Common words and phrases to avoid in your job hunt
Some phrases seem to crop up frequently in job applications and the more you see them the more they grind your gears. I’m sure they are written with the best intentions, but when you’re writing a personal statement or cover letter, every word really does count, especially in the student and graduate market where experience…
Telephone interview tips from a seasoned telephone interviewer
So you’ve got yourself a telephone interview, congratulations! You’ve done well to get this far, but now you need a bit of guidance so that you can blow away the competition. Well you’ve come to the right place. The first thing to ask yourself is why would a company choose a telephone interview? They may…
Fresher Food – Tips for cooking on a budget
You’ve arrived at university, settled in to your accommodation, found the local Dominos already and you’ve clocked the nearest McDonald’s drive through. But you know that’s not going to sustain you forever. Cooking for yourself can’t be that hard right?! You’ve watched every series of Bake Off and learnt some top tips from Come Dine…
Why it pays to plan ahead
With so much competition for graduate roles, work history can be as important as the theoretical degree based work. A graduate with a first but no work experience may not be as attractive an option to many employers as one with a 2:1 who has experienced a working environment. I firmly believe that some kind…
How long will it take to find your first graduate job?
According to our June poll, 18% of respondents suggested they would find a graduate role within one month. I like your attitude, to use an old cliché, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. However, of the 45% of you who think it will take six months or more, at Step we have…
Graduate Jobs – When should I start applying?
For those of you in your final year, it would be quite an understatement to say that you have a lot on your plate. With deadlines and exams looming, vital lectures and seminars to attend as well as making the most of your last year of university, trying to squeeze anything else into that schedule has got…
The pressure to find a graduate role within six months
The outgoing head of UCAS, Mary Curnock Cook, has said that university students ‘should not feel compelled to get a job until six months after graduating.’ It’s advice that goes against the grain. Typically students are encouraged to find a graduate scheme early, to tie up their future while they are still studying or otherwise…
National Student Survey – the results are in!
Yesterday saw the publication of this year’s National Student Survey (NSS) results. Final-year undergraduates were invited to fill out a questionnaire, assessing their satisfaction with the quality of their university and degree programme. The results are captured in aggregate scores that allow the country’s universities to be ranked according to overall ‘student satisfaction’. This year’s…
Interviews: What not to do…
I had little experience of interviewing before applying to be an intern at Step. So little, in fact, that even to this day I still need a good twenty minutes (and a YouTube tutorial) to properly tie my tie. Wrought with nerves as I waited in reception, I remember worrying that a lack of experience…
Reflections on our Spring Campus tour – Careers Fair FAQ
We are coming to the end of our spring campus tour and boy have we been busy. In the last couple of weeks, we’ve travelled up and down the country visiting the likes of the universities of Birmingham, Lancaster, Loughborough, Manchester and Man Met (both in one day which tested my capacity to be in…