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Candidate Testimonials
Testimonials from candidates we have helped from 2008 - 2009
‘I think EmployAbility does a great job and I am very grateful. They help with every aspect of employment – helping to find an area that is right for you, helping you to apply, providing interview preparation, and helping you while you are on the job. I would recommend them to anyone with a disability’
‘EmployAbility can ask for adjustments on my behalf, I feel that I have the support of an important organisation’
‘I received guidance on everything! Applications, interviews, assessment centres and of course implementing reasonable adjustments during my interviews’
‘With Employability’s feedback on application forms I went to see a career advisor who helped with both my CV and application forms. I feel that if I had not received this feedback then I would not have gone to see the advisor. EmployAbility has given me confidence in my job applications and CV’
‘It gave me confidence to know that EmployAbility was always on hand to provide any assistance they could give me. This was further strengthened by the fact that when I contacted them, they were very forthcoming, friendly and helpful’
‘Once I was on the internship programme EmployAbility provided excellent and consistent support’
‘EmployAbility helped me to believe that I could do well at interview, succeed in getting an offer and ultimately make it through the internship program’
‘They have helped me see that I will be able to get a job I want’
‘I was told many times that the selection was based on merit so I now feel confident that I have the ability to work at a place like Goldman Sachs’
‘Prior to interning at UBS I was very apprehensive that I may not be good enough or able to cope. EmployAbility staff provided reassurance and both from that and my experiences I am far more confident in my own ability’
‘I successfully gained a place on a Summer Analyst Program at Merrill Lynch. By taking part in the internship I have realised I can cope in a fast paced environment and have found areas which I would like to explore in terms of pursuing a full time career’
‘While I was doing the internship I was in contact with EmployAbility every couple of weeks and I met them at work half way through the program. They helped me to remain positive at times when I was finding it difficult to cope with the demands of the program. There was a point when I needed some time away from the office in addition to the adjustments I had at work and they gave me reassurance during this period’
‘I had a wonderful time at Goldman last summer and the work experience I have gained will be extremely valuable when I look for a permanent job’
‘I applied directly for an internship at Citi. Prior to attending the assessment centre I began feeling unwell due to my disability and as a result I didn’t perform well during the interviews, tests and group exercise and failed to gain a place on the programme. On the other hand, when I applied to Goldman Sachs and UBS through EmployAbility, I was confident that I had the support of Employability (an independent third party!) behind me and if I were to be unwell (due to my disability), they were there to help’
‘Everyone I came into contact with at EmployAbility was fantastic. It was very reassuring to know that there were people outside of UBS I could call on for support if it was required. It has improved my potential job prospects massively. In January 2008, I didn’t have a clue what I may like to do as a future career and how I would be able to cope as a full time employee. It is now September, I have a job lined up and am fully confident that I will cope well with the surroundings and hours’
Michael Greenwood, April 2009
Gained an intern place at Barclays
What support and guidance have EmployAbility (or the staff at EmployAbility) given you during your job search?
The support and guidance I have received from employability has been invaluable throughout my search for a career in banking. The team is always available to provide assistance in any way they can and I am in regular contact with them regarding my progress. Previously I have received assistance in completing online application forms, answering competency questions and how best to disclose disability information; all of which has been a great help to me and has certainly improved my applications.
Has EmployAbility helped you with skills/ confidence? If so how?
EmployAbility has helped me greatly in improving my interview skills and has provided invaluable advice and support regarding application forms and assessment centres. Various events such as the two day ‘InvestAbility’ conference offered the opportunity to ask the different banks what they look for in successful candidates, and were a fantastic opportunity for me to develop my understanding of the industry. I have remained in contact with the students I met through these events and thus grown my network of contacts.
The various interview experiences I have obtained through attending the different assessment centres have been extremely beneficial in improving my confidence within interview situations. Furthermore, it has given me a better understanding of the areas of banking I am best suited for.
Has EmployAbility helped you gain a place on an internship programmes?
Yes – I successfully obtained an internship with Barclays Bank.
Has EmployAbility helped you find a permanent job, if so where and what will you be doing?
N/A – However I will be applying this year for graduate jobs and working with EmployAbility closely.
What on-going support will you, or are you going to, receive from EmployAbility?
