As soon as I read your post, I clicked onto who the firm is. I believe they will pick you up if needed. They're mickey takers in my opinion - the wage is a good 2.5-12.5k below the going rate for a graduate scheme, and I suspect it isn't really a graduate job in the sense that going to one of the big 4 would be. I suspect it's more a way of them getting in keen young bods who will work their nuts off for a while. Everyone seems to expect north of 40 hours out of graduates, and my experience is that most employers expect you to do more hours than they say, so 55 hours being bandied about at interview stage would worry me.
Anyway, it really depends on where your son is. If he's at a Russell group uni with good A-Levels, then he's an ideal candidate for a FTSE 100 grad scheme. If he's got poorer A-Levels and he's going to find it a bit more difficult. He is applying about 10-6 months too late in the year for most of the bigger scheme.
If I were him, I'd go for it and decide if I wanted the job after. See it as interview and assessment centre experience. And if he isn't frightened of hard work, go for Aldi's grad scheme - when I was looking a few years ago it was famously hard work but £40k starting wage and quick career progression.
Cheers mboy, your post has just about put the last nail in a well and truly shut coffin, he won't be going to enterprise.
Ryder, one or two people have mentioned the temping approach (particularly a great email sent by fionap, very helpful), and I think he is going to look at that if the current round of grad applications are unsuccessful.
I find it a little sad really. 20 years ago if you got gcse 5a*,4a's and a b, AAB at A level and a good degree at a Russel group uni then the world was at your feet. Seems not so these days.
Tron, I was typing whilst you posted, he is Russell Group and decent a levels, but I think you are right that he has missed this years boat
I'd suggest he still goes to the interview, just for the practice at assessment centres.
There are quite a few firms that do a second round of intakes for the middle of the year, so there is a chance to get in for a March 15 or so start date.
To be honest, it's not the end of the world to not get straight into a grad job, and there are plenty of non-grad jobs which can quickly get you up to grad level if you're half decent.
http://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Reviews/Enterprise-Rent-A-Car-Reviews-E2783.htm
Decathlon seem to recruiting like mad for these sorts of jobs at the moment.
Doesn't sound great if he has AAB and a decent (2:1) degree. My lot take grads on throughout the year for considerably more money (hours can be harsh tho). I'll drop you a mail.
I have worked as a chef for 24 years , most weeks i work between 65 and 75 hours ,some days are 8am till after midnight with out a sit down break and eating while working . I love it .i have travelled around the world for 3 years with a formula 1 team ,travelled round Europe 3 times with rock bands and cooked with chefs at the top of the game ,i have eaten in the world best and i have a life that my friends envy . They do not see the 75 hours or the driving home in the dark a broken man after a tough day .
Choose your carreer and work as much as you want ,if you love it attack it and shine , doors will open and your future will map itself out , if you watch the clock and moan about hours ???? well use your time more effectively and ride bikes if your good you might even get paid (but just watch you don't train and ride more than 40 hours ????? 😛
I would have thought your son would get information on available graduate jobs emailed to him by prospects.ac.uk. I get lots of updates from them and I don't think it's something I ever signed up for (whilst at uni).
I've only read the first few pages of replies but have to say, it's not just graduates that should be expecting more.
I'm currently on barely above minimum wage, zero hour contract, and so have no idea of what my hours are. They can give you 8 hours one week, or suddenly ask you to work extra days the next. Only ever when it suits them, of course.
The job market is tough for EVERYONE, not just graduates.
(I'm in the final year of a degree at the moment and have no illusions about walking in to a 40k a year job).
I've spoken to a couple of Enterprise Grad-scheme staff (when dropping me off etc). They aren't happy bunnies. Its sold as a management-scheme etc and it ends up as a glorified dogs-body. Its a con. Imagine trying to find presentable minimum wage people to work for you? Impossible.
Alot of the 'Grad scheme' title/roles as bollocks. Law firms (telesales staff positions), 'Marketing' roles (again telesales etc).
