Interview the interviewer: O2's Director of Talent and Development, Michelle Adams

Michelle Adams, Director of Talent and Development at O2, tells us why they’re putting CVs aside during the selection process for their new graduate programme. 

Bringing graduates into the business is a brilliant way of tapping into the incredible potential of the next generation. At O2, we currently have 190 young people employed on one of our young talent schemes, from apprentices to graduate trainees. We see the genuine value that each of them brings to our organisation daily. As the first generation to have grown up with the internet, young people have natural digital skills at their fingertips in a way previous generations do not. And with all industries - not just tech – now looking to harness the power of digital, no company can afford to miss these skills. 

But graduates bring us so much more than just their innate digital ability; at O2 we see first-hand the value that those on our early careers programmes bring to teams across the business, with fresh perspectives and open minds. Of course, they have a lot to learn – and that’s what we’re here for – but they also have a lot to teach us. 

That’s why we’ve made this year O2’s graduate programme more accessible than ever before, with only the Finance programme requiring a degree classification (2:1 or higher in any subject). CVs are being put aside during the initial selection process. They’ll potentially be referred to during the interview stages, but the focus will be on giving applicants more opportunity to show us their natural digital skills, abilities, and passions, rather than judging them exclusively on academic achievements.