OCTOBER ISSUE University & college EDITION JOB MARKET 15 Ways to Make Your CV Stand Out
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Job-Seekers, Stop Beating Yourselves Up! Types of Interviews
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Johari Window
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THRIVING AT UNI Careers & Employability Timeline
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Neurodiversity: Showcasing your talents and maximising your chances of success
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NEXT STEPS Investing in Your Career
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ENTERTAINMENT Photo of the Month Youtube
Puzzles & Brainteasers
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EDITOR’S LETTER Hello everybody! It gives us great pleasure to welcome you to the October Issue of the Careers UK Magazine. Our goal is to be your go-to place for career-related advice. Our aim is to guide you through each step of your career development and job-hunting journey. We intend to be the best career information hub with a great job-hunting platform and an exciting, easy-to-read magazine that is freely available to everyone. We’d love to hear from you on social media if you have any feedback or enquiries!
EDITORIAL POLICY: The views, comments, statements and opinions are not necessarily those of Careers UK. Careers UK will accept no responsibility for any loss incurred by any person or organisation as a result of using any material from this publication.
Average circulation: Print: 30,150 Digital/Online: 1.4 million Telephone: 0800 865 4770 Email: publishing@careersuk.org
Our latest video! We know that people learn and digest information in different ways, and we’re keen to cater for all learning styles. We also know that some people don’t have the time to read our magazines, so we decided to create information that can be accessed on the go!
@CAREERSUK WWW.CAREERSUK.ORG 0800 865 4770
JOB MARKET
1. In recent years, employers have seen an increase in CV’s that include a picture of the candidate. Some have welcomed the trend as it makes your CV stand out. However other employers prefer to keep things traditional and would rather have a CV that focusses purely on the candidate’s skills and experience, not their looks. If you prefer to stay safe or you feel it’s not really necessary, avoid adding a photo to your CV, not only is it a grey area, but if an employer chooses not to hire you, it may be interpreted as or deemed as an act of discrimination. But if you feel it will help in your particular field, go for it – one thing for certain, it will make your CV stand out.
15 ways to make your cv
stand out
2. Add your professional title beneath your name can also be a good way of catching an employer’s eye. Sometimes something as simple as a couple of keywords can help your CV stand out. 3. Have a neat, professional but unique layout. Templates are a great way to get started. There are plenty of websites and free Microsoft Office ones available to download online. It’s even okay to use a friend’s or relatives CV as reference with their permission. Only use the layout though and avoid copying content. For creative roles, a more imaginative design may be necessary, as it may be a key part of the employer’s decisionmaking criteria. 4. Get someone to proofread it for you they may spot something in terms of layout, grammar and content that you may have missed including something as small as a spelling error. 5. If you’re applying for a role in the art industry or a more creative role, don’t be afraid to jazz up your CV. There are loads of great examples online but don’t go too overboard. Stick to one or two staple colours and still use easy to read fonts. Font size 11 is the most popular. Calibri, Arial, Cambria, Garamond and Gill Sans are some of the most popular font types. 6. Be truthful- It’s been said a thousand times but the more honest you are, the less likely you are to fumble in the interview.
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7. It’s not uncommon for people to have two or more versions of their CV’s. This is a useful tactic for graduates who are looking to break into their desired career but need an alternative option in the meantime. Don’t overwhelm yourself but have at least two solid templates you can tailor to specific job roles! Before applying for any role, it’s always advisable to research more about the company and the role you’re applying for. This will help when putting your CV together, to align your career aspirations to their corporate goals and person specifications.
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Personal Details
8. Don’t be afraid to seek advice- most universities, colleges and job centres have careers advisors that can assist you in creating your CV. If you’re struggling, pay them a visit.
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Personal Profile and Summary Statement
A brief pitch of who you are, your USPs (unique selling points) / key skills, strengths and core competences/ experience; as well as your main career aim. ――
Career Summary and Relevant Experience
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Education and Qualifications
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Skills Summary
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Interests and Hobbies
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References
9. Stay away from generic buzzwords and dull, commonly used phrases such as ‘hard working’, ‘motivated’, punctual. Instead evidence your skills with examples from your career history. If possible, try mirroring or borrowing the language of the job description to help establish a natural connection with the employer. 10. Avoid negative and ambiguous words and phrases such as ‘I have basic knowledge in…’ or ‘ I was required to perform various tasks …’ Be more positive, specific, assertive and confident in your skills. 11. Don’t limit your experience to the paid jobs you have done but spice it up with any other activities you have done – charitable activities, volunteering, sporting activities, club and society memberships, travelling abroad, competitions and college/university projects. 12. Use relevant keywords to allow your CV found in searches on applicant tracking systems, job boards and social media profiles such as LinkedIn. Recruiters use these systems to filter out applications, and using keywords increase chances of your CV coming before a real human being. These could include professional or industry qualifications, systems used, technical processes or unique experience relevant to that profession. 13. Stick to a maximum of two pages. One page for entry level candidates or those who are very good at summarising their experiences. If going for the 2-page option, avoid leaving the second page halfempty. 14. Avoid using uncommon acronyms, unless if its something as obvious as GSCE. If it’s something not that obvious, write in bracket what it stands for. 15. Lastly, key sections to include on your CV. The order is not particularly important.
