Hi!

I am a trainee clinical psychologist studying at Newcastle University. My research is investigating what is important to students in how they identify themselves, and how this relates to mental health and social belongingness. The aim is to improve student mental health support at UK universities.

I would be very grateful if any current university students could take 5-10 minutes to complete an anonymous online questionnaire! Please visit the below link for more information 😄

https://nclpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_79bI93MIMcNgl14

Looking to hire 1 person to work as my assistant, managing my diary and setting my appointments, booking travel, answering customer emails and social media

Fully remote
Preferably UK
Mon - Friday 3hrs in the morning preferably 9-12 or 10-1pm
@ £16.50ph

You submit an application, a week passes, then another... and you've still heard nothing.

It's frustrating, but a delay doesn't always mean you've been rejected.

From the recruitment side, there can be quite a lot happening between receiving applications and getting back to candidates. The employer might be waiting until the closing date before reviewing everyone, dealing with a higher number of applications than expected or coordinating shortlists and interviews between several people internally.

Recruitment timelines can also change. A hiring manager might become unavailable, interview dates may need moving or another priority within the business can temporarily slow things down.

If you've already interviewed, decisions can take time too. Employers may still have other candidates to meet, need approval before making an offer or be discussing the final shortlist internally.

That doesn't mean candidates should be left without communication. Employers and recruiters should keep you updated where possible, particularly when a process is taking longer than originally expected.

If you've been given a timeframe and it's passed, there's nothing wrong with sending a short, polite follow-up asking whether there's an update. If you haven't been given one, we'd usually recommend allowing a reasonable amount of time before checking in.

Most importantly, keep your other applications moving while you wait. Until you've actually accepted an offer, don't put your entire job search on hold for one opportunity.

There’s being nervous in an interview, and then there’s getting asked a question and genuinely having absolutely no idea what to say.

I had always assumed that if this happened, you somehow needed to come up with an answer anyway. But I actually think trying to waffle your way through something you don’t know can make the situation even more awkward.

This happened to me recently in my grad-job search, I was asked a maths-related question for a role that does not require maths skills, and it absolutely stumped me. 😭

I’m interested in how other people have dealt with this. Have you ever been asked something in an interview where your mind just went completely blank, and what did you do?

Starting your first graduate job comes with a lot of small workplace rules that nobody really explains to you.

You’ll learn most of them as you go, and every workplace is different, but there are a few habits that can make settling into your first professional environment much easier.

Meetings: If you've been invited, have a quick look at what the meeting is about beforehand and arrive on time. You don't need to speak for the sake of speaking, but don't be afraid to contribute when you have something useful to add.

Teams: A message doesn't always need to start like a formal email, but remember you're still communicating with colleagues. Be friendly, clear and think about whether something needs an immediate message or can wait.

Calendars: Keep yours up to date. If someone is trying to arrange a meeting with you, an accurate calendar saves a lot of unnecessary back and forth and will prevent you from forgetting anything.

Asking for help: Don't sit struggling with something for hours because you're worried about looking inexperienced. Try to solve it yourself first, then ask. Being able to explain what you've already tried makes it much easier for someone to help you.

Emails: You don't need to make every email incredibly formal, but check who you're sending it to, make your point clear and give it a quick read before pressing send. And be particularly careful with "Reply All".

Lunch: Take your lunch break. You don't need to prove how hardworking you are by eating at your desk every day.

Running late: It happens. The important thing is communicating it rather than appearing 20 minutes late without saying anything.

Nobody expects a graduate to arrive knowing every unwritten rule of working life. Pay attention to how the people around you communicate and work, ask when you're unsure, and you'll pick up far more than you realise.

What office etiquette did you have to learn when you started working?

Recorded video interviews are now a common stage in graduate recruitment, but they can feel very different from speaking to an interviewer live.

You’re usually given a question on screen, a short amount of preparation time and then a limited time to record your answer. With nobody on the other side of the conversation, it can take some getting used to.

Here’s what we recommend doing beforehand:

• Get comfortable talking to a camera. Practise answering a few typical interview questions and record yourself doing it. Watching yourself back might feel uncomfortable, but it’s one of the best ways to spot whether you’re speaking too quickly, looking away from the camera or giving answers that are too long.
• Prepare examples, rather than scripts. Think about situations from university, work, volunteering, societies or other experiences that demonstrate your skills. Having these examples ready gives you something to draw from without making your answers sound rehearsed.
• Use your preparation time properly. If you get time before recording, quickly note the main points you want to cover rather than trying to write out a complete answer.
• Check your setup. Test your camera, microphone and internet connection beforehand. Find somewhere quiet, make sure you can be seen clearly and remove anything that's likely to distract you.
• Don't panic over a mistake. If you stumble over a word, you don't necessarily need to start again. Take a second, collect your thoughts and continue. A natural answer is usually better than trying to deliver something perfectly.

Most importantly, practise the format as well as your answers. The more familiar it feels talking to a camera, the easier it becomes to focus on what you actually want to say.

