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The respondent to this survey is Iain who is from a White British background.
| What qualifications did you hold prior to starting university? | GCSE's, A-levels and a Diploma of Higher Education in Music |
| What was the name of your course? | Business & Finance (one-year conversion course) BA (Honours) |
| While at university have you worked part-time? | Yes |
| While at university have you performed any voluntary work? | No |
| While at university have you undertake any work experience? | No |
| Please give details of your experience? | I worked for Norwich Union Direct before coming to university and then changed from full to part-time whilst at university. As a mature student I had also gained 7 years of work experience beforehand. |
| How useful did you find this work experience when it came to find a job after graduating? | I found it useful being able to relate real life experiences to situations that I was questioned about in interviews and selection days. |
| What is your status? | In full or part time employment |
| What is your job title? | Inspector of taxes |
| What responsibilities do you hold? | I am on the fast track graduate training scheme to become a fully trained inspector in compliance of Large businesses throughout the country. |
| What do you enjoy the most about this job? | It is challenging, but rewarding with a good work/life balance. I feel that I am contributing in a positive way. |
| What do you enjoy the least? | A further four years of training! |
| What was involved in the recruitment process for this job? | There were three rounds, firstly an on-line testing, then a day of further mathematical and general personality tests and finally a 3 day residential stay with various team working, presenting and individual tests. |
| Do you feel you have a career plan? | Yes |
| If so, how does your current situation fit into this plan? | Very nicely! In three years time, assuming that I pass my training, I will be fast tracked into a senior manager in the Inland revenue. From there, depending on how ambitious I am, there would be further possibilities in London. |
| When did you start thinking about what you wanted to do after graduation? Thinking back did you leave enough time for this? | I did think about it early. Most graduate schemes have early deadline dates and so I was pro-active in attending workshops to practice team working and various personality tests. I think being a mature student helps in this respect. I don't know if I would have been so pro-active when I was 20! |
| Did you experience any difficulties when it came to finding work after graduation? If yes, please describe some of the problems you faced? | I was extremely lucky as I got the first job I applied for. I did work extremely hard for it though and so feel that I deserved it. |
| What do you wish you had known before you started applying for jobs? | I wish that I had taken advantage of all the help available when I was in my early rather than late 20's when at uni the first time. Whilst I have been lucky to get on a great graduate training scheme now, if I had taken advantage of all the help in the first place I could be 4 or 5 years further down the line. |
| What advice would you give to someone applying for jobs now? | Work hard. Do your research into the company so you know as much about it and any competitors that you can. Practice on-line tests - most jobs make you do them now and there are plenty of websites that offer practice tests. Try to think of your strengths and weaknesses and examples of good work that you have done to back up what you say. And then relax. |
| Would you have done anything differently while at university to prepare for your career? Please give details. | Not this time. I feel that I put in the effort to prepare and I was lucky enough to see ti pay off. |
| How do you feel your degree has prepared you for today's labour market? | Very useful. Apart from the topic, which gave me a useful understanding of business, it was helpful in developing 'people' skills. working with people you might not normally work with, who have different ideas of what they want etc. |
| What impact did your course have on your career aspirations? | Undecided still |
| Did you make use of the careers service at university? | Yes |
| If yes, please describe how you used the careers service. | Went to practice personality tests, discuss job opportunities and found the website with a list of jobs available and deadlines for applying very useful. |
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