University of Exeter Business School Employability · University of Exeter Business School...
Transcript of University of Exeter Business School Employability · University of Exeter Business School...
Welcome to a brand new academic year...!
I hope that you all had a very good summer and that you are ready to start
the new academic year with lots of energy.
I am pleased to be able to inform you that the autumn 2009 edition of the
University of Exeter Business School Employability newsletter is filled with a
number of interesting articles that have been written by staff, students and
alumni.
Mary McCarthy’s column, ‘Let’s Talk’ (p2), provides some tips for enhancing
your employability in the light of the current economic climate. To help you
consider how to act on Mary’s advice, you’ll find information about employ-
ability events that are planned for the autumn term on pages 5-9. In addition,
information about some of the societies that might be of particular interest to
Business School students appears on pages 10-11.
This issue also contains some reflective pieces written by current students
and recent graduates. For example, Ibe Enwo, reports on the MSc 2009
Euro-Trip (p4), Jordan Toy (p6) reflects on his engagement with a number of
extra curricula employability enhancing activities during his degree and Fer-
gus Daisley and Mark Bennett write about their placement experiences on
pages 12-14. Finally, Ben Foulser and Jonny Morton provide some insights
into their current roles at KPMG (p14-15) and Tom O’Leary shares some of
his recent experiences of working for Duff & Phelps LLC (p16-17).
As usual, I would like to say a very BIG ‘thank you’ to everyone who has
written an article for this issue of the newsletter.
Dr Rachel Torr
School Employability Officer, The University of Exeter Business School
Welcome to 2009-2010
Issue 10
Autumn 2009
Let’s Talk with Mary McCarthy
2
Business School Employ-ability Office Hours
3
Report on the MSc Euro-Trip 2009
4
What’s On This Term? 5
Society News 10
Seeking to Stand Out From the Crowd
12
Getting In & Getting On: Insights into Alumni Ca-reers
14
Events & Activities—Reflection on Getting Involved
6
Inside this issue:
University of Exeter Business School
Employability |Newsletter—Autumn 2009|
….with Mary, McCarthy, Careers Advisor
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Do you want the good news or the bad news? Do you want the good news or the bad news? Do you want the good news or the bad news? Is the recession easing? With so much conflicting information being presented to us, it is difficult to know what to believe. Alongside the Financial Times, my starting point is the well respected Association of
Graduate Recruiters (AGR) – an organisation which encompasses the majority of multinational recruiters in the UK as
well as a number of small and medium sized companies.
At a recent AGR conference (July 09), the current situation, based on the results of the summer 2009 survey of AGR members, was summarised thus:
• competition is increasing and the average number of graduates chasing every job on offer this year has risen to 48 per vacancy
• graduate vacancies are down 25 % compared to the last recruitment round
• the small energy and utilities sector has reported a 7.1% rise in graduate vacancies
• a degree is a good investment for a long-term future career
Carl Gilleard, AGR Chief Executive, said: "We cannot hide from the fact that dramatic vacancy cuts will make the job
search very tough for graduates both this year and probably next year too."
These findings are echoed by all recruiters visited this summer by Careers Advisers – from actuarial to public sector, accountancy to retail, and by articles in the Financial Times. A very important message flows from this concerning the
quality of applications received by recruiters.
JOBS EXISTJOBS EXISTJOBS EXISTJOBS EXIST for this year’s finalists and Masters students, but there are more people applying for each vacancy. With
increased competition for jobs, the quality of your applications has never been so important.
“Employers urge struggling graduates to research jobs and prepare for interviews more “Employers urge struggling graduates to research jobs and prepare for interviews more “Employers urge struggling graduates to research jobs and prepare for interviews more “Employers urge struggling graduates to research jobs and prepare for interviews more thoroughly than ever as competition intensifies.” thoroughly than ever as competition intensifies.” thoroughly than ever as competition intensifies.” thoroughly than ever as competition intensifies.” Association of Graduate Recruiters
Survey 2009
Even the tiniest slip on an application form will mean almost certain rejection. If you cannot take care of attention to detail in this situation, an organisation will not take the risk of letting you communicate with their clients. You will
need to research your skill set, the role you are applying for and the company before putting fingers to keyboard.
ACTION: ACTION: ACTION: ACTION:
1. Attend a workshop on Application techniques. These will be offered by the Careers and Employment Service
within your School and via a core programme of activities. See the Employability website for more details.
2. Seek out recruiters at careers fairs, skill workshops and presentations to find out more about opportunities, what
they are looking for from applications and their ‘top tips’. See your Calendar of activities (http://www.exeter.ac.uk/employability/students/events/index.php) for more details and check your emails regularly for updates from the
Business School Employability Team
A lost generation?A lost generation?A lost generation?A lost generation? A recent article in the Financial Times looked at the effects of recession on graduate salaries based on research in the US, Germany and Canada. Overall, the findings showed that, whilst people were likely to be affected by lower starting salaries and taking a while to move into their ideal jobs, the affects for recent graduates
were short lived. Also, the message was to keep your ultimate goal in mind and keep trying.
As someone who graduated in a recession (no, not the Great Depression!), I found that it was better to be in work – any work – whilst looking for that ideal job. Research shows that it is just as true now. Apart from the fact that you might be earning money, even part-time voluntary experience is developing your skills, getting you out of the house/flat and helping you to maintain a “positive mental attitude”. This will come across on your applications and at inter-
view.
This recession will end. Will you be ready for the opportunities that will be on offer?
ACTION: ACTION: ACTION: ACTION:
1. This is a good time to think about the Exeter Leaders Award if you have al-ready obtained the Exeter Award. Other universities are beginning to pick up
Issue 10 Page 2
on this idea as it gains credibility with recruiters. We were one of the first and we are still ahead of the pack!
Find out how to get involved via the Employability website.
2. Networking skills are going to be very important this year. Staff within your School are actively involving Exeter Alumni in a number of activities. Make a date to meet up with people who could be of help to you, either face-to-face on campus or via the ‘Expert’ database. More information on your Events Calendar and the Employabil-
ity website.
3. I will be available in the School at various times across the year. You are welcome to visit me for a brief careers discussion in Streatham Court or come to Reed Mews where the Careers and Employment Service is based. Appointments can be made via Reception (Streatham Court) and the reception staff (Reed Mews). There are six Careers Advisers in Reed Mews, so you should not have to wait very long for an
appointment with one of us.
Bye for now,
Mary
(Mary McCarthy, Careers Advisor, University of Exeter Careers & Employment Service)
Issue 10 Page 3
A Reminder of Business School Employability
Office Hours and Electronic Information
If you have any careers and employ-
ment queries or are applying for work
experience, internships or graduate
jobs and want some support then
please email us—Business-School-
come and see us in Room 2 Streat-
ham Court during office hours or by
appointment for some initial pointers
to get you started.
