Making work-life balance work for you

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Imagine the following scenario: It is Friday afternoon and you’re looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend, perhaps counting down the time until you can pack up and head home. But then your manager approaches you with bad news: the project is behind schedule and there is a risk of things going horribly wrong. You are personally needed to work over the weekend to try and help bring the project back on track, and you won’t be able to take a day off next week in lieu. What would your immediate reaction to this news be? Disappointment perhaps, or a sense of unfairness that your weekend is being taken away from you?

Before I continue with this anecdote I should point out that this is by no means a common occurrence here at Capgemini. Nonetheless, this is the scenario I found myself in last week on my current project. My initial reaction, inwardly, was of course disappointment that I wouldn’t get to go back home that weekend, or even a day off to relax. It was even tempting to make an excuse as to why I wouldn’t be able to come in, particularly since I did genuinely have plans. But a sense of pride can be a powerful motivator. It was clear that the team were relying on my knowledge and skills to drive the project forward over Saturday and Sunday. It also demonstrated the confidence and trust my project manager has in my ability to work without supervision.

In my previous blog post, I mentioned the importance of versatility and adapting yourself when the situation requires it. This versatility does not pertain exclusively to expanding your skill-set and knowledge, but also to when you work and, on occasion, your work-life balance. Capgemini strongly encourages a healthy balance, and will always address imbalances when they occur. Maintaining a healthy balance is essential to your happiness and performance, and a burned-out employee is not something anyone wants to see.
Despite this, on high-profile projects you will sometimes find yourself in the situation where more is asked of you.

Rather than grin and bear it, it pays handsomely instead to see it as an opportunity to really show what you can do. Work in the evenings and weekends can be much more close-knit and quiet, compared to the hustle and bustle of regular working hours, and individual effort is considerably easier to recognise. It will also help to raise your profile, and possibly lead to a greater variety of work that will stretch you a little more – though it’s definitely worth remembering to keep things in moderation. You still need your down-time!

The kind of career you may choose to pursue at Capgemini can be a demanding one, with more than its fair share of travel and occasionally long hours. However it is also a meritocracy where those who are willing to stick their neck out and get their hands dirty will find their endeavours rewarded, and their achievements acknowledged in full. Should you be considering a career at Capgemini, or consulting in general, you will almost certainly find yourself in my situation on many occasions during the (hopefully) long course of your career. Just remember that what can seem like a burden can always be turned into an opportunity for those who can afford to be flexible enough to seize it. The lucky few who always seem to get the best opportunities probably earned them during one long weekend, in what they thought was a thankless task. Not always the case!

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CDC Chapters

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This blog entry was written by Simon Hodge. Simon is a current member of the CDC graduate scheme.

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The joys of networking

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When I was carrying out the extensive graduate job search during my final year of university at the beginning of 2011, I was looking for three things: the opportunity for change, the chance to be creative, and most importantly, a challenge...

After just five months into the Capgemini Business Technology Consulting graduate programme, I am certain that I have made the right choice in choosing Capgemini. There is the aspect of change with regards to the number of roles and projects available, there is the chance to be creative by exploring ways to improve business processes and you are constantly able to challenge yourself to reach your best potential by gaining valuable experience expanding your skill set. These, combined with the presence of a large graduate community, mean that there is never a dull day! 

Although I have not been at the company for long, I’ve been able to take part in a number of events in addition to my current role. Importantly learning and development not only occurs on your current project at Capgemini but I have also found that volunteering for extra events as part of the graduate scheme is where you learn more, expand your network and are able to tell others what you’ve learnt elsewhere. It really is up to you how often you grab opportunities to gain knowledge, make contacts, give back to others and drive your career.

Let me tell you about two events with students: an open day at City University, and an evening with members of the British Computer Society (BCS) at our Holborn office. At City University, a colleague and I spoke to students who were looking to start courses, whereas with the BCS I was talking to small groups of students who were in their final year and looking for companies to apply to. I hope that by being able to give them an insight into my own positive university experience, application process and enjoyable working life so far with Capgemini, they can make informed decisions and realise the benefits of working in the fast-paced world of IT.

Perhaps the most rewarding event to date was a Raleigh International charity weekend in Milton Keynes which we were given the option to volunteer for. For more than six years, the Capgemini Business Technology Consulting graduate programme has partnered with Raleigh International to rejuvenate numerous community spaces around the UK. Not only was it a fantastic networking opportunity for graduates and a chance to improve leadership skills, but we were also able to give back to the community and make a real difference. The project work included painting and decorating an office, the makeover of an art room and even the construction of an outside pizza oven.

