University: The Pros and Cons

Recently, I have been weighing up the pros and cons of spending 4 years of my life at University. I will never regret having gone to university, and the day I received my honours degree the sense of achievement I felt will be something I will always remember, but I have been thinking about whether obtaining a degree was completely necessary.

The triggering moment was when I tried to remember the name of a theory I had been familiar with since first year, and try as hard as I could, I couldn’t recall the name. A theory that had been so essential throughout my degree and a few months after graduation I couldn’t remember it? The theory isn’t even applicable to my current role or working environment, and upon further thought, neither are a lot of the models and theories that I had spent hours reading about in the library.

Putting the actual learning and workplace aside, I have also been thinking about the implications university has had on my life. The majority of my friends from school did not complete degrees or left school before 6^th year and have been working for a number of years. They have worked their way up the career ladder within the companies they work at, gaining hands on experience and building fundamental relationships of trust and approval with their colleagues. Graduates joining the workplace cannot be treated the same as had they gained employment after 4^th year of school at the age of 16, as they are now adults, but effectively, for some students who never worked in part-time jobsor completed placements, are they of the same mentality having never worked before and having to start at the bottom? As well as this, there are financial consequences to consider. My friends are at the stage where they have saved for a number of years and are buying flats and nice cars. Graduates are faced with debt in the form of student loans, overdrafts and I just discovered you can’t get a mortgage till you have been in full time employment for at least 2 years.

University is, however, some of the best years you will experience. From a social aspect, you will make some amazing friends for life. You also meet a lot of like minded people, as well as people from various different courses who have completely different perspectives and ways of thinking to yourself. There is the opportunity to get involved in extra- curricular activities, to invest time in hobbies and perhaps try activities you wouldn’t have had the chance to otherwise. Even some of the part-time roles you work whilst studying, as odd and as much as you may not enjoy them, are a learning curve.

A sense of ambition is injected into students throughout their time at university. Ambition to have a successful career and to know exactly how far they want to go, ambition to travel, to experience and appreciate different cultures and people with different backgrounds and ambition to grab opportunities when they are presented to them. The culture of university allows you to meet a diverse range of people and presents you with options you may not have considered previously. Going straight from school to employment eliminates that time where you are truly able to consider and pursue all the different opportunities out there, and you become very restricted in what you can do. As well as ambition you are also inspired. You may be inspired to take that to take that internship in London for the summer, to volunteer, to save up and travel, to blog, to put that entrepreneurial ideas into practice and even start your own business. The list is endless.

Sometimes the degree that you study won’t always be completely essential when you leave university. For roles such as engineering, accountants, law, science etc, of course university is the right path. However, sometimes a degree just provides a platform for your knowledge, giving you the opportunity and the time to sit back and actually think, come up with your own innovative ideas whilst utilising the concepts, theories and models that you have been taught in class. Whilst conducting research for projects you will encounter many different authors’ perspectives as well as opinions, and in your final year whilst you complete your dissertation, something just suddenly clicks and you see all the textbook theories link with all the different journal and article publishing, and you are able to add your own examples and opinions to the subject. You’re quality of writing improves, and you’re ability to discuss and debate is also greatly enhanced.

University is not for everyone. Sometimes the cons will outweigh the pros, and either route into employment has its own advantages. University will only appeal to people dependent on the type of person they are, and the results will depend on what the person is looking to gain from their time at university. If you’re ever bored, read the annual reports produced by Prospects, which gives some interesting figures and research into graduates vs. non graduates in the workplace.

Are You Feeling Lucky?

Last month, I went along to the RGU Career's Fair to speak to graduating students. It was a great opportunity to experience the fair from the other side of recruitment, and I wrote a post on it for the Thorpe Molloy blog, which you can see here:

Thorpe Molloy Blog

Goodbye University

I can't believe I haven't blogged in 4 months! It's fair to say life has been extremely busy lately, and so much has happened that I just haven't found the time to sit down and write about it!

First things first...I am no longer a student! I'm also proud to say I got a 2.1 for my Honours degree! At the start of 4th year I'd even wondered if I'd made a mistake doing an Honours year as I didn't think I would cope, and I managed just fine! Definitely come a long way since 1st year of uni that's for sure!

That last exam was a weird experience. After all of the exams I have sat throughout my education Strategic Marketing was the last exam I'll probably ever sit, and I'm proud to say I got an A for it, which was a nice way to finish. Having hated doing exams, I actually felt sad that I was sitting my last ever one. Who'd have thought I'd miss exams?!



Last ever coursework submitted after another sleepless night!


