Enternships Blog

How Recruiting Works Online Posted on Tuesday 21 February 2012 at 13:51PM by Ed

More than 250 million people search for jobs online each month. I thought it might make an interesting post to show you where these millions of job searchers actually go, and how the internet caters for them. It starts with Google...

... or does it? Google is only one option to start your job search. Not all job sites and recruitment companies can cover all of these ways of seeking out candidates.

Of course, there isn't just one job site...

There are hundreds of thousands of job websites. Even with all the different industries and types of searches, many of these jobs sites see little or not visits from candidates. That's where job aggregation sites come in...

The job aggregation sites take feeds of jobs from thousands of job sites and having them on one site, for instance UK startup Adzuna. They help drive traffic to quality roles posted all over the internet. A couple of tips if you're looking for jobs online.

1. Avoid queues. If you're only looking on the biggest sites, chances are so are hundreds people competing for the same position. Look for more specialist sites like Enternships where you can apply for a huge range of different roles where fewer people will suit each role.
2. Avoid shotgun-CV sites. If all it takes to apply for a job is to upload your CV and send it with a click to dozens of organisations, so is your competition. Here at Enternships, every candidate has to pass a 'filter question' where they "pitch" the startups and small businesses on there role.

If you're looking to advertise job roles online

1. Post a job somewhere which provides extra value. Here at Enternships for example, we're on campus so you don't have to be. We travel up and down the country to get to know the Enterprise societies and Career's departments from dozens of Universities.
2. Beware of posting everywhere. If you're posting in generic, popular places then expect a huge number of low quality applicants, which can take ages to to sift through properly.

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Get Into PR with these Incredible Opportunties Posted on Monday 20 February 2012 at 14:18PM by Ed

At Enternships, we've been putting together this exhaustive guide to getting into PR and PR internships, together with eight PR experts. “PR is a fantastic industry to work in and there's never been a better opportunity to get your career started - if you really want it, you'll get that PR job!” - Ben Matthews We're also excited to tell you about PR prom - a must-attend for anyone looking to get into PR - being held on Thursday 23rd February at Shoreditch Town Hall in London. You can book your ticket here.

It's the perfect excuse to dress up and connect with 500 of the Top PR's in the United Kingdom, with all proceeds supporting BrightOne, a volunteer-run PR agency for non-profits, charities and social enterprises.

In exchange for a mere twenty-five pounds, you'll enjoy food, drink (including 'Brite Fizz' cocktails on arrival) along with live entertainment and a DJ set.

Oh, and there's a 10% discount code 'student' to make it an even sweeter deal ;)

We asked our eight PR experts what their best moment in PR has been...

What's Been Your Best Moment In PR? “Winning my first account was special. It was two weeks into my first job as a PR, for a small but growing web design agency that went on to be sold to Gyro and become of the biggest in the world. I had absolutely no PR experience, but had done most of the groundwork for the pitch. 'Social' and digital media was still relatively new, and that one account shaped the rest of my career.” - Vikki Chowney

“Winning Young PR Professional of the Year at the PR Week Awards. I picked up the brochure writing up the awards as I walked out the door. It was nice to see a write up on what I’ve been up to in the 3 years since I graduated and got my first job in PR, as well as see the quality of the other shortlisted PRs – Luke Alexander and Louise Lloyd were even nice enough to congratulate me on the win.

Reading through the write up, there was a pull out quote which really flattered me from one of the judges on the panel - "It's exciting to see such a young talent shaping the future of our industry with such self-effacing modesty". It shows that the nice guys don't finish last after all!” - Ben Matthews

“Achieving national coverage for my clients is the best feeling and if it goes multi-platform i.e. TV, radio, print, it's even better!  This only happens with very newsworthy, timely stories that fit with the interest of a particular journalist on a particular day.  It's tricky and requires well-planned execution.” - Rachael Dines

“Working with the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. Some amazing people, some amazing stories. It's easy to get lost in the day-to-day, but working with the team  at HMDT, things quickly get put into perspective.” - James Gilheany

“I'm not sure if there is one thing that stands out more than others, but generally there is nothing better than running a campaign for a client that gets brilliant results. There's nothing quite like the buzz of seeing amazing coverage coming through or website hits going through the roof!” - Danny Whatmough

“I guess any campaign which does well is a good moment. I worked on a campaign for Aviva last year which was massive and it was great to be part of that success. Aviva’s first ever global brand campaign, You Are the Big Picture, aimed to bring to life their brand promise to recognise the needs of their customers better than any other insurance company.