EmployAbility has provided me with on-going support and advice throughout my pursuit of a career in banking. Going forward I hope to attend EmployAbility events this year and continue to receive support in completing application forms and resolving queries.
What are your views on the help you have received from EmployAbility? How did it improve your job prospects?
Employability provides a valuable service for disabled students who have a keen interest and desire to pursue a career in banking and other sectors, those of whom alone might find it difficult to achieve. The team is extremely helpful and provide candidates with an important source of information and advice. The insight they possess has undoubtedly benefited me in my endeavours and I would thoroughly recommend them. Their expertise coupled with the various workshops and events held by EmployAbility offer students a platform from which they can vastly improve their chances of obtaining their desired career.
If there is anything else you would like to add, please do so here.
Once again I would just like to reiterate my sincere gratitude for all the hard work and effort EmployAbility have put in towards my search for a career in banking. I will be forever grateful. Thank you.
Daniel McIntosh, April 09
Has been offered a training contract at Mayer Brown
What support and guidance have EmployAbility (or the staff at EmployAbility) given you during your job search?
The staff at EmployAbility have given me great encouragement and always kept me well informed of upcoming events and internships, as well as providing workshops and one to one guidance and advice in relation to careers.
Has EmployAbility helped you with skills/ confidence? If so how?
Employability has helped me with my skills/confidence as they have put on skills workshops that I have attended, as well as giving me encouragement that I was an able candidate who could achieve.
Has EmployAbility helped you gain a place on an internship programmes?
Yes, EmployAbility has helped me to get a place on more than one internship programme.
Has EmployAbility helped you find a permanent job, if so where and what will you be doing?
Through the internship that I got through EmployAbility I have been offered a permanent job as a trainee solicitor at Mayer Brown.
What are your views on the help you have received from EmployAbility? How did it improve your job prospects?
The help I received from EmployAbility helped me to gain experience of internships in different fields to and also improved my confidence which in turn improved my job prospects.
Sam, March 2007
Analyst in Equity Derivatives at Goldman Sachs
"I first met the staff from EmployAbility at a recruitment event, which was organised specifically for disabled people interested in investment banking. It involved networking with graduate employers and learning about their commitment to disability. Initially I was very nervous as the event involved participating in-group sessions. Sarah Denness (Senior Manager at EmployAbility) was very supportive and put me at ease and encouraged me to join in with the various group discussions. I found the event extremely beneficial as it enabled me to network with employees from the leading investment banks, in particular with the diversity managers. I also met the diversity manager from Goldman Sachs, which was really beneficial as it gave me a valuable insight into the organisation. By attending the event it also demonstrated to recruitment staff that I was committed to working for their organisation and also learning about the industry. The recruitment event improved my communication skills greatly as it was necessary to discuss complex financial issues in groups. By attending the event I developed the necessary skills to perform well in group discussions, which are commonly used at assessment centres. I also had the opportunity to meet other staff at EmployAbility and I learned about the various internships, which are run by the organisation for disabled people.
"After the recruitment event Sarah recommended that I should apply for internships in order to gain the necessary experience to find a permanent job. I wanted to work for Goldman Sachs as a result of the positive feedback obtained from my managers after completing the Prospects work placement and also due to the very supportive environment. I applied to three internships, at Motability, Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs. I managed to get to the interview stage for both Lehman Brothers and Motability Operations. Justin (my support worker from Prospects) and I contacted Sarah in order to discuss the reasonable adjustments so that I could perform to the best of my ability during the assessment centres. Sarah negotiated the reasonable adjustments with the organisations on my behalf. We agreed that for both the interviews it would be best if she was involved so that the various reasonable adjustments could be implemented. These included providing sufficient time to answer questions. In addition, she recommended that the interviewers use closed ended questions during the interview as individuals with an autism spectrum disorder find open-ended questions problematic. The Lehman Brothers assessment centre also included an assessed group exercise. I normally find group work very problematic as I experience high levels of social anxiety. Sarah explained these difficulties to the assessors and therefore a stronger emphasis was placed on the interview. Both interviews went really well and despite the Lehman Brothers assessment centre also consisting of group work I was offered a position on both internships. This was mainly due to Sarah negotiating the reasonable adjustments on my behalf.