Graduation day was amazing, from start to finish. The ceremony was great and the speeches by the University Principal and Sir Ian Wood were inspirational. I think that's when it really hit me that uni really was over. I loved wearing the gown and hat, I felt like Harry Potter! Went for a meal and drinks at Simpsons after with my family... Thanks Mum and Dad!

Before the ceremony

 

Post ceremony - My favourite picture!

  

Graduation Ball



Graduation ball was also amazing, everyone looked so good in their ball gowns and kilts! A bit too much champagne was drank and the hangover the next day was horrendous but it was totally worth it!

 

As a way to say goodbye myself and my Uni friends went to Barcelona just before Graduation. It's such a pretty city with lots to do. We did a bit of sight seeing, a lot of sunbathing, a few nights out and went for some nice meals. It was very relaxed with not too much mischief taking place, minus one friend revealing their inner pole dancer! ;)

Glasgow the night before Barcelona (+ a random rocker on the right!)



Barcelona Ice Bar





Zante







After graduation we took a girls holiday to Zante! It's the first time I've been to Greece and I loved it! Fair to say it was a "loose" time as the Banffers put it (this means drunken and wild before you all let your imaginations run riot!) Unfortunately we don't have many photos because of lost phones and cameras :(

Rebecca, Me and Jordan with the American flag!

Graduation also said goodbye to one of my best friend's Jordan, who moved back to New York where he did his 3rd year placement. I miss him loads so I deem him worthy of a mention!

 

So, post graduation and post holidays, what am I doing now...? I have the job that I exactly wanted to do within the type of company I was eager to join! Sometimes I do stop and think "Oh my God, I'm never going back to uni" but I'll get over it.

The hardest part is not seeing Zohaib, Ashley, Chris and Mairi everyday because we have spent so much time together over the past 4 years, especially in our final Honours year! (Cheese alert...) Thanks to you guys for making it so memorable and I'm glad I met yous all!

And as for the future, Paris in December and New York next year are definitely on the horizons, and after that, who knows!

Dissertation Fear

My poor blog has been neglected a lot lately due to the overwhelming "Thesis fear". I feel like I live in the library just now, and the other day I was so early into uni I actually had to wait for it to open! This time of year seems to be making a lot of us 4th years a bit crazy, especially over everyones attachment to their favourite computers, which I am especially guilty of.

Lecturers certainly weren't lying about the level of work we have to put in and that social lives would have to be put on hold! Every time I come close to the end I turn a corner only to see another never ending road ahead. Don't get me wrong, I love the research topic that I am working on but if I ever hear "communications theory" again it will remind me of this very stressful time and I might just break down!

I also realise that I no longer have any good chat to me. Everything I talk about is dissertation. I can see that this must be particularly annoying to my non student friends, but I am not lying when I say I eat, sleep and breath dissertation.

The only thing keeping me going is the thought of graduation day. Myself and my friend Mairi have already decided we shall be drinking champagne that day from the moment we wake up. I believe the statement "I'm going to shower myself in champagne" was also made. Worrying thing is, we probs will after a drink or ten.

This blog post doesn't really have any real value to it, I just wanted a wee rant to myself. I did start to moan to my Dad but he just asked me what a dissertation even is, so online rambling it is. I'll be surprised if this even makes sense cos I'm extremely sleep deprived right now!

Added Value Brands

For those of you who know me, you will know that I have always been very “anti-Apple”. I was more than happy with my blackberry, my forever failing Toshiba laptop and until someone forced an iPod Nano upon me due to “embarrassment” I was rather satisfied with my little mp3 player (I can’t even remember what make it was now).

What bothered me was the lack of consumer choice there was when it came to buying phones and even other types of technology. All around me there was, and still is, Apple logos everywhere. Everyone sitting with their Macbooks, listening to their iPods and using their iPhones. How did one company manage to dominate a market so intensely? Where was the competition? And where were our choices?!

Look at the iPad for example. It wasn’t Apple who came up with the concept; it was Microsoft back in 2000. Apple didn’t release their first iPad until 2010. Consumers didn’t want these tablet products until Apple made one. Why?

I realised the answer to this question only the other day: I decided to purchase an iPhone. The differences between my blackberry and iPhone are substantial. However that wasn’t the “pin-point” moment. It was when I actually went into the Apple store with my new phone. Everything about the place represented the brand. It was cool, modern and a community of products. There was a demonstration going on about how to use the iPad and all of its features, there were kids playing on computers at a “kid’s area” and at the genius bar there were several people with their iPads, Macbooks and iPhones out.

When I sat down for my appointment the member of staff called me by my first name which surprised me, a personal approach rarely adopted by other companies. Not only did he fix my connection problem, he also sat and gave me a quick tutorial on how to use my phone to the best of its advantage after he learnt I’d never had one before. What a difference from the awful service I’d once received when I’d had a problem with my old phone!

