Sharpen Your Career Management Skills...
Business School Employability Week
24th-26th June 2009 (see page 4)
Summer’s (almost) here...
I hope that you had a very good holiday and are ready to tackle the last few
weeks of teaching and the summer exams. I also hope that you will manage
to find some time to browse through this issue of the University of Exeter
Business School Employability Newsletter as it is packed with information
that will help you reflect on how you can enhance your employability.
This issue marks the introduction of two new sections in the newsletter. In
the first, ‘Let’s Talk’ (p2), Mary McCarthy provides some useful advice for
any final year undergraduates or masters students who are still considering
the options that might be open to them after they graduate. The second,
‘Getting In & Getting On’ (p11-12), contains the first of, what I hope will be,
many contributions from Business School alumni that provide some reflec-
tions on their experiences since completing their degrees. In this issue, one
of our alumni who graduated in 2007 provides some insights into her experi-
ences of getting into and getting on in PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
In addition, you will find a brief overview of this term’s School Employability
events (p4) plus articles by four current students who are ‘Seeking To Stand
Out From The Crowd’ by engaging in the International Student Buddy
Scheme (Melissa Dunn, Thi (Van) Duong, Emma Sim) and participating in
the Business School Student-Staff Liaison Committee (p6-10). Add to this
the reports that have been written by Business School staff on the IBM Uni-
versities Business Challenge Final (Jill Williams, p3) and the Be the Change
leadership programme (Jackie Bagnall, p5) plus the information provided on
Graduate Business Partnerships (p10) and the ICAEW qualifications (p12)
and you end up with an issue that is not to be missed!
As usual, I would like to say a very BIG ‘thank you’ to everyone who has
written an article for this issue of the newsletter.
Dr Rachel Torr
School Employability Officer, The University of Exeter Business School
Issue 9
Summer 2009
‘Let’s Talk’ with Mary McCarthy - Economic Crisis: Fight or Flight?’
2
IBM Universities Busi-ness Challenge: Report
3
What’s On this term? 4
‘Be the Change’: Re-port
5
Seeing to stand out from the crowd...
6
Graduate Business Partnership Place-ments
10
‘Getting In & Getting On’: Insights into Alumni Careers
11
Rachel Torr’s Office Hours
5
Inside this issue:
University of Exeter Business School
Employability |Newsletter—Summer 2009|
University of Exeter Careers & Employment Service:
Summer Graduate Recruitment Fair
Date: Wednesday, May 13th, 2009
Time: 11:00 AM until 2:30 PM
Location: Great Hall and Lower Examination Hall
Still looking for a job after graduation?
Interested in further training or summer opportunities?
Want to get ahead of the game?
Then this is the fair for you!
The fair is open to ALL students, regardless of year and discipline.
Graduates from Exeter and other institutions are also welcome to attend.
For more information about this fair and many other events organized by the
University of Exeter Careers & Employment Service please go to: www.exeter.ac.uk/employability
….with Mary, McCarthy, Careers Advisor
Economic crisis: fight or flight?
For Masters students and for final year undergraduates, this is going to be a For Masters students and for final year undergraduates, this is going to be a For Masters students and for final year undergraduates, this is going to be a For Masters students and for final year undergraduates, this is going to be a tough year in which to graduate. So, what can you do if your career ambitions are not working out quite as tough year in which to graduate. So, what can you do if your career ambitions are not working out quite as tough year in which to graduate. So, what can you do if your career ambitions are not working out quite as tough year in which to graduate. So, what can you do if your career ambitions are not working out quite as
planned?planned?planned?planned?
‘Fight’:‘Fight’:‘Fight’:‘Fight’:
Recent reports – from the CBI and the Financial Times – emphasise the need for relevant work experience to secure graduate level work in this difficult time. It provides a key selling point on CV and ap-plication forms, demonstrates motivation and commitment to the career area and shows you can act professionally in that business environment. It will also help you to “ride the storm” until
the economic upturn
To gain experience, you need to think laterally. Who do I know who might be able to help me? Use your networks of family, friends and the University Alumni association (Exepert). See: http://
www.exeter.ac.uk/employability/students/jobhunting.shtml
Don’t just target large companies or organisations. In this situation, small may well be beautiful. Use the University library and public libraries to get details of small and medium sized organisations to
contact
Be aware of any graduate placement schemes available to you. The scheme here at Exeter is called: Graduate Business Partnership and gives you three months of well paid, project work experi-ence. Many other universities will be offering similar schemes. Check out universities near your home or the city/town you are moving to following graduation. These placements are competi-
tive and so make sure your CV and application form technique are as good as they can be
Know what you want. At least sound convincing! Do your research into the role and the organisation. With-
out focus, applications stand little chance in the current climate
Find a recruitment agency. Look at www.rec.uk.com/jobseeker They might do some of the job searching for
you and can offer careers advice for their geographical region and areas of specialism
Seek help and advice from the Careers and Employment team at any time. We are here to help you
through this year and for up to three years after you graduate
‘Flight’‘Flight’‘Flight’‘Flight’:
Many final year undergraduates think about further study and, each year, more University of Exeter gradu-ates go forward to further study than the national average. You might be passionate about your subject and/or wish to develop skills in a new area – both excellent reasons to consider a post-graduate Certificate, Diploma or Masters. However, it would be a mistake to think that further study automatically makes you more employable. If you have any doubts, talk to family, friends,
colleagues and careers staff
This might be an ideal time to take time out to travel, undertake voluntary work at home or overseas, teach English abroad and develop cultural and language skills. There are so many choices that some planning is essential. Can I afford it? What do I hope to achieve by the end of this time out? How will I convince recruiters that I am well organised and a goal-setter following this experi-
ence?