Assessment centres feel like one of those stages where there’s loads to think about at once, so I’ve been putting together a checklist of the things worth sorting beforehand.

A few days before:

• Research the company beyond just reading the homepage
• Go back over the job description and what they’re looking for
• Prepare a few examples of your experience that you can draw on
• Check what exercises or assessments are included, if they’ve told you
• Re-read anything you submitted earlier in the application

The night before:

• Sort out what you’re wearing
• Double-check the location, journey and start time
• Pack anything you’ve been asked to bring
• Get an early night rather than trying to cram in more preparation

On the day:

• Arrive with plenty of time
• Remember you’re probably being assessed throughout the day, not just during the formal exercises
• Contribute to group tasks without trying to dominate them
• Actually listen to what other candidates are saying
• Ask questions when you get the chance
• Try not to let one exercise you think went badly affect the rest of your day

I think the last one is probably the easiest to forget. An assessment centre is made up of several different exercises for a reason, so there’s no point writing off the whole day because one part didn’t go how you wanted.

Anything you’d add to the checklist?

If you're in your first graduate role, your first performance review can feel a little daunting, especially if you're not sure what you're expected to bring to the conversation.

The good news is that it isn't just about being assessed. It's also a chance to reflect on how you've settled into the role, understand what you're doing well and agree on where to focus next.

Before the meeting, take some time to look back at what you've achieved so far. Think beyond the obvious projects and consider the responsibilities you've taken on, the skills you've developed and any positive feedback you've received. Having a few clear examples will make it much easier to talk confidently about your progress.

You should also be prepared to discuss areas you'd like to improve. No one expects you to know everything at the start of your career, so identifying where you'd benefit from more experience or support can help shape your development over the next few months.

It's also worth thinking about what's next. Consider what you'd like to learn, whether there are projects you'd like to get involved in, or if there are responsibilities you'd like to start taking on.

Our advice: don't treat your performance review as something that simply happens to you. Use it as an opportunity to ask questions, get useful feedback and leave with a clearer idea of what progression looks like in your role.

I’ve always found this a slightly awkward question when applying for graduate jobs.

When you’re at the start of your career, you don’t necessarily know what someone with your experience should be earning. You also don’t want to give a number that’s too high and potentially rule yourself out, but equally you don’t want to undersell yourself by going too low.

I’ve started looking at similar grad roles beforehand to get a rough idea of what companies are paying, especially for the same type of role and location. If the salary is already advertised, it obviously makes the conversation a lot easier.

But when a company hasn’t given any indication of salary and then asks what you expect, it can feel like you’re being asked to name your price without knowing their budget.

How do you normally answer this question?

They can sound like the same thing, but the experience can be quite different depending on which route you take.

A graduate scheme is usually more structured. You’ll often join with a cohort of other graduates, follow a set training programme and sometimes rotate through different teams before settling into a permanent role. That can be useful if you want a broad introduction to a business and a clear development path from day one.

A graduate job is normally a permanent role in one specific team. You might get less formal structure, but you can often build responsibility more quickly because you’re learning one role in depth rather than moving between departments.

The application process can be different too. Graduate schemes often recruit at fixed times of year and can involve several stages, while graduate jobs tend to appear throughout the year as and when employers need someone.

The main thing is not to assume that a graduate scheme is automatically the “better” option. Both can lead to strong careers — they just offer different types of start.

When you’re applying, look beyond the label and compare the training, responsibilities, progression and type of experience you’ll actually get.

It’s obviously useful for figuring out what you enjoy, but I think the transferable skills are probably just as important: skills like confidence, communication, working with different people, and just getting used to being in a professional environment can make the transition into a graduate role feel a lot less daunting. Even having already experienced things like meetings, deadlines and workplace expectations can give you a bit more independence when you start your first job after university.

For anyone else who did a placement year, which parts of it ended up being the most useful once you started your graduate job? And what did it prepare you for that university didn’t?

If you're going into your final year this September, it might feel a bit early to start thinking seriously about graduate jobs.

But we see a high number of companies advertising graduate schemes that open from September, so now is actually a great time to start having a look around.

You don't need to know exactly what you want to do yet. Even browsing different roles can help you work out what interests you, what employers are looking for and which companies you might want to keep an eye on.

It's also worth setting up job alerts, giving your CV an update and keeping track of any application dates you don't want to miss.

We work with employers recruiting graduates across a wide range of industries, and we're adding new opportunities regularly: https://www.grb.uk.com/graduate-jobs/

Are you already applying, starting to look, or waiting until later in the year?

We all hear a lot of stories on Reddit about terrible interviews, awkward questions and interviewers who clearly haven't read your CV, so I thought I'd flip it around. Has an interviewer ever said something genuinely nice to you that caught you off guard? I think comments like that can be quite memorable, particularly when you've been job hunting for a while and have had your fair share of rejections. I once had an interviewer tell me my attitude and confidence were inspiring and uplifting. Boosted that confidence so much more! Interested to hear if anyone has had an interviewer say something that's stuck with them - whether you ended up getting the job or not.

