After 10 months of trying to find a job suited to my degree I’ve finally been offered a job at Deloitte within TI. It’s been one huge rollercoaster and a massive learning curve. What I found is to be accepted onto a graduate programme you need a big slice of luck. Also it has opened my eyes to how competitive the programmes are. There are so many graduates out that competition is very tough and I guess in the future will become even tougher. The job hunt is also incredibly frustrating including:•Some applications take up to 5 months from initial application to actual job offer.•There are so many stages to each job application.•HR depts are so bad at communication!•Constructive feedback is hard to come by. If a company rejects you they don’t have much time to waste on you giving quality feedback.•You can simply have a bad day an interview/assessment centre. On another day you’d breeze it easily. You need lots of luck to be successful.•You get invited to the next stage of an application then the company takes 2 months to get in touch again. Why???? If they valued you that much then surely they’d want to keep you fully up to date and get you into an assessment centre ASAP in fear of losing you to another company!•Being invited to final rounds then being told that all vacancies are full before you even attend. (Having already gone through 4 prior stages!)•Group exercises at AC’s. These are such an artificial activity. It does not resemble real life in the slightest and the way you act and behave is totally false. Not a good way to judge a candidate I don’t think.Just for your info blow are the main companies I applied to and how far in the process I got:•Accenture – Attended Assessment centre•3M – Attended Assessment Centre•Fujitsu Siemens – Invited to assessment centre in March still waiting for date!•Capgemini – Invited to assessment centre then 2 months later told all vacancies had been filled before I got the chance to attend!•RBS – My very first SHL test. 1 and only time I failed one. Practice makes perfect!•PA consulting – Passed the phone interview but asked to think about which section I preferred. Sent an email but was told I didn’t justify my reason well enough so told to try again in a year! I just thought they wanted clarification for admin purposes!•KPMG – First interview. Interviewer wasn’t even expecting me and bluffed his way through!•HBOS – Invited to assessment centre. 3 months later I’m still waiting!•MI5 – Got to phone interview. Would have been cool but would never be able to tell anyone if I was accepted!•Selex – Attended a 2 day final assessment centre and phoned up to say I was successful. 2 months later I’m invited for a “site visit”. Turned out to be a on the spot technical interview. 2 days later was told I was rejected!•IBM – Their online tests made my computer crash every time I used it. Was sent an email after 3 attempts to try again in a year!After all that I’m overjoyed with the Deloitte job. It has all the right attributes in a job I was looking for and was by far the most personable organisation of any other. Furthermore the whole recruitment process took only 3 weeks! Application – online tests – interview – assessment centre. Just a few random should anyone find them of interest :)

Were you at the assessment day last week wednesday?Morning or afternoon session?And congrats!

Well done!Incidentally you got the offer from the best of that bunch anyway, and as a headhunter my advice would have been to prefer Deloitte over IBM, Accenture etc in the first place. It's a great start to your consulting career. Congrats!

Well done you! It's a wonderful feeling when you are welcomed to the top table.I'm on the verge of joining Macquarie so I SHOULD KNOW!

the_search_is_over, what a nice altrustic thread. I had always intended on giving the same kind of thing after getting a consulting job, having used this forum lots, but never got round to it. I had almost the same experiences as you, but didn't get a Deloitte offer, but another that you interviewed at, probably the 2nd or 3rd choice in your list. I actually came from a PhD background so would be happy to take any questions from people needing help from that perspective.

Since you have offered your help, here it goes. 1. How did you transform your CV, from academic to business ? 2. Which skills did you highlight ?

1. I simply cut down on the amount of academic info given - real basics. I didn't even mention the title of my PhD thesis for example, it's just not relevant enough. Highlight transferable skills, like conference presentations, IT skills, writing, research. Keep it generic. Also, try to talk up anything business related - but don't make it up. They'll want to talk about these at interview. Keep in mind that most applications come from fresh graduates - they are not expecting experience just smart, enthusiastic and able candidates. 2. Oh I think I just answered this.Also, try to have your 'story' worked out. Like I have just finished academic studies and now I know I want something that is a little more applied etc. It is essential you have this down for interview, but getting this clear in your head first will help you with applications. Of course, this is easy if you have done your research and really mean it.

Thank you.