05/07/2009AGR Annual Conference

AGR Annual Conference | 05-Jul-09 to 07-Jul-09

BRAVE NEW WORLD?

Facing up to the challenges of the graduate market in 2009

AGR Annual Conference 2009
The Celtic Manor Resort
5th — 7th July 2009

 

We are delighted to announce that bookings are now being taken for this year’s conference — the premier event in the graduate recruitment and development sector.

It is with considerable pride that we can also announce that The Guardian is once again our Premier Conference Sponsor.

Among an impressive list of presenter speakers are:  

• Mark Pollock, an adventure athlete, author and international speaker. In his presentation, will draw on his own life experiences in MAKING IT HAPPEN
• Simon Woodroffe OBE, who is an author, Dragons’ Den TV panellist, Edinburgh Fringe Show performer, entrepreneur and founder of Yo! Sushi so very well placed to comment on the future for businesses in the 21^st century.

  The conference programme includes:  

• 3 keynote addresses
• 4 seminars
• 11 workshop and best practice sessions
• 8 showcases
• An increased focus on networking in response to 2008 delegate feedback

 Plus of course:

•  Sunday social  
• AGR Awards Ceremony
• Conference Dinner
• Entertainment
• Five star accommodation at the Celtic Manor Resort
• The Conference Exhibition

  It is only by booking early that you can guarantee your room at the Celtic Manor Resort.   Find out more and register delegates at www.eventsforce.net/agrdel2009

See below for the full list of seminars, workshops and showcases

 

MONDAY SHOWCASES

Morning:

WHAT ARE THEY REALLY THINKING?

What was going through the minds of graduates who were making career decisions during the most turbulent economic times in recent history? Has the impact of the current climate affected the attitudes and behaviours of students about to enter their final year?   Using insight from graduates due to join KPMG, the experiences of KPMG’s campus recruiting team as well as posing questions to current students, this case study will:  

• Share the experiences & learnings of KPMG during the uniquely challenging months of September 2008 - February 2009.
• Share insight from graduates who have accepted offers with KPMG including understanding how their attitude, behaviour and career aspirations were affected by the economic climate.
• Provide delegates with the opportunity to talk to, and pose questions to, a panel of undergraduates and graduates.

 

The presenters, Alison Heron, Head of Recruitment Marketing at KPMG and Cathy Hyde, Head of Future Talent at Bernard Hodes, will share insights and experiences as well as facilitate a student panel discussion.

Level: For all levels.

“FLY YOUR IDEAS” — A GLOBAL CASE STUDY ON STUDENT AND UNIVERSITY ENGAGEMENT OUTSIDE THE RECRUITMENT SPACE

This Showcase provides a detailed case study of a global student contest that involved significant engagement with university staff and Airbus stakeholders across a range of business and technical functions, as well as HR & Recruitment. The contest challenged students world-wide to work in teams to develop an idea to improve the eco-efficiency of the aviation industry.

In the case study we will introduce the different objectives behind the competition - corporate communications / campus engagement / innovation — highly relevant themes for companies facing a turbulent graduate recruitment market.

The Presenters will provide insights into:

• How companies can maximise internal resources and engage with students and University stakeholders to communicate a strategic corporate message.
• How companies can ensure that University engagement is not just skin-deep.
• How companies can leverage their student communications message to maximise PR and enhance reputation, with a range of internal and external audiences.
• The logistical challenges which need to be managed to achieve a successful global campus strategy.
• How companies can play an innovative role in student skill development, and in doing so, achieve the buy-in of key stakeholders internally and on-campus.

The format will be a presentation followed by a Q & A session with a managed discussion

It is aimed at all levels of participant with an interest in or responsibility for student/University engagement.

The presenters are Rachel Schroeder, Head of A380 and Environmental Communications Strategy & Strategic Communications, Airbus; Kirsten Williamson, Managing Director, Petrus Communications; and Rob Smith, Director, Dawson Walker Communications

Level: For all levels

RIGHT FROM THE START — HOW DO YOU IMPRINT GRADUATES WITH THE ATTITUDES OF HIGH FLIERS?

We all know that as graduates move through their graduate scheme, some start to stand out as high fliers and forge ahead of others.  The contact with the brightest and best is an absolute pleasure, as they develop skills and confidence and start to impress the business and build relationships and reputation.  Yet equally, others can start to show less effective attitudes and behaviours which get them a less good reputation. 

What, practically, can we do to shape graduates so that we get more like the very best?