During the Autumn Term 2009, Ra-
chel Torr’s (School Employability
Officer) office hours will usually be:
Monday 1000-1100
Tuesday 1500-1600
Wednesday 1000-1100
Thursday 1500-1600
However, please check the office
door and weekly ‘What’s On?’
emails as these hours may change
due to other commitments.
Jenny Phillips (School Placement
Officer) will be available by ap-
pointment.
Don’t forget— upcoming employ-
ability events are advertised in the
weekly ‘What’s On?’ emails and
you can find employability related
information and links to useful web-
sites on the Business School Em-
ployability site on web-ct:
http://exeter.blackboard.com
In addition, you should familiarise
yourself with the University of Exe-
ter central Careers & Employment
Service’s website:
www.exeter.ac.uk/employability
Please remember to
make use of the Business School Ca-
reers Clinics which are held on a regu-
lar basis in Streatham Court by Mary
McCarthy. Details of these are avail-
able on pages 5-6 of this newsletter and
on the full Business School Employ-
ability Autumn 2009 Employability
Events Programme on the Business
School Employability site on web-ct.
If you want a 20 minute 1-2-1 appoint-
ment with Mary during one of the clin-
ics you must sign up in advance at the
Undergraduate Student Services Re-
ception in Streatham Court.
Alternatively, you can book an ap-
pointment to see a Careers Advisor at
any time in Reed Mews by calling:
01392 264420.
Report on the University of Exeter Business School
MSc Euro-Trip, 2009
Issue 10
For as long as I can remember, travelling has been an integral
part of my life. Right through my childhood days to my teens I
had always enjoyed being on the road, watching the world as
it rolled by, watching strangers as they lived their strange lives
oblivious to my intense gaze, watching the herdsmen and
their cattle, the rivers and the hills, the forests and the plains.
Although I had never left my native country Nigeria, I looked
forward to the day when I would travel around the world and
extend the breadth of my horizon. In fact, my decision to pur-
sue a Master’s degree in Finance at The University of Exeter
Business School was partly hinged on this desire.
I was glad when I learnt I would be participating in a 7-day
MSc study trip to Brussels, Frankfurt and Paris that took place
during the Easter break in 2009. Our first port of call was the
European Commission in Brussels, where we had a two hour
presentation on the role of the Commission in Europe, par-
ticularly in fostering trade relations among its members. The
presentation sparked off a debate between the students and
the presenters. Different opinions were thrown up from stu-
dents with different backgrounds and it was quite engaging to
watch the dialogue as it went back and forth.
Shortly after, we left for Frankfurt. Most of what I knew of
Germany was what I had seen on the news, and I really
looked forward to being on the live trading floor of the Frank-
furt Bourse. At the exchange we were educated on the work-
ings of the Frankfurt trading system; from receiving orders, to
market making, to executing and closing deals. We also got to
see real time quotes as and when they occurred. Although we
were not allowed on the actual floor, we observed the pro-
ceedings from above, amidst a somewhat calm and composed
atmosphere.
In Frankfurt, we were also hosted by Deutsche Bank. We
spoke directly with key representatives of the bank and it was
indeed interesting and a real privilege to have an opportunity
to ask questions while we were there.
Finally, we arrived in Paris. Although we arrived late at night,
after we checked into our rooms and had freshened up, we all
assembled at the lobby of the hotel with one mission in mind:
The Eiffel Tower. We asked for directions and were told it was
just “two minutes walk around the corner”. An hour and a
half and a cold and weary group of students later, we finally
saw the Tower some distance away. It was a good
thing we visited at night because every now and then,
the Tower was lit up by blinking lights. It was beauti-
ful.
The next day we visited the Fonds de Reserve in Paris.
This government agency was charged with the task of
catering for the pension requirements of its citizens
and was responsible for managing the pension re-
serve fund set up to support the ongoing PAYGO pen-
sion system. We brought different viewpoints from
our various backgrounds and exchanged ideas on how
best we felt the system would work. In the end, we
felt we had given something back to the French Gov-
ernment and left full of new ideas to take with us.
On our last day in Paris, we walked around the town,
visited the shops on the Champs d’ Elysees, and went
to the Louvre Museum. We saw a great many sights at
the Museum including the Mona Lisa. It was amazing
to see so many people crowd around one painting
although to me it looked no different in real life.
When we left the following day, I knew I would always
be drawn back to this city.
Overall, both socially and educationally, this was a
fantastic trip.
Ibe Enwo, (MSc in Financial Analysis & Fund Manage-
ment 2008-2009)
Report on the MSc Euro-Trip, 2009
Page 4
Issue 10
Business School Employability
EVENTS
A brief list of the autumn
School-based employability
events that have been con-
firmed to date appears below
BUT for the most up-to-date
information during the term,
including how to register for
events, see the Business School
Employability site on web-ct and
weekly ‘What’s On’ emails. If
you have any queries email: Busi-
ness-School-
12.10.09
Careers in the City
1800-1930
13.10.09
Accenture Drop-in @ The Busi-
ness School
1100-1500
13.10.09
Accenture: Business Game
1800-2000
15.10.09
Getting in & Getting on: Insights
into…(speaker TBC)
1200-1300
15.10.09
Careers Clinic - Mary McCarthy
1400-1630
19.10.09
Business School Student &
Alumni Networking Evening
1800-2045
20.10.09
Planning Your CV
1200-1300
22.10.09
Getting in & Getting on: Insights
into…(speaker TBC)
1200-1300
27.10.09
Careers Clinic - Mary McCarthy
1000-1230
02.11.09
'Would Like to Meet…': Account-
ing Careers Speed Networking
Event - Organised by the Insti-
tute of Chartered Accountants
in England & Wales (ICAEW)
1800-2000
03.11.09
Procter & Gamble CV Clinic
0900-1100
03.11.09
Job Hunting Strategies
1200-1300
04.11.09
Dunchester's Millions Policy
Game - Civil Service Fast Stream
(organised by the Business School but open to ALL Univer-sity of Exeter students)
1330-1730
05.11.09
PricewaterhouseCoopers Drop-in
@ The Business School
1000-1500
09.11.09
KPMG Business Game
1530-1730
10.11.09
Careers Clinic - Mary McCarthy
1400-1630
10.11.09
Field Trip to Francis Clark for
Final Year Undergraduate Busi-
ness School Students
1500-(approx)1800
11.11.09
Getting in & Getting on: Insights
into Stockbroking with Nick
Wills, Lennox Lowdon & Denis
Oppong (Redmayne Bentlely
Stockbrokers)
1300-1500
12.11.09
Getting In and Getting On: In-
sights into working in the for-
eign exchange markets with Greg
Edwards (B Comm, MBA FRSA) ,
Director of Corporate eCom-
merce Sales, Deutche Bank AG.