Name, address, phone/mobile number and email address. Adding your LinkedIn Profile URL or your website address is also a great idea. Avoid including your age, gender, nationality, marital status and date of birth. Also steer away from including details of your other social media accounts such Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, I doubt if there are any relevant details worthwhile including! Avoid unprofessional email address such those including words like hot/sweet/juicy…. Just open another more professional one, please – it’s free, after all.
Whatever title you choose, make sure you include the roles you have had in the past. Its common to lay them out in chronological order, starting with your current/latest/ most recent role. Include your key achievements and skills acquired in each role. Most people tend to use bullet points to keep them short, snappy and easy to skim through. Include all the major qualifications you have attained including the dates you qualified. Again, it’s common to have them in chronological order. Avoid including short courses or listing every GCSE you have studied; unless that’s all you have. Include qualifications you are currently studying and a predicted grade and anticipated date of completion, if known. For degrees, if relevant, you may want to emphasise any key modules/dissertations/thesis/ projects. An optional section that can used to showcase your core skills. By breaking down your key skills into easy-to-read, well formatted points you make it easier for the employer to scan through your main abilities and strengths. Show your personality and social side by including key things that you do outside work. This could include volunteering, charity work, club/associations, travelling and sporting activities. Stay away from writing the full references. Just mentioning that ‘references available on request’ usually suffice. Some modern recruiters advocate for not including this section at all, it’s a waste of valuable space, whilst adding no value.
Popular CV Websites www.online-cv.co.uk www.cv.co.uk www.resume.io
www.cvmaker.uk www.canva.com www.livecareer.co.uk/
JOB MARKET
Job-Seekers, Stop Beating Yourselves Up! Are you still judging your ability as a job-seeker by how many calls you receive? If you’re older than millennials, you’re probably being too hard on yourself. LinkedIn is a gamechanger in the recruitment & job seeking industry. Yes, that’s one industry but from two perspectives – the recruiter is the buyer, the job-seeker the seller. Unlike the old days, the buyers now do their research online probably through LinkedIn or other social media. Even if they ‘google’ you, your social media presence will probably be top among the results that pertain to you. So, these days, when searching for prospective candidates, they research you online and more often than not, will glean enough information to reject you for a role you haven’t even applied for! Therefore, they have no reason to call you in the first place. But you can’t withhold information about yourself in an attempt to get them to call you; that doesn’t work.
If you, the job-seeker (seller), don’t reveal enough about yourself online, before the application stage, they won’t call you, they’ll simply move on in pursuit of other potential candidates (online).
When I started in recruitment in the mid-nineties, when the internet was born but long before it was useful; we called everyone, because how else would we find out more information about them? We knew most people weren’t right, but they might have known someone who was.
oranges. So, don’t beat yourself up about it. You should however keep an eye on who’s viewing your LinkedIn profile.
It’s all changed now, because of the internet.
When people call me for a free consultation, I usually need to reassure them that the problem is not so much their capabilities or experience, but the way they play the job seeking game. Most such calls are from job-seekers (sellers) who have been failing to generate enough positive attention from the recruiters and hiring managers (buyers). They suspect traditional job seeking tools – online job boards, advertised vacancies and recruiters – are failing them. And they are usually right! Seeing as you can’t remove the associated emotions of job seeking from the job seeking ‘game’ itself, you have to reframe your emotions, to make them work for you. A negative emotion can paralyse you or spur you on. It depends on how you handle your emotions.