This is just a brief overview of some of the events which I have been fortunate enough to take part in during my time so far with Capgemini. You are in control of your career and it’s up to you to identify the training, events, roles and people that will help you to achieve what you want. This year I look forward to further pushing my capabilities and developing skills to apply to the future.

Happy New Year, wishing you all a great 2012!

 Raleigh International weekend in Milton Keynes

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The Consulting Lifestyle

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This blog was written by Mike Troeller. Mike is a current member of the CDC graduate scheme.

One of the reasons why I initially applied to Capgemini was the varied nature of project work and notably, the opportunity to experience this in a range of different locations. The consulting lifestyle can involve being resourced onto a project at the other end of the country or even abroad for months at a time. I’m currently based up in Edinburgh and have quickly mastered the art of living out of a suitcase. Here are my top tips:

1. Invest in a durable, lightweight small suitcase – Not only will your back thank you for not lugging a holdall around but most projects require you to stay in a hotel for 3 nights each week (Mon-Thurs), meaning that a small suitcase is sufficient if you pack wisely. To save time and not have to check your case in ensure that it corresponds to airline size restrictions. This is generally 56x45x25 (cm) but research the airline beforehand as some allow you to take a laptop bag too.

2. Have a ‘miniatures’ toiletries kit – Keep a designated bag aside from your home supplies with a toothbrush, toothpaste etc. Try to make sure that everything is ‘mini’, so under 100ml so it complies with hand luggage requirements. This will prevent having to rethink and repack every week.

3. Don’t pack, just relax (on a Sunday) – Weekends should be time for you so pack on a Thursday night when you return home. This way you avoid any late night Sunday panic. I’ve always found it useful to have a ‘packing checklist’ so that I don’t forget anything. This will become second nature after a few weeks but it is a good way to start.

4. Map out your journey – It is obviously important to focus on packing, luggage and flights but making plans for after arrival requires equal consideration and planning. Research reputable taxi firms and book in advance to prevent long delays or hefty fares.

5. Take a good book / Ipod – Waiting in hotel lounges or being on long train journeys can feel arduous but time passes much quicker with some cheesy music or an edition of Harry Potter. Take whatever interests you with you when you travel.

6. Don’t ruin your feet – Clients don’t see you on your 0700 flight so sacrifice fashion in the name of comfort. You’ll have plenty of time to change and smarten up before arriving on site.

7. Make your loyalty count – Staying in the same hotel for weeks at a time or flying withthe same airline regularly means that you should research into their loyalty scheme. Chain hotels and airlines generally have loyalty cards that reward clients with points accumulated over time. I’ve known colleagues to have weekends away in Paris (flights/accommodation) entirely funded by their hard earned points!

8. Indulge in hotel facilities – Research what the hotel has to offer in advance of your stay. Some have high tech gyms and spas to take your mind off a day’s hard work.

9. Eat well! – Another perk of not being at home is not having to worry about cooking! Enjoy the hotel cuisine or local delicacies.

10. Manage your time – Working away is a great opportunity to experience another location, language or culture as well as getting to know your colleagues. However, having time to reflect and relax is equally important and highly valued to balance socialising with down time.

The tips above will hopefully help you to really appreciate the many perks of working away and prepare you for life as a Consultant!
 

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The Power of Reinvention

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Capgemini is a company which can present practically unlimited opportunities for self-motivated individuals, even those with little to no idea as to where it is they want to go. There are a lot of good articles on this blog from my predecessors that offer advice on how to exploit this by and large bottomless well of opportunity. As such, I was initially stumped on what insight I could provide for prospective Capgemini graduates. On reflection I think the one, single most important quality that I've gleaned from my short career so far with Capgemini: the power to reinvent yourself.

By reinvention I mean the ability to continually redefine your skill-set and expertise during the course of your career. Despite being a technology-orientated company, Capgemini takes on graduates from a wide range of educational and professional backgrounds, and my particular intake year had technology, business, law, economics and language graduates. It's worth mentioning this, because it's clear that Capgemini is not looking for pre-existing knowledge and skills, but malleable and inquisitive minds.

