Category: Employer Engagement

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Employer Engagement Employer events Employer Insight Employer Panels Employer Q&A student success Student success stories

Graduate Success Story: Jenni Walsh, Allstate

Jenni Walsh

I’m Jenni and I work as part of the E Discovery Team here at Allstate Northern Ireland. I recently just finished my Master’s in Software Development at Queen’s University in Belfast.

Tell us about your role.

So my role is basically working in conjunction with Legal Department on evidence request. Most of my team are based in the US, so it’s great chatting to them on a daily basis, even if it is virtually. I love the fact that I’m getting the opportunity to learn something new every single day at Allstate.

How did you get your current role?

So I went into the Master’s Degree with no real technical background at all. The course is brilliant in that it gives you a broad range of new technical skills in a relatively short space of time. The course covers a really wide range of technology and that gives you a really solid basis to work from then and the confidence to learn new technologies when you go into a workplace. Allstate has a really wide number of roles available as IT does in general. So there really is a fit for everybody. I applied for Allstate’s graduate programme because it gives you really fantastic first steps into a new career and it provides a world-class training program for technical and soft skills.

What interview tips do you have for students/ graduates?

So for any interview you want to prove that you not only have the tech skills to be able to work there but also the right attitude. From a tech point of view you want to be able to show that you’ve got a real interest in technology so having some projects and that you’ve done outside of uni work on your CV is always really helpful. From a non-tech point of view you want to make sure that it comes across that you’re really curious, you’re really willing to learn. Also do a wee bit of research on the company before you go into the interview. The interviewer wants to make sure that you really want to work there and also for yourself, you want to make sure that the company is going to be a good fit for yourself. So it’s important for both you and the company that you’re going to fit in.

What soft skills are most important in your role?

So I would say that soft skills are just as important as tech skills in the work place. So good communication and being a team player is key. During our course we did some different group projects and this really increased our experience of working within a team which ultimately improves communication both in-person and in a virtual environment as well which we are also used to these days.

What training did you get when you started the role?

So here at Allstate there’s an amazing graduate training programme which focuses on both technical and soft programme which focuses on both technical and soft training which really helped to cement what we had already learned at Uni. The trainers were really fantastic and you felt like you could ask them anything without feeling silly. Our soft skills sessions were great too and they focus on things like time management, presentation skills and building your confidence. We also then had training within our own individual roles that we were

working in. So here at Allstate there an amazing culture of respect and if you ever have an issue or you’re unsure about anything there’s always somebody about that will help you.

How have the people in your organisation inspired you?

I think what is so special about Allstate is the culture. I really feel like I’m respected, supported and like my opinions matter. Allstate do a lot for their employees from things like employee days out, social events or even things like mental health workshops. Allstate also provides us with a lot of volunteering opportunities which allows us to give back to the communities in which we work and we live. In the office here we also have a collaboration area and we’re really encouraged to go down and use it to have a chat, a coffee or even a game of pool, which is lovely. We also have a peer-to-peer reward system which really makes you feel valued.

Why would you recommend students and graduates apply to your firm?

So I would definitely recommend applying to Allstate. The diversity of roles here is huge and there really is a place for everybody. There is a reason that Allstate Northern Ireland has been named Digital DNA’s Workplace of the Year again this year. It’s got a fantastic benefits package and there’s a great work-life balance here. It’s got flexible and hybrid working options which really help support family life. We also have access to a wide range of world-class learning platforms and we’re really supported and encouraged to take steps to further your career.

Allstate are proud sponsors of our Autumn Fair

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Employer Engagement Employer events Employer Insight Employer Q&A Employers student success Student success stories

Workplace insight: Dale Totten: Allstate

Dale Totten

What are the values of your organisation?

Here at Allstate our values are extremely important. It is how we represent and conduct ourselves and not only as colleagues, but also towards our customers. Honesty and integrity is one of our core values. This is where we show honesty towards our customers and our integrity to do the right thing. We also have a core value of inclusive diversity. This is of course bringing in people from multiple cultures as not only as colleagues, but also as customers and this brings forward great ideas, drives innovation and is very important here at Allstate. We also have engagement as one of our core values. This is of course being engaged with each other to help along our shared purpose and to make sure that we are achieving our goals here at Allstate.

How inclusive an environment is your organisation?

