What do Brunel Business School graduates do?

In 2009/10, six months after graduating from Brunel Business School, 72.7% of graduates with a first degree in Business were in employment, 10.3% were in full-time further study and 4.1% were combining work and study.

These statistics relate to graduates from a number of different pathways – Business and Management, Business and Management (Accounting), Business and Management (Computing), Business and Management (Marketing) and Business Studies and Sports Science.

General management is a popular career choice with Business and Management students and this is reflected in a high proportion of graduate management trainees in various sectors including banking, information management, telecoms and transport. The financial sector, particularly banking, also continues in its popularity, with some students securing positions in major investment banks. A number of graduates were also successful in obtaining Chartered Accountancy training contracts within top tier accountancy firms. Graduates from this year’s cohort also went into a wide range of analyst roles.  A number of graduates were placed in marketing – some in entry level Marketing Assistant roles but a few as Marketing Executives. A small number progressed into HR posts mainly at entry level.

Job titles of Business graduates for 2009/10 included: 

• Account Executive
• Assistant Buyer
• Assistant Designer
• Business Development Consultant
• Commercial Manager
• Data Analyst
• Digital Marketing Assistant
• Events Organiser
• Financial Analyst
• Graduate Management Trainee
• Investment Director
• IT Consultant
• Market Analyst
• Marketing Executive
• Operations Analyst
• Pensions Analyst
• Personal Banker
• Sales Associate
• Teacher

In 2009/10, Business graduates entered a range of further study courses which included:

• ACCA
• CIPFA
• CIMA
• MA Banking & Finance
• MA Digital Marketing
• MA International Relations
• MSc Economics
• MSc Financial Services
• MSc Information Systems Management
• MSc International Business
• Performing Arts Diploma
• PGCE Secondary Teaching

The graduate labour market remains competitive and relevant experience is increasingly required for graduate level jobs. Job search strategy is often about getting a ‘foot in the door’ in order to compete for graduate positions later. As a result many Business graduates were working in jobs classified as ‘associate professional and technical occupations’ such as sales, customer service and administration which broadly reflects the nature of the experience required. It is also worth noting that a growing national trend is for many students to delay their job applications until completing their studies, preferring to focus on achieving the highest grade possible. This can result in some graduates initially continuing with their part-time job while they explore their options after graduating. As a result some Business graduates were working in non-graduate level positions including sales, customer service and administrative occupations. Finally, it is important to note that the DLHE survey provides a snap shot of a very short amount of time (six months) after graduating and while many have progressed into relevant graduate jobs others are taking time out, travelling, waiting to start a course or continuing with their part-time job while they explore their options after graduating. Many graduates have moved on in their careers since completing the questionnaire.

To arrange an appointment to discover your career options after graduating simply contact your Careers Consultant direct or email careers@brunel.ac.uk stating your course and the help you need and the relevant Careers Consultant will reply.

A very warm thank you to the wonderful Placement and Careers Centre in Brunel University for this article.

 

Business Advice to SMEs: Human Resources and Employment

Professor Robin Jarvis from the Brunel Business School presented in a recent Research Seminar the results of a project that has investigated the role of small and medium-sized accountancy practices (SMPs) in providing support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the areas of human resources (HR) and employment.

The research objectives specified by Prof Jarvis aimed to address the following questions: • What type of advice and support in the HR and employment areas do accountants  provide to SMEs? • How does this role sit alongside the core competences and business activities of practices? • What resources (people and materials) in the practice are used to provide HR and employment support? • What external alliances are used to support the provision of HR and employment advice? • Are there any ways in which accountants’ performance in this area could be improved?

Please read the full research report here: http://www.brunel.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/145152/aarcBusinessAdviceToSmes.pdf Prof Jarvis has been Professor of Accounting at Brunel since January 2010 (Fractional Appointment) and Head of SME Affairs at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). He is also a member of and past chair (2004 -2009) of FIN USE (An expert forum set up by the European Commission to improve policy making in the field of financial services from a user perspective (consumer and small business).

