Vish Buldawoo

Employer: CSC
Title: HR Graduate Scheme
Degree: Banking and Finance Management

I became interested in HR through a couple of modules on my course, so in my placement year I worked in HR at IBM. This stood me in really good stead when it came to getting my job, as did the six months’ experience I gained straight after uni when I worked for the council in payroll, which gave me insight into a different area of HR.

In my job, I use networking skills a lot because I meet all kinds of people. A willingness to try new projects is an important attribute to have too. You also need to be assertive while knowing your own limits. I’ve found that you need to be able to take the initiative in a big company like this, because it’s all too easy to wait to be told what to do.

The advice I’d give to students is be open to new experiences. You might have a career path in mind but it doesn’t always work out that way. At first, I thought I’d go into banking but by trying out a couple of different modules I found that I really enjoyed HR.

Any sort of work experience you can get is valuable. Most companies look for experience in a wide range of areas as this can really help expand your skills. Placements are great because you grow up in ways you don’t realise. At 21, I lacked organisational skills and assertiveness, but my placement gave me these.

When you’re applying for jobs, do as many online tests and telephone interviews as possible as you’ll get better and better. They’ll ask you when you’ve had to deal with difficult people or solve problems, so it’s good to have as many examples up your sleeve as possible.

If you go to an Assessment Centre, make sure that you make yourself heard in group exercises; if you’re not collaborating with the rest of the team then you won’t get noticed. You should also learn as much as you can about the company you’re applying to.

Once you’ve landed that first job, don’t be disillusioned if things are slow at first and you don’t get given a big project straight away. Be patient and the opportunities will come in time.

I believe that it’s not the discipline that’s important, but what you offer alongside academic learning. After all, they can train you up; I’m currently being CIPD trained at work. When they interviewed me, they looked at me as a person and a potential manager of the future.

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