Allstate is a very inclusive organisation. We welcome people from all different backgrounds and cultures and we encourage team engagement across these different cultures. This helps bring an inclusive environment for people within Allstate and for new people joining Allstate also. This also helps with our shared ideas and our different perspectives within our teams. It also can help with having a different out look on our goals, both within our team and also within our areas. So it is very important to have a good inclusive environment here within Allstate.

What social events bond you as a team?

Allstate host multiple events within different business areas across the organisation and these events are a great way of not only meeting new people but also getting to know your team better and your business areas better. Some of the events that I have been to have been pizza and barbecue meetups that have been provided for by Allstate. I’ve really enjoyed these events. I thought they were great for getting to know people from my team better and there’s also events that are hosted for across different teams and across the whole organisation. So there’s different events for different communities of practices, such as Dagrad community of practice which I am a part of and there’s also events that are for the whole organisation such as the sports and social events which I’ve also attended. All have been a great way to meet new people and to have some fun.

How easy is it to progress and carve out a career in your organisation?

When you first join Allstate as a graduate, you get introduced into all the different types of roles and areas within Allstate and that you have the potential of joining as a graduate. This is a great way of exploring all the different areas that are available and also finding out what you like and what you would find most interesting in going into as your role within Allstate. Once you’ve decided on your role, you’ll then be put into the two-year graduate programme. This programme is there to help you with your skills and help you with your ability to move up the ranks within Allstate. It offers you different types of promotion opportunities as well as different levels of training such as technical and soft skills training throughout as well.

What personal attributes are you looking for in recruits?

One of the key personal attributes you can have within Allstate is being a team player. You work within your team and you’re there to help share ideas, be collaborative and bring together solutions to problems you may have within your team and achieving goals within your business area. Largely you will work with other teams also within your business area and they’ll all be working towards a shared goal. This is why it’s such a key value within Allstate to be a team player as Allstate is always striving towards a shared purpose and therefore it requires teams and employees to work together to achieve Allstate’s goals.

Allstate are proud sponsors of our Autumn Fair.

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Careers programmes Employer Engagement Employer events Employer Insight Employer Panels Employer Q&A Employers student success Student success stories

Workplace Insight: Clodagh Nugent, Allstate

Clodagh Nugent

Hi, my name is Clodagh Nugent and I’m a part of the talent acquisition team at Allstate Northern Ireland. So I started as a placement student, I then worked part-time and returned as a graduate and I’m now a junior consultant in entry-level talent.

Why are you excited to come to the Autumn Fair?

Queen’s University offer fantastic curriculum and careers services to prepare students for the world of work. Allstate Northern Ireland are passionate about investing in the talent of the future and always interested to meet ambitious students ready to kick start their career. Allstate have a strong partnership with Queen’s University and actively recruit students with great success so much so that we’re delighted to be acting as one of the sponsors for this Careers Fair this Autumn.

What opportunities will you be showcasing at the Fair?

Allstate Northern Ireland offer various entry level pathways including 12-month placement opportunities across IT disciplines. We also offer placement opportunities in our corporate functions such as human resources, marketing and graphic design although these will be offered into the new year. We also recruit a high number of IT graduates across a variety of technology roles and we also offer an IT insights programme and potential summer internships to first year IT, Maths and Physics students.

What is the best thing about working at your organisation?

So I’m afraid there probably isn’t enough time to cover all the benefits that Allstate Northern Ireland offers, but my favourite part about working here has to be the the social aspect. So I think joining a large company in an entry-level role, it’s important to have a support network there, such as Allstate graduate community of practise. We also offer a lot of employee resource groups such as Sports and Social, Embrace Awesome, Women in Technology, Allgreen, Allcare; so there really is something for everyone.

Why should students visit your virtual and or online stall?

I’m excited for this Careers Fair to be in a hybrid capacity, so myself and other Allstate representatives will be available in person and virtually throughout the day hoping to offer some careers advice and direct you to potential opportunities with us such as IT placements and graduate roles with start dates across 2023 and they will be advertised around October so looking forward to seeing you there.

Allstate are proud sponsors of our Autumn Fair

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Employer Engagement Employer events Employer Insight Employer Panels Employer Q&A student success Student success stories

Graduate Success: Bethan Hughes, Allstate

Bethan Hughes

Hi, my name is Bethan and I’m a Full Stack Developer at Allstate Northern Ireland. Prior to that I studied the Master’s in Software Development part-time.

Describe your current role.

