Anthony H.

Business Management
Happy to mentor
Happy to be contacted

About me

Anthony H.
History
Undergraduate
Vanbrugh
2016
United Kingdom

My employment

Business Management
BT
United Kingdom
Digital and IT services

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A day in the life of a Business Management in the United Kingdom

The biggest help for me in looking for working was attending the careers fairs

How I looked for work

The biggest help for looking for working was attending the careers fairs, having the chance to speak with recruiters from a vast amount of companies. I also signed up to regular updates from grad websites such as TargetJobs and Milkround. The process is a lot to take in at first, stages varying from full in-depth personal applications to online tests and video interviews. The best advice is to prepare and get as much practice as you can!

How I found out about the job

Recruitment event

The recruitment process

I applied to the BT grad scheme in October, after attending the careers fair. I sent off a personal application, and was then invited to do the online situational judgement test.

After that, I was invited to take part in a video interview, answering a range of questions in front of a webcam, and my answers were recorded and submitted. The final stage was the assessment centre, which I attended with other prospective grad candidates. This was a strengths-based setup, looking at what I enjoy doing and my ambitions, rather than standard competency answers.

Overall, the recruitment process was very insightful, and BT gave me detailed feedback reports throughout, regardless of the outcome of various stages.

My career goals when I graduated

To move into business management or consultancy; on a graduate scheme or other entry-level postion

My career history

Up to 5 years' experience in the service sector, including multiple customer-facing roles, and internships in business education services and recruitment consultancy.

What has helped my career to progress

Putting in a lot of time and hard work. Often internships and grad schemes are competitive to get onto, so preparation and making yourself stand out from the crowd are the best ways to succeed.

Courses taken since graduation

General online training courses from the BT Academy - BT's online hub for training and learning & development.

How my studies have helped my career

History is a degree for anyone who wants a broad range of transferable skills, but is not sure what they want to specialise in. Experience writing essays and reports, working in groups during seminars, and researching and analysing primary and secondary sources are all very transferable experiences and skills which directly relate to the world of work. History is widely recognised as a strong stepping stone for other fields as well as History and the arts sector.

What surprised me about my career so far

The amount of opportunities I've been given to take on extra responsibility and manage my own workload. As a graduate joining a company, you have the option to get involved in lots of activities, and meeting a variety of people; all things which have helped me grow my network.

Where I hope to be in 5 years

In an executive management position, ideally with BT, as it is a fantastic company to work for which supports long-term career development.

My advice to students considering work

Build up your CV and portfolio as much as you can. Recruiters and companies are really keen to find candidates who have experienced a lot of different activities and responsibilities. This doesn't have to be just in work! Joining societies, volunteering, and part-time work all show you can balance your time effectively and develop a wide range of skills.

My advice about working in my industry

Working in Telecoms is a great place to be right now, with the continuing growth of and demand for internet and phone services. With this comes plenty of career opportunities and exciting technological developments. However, you must be willing to go into a new or different sector if you haven't already done so - whilst professionals in this industry accept graduates are new to the job, you should show a keenness to get involved.

Other advice

Be yourself! Most companies just want to see the real you - make yourself stand out, but also consider whether the company is the right fit for you, as much as you are for the company.

Contacting me

Happy to accept questions and mentoring requests. Open to students from different academic disciplines including History.

What I do

Business Management, BT

Skills I use and how I developed them

Communication skills, analytical and problem-solving skills, team-working abilities, commercial awareness and customer service. I developed these skills over a wide range of experiences, including my academic, extra-curricular and voluntary experience, as well as my prior and current work experience.

What I like most

The high level of responsibility and exposure. I get to work with lots of real and everyday business challenges, and every day is different!

What I like least

Getting up to date with lots of technical language and equipment takes a bit of time, but in a way that gives me lots of new experience and exposure that I've never had before! The vast scope and scale of the organisation is great for my personal and commercial development.

What surprised me most

In such a large organisation, I was surprised how most people are really happy to give up time to answer any questions you have, and to give you a hand if you have any problems. It's great to have lots of people around you for extra support!

Next steps...

If you like the look of Anthony’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send Anthony a message to find out more about their career journey. If you feel you would benefit from more in-depth conversations, ask Anthony to be your mentor.

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