Your graduate job is more than just a job title and salary, it’s part of your lifestyle. These 5 graduates not only love the work they are doing, but the place they are doing it in. You can do the same.
After returning from living the Australian dream in April 2016 I secured my graduate job with GradTouch and joined the team as a Campaigns Executive. I left my small, sleepy, suburban town down south for the bright lights of Manchester.
Before I arrived, I was apprehensive about making the move. Would I get lost? Would I understand what people were saying? Would they understand me? However, after a couple of months in the northern capital I came to realise I’d made the right choice, even if I still didn't care for the unforgiving rain that soaks you through.
As a graduate making the decision of which company to join and what career to commit to is a difficult one. GradTouch aims to make this decision easier.
When applying to university I explored the City of Durham on Google Maps, I took a trip to see the campus in real life and see what it had to offer me. There is no reason you shouldn’t approach finding your graduate role in the same way. If an opportunity sounds exciting and it offers you everything you’ve been looking for, it's probably worth making the move. Step outside of your hometown and see what the UK has to offer.
Before I accepted the role I came to visit the office, meet the team and explore the city. Manchester has endless shops, a buzzing nightlife from the underground bars of the NQ to the rooftop lounges of Spinningfields and plenty of culture. Simply put, people enjoy life here.
These five companies based in Manchester offer graduates more than just a job, they encourage their team to get out, socialise and have fun in the city they live in.
1. Peninsula | Green Quarter, M4
We met Tom who told us that joining Peninsula provides "a fantastic opportunity for any new graduate starting out their career."
He loves working in an office where they spend time together, "the social committee are always organising different events."
2. Avecto | Wythenshawe, M22
Rose joined Avecto just three weeks after finishing her Business Studies and French degree at the University of Liverpool.
She was attracted to the company because of the team’s enthusiastic spirit and the continuous gratitude they show towards staff, "We have so many incentives, where we get taken for days out go-karting, skiing etc…the games room has loads of different games" including a pool table, Guitar Hero and an onsite gym.
3. DWF | Spinningfields, M3
Based in Spinningfields, DWF is the Legal business for commercial guidance and a sector specialist.
Rachael shared her experiences of working at the firm, saying she especially enjoys the annual dinner where "trainees socialise in an informal setting so they can build long lasting relationships outside of work."
4. FK Group | Altrincham, WA15
Jordan didn’t have much experience before starting at FK Group. However thanks to their warm and sociable culture he’s flourished, "My favourite part is definitely the people. They’re fun and you can socialise easily with them, especially playing pool at lunch time…I feel part of the team and not bottom of the pile."
5. Havas People | Piccadilly, M1
We visited the Advertising and Communications group Havas People and spoke to Charlotte.
She told us that before she joined, she thought "it would be very corporate" but was happily surprised. She’s also making the most of working in a city with a good nightlife, "next door is a bar, which is always a good thing at the end of the evening."
Helen Jackson
Since graduating six years ago (yes, six… I’m that old), I have spent a lot of time in various workplaces. What I’ve come to realise is that you need to love the place that you spend your time, whether that’s inside or outside of the office.
Life is too short to waste your precious hours in the wrong place. Let’s find the place that’s right for you.