In my current role, I work on a cross-functional global team with teammates across the US, India and Northern Ireland. As a Full Stack Developer, I’m working with technologies such as React, JavaScript, Spring Boot and Java. The area I’m in has been working on a new auto insurance product that is designed to transform the way Allstate does business. It’s been really exciting getting to see the changes that I work on, the stories and features that I’m assigned right through developments and seeing them in action as they’re incrementally rolled out to select customers.

How did you get your current role?

Before I started the Masters in Software Development at Queen’s I had no previous computer science or technology experience at all. So the conversion course was instrumental in giving me those fundamental skills in programming and software development that enabled me to get the job with Allstate. I was also able to go to the EEECS Careers team to get to tailor-made advice on how to change roles into the Tech sector, on how to prepare for assessment centres and interviews which was really valuable and made me feel really prepared when I went up for my interview with Allstate.

What interview tips do you have for students/ graduates?

One of the things that came across really clearly to me in my interview process with Allstate was that they were looking for candidates from a range of backgrounds who would work well with others. It wasn’t so much about how technically knowledgeable you were but about how you would approach challenges. The assessment centre and interview were designed to let you show your skills in problem-solving, working as a team and communicating with others. One tip I have for students and graduates would be to practise using the STAR technique where you describe a situation, task action and result as this is a really good method for highlighting your skills.

What soft skills are most important in your role?

I would say some of the most important skills in my role are teamwork and how you communicate with others, the ability to give and receive constructive feedback, problem-solving and approaching challenges flexibly. These were all skills that I was able to practise and develop throughout my course at Queen’s. For example, working on programming assignments or on my group project in software development.

What training did you get when you started the role?

When I was offered the job with Allstate I was invited to join a specialist 12-week Full Stack Development training programme. This was a training programme that was part-time instructor lead or online group training and part-time working embedded with your team at Allstate. My colleagues were all really supportive of the time I spent in training and of also training me up within the team. It was also really nice to have a whole group on the same training programme where we could practise skills such as mob programming and group presentations and really learn how to work as a team of software developers, so the training was really excellent in preparing me to join my team full-time.

How have the people in your organisation inspired you?

One of the things that I really like about Allstate is that we have a graduate community of practice. This allows everybody who are early on in their careers to come together through virtual or in person events and get to know people working in other areas. We also get information sessions to help us decide what direction we might want to go with our career. It’s really good to have these opportunities to network with other people in other areas and to find out how your peers are getting on in the company.

Why would you recommend students and graduates apply to your firm?

I would encourage students and graduates to apply to Allstate as it’s a great company to start your career and learn and develop throughout. I’ve been with the company just over one year and in that time, they’ve introduced a 3-year graduate development scheme that helps graduates in their early stages of their careers to continue to learn and develop. Having been here one year I’ve now been able to gain a promotion and I have a clear direction for my career for the next two years at least.

Allstate are proud sponsors of our Autumn Fair.

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Employer Engagement Employer events Employer feedback Employer Insight Employers international students student success Student success stories

What impresses employers about Queen’s students?

Two female business owners

 This blog celebrates some of the encouraging employer feedback we have received about Queen’s students during our employer events and activities over the last year. 

“Fantastic students”

Beth MacDougall, Student Recruitment Associate at EY welcomed a group of Queen’s students for our recent #QUBWorkShadowingWeek. She told us:
“What a brilliant day meeting these fantastic Queen’s students! We couldn’t have been more delighted with our first event back in person! The students developed an understanding of the different roles we offer, and were keen to know what it’s actually like working here day to day. Biggest thank you to all those in the group for signing up and being fantastic participants – we can’t wait to see what all your futures hold!”

“Delighted to see classroom learning translated into a professional environment”

Louise Dooley, In-House Recruitment Specialist at Andor Technology welcomed a group of Queen’s students for our recent #QUBWorkShadowingWeek. She told us:
“Andor Technology were delighted to be one of the partner organisations participating in #QUBWorkShadowingWeek. We welcomed students from Mechanical and Electronic Engineering and Physics disciplines. Thank you for helping us provide opportunities for students to gain valuable insights into the world of work and how classroom learning translates into a professional environment.”

“Eyes opened to the future potential”

The Interior Fit-Out Team at Graham welcomed a group of Queen’s students for our recent #QUBWorkShadowingWeek. They told us:
“We opened the doors to 7 students from Queens University Belfast to see and learn about the works being carried out, whilst giving them an understanding of how a live project runs.