For a great many people graduating this year, the recession makes little difference to the fact that they have not yet worked out what they want to do with their lives and need more time to think about it. Experiencing lots of different types of work situations can, for some, be the only way to find out what they want to do. It might be that you are one of these people. Don’t panic!! You are not alone. If you want to talk about your ideas, the Careers and Employment team are here to help. Sometimes, just saying things out loud can make them seem more real – like the recent
conversation I had with someone thinking about starting her own business
I hope this note might generate some discussion and questions, which I shall try to
address in the next Newsletter.
Bye for now,
Mary
Mary McCarthy,
Careers Advisor, University of Exeter Careers & Employment Service
Issue 9 Page 2
tion twice in its 11 year history. Nevertheless, we are ex-tremely proud of the success of both teams from Exeter. Reaching the final alone was a fantastic achievement and they both competed extremely well in what was probably the closest final that the competition has seen. They were out-standing ambassadors for both the Business School and the University. From their perspective the students from both teams felt that the competition had given them a great opportunity to de-velop personal skills, to enhance their employability, to meet new people and to have some fun along the way.
Report by: Jill Williams, Executive Officer, The University of Exeter Business School The 2008-2009 IBM UBC finalists from Exeter were:
Andrew Dixon
Sally Edwards
Rachel Back
Cheree' O'Melia
Vin Chan
Shan Shan Lee
Melanie Clegg
Jordan Toy
Daniel Vanderputt
Craig Strachan
IBM Universities Business Challenge 2009-2010 ...Do you think YOU are up to it...? CALLING ALL CURRENT FIRST AND PENULTI-
MATE YEAR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS…
If you are currently in the first or pe-
nultimate year of your undergraduate de-
gree and would like to participate in
next year’s IBM UBC make sure that you
respond promptly to the call for par-
ticipants that will sent out via email
at the beginning of the summer term
2009. If you have any queries or think
that you might have missed the emails
contact [email protected] to find out
more.
Report on the IBM Universities Business Challenge
Final 6th March, 2009
Issue 9
After 5 months of competition, and having seen off over 240 other teams from more than 70 Universities, the final 10 teams competing for the title of IBM Uni-versity Business Challenge Champions 2008/09 came together at IBM's offices in Bedfont Lakes, Middlesex on a cold morning on 6th March.
It had been a record year for the competition with 1,200 students starting the competition in October. An online first round held over 6 weeks resulted in the top 80 teams being invited to attend 10 live semi finals at sponsor sites around the country. From Citi Group and RBS, to BAE and the Royal Navy teams enjoyed the opportunity to test themselves against their peers, to network with employ-ers and to learn more about the graduate opportunities available to them. But only the winner from each semi final would make it to the final, and so it was that after some tightly fought contests the 6 teams of semi finalists from Exeter became 2 - winners of the Royal Navy semi final in Portsmouth (amid the snow) and the RBS semi final in London.
The day at Bedfont Lakes kicked off for the finalists with an inspiring talk from IBM's new UK & Ireland Chief Ex-ecutive, Brendon Riley, who was able to share with the students his journey from his home town in the South West of Western Australia and his time as a student at the Western Australian Institute of Technology to where he is today. He also congratulated the students on their great achievement in reaching the grand final and wished them the best of luck for the day.
The final comprised of teams from Exeter, Imperial Col-lege, Lancaster, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Abertay and Anglia Ruskin University. The teams were set the chal-lenge of running a fledgling sports clothing business with the aim of both increasing profits and the share value of the company. The winning team would be the one whose total share value plus cumulative profit was greatest at the end of the day. The challenge was set over 4 trading periods and with each trading period the students had to make a number of strategic decisions for their company. The two teams from Exeter clearly set out with different strategies and as the day progressed it was evident that the margins between success and failure were going to be very small. But it was the Exeter team captained by Cheree O'Melia that was rising up the leaderboard and with one trading period to go they had the 2nd highest cumulative profit. This led to an exciting final period with nerves and tension being felt by all the teams.
Sadly, a disappointing final trading period for Cheree's team and a surge that was just too late from Craig Strachan's team meant that neither of the Exeter teams made the top 3 this year . Imperial College took the title, making them the first University to have won the competi-
Page 3
Business School Employability Week 24th – 26
th June 2009: FOR ALL BUSINESS SCHOOL STUDENTS
A three-day programme of activities to enhance your career management skills
Wednesday 24th June
Thursday 25th June
Friday 26th June
For more information, including how to register for events, see the Business School Employability
site on web-ct and weekly ‘What’s On’ emails. If you have any queries email: [email protected]
TIME SESSION ALTERNATIVE SESSION
10:00-11:00 What job would suit me?