Take myself as an example: I graduated in 2008 with a degree in French and Latin, and between then and my first day at Capgemini I had a fairly eclectic work experience spanning legal admin, running a small independent high-street store, recruitment consultancy and headhunting, and a stint in the Royal Marines Commandos as a soldier. Each experience, particularly the Royal Marines, required a very different approach and way of thinking, and I was required to develop new skills, both soft and hard, in order to adapt. I consider this to be a deciding factor in my successfully passing through the Capgemini graduate assessment centre. As previous blogs have pointed out, you need to be intelligent and capable of articulating and formulating arguments in a group and solo setting. But more than that, Capgemini is looking for people that can transform themselves; drawing attention to your ability to adapt and take on new ideas during the interview and assessment stage certainly wouldn't hurt your chances.

So having set out my stall, I shall proceed to delve in a little deeper. For example, how does one go about effectively demonstrating their flexibility during the interview and assessment centre? A good starting point would be to consider past situations where you have had to develop new skills of your own volition, perhaps through voluntary work. Part of my work running a high-street store involved developing the online part of the business, which I had volunteered to do rather than pay for someone else to do it. Despite not having written a line of HTML since I was 13, I built up my knowledge almost from scratch and before long I had a working website. I continued to embellish and expand the site over the course of a few months, widening my repertoire of technical skills in the process. I had not just demonstrated an interest in technology (always a good idea when applying to Capgemini), but I had gone from salesman to web developer in the course of a few weeks. Have a think about similar situations where you have had to plunge into the unknown and learn something totally new, and if you can't think of anything then now would be a good time to get started!

Reinventing yourself isn't just a question of intelligence and motivation however; it is also about being fearless of plunging into the unknown and being open-minded. Plenty of highly intelligent and motivated people find a niche that they are comfortable with, and they become extremely good at what they do. Certainly, there is strong demand for skilled Java programmers, test automation experts and the like. But fast-tracking into one particular career path isn't what the Capgemini graduate scheme is about. This is really your chance to experiment and explore options that perhaps you hadn't even considered. You will not always be handed the most glamorous-sounding roles, or even ones that are in your area of interest, but it pays to embrace them and, wherever possible, find opportunities to develop new skills.

My first project was entirely non-technical and I was admittedly sceptical at first as to how this would help me develop in the direction I wanted to, but I took on some extra duties and began some new initiatives of my own and now I have a good grasp of Visual Basic (VB) and my Excel skills have dramatically improved. I then took these skills into my current testing role and used my newfound knowledge of VB to set up some test automation scripts, greatly enhancing my productivity. None of this was in my job description, but it nonetheless proved extremely useful. Never be afraid to take on additional duties beyond the scope of your role: it is the best way to maximise your learning and development.

My advice for all prospective Capgemini grads - whether you're currently writing your application, preparing for an assessment centre next week, or set to start your first day next month - is to just keep two things in mind: flexibility and open-mindedness. You have huge amounts of potential, and half the excitement is in not knowing where you will end up or how you will get there. Perhaps you could become a leading enterprise architect, helping steer a high-profile client through a complex technology transformation, or perhaps you could be in e-commerce, developing the back-end portion of a website that will be used by millions of customers a week. Ultimately, your path is bound to take a few unexpected turns. Whether these turns prove to be beneficial or a hindrance depends on what you make of them.
 

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My experience of applications

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 A bit about me, I joined Capgemini this July after graduating the month before. I studied Maths at Warwick University - but like Gurpreet, I’m definitely not technical! I recently attended a careers fair for Capgemini which gave me the idea of writing a blog entry about the application process and application forms. I hope you find it useful.

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Leaving our mark on the CDC

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This blog was written by Chris Southgate. Chris is a current member of the CDC graduate scheme.

The CDC is a first class learning environment for a number of reasons, not only because of the formal training curriculum, including the fantastic consulting skills workshop in Les Fontaines, but also because of the opportunities provided to develop as a consultant by participating and managing internal streams of work.

The CDC maintains a variety of work streams to support and compliment the CDC itself in Recruitment, Events, Learning & Development and others such as External events (charity fundraising and support), and through these, CDCers themselves have the opportunity to develop core consulting skills in safe environments supported by senior colleagues. While only a commitment of 4 hours per week, these workstreams can become a source of great satisfaction, achievement and often fun.

Admittedly, delivering large events or projects for the CDC (or the business or wider community) can be frustrating in their development, but the exposure to senior management and the sense of pride and achievement at delivering the elements that make the CDC such an engaging place to work make them really worthwhile activities. The opportunities to lead these streams teach you a huge amount on project/programme delivery, stakeholder management, effective communications as well as time management as you deliver in line with your client projects, and the internal networking opportunities become hugely important further down the line too.