We will examine:

• What behaviours are the hallmarks of high performing graduates, based on long-term research?
• What can you do to shape these behaviours?
• What ‘best practice’ may actually be sending graduates in the wrong direction?
• How can you imprint graduates with the right approach?

Anne Hamill & Hobbs of Talent & Potential will run the programme.  Scott brings experience gained in his previous role at Amey, as winner of the Personnel Today Talent Management Award..

This showcase will cover key facts on high performing graduates, exercises to examine the impact of ‘best practice’, and practical tools to shape high flying attitudes and behaviours.

Level:  For all levels especially delegates interested in rethinking graduate development.

Afternoon:

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN MY SHOES?

This showcase provides an opportunity for recruiters and students to discuss graduate recruitment in 2009/2010 and ask each other the simple question of “What would you do in my shoes?” 

Information gathered from across the top 25 universities in the UK through student focus groups and a national survey will be put into context with the experiences and opinions of four current students who are preparing to find careers.  The discussion will focus on three of the most pressing issues for recruitment today and provide an insight into these from the student perspective: 

• The economic downturn — How are students responding to the recent economic problems and what advice would we give to ensure the best candidates get jobs?  The students will discuss their expectations and plans for this year and also respond to some of the popular suggestions given by employers on how to support their job hunt and highlight some of the further challenges which they face.
• Becoming an ideal candidate — What is a ‘quality’ candidate and how can students develop and demonstrate their higher quality?  The discussion will explore the actions students and universities can take to provide recruiters with higher skilled graduates. Evidence and debate will be based on the “Influence through Collaboration: Employer Demand for Higher Learning and Engagement with Higher Education” (2008) and “The Escalate employer engagement programme” (Winter 08/09)  
• Attraction & Retention — Should we all be “twittering”?  How worried should I be about students applying to lots of jobs?  A genuine opportunity to gain an insight into the current student market and understand the opportunities available to recruiters for their next campaigns. 

 Facilitators:   Nick Elliott and Stuart Murray, The GradRoom

The students participating in the session are: 

• Bokani Tshidzu — Final year Politics & Economics students at the University of Bath
• Christopher Elliott — 2^nd Year Law student at the University of Manchester
• Dan Colegate — Postgraduate student at the University of Durham
• Aarifah Sheikh — Final Year Accounting and Finance student at the University of Warwick

Level: For all levels of experience

HOW CAN UNIVERSITY ALUMNI BE UTILISED FOR LOW COST ATTRACTION ACTIVITIES?

Given the present economic climate, Graduate Recruitment spend is increasingly in the spot light.  This offers an opportunity for recruiters to look internally at the networks within their organisation and consider the business case for using them in identifying potential recruits into the business at minimal expense.

This session aims to provide insight into how cost effective attraction strategies can be formulated using staff within the business.  It will highlight the benefits to all stakeholders, provide an overview of a successful model and give hints and tips as to how obstacles can be overcome.

Presented by Rob Fryer and Darren Page from Deloitte’s Graduate Recruitment Team the showcase will cover:

• The business case for involving members of staff and affiliates in recruitment
• How to gain support from within the business
• Advantages and potential pitfalls of this approach
• How to manage alumni activities (Job description, team structure, training, reward and recognition)
• Measure of success - Does it work? Tracking  and review

 Level: Suitable for all levels.

PLANNING TO SUCCEED — HOW TO AVOID THE PITFALLS IN INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT

This show case will use the experiences of established recruiters to illustrate the requirements and pitfalls to consider when recruiting international graduates and interns into UK or overseas offices.

Key learning points are:

• Why Plan?
• Where to go for support
• What’s your work flow ?
• When resources are low
• Who to talk to

The session will be a structured conversation based on recruiters’ experiences of international recruiting with reference to key learning points with a network game to share knowledge in the room

The presenters are Kirsty MacCulloch Senior Project Manager GTI Recruiting Solutions and Sally Brookes Early Career Manager, Europe Diageo plc.

Previously with ICI, Kirsty has eleven years' experience in domestic and international graduate recruitment whilst Sally has been with Diageo plc for the past 2 years. Sally has worked with Unilever and B&Q in various roles and has 5 years Resourcing experience largely gained within an FMCG environment. 

Level: This showcase is intended to provide insight for all levels of attendee who have an interest in international recruitment.

MONDAY SEMINARS

1. THE DARWINIAN THEORY OF GRADUATE RECRUITMENT: EVOLUTION, MASS EXTINCTION EVENTS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES CREATED FOR SURVIVORS!