To deliver this deeper engagement, Blue Rubicon (my company) democratised the concept of ‘recognition’, by creating a tactic to give tens of thousands of people the chance to see their face projected onto an iconic building in one of six cities across the world. These high impact public projections were delivered by a social media word of mouth campaign and far-reaching media relations, which took Aviva into fertile new ground.

The social media element of the campaign took Aviva from a standing start to a fully integrated campaign using personalised videos, Facebook, Youtube and Twitter to motivate the public to tell their friends and families. Not only did social media secure mass engagement, but it also resulted in mass approval from members of the public who relished the opportunity to get involved.

In addition, for every photo submitted via youarethebigpicture.com and facebook.com/aviva, Aviva also donated £1 to its Street to School programme to support the needs and rights of street children.” - Josh Feldberg

“I should really tell you about how I got a specific piece of press coverage so far, however that would be untrue.  I ran a press trip to Estoril, Portugal a few years ago which was one of the best experiences of my life.  We went in vintage cars to all locations, stayed in some of the best hotels I have ever seen, were taken on speed boats, helicopters and even to the old F1 course. There we got to go in several cars and get up to all kinds of fun.

The press were great people, the food was fantastic, I learnt loads and the weather just perfect. Best of all I was paid to do it!” - Lexi Mills Find out how to get into the wonderful world of PR with our latest PR internships and expert guide.

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Why Starting A Business While Studying Is A Good Idea Posted on Thursday 02 February 2012 at 12:40PM by trrpaipai

Jacky Yapp is the lead founder of Lunchsparks, a networking platform that allows you to meet with awesome and cool people in Singapore, making great contacts for your career. He founded this platform while he was still in college and now he shares his pearls of wisdom on the why's and do's of such an initiative.

Many people wonder when is it a good time to startup, and when I ask around, usually most of those around me (I am currently based in Singapore and spent a year in Shanghai, grew up in Brunei and Malaysia) would say, to first graduate from college, get a job, earn some money, get some contacts and expand your network, and then you are all set to start building your startup. For me, I think the best time to start is during college/university, which is what I am doing right now.

A little background of myself, I am currently in my final year in the National University of Singapore, and I had the chance to be based in Shanghai for a year last year and when I came back, I gathered my cofounders and we started working on our current startup idea. The beauty of entrepreneurship is that extra step you take out of your comfort zone, that will to do something different with your life, having an impact on the people around you, and that extra courage you need to face the possible criticism and possible failure.

And speaking of failure, what better time there is for one to fail during college and start all over again? We all know that out of 10 startups out there, 9 fails. So if your startup venture failed in university, it is easier to stand back up, and the experiences that you gained is invaluable in making you a better person, and in preparing you for the world. I have been working for 4 months on my current startup right now and I have been meeting a lot of awesome people along the way, who gave me great advices, who pointed me in the correct direction as well as those that criticized my idea, and I loved all of them.

Other than that, you also get to experience things that your peers don’t experience such as negotiating with investors, making hard decisions, team expansions, product marketing or even public speaking to sell your idea. For myself, I experienced 2 interesting incidents whereby I received a warning email from an anonymous who essentially warns me of my startup idea and that it is a knockoff of another similar website, and another incident (well not actually incident) whereby a software engineer saw what we were doing and wanted to join us. He sent in his really impressive resume to me but we were not hiring at that point of time, putting me at the other side of the table during the interview.

