SME Information Hub

Welcome to the SME information Hub where you can find tailored information and guidance on how Durham University's Careers Service can help you engage with students and harness the best talent to take your business forward.

SME Careers Week & SME Fair

Staff from Careers and Enterprise walking into the Office

Supporting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)

We understand that SMEs can face a range of difficulties when recruiting university students and graduates.

However, we firmly believe that SMEs can offer an unrivalled graduate and work experience, and we have developed this hub to help your business navigate recruitment from Durham University. With the SME Information Hub, you will be able to find information and support relating to all aspects of student and graduate recruitment, from starting your recruitment to onboarding support. There is also information on support available from the Careers & Enterprise team, as well as the wider University. If you would like to receive further support from Careers & Enterprise and discuss anything in further detail, please visit ‘The Employer Services Team’ page below. If you would like to share any feedback or request any additional content to be featured as part of the hub, please get in touch using the feedback form below.

Engaging with students at Durham University

The Employer Services Team

An employee sitting at the staff area of Palatine Centre Looking out the window

Employer Events

Two students talking to an exhibitor at a careers fair

Funding Opportunities

A small plant growing from a jar filled with coins.

Other Departments & Services

The exterior of The Palatine Centre, Durham University

Targeted Recruitment Support for SMEs

The Employer Services team offer bespoke support for SMEs to recruitment our students, offering a platform for them to boost their campus image. Take a look at our video to see what the fair was like with our former Employer Services Manager, along with insights from businesses and students about their experiences.

Learn more about Careers Events

Offering a Position

Considerations Before Recruitment

T2 People at work looking at a board planning for something

Recruiting International Students

A city street seen through a magnifying glass, with the background blurred out

More to Come...

Man looking through hands focusing on subject

More to Come...

A person using a laptop overlayered with images of data in graphs and maps

Want information on another topic? Got some feedbacks for the hub?

We would be delighted to hear your thoughts on the SME Information Hub. If you have any suggestions for topics to include or would like to provide general feedback, please reach out to us at employers@durham.ac.uk!

Starting Your Recruitment

Recruitment Timeline

Creating Job Descriptions

A women writing something on a board whilst two other people look in the background

Advertising Platform

Strings of binary numbers and code representing digital data

SME Careers Week

A meeting of people around a long desk, all with laptops out, facing someone giving a presentation.

Staff from Careers and Enterprise team in the Palatine Building

Interviewing Candidates

This section covers everything you need to know regarding what kind of interview questions to ask, adaptable based on your role specification. We also provide some clarification on your duty as an employer to provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

Devising Interview Questions

The intern has completed around 90 hours’ worth of work which involves rebuilding one of the Android applications from scratch... they are performing at a very high level to our company’s delight.

Coltraco Ultrasonics

Employer

2 People working together, one of them is writing on a notebook and the other one is using her computer

Onboarding and Support

Having successfully recruited a candidate, this section covers the last part of the recruitment journey - onboarding. The linked page below discusses advice on planning out the induction process, and includes a checklist to help you create a smooth experience for any new employee.

Induction Support

Get in Touch

The Careers & Enterprise Centre is located on the ground floor of the Palatine Centre. Opening Hours: Monday - Friday (9:00am - 5:00pm).

Careers & Enterprise Centre

The Palatine Centre

Durham University

Stockton Road

Durham

DH1 3LE, UK

Tel: +44 (0)191 3341437