Networking at a career fair

Recruiter: Hi there! Are you interested in hearing about our graduate schemes?

You: Hi, yes, definitely. I'm Jasur, I'm doing an MSc in Data Science here. Before that I worked as a software developer for about four years.

Recruiter: Oh, nice, so you've got some real experience already.

You: Yeah, mostly backend work for a telecom company in Tashkent. Now I'm trying to move more into data and machine learning.

Recruiter: That's a great combination. We've got a data graduate programme that might be a good fit.

You: That sounds really interesting. Could you tell me a bit about what graduates actually work on in the first year?

Recruiter: Sure. You rotate through three teams, six months each, and you work on live projects from the start.

You: Oh, that's great. And do you sponsor visas for international graduates? I know it varies quite a lot between companies.

Recruiter: We do for this programme, yes. Applications open in October.

You: Brilliant. Is there anything that makes a candidate stand out, in your experience?

Recruiter: Honestly, practical projects. A GitHub with a couple of real projects goes a long way.

You: That's really useful, thank you. Would it be okay to connect with you on LinkedIn?

Recruiter: Of course. Here's my card.

You: Thanks so much, Sarah. It was great talking to you.