Had I not started working on what I am working now, I wouldn’t have had the chance to experience all these if I were to get by my university life as a normal student. So to all aspiring entrepreneurs in college today, if you have that one million dollar idea right now, start doing something about it today! There will never be the exact right date to start founding a company, but if you have to, that day is today. Ideas are worth nothing, for it is the execution that matters.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”              – Steve Jobs

Photo from: http://bit.ly/z1SNbP

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Enternships Case Study: A Financial Story Posted on Monday 12 December 2011 at 12:08PM by trrpaipai

Enock Koola is a former intern at Amoo Venture Capital Advisory, a boutique firm supporting pre- and post-VC technology startups with strategic direction and business development. He has taken the time to answer a few questions, revealing how his enternship lead him to be offered a full-time position in a funky financial firm.

How did you come across Enternships?

I was referred on to the website by a friend. He had used it and thought it would be a good tool to use in search of a summer internship.

What made you decide to do an internship?

I was interested in VC/PE and felt an internship will provide me with insight on how either VC/PE work and whether it was a perfect suit for me.

What are the challenges you’re facing when looking for an internship? What’s the most difficult part?

The most challenging issue is finding the right internship to apply for. There aren’t many internship programs for working in the PE/VC sector.

How did you go about the application? How do you usually prepare your job applications?

I made sure I had done my homework. I researched and studied the company to know more about the role and the company. I kept up with the latest global financial news.  I made a specific CV and Cover letter to the companies I was applying to in order show my understanding of their businesses.

What do you think is the most important part in a job application? What helped you get the internship you applied for?

In my opinion, making yourself aware of the business and role you are applying for and whether it suits you is a very important key step in getting the job. I got the job because I researched the company and the position and I was very passionate about VC which I think came across in the interview.

What are the top 3 things you’re looking for on an employer’s profile/internship listing?/Why did you choose to intern at Amoo?

1. Track Record
2. Early responsibilities
3. Long term goals

I chose to intern at Amoo VC Advisory as I believed it was a great opportunity to learn more about VC, opportunity to work on real live projects and because the company was small, I believed I would get more responsibility and possibly even manage my own project. In addition after my interview and meeting the director and associate, I liked the atmosphere and the long term plans for the company.

What was your role there? What kind of projects did you work on?

I applied for the sales & research analyst role; this involved working on live projects. Some of my key tasks included analysing business plans, building financial models for start-ups and supporting entrepreneurs in their fund raising process. Furthermore I attended several tech events a week and this provided me the opportunity to interact and meet very inspiring entrepreneurs.

Has the enternship helped you get closer to your career goals? If so, how?

My career goal is to one-day start my own fund with an African focus. The internship allowed me to work with smart, creative and innovate people, gave me the opportunity to gain a better understanding of VC and how they work.  I enjoyed working in the VC environment and supporting clients through their different fund raising round. The internship ignited my entrepreneurship spirit and has fuelled my desire to start my own firm.

Was the internship worth it, would you do it all over again if you could go back in time or is there something you would change?

The entire experience was a blessing and I am grateful for that opportunity as I learnt valuable transferable skills. I would definitely do it all over again and again.

What would be your best piece of advice to give other students/graduates looking for internships?

Internships are good as they give you an insight and the opportunity to realise, adjust, and validate your career goals.  Sometimes we are not sure what exactly we want to do and doing an internship allows you to see whether the role suits you and if it is the right lifestyle for you.  Moreover employers nowadays look for graduates with experience so doing an internship gives you a competitive advantage over the other graduates.

What do you think about the work Enternships is doing in helping students finding internships?

I think it is great what Enternships is trying to do; it allows students to discover their entrepreneurship spirit working with small and dynamic businesses. Especially nowadays where unemployment is at an all-time high, we need such platforms like Enternships to help students get internships.

What is your piece of advice for us at Enternships? Is there anything we could improve on to help candidates in their internship seeking?

The website is great but I think the site could do with a better interface. Also there weren’t as many financial roles when I was applying. It will be good if Enternships could get even more mid-cap companies to recruit through their website.

