Category: Careers fairs

10 Things to look out for at the Spring Careers Fair

Posted on by Careers Service

or those of you who haven’t decided on what you would like to do after you graduate – don’t worry, there’s still time!

Check out what we have on at the Spring Careers Fair 2 & 3 May from 12-3pm.

1. Careers Fair Plus App

Download the Careers Fair Plus App from the App Store or Google Play Store. Check out which employers are attending on each day and use the filters to narrow your search. Don’t forget to let us know your thoughts once you’ve visited via the feedback form.

2. Employers

This is your chance to meet a range of companies of different sizes, and sectors, and to find out about opportunities for future graduate jobs and internships. Also, employers are still hiring; use the filter on the Careers Fair app to find out who.

3. Global Opportunities

Are you an International Student looking to secure work in the UK or back home? We’re holding a short talk on how to secure a job or work experience in the UK. This will be followed up by employer films highlighting their recruitment across the globe. Click here to sign up.

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Things that might surprise you about a career in Investment Banking

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Things that might surprise you about a career in Investment Banking

At our Investment Banking and Management Consultancy Evening this month, we held a Q&A with representatives from Macquarie, Barclays, Deutsche Bank and HSBC. We heard what it’s like, and what it takes, to work in this fast-paced and exciting sector.  Read on for a few things that might surprise you about a career in investment banking

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What’s new? – Careers Fairs 2017

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Whether you have a clear idea of what career you’d like to have, or no idea at all, careers fairs are great way to find out about different options, meet employers, and get the information you need to apply. We’ve got several fairs lined up for the Autumn Term. Read on to find out what to look for in this busy programme.

Careers Fair App

Download the ‘Bristol Uni Careers Fair Plus’ app from the App Store or Google Play to start planning and researching before the fair. Our top tips section is a good place to start. You can also filter and search the attendee list to find the most relevant employers by the types of roles they are advertising and the subjects they target. Highlight these employers on an interactive floorplan and use the links to company websites and social media to find out more about the employers who most interest you.

Confused About Your Career

If you have any general queries or want some advice, ask at the Careers Service ‘Confused About Your Career’ stand. We will be on the landing at the Science, Autumn and Engineering fairs and would love to help you get the most out of the events.

Bristol Opportunities

Opposite ‘Confused About Your Career’ will be the Bristol Opportunities stand. Come and talk to us about city opportunities, graduate vacancies, internships and business start ups. We’ll also be able to offer information and advice on the University of Bristol Internship Scheme.

Grads Love Bristol

Love Bristol and want to stay? Come to our new event in Bristol Museum on Monday 30 October to meet a variety of employers, large and small, with opportunities in the city.

Other Events

We have more new events this year including Employers Love Bristol, Public and Third Sector Q&A panels and events especially for International Students. Check the website and mycareer for updates.

The Spring Careers Fair 2017

Posted on by Careers Service

Our final employer event on campus this term was last week’s Spring Careers Fair.

New for 2017: careers fair app

This year we trialled a careers fair app which allowed students to research and prepare for the fair using our top tips section, filter and search to find the most relevant employers by the types of roles they were advertising and the academic departments employers were targeting, and then highlight these employers on an interactive floorplan.

We had over 500 downloads and positive feedback from students who downloaded the app. One student commented, “very helpful to plan who I’d like to speak to. Made my day more efficient. The map was a great feature.” Other comments included, “very useful resource”, “App very useful for prep”.

After the success of the Spring Careers Fair, we will be using the app for all of the careers fairs this autumn, if you want to get a sneak preview of the main features and benefits as well as check out the employers that are still recruiting and attended the event, the Spring Careers Fair app is still available to download – search for Bristol Uni Careers Fair Plus on the App Store and Google Play Store.

Bristol PLUS celebration

Exclusive to those who completed the employability award, the fair opened early with a welcome and the chance to speak to employers more directly over coffee and pastries.

The Bristol PLUS Award provides a framework to help you enhance your CV, develop a variety of employability skills and be more prepared for the interview process. A degree is no longer enough to make you competitive in the recruitment process. The Bristol PLUS Award rewards University of Bristol students who have gained significant skills and experience through activities outside of their studies.

Careers Service pop-up event & Bristol Opportunities area

One of the marquees outside the event held a Careers Service pop-up event with lots of taster talks open to all students as well as offering specific advice for postgraduate students. For those students still confused about their career options staff were on hand to offer one to one advice. The other marquee was the Bristol Opportunities tent, offering a list of immediate vacancies in the city, the chance to meet some local employers and advice on applying to the UoB Internship Scheme.

Employers love Bristol students

With a leading global reputation, and one of the highest rates of employability in the UK, your degree from the University of Bristol will help you get wherever you want to be. The quality of today’s students attracts many recruiters.

Employers from a diverse range of business areas attended this event including media, charities, consulting, finance, teaching, hospitality and IT, to meet with students and promote their organisation as well as upcoming and available opportunities. Around 2 thirds of these were SMEs with the rest being larger organisations. Many commented on the calibre of students and the conversations they had.