11:00-11:30 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
11:30-12:30 Job Hunting Strategies
12:30-13:30 Lunch Break
13:30-14:30 Effective Networking
14:30-15:00 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
15:00-16:00 Graduate Business Partnerships & Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
International Students – Working in the UK after your studies: visa information
TIME SESSION ALTERNATIVE SESSION
10:00-11:00 CV Design & Covering Letters
11:00-11:30 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
11:30-12:30 Application Forms
12:30-13:30 Lunch Break
13:30-14:30 Psychometric Tests ‘Dress To Impress’ - an afternoon with Pat Ayerst, Image Consultant
14:30-15:00 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
15:00-16:00 Assessment Centres
TIME SESSION ALTERNATIVE SESSION
10:00-11:00 Mock Interviews with Employers Interview Skills
11:00-11:30
11:30-12:30
12:30-13:30 Lunch Break
13:30-14:30 Mock Interviews with Employers
14:30-15:00
15:00-16:00
Issue 9
Business School Employability
EVENTS
Wednesday 6th May
ICAEW Business Game
1300-1500
Thursday 14th May
School Careers Clinic
1400-1630
Tuesday 19th May
School Careers Clinic
1000-1230
For more information, including
how to register for events, see
the Business School Employability
site on web-ct and weekly ‘What’s
On’ emails. If you have any que-
ries email: [email protected]
Business School Employability —What’s on this term?
Page 4
Issue 9 Page 5
Over thirty first year students came along to the Lemmy at the end of the Over thirty first year students came along to the Lemmy at the end of the Over thirty first year students came along to the Lemmy at the end of the Over thirty first year students came along to the Lemmy at the end of the spring term to find out more about a new programme starting in the Busi-spring term to find out more about a new programme starting in the Busi-spring term to find out more about a new programme starting in the Busi-spring term to find out more about a new programme starting in the Busi-ness School.ness School.ness School.ness School.
Focussed on doing good in the world, the Be the ChangeBe the ChangeBe the ChangeBe the Change programme sup-ports students to discover the things that really matter to them. To explore what it is they want to stand for and how they can make a positive differ-ence in the world.
Working on the belief that none of us can change the world alone and that we must all do our little bit, this programme is about creating change
agents who can lead others and launch projects and initiatives which get things moving.
Looking at a range of global concerns like social justice, well being, improved health, access to edu-cation, dance and arts therapy, ecology and sustainability to name just a few – there are a wealth of ideas and projects that our students told us they want to explore.
Be the ChangeBe the ChangeBe the ChangeBe the Change offers students an opportunity to identify what it is that they feel passionate about, what values are important to them and to identify who they are and what they want to be. Once on this journey of self-discovery they are then supported to go out and make it happen, working on the principle that they will be the change that they want to see in the world.
The project has access to the experts; coaches, trainers, charities and social enterprises who can guide and support students to get things started. The project also provides support in terms of ven-ues, trips to interesting projects, funds to bring in guest speakers – the list is endless and the pro-ject will only be as good as the ideas and energy put in to it.
If you are interested in knowing more contact [email protected]
Report by: Jackie Bagnall, Teaching Fellow in Leadership and ‘Be the Change’ Project Manager
Business School launches a programme with a difference Business School launches a programme with a difference Business School launches a programme with a difference Business School launches a programme with a difference ---- Be the Change Be the Change Be the Change Be the Change
A Reminder of Business School Employability
Office Hours and Electronic Information
If you have any careers and employ-
ment queries or are applying for work
experience, internships or graduate
jobs and want some support then
please come and see me, Rachel Torr,
during my office hours for some ini-
tial pointers to get you started. Gen-
erally these will be:
Monday 1200-1300
Tuesday 1100-1200
Wednesday 1300-1400
Thursday 1200-1300
My office is Room 2, Streatham
Court
However, please check my door as
the hours may change occasionally
when I have other commitments.
If you are unable to make my office
hours you can email me for an ap-
pointment at a time that is more
convenient for you.
Don’t forget— you can find em-
ployability related information and
links to useful websites on the Busi-
ness School Employability site on
web-ct:
http://exeter.blackboard.com
In addition, you should familiarise
yourself with the University of Exe-
ter central Careers & Employment
Service’s website:
www.exeter.ac.uk/employability
Also, please make use of
the Business School Careers Clinics
which are held fortnightly in Streatham
Court by Mary McCarthy. Details of
these are available on page 4 of this
newsletter and on the full Business
School Employability Summer Events
Programme on the Business School Em-
ployability site on web-ct. If you want a
20 minute 1-2-1 appointment with Mary
during one of the clinics you must sign
up in advance at the Undergraduate Stu-
dent Services Reception in Streatham
Court.
Alternatively, you can book an appoint-
ment to see a Careers Advisor at any
time in Reed Mews by calling: 01392
264420.
University of Exeter Careers & Employment Service Events:
For information about careers and employability events that are organized by the University of Exeter
Careers & Employment Service and open to all University of Exeter students please go to:
www.exeter.ac.uk/employability
What is the International Student Buddy Scheme…? ‘Budding Friendships’ by Melissa Dunn
Exeter University students are
always being encouraged to ‘get
involved’ and there are plenty of
activities on offer to suit every-
one’s tastes with societies rang-
ing from pole dancing to poetry,
numerous sports clubs, musical
ensembles and theatre groups.
Another opportunity to enhance
your Exeter Experience is
through the International Stu-
dent Buddy Scheme. This
scheme, was established in the
Business School to provide the International students with a structured but informal way of actively meeting UK students. As well as looking great on your
CV and giving you those crucial
employability bonus points, the
scheme is also extremely worth-
while and rewarding.