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Friday Fun: What's up at Enternships [Photos] Posted on Friday 11 November 2011 at 14:42PM by trrpaipai

Pictures say more than words right? So what better way of showing you all the fun and games the Enternships team has been up to lately? New stuff we're launching, office humour and big inside scoops - they're there because we like to share everything with you and make you feel part of the Enternships family.

Don't forget about Global Entrepreneurship Week and the uber cool party we're putting on at Fabric Club on Tuesday November 15. If the 1000+ entrepreneurs, students, graduates, media and government reps don't impress you than at least come for a dance at one of London's best club venues. Tickets are selling really fast, so get yours here: http://enternshipsparty.eventbrite.co.uk/?ebtv=F

We launched our new website! We've worked really hard to make this happen and we hope you like it. It is much more user-friendly and it will provide you with a lot of help in finding the right enternship for you. Stay tuned for other updates in the future.

Last Friday we all went for dinner in Soho to treat ourselves for all the hard work we've been doing the previous week. I'm still clueless about the dishes we had as Hindi is not my strong point but must I say, it was absolutely delicious. Especially the kulfi dessert in the end!

We just got our new Enternships team T-shirts, yay! While Andreea has decided to go for the subtle 'Hey, look at me!', while Mike has gone full-on thumbs up showing his excitement for fashionable entrepreneurship :p

Redbull comes to Enternships! Hoping it'll give us wings and inspiration to bring you guys the best of the best internships out there and turn them around into your dream enternship.

Our new banners were delivered this week as well, really liking the new look!

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Unpaid Internships and Why They Are Still Awesome Posted on Tuesday 02 August 2011 at 11:35AM by josephvitalis

Unpaid internships are a contentious issue, so we asked around for a students view. Joseph Vitalis, a student of Queen Mary, University of London, will be discussing the pros and cons of unpaid internships. You can read another of Joseph's posts here on making the most of Univeristy life. 

I am one of the people who believe that internships are always a good deal, whether they are offered on a paid or on an unpaid basis, and I am pretty sure that if you stay with me until the end of this article you will adopt my point of view. For most of its part, it is not a subjective matter but instead it is something to which you conclude after realistically weighing all the pros and cons.

Pros & cons

Without any reasonable doubt the idea of not paying your interns sounds a little unfair. Nevertheless, everybody knows that nowadays many decent paid jobs have been replaced with unpaid internships for the benefit of the profit margin and (some may correctly argue) for the sake of innovation and R&D that start-ups provide the society. The question which instantly arises is if those jobs have been done once on an unpaid basis, does it mean that this will be the case from now on? Nobody really knows and ultimately the fairness of the matter depends on each individual case.

Embracing a two-sided affair

Despite the above, the facts remain unchanged. In our day and age most employers that hire interns realise that in order for a relationship to be successful it has to be two-sided and of course to entail an exchange. After all, it is always like that in every type of an active relationship. As a result, the widely held notion is that you step up and provide your interns with real structure and supervision.

This stems from the fact that interns deserve at least a real educational experience if they are to devote their time and energy in something that brings money in the pocket of another individual and it is the least that you should expect (if not demand it). A significant number of interns receive academic credit for their work (mostly in the USA) and they have their relevant expenses covered by the company.

Realising the requirements

What I fail to understand is the circumstances under which this whole scheme operates. If in order to stand good chances to get a good job upon graduation you are more or less required to intern a few times, then you are clearly in a disadvantageous position as an unemployed student.

Having to spend heavily on accommodation, food, transport and remaining living expenses for an additional two or three months without getting anything back as financial reward makes us realise that it is not the easiest thing to do in the world. To make matters worse, this situation will become aggravated if you are studying and living in an expensive city (where –by the way- most important and worthwhile roles are offered).

But you can be one as well!

In spite of all the bad weather that you are likely to face if you choose the path of an unpaid internship, chances are that you will never regret it! Richard Crosby a recent business graduate and has his own inspiring story to share with us. In his last year of university Richard discovered for himself where the value lies in working for free. Thanks to student finance he had the means to take on unpaid work. He was looking for an internship that would allow him to ‘jump in at the deep end’ and he found this in an angel investment funded venture that is creating a networking platform for entrepreneurs.