Project Manager, Eóin King MCIOB along with Contracts Director Neill Gillespie MCIOB took the students on a tour of the project and shared their own experiences of working and studying whilst building their career within GRAHAM. We were pleased to hear from student participants that their eyes had been opened to a potential future in the construction industry as a result of the visit.”

“Important real-life insights”

The Bloc team welcomed a group of Queen’s students for our recent #QUBWorkShadowingWeek. They told us:
“Recently we had the pleasure of welcoming students from Queen’s University Belfast onsite. The main objective of the day was for students to gain very important real life organisation insights. The students got an insight into Bloc, the sector and got the opportunity to observe professionals in practice.”

“Learning from graduate engineers”

The team at Dawson-Wam welcomed a group of Queen’s students for our recent #QUBWorkShadowingWeek. They told us:
“DAWSON-WAM were pleased to support #QUBWorkShadowingWeek offering students work shadowing opportunities with NI employers. Our students Kieran and Alice got the opportunity to visit our Shimna Flood Alleviation Scheme in Newcastle, Co. Down. Their site experience included a mini survey camp hosted by our Graduate Engineers, James Carinduff and Conor Magorrian.”

“Great to meet students interested in grad opportunities”

Leah Tohill, Recruiting Graduate Talent, First Derivative took part in the #QUBStockMarketChallenge. She told us:
“It was great to meet so many students that were interested in the graduate opportunities First Derivative have to offer.
Congratulations to Charles and Toby who won the Stock Market Challenge. We’re delighted that you picked First Derivative as your first choice for an Insights Day.”

“Quickly grasped the flavour of the work we do”

Niall Elliott, Legal Professional at Baker McKenzie welcomed a group of #QUBStudents for our #QUBCareersinLaw Insight Programme. He told us:
“It was great to meet some of the #QUBStudents in the Baker McKenzie Belfast Centre as part of the Careers in Law Insight Programme 2022.

The group quickly became familiar with the various teams that operate from within the Belfast Centre. This was followed by a negotiation task to give the students a flavour of the kind of work we do.”

“First-hand experience of legal expertise”

The team at Carson McDowell welcomed a group of #QUBStudents for our #QUBCareersinLaw Insight Programme. They told us:
“Senior Partner Neasa Quigley and Partner Gerard Armstrong hosted students from Queen’s University Belfast as part of their #QUBCareersinLaw Insight Programme 2022. Having enjoyed some ice cream on arrival, a team from Carson McDowell took participants around the legal world, giving them first-hand experience of a range of legal expertise.”

“Will welcome students back as colleagues”

The team at Herbert Smith Freehills welcomed a group of #QUBStudents for our #QUBCareersinLaw Insight Programme. They told us:
“We were delighted to host a number of Law students from Queen’s University Belfast as part of the #QUBCareersinLaw Insight Programme 2022.

The students met some of the Belfast team and gained an insight into our Alternative Legal Services practice group.  

Belfast colleagues and Queen’s University alumni Linet Kurian and Luke Osborne shared their experiences since joining HSF and how their careers have progressed from starting as a Legal Analyst.

The Belfast team really enjoyed meeting with the students and hope to be able to welcome some of them back as colleagues in the near future.”

“Delighted to network informally”

The team at MKB Law welcomed a group of #QUBStudents for our #QUBCareersinLaw Insight Programme. They told us:
“Lynsey Henderson and Ruairi Maguire were delighted to speak at the final session of the #QUBCareersinLaw Insight Programme 2022, giving students an overview of their legal career, answering questions in a panel discussion, plus chatting informally with attendees afterwards at the networking buffet.

Thank you for a fantastic event.”

“Incredible ideas and presentations”

Beth MacDougall, Student Recruitment Associate at EY met a group of #QUBStudents on our #QUBInsightIntoManagement Programme. She told us:
“EY were absolutely delighted to participate in #QUBInsightIntoManagement Programme with Ruby Hopkins and John McMorrow acting as group facilitators over the course of the programme.

A truly fantastic event. We completely in awe of the incredible ideas and presentations all of the students gave and were thrilled to attend as judges.”

“Amazing applications”

Francesca Morelli, Co-Founder of VAVA Influence took on #QUBStudents as part of #QUBImpactProject. She told us:
“We are delighted to be taking part in the #QUBImpactProject for the second year in a row as employers. In partnership with #QUBImpactProject, we’re hiring two Part-Time Marketing & Events Interns to work with us at VAVA Influence | Influencer Marketing this summer. We had some amazing applications; looking forward to welcoming the talent from QUB!”