As the name suggests, UK stu-
dents are paired up with an In-
ternational student to become
their ‘buddy’ for the year. This
involves meeting up regularly for
a general chat – for example
having coffee together, sup-
porting the International stu-
dent if they experience any
problems and most importantly
forming a new friendship. This
is a completely free service for
the International students and
the UK students were paid
£7.50 per hour for volunteering
their time during the 2008-
2009 academic year.
Melissa with her buddy, Heidi
Juliette Stephenson, who is a
key coordinator of the scheme
and a Senior Teaching Fellow in
the Business School said, ‘I think the Buddy Scheme is very important as it is an op-portunity for the International students to step outside the 'safety' of their own lan-guage/nationality group and to practice their English in a real
life situation - as well as en-gaging more with UK student culture. There have been some great successes.’
I have thoroughly enjoyed being
a Buddy and I believe that the
scheme is a two-way learning
curve, which enables UK stu-
dents to benefit from the in-
creasing Internationalisation of
the Business School in a proac-
tive way. In addition to this the
Scheme promotes greater un-
derstanding of other cultures,
tolerance, compassion and con-
sideration. I would definitely
recommend the scheme and
urge those who are not already
Buddies to ‘get involved!'
Melissa Dunn BA Economics, Year 1
How can YOU get involved?
The International Student Buddy Scheme is organised in the Busi-ness School by Elizabeth Jones and Juliette Stephenson. If you would like to find out more about how you could get involved please email Elizabeth Jones: [email protected]
Issue 9
The next few pages of the newsletter contain student written articles that highlight how current students in the University of Exeter Business School are striving to make sure that they stand out
from the crowd when it comes to securing a graduate level job by engaging in activities that will enhance their
employability…
In this issue, the spotlight is on extra curricula employability enhancing activities that you can get involved in
through the University of Exeter Business School—the International Student Buddy Scheme, with three student reflections on this extra-curricula activity, plus the Student Representative system...so read on folks and be in-
spired…!
Please note: I am very keen to hear from anyone who would like to contribute an article for this section of future issues of the newsletter. If you would like to share any of your employability-enhancing experiences with
others please email me: [email protected]. Articles can be on any topic that relates to something that you
have done that has enhanced your employability, for example, volunteering, participating in student team chal-lenges/business games, student societies, part-time work, a placement scheme or a company insight day/week/
academy...the list is endless…!
Seeking To Stand Out From The Crowd...
Page 6
Thi (Van) Duong and the International Student Buddy Scheme—reflections from an international student’s perspective
Issue 9
I transferred
from another
University this
academic year
to become a
second year
Business student at the Univer-
sity of Exeter Business School.
Therefore, everything in Exeter,
especially the University was all
new and strange to me when I
joined last September. Moreover,
as an international student it was
more difficult to adapt to the life-
style as well as the studies here. It
seems as if many other interna-
tional students find themselves in
the same situation as I did, which
is why the Business School has
set up the International Student
Buddy Scheme to help us.
After the first few days of term, I
received an email from the Busi-
ness School that offered every
international student the opportu-
nity to team up with a British
‘buddy’, to help us if we have any
problems, not only in study but
also in many other areas of life in
the UK. I was interested in the
International Student Buddy
Scheme because I thought I was
not confident enough to make
friends by myself, especially with
the home students. I felt that my
English was not good enough for
them to understand me and as a
result they would find me boring
to talk to. In addition, because
they already knew each other,
having made friends during the
first year, I thought that it would
difficult for me to join their friend-
ship groups. This is why I decided
to sign up for the Buddy Scheme.
Furthermore, I thought that the
Business School was quite sensi-
tive when they promoted this
Scheme, because they under-
stood that not only first year but
also second and third year direct
entry students all need help from
the home students.
After signing up for the Scheme, I
received an email from my buddy,
Laurra, to arrange our first meet-
ing. We met in the city centre,
walked around and talked in order
to begin get to know each other.
Laurra took me to have an Eng-
lish style snack - a scone, jam and
butter. We talked quite freely even
though it was only our first meet-
ing. I really enjoyed that day. After
the successful first meeting, we
arranged some more days to
hang out together. For example, I
went to her house and she came
to mine to have dinner and she
invited me to play badminton with
her friends.
My involvement in the Buddy
Scheme has helped me to become
more confident and I have more
friends now. I feel confident when
communicating with the other peo-
ple here from so many different
countries. In addition, this Scheme
has helped me to realise that if I
put effort into something, it will be-
come easier and I will be success-
ful. For example, I know that if I try
to ask other students something,
or talk to them now, they are will-
ing to listen to and answer me.
As a Business student I am aware
that communication is one of the
most important skills that I need to
enhance. Therefore, the Buddy
Scheme gives me a chance to
speak and practice how to commu-
nicate in English with other people.
This Scheme has turned me from
an unconfident person into a confi-
dent one.
The last thing I want to say to any
international students who are
reading this is please get involved
in this Scheme. Everyone in the
Scheme is willing to help us and
the more effort you put in, the hap-
pier you’ll be with your life.
Thi (Van) Duong
BA Business Studies, year 2
Page 7
Emma Sim’s experiences of the International Student Buddy Scheme...
