Graduate Select is only a few days away and so here is another juicy piece of advice from one of our resident expert Careers Advisers on how to avoid looking stupid in front of exhibitors at the event…

‘So, what do you do then?’

‘Do you have any jobs for me?’

‘Do you take on people who require work permits?’

‘How much do you pay?’

‘What sort of roles do you have available?’

Those are a few — there are lots more. They are questions that make employers on stands at events like Graduate Select grind their teeth.

Some questions demonstrate your lack of research. Don’t ever ask anything you could have found out by rooting around on their website or by looking through their recruitment literature.

Some questions are presumptuous. They make the assumption that the recruiter already wants to employ you. It’s a little bit like asking a complete stranger what side of your bed they would like to sleep on before you even know they fancy you. Not recommended.

Some questions just miss a trick. It is possible to show the recruiter that you are an intelligent person who has done some researching and thinking. For example, ‘I know that forensic accountancy involves looking at the financial aspects of legal or criminal situations, but I would like to get an idea of the typical cases that a recent graduate might end up working on. Would you be able to give me a couple of examples?’ Or what about, ‘I know that you ask for candidates to demonstrate drive, focus and a commitment to deliver results. Could you give me an idea of what that means in practice and what sort of examples you look for in candidate applications?’

So, it’s not just a case of avoiding stupid questions. If you really want to make the most of the event, you need to be ready to ask some intelligent questions.

This is just a taster of the kind of advice you can expect to get at the pre-event Careers Coaching Session at this year’s Graduate Select. This session promises to be a great final step in your preparation for the event, so don’t miss out! The session starts at 12pm (limited places, so get there 10-15 minutes before…), with the Hall open at 1pm.

Be part of it

www.gradselect.co.uk