“Hugely impressive”

Peter McCleery, CEO at Get Sociable took on #QUBStudents as part of #QUBImpactProject. He told us:

“We’re very grateful at GetSociable for all the help from @QUBCareers. The calibre of students has been hugely impressive, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with Queen’s University Belfast as we grow.”

Read what else employers say about Queen’s students here. 

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Adaptability Employer Engagement Employer events Employer Insight Employer Panels Employer Q&A Employers flexibility Non Linear careers

Four top tips from employers on breaking into tech

Female software developer

Did you know Belfast was recently ranked as one of the best places in Europe for tech firms by fDi Intelligence, a specialist division of the Financial Times?

The tech sector in Northern Ireland is booming but how can you break into the industry if you come from a non-computing academic background?

The IT sector is constantly changing with developments and advancements in technology. Employers in the sector need graduates with technical know-how to solve problems, but they also need graduates to work across their business, marketing, human resources and finance functions.

We talked to key players from the tech industry and here is their advice:

Tech is about more than computing

“You start to ask yourself, ‘there’s a heck of a lot more [to tech] than just computing?’ and you’d be absolutely right.” – Columb Duffy, Senior Manager, Allstate

You don’t need an IT degree

“People studying non-IT degrees, you can definitely have a career in the Tech sector.” – Marguerite Clarke, Business Development Manager, Version 1

You can learn on the job

“We’ll talk to anybody; if you’re smart, we want to hear from you, regardless of your background.” – David McGarry, Senior Director, Riskonnect

Problem-solvers should apply

“The number one thing that we want you to be able to do is be a problem-solver.” – Dr Aidan McGowan, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science, Queen’s

Discover more about non-linear career paths on our Graduate Support site.

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communication skills Employer Engagement personal skills Skills transferrable skills

Eight Soft Skills You Need to Develop

Stay ahead in the competitive graduate job market by developing your core skill set. Here are some of the top skills employers will look for in 2022.

1.Active Listening

It is no secret that our attention spans are a lot shorter than previous generations. We are so used to consuming hundreds of messages at record speed that we no longer know how to fully focus on one message at a time.

Active listening involves understanding what the other person is saying, as well as truly hearing it.

In terms of customer service, you hear their problem, but you also understand why it is a problem for them and what solution they are looking for.

2. Written, Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication

How we come across in emails, the language we use to talk to those around us, and how we use our body language are all forms of communication.

Understanding how you communicate and how you can adapt it to suit different audiences shows maturity and empathy.

It also suggests that you would be a good leader – traits all employers look for when recruiting.

3.Collaboration

Collaboration is similar to teamwork.

It is the ability to work with others to complete a task or project. 

Employers assessing collaboration skills will be looking at if you can bring a team together, how you support your colleagues and if you can develop an idea by offering constructive feedback or by building on it.

4.Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence indicates how well you understand people, and this comes in twofold.

The first is with your colleagues. Today’s world wants a peaceful workplace where everyone thrives. Having employees that can see when someone is struggling or having a difficult time and has the emotional tools to help them creates a workplace of trust and collaboration. 

The second is with consumers or customers. Products and services are driven by consumer needs and motivations. Understanding what motivates a person or what problems they need resolving will help you develop innovative products/services that will sell.

5.Critical Thinking 

Critical thinking is the ability to analyse data and form a judgment. 

With AI technology, a lot of today’s thinking is done for us. An algorithm works through whatever information you provide and offers a selection of options to choose from.

But not all information should (or can) be analysed by a computer. 

Having this skillset shows employers that you can:

  • Understand data 
  • Draw out common factors 
  • Apply those factors to the market/person/situation you are working on
  • Make an informed decision

6.Problem-Solving and Decision Making

This deals with how well you can work with others to find a solution. 

Everyone has their own opinion, but the skill lies in working with others to think the problem through and come up with a solution that benefits the company.

7.Conflict Resolution

Again, workplace norms are changing, and behaviour that was tolerated previously no longer is. 

As such, conflict resolution is sometimes needed. If someone in your team is making offensive comments or not pulling their weight, you should have the skills to gently resolve the situation before it escalates. 

This skill is desired among all employees, particularly those going into HR or leadership roles.

8.Professional Attitude and Self-Motivation

As a generalisation, there is a lack of accountability among new graduates. 