Issue 9
Being a first year Business
student is one of those amaz-
ingly emotionally exhausting
times. I personally remember
feeling excited, overwhelmed and
certainly a strong desire to suc-
ceed, I wanted to take every op-
portunity that arose and grab it
with both hands. During this pe-
riod the chance to become an
International Student Buddy
arose. I remember thinking at the
time how little experience I had
working with international people
(being brought up in a sleepy vil-
lage in Devon) and decided that
the opportunity was a brilliant
way for me to gain important
skills in communicating with peo-
ple from different nationalities as
well as hopefully provide some
support for my buddy.
After taking a closer look at what
is expected of a ‘buddy’ I decided
it was the perfect opportunity.
The Business School will pair you
up with an international student
also from the Business School; if
possible, of the same age and
gender. Then the rest is up to
you! You are expected to meet
once a week, for an hour at a
time but this is decided between
the UK buddy and international
student. I really liked the idea of
the flexibility which the scheme
offered. I was able to arrange the
meetings around my lectures and
to times that suited both of us,
the money that the UK buddies
receive for participating in the
Scheme is also a great bonus!
I was paired with Hong, a direct
second year entry student, studying
Accounting and Finance. Our first
contact was via email, where we
shared general details about family,
Exeter and China. For our first
meeting we met at halls of resi-
dence. I can honestly say I was
surprisingly apprehensive, I was
worried what Hong would expect of
me and what would happen if we
didn’t gel. However the hour was
over before either of us even real-
ised and we ended up chatting for
about two hours, before lecture
duties called!
Since then we have had six further
meetings with one another. We
have met in various places across
campus that suited us both. I help
Hong with her pronunciation
mainly, but she often brings along
queries that have caused problems
for her during the week (the only
problem is sometimes I have no
idea either!!!!). We discuss both
academic and non academic topics,
for example over the Christmas
period we discussed Christmas tra-
ditions and even shared small gifts.
I would thoroughly recommend this
scheme to any business student. It
is a really flexible, easy way to en-
hance your CV and have fun doing
it! Not only that but it allowed me
to build up my confidence dealing
with people from different nationali-
ties and develop my personal com-
munication skills, which ultimately I
hope will enhance my employability
prospects.
Emma with her buddy, Hong
Anyone who is considering becom-
ing a buddy should firstly GO FOR
IT! Why wouldn’t you? Secondly
they should remember that every
single person is different whether
they come from England, Japan, or
Spain. Traditions and ways of life
are different and you should be pa-
tient and understanding of this. But
seriously, go for it and have lots of
fun, it is such an easy way to en-
hance your employability and who
knows how much you will get out of
it.
Emma Sim
BA Business & Management, Year 1
Page 8
What could YOU STILL do this summer…?
In your second OR final year? Want to get a head start in the job market? Then take the first STEP!
You will be selected on the basis of your individual skills and interests and these will be matched to a
unique project with a local company. You will be given the opportunity to make an immediate and direct
contribution from day one, whilst applying and developing your own skills.
• Shell Step placements are for 8 - 13 weeks over the summer vacations.
• Undertake a specific project which will have real benefit and importance for your host company.
• Students will be paid £210 per week, exempt from tax and national insurance. You can also network
with other proactive, like-minded students.
To register on line please go to www.shellstep.org.uk or contact [email protected]
On Being a Student Rep & Chair of the Business School Undergraduate Student-Staff Liaison Committee by Sam Vaughan
Issue 9
My involve-My involve-My involve-My involve-
ment in the ment in the ment in the ment in the
student rep-student rep-student rep-student rep-
resentative resentative resentative resentative
system system system system
started quite started quite started quite started quite
by chance through a generic email by chance through a generic email by chance through a generic email by chance through a generic email
asking for student members for the asking for student members for the asking for student members for the asking for student members for the
Learning and Teaching Committee, Learning and Teaching Committee, Learning and Teaching Committee, Learning and Teaching Committee,
and I went into that first meeting and I went into that first meeting and I went into that first meeting and I went into that first meeting
quite oblivious to what student quite oblivious to what student quite oblivious to what student quite oblivious to what student
course reps were and what their course reps were and what their course reps were and what their course reps were and what their
jobs involved! jobs involved! jobs involved! jobs involved! However that first
meeting must have stimulated my
interest in student participation in
some way as I have now been in-
volved for two years and am now
Subject Chair of the Business
School Student-Staff Liaison Com-
mittee (SSLC). One of the reasons
for my continued involvement is the
great insight into the School that
meetings such as the SSLC provide
where issues ranging from individ-
ual module level through to the im-
pact of the change of the term
structure and the potential issues
associated with it are discussed.
Many of you at this point may be
thinking, what are course reps,
what is the Learning and Teaching
Committee and what an earth is a
subject chair? Well, I will start off
with the easiest of the lot which are
the course representatives, who are
elected every year to represent you
and your courses and provide you
with a voice in the SSLC which is
the student committee which con-
venes twice a term to discuss any
issues coming from the students
that could be a generic point on the
whole department such as exam
results or specific to a module or
indeed an individual. I think my
greatest surprise from the SSLC is
that the large staff presence on it
means that many of the matters
raised are dealt with there and then
and thus it acts as a superb bridge
in communication between the stu-
dents and the staff. There is no
denying that the best thing about
being a course rep is that it looks
great on the CV as it fits right into
all employers competencies in com-
munication as well as many others,
however there are other benefits
including helping you to influence
the department and gain responsi-
bility whilst giving up a minimal
amount of your time.
