Choosing the right career path to pursue after graduation is a daunting decision for many. The choice becomes even more intricate when a graduate scheme application doesn’t go as planned. If your son or daughter recently faced a setback in securing a place on a competitive graduate scheme, you might be wondering: Should they reapply next year? Let’s delve into this and weigh up the pros and cons. Remember, if your son or daughter is struggling to find a job, get in touch with us via our contact form. We can help them secure a good graduate-level job via our one-to-one coaching sessions, interview coaching, online courses, books and more.
Benefits of a Graduate Scheme: Why graduate schemes are so attractive
Graduate schemes, offered by many leading companies, provide an unparalleled opportunity for fresh graduates. Here’s why they’re beneficial:
- Structured Training: Graduate schemes often offer intensive training programs, enabling graduates to gain a wide range of skills quickly. They often include rotations giving graduates the unique opportunity to be trained and developed across a broad range of departments before specialising and progressing in a particular area.
- Career Progression: Companies design these schemes to support and coach the next generation of leaders. Leaders will have deep knowledge and understanding of the company, as they will have gained vast experience during their tenure from their early career days to senior leadership, and as a result, participants often ascend the career ladder faster.
- Networking: Being in a graduate scheme exposes participants to a wide network of professionals, which can be invaluable for future opportunities. Furthermore, there will be plenty of networking events specifically for graduates on the scheme to get to know the team better.
- Competitive Salaries: Graduates usually get a better-starting salary in these schemes compared to regular entry-level roles for graduates. The companies that offer the best graduate schemes want to attract the top talent and therefore offer an enticing benefits package including a competitive graduate salary.
- Job Security: Many schemes offer guaranteed roles at the end of the training period. Upon successful completion of the graduate scheme, many graduates are offered a full-time position either within the team they have been with during the graduate scheme, or they will be offered a full-time position elsewhere in the company. After completing the training, the company will be inclined to retain talent if they have performed well.
Why Your Son/Daughter Did Not Get a Place
The competition for graduate schemes is fierce. Here are some common reasons candidates might not secure a place:
High Demand: Some sectors, especially banking/finance, law and tech, see an overwhelming number of applicants for limited spots.
Mismatched Skills: While your child might have excelled in academics, they might not have showcased the specific skills the employer was looking for. A 1st class degree from the best university in the world is not a guarantee of a place on a graduate scheme. Work experience is highly desirable.
Interview Performance: It’s not just about credentials. How they present themselves in interviews matters immensely. Graduate recruiters will assess a candidate’s future potential based on their past successes. Being able to articulate their skills and abilities well in an interview setting is a skill that will set your son or daughter apart. Here at Graduate Coach, we offer interview coaching specifically for graduates to help them to nail their interviews and land a good graduate position.
Lack of Experience: Some companies look for relevant internships or part-time roles related to the job. Many graduates spend their time at university solely focused on getting a 2:1 or a first-class degree, and put employability on the back burner with the assumption that once they have a good degree, they will be able to just walk into a graduate role. This is not the case and work experience in any form is an absolute must.
Re-Applying: Is It Worth It?
If your child is set on a specific sector or company, reapplying can make sense. However, it’s essential to:
- Re-evaluate and Refine: Understand what went wrong the first time. Was it a skill mismatch or something else? Did they receive any feedback from the recruiter? Did they get rejected at the interview stage? Identifying what reduced their chances of getting a place on a graduate scheme is crucial.
- Seek Feedback: If possible, get feedback from the company they applied to. It’s golden information for improvement.
- Ensure that they meet the entry requirements: some companies may only consider candidates who are in their final year of university at the time of applying. Encourage your son or daughter to check if they will still be eligible in a years time.
- Stay Updated: The job market evolves rapidly. Ensure they remain abreast of what companies are looking for.
- Seek help from a graduate coach: Many graduates leave university without a clue about their next move in terms of their career. This confusion about what’s next makes graduate programmes highly attractive. However, graduate schemes are not for everyone and based on the sheer number of graduates fighting for the limited positions on these schemes there simply isn’t a place available for every graduate who wants one. Speaking to a graduate coach before re-applying is a wise idea. A graduate coach will be able to determine if the position you applied for was right for you and help you to make a much stronger application if it is, or help you to explore better alternative options if it is not.
In the Meantime: Get a Graduate Job
While reapplying for graduate schemes, it’s crucial to use the gap year wisely.
Gain Experience: In the meantime, encourage your son or daughter to get a graduate job. Graduate jobs, although not as structured, offer real-world experience. This experience will be highly valued by graduate recruiters who will be looking for evidence of work experience and crucial employability skills such as communication, teamwork and analytical skills.
Develop Skills: graduate jobs help in building those soft and hard skills which may have been lacking previously. In addition, to refining skills on the job, develop skills through online courses.
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Featured image by RDNE Stock project from Pexels
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