What Are Senior Leaders Actually Looking for in Graduates? | Tasneem Bhamji

What does it really take to build a successful career? And how can students stand out from the start? In this episode of From Campus to Careers (part of The Employer Desk mini-series), we’re joined by Tasneem Bhamji, Digital Engagement Director at Lloyds Banking Group and founder of Office Real Talk. Tas has built a successful career across operations, commercial strategy, digital transformation and leadership. In this episode, she shares her personal journey, including how her upbringing and early experiences shaped her ambitions, and the defining moments that helped her progress into senior leadership. We also get an insider perspective on what employers are really looking for from students and graduates - particularly during placements, internships and graduate schemes. 00:00 Introduction 01:39 Tasneem's role at Lloyds & the future of marketing 05:06 From operations to digital leadership 19:05 How your background shapes your ambitions 25:14 What makes graduates stand out? 27:13 The 3 things every graduate needs: Value, Voice & Visibility 38:55 The biggest mistake graduates make 41:19 Stop waiting - start taking action 43:21 Why Tasneem created Office Real Talk 49:15 Building relationships instead of "networking" 50:29 How to deal with imposter syndrome 52:57 Practical ways to manage anxiety and nerves 55:18 When your environment makes you feel like an outsider 58:19 How to prepare when you don't know the answer 59:07 Should you change who you are at work? 64:15 Finding confidence by being yourself 65:25 Advice for graduates starting their careers 66:29 Outro The Employer Desk is our insider mini-series where you can hear directly from employers and senior professionals about what they're really looking for. Each episode explores recruitment, workplace expectations, career development and the skills that can help students stand out in the world of work. Subscribe for more episodes of From Campus to Careers - your go-to podcast for honest, practical careers advice, inspiring student stories, and insights from top employers: https://careersandplacements.buzzspro... Follow Aston University Careers and Placements: instagram.com/astonunicareers linkedin.com/company/astonunicareers aston.ac.uk/careers #careersadvice #graduatejobs #placements #graduate #lloyds #careerdevelopment #impostersyndrome #confidence #futureofwork #FromCampusToCareers #TheEmployerDesk #astonuniversity