Name: Stuart Kemp
Studied: Masters in Physics
University: Durham University
Role: Technology Consultant Q. In what ways have you benefited from attending University. Attending Univeristy has provided me with much more than an academic grounding. During my time at Durham I have taken on various roles, such as football club captain and member of my College Executive Committee, which has given me the additional skills that employers look for. Q. How did the skills and attributes you gained from your degree help you find work?
A. My employer was particulary interested in my fourth year Masters project. The work gave me lots of opportunties to show that I had the skills they were looking for, from the essentials such as programming to the more subtle such as self motivation and logical problem solving. Q. What other work experience or courses did you partake in to improve/add to your CV during university?
A. I completed two summer work placements; one at Nottingham University doing astrophysics research, and one in Amsterdam doing optical research. Throughout my time at University I took part in a course run by PriceWaterhouseCoopers that provided me with generic management skills. This was useful as I was aware I had to sell myself as more than a scientist. Q. Describe your job and your typical working day.
A. My job is in technology consultancy for government agencies. The work will mostly involve programming in C+. Q. What advice would you give to undergraduates searching for work?
A. Don't get depressed by having lots of rejections (or indeed a lack of responses!). I made about 10 applications to various places, received one interview and have a job I'm looking forward to starting. Keep an open mind as you may find a job you will enjoy in a place you don't expect. Q. How did The Graduate Recruitment Bureau help you in the process of looking for work?
A. The GRB reviewed my CV and drew my attention to vacancies based on my key skills. This was great as they only sent me details of vacancies they knew I would be interested in, which cannot be said of many recruitment agenices. The GRB run a personal service and it was nice to have a regular person to speak to. The GRB involve themselves at every stage of the process, from first contact through to interview advice and company background.
