We are all aware that the current employment market is extremely tough and getting onto good graduate schemes is even tougher. However there are a few things that all students can do to make things a little easier for themselves. First of all, and although it might sound obvious, it's important to know the company. Lots of students decide to apply to company X or company Y simply because they have a great reputation or an attractive financial package and don't actually know that much about the company itself. These types of individuals will struggle to create a strong application because their answers won't sound genuine. Recruiters read masses of applications every day and if your application doesn't scream "I genuinely want to work specifically for you", then don't expect to get very far. One of the best ways to find out about a company is through their website. Use it and be extensive. Knowing a company doesn't mean having a general idea of what they do and how they do it. You should know about the business inside out; their strengths, their weaknesses, their values, their strategy, their goals, their competitors and of course how you fit into all of this. Above all, decide where you are going to apply after you've done your research and not before.
Secondly and perhaps more importantly in this case, know the scheme itself. Students often assume that all graduate schemes are the same. They are not. Some programs are rotational, (involving different roles in varied business areas), some incorporate on the job training and some allow you to work towards certain qualifications. That's not an extensive list but just a note to highlight that it's important to make sure you like the company as well as the scheme they offer.
Graduate applications are incredibly time consuming and one application could take you several hours spread over a number of days. So avoid the temptation to adopt the "Hail Mary" approach and just apply for everything and anything that's out there. Although this might sound like a good way of increasing your odds, in reality you will just be sending out a bunch of applications that could have been a whole lot better. It's much more productive to do your research and make a shortlist of the companies that you would really like to work for and then concentrate completely on those applications alone. From a recruiter's point of view, would you rather read 25 average applications or 6-10 excellent ones? It's simple math.
Charles, GRB Journalist
