New graduates looking for a first position understandably are most likely to consider the big-name companies first.
They are better known, are likely to have been present at the University Milk Round, and many will have graduate recruitment programmes and internship schemes.
However, for these very reasons the competition to get a start with a large corporate is likely to be stiff. Another thing to consider is how much actual hands-on experience the new candidate is likely to get. A larger company's established graduate starter programme may be designed to give the newcomer an insight into the activities of various departments and into the corporate culture but this may not actually amount to much in the way of practical activity and tasks.
Anyone who is attending interview as a candidate for a starter position should certainly ask for more details about such programmes.
Another option that many candidates do not consider is to target smaller companies and start-ups. While this can be a slightly more risky proposition in terms of job security there is nothing to indicate that the larger corporate companies would not be equally quick to shed staff if there were an economic crisis.
There are many advantages to working with a smaller company and perhaps a good way in for those with decent computer skills would be to look for administrative, secretarial or PA roles in such companies.
Very often their small size will mean that they do not have the human resources to confine employees strictly to one role so the PA, for example, may have additional responsibilities that they might not in a larger company.
Where the larger company may have more rigid hierarchies and structures the start-ups and SMEs are more likely to be open to the additional value anyone they are considering hiring can bring and this provides opportunities for the young candidate to make an impact in a way that they perhaps would not be able to in a larger company.
This will provide more concrete experience of tasks and projects you have been entrusted with to put on the CV rather than being confined to the role of observer.
When a smaller company is considering taking on additional staff it is more likely to want a person who can learn things quickly but informally, learning by doing and has a flexible, practical and common-sense nature. Being able to work quickly, with minimal supervision is likely to be valued in a small company where people are generally very busy.
To find a position with a smaller company the candidate may need to be creative. The local papers are a good start for advertised positions but networking and using contacts in a particular location or business sector, or checking the membership of the local Chamber of Commerce, or Federation of Small Businesses may be useful.
The business pages of the local paper are also useful because they often contain reports of local companies that have had a particular success, a new order or are planning to expand. This can suggest possible leads for candidates to companies that it is worth approaching to see if they are hiring.
It is said that the majority of the UK economy is made up of small and medium sized companies and these have been identified as the possible engine that will stimulate recovery from the long economic crisis that began in 2008. As they grow, so will their employees' careers and experience and that can only be a positive for the future.
They are better known, are likely to have been present at the University Milk Round, and many will have graduate recruitment programmes and internship schemes.
However, for these very reasons the competition to get a start with a large corporate is likely to be stiff. Another thing to consider is how much actual hands-on experience the new candidate is likely to get. A larger company's established graduate starter programme may be designed to give the newcomer an insight into the activities of various departments and into the corporate culture but this may not actually amount to much in the way of practical activity and tasks.
Anyone who is attending interview as a candidate for a starter position should certainly ask for more details about such programmes.
Another option that many candidates do not consider is to target smaller companies and start-ups. While this can be a slightly more risky proposition in terms of job security there is nothing to indicate that the larger corporate companies would not be equally quick to shed staff if there were an economic crisis.
There are many advantages to working with a smaller company and perhaps a good way in for those with decent computer skills would be to look for administrative, secretarial or PA roles in such companies.
Very often their small size will mean that they do not have the human resources to confine employees strictly to one role so the PA, for example, may have additional responsibilities that they might not in a larger company.
Where the larger company may have more rigid hierarchies and structures the start-ups and SMEs are more likely to be open to the additional value anyone they are considering hiring can bring and this provides opportunities for the young candidate to make an impact in a way that they perhaps would not be able to in a larger company.
This will provide more concrete experience of tasks and projects you have been entrusted with to put on the CV rather than being confined to the role of observer.
When a smaller company is considering taking on additional staff it is more likely to want a person who can learn things quickly but informally, learning by doing and has a flexible, practical and common-sense nature. Being able to work quickly, with minimal supervision is likely to be valued in a small company where people are generally very busy.
To find a position with a smaller company the candidate may need to be creative. The local papers are a good start for advertised positions but networking and using contacts in a particular location or business sector, or checking the membership of the local Chamber of Commerce, or Federation of Small Businesses may be useful.
The business pages of the local paper are also useful because they often contain reports of local companies that have had a particular success, a new order or are planning to expand. This can suggest possible leads for candidates to companies that it is worth approaching to see if they are hiring.
It is said that the majority of the UK economy is made up of small and medium sized companies and these have been identified as the possible engine that will stimulate recovery from the long economic crisis that began in 2008. As they grow, so will their employees' careers and experience and that can only be a positive for the future.
Smaller companies may offer wider experience and faster career progression to than larger ones with more formal structures will. By .
