Focussing on Careers part 2: Working for a large company
Published on 14 February 13
In the second part of the Careers series we will be looking at the differences between working for large companies compared to small/medium companies and how you can succeed in landing a job with a large organisation
Have you put much thought into the differences of working for a large firm compared to working at a small or medium enterprise (SME)? There are advantages and disadvantages to both so now is the time you should consider which would work best for you. There’s lots of help online to help you make the decision, here are a few useful articles:
Advantages and disadvantages of working for a large company
Small vs. large companies: Ten differences between working for the two
7 Reasons why you need to work for a big company
Big company or start-up - which is the best option for you?
Finding your future employer
To start looking at big companies there are graduate directories available that list the top employers in terms of graduate level recruitment. The most popular being The Times Top 100 which can be picked up for free in the Careers Resource Centre at Crawford House.
Applying to graduate schemes
Graduate schemes are used by many larger firms to recruit and train graduates, although they may not be right for everyone. Some graduate schemes require a lot of time and dedication during applications but there is plenty of advice out there for anyone considering applying for a graduate scheme.
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Emily BA(Hons) Modern Languages - French/German 2009 Editorial Assistant at Swiss News Get as much experience as you can. Apply everywhere, and when you submit an application, target it specifically at that company. When I applied for my current job, I wrote a sample article that could be included in their magazine. Creativity, confidence and flexibility are important. |
Networking
If you want to work in a large firm, networking is a skill that you could really benefit from. Networking is really important in large firms where there are a large number of employees. The Careers service can help you if you’re feeling less than confident.
Events on Campus
Many large companies like to target you as a University of Manchester student and there are lots of different graduate recruiters on campus throughout the year. You can take a look at who’s on campus via CareersLink. Here, you can see which employers will be on campus, and also, the large fairs which are a great way to talk to companies, the next one is the Graduate Recruitment Fair this summer term.
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Nathalie BA (Hons) Economic and Social Studies 2009 Assistant Brand Manager at Procter & Gamble Get involved early, as many companies like being able to train you from the beginning, which is also great experience for you. Showing leadership, and the ability to think strategically and clearly, are the key skills that I think are most important when working for a big company. |
Psychometric Testing
Large companies often use Psychometric tests as the second stage of selection, after you have sent an application in. They typically include verbal and numerical reasoning but can use other measurements too.
You can sit a practice psychometric test at the Careers service which should help you become familiar with the kind of questions asked.
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Katayune MChem, PhD Chemistry Royal Society of Chemistry's (RSC's) North West Regional Coordinator Get involved as much as possible. If public speaking worries you, force yourself to do every talk that is possible as practise does make perfect! I was a very shy child and now I am giving presentations at least once a week to groups of up to 100 people. Volunteer at events to gain experience and confidence. Being well organised also helps a lot. |