How many times have you blamed something on technology rather than taking responsibility? Missed appointments or been late because you didn’t get your reminder notification. Forgot to pay something because it wasn’t in your calendar?

Employers want to see that you are motivated and that they can depend on you. They want to see that you have a career plan, can manage multiple commitments, that you show up on time and have initiative.

Though image isn’t everything, employers also want to see that your clothes are clean and ironed and you are somewhat groomed.

It may sound shallow, but to employers, it shows you can look after yourself and, therefore, their company.

Our programme of Careers events and activities is designed to help you develop your soft skills. View and book upcoming events here

Read: Top Skills Employers Will Look for in 2022

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Baker McKenzie Employer Engagement Employer events Employer Insight Employer Panels Employer Q&A Employers Spring Careers Festival Spring Recruitment Fair student success Student success stories

Jump-Starting My Career With Baker McKenzie

Sophie Martin, Baker McKenzie

My name is Sophie Martin and I am a Legal Project Coordinator in the Legal Project Management team.  I joined Baker McKenzie, Belfast, as a Legal Professional in September 2019, where I worked in the Contentious Support Group. This was a fantastic opportunity after university, which provided me exposure to a breadth of document review and due diligence projects, and in-turn, the opportunity to develop an array of skills, from analytical to communication skills. 

One of the best aspects about working for Baker McKenzie is the endless career opportunities. During my time as a Legal Professional, I had the opportunity to apply for two secondments. The first secondment provided me with the opportunity to work with one of our key clients in their London offices. This was a great experience, providing me with the opportunity to work directly with our clients, providing insights into their working culture and develop relationships with our London colleagues. 

A pivotal moment in my career, was the second secondment, where I joined the Legal Project Management team, initially for a 6 month period. Like many of my peers, prior to joining Baker McKenzie, I was unfamiliar with Legal Project Management and what a career in Legal Project Management entailed. The opportunity to combine legal and management, two of my career interests, and my curiosity to explore this niche career opportunity further encouraged me to apply for the secondment. When I joined the team in January 2020, I was instantly exposed to a variety of work and endless skill development opportunities. The variety of projects, global exposure, client-facing role and autonomy to shape my projects, provided me with the platform to catapult my professional career. This, combined with an extremely supportive and welcoming team, confirmed that this was a career that I wanted to pursue. This is where my career in Legal Project Management commenced, as shortly after starting my secondment, I successfully applied for a permanent role in the Legal Project Management team.

As a Legal Project Coordinator, no two days are ever the same, meaning the learning and development opportunities are endless. The core roles and responsibilities entail managing client matters, including liaising with the client and Firm’s matter team; supporting the legal team to track and manage projects by integrating matter management, fee management, technology and process improvement techniques; analysing complex reports, flagging key issues and designing bespoke reporting; budget monitoring; and providing support for client team collaboration sites.  To ensure that the Legal Project Management team ensure our overarching objective that all projects are managed on time, in scope and within budget, this requires multijurisdictional collaboration with our Legal Project Management colleagues and legal teams across the globe to ensure that we provide the highest quality service to our clients. 

In addition to the development opportunities I have received through my role, Baker McKenzie are committed to each individual’s career progression and provide various opportunities to facilitate an individual’s career progression, such as internal and external secondments, promotions and development programmes, such as the Baker Excellence Programme. 

I would highly encourage any student wanting to join a global, high performing firm, to join Baker McKenzie, where you can commence and develop your career, surrounded by friendly and supportive colleagues.

Interested in working at Baker McKenzie? You can chat to the team about upcoming opportunities at our Spring Recruitment Fair.

Register here: https://virtualcareersfairs.qub.ac.uk/event/5725

Date: 9 Feb, 2-6pm

Baker McKenzie are proud sponsors of the Spring Careers Festival 

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Employer Engagement Employers transferrable skills

Why Queen’s Produces The Best Graduates: Transferable Skills

Asian student smiling outside the l:anon Building at Queen's

COMMERCIAL AWARENESS AND IMPROVING BUSINESS PRACTICES

 “We actively encourage our students to research their target industry to develop a commercial understanding and a big-picture focus of the challenges an employer is facing – so they are better placed to communicate how they can actively contribute to improving business performance,” says Sandra Scannell, Head of Employer Engagement at Queen’s.

Courtney Ward, a Quality Team Leader at Randox adds: “Commercial awareness means having a real understanding of all the key companies operating in a specific industry or sector, a knowledge of the different products that those different companies sell, what services they offer. We demand graduates who have done their market research, and know who the key players are in their area.”