The subject chair of the committee,
in essence, is the main student rep-
resentative of the Business School
and there is one for every School in
the University. The subject chairs
are all elected by their peers mid
way through the summer term and,
although many do not realise this,
to run you do not have to be going
into your final year. A large part of
the subject chair’s role is based
around the various meetings that
you attend but the most important
part of the role is to act as a contact
point for you, the students, if you
have any problems and to act as
your voice. Again I got involved in
the subject chair elections quite off
the cuff through an email, and
wrote a quick manifesto and tried
to get as many of my mates to vote
for me as I could!
The main differences I found in
moving from a course rep to subject
chair are a) your role within the
SSLC and b) the time issue. The
time commitment increases quite a
lot as being a course rep the main
time constraint is attending the
SSLC meetings, which only occur
twice a term, and dealing with any
issues within your course; however,
as a subject chair, you attend more
meetings, deal with all students’
issues and have to prepare for
chairing the SSLC and the agenda.
In the SSLC meeting itself I have
learnt, more through experience
than anything else, that my role is
more to direct the meeting and
gather the course rep’s views rather
than provide my own opinion. Sub-
jectively I have found that the most
enjoyable part of being a subject
chair has been the various other
meetings that you go to such as the
Learning and Teaching Committee
(which involves the Heads of De-
partment within the Business
School and the committee which
the SSLC feeds into) and the Aca-
demic Affairs meetings (involving all
SSLC subject chairs), which give you
exposure to all parts of the Univer-
sity and all projects.
One of the best bits that I have
found in being the SSLC subject
chair this year is that, as the Busi-
ness School is entering an exciting
time (increase in numbers etc), it
has meant great variation in my job
and every week I have something
different from a meeting about con-
tact hours to picking personal re-
sponse systems. Along with many
of the course reps I have under-
taken a research project looking at
the technology that is being imple-
mented within the Business School,
looking specifically at the video-
recordings of lectures which are
happening in many of the first year
modules through questionnaires
and interviews with the lecturers.
This is part of a larger project that is
looking at the implementation of
various technologies within the
school to try and enhance the learn-
ing experience from making lectures
more interactive with personal re-
sponse systems (ask the audience!)
to the use of sms texting.
There is no shying away from the
fact that the role is not all positive
as it does take up a bit of your free
time and does put you out of your
comfort zone from time to time such
as talking to 100 freshers in Fresh-
ers Week whilst your friends are re-
covering from the previous night!
However I would definitely say that it
has not taken as much time as I had
thought it would because much of
the role is based around attending
meetings and giving views more
than anything else. One of the main
reasons that it has not taken up as
much time as I thought it would is
due to the great work of Sam Yard
and Kristiina Woollard in the Under-
graduate Student Services Team
who have helped with the agenda
and any queries that I have had and
have booked meeting rooms.
There is no doubt that if you ask any
subject chair they will say that they
get a lot out of the role. The two
main skills that I have improved
Page 9
Continued from page 10
most are communication and or-
ganisation. Both of these skills are
important for and further developed
through chairing the SSLC as, organi-
sationally, you need to send emails
around a week before the meetings to
give course reps enough time to add
to the agenda or send apologies and
then it is vital to do your own prepara-
tion. With regard to communication,
this skill has been enhanced through
chairing the meetings again (although,
because the course reps have been
so good at their roles this has been
easy for me!) but also in other meet-
ings, such as the Learning and Teach-
ing Committee, where, initially, I was
quite overawed but am now less so
and more confident when making con-
tributions.
I would encourage anyone to run for
course rep or subject chair as they will
both look great on your CV and they
are both positions that you can get a
lot out of. Course rep elections tend to
happen just after Freshers Week and
subject chair elections occur mid way
through the summer term and are
done on the electronic voting system.
If you are interested in standing for
either position but would like to find
out more before putting yourself for-
ward please feel free to drop me an
email anytime at [email protected].
If you have anything that you want to
add to the agenda for the next SSLC,
please send me an email at
[email protected] or contact your
course rep. Your course rep’s details
can be found on the undergraduate
page in web-ct or on your respective
year’s notice boards in the lecture
theatre corridor in Streatham Court.
Sam Vaughan,
BA Business Economics, Year 3
Business School SSLC Subject Chair
What could YOU do next year…? Graduate Business Partnership Placements: A Programme for Recent Graduates
Not sure what to do on gradua-tion?
Register your interest in a GBP placement by sending your CV to [email protected] .
Graduates from all disciplines can benefit from the University of Exe-ter’s graduate placement scheme – the Graduate Business Part-nership – which is available throughout the year. The scheme places graduates with host or-ganisations to work on specific projects for an initial period of ap-proximately 20 weeks.
A GBP placement will enhance your CV and provide an opportu-nity to “kick start your career”. More than 70% of graduates are retained by their host organisa-tions either on a permanent or extended contract.
All successfully placed graduates are paid at least £300 a week by their host organisation and will attend a Business Training Course, managed by the Univer-sity. Modules include Project Management, Team Building, Leadership, Negotiation Skills, Understanding Business Finance and Making Money as well as modules on Networking, an Image session and Careers Workshop.
Placements are available in Devon and Somerset but informa-tion on similar schemes through-out the UK is available on www.exeter.ac.uk/em
ployability
In July 2008, Flybe appointed Anna Howard to help turn their Flybe Academy vision into a real-ity.