"At Motability I completed the Business Systems Internship. The internship was six weeks in duration and I spent two weeks, in the Product Testing team, the Telecom’s team and finally the Networks and Security team. The Motability internship was really beneficial as it opened my eyes to a new avenue of work, which I had not considered previously. At Lehman Brothers I worked in Equity Derivatives in the Operations division. The internship included a number of positive elements. I improved my social skills considerably by meeting and going out with the other disabled interns. I also realised that investment banking was the correct career choice as I had proved that I could work effectively in this type of environment and finally that I now had sufficient knowledge in relation to the industry to perform well in interviews.
"After the completion of the internships I arranged a one to one session with both Sarah and Justin to decide how to move forward in terms of finding a permanent position. We decided that it would be best to apply to the graduate schemes of the investment banks. We also identified a back up career where we determined that it would be best to focus on administration in particular the financial side. To expand my understanding of the financial services industry, I attended the InvestAbility event organised by EmployAbility. The event was extremely beneficial. I spoke to a number of investment bank graduate recruiters concerning their graduate schemes. A representative from Goldman Sachs also spoke about producing the ideal CV and gave practical advice concerning competency-based interviews. The staff at EmployAbility provided me with invaluable advice concerning how to complete competency based application forms. In addition Sarah also provided me with training in regards to writing covering letters and made suggestions concerning how my CV could be improved. Once my application forms were completed Sarah examined them for reassurance purposes before being submitted.
"I managed to progress to the next stage of the Goldman Sachs recruitment process, the assessment centre. EmployAbility contacted the appropriate staff at Goldman Sachs and negotiated the necessary reasonable adjustments on my behalf. Sarah explained the difficulties which I experienced with psychometric testing to the diversity graduate recruiter. Before the interview Sarah also spoke to the managers, educating them about Asperger’s Syndrome and the approach which would be most suitable. EmployAbility also emphasised that the group assessment would be problematic due to difficulties in communication and social anxiety. Sarah attended all of the interviews with me and sat in on the group exercise, so that I would feel comfortable and so that if any problems arose she would be able to speak to the interviewers afterwards. As a result of Goldman Sachs commitment to disability and of taking on board Sarah’s recommendations, I was successful and was offered a permanent position on their Graduate Programme. Even after I was offered the job, staff from EmployAbility continued to provide me with their expertise and support. Sarah regularly offered me moral support and liaised with the firm in order to resolve any concerns which I had. Sarah also arranged meetings with both my team and the occupational health department to educate them concerning Asperger’s Syndrome and to provide free training concerning the adjustments which I would require to be successful in the work place.
"At Goldman Sachs I shall be working as an Analyst in Equity Derivatives within the Operations division. The Operations division looks after all the support facilities that sit behind the scenes once a trade has been agreed on the trading side. Our division maintains the risk system and adjustments are made to this system to ensure that all information is correct. Our team acts as a type of control department whose job it is to pick up any errors and correct them as quickly as possible in order to reduce any potential risk. The team also ensures that what the traders believe they have traded is booked correctly in the system. Another role is to ensure that what is booked into the risk system matches the payment system. Sarah will continue to offer me ongoing support by visiting me regularly in the workplace, to ensure that the reasonable adjustments are put into practice effectively, to check on my performance and to identify any potential problems quickly so that they can be resolved effectively.
"Registering with EmployAbility has been the best decision that I have ever made and has completely changed my life. Three years ago the prospect of finding a permanent job was very bleak. Without Sarah’s and EmployAbility’s support both to me directly and to Goldman Sachs, I am entirely certain that I would have never been accepted onto the Graduate Programme. By completing the internships at both Lehman Brothers, Motability Operations and by attending the Investability event, organised by EmployAbility, I developed the required skills to be successful during the Goldman Sachs recruitment process. The qualities which I acquired include communication, team working, analytical and decision-making skills. The internships also gave me valuable experience and improved my confidence enabling me to perform well in interviews. I would strongly recommend EmployAbility to disabled graduates who would like to develop experience in both the public and private sectors and also to individuals who are seeking permanent work. "
EmployAbility
PO Box 64655
London
NW3 9NF
Tel: 07852 764 684
Email: info@eability.org
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