Customer Systems Plc - Graduate Jobs, Careers and Employment

"I'm from a business background, but I'm glad that didn't put me off applying to Customer Systems! It isn't about having loads of programming in your background: if you can break a problem down and solve it, there's no reason you can't be as successful here as someone with a Masters in Computing.

The training was tough as I'd never seen some of the technologies before, but you get to dig around in the application and really build your understanding. I learn best when I get to do a lot of my own investigation, so it was just what I was looking for.

I'm just starting my career, but I've already had the chance to see a project through from start to finish. I took part in the design, building and testing on my most recent project. You work really hard in the design stage, so it's great to see functionality you prototyped emerging in the final system.

Career progression here is clear and logical. First I want to build up my technical expertise. Then in the coming months and years I plan on being in the position of the person who's running the project I'm on now - I want to lead other people in developing what I've designed." Richard, Senior Consultant, Loughborough University, BSc Management Sciences

 

"I wanted to work for a smaller consultancy with shorter projects, because I thought that moving from project to project more frequently would give me more variety. I joined less than a year ago, and I’ve already worked on seven projects.

When I joined, I didn’t expect to have as much responsibility as I do now. As a relatively new joiner, I expected to be stuck in the background for a while, doing the more mundane tasks – but in fact I was dealing directly with clients right from the outset. I’d only been here seven months when I found myself managing a project.

The training is great for teaching you how to be an expert in the software. But it can’t teach you what you need to know about each individual project you go on to, so you have to pick things up quickly on the job. That’s one of the most challenging parts of the role, but the exposure to all these different projects in different industries is one of the best things about working here." Jayanud, Senior Consultant, Imperial College London,
MEng Information Systems Engineering

"Even though I've been here five years, I'm still learning new things, and still have a really varied role. Over time, I've moved more into project management, although the technical element of my job is still considerable. Depending on the project I'm on, I get involved in technical architecture and highly complex database development, but I'm also responsible for driving our consultants forward, and setting expectations with the client.

It's great to be respected as a real technical expert by people outside Customer Systems, as well as inside. I still wouldn't say I know all there is to know, but given enough time and the right manuals, I can always get to the bottom of the technical things I need to grasp.

As I step up from the more technical side to take on the management of people and projects, I'm also learning a whole new set of skills in project management and finding out how different things are once you move onto much larger projects." Dave,
Managing Consultant, University of Manchester, MPhys

"I was on my first project five weeks after joining, and I was surprised by the level of responsibility I was immediately given. I was involved with both business users and developers, and I took part in discussions about how the project would move forward. A couple of months later I went to a major client where I did the design and build for a key piece of functionality on my own.

I've been on my current project for a year, and my role has changed in that time. I now manage the Customer Systems part of the project, and it's been a great opportunity to manage other people as well as myself. I handle relationships with senior people from both the business and technical sides of the client. But I'm still learning new technology all the time; you don't move away from that side of the job even when you're getting involved at a more senior level.

The best thing about working here has been the experience of working for lots of very big companies. There's simply no way I could have got the list of companies I now have on my CV without working at Customer Systems." Mark, Principal Consultant, University of Liverpool, BSc Computer Science

"Customer Systems has a reputation for employing bright people, so it was no surprise that the initial training was really challenging. However, the training material is very good – it’s focussed on prompting you to come up with your own ideas and ways of solving the problems. I was really impressed at the way people at all levels of the company were willing to take time out to help.

You don’t get bogged down in bureaucracy here – the Customer Systems way is to get in and get the job done. I was on my first project within three weeks, and on my first overseas project within a few months. Since joining, I’ve spent more time abroad than in the UK.

I’ve been here less than a year, and already my role has been really varied. I’ve been on projects that are almost 100% technical, and others where the business element takes up almost half my time. Different people enjoy different aspects of the job: some people prefer the technical side: I enjoy designing systems." Duncan, Principal Consultant,
University of York, MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering

"After university I considered many positions including some pure programming jobs in the defence sector where I had carried out two summer placements. But I was worried about getting pigeon-holed as a programmer, and consultancy appealed because of the variety of projects. I was attracted to Customer Systems because I felt that a smaller company meant a greater chance to get noticed, and to get more interesting roles earlier on.

The training really equipped me for the situations I've faced since. After my initial training I was surprised to be given responsibility straight away. I was right about getting noticed in a smaller company - there really is no room for dead wood. You're thrust into the thick of the action and expected to handle pretty much any situation. This results in a few nail-biting moments, but the support is really good. You learn so much from your colleagues.

My role has also meant a lot of contact with customers, including end-users who are often the people who spot problems with the application. It's important to be able to interpret their descriptions to understand the problems." James, Principal Consultant, York University, MEng Computer Systems & Software Engineering