Ross

As a reminder the application deadline for the HBOS Graduate programmes is at the end of December. So if anyone has any questions please feel free to make use of the blogs. If you are interested in HBOS it does no harm to apply. We would love to hear from you!

Next week I will be visiting Glasgow Caledonian University to run a presentation about HBOS, the programmes they offer and the recruitment process. Several other grads on my programme are involved in this and it is typically something you would get involved in as a graduate. Recently we have had a structural change within the graduate programme and this is taking a bit of time to get used to! However in the pipeline is our December Forum where the Group Management graduates will go offsite for a couple of days and discuss/plan what lies ahead for us in 2008. This is a key benefit to the programme as the graduates’ views are very much appreciated and they are generally used to structure the direction we will take in the future.

Placement wise the effects of a large restructure in the business are still being felt. I've found it difficult to adjust when it is not entirely clear who is responsible for what. I guess we are still experiencing the bedding in period and things will eventually settle down. However I suspect further change will occur and I've learnt that this is something you have to deal with as quickly as possible! However I'm still working full steam ahead with my deployment plans for SharePoint within my team. These plans and an initial demo version will keep me busy right up until Christmas.

Talking of Christmas it has come to that time of year again – Christmas party time!! The benefit of being a graduate is that you generally get to attend more than one party – placement team party, graduate party and wider functional area party!! Roll on the parties – these are a great opportunity to relax and meet people from within the organisation which you wouldn't normally speak to on a daily basis.