1200-1300
16.11.09
Effective Application Forms -
Mary McCarthy
1200-1300
16.11.09
PricewaterhouseCoopers: Finan-
cial Challenge Business Game
1800-2000
17.11.09
Group Interviews for 2nd Year
Undergraduate Business School
Students with Procter & Gamble
(3 X 1 hour sessions)
0900-1200
19.11.09
Careers Clinic - Mary McCarthy
1000-1230
19.11.09
Getting in & Getting on: Insights
into Marketing with Martin Moll,
Head of Marketing, Honda UK
Power Equipment
1200-1300
19.11.09
Preparing for an Assessment Cen-
tre: Practical session with Sam-
worth Brothers
1800-1930
23.11.09
Ernst & Young: Business Game (To
Be Confirmed)
1800-2000
24.11.09
Careers Clinic - Mary McCarthy
1000-1230
24.11.09
Business School International
Students: working in the UK af-
ter your studies – support avail-
able and visa information
1400-1600
Business School Employability —What’s on this term?
Page 5
Business School Employability
EVENTS—Continued:
30.11.09
Deloitte Drop-in @ The Busi-
ness School
1100-1500
30.11.09
Deloitte: Business Game
1800-2000
01.12.09
Mock Interviews with Pricewa-
terhouseCoopers
1100-1600
01.12.09
Understanding Psychometric
Testing
1200-1300
02.12.09
Mock Interviews with Edge
Recruits
1000-1600
02.12.09
Managing your Career
1800-1930
03.12.09
Getting in & Getting on: In-
sights into…(speaker TBC)
1200-1300
03.12.09
Careers Clinic—Mary
McCarthy
1400-1630
07.12.09
Ernst & Young Drop-in @ The
Business School (To Be Con-
firmed)
TBC
08.12.09
Careers Clinic - Mary
McCarthy
1000-1230
10.12.09
Getting in & Getting on: In-
sights into…(speaker TBC)
1200-1300
Page 6 Issue 10
Having joined the University of Exeter Business School in 2005, enjoyed four years, and now graduating, with a career in the British Army ahead, it becomes increasingly apparent, discussing the matter with peers, how easy this process has been made by the efforts of the Business School. From the outset (as ‘Fresher’s’), we were constantly encouraged to consider future employment, more specifically our individual ‘employability’, assured that our time at university would fly by and before we knew it we would be starring down the barrel of the ‘real world’. Unfortunately, this prophecy has indeed been realised, and before you know what’s what you are a third/ fourth year who has a good degree from a good university and are, on paper…virtually identical to thousands of other applicants applying for the same jobs. However, this is where the University of Exeter Business School sticks its head above the parapet and offers a significant helping hand, providing a multitude of employability events, meetings, interviews and many other services! The point here is that help is on tap, and should be seized at every available opportunity, especially considering current employment climates.
From a personal perspective, having largely ignored many services available during my first year (with a rather smug view that I already had a ‘job’, so didn’t need to bother), I realised that if my existing plan fell through, I was stranded without a hope of finding anyone to employ me, as all those around me seemed to be taking full advantage of the services mentioned above and so were way ahead in the employability pecking order. I can only say I am pleased these mistakes were realised early enough to be corrected.
During my second year, following the award of an Army Undergraduate Bursary, I joined the University Officer Training Corps and attended training on Wednesday evenings (when not playing rugby for the University) and every other weekend. This decision has proved one of, if not the, best I have made at University, and even for those not considering a future in the military (as many who join OTC initially are not), I would thoroughly recommend attending a ‘welcome’ evening to see what goes on and what superb opportunities are available. Skills honed here have allowed many friends to find jobs outside the military, and although joining may seem a far more significant commitment to other clubs or societies (it is!), the mantra ‘the more you put it in, the more you get out’ wholly applies, with the returns from joining immeasurably larger than the costs. I have been lucky enough during my time to participate in training with the Royal Marines, ski in Austria (at a very reasonable price!), climb mountains and trek through jungle in Peru, as well as being a member of a Guinness World Breaking team! You also get paid and fed.
My third year of my degree was spent studying in Sweden, where the offer of spending a year living in another country sampling a foreign culture and opportunities for four week forays into the Arctic circle, proved too good to be true, and was gladly accepted. Opportunities for studying abroad are accessible through Erasmus Study Abroad Scheme and I would highly recommend this experience to anyone.
In the Business School, extra-curricular activities such as the IBM Universities Business Challenge - a large competition simulating a business environment - has facilitated meeting potential employers face to face, something that can only be encouraged when attempting to make a positive impression. The Exeter Award, achieved through attending opportunities ranging from ‘meet and greets’ with potential employers to simulation games, interview technique, advice on how to improve (or start writing!) your CV, provides an excellent way for you to enhance your employability. For those committed enough, there is the Exeter Leaders Award, harder to gain, but something that further differentiates you from ‘the crowd’. There is a multitude of employability-related skills sessions and presentations offered here and I believe that they should be seized at every opportunity. Good Luck!
Jordan Toy (BA Business Economics with European Study, 2009)
Events & Activities...Reflections on getting involved
Issue 10 Page 7
YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO IMPRESS EMPLOYERS
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A
CAREER IN ACCOUNTANCY?
If you are a final year or post-grad
student the ‘would like to meet event’
run by the ICAEW could be the perfect
way for you to network with future
employers. As long as you have/are
expecting a 2:1 and have a genuine
interest in a career in accountancy, you
are eligible to attend this event.
The evening will run with a number of
three minute mini speed-networking
slots with employers, this is your chance
to impress and ask all the questions you
may have about the ACA. Who knows
where this networking may lead!
www.icaew.com/careers
Date: Monday 2nd November
Time: 6pm-8pm
Limited spaces only. Register now with the University
of Exeter Business School Employability team
Email: Business-School-
Page 8 Issue 10
University of Exeter Careers & Employment Service Events:
For information about careers and employability events that are organised by the University of Exeter
Careers & Employment Service and open to all University of Exeter students please go to:
www.exeter.ac.uk/employability/students/events/index.php
NB: Registration information for Business School Employability School-Based Employability events also
appears on this website
Page 9 Issue 10
University of Exeter Careers & Employment Service Events:
For information about careers and employability events that are organised by the University of Exeter
Careers & Employment Service and open to all University of Exeter students please go to:
www.exeter.ac.uk/employability/students/events/index.php
NB: Registration information for Business School Employability School-Based Employability events also
appears on this website
The CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) SocietyThe CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) SocietyThe CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) SocietyThe CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Society
The CFA ® Society was the brain-
child of three students on the MSc
Financial Analysis & Fund Manage-
ment, Roman Arbuzov, Timur Ashi-
mov and Vaibhav Singhal. Their
commitment and enthusiasm soon
brought on-board Danara Ber-
ishbayeva, Efe Omoduemuke, Ibe
Enwo and Yingna Huang. The Soci-
ety introduced a programme of ac-
tivities aimed at any student in the
School or University who was inter-
ested in the CFA (Chartered Finan-
cial Analyst) professional qualifica-
tion and finance more generally. CFA
designation is one of the most re-
spected amongst finance profession-
als worldwide.