Currently an ‘entern’ in Entreper.com he said that he had the chance ‘to perform a wide range of tasks’ and ‘to share his views and opinions as to how the project should progress’! Admittedly a far more adventurous and proactive experience than what you would normally get if you were to intern in a larger firm.

Every intern is a bright intern

Effectively, to be a happy intern you have to be sure that you will manage to add significant experience to your arsenal without having to get a loan. If this is true, then you should be getting everything you need, namely; a significant amount of work experience and valuable contacts. So basically what a happy intern needs is a considerate employer; a person who can demand as well as provide. Unpaid internships are awesome if and only if the above holds true.

In the main now, internships are almost always beneficial, provided that you are getting something out of it. Please do keep in mind that waiting tables will surely pay the bill for the time being but ultimately your CV is of utmost importance. This is going to be the crucial element that will or will not give you the job you always desired. My advice… simply know where to look and dare to roll with the punches!

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Seven Tactics to Become Insanely Employable Posted on Sunday 10 July 2011 at 17:19PM by Ed

Graduate unemployment may be frightening, but the truth is there's plenty of room for jobs if you know how to ask. This is how I built up half a dozen job offers for this summer, by experimenting, failing and investing in relationships with employers.

Like a recipe, most of these elements won’t standup on their own - its up to you to put them all together. Worse, its not a list of simple instructions. What you make of this is really up to you.

Here’s Seven Tactics to Become Insanely Employable... If you were hiring, wouldn’t you want someone who was clued up on you, your company and your industry? Build an informed opinion - read around what you're interested getting into; reading is a fun and fascinating habit, even if you’ve never really picked up a book before, A few great places to start if you need some help...

• TED TED is an organization. Their mission is to put remarkable people in front of an audience, and give them 20-minutes to share their idea. The videos are then shared freely across the world. I can guarantee you’ll find something and someone of interest on there.
• Twitter You’re not on Twitter? It’s not just for insights into Paris Hilton’s life and “tweeting” your feelings and grid co-ordinates every few minutes. No, the real upfront value of Twitter is following people, companies and blogs posting really interesting stuff. Its the ultimate, personalized newsfeed. And as you find people you like, Twitter’s perfect for engaging with them too.
• Amazon UK and US Amazon’s recommendation engine, the banks of reviews and huge range of books and DVDs, digital and hardcopy - there’s bound to be some book, or even just an author to follow and read up on.

Become an industry expert. And prove it. Besides, the act of writing forces you to think and express your ideas with clarity. Writing is more than stringing words together; a good writer shows clear communication, the ability to make things simple to understand.

• Go start a blog or website. Share your thoughts, commentary and ideas about the industry and niche you want to get into.
• Go retweet. Engage people on Twitter, share new and interesting links and posts with your followers. Build an audience.
• Go comment on topical forum threads, blog posts and other news.
• Go and learn to become a better writer.

Bigger corporations and brands have the attention (and therefore, the competition) for job-seekers. They may well be great jobs, but what’s more attractive is small businesses and startups where jobs may not be so well advertised, but more importantly, there are more “roles” to fill. Do they have an online marketing expert? A legal expert? Someone who can really nail the accounting and finance?

Small business owners can’t be everything - the best one’s recognize this and build teams around them to fill in the gaps. They needn’t have to post an official “job offer” for you to stand a chance getting in there. See how Fiona created her own job via Enternships. Employers are human. They like gifts. A gift needn’t be a box of chocolates or some extravagant hamper (that *could* be seen as manipulative).

If they’re blogging, retweet and comment on their posts. Introduce more people to them, their goods and services. Send birthday cards. Heck, think about shipping a book to their door that you’ve found really useful, and perhaps mention how you could implement some of the ideas in their organization. Don't invade, but think on the edge of the box. Understand what makes a gift too.

This naturally leads onto a special type of gift. The gift of time... Get on a train. Go meet employers in their offices, shops and at events. Go help them. Apply a little of what you’ve read around about the industry, ideally something new. My ‘party trick’ is talking through the power of search engine optimization and other highly-effective online marketing tactics. What's yours?

