Quote:
|
Originally Posted by -Blue Moon-
so does this mean in order to shine you need to be somewhere crappy? :-P
|
Well, that depends on you. I'm generally an arrogant idiot, but if you're going to a graduate scheme where they generally pick "top candidates" (whatever that means in this particular instance) or a top University for your chosen subject then I doubt you can automatically assume you will be streets ahead of everyone else like you may have been elsewhere.
I've never applied to a high profile graduate scheme because
a) I never thought to
b) It never appealed to me
b) Because I know everyone elses work ethic would be streets ahead of me. Up until recently, I didn't have the ability / will to put in the extra hours (or indeed any hours at all) to study, or do projects or whatever. My attendance in my MSc (which was an obvious example to shine) was something like 4% in the second year. My mediocre result is hardly therefore a sign of some criminal injustice.
If you want to get into a chosen field then it seems pretty easy to me - you start as early as possible by trying to do work placements or voluntary work, researching an inordinate amount about the subject in general and writing papers in your sparetime, forming organisations to discuss/network - that sort of faggotry. I could never be bothered to do that sort of thing which is why it's taken me about five years to get to a positions I could have been about 2 or 3 years ago I guess (not that it matters).
It depends where you go to Uni. When I did my undergrad (QMW, Uni of London) I don't really remember much of the careers events or advice or the like, although they must have had something. At the LSE every two seconds some wankers from Merryl Lynch/Barclays/Morgan Stanley seem to be trying to invite people to attend crappy career seminars and you can't walk through the main thoroughfare without some **** trying to give you a flyer for the "Capitalist Club" (subtitled :
'For the winners of the future' in some cases).