The aim of our Society is to provide
academic support to students by en-
couraging them to work together and
to help each other. Every Wednesday
night during the last academic year
our academic officer, Efe Omodue-
muke, held a session on difficult top-
ics in finance that appear in the Uni-
versity’s finance modules and the
CFA curriculum. Those who attended
found these sessions very useful as
the topics covered were chosen by the
society members themselves. These
classes took the form of a discussion
and allowed students to reach the
solutions themselves.
An equally important priority of CFA
soc was to help students find a job.
Alumni working in the city were in-
vited to give current students tips and
advice on how to find a job in this
challenging financial climate. CFA
soc team also laid the foundation for
future cooperation between the next
generation of Exeter students and
several well renowned institutions in
the U.K such as the Bank of England
and CFA society of the U.K, the big-
gest society of CFA professionals in
the world. CFA UK representatives
came to Exeter to give a presentation
and offered society members free
places for big events in London. In
addition to this, CFA society estab-
lished links with local businesses that
will definitely pay dividends in the
future. An Exeter based brokerage
company and Ernst &Young Exeter
branch will both be giving their pres-
entations at the university this au-
tumn. This will be a great opportunity
for students to build their networks
that may even turn into a job offer,
just as it already has for one of our
members!
CFA Society Members en route
to the Bank of England
The biggest event that the Society
organised this year was the trip to the
Bank of England, London, with a
budget of nearly £2,000. At the bank,
students had an opportunity to dis-
cuss financial crisis with an industry
expert and get a good understanding
of how the oldest financial institution
in the U.K. functions. Thanks to the
efforts of our treasurer, Timur Ashi-
mov, the society secured £850 of
sponsorship. The trip itself was a
great success and this was largely due
to our Social Secretary, Ibe Enwo,
who was in charge of this event.
In 2008-2009, starting from scratch,
the society grew to 130 members.
What helped us to get there and keep
our motivation high was clear vision
of where we wanted to be and careful
planning combined with great execu-
tion. However, above all, it was the
tremendous support of our members
that encouraged us to put in the extra
effort required to make the society so
successful in its first year. Although
the original committee members
completed their courses at Exeter in
2008-2009, we very much hope that the
CFA society will continue to build on
what we have managed to achieve so far.
Roman Arbuzov, (MSc in Financial
Analysis & Fund Management, 2008-
2009), CFA President, 2008-2009
Issue 10
Society News…Society News…Society News…Society News…One way to enhance your employability and have a lots of fun is to join
one of the Guild societies. There are literally hundreds of societies but the articles below provide information
about some of those that Business School students might find particularly interesting and useful to join...
Page 10
The Finance Society
Fancy a career in finance? Want to be
offered high quality talks to help you
choose that career? Do you want to at-
tend some awesome socials? If you an-
swered yes to any of these, you may want
to give the Finance Society a try. With
over 200 members we are one of the larg-
est subject based societies at Exeter, and
we hope to get bigger and better for this
coming academic year.
The main aim of Finance Society is to
provide our members with access to some
of the world’s top recruiters; to equip
them with knowledge to help them suc-
ceed and to have fun whilst doing it. We
have invited many top professionals from
within the world of finance to come and
speak to us on a range of matters, and
have begun planning a variety of socials,
including our Welcome Week event, a
quiz night on Monday, 8pm in the Long
Lounge, Devonshire House (look out for
posters). Entry will be free, with refresh-
ments and prizes!
The more members Finance Society has,
the more events we can run and the more
everyone will benefit. It you wish to join,
you can do so at the reasonable price of
£5 for the year, £9 for 2 years or £12 for
3 years. Email me on [email protected]
with your details; come along to our quiz
night in Welcome Week or look for our
stand in the Squash. We are a very ap-
proachable committee, and will be happy
to help with any questions you may have.
We look forward to seeing you next year.
Kelly Harkins, BA Economics & Finance yr
2, Finance Society President, 2009-2010
Exeter Model United Nations SocietyExeter Model United Nations SocietyExeter Model United Nations SocietyExeter Model United Nations Society
Issue 10
Exeter Model United Nations Soci-
ety is entering its second year as a
Guild-recognised society at the Uni-
versity. The society takes part in
Model UN conferences, hosts talks
and, in 2010, will be hosting its own
Model UN conference, ExMUN, for
secondary school students in the
local area.
Model United Nations is a simulation
of the UN General Assembly and
other multilateral bodies. In Model
UN, students step into the shoes of
ambassadors from UN member
states to debate current issues on
the organisation's agenda. While
playing their roles as ambassadors,
student ‘delegates’ make speeches,
prepare draft resolutions, negotiate
with allies and adversaries, resolve
conflicts, and navigate the Model UN
conference rules of procedure, all in
the interest of mobilising
‘international cooperation’ to resolve
problems that affect countries all
over the world.
Before playing out their ambassado-
rial roles in a Model UN simulation,
students research the issue that their
committee will address. Model UN
participants learn how the interna-
tional community acts on its con-
cerns about topics including peace,
security, human rights, the environ-
ment, food and famine, economic
development and globalisation.
Model UN delegates also look closely
at the needs, goals and foreign policies
of the countries they will represent at
the event. The insights they gain from
their exploration of history, geogra-
phy, culture, economics and science
contribute to the authenticity of the
simulation when the role-playing gets
under way. The delegates' in-depth
knowledge of their countries guaran-
tees a lively and memorable experi-
ence.
The society had great success in its
first year, sending two delegations to
Model UN conferences: one to the
London International Model United
Nations conference, and another to
the Harvard World Model UN confer-
ence, this year held in The Hague, Hol-
land, which is the largest conference
outside of the USA - this year it
brought together 2500 students from
40 countries over 5 continents. In
addition to attending conferences, the
society held workshops every week in
order to train delegates for the confer-
ences, followed by socials in the Ram.
The Exeter delegation at LIMUN, rep-
resenting Bolivia, Jordan and Kuwait,
was very successful, receiving two
‘distinguished delegate’ awards and an
‘honourable mention’.
At the Harvard World MUN confer-
ence the delegation represented the
Central African Republic, San Marino
and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The delegation engaged in some fan-
tastic debates, including discussions on
effective methods for dealing with
natural disasters, democratic govern-
ance and the election process, health
care for sex workers, non-proliferation,
and the militarisation of space, to
name but a few. In true diplomatic
style, most of the deals were made
outside of the committee sessions at
the social events that were provided.
It was an amazing experience, and one
that was thoroughly enjoyed by all who
attended.