The ability to really stamp our own mark on the CDC stepped up a gear recently with a review of the internal work streams; coordinated by CDC management and driven by ourselves, we have crafted the recommendations for change, and currently lead the change process. Such is the respect for and trust in the incumbent stream lead positions that a small group of CDCers in particular are playing lead roles in what the CDC looks like going forwards. For example, a small group of CDCers are guiding the change process to embed the new activities/processes, some are deeply involved in shaping our recruitment activities on and off campus to increase our brand awareness, and I am involved with shaping large parts of the training curriculum and calendar to update the material and make further self directed learning more accessible – all with a sizable impact on the programme!

Immediately after joining, the CDC had shown me how strong the community is but 12 months in, it is clear that the strong community feel is really driven by our roles in owning, shaping and maintaining it. I’m pretty happy with the changes I’ve been involved in, but I know over time they’ll be iterated for the better, allowing us all to leave our mark on the CDC.
 

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Making the right choice

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It’s that time of year again. The days get shorter, the wind blows colder and IT and consulting companies, armed with freebies and enthusiastic young employees, embark on their tour of university fairs. Capgemini is ready, are you?

As a student, visiting your graduate fair is the first positive step you can take to securing the job you know you’ve wanted. Or like me, it’s the chance to discover a potential career in technology consulting, which you might not have thought was possible. I find myself now, writing this, three months into the Business Technology Consulting graduate programme (BTC) at Capgemini. I am confident I made the right choice.

Before you consider what is right for you, take a moment to think about any preconceptions you have. Now forget them. You may think "…but I need a technical degree" – no, is the simple answer. I come from a non-technical background, which equips you with an invaluable set of soft skills, something a consultant requires on a daily basis. If you like to have the latest smart phone, buy your clothes online and then tweet, or update your status about it, ask yourself "…do I have a passion for technology?" If you answered yes, approach the Capgemini stand at the Fair.

First impressions count. Showing a genuine interest in what a company does means you’re prepared. Capgemini recognises this and a graduate’s hard work and commitment from the outset. In return they make sure you gain as much as possible from your time on the BTC programme.

So you’ve got the passion, the degree and the company’s latest deals scribbled on your fair brochure but Capgemini is there to tell you what they can do for you. Capgemini offers you a career working in one of the most thriving and ever changing industries in the world. In a time where technology is rapidly evolving most notably through cloud computing, you can be working with businesses through their technological transformation. Capgemini prides itself on being unique from other companies, and it’s true. From day one, I am in control of my own career, from pursuing one of the numerous roles available or deciding on a business unit I want to move into; you, with the guidance and help of the programme, decide what fits best. There is no formal six month rotation policy; from the beginning you are different from every other graduate, and that is definitely a good thing. Time spent on a project will never be the same as the next. Along the way you’ll find a wealth of training at your fingertips (literally, through the e-learning portal online!).

As the graduate fair draws to a close, ask yourself whether Capgemini is where you see your fledgling career in business technology consulting beginning. If it is, I assure you you won’t regret it. In a difficult job market, the best thing one can do is be positive – about the choice you’ve made and the company you’ve chosen.

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Life at Capgemini - Chapter III

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Good morning, good afternoon or good evening! I can’t honestly say I know what time of the day I am posting this and you are reading it. At the moment, I am stuck in a time frame of adding on two hours from the UK, deducting one hour from Denmark to landing in Lithuania which is again another one hour ahead!

The last time I blogged I had then moved to a new project based in Slough working with a client to implement and integrate a SAP based system across two different sites, one in Austria and one in Lithuania.  Six months on and I am still here! J I say that with a smile on my face as I have thoroughly enjoyed the last six months of travelling abroad to different countries, meeting new people, absorbing different cultures, seeing some remarkable sights in Lithuania and most importantly, conquering the challenge of completing a very important piece of work.

Six months in and we are now coming to the testing and analysis stage of our project.  The system we have designed has gone into pre-production testing as we are only eight weeks away from our launch date. On this day the system will be available to all.  The project has been very challenging: I have travelled frequently to Lithuania, working closely with various clients.   It is a crucial stage of the project as it will now spread from testing to migration to final evaluation before go-live in production at which point we will begin the re-evaluation and feedback phase of the project.  The final stages of a project are the most rewarding yet nerve-wracking too as months of preparation and work come to a head!