Whether you like it or not, to be a competitive job-seeker, you must play the game online. Yes, the recruiters/buyers still need to talk to people but only the ones who remain potential candidates after they’ve found answers to their initial pre-qualifying questions. It’s not enough for them to know you are a Project Manager, they will need to know, for how long, Prince2 or PMP, with what industry background, having led what sized teams, et-cetera. Recruiters these days would rather pre-qualify you from a well-written LinkedIn profile than by having to chase and read your CV. Why? Because it’s quicker! Don’t worry, they’ll get around to your CV eventually, but only if they recognise you as a potential candidate, not just a random job-seeker. First things first, right? The competitive job-seeker must be prepared to divulge more about themselves publicly, than ever before; and the number of calls you receive today as compared with yester-year…apples and
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Stop doubting your ability and experience; the problem is communication.
Your inability to communicate effectively as a job-seeker doesn’t render your knowledge and experience useless. Or put another way, your inability to flirt well doesn’t make you any less the loving partner when you do eventually find love. No, the challenge lies in the communication or ‘selling’ of yourself. So get flirting!
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About the author Richard Pimm is a vastly experienced recruiter and job-seeker career coach specialising in jobseeking technique. He is also a former President of Tunbridge Wells Speakers, part of the global organisation Toastmasters. He has been helping job-seekers since the mid-nineties. He founded PimmCo through which he continues to help jobseekers obtain competitive advantage. Here’s a link to his own introduction video on the PimmCo website: www.pimmco.co.uk Richard Pimm Founder of PimmCo www.pimmco.co.uk richardpimm@live.com 07771370811
Job seeking has nothing to do with how good you are at what you do; it has everything to do with convincing people you are good.
Take back control. In my last article – Job Seeking and Happiness – Fighting Back! – I wrote about changes you need to make to be happier and the need to be a better job-seeker to bring about this change. And in this article, I’m encouraging you
to go easy on yourself, especially the neurotics among you. To that end, might I suggest you rely less on the traditional job seeking tools mentioned above and instead, take back control by learning to find, articulate and promote your personal brand. And then, crucially, tap into the unadvertised or ‘hidden’ job market. There is massive opportunity in the unadvertised or ‘hidden’ job market, but you must learn how to tap into it. This is a fairly specialist thing requiring far too much information
than this short article affords us, but just knowing there’s more out there than traditional tools, should intrigue and encourage you. Managing your emotions better as a job-seeker will allow you to be more motivated, more effective, and generate better results. In my next article, we’ll look at personality types and how a better understanding or yourself, will help you get out of your own way when interviewing.
JOB MARKET
TYPES OF INTERVIEWS Even though it is the most popular type, not every interview will be a face-to-face interview. In fact, there are several different types of interviews that employers can use within the recruitment process. Depending on the type of job and the employer, you could be asked to attend an interview that you have never done before. So, here is a list of different types of interviews and the key tips for how to prepare for them effectively.
TELEPHONE INTERVIEW You absolutely must shop around before choosing a bank account because every bank has different benefits, so you should know what they all have to offer. Assess how they’ll help you when you’re in sticky financial situations, but be cautious of high interest rates. A telephone interview will usually be a short 10-30 minutes (but sometimes longer) call that will consist of the employer getting to know you a little bit and asking you a few questions. It is also an opportunity to ask any initial questions about the role. A telephone interview is often the first time the employer makes contact with you and some employers use it as an initial screening strategy, without commitment more resources for a face-to-face interview. Most employers also tend to use the telephone interview as a fact-checking exercise, especially to verify any prerequisites for the role, to avoid wasting time with someone ineligible. In some cases it may be necessitated by geography – a recruiter may want to do a first interview for an employee hundreds of miles away, with the hope of a second face-to-face interview if the candidate is looking promising If the latter is the case, you will need to pick a time and date for which you know you will be able to talk on the phone.
KEY TIP #1
KEY TIP #3
Make sure you are in a place with good signal. If your location has signal issues, it might be best to use a home phone rather than a mobile phone as the signal will be better and you will have less chance of the call dropping. It is unprofessional to arrange a telephone interview and then have the call keep on abruptly dropping when in the middle of the interview.
Sometimes employers won’t arrange a telephone interview and will just call you without prior notice. If this happens, let them know whether it is okay for you to talk at that very moment. If you cannot talk, then politely let them know and arrange a time and date for when you can proceed with the interview. If you can talk, remain calm and try not to show that you are nervous as they will be able to hear it through your voice.
KEY TIP #2 Try and pick a time and day for which you know you will be able to conveniently talk on the phone.
KEY TIP #4
KEY TIP #5
KEY TIP #6
Have your notes, CV, Job description/ specification in front of you either printed or on your computer/ tablet.
