Huge congratulations to Ruth who secured a graduate role with Vodafone by attending an Insight Day run exclusively for Bright Network members. During our conversation we spoke about Ruth's experience at the Insight Day and how one Bright Network email landed her her dream role.
Why did you apply to Vodafone?
I got an email from Bright Network advertising a Vodafone event exclusively for Bright Network members. At the time I was in the middle of applying to a few other large technology companies but the opportunity to get hired on the day at this Bright Network and Vodafone event really appealed to me. So, I thought I would give it a go and attend the event. I knew Vodafone are a massive company but until I got this Bright Network email I hadn’t considered applying to them.
What happened at the Vodafone Insight Day?
The day began with several talks from senior Vodafone employees who told us all about the work the company does, the office (and out of office) culture, the company’s community initiatives and Vodafone’s branding. Following these talks there were also a series of panels. All the talks were incredibly engaging and interesting! They convinced me that Vodafone would be a great fit for me. After the talks we had an hour long one on one interview which felt very relaxed followed by group activities. In general, I did not feel like the day was particularly strenuous or nerve-wracking thanks to how friendly all the staff were. I found out the next morning that they wanted to hire me and I was ecstatic before I found out I had to pass an abstract reasoning test to secure my place! At the end of the day I was massively impressed with the event and so thankful to Bright Network for making me aware of it and getting me to it! Even if I hadn’t got a job from the event though I still felt that it was a valuable experience which taught me quite a lot!
What will your role be for Vodafone?
I will be a Discover Graduate for Vodafone. We will get given different placements in different locations, for example my first placement is in Newbury as a junior transformation manager for 6 months. After this I will be put onto a new placement and I will found out what this placement will be about 2 months before the end of my first placement.
What three tips would you give to fellow Bright Network members?
- Take time to understand what it is that you want from a job. There’s so many different jobs out there that it becomes very easy to be overwhelmed by them all. If you know what it is you’re searching for it makes the whole process much easier to manage and focus on.
- Networking IS important. Go to whatever networking events you get the opportunity to go to whether it is a larger networking event or a smaller insight day. Take advantage of these opportunities, go to these events, meet new people and make new contacts.
- Make sure the company is right for you, don’t settle for a company that you know you won’t enjoy working for.
What is the hardest interview question you faced?
Give an example of a time where you used data to solve a problem.
