Graduate Job Hunting Guide 2014/15 by City St George's, University of London

Academic excellence for business and the professions

Graduate job hunting guide

www.city.ac.uk/careers

A message from CityCareers Congratulations. At last, you’ve reached the end of your studies and you are ready for the next chapter in your life. If your plan is to find a job in the UK, this guide is for you (although it also contains some advice about working outside the UK). If you feel daunted by this prospect, especially if you have already been job hunting without success, don’t worry – we are here to help you. The support of CityCareers is available to you for up to three years after you complete your course. Finding work can be a job in itself, as can trying to decide what to do next. Throughout this guide we highlight the practical support we offer you with your job hunting and decision making. We include advice, information and tips to help you kick start your job search. The content draws on our past experience of working in recruitment and our knowledge of the current graduate job market in the UK. David Gilchrist and Laura Hooke Career Consultants, City University London

“ This guide contains everything a student needs to know about the graduate job hunting journey. It’s written in a well-structured way by people who really understand the graduate job market. Key websites are clearly marked and it’s easy to read. A guide you can go back to time and time again.” Rend Abid, BSc Psychology 2014 Graduate, City University London 2

“ A good education is only part of what you need for a successful career. Practical intelligence, flexibility, resilience, values, people skills and career focus are what employers are searching for. Read this guide and get a solid start to your job search.” Stephen Isherwood, Chief Executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR)

The job hunting journey Think before you take action Knowing what you have to offer Online tools that can help you

Clarify what you are looking for What is a graduate scheme? The longer queue What is a graduate job? The shorter queue

Identify solutions to problems Is a 2:2 or a third the end of the line? International graduates and job hunting in the UK Graduate job hunting outside the UK

Start looking and spread your net wide Where are the jobs? The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;normal sourcesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; The rise of internships The temp route Working effectively with recruitment agencies Volunteering Jobs in less obvious places

Making applications Top five tips for application success Less obvious ways to job hunt Assessments used in recruitment processes

Life after university and overcoming setbacks University life verses job hunting life Some online and app tools for self-management Handling rejection

Maximise support networks What can CityCareers offer?

Think before you take action If your objective is to find a job in the UK, whether you are just starting out or have already tried and not yet been successful, don’t rush and send out hundreds of applications. Step back and give yourself some thinking time. If you need help, the support of CityCareers is tailored to your personal situation or the strategy you have chosen to adopt. Knowing what you have to offer An unavoidable part of job hunting is convincing an employer you have something to offer them, especially attributes other applicants may not have. This can be the hardest initial part of job hunting. Often we don’t know how to start thinking about this crucial element. Here are a few suggestions: • You have studied to degree level so think about the knowledge you have gained and the skills you are likely to have developed during your course. For example: – Time management and working to deadlines – How to research and to present information clearly through written and verbal channels – Working in collaboration with others – Technical skills that are relevant to particular jobs

• Write down your skills and include others that you may have developed during earlier studies, at work or in other areas of your life? Note the ones that you particularly enjoy using • W hat are your strengths? If you are not sure, try the quick and easy strengths assessment at www.facebook.com/EYUKcareers#!/ EYUKcareers/app_219886381467405 • Consider whether a course or even selfstudy would help improve the skills and knowledge you need to offer for your chosen career. Do you need to refresh your numeracy, a language or your familiarity with particular software, for example? You can find short courses at www.hotcourses.com if you need to improve or learn a new skill. Why not find your notes from past studies and relevant study books if you need to refresh your knowledge. You can also explore self-study options on the internet, including MOOCs (www.coursera.org).

Online tools that can help you

Longer time to complete

There are many online tools that can help you with the self-discovery process of identifying your key skills, skills gaps and potential career options. The amount of time each takes and the quality of the output varies. Here are some of the more useful tools:

• National Careers Service ‘Skills health check’ for key skills and career options https://nationalcareersservice.direct. gov.uk/tools/skillshealthcheck/Pages/ default.aspx#

Shorter time to complete • Windmills ‘I’ve got more skills than I think’ for key skills and career options www.windmillsonline.co.uk/interactive/ section_1/subsection_2/page1.html • Prospects ‘Careers planner’ for career options http://prospects.ac.uk/ myprospects_planner_login.htm • University of Manchester ‘Careers kickstart’ for career options www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/includes/ php/careerkickstart/hosted.php.

• C ASCAiD ‘Adult Directions’ for key skills and career options. www.cascaid.co.uk/adultdirections (A log in can be provided by CityCareers, email careers@city.ac.uk to request this.) • TARGETJobs ‘Career report’ for key skills and career options http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report. These tools aren’t necessarily the answer but they can help clarify what you have to offer, the things that are important to you and potential career options. To make full use of the outputs from these tools we recommend booking an appointment with a careers advisor to talk through the results.