“My placement has given me the chance to significantly im-prove my interpersonal skills and gain much greater knowl-edge of an industry that I have always wanted to work in. My ability to communicate and
manage time effectively has also been enhanced as a result of the various projects under-taken. I feel that my GBP place-ment has drastically contrib-uted towards my personal de-velopment, as I have finally been able to apply all of the skills learnt whilst studying for my degree.” Anna Howard
Another graduate, Ben Beard, who achieved a degree in Mathe-matics, was accepted for a place-ment with Devon County Council in November 2008 to “Analyse the results of the Exeter Travel to Work Tally 2008” Ben said:
“The main aim of the Exeter Travel to Work Tally is to moni-tor the way employees in Exeter commute to work in an effort to identify possible improvements that can be made to the City’s transport system. My task has been to collate and report on the results of this Tally and compare these results, where possible, with those from previ-ous years. This will identify any trends that may be devel-oping in the way people are changing how they commute to work.”
“Ben is both keen and able and it has been a good experience for us (and hopefully for Ben). He liaised with client depart-ment and carried out most of the analysis of the data already collected. He made good use of his statistical skills, from his degree course, in the presenta-tion of results and has also contributed substantially to the final report”. Malcolm Mac-donald, Devon County Council’s Corporate Consultation Officer
For more information and to register your interest please contact: studentpro-
Issue 9 Page 10
Issue 9 Page 11
‘Getting In & Getting On’: Insights into Alumni Careers...
My name is Kelly, I’m 22 and I graduated
from the University of Exeter in July 2007
with a 1st class degree in Accounting and
Finance. I enjoyed a memorable 3 years
in the Business School (then known as
SoBE) and it was undoubtedly the exper-
tise and enthusiasm of the lecturers there
that helped me to achieve such a fantas-
tic degree result that in turn enabled me
to get my dream graduate job.
After what seemed like the shortest sum-
mer ever I joined PricewaterhouseCoop-
ers LLP (PwC) in the Assurance practice
at their Bristol office in September 2007.
What drew me to PwC were the opportu-
nities available. For me the most attrac-
tive aspect was the fact that I would be
able to get a professional qualification
whilst working and gaining life experi-
ences, not to mention earning money
after spending 3 years as a poor student!
Before I get into too much detail about the
job I do now I thought it might be helpful
to give a little background on how I actu-
ally got there. From quite a young age it
was apparent that I was an academic
person as opposed to an artistic person. I
was always keen to get to maths lessons
but always had a sense of dread as I
headed to an art lesson. When it came to
choosing A-levels I decided that account-
ing would be a good thing to try as it
would include maths but would also teach
me about the business world around me.
I took accounting along side Maths, Eco-
nomics and Geography, as well as a
French AS level.
I really enjoyed the accounting A-level
and decided at that point that accounting
was the career path I wanted to follow. I
applied to study accounting at several
universities and subsequently spent 3
fantastic years at Exeter.
The first year of my degree flew by and
as I entered my second year I began to
think about life after graduation. I sought
advice from the careers service who ad-
vised me that doing a summer internship
at the end of my second year would go a
long way to helping me get a graduate job
at the end of my degree. After several
failed applications to the big 4 accounting
firms I finally found success at a medium
sized firm in my home town of Swindon
and spent the summer before my 3rd year
working in accounts preparation and au-
dit. This was an extremely valuable learn-
ing experience and was a fantastic asset
for my CV.
My biggest tip is not to give up on your
dream. After being knocked back by the
big 4 firms I could have just given up, but
I decided that any experience I could gain
would prove valuable in the long run and
it certainly did help a lot when applying for
graduate jobs. You have got to remember
that summer internship programmes are
particularly competitive.
As I entered my 3rd year at Exeter I de-
cided that I should start my graduate
applications as soon as possible. In my
experience, the earlier you apply the
better chance you have as firms have a
greater number of places available. I had
sent applications to all of the big 4 ac-
counting firms by the end of November
and had secured my graduate position
with PwC by mid January. The fact that I
had this job in place really lifted the
weight off my shoulders and meant that I
could concentrate on getting a good de-
gree result without the worry of working
out what to do next.
My advice would be not to narrow your
options too early, applying to all of the big
4 certainly didn’t prove a problem for me,
in fact the number of interviews involved
really helped me to perfect my interview
skills. Also I would advise you not to be
put off by the psychometric tests involved
in the applications for many jobs, they are
not as scary as they might first seem!
I have been at PwC for a year and a half
now and I am still thoroughly enjoying the
challenges the job brings. Alongside work
I have completed the professional stage of
the ACA qualification (12 exams in total)
and now have only the two advanced
stage papers and the final case study left
to sit. Although I did an accounting and
finance degree, I have still found the pro-
fessional exams extremely challenging.
That said, I wouldn’t let a lack of account-
ing experience stand in the way of you
completing the ACA qualification. I study
in a class where the majority of students
This section of the newsletter is set aside for contributions from University of Exeter Business School
(formerly the School of Business & Economics or ‘SoBE’) Alumni who have very kindly agreed to reflect
on their careers—or any particular aspect(s) of their careers— since their graduation. In this issue,
one of our alumni who graduated in 2007 writes about her experiences of getting into and getting on in
her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Please note: I am very keen to hear from any alumni who would like to contribute an article for this section of future issues of the newsletter. If you would like to share any aspects of your experiences
in your career in order to provide some insights to students who might be considering similar pathways
please email me—Rachel Torr: [email protected].
