Imperial News

TARGETjobs: Undergraduate of the Year competition 2014

by Richard Marshall

Competition that gives you the chance to win internships and all-expenses paid trips to the USA, South America or continental Europe.

The TARGETjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards launched five years ago which now feature 11 awards and, for the 2013 competition, were entered by more than 4,400 students from over 140 different universities.

The Awards were set up to identify and celebrate the UK's best undergraduates in specific areas, like subject of degree (law, engineering etc) or other categories (future leaders, women, commercial excellence). Being the best means having a combination of academic excellence, the ability to pass a series of difficult online assessments, good written communication and finally the interpersonal skills necessary to compete with other students in assessment centres run by the sponsoring organisation. The final shortlist of ten are invited to the Awards event in London in April where the winners are announced.

students presentingEach award is sponsored by a prominent graduate recruiter who provides a fantastic prize for the winner, including a paid internship.

Each award has clearly stated entry criteria, including year of study and minimum educational requirement. Students who don't meet the entry criteria will not be considered.

Undergraduates from all UK universities are eligible - if you meet the entry criteria - and past winners have come from over 30 different universities.

The entry process

The process starts online with the collection of basic personal information, three or four tests devised by our partner CEB’s SHL Talent Measurement Solutions, and three questions posed by the sponsor. This phase can take about two hours but you don't need to complete everything in one visit. But you do need to complete the entry by 31 January 2014.

The students who perform best in the tests and who best match the requirements of the sponsor are selected for the second stage which involves some form of assessment centre run by the sponsor. The best ten students are then invited to the Awards event in London where the winner is announced.

Finally, you may well be eligible to enter more than one award but the rules of the competition mean that you can only enter for ONE award only, so choose wisely. Read each entry page carefully to see which award you're best suited for before you start the application process.

The TARGETjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards are the only undergraduate awards in the UK and are widely recognised by graduate recruiters. Winning a TARGETjobs Undergraduate of the Year Award often leads to a job offer. Those shortlisted have a recognised accolade to add to their CV and benefit from a networking day with top graduate employers.

To find out more about how the 2013 winners and finalists benefited from the awards read their blogs:

Students can enter via www.undergraduateoftheyear.co.uk.