Grad-scheme retail where you do 1 yr in Store management can be hit and miss but then you do also get a year etc in head office so those are real.
NO ONE should be exploited like alot do now with fake title/promises.
(I'm in the final year of a degree at the moment and have no illusions about walking in to a 40k a year job).
Has anyone said that? There's a difference between a sub-minimum wage job with no prospects, and a good job which will open doors etc for a sensible salary.
(I'm in the final year of a degree at the moment and have no illusions about walking in to a 40k a year job).
Has anyone said that?
Yes, I did.
(I'm in the final year of a degree at the moment and have no illusions about walking in to a 40k a year job).
My first job was on min wage working at Levis head office. They didn't take the piss out of me.
My second was at Woolworths head office- same again.
Be wary of anything titled 'Graduate Schemes'. Someone somewhere is laughing in that company and what they've pulled off.
At my old partners company- they used to pay one year work placement Students a salary then someone said to the boss 'we are always over-subscribed, I bet we can get them to work for free for a year'. Nice one.
This is something of a first, a STW thread that has actually been some use where people have given good advice. Yes, really 😀
He has decided that he isn't going for the interview and is going to keep looking for other jobs that won't use and abuse.
Big thanks to fionap and ewan for your emails, if the jobs don't come round in the next month or two he will look at internship or temping to get a feel for what he likes/is good at.
Life was much simpler when I was a lad, you opened the yellow pages, wrote to some businesses, two weeks later you had a job.
Yes, I did.
Eh? I'm confused! You were inferring the OP's son is expecting to walk into a £40k job, and that's unrealistic and he needs to accept a sub-minimum wage role, I'm just saying there's something in the middle!
Be wary of anything titled 'Graduate Schemes'. Someone somewhere is laughing in that company and what they've pulled off.
Not necessarily, I work for a FTSE 100 and our graduate programme is very structured - you spend 2 years (IIRC) working in each of 4 different areas of the business, then get deployed appropriately after that. People generally progress extremely fast, but a lot of people dislike them as there's a huge aura of smugness around those on the scheme thinking they know everything, whilst the reality is that after 6 months they get a basic knowledge of lots and a detailed knowledge of nothing.
Great for the candidate though!
Personally I wouldn't, thats a terrible deal.
I joined the graduate scheme of a FTSE100 company just over 2 years ago. Started on 26k, I work 37 hours a week, get paid for my overtime and now earn £32k+ and know that my salary will continue to rise at a steady rate for the next 5/6 years. Admittedly I did an engineering degree where theres a lot more choice for graduates.
I would advise him to have a look around at other options. He may even be eliable for a place on our commercial / business / supply chain scheme.
EDIT: I would also advise him to go to the interview / assessment centre, it's all good practice and the feedback is useful for when he finds a scheme that he likes the look of.
As somebody else mentioned, going to the interview might still be a good idea purely for the experience.
As somebody else mentioned, going to the interview might still be a good idea purely for the experience
I agree. That's what I told my three to do when looking for job.
I have worked as a chef for 24 years , most weeks i work between 65 and 75 hours ,some days are 8am till after midnight with out a sit down break and eating while working . I love it .i have travelled around the world for 3 years with a formula 1 team ,travelled round Europe 3 times with rock bands and cooked with chefs at the top of the game ,i have eaten in the world best and i have a life that my friends envy . They do not see the 75 hours or the driving home in the dark a broken man after a tough day .
Choose your carreer and work as much as you want ,if you love it attack it and shine , doors will open and your future will map itself out , if you watch the clock and moan about hours ???? well use your time more effectively and ride bikes if your good you might even get paid (but just watch you don't train and ride more than 40 hours ?????
You are a chef so like my brother you are certifiably insane and shouldn't be giving advice to recent graduates. 😛 😆
Eh? I'm confused!
It would seem so. Joys of the web 'eh 😕
