FDM Group

With an international client list of over 200 (including the BBC, HSBC, Swiftcover and Detica), FDM trains graduates all over the globe. The firm has offices in Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, the US and Hong Kong, and if you prefer staying closer to home, then you can also take up a place in London, Manchester or Brighton. FDM is ‘looking to recruit 1,000 graduates (as a minimum) this year’, so if you’re an IT grad ‘passionate about the industry and want to bridge that gap and gain experience’, you shouldn’t wait too long to send off your application – competition is still strong, to say the least!

As a top graduate employer, FDM won’t just accept anyone. You need to have a solid academic background and should feel ‘confident and ready to take on a challenge!’. The firm is known for its ‘very fast paced and changing environment so people must be prepared to be malleable and adjustable’. FDM hires grads of the highest calibre and while your grades need to be top notch, you will also have to impress with your persona. ‘The most important thing is to show your personality, as the skills you possess are only half of what FDM looks for’. The firm fosters a ‘young culture’ with ‘good team dynamics’ so when it comes to the hiring process, FDM needs to feel positive that you’ll fit in.

Graduates who want to apply to this fast growing IT company can choose from six career paths that will train you in either Java development, .net development, software testing, infrastructure support, application support or project management. All graduates can expect to take part in a structured training programme with the FDM Academy during their training period.

Prospective project analysts will work in the firm’s project management office and will be able to gain professional qualifications such as PRINCE 2. Java developers will participate in FDM’s java development programme and need to come armed with a degree in maths, physics, or engineering. Similarly, .net developers should also hold an IT related degree while for software test analyst positions, the firm accepts candidates from a non-IT background. Infrastructure support analysts can expect to lead their own technical projects, whereas application support analysts should get ready to expand their IT concepts for finance as this will be a core point of your career.

The recruitment process starts with an application form that will basically ask you about your educational background and skills. If you pass this first round, you may have to master a phone interview next. Now, it may be easy to forget, but phone interviews are not as painless as you might think – it’s still an interview after all! So make sure you stand up during the phone call – this will keep you alert – and have a copy of your application form in front of you as you will be quizzed on your background and career motivation.

Hopeful candidates will then be invited to an assessment day. This is made up of a one-to-one interview and a group exercise. Assessment days are held in all the firm’s UK locations on a regular basis and are said to be ‘very thorough and professional’. You can expect to be asked ‘a wide variety of questions’ on subjects including your educational background, choice of career and hobbies. However, you can guess that interviewers are also keen to find out about your technical awareness so be ready to be grilled on your ‘industry and general knowledge’. Also know the company, the sector and your CV inside out. The group exercise will test your interpersonal skills and you will be assessed on how well you interact with others, what impact you have on a group and how much of a team player you really are.

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind during the entire process is to be yourself – as silly as this may sound. Trying ‘to come across as somebody else, either by generalising or attempting to adhere to the professional model, will not have a positive result’.