Speak clearly and confidently, not too slow, not too fast – and show your energy and enthusiasm in the way you talk. If you can’t hear due to bad signal, politely request them to repeat, putting a disclaimer that the line is not brilliant.
Don’t be tempted to multi-task or check your emails whilst on a telephone interview. Not only do distractions cause some background noise, you could lose focus and unconsciously sound disinterested. The interviewer can easily spot this, if they are experienced. Remain focused, you never get a second chance to make a great first impression.
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VIDEO CALL INTERVIEW Some employers like to interview over videocall so they can see you but without have to spend time and resources on interviewing you in person. This is usually done on Skype, Google Hangouts, FaceTime, Webex or Go-to-meeting. Like the telephone interview, you will have to arrange a time and a date for when is best for you. Make sure you have access to a quiet space, computer/tablet/phone and WI-FI.
KEY TIP #2 Avoid background distractions such as someone or a pet coming into the room. Put your phone on silent and ensure no pop ups or sounds come from your computer. Test your technology prior to the video interview, to make sure is has the capabilities to handle the video interview. A camera/webcam, microphone, the right software, and a stable highspeed broadband connection are the key ones. When installing the software, put a decent username – preferably your name spelt properly (say, Sam Edwards not the likes of magic_sammyboy99 or anything unprofessional)
KEY TIP #1 You should still dress smartly even if you are in your own home in front of the computer. Your top half of your body should be donned with smart clothing as that is the part of you they will see through the webcam. However, it might be a good idea to put on smart trousers or skirt in case you have to get up and move around. Make sure the background (and desk) is also tidy and looks nice and there is sufficient lighting.
KEY TIP #3 Make sure the room you are in when doing the videocall has good WI-FI as you don’t want the call to lag or drop. If you know your house doesn’t have good WI-FI, go to a friend’s house or take the router and place it near your computer. Ensure the room’s good acoustics – no echoes or noises from within or outside.
KEY TIP #4
KEY TIP #5
Again, avoid multitasking during the video interview; the interviewer can easily spot your movements and your eyes darting around or hear the keyboard or mouse noises. Also avoid reading from your notes. There is no hiding this time as you are live on screen! And remember, the employer is still expecting the same level of diligence and professionalism, as if it were a face-to-face interview.
Smile; and use your body language wisely – they can see all of your facial expressions, gestures and even your posture. The interviewer can spot the confidence and enthusiasm beaming through the screen. They can also spot the boredom, slouching, yawning and lack of energy. Aim to establish eye-contact as if it were a face-to-face interview.
FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW This is, by far the most common interview and will consist of you having to visit the place of work and be interviewed by either a manager or a panel. They will ask you a series of questions that will determine whether they think you should be hired for the job. If there is a panel, you will have to answer questions from a series of senior employees within the company.
KEY TIP #1
KEY TIP #2
KEY TIP #3
Research the company before the interview. Some employers like to ask what you know about the company and will judge you based on your knowledge of it. Showing you know what the company does, who it caters to and what services it provides shows that you have done your research and you are eager to join.
Research different interview questions and practice your answers with a friend or family member. You don’t know what it is they are going to ask you so you need to be thorough when researching. Come up with answers for the most popular questions so that if you do get asked, you will know what to say.
Arrive on time.
KEY TIP #4 Don’t forget your firm hand-shake, eye-contact and gestures.
KEY TIP #5 Remember the STAR interview technique when answering competency-based questions.
JOB MARKET
GROUP INTERVIEWS A group interview is when an employer invites you and other candidates to one interview and assesses you all at once. Usually, group interviews will take place before the one-to-one interview so you will have to try your absolute best to secure one. It can consist of having a group discussion so make sure you pipe up and let your voice be heard.
KEY TIP #1 Some group interviews will have team building exercises involved. These could be doing things such as building a tower out of straws and marshmallows or solving puzzles. Either way, you will be doing it as a team so make sure you show the employer that you work well in a team. Listen to the group but also give your opinion on how to do the exercise as well. Don’t take over and try to do it all by yourself as that won’t look good. You have to work as a team.
KEY TIP #2 Avoid speaking over people when they are trying to speak. It may not give the best impression and it is very insensitive. Although you are trying to stand out from the rest of the group, you don’t want to come across as someone that is not a good team player. Give others a chance to speak and when they have finished, you can include your opinion as well.
KEY TIP #4
KEY TIP #5
Avoid getting lost in the group, especially if one participant is trying to dominant. Be confident and assertive in articulating your views but without creating tension.
