Key to grad job success? Innovative thinking and Being Business Savvy.
Can ‘being innovative’ be taught? And will it get you a job? We ask the experts to find out!
Being business savvy and considering ways to innovate in your chosen sector can make a significant difference when trying to enter the workplace as a graduate, says Neil Lancaster, partner at Midlands accountancy and business adviser firm Adams Moore. Here, he offers some advice for students to help them get ready for the workplace and enhance their employability.
Increasing job competition, a turbulent economic climate and inexperience are some of the biggest challenges facing graduates today, so here are some ways they can enhance graduate’s chances of getting a foot in the door of the workplace.
Get under the skin of your sector.
If you’re studying for a degree in your chosen sector, there is no doubt you will be aware of some of the main industry issues, challenges and nuances — perhaps highlighted through your degree and learned in work placements. However, it’s important to really commit to staying abreast of industry developments to ensure you always have your finger on the pulse of the key issues. Regularly check industry publications (most publish news and articles online and provide access to electronic versions of the magazines) to understand what’s going on, and make the most of industry organisations and associations — they will be a great source of knowledge on the latest legislation, compliance and other important information pertinent to the industry. When approaching a company you’d like to work for, it’s good to know not just what they’re up to, but what their competitors are doing too, so you can demonstrate a knowledge of what challenges the firm might be facing.
Think about the end user.
In any sector, the job is always about delivering a high-quality product or service to an end user. Impressing a potential employer can be done via illustration of how you would work to provide a better solution for the customer or client and give them more bang for their buck. Showing you can think in this way, and be innovative in your approach, will make you a more attractive candidate. ‘Thinking outside the box’ is an over-used phrase that isn’t a favourite of mine, but the meaning is crucial in many professions, and showing you are already thinking about how you would help the firm deliver a better service to its customer base would be advantageous in an interview or company approach scenario.
‘Thinking outside the box’ is an over-used phrase that isn’t a favourite of mine, but the meaning is crucial in many professions, and showing you are already thinking about how you would help the firm deliver a better service to its customer base would be advantageous in an interview or company approach scenario.
In our firm, we introduced a variety of packaged solutions to meet the needs of businesses in a challenging economic climate. Going beyond regular accountancy functions such as end of year accounts and payroll, our fixed-fee solutions offer businesses a higher level of support, help them identify opportunities, avoid pitfalls and conduct thorough financial checks on potential clients and suppliers. This forward-thinking approach to our services has allowed us to differentiate our practice from many others, and it is this kind of strategic thinking employers will be looking for in potential employees.
Maximise any work placement experience.
If you have been lucky enough to secure work placements in your chosen industry, to help you get hand-on experience, ensure you get the very most from the time you have there. Get involved in as many activities as you can, ask lots of questions and learn from the people around you. Think about the various scenarios that could pop in up the working life of someone in your chosen career, and try and recreate those so you have some scenario-based experience to present to a potential employer. Increasingly, competency based questions (CBI) are being used now in interviews, which involves asking scenario-based questions to ascertain how a candidate would deal with it. This could be anything from managing a challenging situation to approaching a project.
Having a case study that shows what kind of approach you took, what the outcome was and if applicable, how you might have been able to do it better, will be interesting for a potential employer. Think about the job role and requirements and adapting your responses to align with skills needed for that role.
Be passionate about your chosen industry.
Let’s face it, the financial and time commitment involved in achieving a degree is high. So presumably whatever your career aspirations, you’re passionate about your chosen industry. Demonstrate this passion in every way you can — it’s incredibly attractive to a potential employer and your passion rubs off on them, creating a real feel-good factor that can really work in your favour.
…Whatever your career aspirations, you’re passionate about your chosen industry. Demonstrate this passion in every way you can!
Gone are the days where a degree immediately resulted in a guaranteed job, so students must think about how they can stand out from the crowd and more importantly, show they can add value to an organisation from the very start.