Kelly, BA Accounting & Finance (2007), gets into and on in PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Continued from page 11
have completed entirely unrelated degrees and
they have picked it up very quickly. The ACA is
such a versatile qualification that it can be put to
good use in many different roles and that is what
makes it so appealing.
I work in the core assurance part of the business in
the financial services sector. My audit client portfo-
lio varies greatly, from large companies such as
Cheltenham & Gloucester (the mortgage part of
Lloyds Banking Group) and Bank of Ireland down
to small local insurance companies in and around
Bristol.
Being an auditor doesn’t just involve looking at
financial statements and ‘number crunching’, a big
part of my job is liaising with client staff and build-
ing strong relationships with our clients in order to
ensure their satisfaction. My job also allows me to
get involved with the graduate recruitment process
which is good fun and extremely rewarding.
For me the most attractive aspect of my job is the
variety I get. Being in audit involves working at
various different client sites, and generally I am
never working in the same place for more than 1
month at a time. This is ideal for me as the thought
of going to the same office and sitting at the same
desk every day really doesn’t fill me with excite-
ment.
Yes, the job can be challenging and can involve
long hours during busy periods, but it is also ex-
tremely rewarding. I am constantly being chal-
lenged and my knowledge has expanded vastly in
the short period of time that I have worked for the
firm.
During my time with the firm I have made an ex-
tremely diverse network of friends and have built
up a strong support network. The friendliness of all
of my colleagues has undoubtedly made the ex-
perience an enjoyable one.
Looking forward I know that PwC has many great
opportunities to offer me, perhaps a secondment to
work in another country or perhaps just a second-
ment to a different sector of the business. What-
ever I wish to do in order to progress my career I
know that PwC will work with me in order to make
my ambitions achievable.
My advice to anyone trying to secure a top gradu-
ate job is to remain focused on what you want to
achieve in the long run. Do not let rejections stand
in your way. Even if an interview doesn’t result in a
job you should see it as valuable interview practice
for the future. Ultimately if you are passionate
about pursuing a particular career and are able to
demonstrate this to an interviewer then you are
likely to be rewarded with the job that you want.
A Message from Holly Stevens:A Message from Holly Stevens:A Message from Holly Stevens:A Message from Holly Stevens: ICAEW Student Brand ManagerICAEW Student Brand ManagerICAEW Student Brand ManagerICAEW Student Brand Manager
Hello, my name is Holly I am cur-rently in my second year studying BA Accounting and Finance at Exe-ter. I have just taken on the role of the Institute of Chartered Account-ants in England and Wales (ICAEW) Student Brand Manager to increase my employability and improve my knowledge of the ACA. My main role is to represent the Institute in promoting careers in chartered ac-countancy and the ACA qualification to potential students at Exeter and to increase awareness of the pro-fessional qualifications the ICAEW has to offer at careers fairs, events and in lectures and also answer any questions you may have about the ICAEW.
The ICAEW is the largest profes-sional accountancy body in Europe, with more than 132,000 members in over 165 countries. Over 15,000 members live and work outside the UK. The Institute also has some 9,000 students. The Institute under-takes or facilitates a wide range of professional activities including edu-cation and training of students, con-tinuing professional development for members, maintenance of pro-fessional and ethical standards, cut-ting-edge work on technical ac-counting issues, and provision of advice and services to members.
ACA The ACA qualification is an interna-tionally recognised qualification that comprises of a programme of work experience, study and exami-nations. It provides skills across the full spectrum of accountancy disci-plines and a solid grounding in busi-ness, marketing, economics, fi-nance, management and informa-tion systems. The ACA comprises two stages: the Professional Stage and the Advanced stage. The Pro-fessional Stage introduces the core concepts of accounting and demon-strates how to build on and use your knowledge in practise. This stage comprises of 12 modules, you may be eligible for credit for up to 8 modules. The Advanced Stage builds on your technical knowledge and consists of 2 technical papers
and a case study.
There are numerous benefits from studying for the ACA which can be found on the website. One which may be of particular interest is that generally, ACA trainees can expect to double their salary by the time they qualify. For more information on the ACA qualification visit www.icaew.com/careers
Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business (CFAB) The CFAB is an exciting new quali-fication developed by the ICAEW aimed at individuals who want to work in business or in practice. It provides essential knowledge of finance, accounting and business and will improve your employabil-ity. It will enable you to step ahead with your career even if you are not sure exactly what you want to do.
CFAB is made up of six modules: business and finance; manage-ment information; accounting (compulsory); law; assurance and principles of taxation. These are the same six modules of the ACA which means the CFAB can be used as a stepping stone.
The CFAB is open to everyone, no formal academic qualifications are required. It will benefit those who are considering a career in ac-countancy, finance, professional service firms, banks and financial services.
The CFAB can be gained in one year and can be self taught. As-sessments are computer based and credits for prior learning may be available for 5 of the 6 mod-ules.
If you think you may be interested in the CFAB you can visit their website on www.icaew.com/cfab
If you have any questions on the qualification or the institute, please do not hesitate to email me on [email protected],
Holly Stevens ICAEW Student Brand Manager
Issue 9 Page 12