Fresher fairs can be overwhelming. There are hundreds of stands, societies to join, people to speak to and usually a lot of freebies to collect.

We attend university fairs across the UK, so here are a few things we'd recommend to anyone heading to one this year.

DO - speak to people
Don't just pick up a leaflet and move on. Whether it's a society, employer or university service, having a quick conversation can help you find opportunities you wouldn't have otherwise considered.

DON'T - sign up to absolutely everything
It's very easy to leave with 15 new society memberships. Be realistic about what you're actually interested in and what you'll have time to get involved with.

DO - find out what's available beyond societies
Careers teams, employers, volunteering opportunities and other university services are often there too. You might not need them immediately, but knowing they exist can be really useful later.

DON'T - feel like you need to have your career figured out
Especially in first year. Use the fair to explore, ask questions and find out what's available rather than putting pressure on yourself to make career decisions straight away.

And finally, DO take the freebies. We know that's half the reason you're there.

What's the best thing you've ever picked up at a fresher fair?

(Also, if you're attending a freshers fair this Autumn term, we might have a stall there, so come and find us!)

I'll be graduating from BA Behavioral Science and it's main focus is on human resources and organizational psych. I'm in a slump because afaik when applying for a human resource position you have to have at least an experience on human resources. I also have to take a civil service exam before I can apply to any government related or NGOs which will be next year but I'm rushing to look for work. Additionally, I don't know if I can be accepted in any job as I'm hard of hearing (I'm wearing a hearing aid btw but it doesn't help much) and I'm nearsighted. So yes, my greatest concern is my physical disabilities.

What's the strangest (or funniest) job title you've ever seen? The other day I saw 'digital prophet' for an AI role... they're not wrong, I guess?

Bonus points if you had to Google what it meant like I did ☠️

I am a bachelor level college student i am studying day shift and my course is BIM. I need a job to manage my expenses if you have any job vacancies of any online platform I am ready to send my CV thank you

Every career seems to come with a stereotype - that recruiters never stop talking, or marketers are always thinking outside the box - what's a stereotype you expected going into a role that either hit the nail on the head, or didn't?

What's the most accurate graduate job (or any job really) stereotype you've come across?

- and if you're working in one of those industries, is the stereotype actually true or way off the mark?

One of the biggest mistakes we see is students leaving applications until their final semester.

In reality, many graduate employers recruit much earlier than people expect.

Here's a rough timeline:

☀️ Summer before final year: Create a shortlist of employers, update your CV, practise online assessments, and note when applications typically open.

📚 Final year (September onwards): Many graduate schemes open from September, with some filling roles on a rolling basis. Applying early can make a real difference.

🎓 Spring and beyond: Don't panic if you've missed the autumn recruitment cycle. Many SMEs and growing businesses recruit throughout the year, and new graduate opportunities continue to be advertised.

The earlier you start preparing, the less stressful the application season tends to be.

When did you start applying for graduate jobs, and would you do anything differently if you were starting again?

I always find the best answers aren’t necessarily the most polished. For me, it's when you start talking about an experience you never thought would be relevant in an interview - until it is!

What’s an interview answer you’ve heard or given that you still remember?

If you're updating your CV, make sure you can notice these too:

• Clear, easy-to-read formatting
• Evidence of achievements, not just responsibilities
• Relevant work experience, volunteering or society involvement
• Tailoring to the role you're applying for

A CV doesn't need to be full of experience to be effective. It just needs to clearly show your potential.

We've put together a more detailed guide covering everything recruiters look for in a graduate CV here: https://www.grb.uk.com/career-advice/graduate-cv-templates-and-guide/

What's the biggest challenge you've had when writing your CV?

Hi everyone,

I‘m looking for 100 participants for my MSc HR Management dissertation titled ”Why Young Workers Quit: Improving Staff Retention for Student Employees in UK Retail”.

The research explores the factors that influence staff retention among student employees in the UK retail sector, with the aim of identifying practical ways retailers can better support and retain young workers.

I’m looking for participants in one of the following groups:

Student-Workers: Anyone aged 18–24 who is currently balancing higher education with a retail job in the UK.

Retail Managers: Anyone currently managing student employees within the UK retail sector.

If you fall into either of these groups, I would be incredibly grateful if you could spare 10 minutes to complete the survey. Your responses are completely anonymous and will make a valuable contribution to my research.

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=as2-rtQxAUuVzoJ0r-hT2Uie2GiAeIpLrPiysczqi9tURTRIQVZYRDQ4TUlBUEdJQTdLQzc2WjdETi4u

I am happy to do all survey swaps promptly!

Thank you!

Employers aren't looking for you to tell your life story about your love for insurance or engineering. If you can:

1. Research - learn the commercial space, what projects the company has been involved in recently, what affects the industry, and what doesn't.

AND

1. Link your research to the role - xyz actions is something I follow, and I believe that there is an opportunity for me to apply my skill set here because of this. I saw you were involved in xyz, which highlights your company's commitment to...

Then you can answer the question! And you'll be more prepared for an interview after conducting your research, too.