Julia Smith had no burning ambition to be a management consultant. In fact, she was a civil engineering masters student at Birmingham University and being sponsored by a major contractor when she went to a milk-round interview with Andersen Consulting.

鈥淲hen I went, I had no idea what they did,鈥� she says. What the company told her convinced 24-year-old Smith to abandon her construction career. So, what was so tempting?

鈥淭hey were prepared to put money into training 鈥� they said they spent 12% of their annual revenue on training. That was a big pull. And they wanted good grades, so you knew the job would be an intellectual challenge. They pushed how much responsibility you would have, which was exactly what I wanted.鈥�

This was in stark contrast to Smith鈥檚 experiences of construction. She says her placements with the sponsoring contractor left her 鈥渄isillusioned with the industry鈥�. 鈥淣obody would train me or tell me what was going on, so I was left to do quite trivial jobs. I wasn鈥檛 used effectively; I didn鈥檛 get any opportunities to prove what I could do and to take responsibility. It was very frustrating.鈥�

Unsurprisingly, construction lost out in the financial comparison as well. Smith鈥檚 starting salary at the contractor would have been 拢10 000 lower than Andersen鈥檚. The management consultant also offered a company pension and private healthcare. Perhaps more importantly for her, it was also prepared to allow her to take a year off to travel; the contractor offered six months.

Almost 18 months later, the job has lived up to its promises. Before she joined the firm, Smith went on a five-day residential course to learn about the industry. On joining, she was given three weeks鈥� training in London and another three in Chicago, home to Andersen鈥檚 global headquarters. 鈥淎ll the graduate trainees from around the world train in Chicago. You meet people and it instils the corporate identity. Plus it shows you that there are opportunities to travel with the firm.鈥�

The company has not stinted on the responsibility, either 鈥� Smith is already dealing with very senior people on the client鈥檚 side 鈥� or the corporate lifestyle. 鈥淎ndersen is very good on the corporate functions. Because we all work on clients鈥� sites, we might not see our colleagues for a while, so the company will organise drinks or a get-together.鈥�

Smith feels that she has met many more like-minded people than she would have in construction, yet many of her colleagues have a similar background. 鈥淥n the project I鈥檓 working on now, 50% of the people trained as engineers. Andersen likes engineers. It likes the way they think,鈥� she says. And if it keeps targeting them, construction firms will have some fight on their hands to fill their ranks.

10 ways to get ahead on the milk-round

  • Become an 鈥渆mployer of choice鈥�. Some organisations have to fight off graduates because they are seen as employers that offer good career and development opportunities.
  • Showcase your company. Be proactive about selling it and the kind of careers and training it can offer.
  • Offer placements for undergraduates. This will build your company鈥檚 reputation and create an opportunity to get to know potential recruits.
  • Define career paths. Graduates will be more positive about your company if they can understand how a career with you is likely to develop.
  • Establish links with universities. Sponsoring an event or becoming involved in industry liaison programmes will label your organisation as serious about employing graduates.
  • Review training programmes. Graduates are getting smart about training and development. It must be relevant, up to date and tradable. Graduates don鈥檛 expect a career for life but they do expect to acquire skills that will keep them employed.
  • Be honest about what you can offer. It鈥檚 no good promising the earth if you can鈥檛 deliver; this only breeds resentment and frustration.
  • Hold open days. These will give prospective candidates the chance to experience your company informally, to meet former graduate recruits and question them about their experience of working for you.
  • Be realistic in your expectations. Don鈥檛 expect graduates to walk through your door ready for work. Many will have work experience but most will still need a significant amount of induction and development in business skills.
  • Shop around. Don鈥檛 limit your intake of graduates to a few universities by virtue of their 鈥渟nob value鈥�. Many of the newer universities offer more vocationally based courses and give a good grounding in work-related skills.