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The respondent to this survey is Matthew who is from a White British background.
| What qualifications did you hold prior to starting university? | 9 GCSE (3A*, 2A, 4B), 4 A Level (ABCD). |
| What was the name of your course? | Accounting & Financial Mngmnt BA (Honours) |
| While at university have you worked part-time? | Yes |
| While at university have you performed any voluntary work? | Yes |
| While at university have you undertake any work experience? | No |
| Please give details of your experience? | Part-time work was a continuation of the job that I had at home during A-level study. I commuted weekly to Sheffield and worked 13.5 hours Saturday and Sunday (plus during vacation). Working as assistant then supervisor/manager at a local ceramics factory in the site shop. In my final year I moved to a building society and dropped to just Saturday working.
Voluntary work as member of St John Ambulance, First aider and unit treasurer. |
| How useful did you find this work experience when it came to find a job after graduating? | It was probably the experience that I had, rather than the degree, that got me the job! The interview that I undertook for the civil service was competence based and without the work experience and voluntary activity I would have had little to talk about. |
| What is your status? | In full or part time employment |
| What is the name of the organisation you are currently working for? | Inland Revenue |
| What is your job title? | Case Manager |
| What responsibilities do you hold? | Managing the casework and correspondence of a team of Inspectors working on Large Business and Corporation Tax enquiries. |
| What do you enjoy the most about this job? | Autonomy and team working ethos. |
| What do you enjoy the least? | Not having all of my skills and knowledge recognised (and being paid much less than the folk who come to me for answers) and the current redundancy threat. |
| What was involved in the recruitment process for this job? | Very basic application form plus two competence based questions (about a side of A4 for each), work-tests (literacy, numeracy, reasoning and logic and time management), competence based interview, about an hour, based on three or four questions: 'Describe a situation where you have had to work on a project, managing yourself and others', 'Tell us about when you have had to solve a problem or resolve a conflict'. |
| Do you feel you have a career plan? | No |
| When did you start thinking about what you wanted to do after graduation? Thinking back did you leave enough time for this? | In general terms I thought I knew what I wanted to do before I started at Uni. As time went on I realised that I didn't want a standard 'Graduate Recruitment' job and, as I already had the offer of making my part-time job full-time with a promotion, I decided to concentrate on Uni and voluntary work and leave the job hunting for after graduation. |
| Did you experience any difficulties when it came to finding work after graduation? If yes, please describe some of the problems you faced? | Not really, I was offered a full-time job where I was already working (and they almost wouldn't let me leave when I did hand my notice in). I was lucky enough to spot one particular job advertised, applied for just that one and was successful. If it wasn't for that particular job, though, I would have found it difficult, especially if I'd wanted to stay in this area. |
| What do you wish you had known before you started applying for jobs? | The style of assessment centre/interview that is currently in vogue (i.e. the competence based style of question and answer.) |
| What advice would you give to someone applying for jobs now? | Decide what you want out of it, where you want to be, etc and don't feel forced into anything. |
| Would you have done anything differently while at university to prepare for your career? Please give details. | Not really; university time was, for me, a time to do student type things and let jobs work themselves out later. |
| How do you feel your degree has prepared you for today's labour market? | Not particularly well. Even for a 'vocational' course the exemptions for professional examinations are few and far between and the course was heavy of the theoretical and latest research but light on the actual practice. |
| What impact did your course have on your career aspirations? | Directed into career path |
| Did you make use of the careers service at university? | Yes |
| If yes, please describe how you used the careers service. | Attended a couple of presentations/seminars. |
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