Personality and a positive attitude are just as, if not more important than having the right academic qualifications when graduates and 1st/ 2nd jobbers are applying for work in London.
Emphasis is placed on soft skills, which are more about emotional intelligence as opposed to technical intelligence , meaning motivation, communication and attitude to work. The desire and proven commitment to keeping up with latest trends and understand the market, not just within a role but also understand what is happening in the wider picture, is key to making a good candidate an exceptional candidate.
Competition is fierce and it has never been more difficult to find work, especially for graduates, according to a recent recent study commissioned by the University of Warwick. This study concluded that graduates of today are worse off than those of 10 years ago. This appears to be as a result of an increase in university fees (which link to a dramatic rise in student debt/ loans, ) as well as job availability and that the salary advantage of having a degree has reduced by 2% every year in the last decade.
It’s a real shame to see how we have come to a situation where kids are having to think about whether they really want to study for 3 years and have lower prospects at the end of it. Reading at University shouldn’t be solely for the purpose of finding better work, it should be also about developing knowledge in a subject you are interested in. Unfortunately, if you are looking for work, having a strong academic record is not the be all and end all. It is also essential that you are able to demonstrate a broader understanding of the industry and sector you want to work in, without seeming to be someone who knows it all and has nothing to gain from taking a job.