Often, small business owners aren’t be experts at everything, and will appreciate your insight, hence why they hire outsiders. There's no better way to prove yourself and your commitment than by being face-to-face. How many of your jobless friends would think of that?

• Who are you following who you could contact?
• When in the next month could you spend time in an office with a small businessmen? Can you clear a day in your calendar?
• What can you do to make their time worthwhile? Seeing and meeting you should be a no-brainer for them. What do you have to offer?

Internships are the *perfect* way to get your foot in the door. It opens up the opportunities being inside a company, but without the commitment of a job just yet by the employer. Your chance to show off your true qualities in a workplace.

Since you’re not demanding the commitment of a fulltime job, its easier to go and ask for internships at even better companies that you might never be able to get a fulltime job upfront, so you can be even more ambitious. Finally, you’ve got to ask. You don’t ask, you don’t get. No one’s going to go and “anoint” you with a job. Ask nicely, but make your request clear, short and actionable. Ask a specific yes/no question. Something along the lines of: Hello.

My name’s John Smith, and I’d love the opportunity to intern with Gapplesoft this summer - I’ve been following your company and your blog for the past two years, and I love how you produced such simple, useful software.

I’m a computer science undergraduate currently studying at Manchester University, I’ve built my own web-application here (awesome-link.com) and I’m planning for a career in the software industry. I think Gapplesoft would be a great place to start!

Looking forward to hearing from you,

John Smith @JohnSmithy 01234 567890 Remember, you must never, ever send email. You gotta send “me-mail”. Me, me, me... my favourite person me. Think of the guy you’re trying to scrounge a job off - what do they care about? Write everything from that perspective.

Or you can take the simpler option, and fill out your profile here on Enternships. It’s quick, easy and free.

Oh, I lied. There’s one more thing... The laws of economics side with whatever's scarce. There’s only one of you, so play the field! Rinse and repeat these techniques with different companies, and build up an array of different job offers.

Of course, if you stick around the same industry, or related industries, what you’re reading, writing and doing will all rub-off on each other. For instance, I love the online marketing industry, but also the tech and startup space. The two go hand-in-hand, and so I get to leverage what I’m doing in both fields.

And when you’ve got lots of companies who know who you are, love what you do and are itching to give you a job, you only stand to win! Enjoyed this post? What are your top tips for getting jobs? Share your ideas on Twitter with the hashtag #InsanelyEmployable UPDATE: Here's what people have been saying

1. @BaltejW Get as much work experience as possible (ideal for knowledge and networking) #InsanelyEmployable
2. @endamcshane always do what you say you are going to do + return calls no matter how difficult they might be! #InsanelyEmployable
3. @isoworg Don't be a specialist, there are lots of those; be a polymath. Even better, be a multi-specialist. #insanelyemployable
4. @Andrew_Isidoro Check and double check your online social media presence...employers won't want to see your latest drunken antics! #InsanelyEmployable

We've also got a competition running (closing in just a few days!); win work experience and £1000 here at Enternships.

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Interview Advice for Interns Posted on Friday 18 February 2011 at 09:43AM by trevorginn

I have recently been interviewing for a key position in my start up company.  The experience not only brought on terrible flashbacks of milkround interviews, but also made me think about impressed, or failed to impress me about different candidates. Here are my thoughts.

Make a good impression

Turn up to the interview on time and take care over your personal appearance.  Most startups won’t have any kind of dress code, but to play safe and be smart.  In the interview maintain eye contact and think about your body language.  It does not take a psychologist to understand that slouching or folding your arms does not make a interviewee look relaxed and confident.

Be super keen

It is very important in an interview to display an interest in the position and the company.  Show that you are impressed with the company and its services and demonstrate that you have done your homework about what they do (see preparation below).  Give the impression that this is a position you really, really want.