We have enjoyed a period of steadily evolving graduate recruitment in a temperate economic climate. 

In this seminar we will:

• examine the beneficial changes that have occurred, and those that to be passed on to the next generation of graduate recruiters
• consider the impact of the economic ‘meteor’ and the characteristics that survivors will exhibit as they adjust to the new environment
• propose further adaptations to the recruitment process to make the most of the new environment.

The session will take the form of a presentation followed by discussion so expect audience participation!

The presentation team consists of Simon Reichwald, Director, Bright Futures Resourcing; John Bolland, Managing Director, Gradintel.com; Pauline McDonald, Head of Careers, Swansea University and Gemma Bubb, Job Seeker, Student, and President - Swansea Bright Futures

Level: Experienced graduate recruiters, University careers services

2. MEASURE FOR MEASURE

Debate: “This house believes that trying to measure ROI in graduate recruitment marketing is a waste of time, money and effort.”

Tired of ‘consensus’ views that just don’t match with reality?  Longing for a session that delivers the arguments in all their glorious technicolour so that you can decide on the answer?  Then this session is for you!

On-campus marketing agency Graduate Promotions is proud to present a formal debate following the English Speaking Union Mace format on one of the hot-button issues in graduate recruitment.

Come and see some of your favourite AGR personalities do battle for fabulous prizes.  Chaired by Graduate Promotions Managing Director Hugh Young, proposing the motion will be HR and Marketing Consultant Helen Bostock with James Darley, Director of Graduate Recruitment at Teach First, while the Opposition will consist of Jason Frank, Marketing and Research Director at SAS and BP plc’s UK Graduate Marketing Manager, Sarah Cockburn.

Particularly during times of financial gloom, recruitment professionals are often under pressure to justify their marketing and communications investment. Is it impossible to justify any graduate recruitment marketing spend without measuring ROI? Or is measuring ROI so complex and inaccurate as to render it a futile exercise?

Come and listen to the fizzing argument and vote on the motion at the end while the judges decide on the winning team.

Level: Suitable for all levels. 

3. HEAR HERE!

The long awaited Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR) is being piloted in 18 higher education institutions. The intention is to run the HEAR alongside the current degree classification system to see if it can eventually replace a system that has been described as ‘no longer fit for purpose’.

This seminar has been designed to:

• Revisit the background as to why the HEAR has been developed
• Provide an update on where the development has got to
• Show an example of a HEAR and obtain feedback
• Debate the key issues with the principal stakeholders — students, universities and employers

If you are interested in learning more about the weaknesses of the current system for measuring and recording student achievement, how the HEAR is intended to improve on the current system, have a say in what should and should not be included in a HEAR and learn more about how recruiters of graduates can use the HEAR, then this is the session for you.

The seminar will be led by Rob Ward, Director of The Centre for Recording Achievement and the stakeholder perspectives will be delivered by:

Aaron Porter, Vice-President (Higher Education) NUS

Professor Stephen Hill, University of Gloucestershire

Stephen Isherwood, Senior Manager Graduate Recruitment, Ernst & Young

Level: Suitable for all levels

4. EMPLOYABILITY: CREATING AN EFFECTIVE DIALOGUE BETWEEN STUDENTS AND EMPLOYERS

The purpose of this seminar is to give an overview of the issues driving the employability agenda; why students lack skills for the work place; what the discrepancies are between employer and student understandings of what employability actually means; and who are the key influencers responsible for bridging the skills gap — is it parents, universities, careers services, or employers? A panel discussion aims to share best practice in how to communicate with students, and to generate ideas around developing long term strategies for improving competencies to deliver better quality applications and ultimately return on investment for employers and their business needs.

The format of the session will be an introductory presentation lead by Sonja Stockton, Head of Recruitment, PricewaterhouseCoopers. This will be followed by an interactive Q&A with a panel of representatives including Willma Martinelli, President of AGCAS; Ruth Saville, Edinburgh University Careers Service; and student representation from AIESEC. 

Level: For all levels particularly experienced recruiters

TUESDAY WORKSHOPS

1. BEYOND THE GRADUATE CAMPAIGN: TAKING YOUR EMPLOYER VALUE PROPOSITION BEYOND ATTRACTION AND RECRUITMENT

Graduate recruitment departments can no longer operate in a vacuum if they are to meet the long-term resourcing challenges faced by their businesses.  Leading oganisations are rethinking their strategic Talent Acquisition approaches, not just to ensure greater efficiency but also to accommodate more holistic perspectives on employee engagement, productivity and company culture.   

