Tell Us About Your Graduate Job

Oakbark

I have an idea for a new thread for this graduate forum. We all know about those graduate recruitment jobs that countless companies offer many students every year, but very little feedback is gotten from students who take these jobs.

I'd like people who have entered any of these graduate recruitment roles (e.g: Bank of Ireland Programmes, accountancy roles, etc.) to tell us about their experience within them, what the role was like, was it what they expected, pros and cons, difficulties and challenges, etc.

Post away!

kaimera

Recruited via a grad job by a large telecoms company along with quite a few other boardsies.

Work as a SI; good pay, good holidays, lots of travel {70%+}, meet lots of new people, work with new, emerging tech.

When not on site, waiting for a job can be a little irksome.

Dont be at yourself

Working on the JET programme, teaching English in Japan. I love it. Good salary, the support network is great, my rent is payed for me, I get to work with young people, see the world... what's not to like?

Pythia

Working as a Credit Risk Analyst in a bank. It's a great job, the field is really expanding at present.
Wasn't taken on as a graduate exactly although I was a graduate.
Pay could be better and lack of formal training programme wasn't great, but I actually really like my job!

hockeygirl

HI Pythia.. can I ask what qualification you have... I was really interested in this job but missed the opportunity when AIB were hiring last year.

My own experience since leaving xollege has varied greatly.

I have a 2.2 physics degree from DIT. The week I finshed my exams I was offered a job as a credit controller for BOI in their Debt Recovery section (just before accounts go legal). I wasnt taken on as a graduate so the salary was crap.

I moved on from there to an Invoice discounting company(uk owned) who I have to say are brilliant to work for. They matched the basic graduate salary, I had 25days hols.... I was a credit controller there aswell but the weay the role is structured your effectively an accounts manager. I left there to move to another company as a big fat salary called! anyway The fat salary was onl;y for a contract position so I decised to move my ass and sort out my career.

Ive now been acceoted for a trainee chartered accountant role in a small practise, The salary is about 22k but they will pay for everything plus padi study leave. Its a 3.5yr contract.

It'll be tough and I'll live like a poor student again but it will be worth it in the end when I qualify

Pythia

hockeygirl wrote: »

HI Pythia.. can I ask what qualification you have... I was really interested in this job but missed the opportunity when AIB were hiring last year.

I have 1H in Economics and Finance from UCD, taking the mathematical option in final year.
It's a nice job, my place were just hiring, pity you missed out!

damnyanks

hockeygirl wrote: »

HI Pythia.. can I ask what qualification you have... I was really interested in this job but missed the opportunity when AIB were hiring last year.

My own experience since leaving xollege has varied greatly.

I have a 2.2 physics degree from DIT. The week I finshed my exams I was offered a job as a credit controller for BOI in their Debt Recovery section (just before accounts go legal). I wasnt taken on as a graduate so the salary was crap.

I moved on from there to an Invoice discounting company(uk owned) who I have to say are brilliant to work for. They matched the basic graduate salary, I had 25days hols.... I was a credit controller there aswell but the weay the role is structured your effectively an accounts manager. I left there to move to another company as a big fat salary called! anyway The fat salary was onl;y for a contract position so I decised to move my ass and sort out my career.

Ive now been acceoted for a trainee chartered accountant role in a small practise, The salary is about 22k but they will pay for everything plus padi study leave. Its a 3.5yr contract.

It'll be tough and I'll live like a poor student again but it will be worth it in the end when I qualify

If you are able too and willing do a MS in physics. As far as banks go this is the most sought after degree. Sadly someplaces will say no simply because of your 2.2 ignoring the fact that the degree is far more difficult then most others.

A masters will sort that out.

Darren1o1

Mechanical design engineer - fluid based systems. Working in a company stateside, research and product development in nozzles for custom applications. Involves modelling, prototyping, testing and aiding manufacturing.. Or some jazz like that

gerry87

Can i ask the people who didnt go through grad programs, was there any training given? Was not having experience a problem (or did you have some)?

I'm looking at finance jobs, I've got a 1h in economics but no experience (main plan is a masters in finance). But i've got this horror of landing a job, being put at a desk and told to work, not having a clue what to do! Thats pretty much why i want to do the masters, also to give a better idea of what sort of job would suit best.

hockeygirl

anywhere Ive gone Ive always been trained in.

The worse case senario would be if you were working in a very busy section where you'd be thrown in the deep end quicker than you'd expect it.

I wouldnt be so worried about it. Doing the masters is a good idea if your not sure about which area you want to get into. But with a 1H in Economics I dont think youd have a prob getting a job anywhere

kaimera

Got training in my place but ojt is the only way for us to learn properly given the nature of the job.

Being thrown in the deep end somewhere in Africa isn't unheard of

Suaimhneach

Pythia wrote: »

It's a nice job, my place were just hiring, pity you missed out!

