I think The Co-operative Group is for people who want more than just a job. It's an organisation you can feel proud of, where you're actually making a positive difference. But what also attracts people is the scope for career development. If you're talented and ambitious there's really no limit to how far you can go here – I've had four promotions in three years!
We look for resilience, confidence, flexibility and tenacity. So if you're the type who gives up after the first closed door, or sees problems rather than opportunities – this probably isn't for you. And in the same token, if you don't understand our passion for the co-operative business model and share our values, you won't fit in.
I've got three pieces of advice for graduates who are thinking of applying. First of all, do your research – understand who we are and what the programme is about. Second, show your application to a careers adviser or someone whose opinion you trust and see what they think. Above all, don't wait until the interview stage to let your personality shine through; otherwise you probably won't get there. Show us what makes you different.
If your application progresses to the interview stage, the most important thing to remember is to relax and be yourself. If you can, practice a competency-based interview beforehand, as they are quite different to normal interviews. Your careers service should be able to help with that. Finally, don't forget to prepare some questions for us.