Be inclusive, to showcase your true leadership skills. Support the quiet and introverts and encourage them to contribute.
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KEY TIP #3 Clearly show that you can manage with stress, team challenges, criticism and a highly competitive environment.
JOHARI
NOT KNOWN TO OTHERS
KNOWN TO OTHERS
WINdOW
Learn to improve self-awareness & mutual understanding with colleagues. Throughout your career, self-awareness is key in becoming an effective team member. The Johari Window (created by psychologists Luft and Ingham) is a simple and common model used by many students and professionals to better understand themselves and how they are perceived by others around them. Not only does it empower individuals, but helps in team development, group dynamics and inter-team relationships. The model has 4 quadrants/areas/regions. We will look at each in turn. KNOWN TO SELF
NOT KNOWN TO SELF
OPEN SELF
BLIND SELF
Information about you that both you and others know.
Information about you that you don’t know but others do.
HIDDEN SELF
UNKNOWN SELF
Information about you that you know but others don’t know.
Information about you that neither you nor others know.
Open Self
This quadrant contains information about an individual which is known to themselves and others around them. It includes information about behaviour, attitude, emotions, knowledge, skills, views, etc. This area is to be continuously developed because that’s where an individual and the team are most effective. As expected, long standing teams tend to know more about team members than would a new team. Regular feedback sessions as well as team building exercises help in expanding team awareness and productivity.
Blind Self
This quadrant contains information about an individual which is known by the team but is unknown by the individual. Team culture should cultivate an environment that offers constructive critism and self-evaluation facilities to help the individual become more self-aware.
Hidden Self
This quadrant contains information about an individual which is known by the team but is unknown by the individual. Team culture should cultivate an environment that offers constructive critism
and self-evaluation facilities to help the individual become more self-aware.
Unknown Self
This quadrant involves information about a person which is unknown to them and to their team members. These issues can involve attitudes, capabilities, behaviours and feelings etc. In some cases, some people who lack self-confidence tend to have larger unknown areas. In practice the quadrants proportions tend to differ between different team members depending on their length of service and culture with the team. An established team member will have a larger ‘open area’ because of the regular feedback and interaction with other team members. They will be familiar with them hence they may find it easier to disclose confidential information which helps others to understand them. A new team member hardly knows anyone within the team hence they have a larger ‘unknown area’. However, this will reduce in size with time depending on how the environment encourages openness to disclose and how that information is treated with respect.
THRIVING AT UNI
CAREERS & EMPLOYABILITY TIMELINE Employers are very keen on students who start investing in employability skills, competences and relevant experience right from their first year. Here are timelines you can use to ensure you keep your career development targets and milestones on track. The timelines are based on someone doing a three year study programme. If your programme duration is 2 years, combine the 2nd and 3rd timelines. If its more than 3 years you may want to repeat the second year timeline.
FIRST YEAR MAY/JUNE
SEPTEMBER •
Join Student Union societies, clubs & sport teams
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Familiarise yourself with your careers team
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Familiarise yourself with careers websites and job boards.
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Draft a CV & cover letter and get them checked with a careers advisor
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Apply for leadership positions in
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Get help from your Careers Advisor
Attend jobs and careers fairs
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NOVEMBER
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Apply for part-time/volunteering work
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Create a LinkedIn profile
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Follow potential employers and job boards on social media
to make yourself Summer ‘Work
MARCH
Take skills and personality tests
Pursue positions of responsibility e.g. become an ambassador
clubs, sports, societies or the SU
ready’.
