Behind the Scenes with FDM Leeds’ University Partnerships Team

As of January 2019, FDM has over 80 partnerships with university careers centres and academic departments across the UK and Ireland, as well as several more throughout North America and APAC. FDM’s University Partnerships (UP) teams are responsible for facilitating these relationships by working with universities to best prepare students for the corporate world. The Leeds team recruit individuals to join FDM’s Graduate Programme. Below, they have provided insight into their roles and how they help bring people and technology together.

What is a typical day in the office?

A typical day in the office is spent contacting candidates to help them kick-start their career with FDM. This involves talking to potential candidates about the opportunities that FDM offer and, should they be interested, taking them through the recruitment process. An initial stage in the process is a video interview which we provide feedback on and, if the candidate is successful, they will then be booked onto an assessment day. All throughout the recruitment process, we offer to coach candidates in order to maximise their chances of success such as by providing hints and tips on how to give a successful interview.

What do you do on a working day outside the office?

A key part of the role involves contacting universities to arrange and deliver a variety of workshops, careers fairs, presentations and more. This is really important as it allows FDM to support university initiatives and prepare students for a graduate role. At the start of the year, meetings are arranged with university partners to provide a plan of action on how FDM can support employability events throughout the year. These events focus on meeting students and supporting them on their career path.

What types of events do the team visit?

We attend careers fairs to raise awareness of FDM’s Graduate Programme, deliver workshops on how to be successful in the recruitment process and we form employer panels to answer students’ questions. When on campus, we also arrange meetings with candidates to provide them with face-to-face preparation for their assessment day.

What do you like best about working for the University Partnerships team?

One of the highlights of the role is being able to meet students in person as it allows for a strong relationship to be built. It is extremely rewarding to have met an individual at a careers fairs and then see them succeed through the entire recruitment process and become a part of FDM. It’s important to ensure the candidates’ journey is positive from the get-go, so it’s great being a friendly point of contact for them to go with any questions and sharing valuable information on how they can improve their employability skills.

Are you looking for a graduate role in the business or tech sector?