Recap: Insider Career Tips with Liam-Elio Colabuono-McDonagh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qwmnhWn4hQ

If you're at university right now, you've probably felt it all from that pressure to have everything figured out, the perfect grades, getting the perfect internship and having the most polished LinkedIn profile. If you ain't got all the above, something feels wrong?

Truthfully, a lot of us go through university without really understanding how the career game actually works. We know we need good grades (probably). We know networking is important (everyone says so). But what does that actually look like on a day-to-day basis? How do you go from a state school in Kettering to one of the UK's top 20 universities and then into a world-leading consultancy firm like AtkinsRealis?

In our latest workshop, we caught up with Liam-Elio Colabuono-McDonagh, co-founder of CMD Careers, who's done exactly that and he's built his entire career platform around helping students navigate this journey with clarity and purpose. His insights throughout the workshop were packed full of golden nuggets which we explore below👇

1. The Networking Guide: Build Value, Not Just Your Contacts

Liam made a really important distinction here. Networking doesn't mean desperately asking around for opportunities or sliding into someone's LinkedIn DMs asking for a favour. It means genuinely building relationships where you're giving something, not just taking. Liam provided the below year-by year breakdown as you go through university on how to navigate networking:

1. First-Year: Focus on finding your feet first and foremost. Introduce yourself to your lecturers and the career services team who are literally paid to help you. This is where you explore and build those initial relationships.

2. Second-Year: Step into committee positions in societies. Become a "producer of value," not just someone consuming opportunities. This is the pivotal year where you go from passive to active.

3. Third/Final Year: Concentrate on academics while leveraging the networks and positions you've already built in the previous 2 years. You've done the groundwork so now you can focus and hone in the next steps of your journey.

Liam didn't stop there! He provided the below "Golden Rules" for networking:

• Start with the people who are easiest to reach (professors, career teams) as they want to help

• Provide value to others and don't just extract opportunities

• Build genuine relationships, not just a contact list

• Encourage peers to network alongside you and create a supportive community (not a competitive one!)

2. Do Your Grades Actually Matter?

I know nobody wants to hear this, but here's the honest truth about your grades as they do actually matter at the start:

• A First or 2:1 opens doors that a 2:2 simply doesn't

• Competitive firms and multinationals still use grade thresholds as filters (this is the reality)

• A 2:2 can limit opportunities, especially with large corporates

• Strong academic performance often correlates in the eyes of the companies your ability to take on additional responsibilities, your motivation and determination to want to achieve something positive

• Your first year sets the tone so start strong and it gets easier to maintain momentum

It's not about perfection or burnout. It's about aiming high while still making room for the extracurriculars and experiences that round you out during your university years.

Struggling with the balance? Read Dina's story sharing her experiences of being a second-year university student navigating grades with networking and searching for job opportunities.

3. Aim for Learning not "Perfection"

One of the most liberating things Liam said was this: "Focus on the learning opportunity and the professional experience, not on holding out for the perfect salary or the perfect role straight out of university. Ok, that's all great but what does Liam mean here?

The starting salary might be lower than you hoped but that's OK

The job role might not tick every box on your wish list

Graduate schemes are goldmines for this as they offer fast-track progression and exposure to leadership that builds your CV and confidence

Once you're employed and building expertise, it becomes so much easier to switch industries or step up finally into that role you dreamed of!

So, the key mindset shift here is to treat your first role as a stepping stone, not a forever commitment. You're building professional status and real experience that will propel you later in your career into the job roles you want to hold.

Before you apply anywhere, check these resources. You'll get a realistic picture of salary expectations, workplace culture, and what the role actually involves:

• RateMyPlacement : Honest reviews from interns and graduates about their real experiences working at "X" company

• Target Jobs : Curated graduate roles and scheme information

• Prospects : Detailed graduate scheme directory with advice on all things related to the job hunt from CV tips through to preparing for interview

4. Be Proactive not Passive

University offers way more than just lectures and essays so make the most of it:

• Societies: Take on leadership roles instead of just passively attending events

• Projects: Go deeper than what's required and delve more into your subject (i.e., following industry professionals on LinkedIn)

• Internships: Treat them like real jobs and as a platform to develop your skills to prepare you better for that jump from final year to your graduate scheme

• Career Services: Use them as they're there for you!

When you engage seriously with these opportunities, you stand out. You build marketable skills, you've got something real to talk about when networking or sitting in an interview. So, say goodbye to them awkward pauses when someone asks you about "What have you worked on?"

Ready to unlock what's available to you? Check out Next Gen Hub's guide walking you through exactly how to identify, pursue, and maximise the opportunities around you!

5. My Advice to You: Stay Grounded and Keep Going

The job market is competitive, yeah but here's what Liam's career proves:

• Opportunities do exist for those who are well-prepared

• Preparation isn't just grades and CV-building instead it's understanding the game, starting early, and being intentional

• There is a path from state school to top universities to world-leading firms but you have to play it strategically!

If you have any further questions or want any further advice, reach out to Liam via his LinkedIn:

Liam-Elio Colabuono-McDonagh