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We're currently working on an exciting new project and are looking for potential case-study participants.

Did you study a Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths related subject at both A-level (or equivalent) and degree level? Have you gone on to use the skills you learned in your job? If so and you’d like to earn yourself a £10 Amazon voucher* please email: info@graduatesyorkshire.co.uk.

*Conditions apply

There are no real secrets to a successful interview. That's because the basics are all pretty obvious - do your homework, dress to impress, turn up on time and make sure you answer questions clearly and confidently.

The real challenge is keeping your cool on the day and making sure you really sell yourself to a prospective employer. In fact, the key to a successful interview can often be confidence. If you know you can do the job and really make a difference to the company it should be easy to convince the employer too!

The first thing to remember is that if you've been invited to an interview, you must be qualified to do the job. If the employer was to invite every Tom, Dick and Harry to interview it would be a huge waste of everyone's time. They only ask along those people who they think have the knowledge and experience for the role. If you go to the interview with the confidence that you can do the job, convincing the employer should be easy.

A great way to boost your confidence is to make sure you're dressed to impress. If you're wearing something you know makes you look good, you'll feel good. Choose your outfit the day before and make sure everything's clean and ironed. Choose the perfect accessories, like a smart watch or bag, and make sure your nails are neat and tidy and your hair's perfectly styled.

Make sure you get a good nights rest and have a good breakfast with plenty of carbs and protein. If you feel alert and energised you'll really be able to go into the interview and give it everything you've got. Also, avoid too much sugar or caffeine as this is likely to add to your nerves and try not to drink too much of anything before the interview. You don't want the added distraction of needing a loo break half way through!

If you really struggle with your confidence in situations like interviews, a great way to combat your nerves is to get someone to put you through your paces before hand. Whether that's a trained careers advisor or just a friend asking you a few tricky questions, it can really help you prepare for the real deal! 

You can find a list of common interview questions and loads more information about preparing for interviews by visiting our application advice section.

Although January's a quiet month for the Graduates Yorkshire team the spring career fair season kicks off in early February, with events in Leeds and Sheffield. You can find out more about these and other events by visiting our Facebook page here.

You can find out about all the regions graduate careers events first by becoming a fan on Facebook! We'll be keeping the page updated with what's going on across Yorkshire. You can also ask check out our gallery and ask us any questions you have about living and working in the region.

Become a fan on Facebook here.

If you've checked out our homepage recently you'll have seen our new poll feature. It's a great way for us to gather data and information about graduate job seekers, so we can continue to improve our services and keep employers informed on how they can best attract and retain graduate talent!

We launched our new poll feature in December with some festive fun, and asked "Which of these Christmas tunes is most likely to give you a warm festive glow?"

We can tell you the winner by a landslide 40% was the Pogues classic "Fairytale of New York".

This month we're asking you what you value most in a graduate employer; would you choose salary over society? Read the article below to find out more and give us your opinion.

A new study claims that today's graduates are more likely to choose an employer based on the salary they offer then whether they have a strong corporate social responsibility policy (CSR).

CSR policies can include anything from using recycled paper and cutting down on carbon emissions, to giving back to the community and supporting local charities and initiatives. The new research contradicts other recent surveys which had found graduates where particular drawn to companies that had strong CSR policies that matched their own values and beliefs. 

The study conducted by FreshMinds Talent reports that today's graduates value salary more than corporate social responsibility when job hunting and expect more employee benefits than their older counterparts.

Do you value salary over society? Vote in our online poll and let us know what you think!

Sources: Onrec.com, FreshMinds Talent (talent.freshminds.co.uk).

January is traditionally one of the busiest times in the recruitment industry and a great time to find a graduate job!

To make sure you're well prepared for the New Year rush you need to do 2 things:

• Update your CV
• Upload it to our database

If you haven't paid your CV much attention recently now's a great time to give it some TLC. You don't want to risk losing out on the perfect job because your current CV doesn't tell them about the great experience you've gained in the last 6 months. Check out our top tips for great CV's .

Once you've given your CV a new lease of life, make sure you upload it to our CV Database so prospective employers can find you! We don't let agencies into our CV library, so you can be sure that you'll only be contacted by genuine employers about roles you're interested in!

You can upload your new CV by logging in to your account.

Graduates could boost their lifetime earnings by up to £150,000 by completing professional qualifications.

New research published by Personnel Today and commissioned by the Consultative Committee for Professional Management Organisations, estimates the value of holding professional qualifications at £81,000, with additional earnings of up to £71,000 gained from membership of a professional body.

For you this means that by joining professional bodies associated to your industry and becoming "Chartered" you could greatly boost your lifetime earnings. Most industries offer professional membership and accredited professional qualifications such as Engineering, Accountancy, Marketing and HR.

Members of professional bodies, such as the Chartered Institute of Marketing or the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, can benefit from expert advice on professional development, up-to-date industry news and opportunities to network with other industry professionals. Membership is offered at all levels with many offering subsidised membership for Students.

Find out more about further study in your industry or joining a professional body by visiting your University Careers Service website or contacting the related body for your Industry directly.

Did you know that baking is a great way to beat exam blues? It's a really great way to calm the nerves and clear your head. Also, you really need to keep your blood sugar levels up when revising as you actually burn off loads of calories through mental energy!

This recipe for authentic Yorkshire Parkin should really do the trick when you find yourself needing a break from the books. Its main ingredients are sugar and syrup which should really keep you alert through the long nights of exam revision.

Authentic Yorkshire Parkin

Ingredients: 4oz soft brown sugar, 8oz plain flour, 4oz butter, 8oz syrup, 8oz medium oatmeal, 1 egg, ¼ pint milk, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 

Method:

Melt the sugar, butter and syrup in a pan over a low heat. Beat the egg well and add to the syrup mix with some of the milk. Sift the flour, oatmeal and ginger into a bowl and pour into the syrup mix. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the remaining milk and add to the rest of the mix. Stir well, then pour into a greased loaf tin. Bake for 1 hour on a medium heat. Enjoy!

People have been going crazy over our "made in Yorkshire" t-shirts. We saw record sales over the Xmas period and we're sure there were a few happy Yorkshire folk who found one in their stocking on Christmas morning. With 12 different colours and both male and female styles available, there's one to suit all tastes. Find out what all the fuss is about and order yours online now!