georgina Bates - Graduate Scheme Case Study
2023 Business Management graduate talks about how undertaking a Discovery Internship was an important factor in helping her secure a place on the MDS graduate scheme in Trainee Management Development.
What does your graduate scheme involve?
The roles available cover the full range of disciplines, from marketing to engineering, operations to HR, logistics to business planning.
Why did you decide to apply for a graduate scheme?
I thought it was the best way to kickstart my career and enter the world of work. Due to having the opportunity to transfer within different departments, you have a chance to see multiple areas of an organisation, which I saw as the best way to find out what I like the most.
Three things you like about your job:
- Meeting new people
- Moving to a different area
- Working in many different areas of the business
What did the application or selection process involve, and how did you prepare for each stage?
The application stage was three stages.
- Filling out the application form
- Telephone interview
- Group assessment day and final interview (on zoom)
To prepare for the stages 2 and 3, I started off by researching the company finding out who they are and what they do, and the role I was applying for. Before the assessment day, I had developed a company overview useful for when they asked questions but also helped me to prepare questions to ask them.
I also prepared by writing down questions I think they would ask me and what my response would be. For example, where have I developed leadership skills? What skills have I gained in my part time employment? Do I have a particular weakness? This preparation gave me confidence in being able to answer any difficult questions and to be able to highlight skills I have achieved and demonstrate from where I have developed.
And I would always recommend looking back over your CV as it is a good way to refresh your memory about your experiences.
What help and support did you access in the Careers Zones or from the Student Futures Team?
I went to the CV Café at the Careers Zone on multiple occasions to improve my CV which was extremely helpful. The team were able to assist in improving and tailoring my CV for this graduate scheme. For example, I was able to develop a skills profile and able to clearly demonstrate how and where I developed the required skills. This was difficult for me to do without support as I have dyslexia.
What relevant work experience / skills / volunteering / Student Union activities did you use during the selection process?
One of the biggest experiences I spoke about was my Discovery Internship attained through Unitemps. I started the internship in February 2023. This internship enabled me to strengthen my creativity skills, digital marketing skills, communication and planning skills. When speaking of my internship in my final interview, the person interviewing me was very impressed with the work I had completed for my internship.
My work with my part time jobs also came in very useful as I picked up many transferable skills and experiences I could talk about.
What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?
To apply for an internship and document all the work you have done and what skills you have developed. Also it would be worth trying to get a part time job as it doesn’t just give you money but you develop a lot of skills that are important to employers.
Would you do anything differently if you were a first-year student again?
Look more at what the university can offer with part time job help and use all the resources available as they are very helpful.
What aspects of your degree were particularly useful in the selection process?
I would say assignments specifically group work. As it’s a great example to show to employers how you work in a team, what leadership skills you’ve developed and how you managed to complete group work including both bad and the good examples.
What advice would you give to students starting a degree now?
I think the best way to maximise your application is to try and use all the resources you have at your disposal as it gives you the best chance of getting yourself recognised.
I would also recommend not to be to over the top about applications and try and find ones you really find interesting or can see yourself doing. If you apply for just anything, it can get too much and you may forget what you’ve applied for, but the best way to keep everything together and easy to see is creating an Excel sheet where you can track the progress on all your applications.
It can be quite a daunting situation trying to find a graduate job and there are so many vacancies out there. I would make sure you know exactly what you want to apply. Don’t be afraid to ask for help where you need it.
Support from the Student Futures team
If you want to talk about potential careers options with your degree, need help finding opportunities or want support with your CV, application forms or preparing for an interview, you can get advice and guidance by booking a 30-minute 1-2-1 careers meeting with a Careers and Employability Adviser from the LJMU Student Futures Team. You can also come along to a Careers drop-in or CV Café which take place weekly at the Careers Zones for quick careers queries.
If you are thinking about starting a business, freelancing, pursuing a side-hustle or have an idea that you want to explore further, email the Start-up Hub and a member of the team will be back in touch, or visit the Start-up Hub website.
For help finding part-time, temporary or casual you can fit around your studies, email the Unitemps team or visit their website.