These issues have never been more important than in a recession. This workshop provides a pragmatic approach to thinking through how brand, internal communications, marketing and HR departments can work together to get more from both their budgets — and the people who contribute to the success (or failure) of the organization.

Session leaders Stephen Mulvenna (Talent Consultant, Coca-Cola Europe) and Kevin Keohane (Global Head of Brand & Talent, SAS / Publicis Consultants) will co-facilitate the session.  The format is half presentation and half hands-on activity including:

• Theory and best practices behind creating a “holistic” EVP
• Real-life case study inspiration from The Coca-Cola Company
• A hands-on session based on matching engagement activities to critical points in the employee lifecycle -- to put the theory into practice for attendees’ organizations.

Participants will gain:

• An understanding of the value of aligning their efforts with “the bigger picture”
• Insight into how Graduate Recruitment Managers’ careers are developing in the face of changing resourcing, engagement and business dynamics
• Inspiration & ideas to put into practice at work

Level:  This session is aimed at mid- to senior-level recruitment professionals

2. SERIOUS ABOUT EMPLOYABILITY — PURPOSEFUL INNOVATION THROUGH PARTNERSHIP: SERIOUS WIN:WIN COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND UNIVERSITIES

It makes business sense for recruiters to engage with universities as strategic and operational partners. This workshop will consider the approaches taken at two different universities - WoW® (World of Work) at Liverpool John Moores University and Warwick Advantage at Warwick University - and the many ways in which recruiters are deriving benefit and achieving business objectives through partnership.

Participants will consider how they can directly influence and contribute to two uniquely different employability programs that are attracting interest and plaudits from a wide range of stakeholders, maintain and develop brand presence, ensure damage limitation during the economic slowdown, secure employee engagement on-campus and make a contribution to the university community. The session will also show how employers can raise corporate profile on-campus, engage with and shape university strategic directions and motivate students to engage with PDP and skills development to make them more suitable when presenting themselves as candidates.

The presenters are Terry Dray, Director of The Graduate Development Centre and Strategic Business Relationships at Liverpool John Moores University, Sean Russell, is Director of Student Development and Diversity at Warwick University, Andrew Moverley, UK Graduate Recruitment Manager IBM, Jane Mitchell, Resourcing Manager, United Utilities and Hannah Slaney, Group Graduate Recruitment Manager, Co-operative Group will share their experiences and illustrate the business benefits of working collaboratively.

Level: Informal session where questions and discussion will be encouraged and is suitable for all levels of experience.

3. A BRAVE NEW INCLUSIVE WORLD: MAINSTREAMING THE ATTRACTION AND RECRUITMENT OF DISABLED GRADUATES

At a time when budgets are tight and quality over quantity is more important than ever, there has never been a stronger argument for inclusive recruitment practices.  Your business can no longer afford to manufacture opportunities, specifically for disabled graduates. Nor can you afford to pay specialist organisations to attract and recruit disabled graduates on their behalf.
 

The current economic climate is the stimulus needed to embrace inclusive practices - in order to attract and recruit the very best talent.  This workshop will enable graduate recruiters to adopt one all encompassing approach to the marketing and recruitment of graduates, including disabled graduates.
 

The workshop will cover:

• Attracting disabled graduates
• How to ensure that marketing messages are inclusive
• How to ensure that events are accessible (not just wheelchair access!)
• Where to find the appropriate information, e.g. on the web
• Implementing appropriate adjustments during the recruitment process
• Feeling comfortable to support line managers throughout the process
• Being comfortable with your own behaviour and language

The workshop will be run by disability consultant Helen Cooke. Helen works with large organisations to help them understand and address the issues around disability. Helen’s background includes 10 years' working for Mars Inc., including responsibility for graduate recruitment.
 

Helen’s approach comes from her ability to understand the issues from both sides of the fence: as an employee with a disability and as an employer.  Helen is in a wheelchair as a result of a spinal injury.

Level: for all levels, including senior managers

4. RE-ENGINEER FOR RECESSION

Have you been asked to reduce your recruitment costs without impacting quality?  Or perhaps you are expecting the request? Then please come and share your experiences and learn from others at this participative workshop. 

Working as part of a team and supported by the workshop facilitators (see below), you’ll be asked to agree and present a re-engineered recruitment process that:

• saves money
• maintains the quality of recruitment and selection
• ensures diversity and employer branding don’t suffer
• positions you to take advantage of any economic upturn.