EMBRACING WORKPLACE SYSTEMS & TECH

“Even outside the tech sector, employers are demanding graduates who can embrace innovation to maximise performance,” says Sandra. “Queen’s students not only understand, but they ‘live’ technology.”

Dermot Murray, Senior QA Engineer at Version 1 says: “In terms of innovation and bringing a fresh perspective to companies, Queen’s graduates are at the forefront of theoretical thinking. We demand graduates who can apply this knowledge into the real world and be the catalysts for leading change.”

THINKING LATERALLY: PROBLEM SOLVING & CREATIVITY

“Problem-solving abilities are essential in virtually any graduate role,” says Sandra. “Employers want to know graduates can think strategically to tackle challenges and that they can use creative thinking to develop innovative solutions.”

Leona McGirr, a Team Leader at Fusion Antibodies says: “We want graduates who can think ahead and see the bigger picture; see how one little thing can impact another. It’s about having a different viewpoint and a different perspective on a problem. That’s key.”

WORKPLACE CULTURE: EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND RESILIENCE

“In the global graduate job market, employers value cross-cultural sensitivity and emotional intelligence,” says Sandra.

“Employers want to know that graduates can respond well to change, and that they have the ability to identify and deal with their own emotions and to recognise and understand the feelings of others.”

Rebecca Sinclair, a Student Talent Advisor at EY’s London office says: “Emotional intelligence is particularly valued in professional services, in the roles that you’re working with clients, and you’re building those relationships with clients. We value graduates with that emotional intelligence skill, who are able to collaborate really well with colleagues or with clients and build positive relationships.”

FUTURE LEADERS: INFLUENCING, PERSUADING AND TEAMWORK

“The mark of a leader is getting true buy-in from colleagues, clients and bosses.  It involves good communication, persuasion and negotiation – but ultimately, it’s about graduates with the ability to sell their vision for the future,” says Sandra.

Viktorija Mikalauskaite, a Senior Associate in the Legal Department at FinTrU says: “Influencing is a combination of communication and persuasion and negotiation, but it also involves confidence, which is an extremely important factor. We value graduates who can flex their communication style, according to their audience.”

 Read next: Why Queen’s produces the best graduates

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Adaptability advice Alumni Employer Engagement Employer events Employer Panels Employer Q&A Employers Gradfest2021 Software With Digital Technology student success Student success stories Technical skills Technology

‘We build tech for human beings – real users that have problems to solve.’

Tech leader industry sector
Mark McCormack Aflac
Mark McCormack, Aflac

Mark McCormack, Head of Tech at Aflac Northern Ireland on his journey to tech leader.

‘We build tech for human beings – real users that have problems to solve.’ 

Mark McCormack, Head of Tech at Aflac Northern Ireland on his journey to tech leader

How did you get into tech?

I graduated in 1998 with a degree in Zoology. I always had an interest in science at school. I studied the sciences at A-level. Took that on through to university and kind of built on that learning and knowledge as I graduated and got to the end of my degree, I faced that question that many people face is basically, ‘what’s next?’. 

If you haven’t gotten a degree that has a very direct career path in front of you that can be a challenge sometimes, and so maybe the romantic part of me at one point thought I might study lions in the Serengeti or something… But unfortunately, David Attenborough wasn’t calling and so I had to think about what I might do next. And I’d always had an interest in computing … in computers, and I could see the advances of technology and where that was going. 

There was a conversion course running that was taking non-IT graduates and teaching them how to be software developers. I got enrolled into the very first pilot program of that initiative program called the Rapid Advancement Program or RAP. That was fantastic that that took graduates from a whole range of different disciplines and give them some skills in terms of how to be a coder, how to program and languages that maybe aren’t used so often today. 

As I moved into some of my first jobs and careers, I’ve been over 20 years in the tech sector here in Northern Ireland, based almost entirely in Belfast. Throughout that whole time, I worked with smaller companies, local companies and the tech sector of work for very large corporate organisations. 

Before joining Aflac two years ago, I worked at Citigroup. I led the Chief Technology Office at Citi and worked there for 11 years. 

What’s been your most valuable career lesson?

It’s not just about the technical side of things, not just about the engineering and the coding and all of that sort of thing. It’s about the people that you work with, it’s about working in teams, and you know, collaborating, sharing information, and solving problems which are too similar to how we work in many different industries as well, and so there are loads of parallels regardless of the background that you that you’ve come from.