“Very inquisitive students.”

“It was a pleasure to meet the high quality students at Bristol.”

“It’s always great to visit Bristol Uni – lots of interested students with lots to bring to the charity sector.”

“A fantastic event for students to drink with cups from the fountain of business knowledge from fossils like ourselves.”

Missed out? You can still catch up

We are here to help you get to where you want to be when you graduate, offering you careers support in person, online and over the phone. The Careers Service opening hours are Monday to Friday 9:30 pm to 4:45 pm and in vacation 1:30 am to 4:45 pm. You can download the app to research employers and get ahead for next year. Our employer events programme will resume in the autumn term so check mycareer for updates.

Download our NEW Careers Fair app and maximise your time at the Spring Careers Fair – 3 & 4 May

Posted on by Careers Service

Explore tomorrow at the Spring Careers Fair. 

Whether you have a clear idea of what career you’d like to have, or no idea at all, careers fairs are great for picking up a lot of information in one place. Come to the Spring Fair at the Careers Service on the 3 and 4 of May from 12 til 3!

You can discover less well-known employers and understand more about what popular organisations do. You’ll get to speak to the experts, get a feel for the work culture and ask questions that might not be on their FAQs list.

Download the ‘Bristol Uni Careers Fair Plus’ app from the App Store or Google Play to start your planning and research for the fair. If you wander around aimlessly with no sense of purpose you’re unlikely to get much from attending. Use the app to help you set the scene and prioritise which organisations you would like to visit.

We’ve done the hard work for you

On the app you will find the list of employers who are attending the fair, who are different on each day. The app provides an overview as well as a link to company websites and social media for you to research further those you are most interested in. Employers come to careers fairs because they are looking to hire Bristol students, but they also have work experience and internships on offer as well as graduate jobs. The app allows you to filter this quickly and easily, so you can see which companies are offering what types of roles, and what subjects they are looking to attract students from.

Take the fear out of networking and find a selection of starter questions to ask employers, as well as top tips on the app. Meeting employers face-to-face is the best way of making a good impression. If successful, these first encounters can help with making a really great impression with your application. Remember, it isn’t about getting a job today it’s about doing research & making contacts to help you make informed choices and plan ahead.

We’re here to help.

If you have any general queries or want some advice, ask at the Careers Service marquee. We will be outside the Careers Service for the duration of the fair and are always happy to help. If you are unsure how to prepare for events, or have any other careers related questions, please ask us.

Search for ‘Bristol Uni Careers Fair Plus’ on the App Store or Google Play store.  

Why attend a careers fair?

Posted on by Careers Service

We’ve got eight days of fairs coming up this term but what’s all the fuss about? Here’s why attending a careers fair is an invaluable use of time.

B.Uni Undergrad Prospectus Day 3

Research

Whether you have a clear idea of what career you’d like to have, or have no idea at all, careers fairs are great for picking up a lot of information in one place. You can discover less well-known employers and understand more about what popular companies do. You get to speak to the experts, get a feel for the work culture and ask questions that might not be on their FAQs list.

Information

Aside from the useful material you can gain from one-to-one conversations, there are also a number of free publications given out at our fairs which you can use to make informed decisions about which companies to pursue and how to approach them, and to check statistics and facts.

Networking

Meeting employers face-to-face is the best way of making an impression. With around 300 companies on campus this term, there are plenty to choose from. You can pick up industry contacts and get to know the decision-makers. Who you know is often just as important as what you know in the world of work, so it’s best to make the most of every opportunity to meet employers.

Job Prospects

Companies come to the careers fairs because they are looking to hire Bristol students. They often have work experience and internships on offer, as well as graduate jobs. Although you won’t get a job directly from attending a fair, the conversations you make and the impression you leave may very well be the starting point for your future career.

Click here for the fair dates and to register your interest on mycareer.

Get ahead of the game! Be prepared to meet employers!

Posted on by Careers Service

This autumn, we’ll welcome hundreds of employers on to campus, for fairs, promotion events and presentations. Stand out from the crowd by following our top tips:

Wills Memorial Building.
Wills Memorial Building.
  1. Find what fairs and events are happening and when – check out our events listings on mycareer and use the ‘type of event’ drop down to filter results, including careers fairs and employer presentations.
  2. Come to one of our short talks about how to prepare to find out more about why you should go to fairs and for insider tips about how to make the most of talking to employers.
  3. Check out the list of employers attending each fair (on the event listing on mycareer) and find out who they are and what they do before going along – use our researching employers page to get started. Go beyond their website and look at news, social media (including LinkedIn) and job review and case study websites such as TARGETJobs Inside Buzz, Glassdoor, and TheJobCrowd.
  4. Go that step further by using our gaining commercial awareness page and think about what the organisation is there to do, who are their customers and how the business is organised – this will also help with applications and at interview.
  5. Prepare an introduction about yourself and some questions to ask the employer. Do ask about changes in the sector, what sort of activities are involved in the graduate schemes on offer and the culture of the organisation. Don’t ask about salary or time off.

