Getting a foot in the door can be a daunting prospect for jobseekers, which is why the chairman of the Lloyd’s of London board was out connecting with school leavers to pass on his top tips for success in the business world.
Bruce Carnegie-Brown was grilled by sixth-former Shenice Osisioma at a Corporation education board dinner on what firms are looking for when recruiting.
He listed a positive attitude, work experience, and the right social media presence as key to making the right impression, but it wasn’t all one-way traffic.
Shenice, who is completing her A-levels at City of London Academy Southwark, also explained what prospective employees were expecting from firms as the City readies itself for the next generation of workers.
The aspiring law student said young people need more clarity from both schools and businesses on what work experience is available and how to get it.
She said firms need to do more to show what qualifications they regard highly – and what they don’t – and which non-academic skills are valued in the workplace.
Henry Colthurst, chairman of the education board, hailed the exchange as an example of City firms showing consideration for future workforces, but said more needs to be done to enhance the affiliation.
“Schools and businesses need to have strong relationships so young people can enjoy the best opportunities for their future,” he
said. “This debate underlines the reason why schools and business need to understand each other better, and that if they can bridge that gap, then young people can benefit.
“Together we aim to make sure that young Londoners have access to the information, advice and experiences that will help them to progress into fulfilling careers.”
Meanwhile, Mr Carnegie-Brown stressed the importance of approaching employers with a clean digital profile.
He explained: “Social recruiting is now a “thing” when it comes to hiring candidates – three in 10 employers have someone who will review your online persona. Will you be proud of what they find?
“With more than half of employers (54%) finding content on social media that caused them not to hire a candidate, why take any chances? Pause before you post.”