But work hasn’t totally taken over my life! I have also been made lead for the BTC for our Learning & Development Affinity Group.  The affinity groups at Capgemini deal with different areas of life at work which affect the BTC,eg marketing, events and activities, recruitment and selection – there is a group for each run by a graduate.  The aim is to deal with any issues and find ways of helping the BTC to perform better and enjoy their time at Capgemini.

So, as part of the Learning & Development Affinity Group we shall be looking at ways to assist fellow graduates on how we can improve their learning experience at Capgemini.  This involves improving the training classes available, the types of training classes available, and organising solution centre road shows to help graduates find future opportunities.

Okay - so you could argue that is still work!  But it is a very different aspect of work as you are helping friends and colleagues. I’ve added a few pictures I've taken recently whilst enjoying the lovely summer at Palanga Beach, just to make you jealous ;)  I think it’s safe to say life at Capgemini is… good. Very good right now J

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picture 1: Lovely sunny beach, Palanga.

 

 

Picture 2: A stunning picture of the glistening sun shining off a patch of water on Palanga Beach.

 

 

Picture 3: An Absolutely magnificent picture taken using the aid of the HDR on the iPhone4 - Stunning picture of Sunset at Palanga Beach. My favourite pic :)

 

 

Picture 4: A closing picture of a beautiful sunset fading into the night sea.

All pictures were taken by me - so i hope you're impressed!! :D

Hope to bump into you in the near future ;)

Viso Gero (Lithuanian for ‘bye-bye’!)

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From 6 months to 1 year at Capgemini – Part 3: Roles

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Ok so back to the nitty-gritty of actual work! So last time I left off at a large public sector organisation with a new role in the pipeline! This new role took a bit of time to come to light … four months to be exact …”this doesn’t sound good!” … Yes and No is the truthful answer! On the one hand the ideal amount of time for a BTC project is around the six-month mark, so being on a role for nine months doesn’t sound ideal! On the other hand, on a particularly challenging project with challenging deadlines it is difficult to simply move from one project to another, without being disruptive to the whole team.

Coming back to the point of being flexible and open minded as consultants, it’s all about taking it in your stride and making the best of a potentially unwanted situation. OK, I was still on the same project but some of the work I did, like working on integration for a very complex system, as well as having the opportunity to facilitate a User Acceptance Testing sign off session gave me exposure to clients and 3^rd parties as well as a real appreciation for project delivery. Although this isn’t exactly the field of work I want to go into, in the long term the experience I gained was invaluable, as at the end of the day the system Capgemini and the client drafted at the requirements stage needs to be reflected in the actual product delivered. On top of this I was able to pick up some additional work in assisting the development of an archiving strategy as part of the Business Information Management business unit. This has helped me immensely in terms of networking as this is a direction I am potentially looking to ‘transition’.

This additional time on the project also give me the opportunity to scout around for a new role given my new end date. After a few drinks and watching some American Football with some friends from work I managed to secure a role at a major high-end fashion label, to develop their website with a number of interactive and innovative features. I haven’t been in the role long (two weeks to be exact), but I can honestly say I love it, emphasising that ‘good things come to consultants who are flexible’! Initially I am assisting testing some great new customisable product applications and some integration between new mobile applications and social media platforms. This role has already promised to be a short one however with my host of contacts made from facilitating the induction week, and the new ones I have met on the project I already know of a number of new openings for the same client more within my interests, in the near future with my name already firmly stamped upon them!

 All in all you can probably tell it’s been an exciting time, with probably a lot more opportunities available than you might think from a company like Capgemini. As I previously mentioned this style of working might not appeal to some people, but for others quite the opposite! Despite the hard times there have always been positives to take away which can be turned into a positive in the grand scale of things regarding your personal development! Not only this, it is still very much apparent the best aspect of working for Capgemini is the people. When work gets difficult or for example if like me I had to stay on a project longer than expected which was tough, there is always your support network of friends and management to help you get the most from an unwanted situation, and see the positives from what you are adding to Capgemini as a whole.

Looking forward to the next six months, number one on my radar is the upcoming promotion nomination rounds. I will be looking to settle fully into the new project I have recently started before securing myself a new role whilst looking at the software lifecycle from a new angle. From a community point of view I will be going back to my old university in Birmingham to run a number of consulting skills sessions come December and finally I will be starting to look seriously at all of the transition opportunities available to me, some of which I have already made progress with. ‘Transitioning’ in simple terms is the logical next step in your career following the BTC where you start to understand what you enjoy and start to carve out a specialism within the one of the various Capgemini business units! So lots of exciting things to look forward to, and to tell you about in the near future!

 

Blog by Gareth Woodward

 

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