Brunel MBA leading specialized MBA programme, says Asian Correspondent

The Brunel MBA (Healthcare Management) was listed as leading specialized MBA programme for Asian students by Asian Correspondent. Brunel University has been selected as one of the premier MBA programmes for Asian students. Brunel Business School offers MBA in a choice of three specializations: General Management, Aviation Management, and Healthcare Management. The Healthcare Management specialization as part of the Brunel MBA allows students to have a deeper understanding of senior management decision making processes or consultancy within this industry, helping students develop the required management skills to excel in this field. Read the full article in the Asian Correspondent here: http://asiancorrespondent.com/71576/leading-specialized-mba-programs-for-asian-students/

Sponsoring graduates after the death of the Post Study Work visa

Adrian Farley from Farley & Associates presented the most recent update on the immigration changes coming into place for international students at a recent event at the Brunel Business School.

Adrian has been quite helpful in explaining the latest changes in the visa situation for students who will be graduating shortly, when the current Post Study Work visa will no longer be in place. Students will still be able to undertake work on completion of their studies under the Tier 2 category as long as they are being offered a graduate job with a graduate salary.

He explained that a majority of large companies are registered with the UKBA to be Tier 2 sponsors and many more join the scheme every week, so as not to miss out on the advantages given by the talented international employees. It costs a company £175 to sponsor a graduate, and there is no need for labour market test under the new system.
The challenge however is to persuade and educate the industry as to the process and benefits of sponsoring Tier 2 visas. Universities must play a part in educating potential Tier 2 sponsors as to how simple the process is on grad fairs, workshops, information on websites and open discussions with employers.

We heard that the first year will be challenging as a lot of companies will complain that they couldn’t sponsor employees as they didn’t understand the process. In Adrian’s opinion the universities that are successful in delivering message to employers will be successful in recruiting international students.

Prompted by questions from the international students Adrian mentioned that from a legal standpoint companies are not allowed to ask during a job application process if applicants require sponsoring and should judge the application purely on merit. He mentioned there is a previous legal precedent where employers have been penalised legally for refusing to accept an applicant because they needed to be sponsored.

Students asked what the basic graduate salary for tier 2 applications was and Adrian clarified that it stands at approximately £22,000 but it does change from sector to sector. He referred students to the UKBA website, jokingly saying that readers require a PhD just to understand it, where students can see what type of a job and what minimum salary are accepted. Students can also check there which employers are registered as Tier 2 sponsors.
Large companies are happy to sponsor Masters level students who are currently on post study work visas and 9 out of 10 in Adrian’s experience will, after initial 6 months on the job, help getting them on Tier 2 visas.

 

Latest findings from the MBA labour market presented at BBS event

Last Friday Brunel Business School students had a change to meet with some inspiring speakers as part of the Next Step event. Speakers including Mike Holmes from the QS TopMBA Careers, Daniel Callaghan from MBA and Company  and Prof Amir Sharif, the Brunel MBA Programme Director, shared their findings on the MBA recruitment market.

Mike presented to the students and alumni a recent research conducted by the QS on the graduate market to find out how MBAs are doing in the job market. The good news was that 2011 saw a 36 percent growth in the demand for the employment of student with MBA degrees in the global market. In the UK this figure was only slightly lower at 34 per cent.

Employers are looking for more experienced MBAs preferably with international experience combined with interpersonal skills. MBA with 3-5 years experience remain in highest demand with an increase in demand for graduates with over 8 years experience. It is believed that in time of a recession people are less likely to take a chance with inexperienced MBAs.

MBA salaries have improved slightly in 2011 after the last recession and MBA alumni are able to command the median salaries as per the report in companies with £100 million turnover or more, as they are looking for much higher level of commercialisation. People want “a doer” with companies saying that they want their MBAs to be able to do jobs independently, and hit the ground running with a minimum learning curve.

Daniel Callaghan from the MBA and Company contributed by adding that there is still a difference in the perception of MBA brands. Employers are very brand conscious but at the same time once the applicant gets in front of the company it is a more equal playing field. Work experience is also very important.

The speakers recommended that in order to increase their employability as an MBA graduate students do their research about the company before applying and where possible learn to use the specific tools they will be required to use on the job.

It is important to showcase what extras the students have done during their MBA – participating in or chairing clubs and societies, organising student extra curriculum activities and highlight to their future employer all these “nice-to-haves”.

There was a consensus on one more thing with our speakers: no question about it – MBA does pay!