In the year ahead, the society will be
sending delegations to the Warwick
MUN, a conference that will be pre-
dominantly for those interested in ex-
periencing Model United Nations for
the first time, London International
Model UN, and once again, Harvard
World MUN conference which is to be
held in Taipei in 2010. In addition to
these, workshops will be held for those
wanting to find out more about the
society and Model UN.
For more information about Model UN
or the society, please contact Jonathan
Colmer at [email protected], or
come and see us at the freshers
squash, or at our welcome week event
in Amory 501 on the 1st
October, which
will be followed by a joint BBQ with the
Amnesty International Society in the
Ram beer garden.
Jonathan Colmer, BA Economics, yr 3
EMUN Society President, 2009-2010
Page 11
2009-2010 Committee—Left to right: Andrew Chappell (Treasurer), Sophie Paulides (Vice President), Timothy Wilson (President), Laura Page (President) , George Robinson (Vice President) , Sam Hill (Social Secre-tary) , James Meadows (Sports Secretary)
Hellooo Freshers! Congratulations on getting into what, we believe, is probably the best Business School in the country! We’re your Business and Economics society com-mittee for this year! Our aim is to make sure you HAVE FUN and get as much out of this year as possible!
Why should you join our society? SOCIALS…we’re planning some HUUUGE socials for you…so be sure not to miss them! STASH…look like the biz in your BESoc stash! EMPLOYABILITY…we will provide you with an insight into potential careers you may pursue in the future
and provide you various useful contacts. Also, we have a number of interesting speakers lined up for you and attendance will count towards the Exeter Award.
TRIPS…to get away from the fast-paced business life of the West Country, we’re planning an excursion. SPORTS…get involved and compete against other societies… ADVICE…any questions about your course or general student life, we’re here to help!
The Business & Economics Society
Fergus Daisley and the Deloitte Summer Placement Scheme...Fergus Daisley and the Deloitte Summer Placement Scheme...Fergus Daisley and the Deloitte Summer Placement Scheme...Fergus Daisley and the Deloitte Summer Placement Scheme... I chose to do a
placement for a
variety of rea-
sons; the key one
simply being to
secure a job for
when I graduate.
Since my first year
I had hoped to get on to an internship
in my penultimate year and, through
chatting to recruitment staff at em-
ployability events on campus, I found
the scheme at Deloitte very appeal-
ing. The people they sent out to
events were confident, motivated and
easy to get on with.
In the second year of my four year
Economics and Finance WES degree
I went along to a Deloitte insight day
at their Reading office with the Exe-
ter Finance Society. It was an excel-
lent experience meeting staff of all
levels up to partner; we played busi-
ness games and listened to presenta-
tions. I got speaking to a Deloitte
director over lunch and afterwards he
suggested that I should apply for the
Summer Vacation Scheme.
I followed the director’s advice and,
as soon as applications opened for the
following year (July I think), I ap-
plied for the placement at the Read-
ing office. The application process
was thorough; I spent a lot of time
fine tuning my application form be-
fore sending it off and I heard back
within 24 hours. The online tests fol-
lowed and again I heard in good time.
I was actually on my year abroad in
France when I was invited to inter-
view, so I was pleased to see that
Deloitte covered travelling costs of
up to £150 at that time. I found my-
self enjoying the competency based
interview and e-tray exercise and felt
reasonably confident that they had
gone well.
The placement started towards the
end of June 2008, it lasted 7 weeks
and the idea was to gain an all round
experience with Deloitte. The first
week was spent in a hotel meeting
other students on the scheme from all
over the country, playing teambuild-
ing games and chatting to Deloitte
employees. I then had two three week
rotations in the service lines I had
chosen.
I chose to rotate between the Audit
and Corporate Tax departments. In
audit I spent all three weeks out of
the office at four different client sites
spanning from London to Oxford,
going over financial statements, car-
rying out physical stock checks and
reading over company minutes. In
corporate tax I got involved in a wide
range of work. A particularly interest-
ing project I worked on involved a lot
of research to determine the length of
time advertising has an impact on
sales in an attempt to price the intan-
gible asset of ‘brand value’.
Of the two departments I personally
clicked more with Corporate Tax so
when it came to my partner interview
at the end of the scheme that was the
department I opted for. Deloitte of-
fers great flexibility in making your
career choice; you were able to take
your partner interview in any office
for any department no matter what
you did during your placement. So,
while I carried out my placement in
the Reading office, I actually chose to
go for the job in London.
I really enjoyed my placement, I was
one of ten interns at the Reading of-
fice and we all got on really well. We
had a number of socials organised for us,
and a few that we set up ourselves. The
whole summer was an excellent experi-
ence, we were all assigned buddies in our
departments and they did their best to see
that we got interesting work and a good
look at all aspects of the job. As such, I
got the opportunity to travel up to North
London first-class with a director and
partner and attend a very interesting meet-
ing with the CEO and finance director of
a global company. This was also one of
my more challenging experiences as I was
given the role of note taking throughout
the meeting, and had to make sure I didn’t
miss any details.
The great thing about the scheme is you
get to try out a few service lines with no
strings attached and see which you like
best, all while being paid an excellent
wage. Also, you take your partner inter-
view at the end of your placement, and
after 7 weeks working with Deloitte
you’re more than ready for it!
Having a job secured all through my final
year was phenomenal, it gave me more
time to focus on everything else and
really make the most of my last year at
Exeter.
I would recommend this particular intern-
ship scheme, and Deloitte, to anyone who
is interested in business, finance, or sim-
ply a fantastic career. My advice would
be: apply as early as possible, places are
filled on a first come first served basis,
and attend as many careers events as you
can, particularly those organised by your
target firm. It will make your application
form much easier to write and will pay
dividends when you get to interview.
Fergus Daisley, BA Economics & Fi-
nance with European Study, 2009
Issue 10
The next few pages of the newsletter contain student written articles that highlight how students at the Uni-versity of Exeter Business School are striving to make sure that they stand out from the crowd when it comes
to securing a graduate level job by engaging in activities that will enhance their employability…
In this issue, the spotlight is on internships and includes one article by a current final year student, Mark Bennett, on his year with Thomson Reuters and another by a recent graduate, Fergus Daisley, who wrote his reflective piece just before he
graduated last summer
Please note: I am very keen to hear from anyone who would like to contribute an article for this section of future issues of
the newsletter. If you would like to share any of your employability-enhancing experiences with others please email me: [email protected]. Articles can be on any topic that relates to something that you have done that
has enhanced your employability, for example, volunteering, participating in student team challenges/business games, stu-dent societies, part-time work, a placement scheme or a company insight day/week/academy...the list is endless…!
Seeking To Stand Out From The Crowd...
Page 12
Why Internships are the Way Forward….by Mark BennettWhy Internships are the Way Forward….by Mark BennettWhy Internships are the Way Forward….by Mark BennettWhy Internships are the Way Forward….by Mark Bennett
Issue 10
Internship
Details
Company
Name: Thom-
son Reuters
Department:
Global Business
Operations
Position: Project Executive
Why do an Internship?