Prepare

Prepare answers to usual interview questions e.g. why do you want this job, where do you see yourself in 5 years time.  It is also vital to research the company and build up a picture of their business.  Think about:

• What are their main products and/or services
• What is the history of the firm and who are the main people
• What are the major challenges they face?  Many start ups will not yet be profitable and will have a far from proven business model.

With this information think up some searching questions for the interviewer.  Asking informed questions will make you looked switched on and interested.

Be likeable

Personal chemistry is extremely important in an interview, especially in a startup situation where teams are small.  Show that you are likeable, easy to manage and would fit in.  Be enthusiastic about the role and the company, and appear motivated about how you can contribute to its success.

Never be negative about people or past experiences.  In his book, 59 seconds, Richard Wiseman explains that negative statements tend to make people think less of the person making the comment.  Appear positive and self confident.  Don’t ramble.

Follow up

A quick follow up email thanking the interviewer for their time is a nice touch and gives an opportunity to restate your suitability for the job.

Trevor Ginn is founder of the online baby and nursery shop Hello Baby and internet marketing agency vendlab.  You can follow his antics on his blog or at @trevorginn

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Guest blog by Barry Crawford: Interview Preparation Made Easy Posted on Wednesday 14 July 2010 at 09:24AM by rajeebdey

Today we hear from Barry Crawford of Clearview IT Recruitment Services. Alongside his day job at Clearview ITRS, Barry founded The Graduate Development Community (GDC) in August 2009 aimed at bridging the gap between Academia and industry within the software development industry.

With the summer now upon us no doubt many of you will be job hunting. Here's some great advice from Barry on preparing for interviews... Interview Preparation Made Easy It’s difficult to know exactly the right way to prepare for an interview. I am a recruiter working in the software development industry. I have successfully coached many graduates and developers to new jobs and preparation is essential to succeed in any interview. The question is what should you prepare and how much? Read the website? Check the latest news articles? Speak to people who currently work there? Download accounts for the last 5 years? It’s hard to know what information and how much to prepare on, and essentially how to use that preparation to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the company. I am going to offer my opinion and some thoughts on this subject. Recently I had a meeting with several technical members of a top London Consultancy. Each have been involved in interviewing graduates so I was keen to know what they look for and what makes Grads stand out to them. What was quite interesting about our conversation was that it started to help me deconstruct something that I have long thought about - how can you measure how bright someone is? Most companies recruiting Graduates are looking for a ‘bright’ candidate. …but what is ‘bright’? What does it mean? It is an ambiguous word that I have found hard to measure. In the past I have relied on my gut instinct when speaking to someone to decide if I feel they are bright enough for a job. Speaking to the consultancy helped me to start breaking this trait down into measurable qualities. They spoke a lot about good questioning skills, candidates that could ask the right questions, listen to the answers and were able to process the information. I believe the raw skill here is in being inquisitive. Some people are naturally inquisitive – they naturally know how to ask the right questions, but many people simply aren’t sure what they should be asking. I believe simply by being honestly interested in the opportunity it’s possible to demonstrate these skills in an interview, whether it comes naturally to you or not, which brings us back to the preparation necessary for an interview. Very early in my career, when I used to prepare for interviews I’d rack my brain trying to think of a question to ask at the end. I would think I don’t want to ask anything obvious because they will think I should know that already. Preparing for an interview you should not be thinking “What will make me look good” or I’ll learn the website inside out – that will show my enthusiasm”. You should be asking yourself questions that you really care about. The fact is that you may actually get a job at this company…  If you get this job it will make a difference on the rest of your career and life. Hopefully you will be looking to stay with this company for at least a few years, you may even want to stay with them for the rest of your career. If you get the job it will occupy most of your time, these people will become your friends. When you start thinking about the opportunity in this way the preparation becomes far more focused around “what do you want to know” instead of “what could you tell them to show you’ve prepared”. If you really think about it you should already have an honest interest in them and the questions will be obvious. These are good starting points:

1. What will I be doing Monday to Friday? What is a typical day?
2. What are they really like to work for?
3. What is the industry like?
4. Who are their competitors?
5. What makes this company better than them?
6. What is progression like in the company? – What will I be doing in 3 months, 6 months, 2 years or 5 years? What have previous grads gone on to do?
7. What is the team like? Is it a big team? Are they young/old? Social? Will I fit in?