I mean, going back to my early career and kind of coming from the university, I was kind of thrown in there into a course to teach computing skills with people from the whole range of different backgrounds – with law degrees, with engineering degrees, with marketing degrees, with English degree … like a whole broad spectrum …. I think that has been a really interesting part of the success of those programmes because what you bring together is a very broad range and a diversity of thought. And you have people that can represent a whole range of different ways of thinking, and they’ve come from different backgrounds with different knowledge, and they come together to work on, you know, problems. I think that’s incredibly valuable, and I think that today when we think about IT and tech, there’s so much more to it than just the ones and zeros and the data. 

There are so many fantastic opportunities in the sector because, at the end of the day, we build these systems, and we build these platforms and we build this technology. But we’re doing it for human beings at the end, right? We’re doing it for real users that have real problems that you know, we want to try and solve. So that kind of breadth of understanding is just incredibly valuable. 

What skills are important in the workplace?

Adaptability – because it’s all about how you can adapt to what the world needs. And if you look even at this small country here, that’s kind of what we’ve done. You know, once we were the linen capital of the world, once we were the rope making capital of the world, once we were the shipbuilding capital of the world and we don’t do any of those things anymore so much now. Now, it’s about world-class studios and being one of the cybersecurity hubs of Europe and one of the tech centres in Europe as well. And this is a place that can adapt and change what we do to whatever the word means. So, it’s all about as if you come to Northern Ireland, you see us now, and you want to see us in a year or five years, we’ll probably be doing something different, and we’re better to build a Centre for advanced technology here in Belfast. So, we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved.

And those other two words around resilience and reinvention. You know, we want our people to be able to grow, adapt, change, and reinvent themselves. And I suppose I don’t need to tell anyone that lives here and often about resilience. You know, we’ve had our fair share of some tough times, but I think as we grow, develop, and go through that, we look forward to an incredible amount of positivity and optimism about what we can do and can achieve from here. So, I love working here, I love being part of the community here in Northern Ireland, I’m very proud of what we can do from this place. I think it all comes down to the fantastic education system that we have and the wonderful people that we have from here because, for me, all the way work with computers, it’s really about the people that I work with – That’s what motivates me, and that’s what I enjoy doing. You know, we solve problems together, we collaborate on things, and we work together as a team.

Those qualities, those skills that you can build, regardless of what your educational background is, regardless of what your degree is, it’s those abilities to communicate to work hard to you know, demonstrate empathy, to bring problem-solving skills. Those things are universal, so whether you work in IT, in business, in engineering or a medical setting, these are the qualities that kind of separate us from the computers in a sense and bring you to know that uniqueness to the things that we can do.

What advice do you have for graduates?

I’d say build your network. This is because they’ll help you grow your understanding of the world of work. They’ll give you advice, they’ll give you some support. You can even do something as simple as building a good profile on LinkedIn and connect them with a few people that you know and getting introductions to some other people who maybe work in some companies that you’re interested in. You’ll find that people who do work in the industry are open to sharing their knowledge and their experience tells you about what it is like to do work in an office or to work remotely, or to work for a big company or to work for a small company? The culture of that organization and what you can expect? You know, those are the things that you’ll learn, and you’ll find that you know people from here are open.

And also, the other thing I would say is always be learning. You know, for me, if you’re not learning, you’re not enjoying yourself because it’s the ability to learn and adapt and to pick up new skills is that makes work exciting. And I’m working alongside great people as you do that is really what it’s all about.

What advice would you give your my 21-year-old self?

I suppose if I go back and ask myself that, I will say try and be as fearless as you can be. There’s a lot of things in life we hold ourselves back because we’re worried about what people might think of us, or how we might come across, or we don’t know anything. And because we don’t know it and don’t know anything we might not try. And I think in this part of the world where maybe not be on the front foot as much as we could be, and I can tell you all like we are as good as anyone in the world. We’re as good as anywhere in the world to do the things that we can do. I’ve worked with teams in eight or nine different countries across the globe, and I can tell you that pound for pound, we’re probably the best place in the world, particularly for technology, particularly for problem-solving, but for doing so many things, so I would encourage us all to be myself about that age to be more fearless and to get out there and get involved in things. Because we are as good as else and we’re just as capable. So that will be my advice to a young Mark McCormick younger, better looking, more McCormick. I’ll tell him to try and stay good looking, but I don’t know if we can.

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