Internships are not just about giv-
ing you an experience within the
workplace; they can offer you a
fantastic opportunity to massively
increase your employability. In-
ternships can advance your inter-
personal skills to levels you would
never deem possible, and all this at
the age of twenty one.
My first thoughts upon taking up an
Internship began in December
2008. I was reading an article in
the Sunday Times - “Internships
Give an Extra Edge”. After reading
the article, and several hours of
thinking it over (Magners in hand),
I came to the conclusion, that not
only would an Internship give me a
great deal of experience within a
business function I am interested
in, but also give me a real ground-
ing in the business world for the
final year of my degree.
How to secure an Internship
After several weeks of research
into organisations which interested
me, using companies’ websites,
reading reviews and calling numer-
ous recruitment agencies, I pro-
duced a short list of ten top Intern-
ships.
The application process was gener-
ally consistent between organisa-
tions, and was based upon submit-
ting an application with your CV,
and getting through the numerical
& verbal reasoning tests.
You may find, like I did, that you
will receive no feedback for several
weeks, as often the recruitment
teams have a large amount of appli-
cations to get through. However,
one afternoon I received a phone
call from Thomson Reuters, who
wished to arrange a telephone in-
terview with me. Following the
telephone interview, I was invited
to their spectacularly sited Canary
Wharf Office where I would be
based, to have a formal interview
with my Manager, the Head of Busi-
ness Process.
Following a formal morning inter-
view, I found out that I had been
successful and would be the Intern
for the Global Business Operations
Team for the year 2008/2009.
My Thomson Reuters Internship
My Internship with Thomson
Reuters began in August 2008. I
was working for the Global Busi-
ness Operations Department, with
the role of ‘Project Executive’. My
first day felt like that first day you
went to school. I remember stand-
ing in the lift, surrounded by a
group of obviously very influential
businessmen, thinking, ‘Wow I feel
young’.
During the morning of my first day
I was given two long term goals by
my Manager. 1) Become a guru on
our Thomson Reuters Unified Sales
Tool (TRUST), 2) Present Top 10
Usability Enhancements for TRUST.
From this, I was handed a 700 page
User Guide for TRUST & a URL to
an Online Learning Resource. I re-
ceived no official formal training, or
step by step guidance, but natu-
rally, if on occasion I became com-
pletely stuck, the team were really
supportive. As my experience with
the company grew day by day, I
realised that if I wanted to succeed
in this role, I was going to have to
be ultra efficient with my organisa-
tion skills, and ability to manage
my own learning.
Over the following months, I spent
a large amount of time working
alongside Project Managers within
our Team, working on Projects
which were largely associated with
TRUST. This gave me a very good
insight into the main functions I
had to learn. Within 4-5 months I
was perfectly confident with the
application, and by the end of my
Internship I acted as a resource to
train new team members on the
system.
One of the biggest tasks I took on
during my time with Thomson
Reuters was managing several of my
own Global Projects. For each, I had
to produce a project plan, manage
deadlines, meet expectations of sen-
ior management, and supply the end
users with a project they were con-
tent with. I personally found this ex-
tremely enjoyable, as I was able to
delegate tasks, and was allowed com-
plete flexibility to manage the pro-
jects in a way I felt best. At no point
did I feel like I was ‘just an Intern’, I
always felt that I was a true Project
Manager.
What challenges did I overcome?
One of the greatest challenges which
I had to overcome started at the very
beginning of my time with the com-
pany. Maybe it is a guy ego thing, but
I can’t stand feeling inferior, and
wanted to advance my knowledge of
the TRUST application as fast as I
could. As there was no formal train-
ing on the application, I had to estab-
lish a way of training myself effi-
ciently, whilst also learning about
many other aspects of the business.
What surprises did I encounter?
From the first day I joined Thomson
Reuters, I was given meaningful
tasks, which were really contributing
to the success of the organisation.
Looking back, this management style
suited my personality perfectly, as it
quickly allowed me to feel part of the
organisation, and greatly enhanced
my ability to learn.
What did I get out of my Internship
Experience?
My experience with Thomson
Reuters has turned my ambition of
being a ‘City Boy’ into a reality. I have
been able to work in one of the
world’s most prestigious brands, in
one of the most spectacular locations,
alongside some of the brightest
minds within the organisation, and,
to top it all, during the most trau-
matic financial crisis since the 1930s.
On a personal level, I have not only
advanced my understanding and in-
terest in the Global Business Opera-
tions role, but also the financial mar-
kets we are working within. Bringing
back my original point about employ-
Page 13
ability, I now can add Thomson Reuters to the front of my CV, which will always provide me with kudos when faced
with future employers.
In addition the experience gave me a fantastic understanding of what a working lifestyle really involves. The ability
to balance a 2 hour each way commute, a strong fitness regime as well as a social life; the answer: Time Manage-
ment! You learn to appreciate those 30minute breaks, which normally get absorbed with a re-run of Top Gear on
Dave.
What advice would I give to individuals interested in Internships?
As the title of this report states ‘Internships are the way forward’. If what I have discussed really ticks boxes for you,
I advise that you have a sit down somewhere quiet, and really think about what kind of career you wish to pursue.
Don’t worry if you can’t decide on a precise function, any Internship experience will be priceless, whatever your cho-
sen role.
Once you’ve decided on which type of Internship to go for, investigate as many Internship opportunities as you can.
Use all the resources you can think of, you would be amazed how much help and assistance people will give you, if
you are willing to ask for it.
When applying, and submitting your application for the Internship schemes, make sure you have done your re-
search. As I am sure you are aware, it is an extremely tough market out there, and employers only want the best.
Once your application has been sent, remember to follow it up, if you haven’t heard any feedback within five-seven
days. But remember, don’t hassle, be polite and professional.
Once you are successful, remember to give it a constant 100%, make it your goal to never say no to a task. But most
of all ENJOY IT! It will be an experience you will never forget, and will give a huge boost to your future career.
Mark A Bennett, BA Business & Management, Yr3
Issue 10 Page 14
‘Getting In & Getting On’: Insights into Alumni Careers...
This section of the newsletter is set aside for contributions from University of Exeter Business School (formerly the
School of Business & Economics or ‘SoBE’) Alumni who have very kindly agreed to reflect on their careers—or any par-
ticular aspect(s) of their careers— since their graduation. In this issue, Ben Foulser and Jonny Morton provide some
insights into their current roles at KPMG and Tom O’Leary writes about his experiences at Duff & Phelps LLC.