A lot of the answers to your questions you will find on the internet from reading their website, industry news, google, blogs from other members that have worked at the company etc. but you should be left with a long list of questions that you can ask at the interview. Interviews will be a lot easier as they become more of a fact-finding meeting. The strategy is to start developing an ‘honest’ interest in your career. Don’t think “I just want to get a job”, think “I want to get the right job for me”. Remember interviews are a two-way exercise and it is important to treat them as such. When you get further through the process to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th round interviews, a lot of your initial questions will have been answered but this is an opportunity to meet and question even more people within the organization to get an even better feel for what the company will be like to work for.

1. How did they get into the organization? As a Grad or with experience?
2. How quickly have they progressed through the ranks?
3. What is their personal perspective on where the company is going over the next 2-5 years?
4. What are they looking for in their next recruit?

If you use this strategy properly, not only will it enable you to make the right choice in your career but it also carries many other benefits:

1. It will ensure you come across as bright because of your ability to ask the right questions and be interested in the answers.
2. It will ensure you come across as enthusiastic because of the effort you have already put into finding out about the company.
3. It will help with interview nerves as you should be excited about going in to an interview to find more out about the job instead of trying as hard as possible about making a good impression.
4. It will help build rapport with everyone you interview with as it will enable them to speak about themselves and their company – effectively selling it back to you.

I am not advocating that you do no other preparation than this, merely that you take an ‘honest’ interest in every opportunity and use that as a starting point. Good luck to you all!

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First Impressions Count Posted on Tuesday 09 March 2010 at 15:27PM by rajeebdey

Enternships guest blogger for today is Alison Branagan, author of Making Sense of Business - a new business and enterprise skills book for managers, entrepreneurs, visual artists and other creative professionals. In her book she provides essential guidance on key business and enterprise skills. In this post she shares her views on the importance of making a good first impression. Look out for other guest bloggers over the coming weeks!

Enterprising Transitions

"Pay attention to your hair, because everyone else will" - Hilary Clinton, Senator and American stateswoman, 1947

Making a transition from the student domain to that of business is a challenging but exciting journey. ‘Enternships.com’ is a new way to explore gaining a work placement in an innovative environment.

Why should you undertake applying for an internship within a team-enterprise?

Like sitting an exam there is only so much preparation you can do. It is only when you sit and answer the questions on the paper that you are truly tested. The same is true of setting up your own business or beginning a career working for one. There is much to be learned on the job which can be applied to your own future enterprise or professional post.

Self-presentation

Presentation is self-image. It is something you will need to pay attention to if you desire to be taken seriously in the workplace. When a student it doesn’t matter if your clothes look a bit of a jumble and you cut your own fringe. However, when you are working for entrepreneurial companies that embrace a sense of contemporary style, then you may have to revisit how you plan to present yourself at interview.

Personal grooming and attention to your appearance builds rapport with those you seek to impress. This doesn’t mean you have to spend lots of money on clothes, manicures, or hairdressing. There are plenty of fashionable high street stores and even charity shops that can provide inexpensive well designed garments and suits.

What is advisable is, like an exam, you should research the company you would like to work for and Google the directors. Then prepare yourself. First impressions matter.

Key tips

Think about your hands, even men should consider having a manicure done or at least invest in a manicure kit and give their hands some TLC. A simple plain manicure for women is vital, especially if you are a showing portfolio. You don’t wish your nails to be a distraction from what you are saying or showing.

Book an appointment with your hairdresser before any important interviews is an essential tip for the future. A hairdresser at a top London salon informs me that many well know businesswomen regularly have their hair done at 7am in the morning.

If you take pride in your appearance then it will be more likely that you will be either offered a job within the business or will find it less difficult to secure a junior post elsewhere. You may not realise it but your visual appearance is communicating I am ready for this opportunity; I am coconscious and have an eye for detail.

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