The Riddle of Quantifying Graduate Talent

The graduate is sitting in front of you, saying all the right things, but you have a nagging concern that there is no substance behind their words. They seem so sure in their ability that even their body language marries up with their messages, but would that be the same if they are thrown into…

What are graduates looking for in a role?

Graduate recruitment is one of the most important parts of any business. From foodie start-ups to major financial institutions, everyone needs a pipeline of fresh talent. It is easier, cheaper, and much more rewarding to promote from inside than out, and having an established team that you know and trust allows for more productivity and…

July is the new September

While your competitors switch off for their summer holidays, give your company a critical competitive advantage by getting first choice on the best talent just as the class of 2016 graduate and enter the job market. Thanks to Brightsparks’ unique community of graduates and students (we have directly employed 14,000+ in their student jobs), we…

Careers at La Fosse Associates

At Brightsparks, we excel at finding young, hungry individuals looking to kick-start their careers. We work with the best companies; those who really invest time and energy into developing their graduates into top-class professionals. One such company is La Fosse Associates. Founded in 2007, they have grown to over 100 employees across three UK offices,…

Happy Accident!

As a young guy, I graduated from Loughborough University with a 2:1 in French and Politics having always wanted to be a professional sportsman; I had the opportunity to play a lot of sport (including a year of rugby in Paris) and become VP of my Hall’s infamous drinking club, but I graduated without a…

Working at a start-up: why it’s good, and why it isn’t for everyone

There are currently over 5 million businesses in the UK. 99% of these are classed as small or micro-businesses, employing less than 10 people. According to the CIPD Labour Market Outlook, over 60% of employers in the UK are actively looking to hire, and as the economy continues to strengthen, the number of businesses will…

Standing out from a distance – how to nail a phone interview

The world of job applications is an ever-changing landscape. Whereas 10 or 20 years ago face-to-face interviews were the norm, in today’s increasingly digitised and connected world it is increasingly common to companies to use webcam or telephone-based interviews, saving them time and inconvenience. This change in medium inevitably brings about changes in the way…