Graduate Scheme Or Normal Job?

I鈥檓 graduating from a Business and Marketing degree in 6 months time. I have applied to 10-12 graduate schemes, and finding the whole process rather long winded, slightly stressful, and very time consuming.

I鈥檝e tried to 鈥榢nocked out鈥?as many as possible over the Christmas break, but is it all worth it? I won鈥檛 have the time in the new year to be continuing doing all these on-line forms, and trying to aim towards a 2:1

Do I persevere and keep applying and attend the assessment days, or is it just as worthwhile to apply for a marketing assistant job after completing my degree, and 鈥榳ork my way up鈥?from there?

A few of the schemes I have applied for: Barclays, Alliance and Leicester, Enterprise Cars, Local Government, Arcadia, Waitrose, John Lewis鈥?

I can only go on my experience, but I did the same as you in uni. I applied for loads, got to several assessment centres and got a job with a well known high street bank as a graduate management trainee. I moved from London and found out I hated it. there was no proper training scheme and I was left to my own devices and whatever the manager of the branch felt like doing with me (workwise I mean!). He made me be a cashier for months - not what I felt I should be doing, but there was nothing to stop him doing it. I hated it and quit - but got a job I love in the place I had moved to.

My advice is check out what proper training scheme is on offer once you join. Is there a programme ie. by such and such a date you are expected to do this and are promoted to that, by another date you are expected to apply for this management job etc. How is it monitored? Do you have a trainer or mentor who you can contact if things aren't going as planned? If you don't like where you've been placed, how easy is it to move?

Good luck!

I would say that getting on a a graduate scheme is worth the effort. You will get a range of experience that you would not get in a normal job and it will look good on your CV later on.

You may also find you have a headstart in getting a permanent job with the company afterwards - or at least a clear idea if they are the right company for you.