So I have realised, people don’t just buy the products offered by Apple, they buy into the Apple Brand, and I can see why. Not only does the brand offer a representation of a cool personality, it offers ongoing personal customer service, something rare from many technology (and non-technology) brands today. In today’s recession, companies can succeed by offering that extra mile of customer service which ultimately adds value to their brand. Remembering someone’s name doesn’t exactly cost a lot, and its an added touch that won’t be forgotten!

Grad Students: How do we stand out from the next?

2009: Harry Potter Night

As a spinster old 4^th year student, I am forced to reflect back on my years at university and be slightly bitter about all the things I used to, and used not, to do. First year was spent in the students union and at any club promo night that offered me “free entry” and “shots for a pound”. I hate to admit it, I'd probably be dressed in neon and bouncing on the bouncy castle in clubs that was a bit of a hit back then. When I wasn't practising my downing sambuca technique, I'd be working 4 days a week to fund this lifestyle. As for uni, more than one lecture a day seemed like a hardship and was rather rare. So that was my life: a little bit of work, and a lot of partying.

2009: Geek Night

It was only when I started to think about what businesses I'd like to apply to once uni was over that I started to consider my CV. Competition will be fierce: we're all going to graduate with the same degree and the same qualifications. What will tell me apart from the graduate student next to me with the same 2:1? We need to show that we have excelled ourselves in other areas non-academically. We need to have something to show off about.

It all comes down to what your CV says about you. Think of yourself as a brand. What do your hobbies, interests and activities say about you? Whilst you have the time, get involved in societies and sports teams that you are actually interested in. Take the opportunity to become actively involved in something, not just jot your name down on the sign up sheet for the sake of it. Help to run events and take on the promotion of the societies activities. Consider your part time job as well: try and get something that will be relevant to your future. For example, hoping to get into tourism? Then get a part time job as a waiter in a hotel. Trying to get into marketing? Take a job that's customer orientated, or works with targets. Everything is a starting point. Its these little things that will give you something to talk about, and help to diverse yourself from the others.

It is now that I look back on the past few years, and there's a part of my that thinks I should have done that bit more when I had the chance to. Sure, I've been a fairly regular business society member, and for a year or two I was part of the cheerleading squad, but there was always that chance for me to do that bit more. Luckily I realised this before it was too late, and have certainly made up for it this year! Its just so happens it's the year that I have to spend Mon-Sun in the library. So take note all you youthful freshers, don't take all your spare time for granted. You've been given this time for a reason: use it wisely!

Recruiting the Next Generation

Hey everyone,
This article is a guest blog for The Urquhart Partnership! Urquhart Partnership specialises in Human Resources, Training and Recruitment and are based in Aberdeen and Manchester. Click on the following link to see it on their website:
The Urquhart Partnership: Recruiting the Next Generation


Recruiting the Next Generation


Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg had the vision of making the world a more “open” place, and he succeeded with millions of people now connected via the internet.

Facebook’s not the only site that’s caught on to the social media phenomenon; Twitter has caught on to it too. There are currently 483 million daily active users on Facebook, and Twitter in one month in 2011 recorded 460,000 new accounts being created per day in that month alone. Now we are able to search, connect and interact with people on a global basis, some of whom we have never met before.

The statistics speak for themselves. Social networking sites (SNS) have become a part of our daily lives, especially for Generation Y. Long gone are the days of traditional communication via letters and telephone, and replacing them are the terms “Facebook and tweet me”. Also, with the development of the Facebook and Twitter apps, we now have these social networking sites in the palm of our hand no matter where we are. That means constant access to what organisations are saying through social media.

This new communications media should not be ignored by companies, and some of the biggest employers have got it right with successful SNS marketing campaigns with the addition of incentives to encourage individuals to interact with them on these sites.

As a future graduate, I am subject to constant unsolicited emails about companies seeking graduates and bombarded with fliers and posters around university campus. It’s all very much the same; completely impersonal. Social media has provided companies with the opportunity to engage, interact and communicate with potential employees and stakeholders, removing the barrier of uncertainty. What better way to target individuals than through the networking sites where they are comfortable?

By companies being on Facebook, we are able to “like” and “follow” those that we are interested in. It is us choosing the companies, not the companies choosing us. If we have a question, we are able to ask them direct via a wall post or tweet, rather than having to hunt for an email address and undoubtedly not getting a response. Overall it makes potential employers a lot more reachable and friendly and we are encouraged to engage with these companies and are a lot more likely to consider them as a potential employer.

In order to attract the most talented candidates of this next generation, employers must make themselves known and have a dominant, communicative presence on social media, otherwise they will be left behind.