Apply for part-time or volunteering roles
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Submit your PDP for a careers expert review
APRIL
OCTOBER •
Start a summer job, internship or summer camp
Attend employer visits / presentations
Attend networking events
Attend relevant training events
FEBRUARY •
Update your PDP with all your activities, achievements & skills
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Update your CV & LinkedIn profile
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Keep applying for placements or summer roles and attend any interviews
DECEMBER JANUARY
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Take a personality test
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Do a self-evaluation and consult a careers advisor for an expert opinion
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Start thinking about your career choices
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Apply for employer insight days
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Apply for Summer internships/ placements, work shadowing or summer camps
• WWW.CAREERSUK.ORG
SECOND YEAR SEPTEMBER •
Create an Annual Plan of Action
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Update your CV with any summer experience and skills gained
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Finalise your careers options and choices
OCTOBER •
Discuss your career choices with a careers advisor
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Attend jobs and careers fairs
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Take a more detailed skills audit
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Identify experience opportunities to fill in any skills gaps
MAY/JUNE •
Get ready to start your placement, internship or Summer camp
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Submit your PDP for a careers expert review
APRIL •
Get help from Careers Advisor to make yourself Summer ‘work ready’
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Find a mentor
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Connect with more employers and alumni
MARCH •
Do online tests & attend interviews
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Attend networking events and careers drop-in sessions
NOVEMBER •
•
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Enhance your personal and professional skills - get ready to sell yourself to employers Start networking with employers and alumni face-to-face and online (especially LinkedIn)
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Explore professional development learning options
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Attend workshops and presentations
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Keep applying for internships, placements and work experience
Fill in skills gaps
DECEMBER •
Perfect your interview skills and practise online aptitude tests
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Book a mock interview with a careers advisor for a simulated experience
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FEBRUARY
Start thinking about your choice of employers to approach for placements
JANUARY •
Keep a log of who is recruiting and what their deadlines are
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Apply for internships, placements and work experience
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Do a mid-year review of your PDP and plan of action.
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Consult your careers advisor for advice and support
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THRIVING AT UNI
THIRD YEAR SEPTEMBER •
Create an Annual Plan of Action
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Update your CV with any summer experience and skills gained
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Finalise your employer options and choices
OCTOBER •
Apply for graduate schemes
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Attend jobs and careers fairs
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Take a final skills audit and share with a careers advisor
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Identify opportunities to fill in skills gaps
MAY/JUNE •
Start or get ready to start a graduate role or embark on post-graduate study
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Submit your final PDP for Careers expert review.
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Graduate!
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Consider signing up for a professional qualification or conversion course if changing career direction
NOVEMBER •
Start developing relevant commercial awareness (through reading newspapers, magazines, journals and blogs)
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Attend workshops, employer presentations and Careers drop-in sessions
APRIL •
Get help from a careers advisor to make yourself ‘work ready’
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Keep applying for direct-entry graduate roles
DECEMBER •
Perfect your interview skills and online aptitude / psychometric tests
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Book a mock interview with a Careers Advisor for a simulated experience
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MARCH
Research more about the roles you applied for.
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Attend spring graduate fairs and employer events
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Start applying for postgraduate study and funding
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Apply for direct-entry graduate roles (including small and medium enterprises)
JANUARY •
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Do a mid-year review of your PDP and Plan of Action. Consult your careers advisor for advice and support.
FEBRUARY
Think about further study, such as postgraduate programmes or other professional qualifications
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Attend employer workshops and presentations
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Attend interviews. If there is no progress, rethink your strategy and get feedback from a careers advisor
• WWW.CAREERSUK.ORG
SPECIAL FEATURES THRIVING AT UNI
Neurodiversity
Showcasing your talents and maximizing your chances of success.
What is Neurodiversity? About 1 in 8 people are thought to be Neurodiverse (ND). This term was coined by Judy Singer, an Australian sociologist in the 1990s, recognising the fact that our brains (neuro) naturally vary from person to person and are diverse. The term has been gaining traction more recently as some terms like ‘learning difficulties’ and ‘hidden impairments’ may be seen to have a greater focus on what people can’t do instead of showcasing talent and ability. A number of international companies such as Goldman Sachs, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Microsoft, EY, JPMorgan Chase and GCHQ are seeing the business benefits of hiring Neurodiverse talent.
Many successful and famous people are today standing up and telling their stories of success from all areas of society including Richard Branson, Greta Thunberg, Mark Ruffalo, Carol Greider, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Packham, Michael Phelps, Daniel Radcliffe, Keira Knightley, will.i.am, Temple Grandin, Simone Biles, and Anne Hegarty.
Conditions under the Neurodiversity umbrella include: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Condition – including Asperger’s syndrome Developmental Language Disorders Dyscalculia Dyslexia Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (also known as Dyspraxia) Tic disorders (including Tourette’s syndrome)
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These conditions all often overlap with one another. In reality, each person has a unique pattern of both strengths and challenges. For example, there is no ‘typical’ person with Dyslexia. Two people with the same ‘label’ will have different patterns of strengths and challenges, but the label is usually the one that has been diagnosed.