The workshop will be facilitated by

• Linda Graham , formerly National Graduate & BPP Programme Manager Marks & Spencer
• Max Heywood, Global Head of Employer Brand, Credit Suisse
• Carl Dawson, National Graduate Programme Manager, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
• Charles Hipps, Managing Director WCN PLC and author of the Guide to Best Practice e-Recruitment on behalf of the Government.

Level: All levels of experience.  

5. LIFE AFTER COMPETENCIES: USING STRENGTHS-BASED RECRUITMENT TO DISCOVER THE ‘REAL’CANDIDATE

The competency approach to recruitment is now standard practice in many European countries, and beyond.  But as recruitment methods have become familiar to students and pressure on graduate vacancies continues, is the graduate recruitment interview in danger of becoming an efficient, but formulaic, machine that can mask the true potential in a candidate?

This session aims to share Ernst & Young’s experiences of the last 18 months as we have replaced our previous competency based graduate recruitment model with a strengths — based approach.  Together, the presenters Emma Judge, Senior Graduate Recruitment Manager, Ernst & Young and Martin Galpin, Director, Work Positive Ltd will explore:

• The core principles and benefits of a strengths based recruitment model, particularly when recruiting young talent such as graduates
• The practical differences between a competency and strengths based recruitment approach
• The impact that our new process has had and our longer term validation plans

Recognising that Ernst & Young have broken away from the more traditional approach to graduate recruitment the presenters would like to encourage debate and discussion throughout the session.

Level: Aimed at senior managers but of interest to all

6. Will desperate times lead to desperate measures?

With more graduates entering the jobs market at time when the number of vacancies is falling dramatically, it is likely that candidate behaviour will become increasingly erratic, with some individuals adopting desperate tactics while conducting their job hunt and during the actual selection process.

Employers need to be alert to the risks caused by candidates who are tempted to:

• Apply for roles they wouldn’t previously have considered
• Ignore advice provided by practice tests and self-selection measures
• Lie when completing application forms, or during interviews
• Cheat at the assessment stage

Katie Dodsworth, Principal Consultant and Occupational Psychologist from Cubiks, will present evidence drawn from a range of industry sectors, together with findings from research studies, which indicates that the risk of candidates behaving this way is on the increase. She will also discuss the financial and practical impact that these behaviours will have on the life of Graduate Recruiters who will need to know how to:

• Cost-effectively sift through a deluge of applications
• Differentiate between those who are genuinely interested and those who are most likely to leave as soon as the financial outlook improves
• Guard against lying and cheating

Peer discussions will then be facilitated to allow participants to share experiences and discuss approaches and techniques for dealing with determined but ill-suited candidates.  The session will be concluded with a presentation of case studies exploring how specific organisations have tackled these issues successfully, and some prompts to help recruiters decide on the most appropriate approach for their organisation.

Level: For all levels

 7. HOW DO WE DEVELOP PUBLIC SECTOR LEADERS AND EVIDENCE ROI?

As a public service the financial value of most indicators will not be immediately apparent and considerable efforts are needed to solve the big question: “What is the true impact (social and environmental as well as financial) of the training scheme and the activities of its trainees?” The UK NHS graduate programmes team have adopted a model that builds on the methodology of cost benefit analysis to include a broader range of quantifiable social impacts. 

The session will share progress to date and engage participants in the ongoing debate of the true impact - social, environmental and financial — of investment in new talent within the public and not for profit sectors, which is critical in justifying tax payers funding. As a result, participants can expect:

• To discover a new way of working introduced by the NHS to evidence sound investment in new talent
• To explore the challenges and complexities of providing hard and soft measures
• To participate in an open discussion on the transferability of the NHS approach to other organisations and management systems

The Presenters, Nicola Fair, Corporate Lead, NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and Karan Harry, Gateway Programmes Lead, National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Health Care, NHS Wales will share progress and results of the NHS approach to ROI and facilitate discussion to inform further action or research.

Level: Suitable for all levels, in particular public and not-for-profit members, with an interest in ROI.

8. THE CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE — THE WHOLE PICTURE

Attracting the very best graduates to your business is only half the picture. You now have to engage with them in an interesting and honest way, whilst assessing whether they are genuinely right for you. Organisations take very different approaches to managing the candidate experience through the recruitment process. But what is the best way of maximising your chances of recruiting the best? Candidates often make emotional decisions based on the contact they have with you.

The first part of the workshop will focus on a combination of qualitative and quantitative research into the candidate experience from a graduate and recruiter perspective. The graduates will have recent experience of at least one recruitment process.

