Oxford Odyssey

Category: Job Hunting

  • Why you should never accept exposure/experience as payment

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    Have you ever been offered a job or project where the main reward was “exposure” or “experience”? Itโ€™s a common tactic, especially among smaller companies or in creative industries. The promise sounds tempting: take on a variety of tasks, develop new skills, and boost your CV. There are those companies that encourage employees to seek…

  • What drives long hours in a job?

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    Investment banking is famous for long hours – going up to 120 hours a week at times. Meanwhile, consulting works around 60-80 hours, far fewer than investment banking but also takes up twelve hours a day at the minimum. While it’s easy to dismiss the hours as something analysts deserve for the pay they get,…

  • Applications for job and internships

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    This article is meant for the UK context, for undergraduates who are already seeking that sweet career path after university. These will mostly apply to jobs with a structured graduate scheme, such as in investment banking, consulting, and technology. Always seek out a full time job as soon as possible. You can convert from Springs…

  • What drives compensation in a job?

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    In 2022, CEOs were paid 290 times more than the typical worker, a stark increase from 1965 when the ratio stood at 21:1 (Economic Policy Institute, 2023). This disparity raises critical questions about compensation dynamics and systemic inequities. Why are some essential professions โ€“ cleaners, nurses and teachers โ€“ often perceived to be underpaid, despite…

  • The efficient labour market hypothesis – on passion

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    “Love your job and never work a day in your life.“ Itโ€™s a great platitude to work for a passion. Unfortunately, unless you have a niche interest, following your passion is unlikely to result in financial upside. The depressed pay of “socially-helpful” jobs A large number of individuals are drawn to do good, or pursue…

  • Micro-internships

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    Micro-internships are an excellent way to gain some exposure to the working world, while not committing your entire holiday to work. The annoying thing about Oxford’s holidays system is that six-week is a long time to be doing nothing (there’s only so much traveling you can do!) but it’s usually not enough to do a…