    Students and employers at a careers fair in the Great Hall of the Wills Building
    Students and employers at a careers fair in the Great Hall of the Wills Building

After a fair or an employer presentation, follow up with an employer to thank them if you had any longer discussions. You should also collate your notes and put them in to action by noting down deadlines and preparing your applications.

 

 

For more in-depth information, our previous blog post on careers fairs goes into detail about the fairs themselves and you should come along to one of our short talks on preparing for fairs and events.

Spring Recruitment Fair  

Posted on by Careers Service

Spring Recruitment Fair. Info Web 1jpgThe fair in numbers

On the 27 to 28 April we held this year’s Spring Recruitment Fair, which was at the Careers Service (Tyndall Avenue) for the first time. Despite the cold, two marquees stood on the pavement outside, opening up the fair to passers-by.

40 different employers were present across the two days: Amazon, EY, Teach First, PWC, Aldi, Think Ahead, RBS and Severn Trent, to name just a few. They were offering various positions from graduate schemes, to internships and summer work.

Although it was revision season, over 400 students flocked in to
meet these recruiters, with many leaving positive comments, such as that they liked seeing a wide range of employers and that they felt the fair was helpful and informative with a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.  

Not just a fair

Other events were held in association with the fair: leading employers gave a talk on how to prepare for
the fair. On day two you could spot the Careers Advisers (wrapped in scarves and gloves!), along with some of the attending employers, in the marquee for speed interviewing sessions. They offered students the chance to practise their answers to some common interview questions under time pressure, gave feedback and then recommended relevant resources to help them improve their skills.

It was also a good opportunity to pick up some of the free publications available at the Careers Service, browse resources, book appointments and get advice on what to do next to prepare for life after university.

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Employers love Bristol students

“Meeting prospective graduates face to face is the best way to get our company known.”

(Local Employer)

“The calibre of students was very high and we met some great candidates.”

(Recruitment Agency Attendee)

Employers come to our fairs because they are interested in you! As one employer commented, recruitment fairs are a “good opportunity for students. Companies come to you and want to hire you. Make good use of that”.

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How to prepare for next time

Employer tips:

  • Remember to do some research beforehand; look up the companies attending and what kind of roles they offer.
  • Think about how to approach the employers you are interested in to make them interested in you! One employer found they had “lots of people saying ‘I don’t know you’ or ‘what is your company’, as opposed to ‘I’d love to learn more about your company’”.
  • Don’t ask about pay or visa sponsorship – if they like you then they may be open to negotiation. Find out the essentials beforehand and target the employers relevant to you.

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Dates for your diary!

We have more careers fairs in the Autumn Term, all taking place in the Wills Memorial Building:

  • Investment Banking and Management Consultancy Evening – 3 October
  • Autumn Fair – 11 and 12 October
  • Engineering and IT Fair – 18 and 19 October
  • Science Fair – 26 October
  • Law Fair – 1 and 2 November

Keep an eye on the events pages for these and other events all year round.

What are employer events?

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Employers are descending to campus and they are looking to recruit you!

If you haven’t engaged with employer events before then there is no better time to start. The vast majority of employer events happen in the autumn term so you do not want to miss out! The recruitment cycle can often take almost one academic year for employers. It begins at the start of the academic year with employers coming to campus and scouting for talent. Many schemes at all levels have closing dates before Christmas. This is not just for graduate jobs, but placements, internships and even sometimes spring insight weeks and open days. You will make yourself stand out on your application by getting inside information directly from the employer. Plus, getting your foot in the door with a scheme in your first or second year can often lead to a graduate position if you perform well.

Because of the volume of employer activity on campus here are some handy definitions of the event types.

Careers Fairs

Recruitment trade show with multiple employers. You might discover companies you didn’t know existed. A good chance to explore different companies and career options and a mix of opportunities from insight days to graduate roles.

Employer Presentations

Offer detailed organisation and recruitment information. The format can range from formal presentations, interactive workshops and case studies. You will gain in depth company knowledge and a good idea if working for them is for you. There is usually a chance to network after the event with the employer and like-minded students.

Promotional Events

Casual events to raise company profile among students. These events are often the large structures placed in central indoor or outdoor locations. There is usually a fun, interactive element to them like a competition or game. Employers will be there to chat informally and promote their basic company values.

Employer-led skills sessions

Generic content workshops based around an employability skill useful to all types of professions. For example; networking, interview skills and commercial awareness. They are led by employers so students can gain a real world perspective from someone who works outside of the University context.

For some top tips for how to prepare for employer events, come to one of the ‘Making the most of Employer Events’ sessions in the Careers Service. Spaces are limited so book through our online events list.

By Maxine Robinson, Graduate Recruitment Officer.