Tips to help showcase your ND talents:
Being Neurodiverse
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If you are leaving university and you are Neurodiverse, the potential employer may assume that you will tell them that you are Neurodiverse either when applying or at the interview. But you may not be confident disclosing that you have one or more conditions. There may be different reasons for this. This may be because you have had negative past experiences. In a recent report from the Westminster Achievability Commission ‘Neurodiverse Voices opening doors to employment”, 52% of Neurodiverse people had experienced discrimination during the interview or selection processes; 58% of people had regretted disclosing their condition; 73% of people had not disclosed their condition at all during interview. You may not have had help or recognition of your challenges whilst at school or university. This may be especially true if you are a woman, where research is only now emerging in the understanding of what ADHD or Autism looks like for women. In the past, assessment processes may have viewed Neurodiversity through a more ‘male lens’ in terms of its presentation.
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Understand your ND profile so you can discuss your strengths and clearly articulate your challenges.
Prepare your CV with examples of what you have achieved and focus on your strengths and use this information when writing application forms. If you are shortlisted for an interview, ask for information about the interview setting and processes before the interview so you can be fully prepared. Especially ask if a task may be part of the process and if necessary, discuss appropriate adjustments beforehand.
If you are worried about remembering information, take notes and a copy of your application with you to the interview. It should not be about testing your memory!
Become knowledgeable about your support needs. If going into employment, contact Access to Work for advice and a workplace assessment, see www.neurodiversityemployment.org.uk for more advice and information or speak to Student Services at your college or University. Ask if there is a Neurodiversity champion in your work setting or you could offer to undertake some training and become one. In college, university or the workplace discuss your preferred means of communication with your lecturer or line manager so you are sure of workplace priorities.
THRIVING AT UNI
About the author Professor Amanda Kirby (LinkedIn) is the CEO of Do-IT Solutions. She is an internationally recognised expert in the field of Neurodiversity with more than 25 years research and clinical experience has personal experiences of being Neurodiverse. Do-IT Solutions are a tech-for-good company with screening tools that individuals and employers can use to maximise talents of Neurodiverse people. This includes the ND-App, designed to provide a personal picture of your strengths and challenges and provide practical strategies dependent on your profile.
www.doitprofiler.com
They were the first company in Wales to gain Disability Confident Leader status and advocate Neurodiverse workplace champions.
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Neurodiversity includes conditions such as Dyslexia, ADHD, ASD, DLD, and Dyspraxia and affects 1 in 8 people. You may find it hard to maximize your potential because of struggles at home or in university.
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The Neurodiversity Strengths and Challenges Screener
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Investing In Your Career
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Investing in your career should become a permanent fixture on your ‘To-Do’ list. Why? Because 75% of who you are – where you live, your status, your dressing, your present and your future – are all somehow influenced by your career and your earnings. We believe having a continuous personal career review/ audit and evaluation is critical in ensuring you are maximising your personal ROI (return on investment) for the time you are putting into your career, given that more than 50% of the time you are awake is spent working.
Have a clear mission and vision Create your own personal mission statement, briefly defining your values, beliefs, motives and purpose – both in life and at work. Based on your mission, create a vision about what you want to achieve from your job.
Create a career game plan and SMART objectives Use your mission and vision to create a simple game plan and objectives you can use to achieve this. Use the popular management mnemonic; SMART to ensure the objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. Make small, realistic, and measurable steps which you should constantly review. If you’re looking for a job: • I want to create/update my CV and LinkedIn profile in the next 48 hours • I want to register my details with job boards and recruitment agencies in the next 3 days • I want to search for jobs on job boards, employer websites and recruitment consultants’ websites by end of week If you’re aiming to getting promoted: • I want to start connecting and hanging around with key people such as XYZ from this month • I want to mention my intentions to get promoted to my manager, and I want to clarify the key criteria to progress within the organisation • I want to propose having meetings with a key manager to discuss my accomplishments and progress to make my achievements visible • I want to enrol on this course XYZ next month and I will be updating my manager on my
progress on a regular basis • I have identified a need which could help the business, I want to speak to my manager if it’s possible to action this in the next 3 months
Build a network Build your ideal trusted network to advise, support and guide you in the career enhancement process. Some useful networking tips include: • Befriending and linking up with key decisionmakers and people in high places • Identify a few people who could act as your mentors and professional allies • Connect online with people you think could be relevant to your career progression • Join relevant professional associations or LinkedIn groups
