The Brokerage The Overlooked Advantage - Flipbook - Page 9
“Coming from a background underrepresented in [the company I worked in] I was much more
determined to succeed, show that I appreciate the opportunity given to me, that I’m not a fluke.
People like me don’t get into companies like this. During the programme you do rotations. After
the first one, I researched the different parts of the business to work out where I want the next
rotation to be. I reached out to two people to learn more about their work and got a chance to
talk to the CEO through taking initiative. People were very receptive to me because not
everyone had that courage and determination to do their own research. And I got to have a
better understanding of what a CEO or a CFO does.” - Former Brokerage Candidate
2. Desire for excellence
Another quality, which young people participating in this research associated with their upbringing,
is a “can do” attitude to challenge, combined with a desire to do their best at it. This ability to selfmotivate, take initiative, and pursue a goal is consistently valued by employers, particularly as a
differentiating factor when selecting for entry-level jobs. In a recent survey 8 in 10 of employers
highlighted attitude and aptitude for work as the most important factor when recruiting graduates.
[14]
Having to apply extra effort in working was often described as a way to compete in biased
environments that are biased against you and resonates with the findings of another study that
described some of its participants “wanting to do better than what [others] thought” to dispel the
negative stereotypical beliefs that others held about them.[15] Despite the apparent pressure to
work hard put upon them, the Brokerage alumni also saw it as a source of motivation and strength:
"Parents always told me that in an environment where [people like you] are not commonplace
you have to work harder. You need greater attention to detail, care more about the outputs.
Whilst if your parents have connections, you might have a certain level of comfort that is not
conducive to excellent work. When you are from a different background you have more to lose.
For the right person it's a welcome pressure. It’s positive in terms of outcomes, helps focus the
mind.” - Former Brokerage Candidate
“You learn to dress a bit smarter. You learn how to go above and beyond to not intimidate
people [as a young Black male] and that puts you into a good stead because you are always
thinking about how you are speaking and behaving. You check your work twice.” - Former
Brokerage Candidate
[14] CBI. (2021). Skills for an inclusive economy. CBI/Birkbeck Education and Skills Survey 2021.
[15] Thiele, T., Pope, D., Singleton, A., Snape, D., & Stanistreet, D. (2017). Experience of disadvantage: The influence of
identity on engagement in working class students’ educational trajectories to an elite university. British Educational
Research Journal, 43(1), 49-67.
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