An idea for the forum, if your company are looking for graduates, maybe we should start a thread and you can let people know the relevant details such as expected salary, expected requirements, duties, as well as being able to give your own touch/view on what the company has to offer. You can also do this anonymously if you dont want to give who you work for away.

LegacyUser

I'm currently working somewhere that took on four graduates, but not on a "programme". I personally think we're being taken total advantage of. Low wages (22k) and being left doing filing for people who've all got 2.1's and decent experience. They seriously could have taken on leaving cert students for this work, except in some rare instances. Only bonus is the three other people are very nice.

I am interviewing today for the second round of a decent looking graduate programme. It's only its second year running but based on the first round interview they all seem pretty sound. If I get the job (or not) I'll mention who it was. Two year contract, which isnt too bad.

I've also applied to a language based organisation, but I dont know if I have enough "professional" leadership experience to go for the manager job, but the other two arent relevant to me.

So here is hoping I get offered two jobs to replace the crap one! heh.

jaffa20

Sekkrit wrote: »

I'm currently working somewhere that took on four graduates, but not on a "programme". I personally think we're being taken total advantage of. Low wages (22k) and being left doing filing for people who've all got 2.1's and decent experience. They seriously could have taken on leaving cert students for this work, except in some rare instances. Only bonus is the three other people are very nice.

22k is not bad. i'm on 20k and a ****ty job :eek::(

Pythia

jaffa20 wrote: »

22k is not bad. i'm on 20k and a ****ty job :eek::(

20k is awful. What is it you do?

jaffa20

Pythia wrote: »

20k is awful. What is it you do?

Work as a bank cashier atm and it's so dull. Hopefully i'll be promoted or move to a different job in a few months. I don't have a business degree so i'm hanging on. I might apply for the graduate programmes that they have in the banks. It's in september but they don't hire until january 20k is ridiculous for dublin too :eek: Can hardly afford my rent.

Cannibal Ox

Sekkrit wrote:

I personally think we're being taken total advantage of. Low wages (22k)...

Try nothing :P

Working for an NGO in the development sector, hoping to go over to Africa within the next six months or try to get a job with a human rights NGO (and get paid for it!).

Suaimhneach

I think in order to go for a graduate programme, you need to have a degree in order to eh, qualify as a graduate. Not to be bad, hold it out in the job, definitely if you can stick it out the chance for promotion might be worthwhile.

I think if you're fortunate enough to be able to take on a wage free internship that is v.relevant its worth not getting wages, because the experience is actually worth its weight in gold. But, it seems like others who get paid are being paid to do things that arent relevant or whorthwhile to them. Maybe thats the difference, and its a big one.

jaffa20

Jesjes wrote: »

I think in order to go for a graduate programme, you need to have a degree in order to eh, qualify as a graduate. Not to be bad, hold it out in the job, definitely if you can stick it out the chance for promotion might be worthwhile.

Eh, i have a degree (B.A Arts). Just graduating in september. I just don't have a business related one so it's harder to have prospects in banking. It's depressing after 3 years of education though to be on 20k. I will apply for the graduate programme in september and see how it goes anyhow.

DJDC

Currently doing global markets internship in investment bank in london. Getting paid £36k pro rata not including accommodation allowance or travel expenses.Pythia you happy in credit risk or do you plan on making the move into the front office soon?

Pythia

Yeah, credit risk is nice as it's very 9 - 5 but unfortunately the pay reflects this! It's also nice as there's a lack of experienced people so the opportunities are good.

DJDC

Yeh I suppose if you want those hours you aren't going get it in the FO. Ive heard of flow traders working 8.30-5.30 but majority of people on trading floor work 12 hr days.8-8 for me

Suaimhneach

jaffa20 wrote: »

I don't have a business degree so i'm hanging on.

Sorry, I took this as you didnt have a degree at all... my mistake!

jaffa20 wrote: »

Eh, i have a degree (B.A Arts). Just graduating in september. I just don't have a business related one so it's harder to have prospects in banking. It's depressing after 3 years of education though to be on 20k. I will apply for the graduate programme in september and see how it goes anyhow.

It depends what you want to do in the bank really, heavy financial stuff requires Accounting and Finance degree, but banking, marketing and other things need Humanities/creative people.

QFT:"It's depressing after 3 years of education though to be on 20k." - I did four years and am on 22k... maybe its 1/2k extra per year of education above minimum wage? Worrying thought.

Jaunte

damnyanks wrote: »

If you are able too and willing do a MS in physics. As far as banks go this is the most sought after degree.

Really? Is it? I didn't know that.

Is it just certain sectors of banking that seek physicists?

Darren1o1

RubyOneNiner wrote: »

Really? Is it? I didn't know that.

Is it just certain sectors of banking that seek physicists?

Mainly due to the training inherent in the education such as critical thinking problem solving etc. It is similar for seeking engineers..

Pythia

DJDC wrote: »

Yeh I suppose if you want those hours you aren't going get it in the FO. Ive heard of flow traders working 8.30-5.30 but majority of people on trading floor work 12 hr days.8-8 for me

Yeah, no thanks!