LCF Careers recently ran multiple activities to help students build their employability and professional skills, as part of LCF’s autumn Activity Week. Activity Week gives students the opportunity to participate in co-curricular workshops, explore their wellbeing and strengthen their transferable skillsets. The Careers team provided a range of tailored events discussing professionalism, interview preparation, assessment centres and developing a portfolio.
The week’s events culminated in graduate recruitment opportunities with PUMA, Lane Crawford and H&M, running alongside the LCF Careers Fair. Over the week, approximately 1200 students participated in the events run by Careers, with a record breaking 82 students attending the CV checks drop-in service. The College hosted 25 brands and recruitment agencies covering all aspects of employment, from part time work and placements to graduate schemes. Among the companies present were Kering and Alexander McQueen, Harrods, Farfetch, H&M and COS, Gymshark, Freelancer Club, Harvey Nichols, KWD Recruitment and Ted Baker.
Embracing personal and professional development
Continuous self-development is a hot topic in today’s society, and nowhere more so than when discussing careers. The primary aim of the LCF Careers Fair was to connect students with industry, helping them to discover which companies they align their values to and how they can begin their journey. Amanda Proudfoot from Bestseller's HR division discussed with us the increasing importance of recruiting graduates who share the company vision; “We look for graduates who think outside of the box, for us it’s more about mind set and attitude. It’s all about being yourself,
"sell your values and what you believe in and see if you share the same values as the company you want to work for."
LCF is proud to help students develop awareness and personal style in their work, providing them clarity about their career values and supporting their professional development. The fair gave students the opportunity to quiz companies about progression within the brand, with many offering advice about standing out from the crowd during the application stages.
Tara Manteghi, Recruitment Specialist for Kurt Geiger’s Head Office, was quick to mention the importance of internships and work experience as a means of professional development,
"If students are working part time in retail, it’s really good to get in touch with the company they’re working for and ask about work experience. They will all have a head office."
As Kurt Geiger, like many others, are “a company who recognise hard work and like to promote from within” she stressed that creating developmental opportunities “like this could really help your future applications.”
Immersing yourself in a brand's culture was a recurring theme among the industry guests present on the day, with Julian Ramirez, Head of Recruitment for Reiss, stating;
"It’s about understanding the business, doing your research on the company and being comfortable with what you’re going to say. Be specific about what you want. It comes across in an interview and this clarity can really help."
Most companies understand that interviews are often nerve-racking and challenging to prepare for, but Zalando’s Team Lead for the Talent Acquisition Team, Meleda Atalay, wanted to remind students that “It’s really important that candidates also interview us, we want to know if they are asking the right questions”. Meleda felt that identifying what you want, the companies you want to work for and the values you hold will help you “fit with the right brand”, and put importance on the “need to know what they want when communicating with brand representatives.”
- For more student opportunities, check LCF Careers
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