This research will explore the following topics:

• Recruiters & Applicant views of the candidate experience from application to induction — positive and negative
• What a ‘good and fair’ process looks like to both groups — does a disconnect exist?
• Preferences of both groups and perceptions of the other point of view — what do candidates and recruiters believe is important to each other?
• What innovative practices are recruiters using to engage the best talent throughout the candidate journey

We will also be interviewing careers advisors for a third party perspective into the candidate experience.

The findings of the research will be delivered by Adam Butters, Planning and Research, and Tim Lotherington, Sales and Marketing Director, from Euro RSCG Riley.

This will then form the basis of the second part of the workshop - a panel discussion hosted by resourcing experts from Euro RSCG Riley and recruiters, including Meryl Folb, Graduate Resourcing Manager at Standard Bank and Claire Hallinan, Manager, Learning & Development, from Lloyd’s of London.

Level — For all levels

9.  Web 2.0: I’M SORRY I HAVEN’T A CLUE!

An interactive and entertaining panel quiz tackling the hype surrounding social media in graduate recruitment.

Just when you think you’ve got your head round it, Stephen Fry starts “twittering” and you realise there’s another online application you might be missing out on…

If you haven’t got time to yammer, twerbose, tucent, or omegle you are not alone, but we can learn together as we pit two teams against each other in a panel quiz show to discuss and cuss the current world of Web 2.0.

 
“Web 2.0: I’m sorry I haven’t a clue!” will be vital to anyone involved in graduate recruitment or graduate marketing strategy interested in exploring social media.

Recognising the size of your hangover from the night before, the session will entertainingly give you all you need to keep up to date and on top of the real issues to help you engage further with social media for your own brand awareness and graduate recruitment.

• What we mean by social media and how it is being used
• The latest sites and newest ideas
• Examples of best practice from employers
• Student and graduate opinion
• How employers can use Web 2.0 to their advantage

Anyone familiar with TV panel quizzes will settle effortlessly into the format.

The two teams (which change for each session) include contestants from IBM, The Graduate Recruitment Bureau, Thirty Three, and Careers Group London.

In the host’s chair is Euan MacDonald — the man responsible for herecomestheboss.com’s somewhat irreverent tone of voice.

Crucially, Euan is accompanied by two web watchers (WikiJob’s Ed Mellett and Chris Muktar) to help answer panel and audience questions and draw upon real life examples from the internet.

 

Level: Everyone welcome — even those who do have a clue!

10. WHO MOVED MY TALENT?

In the good old days  employers knew what talent was and where to find it. Today the definition of talent is changing and so is where to find it. For example, there are now many more times the number of students who have the equivalent of 4 As at A level who don’t go to Oxbridge.

This workshop, led by Darius Norell (Real World) and Simon Howard (work) and supported by a panel is intended to help recruiters and developers think about what talent means for them in today’s market and what it means in terms of which graduates they target and how they recruit and develop them.

The managed group discussion will begin with Darius and Simon providing the context by drawing on the latest findings from the Recruiters’ Guide to Course and Campuses. This will be followed by a debate taking contributions form the floor and the panel.

Level: All levels of experience

11. CAMPUS BRANDING IN THE RECESSION — NOT TOO HOT, NOT TOO COLD: GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHT

Employers approaching the 2009/10 campus season will be faced with the most pressing economic climate for several generations. Should employers maintain their current presence and profile on campus and risk the possibility of raising unrealistic expectations amongst undergraduates? Or should they undo all the benefits of their brand building over recent years by reducing campus presence and potentially disappearing from the graduate radar and creating negative campus PR?

Informing this debate will be TMP’s primary research into students issues, concerns, views and attitudes around the current employment market.

Specifically, we will be getting answers to some key questions:

• the nature and quantity of information that finalists want from employers in the current market;
• how students are responding to the economic slowdown in terms of changing career destinations; enhancing their CVs; and accessing additional employability skills;
• how have student views on certain sectors changed as a result of the downturn.

This study will also look at how the current economic climate may be influencing student behaviours outside of career planning such as lifestyle, political activation and social demarcation.

The session will be lead by Neil Harrison Head of Research and Planning — TMP Worldwide and Dr Paul Redmond —Head of Careers & Employability Service, University of Liverpool. Following on from the presentation and video footage of the research there will be a short presentation from Jaguar Land Rover on their approach to campus during the recession. A panel debate will conclude the session.

Level: Although we hope that the session outlined above has interest and resonance for all graduate recruiters, its core audience is probably experienced practitioners.