Please note: I am very keen to hear from any alumni who would like to contribute an article for this section of future
issues of the newsletter. If you would like to share any aspects of your experiences in your career in order to provide
some insights to students who might be considering similar pathways please email me—Rachel Torr:
My name is Ben Foulser and I graduated from Exeter in 2006 with a BA(Hons) Economics. When I first en-rolled at Exeter I had applied to
join the Business Management course; however, having attended the first two weeks of lectures I decided that I wanted a more mathematically-based degree course. As a result I switched to Economics, taking elective mod-ules in Politics and Philosophy of Economics, French and German in addition to the non-elective modules including Statistics, Econometrics and Advanced Mathematics for Economists. Be-ing able to elect modules outside
of the Business School meant that I was able to take language mod-ules that have been invaluable in my role today, providing skills for overseas projects that have in-cluded a week in Paris with a well known Sports Broadcaster.
I am now in my third year in a Graduate Advisory role with KPMG. My role includes both Ac-counting System Audit and Busi-ness Effectiveness advisory. This spans many clients across multi-ple industries. Although my main focus currently is Defence and Transport I have been fortunate to work with clients ranging from Blue-Chip to local housing au-thorities. I have assisted transport clients with revenue protection and streamlining revenue proc-esses and, conversely, provided I.T. audit assistance for Defence,
Construction, Insurance and Banking clients. My training contract has af-forded me the opportunity to complete my ACA (Chartered Accountants) qualification, qualifying in August 2009. Training for the ACA will involve several weeks at college per annum, which is scheduled in-between pro-jects and paid for by KPMG.
In the summer of my second year of my degree, I undertook work experi-ence with a Management Consultancy in Exeter under the Shell STEP scheme, which provides placements for undergraduates in their penulti-mate years. This placement was in-strumental in both giving me the skills required for my current role, giving me the confidence and ability to talk to CIO’s and CFO’s, and in providing me with a career direction. I started to apply for graduate jobs within a week of completing my work experience
Insights from Ben Foulser at KPMG…..
placement, confident that I wanted to embark upon a career in Manage-ment Advisory services, supported by a well-known company with var-ied and interesting clients. KPMG appealed to me as an employee-centric firm which provided strong training, good pastoral support, and a host of extra-curricular activities.
The three years I have been with KPMG have provided me with a wealth of experiences, from interna-tional travel to working alongside CIO’s and CFO’s of Fortune-500 companies. The job is challenging but rewards you in the knowledge of how much you can achieve. Fitting in studying for the ACA alongside work commitments has resulted in many late nights and weekends spent revising. However, I will bene-fit from an internationally renowned qualification that contributes greatly to the work I undertake. I have been pleasantly surprised with the level of extra-curricular activities that KPMG supports, including Music, Sport and Drama. I am a committee member of the Choir and Drama groups and am actively involved in sailing. The people I have met through my ACA training and with whom I work are not just colleagues but good friends with whom I regularly meet up with at the weekend. This provides a good working atmosphere and a strong support structure.
Should you be thinking about enter-ing a similar field today I would sug-gest that you try and get as much work experience as possible. This does not need to be in the Accoun-tancy or Advisory sector but should show that you are confident and can show initiative. Try to get involved in extra-curricular activities and, if pos-sible, become a committee member. This shows that you can be both a team player but also hold a position of responsibility. Finally, when ap-plying for jobs, think about who you are applying to and for what role. Tailor your applications and do some research on both the company and the position being offered.
Since completing my degree, I have had three great years with KPMG and I would highly recommend both the company and my role to anyone wanting a career in Advisory or Au-dit-related work.
Ben Foulser, BA Economics, 2006
Issue 10 Page 15
Name
Jonny Morton
Graduated
Summer 2007
Degree
BA Accounting & Finance
Background
After Exeter I decided I wanted
to join tax because the variation
with compliance and advisory work
was appealing as opposed to au-
dit’s more compliance focussed
roles. I chose KPMG because their
tax graduate programme seemed
to provide a lot of opportunities
to move around different depart-
ments in tax. I believe this is
beneficial because until you have
tried something, you cannot be
sure you will like it.
During your graduate programme,
you are required to second to dif-
ferent departments for at least 8
months. I hope to have also tried
both private client and corporate
tax work before I qualify and at
KPMG they make this easy to do
and encourage it.
KPMG has its own school to study
for ICAS and CTA exams and the
Tax Business School (TBS) is a
great feature of the company.
TBS means that you get to meet
all the new joiners at KPMG in
your year from across the coun-
try when you study, which helps
to improve your inter-firm con-
tacts. TBS also makes getting
through the exams easier, with
support from the TBS team avail-
able all year round.
What do I do?
Indirect Tax – Knowledge Man-
agement
My current role focuses on ana-
lysing the latest happenings in
VAT. It mainly involves research-
ing new VAT cases in the courts
and new VAT legislation from
HMRC. I then communicate this
information to other members of
the Indirect Tax practice and
also to our clients via newslet-
ters.
This research role enables me to
gain a large understanding of
VAT in a short space of time
which will be very useful in my
future career progression. Also,
because I write a newsletter to
the whole practice each week I
am one of the most well-known
people in KPMG Indirect Tax,
even though I have only been
here for 6 months.
My role in Knowledge Manage-
ment is temporary and I will be
moving to another department by
the end of my first year.
Tips
I would advise anyone who is
thinking of joining a tax depart-
ment at KPMG to look at all the
different parts of tax that are
available before making a deci-
sion. Before I joined KPMG, I had
never even considered Indirect
Tax and it’s a really great de-
partment. VAT is interesting be-
cause it’s always changing and
counts for a large proportion of
HMRC’s tax revenue. The major-
ity of the work in Indirect Tax is
advisory based (which is a lot
more interesting than compliance
work), and the people who work in
the department are really inter-
esting well rounded people. I
work good hours and the work is
always varied.
Jonny Morton, BA Accounting & Finance, 2007
Insights from Jonny Morton at KPMG…..
Insights From Tom O’Leary at Duff & Phelps...Insights From Tom O’Leary at Duff & Phelps...Insights From Tom O’Leary at Duff & Phelps...Insights From Tom O’Leary at Duff & Phelps...
Issue 10
When I was given the chance to When I was given the chance to When I was given the chance to When I was given the chance to
write an article in the Exeter em-write an article in the Exeter em-write an article in the Exeter em-write an article in the Exeter em-
ployability newsletter my initial reac-ployability newsletter my initial reac-ployability newsletter my initial reac-ployability newsletter my initial reac-
tion was slightly reserved.tion was slightly reserved.tion was slightly reserved.tion was slightly reserved. I say this
because I am always a tad skeptical
of people who “report back” from
their position of relative success to
those who are still striving to get
there. Particularly in the current
climate, securing a job, let alone
one which merits your skills and
aspirations, is even more of a chal-
lenge than normal. So to read about
somebody who was fortunate
enough to “get in” just before the
world seemingly came to its knees,
may well have the opposite effect to
that which was intended - it might
do little to encourage and motivate,
more to stir resentment and loath-
ing. However I have decided to write
this article in the hope that those
who read it will understand I’m not
trying to advise on “living the
dream” and “never giving up” but to
try and offer a few helpful insights,
and panic-calming thoughts for
those who already possess the
drive and ambition to reach their
goals when they leave the confines
of university.