Identify career-enhancing initiatives Through embracing a bit of curiosity and an appetite for learning, investigate what people at the roles you want have that you don’t have. Possible gaps could include: • Specific qualifications or training courses • Experience of a specific nature • Skills such as soft skills or technical expertise
Maintain a positive attitude Whether you’re looking for a job or you’re faced with dissatisfaction, always maintain a positive mental attitude. Positivity helps you see beyond your current situation and visualise a broader spectrum of possibilities available to you and the great potential within you. • Positivity energises you, enabling you to widen your perspective and think of how you’re more than capable of getting the extra skills and competences to take you to the next level • Positivity helps you to think long-term and avoid a myopic mind set • Positivity enables you to overcome fear and to embrace change (new job, new challenges, new environments)
NEXT STEPS
PART 2 OF ‘INVESTING IN YOUR CAREER’ On the flip-side, negativity yields fear and a whinging personality, which could be costly to yourself, your team and the entire organisation – it could even cost you your job. Avoid complaining, blaming others and believing that someone owes you a favour or apology. Tips to maintain positivity include: • Invest in positivity - feed your mind with positive inputs and surround yourself to create a truly positive atmosphere • Think positively, speak positively, act positively – tame your tongue, mind and body to view everything and everyone in a positive way • Create a positive lifestyle; whatever works for you – laughing, humour, taking breaks, eating healthy, gym, getaways • Celebrate little successes and daily, weekly or monthly high points • Take responsibility, train yourself to anticipate challenges and to create positive solutions
Carry out a SWOT analysis Another tool is the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities Threats) Analysis. This enables you to self-reflect and identify your: • Strengths – your key selling points and your strongest attributes, those that you excel in and are within your control • Weaknesses – your weakest attributes that negatively impact your career and are substantially within your control • Opportunities – these are positive external environmental influences that are not within your control but could potentially benefit you • Threats - these are negative external environmental influences that are not within your control but could potentially affect you if you do not take action to protect yourself After carrying out a personal SWOT Analysis, you then use it to seek for possible actions you can use to enhance your strengths, overcome your weaknesses, maximise on your opportunities and mitigate your threats.
Be willing to invest in your career • Invest your time and money through getting relevant qualifications, education or training • Invest your time in teaching yourself soft skills. Use relevant books and YouTube videos • Invest time in building a solid online brand on the likes of LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter • Invest your time volunteering in charities, clubs or as a non-executive director • If relevant, consider learning a new language
Calculate your Return on Investment When deciding where to invest your time and money, consider the following technique of determining your ROI. This will enable you to determine: how much time or money do I need to spend? What am I expecting to get from this career investment? How long will it take before I realise the gain? The return on investing in your career is way higher than average property value increases, savings or stock markets investments. For instance, if someone on a £40,000 salary invests in their career development and it leads to a promotion with a £50,000 salary; that’s a 20% per year return, for the rest of your career! Annual house price increase averages around 5%. Personal development increases your personal net-worth, boosts your self esteem, selfactualisation and courage.
Avoid being average or mediocre Personal career development gives you that allimportant safety net, reducing your risk as you face each day in this complex and unpredictable world. With the level of competition on the job market, you can’t afford to be average, or worse still mediocre. In a market where only the fittest survive, ensure your hard and soft skills are exceptional and in everything you do, be it your current job, looking for a new job, writing your CV, attending an interview or working on a career enhancing project.
Stand out and shine, Be confident and fearless, Maintain a champion mentality.
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SPECIAL FEATURES ENTERTAINMENT
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PHOTO OF THE MONTH JESS GRIFFITHS Bradford Photo taken at the Peak District National Park @grifficdesigns
SPECIAL FEATURES ENTERTAINMENT
PUZZLES & BRAINTEASERS RIDDLES 1. What do you call a skeleton that makes you laugh? 2. What did the ghost teacher say to her class? 3. What room do ghosts avoid? 4. Why did the witch refuse to wear a flat hat? 5. What happens when a ghost gets lost in the fog? 6. Why are graveyards noisy? 7. What is a mummy’s favourite type of music? 8. Why didn’t Dracula have any friends? 9. What does a ghost panda like to eat? 10. Why didn’t the zombie go trick or treating?
ZOOM IN FOR ANSWERS Riddles:
Letter Scramble:
1. A funny bone
6. Because of all the coffin
11. Spooky
15. Treat
2. “Watch the board and I’ll go through it again”
7. Rap music
12. Ghost
16. Undead
8. Because he was a pain in the neck
13. Scary
17. Mummy
14. Scream
18. Coffin
3. The living room 4. Because there wasn’t any point to it 5. He is mist
9. Bam-boo 10. Because he felt rotten
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LETTER SCRAMBLE 11. O K Y P S O
15. A R T T E
12. T H S O G
16. N U D E A D
13. S C Y R A
17. M M M Y U
14. R M A E S C
18. O F F I N C
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