Presentations and Open Days As Autumn swings into view, as the leaves turn red and universities and colleges open again for the new academic year, there's one more sure sign of the season – graduate employers are ordering in the tea, biscuits, and in some cases wine, for their presentations and open days. There’s a whole host of these "milkround" events lined up for the autumn, offered by a wide variety of companies. They're a great way to find out about companies' opportunities and get an insight into all their intangibles – such as their culture and values and so on. They are also sometimes viewed by employers as assessment occasions – although in general firms won’t take CVs or application forms, they are still on the lookout for candidates that catch their eye. As such, it’s certainly worth making sure you create the right impression. So what can you expect from them, and how can you make sure you get the most out of them? The first tip is to prepare thoroughly. Doing this will enable you to contextualise the information that’s presented to you much better, and will lead to you being able to ask more informed questions – which obviously increases the chance of making a positive impression. Prepare by reading up on latest news on the industry and the particular employer. Typing the industry name into a search engine (perhaps with “careers” or “news”) will bring up a host of resources. Follow developments in the papers, especially the business press. Get deeper knowledge by reading relevant industry books, and talking to friends who work in the sector. It's worth coming up with some questions you might be able to put to the presenters. Just doing the research for this is a valuable exercise on its own, as it gets you to analyse the information about the company, even if you don't end up asking the question - which of course you should do as well if you get the chance!Dress smartly just as if for an interview, remembering that you’re inevitably creating an impression, either positive or negative. Once you’re at the presentation or open day, be friendly and relaxed, although obviously courteous and professional. Recruiters mean it when they say that these are relatively informal occasions, designed to help you meet current employees. Feel free to ask all the questions you have - the staff attending the events will be keen to help and comfortable answering your questions about the job. As well as questions at the end of the presentation, you will usually have the chance to speak one-on-one to employees afterwards; this gives you the opportunity to convey your enthusiasm, make an impact and even lodge your name in the mind of the recruitment personnel. This is where all your preparation pays off. Hopefully you will learn a lot about the employer and its industry, and be able to take a more informed view on whether you would enjoy working there. And if you do decide to apply you’ll be able to bring some invaluable knowledge into your application. The Milkround events search page is the place to go to find details of employers' presentations and open days.

Presentations and Open Days

As Autumn swings into view, as the leaves turn red and universities and colleges open again for the new academic year, there's one more sure sign of the season – graduate employers are ordering in the tea, biscuits, and in some cases wine, for their presentations and open days. There’s a whole host of these "milkround" events lined up for the autumn, offered by a wide variety of companies. They're a great way to find out about companies' opportunities and get an insight into all their intangibles – such as their culture and values and so on. They are also sometimes viewed by employers as assessment occasions – although in general firms won’t take CVs or application forms, they are still on the lookout for candidates that catch their eye. As such, it’s certainly worth making sure you create the right impression. So what can you expect from them, and how can you make sure you get the most out of them?

The first tip is to prepare thoroughly. Doing this will enable you to contextualise the information that’s presented to you much better, and will lead to you being able to ask more informed questions – which obviously increases the chance of making a positive impression. Prepare by reading up on latest news on the industry and the particular employer. Typing the industry name into a search engine (perhaps with “careers” or “news”) will bring up a host of resources. Follow developments in the papers, especially the business press. Get deeper knowledge by reading relevant industry books, and talking to friends who work in the sector. It's worth coming up with some questions you might be able to put to the presenters. Just doing the research for this is a valuable exercise on its own, as it gets you to analyse the information about the company, even if you don't end up asking the question - which of course you should do as well if you get the chance!Dress smartly just as if for an interview, remembering that you’re inevitably creating an impression, either positive or negative.

Once you’re at the presentation or open day, be friendly and relaxed, although obviously courteous and professional. Recruiters mean it when they say that these are relatively informal occasions, designed to help you meet current employees. Feel free to ask all the questions you have - the staff attending the events will be keen to help and comfortable answering your questions about the job. As well as questions at the end of the presentation, you will usually have the chance to speak one-on-one to employees afterwards; this gives you the opportunity to convey your enthusiasm, make an impact and even lodge your name in the mind of the recruitment personnel. This is where all your preparation pays off. Hopefully you will learn a lot about the employer and its industry, and be able to take a more informed view on whether you would enjoy working there. And if you do decide to apply you’ll be able to bring some invaluable knowledge into your application.

The Milkround events search page is the place to go to find details of employers' presentations and open days.