CAREERS NEWSLETTER
2017-‐18
ISSUE 17 – Friday 22 June 2018 During a recent visit to Ulster University in Belfast, we were reunited with
mentor Tom Griffiths -‐ a 2017 Sunday Times Top 100 Entrepreneur/ Disruptor -‐ who for the past 20 years has been innovating and disrupting in the digital
space. Our 18 reasons to study @ulsteruni are posted on p2. (Photo credit: Tom Griffiths.)
HAS THE CURRICULUM VITAE (CV) HAD ITS DAY?
For a good number of years we have been questioning whether last orders have been called
on the CV as a crucial element of the selection procedure toolkit for employers.
Strategic insights consultancy Flamingo has abandoned the CV. Instead, it is currently asking candidates to submit a video, voice file or blog link about what motivates them as a person or in work, and sets a question related to a brand impacting on culture. O2 has moved its focus from traditional assessment days to testing problem-‐solving and creative thinking through ‘escape room’ style activities. Red tape involved with CVs has smartphone to apply, using the Debut recruitment been removed and candidates use their app – an irony, as governments discuss restricting use of mobile technology in schools. A CV allows job applicants to create a tailored, targeted marketing brochure that highlights their professional strengths. Critics, however, say a CV does not give employers answers to the questions they would like to pose in pre-‐selection. A telephone interview, online application form, video interview et al would usually prove far more reliable in this process, and certainly with the advance of artificial intelligence (AI), other more effective recruitment methods will inevitably evolve. Goldman Sachs and Unilever are two of many companies already trusting AI. Algorithms -‐ set to analyse words used, confidence shown and concise argument -‐ scan video answers! First Direct hosts speed-‐dating ‘cocktails and careers’ evenings to allow its recruitment team a means of assessing candidates’ true personalities. Critics of the CV will also point to studies that prove sifting by this method merely fosters further bias and limits diversity as regards ethnicity, gender and age. Also the online application form allows employers to elicit the exact information they need to know. We cannot see the CV disappearing entirely. It is always a most useful tool for students to utilise in introducing themselves to potential employers, if targeted cleverly to each new job application. For now, traditional employers and professions may not see the need to erase the CV entirely from their selection process. A stunning, professional CV will still stand out and win its owner an interview. Time, though, will tell where the CV sits 5 or 10 years from now! See https://bit.ly/2tqZsIm for an excellent Marketing Week article on this topic.
2018 MOCK INTERVIEW MORNING REARRANGED
We have listened to students’ concerns over Open Day clashes on the original date for this event. The nd rearranged date is n ow Saturday 22 September. There are a number of other advantages of holding the Sixth Form Mock Interview Morning in the first few weeks of the Autumn term: • More pertinent advice will be given about the UCAS personal statement et al. • Students will have had the benefit of a summer of work experience, open day visits and research for an EPQ or CREST project. • There will be much more certainty about Post 18 options. • Students will be refreshed and ready to go! On the back page, you are reminded of new deadline dates for: a) accepting the invitation to attend, b) submission of a CV, and c ) completion of the online application. Over the summer, current Lower Sixth students should consider interview answers. It is helpful to: • Identify your strengths. • For each strength identified, think of a situation where y ou had a task to complete. • Specify the action you took and reflect on the success of this action. • Remember to choose a different situation for each strength. NB Don’t forget to say what YOU – not others -‐ did in each scenario. * S-‐ituation, T-‐ask, A-‐ction, R-‐esult/ R-‐eflection
www.2morrow-‐2day.com/mock-‐interview.html
@BablakeCareers