Charlotte Carty is about to graduate from the University of Bristol where she studied Physics. Charlotte attended Bright Network Technology Top 150 in 2015 and has since then accepted an Insights & Data Graduate scheme with Capgemini. A huge congratulations to you Charlotte!
We asked her some questions about the day and how she went about applying and successfully acquiring her role.
Can you tell us what you found useful about Technology Top 150?
I really liked the speed networking – which meant you met representatives from all the firms. It was well structured and gave me the chance to discuss the pros of working at each different company. You got to learn a lot about the different companies and how they each recruit for their graduates.
For me this event consolidated the fact that Capgemini was definitely my first choice.
How did you go about choosing to apply for the role at Capgemini?
Bright Network brought Capgemini to my attention. I had previously spent a year in France so the fact that they were a French company and I could use my French in the role was a definite advantage. On top of this the Capgemini team were all really friendly and I thought it was going to be a great match.
What advice would you give students attending the event?
- Head to the event with an open mind. There'll be lots of different companies there – some you may not have heard of before. The event was great for meeting companies you may not have traditionally thought about as having technology roles available. M&S were at the event and it was great to meet them and hear about the technology roles they had for graduates.
- Ask lots of questions – it’s an excellent opportunity to find out the answers to the questions important to you.
- Check with Bright Network what you should wear. There was a speaker from Google who was dressed really casually in a t-shirt and jeans but other firms were in suits. It was great to see someone who is obviously a huge achiever in his field dressed so casually. I felt that the diversity of the tech industry was really well represented at this event.
What can you tell us about the Capgemini application process?
It was fairly straightforward. There was an online test, a phone interview followed by an assessment centre. Capgemini kept me constantly updated – which was really helpful. The best part was definitely the Assessment Centre where we travelled to Liverpool – I’d never been to Liverpool before so that was great! Capgemini really made the effort to make you feel important and valued – so you left the process really wanting to kick start your career there.
The hardest part of the process was the presentation which was a part of the assesment centre. We had the opportunity to prepare this in advance but it was still pretty tricky to deliver the pitch. I did my pitch on ‘Wearable Technology’ – I think it went well in the end!
What tips can you give our members applying for graduate roles at organisations like Capgemini?
Capgemini run strength-based recruitment where they focus on your strengths rather than spending too much time looking at your weaker areas. You should remember this throughout the process and champion your best skills and strengths.
Also I’d advise that you look at the company’s values. Align your thinking with these values, thinking of examples in your own life as well as commercial news stories where you have an opinion.