So, as a brief introduction, I gradu-
ated in 2008 with a first-class de-
gree in Economics from the Busi-
ness School at the University of
Exeter. I completed a straight three-
year course and achieved my result
through a combination of determi-
nation, hard-work and, as with eve-
ryone, an element of luck. I now
work at Duff & Phelps LLC (“D&P”),
a leading global independent pro-
vider of financial advisory and in-
vestment banking services.
D&P are a listed company on the
New York Stock Exchange with of-
fices across the United States and
in London, Munich, Paris, Amster-
dam, Tokyo and Shanghai. The firm
offers a broad range of financial
advisory services including valua-
tion, transactions, financial restruc-
turing, dispute and taxation. D&P
ranked third in “Mid-Market M&A
League Tables” (published by
Thomson Reuters). Although the
firm may be less well-known to
graduates in the UK, D&P are well-
respected and well-known in the
United States and its reputation is
growing across the rest of the
world.
Working for a company that is grow-
ing and evolving even during such
tough market conditions encour-
ages a certain entrepreneurial
spirit. The reason for mentioning
this is that I cannot stress enough
about being open-minded when it
comes to applying to companies for
that elusive first position. Try and
find an area in which you are inter-
ested, although admittedly this is
often easier said than done, and
then research the firms in that in-
dustry. In addition to the careers
centre, talking to people you know
and networking, getting the names
of companies in the industry and
doing internet searches for com-
petitors are good ways to help you
seek out all of the options available.
I strongly suggest doing as much
research as possible, because it will
open up a wide range of possibili-
ties.
I am based in the London office of
D&P located in Canary Wharf and
work in the Valuation Advisory
team. My work primarily involves
the valuations of companies and
private equity portfolios. I have
been fully involved with D&P’s cli-
ents, which include some of the
world’s largest corporate compa-
nies and major private equity
houses. As an independent firm,
D&P is able to value the portfolios
of private equity houses to give in-
vestors an indication of the true
value of their investment in today’s
market. The work is varied, interest-
ing and it requires a whole range of
skills, none less important that
common sense! There is a definite
need to be able to think outside the
box on occasions. Don’t make the
mistake that it is all about numbers,
valuation is as much an art as it is a
science.
I joined the firm in July 2008, so my
final summer’s freedom was cut
painfully short. However I was ex-
cited to start work and begin the
next phase of life. I was excited be-
cause it was something I wanted to
do and I had a genuine interest in
the industry. I wanted to learn about
the industry, start being tested in
the finance world, and to earn some
money at last! But I urge everyone to
try and become involved in some-
thing that they have an interest in.
It’s very easy to say that they will “do
it for a few years then leave”; work is
an everyday commitment for a long
time! Please don’t let me put you off
the working world. There are times
when it’s tough, and times when it’s
great, but you just won’t experience
any of those “great” times if you are
not doing something you enjoy, at
least a little bit. Most of us will have
to work for 40 years or more, don’t
keep striving to earn more money at
the expense of your happiness. Be
determined, be driven and strive for
success, absolutely; but maintain a
balance in your aspirations and
don’t feel pressured into choosing a
job that you think you should do,
rather than one that you want to do.
So far, my time at Duff & Phelps has
been a steep learning curve and one
which has developed both my tech-
nical skills “on the job” and also my
overall persona. Dealing with tough
questions in front of a client, work-
ing to tight deadlines and interacting
with a wide range of people have
really helped me more than I can
explain in this article.
My first two weeks were spent in the
office and I was then flown to Chi-
cago to undergo a two week inten-
sive training program called D&P
University with the other new-hires
from across the world. This was a
fantastic learning experience, not
only for the business class luxuries I
was privileged to enjoy, but meeting
my new colleagues, exploring Chi-
cago and becoming more orientated
with the company. There was plenty
of work too, but it genuinely was one
of the most enjoyable times I’ve had,
and something that gave me an im-
mediate good feeling about the firm
I had joined.
Since my time at D&P University, I
have used the contacts I made there
in my day-to-day work on a regular
basis. Getting involved and making
the effort to meet people when I was
in America has helped me no end,
Page 16
and it is another thing that I believe is crucial in getting a foot in the door. With this in mind, I would encourage you to
try and attend the employability events that the University organises, maybe some of them don’t appeal, but you
really do not know who you will meet and where it may lead. It may be a surprise to hear, but the people I work with
now do come back to the office and talk about those they have met at university recruiting events. People who make
the effort to interact, who put in the work to research the industry and are pro-active are much more likely to get no-
ticed and be remembered than those who think everything will come to them purely because they are finishing uni-
versity with a degree.
Getting a good degree does open a lot of doors and, from what I can gather, it is almost a pre-requisite nowadays,
particularly in certain industries such as finance. Since I started working I have furthered my education by passing
the first level of my Chartered Financial Analyst (“CFA”) exams, which D&P helped to support. This was a rigorous few
months of work during my own free time and with no tutor to guide me. However since I completed this, I’m so
pleased I put in the effort. Not only has it helped my work, given me more credibility with my colleagues and in-
creased my employability, I have subsequently learnt that certain universities, including Exeter, offer the CFA program
as part of its finance courses. Understandably, many students are staying in the education system longer than be-
fore, as the job market becomes tougher. If you are studying for another year I would strongly recommend taking this
opportunity not just to go through the motions but also to try and gain something extra, something that will set you
apart from all the other people who had the same idea as you. It is very satisfying when you achieve something you
put so much effort into and when that first paycheck gets put into your bank account!
If you are interested in the finance industry, the CFA is widely-respected and a fantastic qualification. I would strongly
recommend it. Combine this with an internship, sporting achievements, extracurricular activities and good back-
ground research into the industry and company to which you are applying, and any position is achievable. There will
undoubtedly be set-backs and frustrations at not even being given the chance to get an interview in some cases, but
never be deterred. Arm yourself with a range of skills, a confident persona and an interest in the industry and eventu-
ally there will be an opening. Don’t sit-back and blame the economy because that won’t get you a job, there are op-
portunities out there and, from my experience at Exeter, there are plenty of capable people to fill them. Best of luck!
Tom O’Leary, BA Economics, 2008
To learn more about the opportunities at Duff & Phelps, please visit the website www.duffandphelps.com. If you
would like to contact Tom for more information about his role at Duff & Phelps or advice on entering the job market,
please contact Rachel Torr in the Business School Employability Team: [email protected].
Issue 10 Page 17
The Works
Work Experience Fair Date: Thursday 8th October 2009
Time: 1pm to 4pm
Location: Lower Examination Hall The fair is open to ALL students, regardless of year and discipline.
For more information about this fair and many other events please go to: www.exeter.ac.uk/employability