Don’t rush and send out hundreds of applications. Step back and give yourself some thinking time. 5

Clarify what you are looking for Potential career options: Having identified what you’ve got to offer, your research can start to focus on the type of career options that match your degree, skill set and wants. The most effective way to do this can be to schedule a careers appointment with a careers consultant at CityCareers. In preparation for this there are some useful steps that you can take: 1. Look at the results of The Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey at www.city.ac.uk/careers/ for-students-and-recent-graduates/ destinations-of-city-graduates. This gives you information, broken down by specific degree or Masters, about the job destinations six months after graduation of City graduates. 2. Explore these two websites: ‘What do graduates do’ www.hecsu.ac.uk/current_projects_ what_do_graduates_do.htm and ‘What do London graduates do’ http://wlgd.thecareersgroup.co.uk 3. Look at the ‘Options with your subject’ website for course profiles and individual job profiles at www.prospects.ac.uk/ options_with_your_subject.htm.

Clarify your values and what is important to you: How does this influence the kind of job or employer that you would be happy with, if at all? Does it matter to you whether the job you choose is well regarded by others, such as your friends, peers or family? Do you have principles that would stop you working for an organisation e.g. a weapons manufacturer? Employers are increasingly identifying values that are core to their business or provision of services. Applicants are expected to be aware of them, understand them and ensure that they can demonstrate how they ‘fit’ with their own values, skills and experience. Examples of employers’ core values can be found at www.ey.com/UK/en/About-us/Our-values and www.streetwiseopera.org/core-values.

Goal setting: Be clear about your long term goals so you can plan how to achieve them. If you are uncertain or lost, discussing your situation with one of our career consultants may help you find your direction and determine what you need to do. Short, clear articles on topics such as goal setting, self-motivation and restoring your self-confidence are available at www.mindtools.com.

Time pressures:

Is a Masters or PhD a good option?

Be prepared for a longer timeframe for achieving your goals than you might hope for. Finding your ideal graduate job in two months may well be unrealistic. These things can take time and very often may be outside your control. For example, the length of time it takes for an employer to respond to your application or how long it can take to get your job offer signed off by a senior manager in the company. So, devote your time and energy to activities that are in your control. Accept that you will have to be positive, persistent and determined and commit to action that is likely to require compromise as well as effort.

Going on to do a Masters or PhD must enhance your job prospects, right? Not necessarily. For certain professions a post-graduate qualification is compulsory (e.g. medicine, law, psychology or teaching). For others it’s desirable (e.g. for the pharmaceutical industry, a career in forensics or in human resources). A Masters degree can be great ways to start the pursuit of a career unrelated to your first degree. You’ll gain the knowledge you need and it will indicate to future employers that you’re serious about your new career direction.

Negotiable versus non-negotiable: Very often when embarking on a graduate job hunt the focus can be too narrow or too wide. In the first case you may miss opportunities that, with some thought, might be open to you. In the second case you may be overwhelmed by choice and struggle to put together tailored applications. Brainstorm what you’re prepared to negotiate on when it comes to the job you want. Consider: the location of the job, the pay, the sector, the type of job (full time work, temping, internships, volunteering), whether it’s 100 per cent office based or not. You may be surprised about how clear you actually are about what you want. It’s not just about job titles. Revisit this list regularly to see what’s changing in your outlook and why.

However many industries would prefer that you spend the time doing real life work in the field rather than acquiring more academic knowledge. The best way to find out is to research the ‘Entry requirements’ information about individual job profiles at www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs. htm or, even better, ask the companies or organisations you’d like to apply to what they think. If they don’t value the extra qualification now they’re unlikely to change their mind by the time you finish your course. One final point: if you want to do a Masters or PhD for the pure love of the subject then go ahead but be wary of thinking that it’s a guarantee of a graduate job at the end of it.

Discussing your situation with one of our career consultants may help you find your direction. 7

What is a graduate scheme? The longer queue Jobs for graduates that are offered by large organisations, such as those in The Times Top 100 graduate employers, are highly sought after so entry is competitive. You may have tried these already but for a quick reminder of what you are up against the usual requirements include: • Top academic qualifications e.g. 2:1 or above (though there are some exceptions) and high grades at A level (or equivalent) • An abundance of skills, including effective team working, analytical ability and problem solving • Work experience, ideally from an internship or placement and increasingly prior experience of having worked already for the employer or a similar employer

So, • Check the vacancies sent to City by employers at www.city.ac.uk/careers • Look at national websites with vacancies for graduates e.g. www.prospects.ac.uk, www.targetjobs.co.uk, www.milkround.com, www.grb.uk.com and www.graduate-jobs.com • For a summary of imminent deadlines, www.targetjobs.co.uk is usually good

• Strong extra-curricular activities and achievements.

• Identify employers you would like to work for, check the graduate recruitment section of their websites and make a direct approach. They might offer other opportunities too.

There are different stages of the selection process as well, which can take time. These can include tough online tests in numeracy and verbal reasoning, situational judgement and personality questionnaires.

• Business Source Complete is an online database of company profiles that might help you narrow down your search of employers you would like to apply to. It is accessible through the City Library website.

If you have just graduated and haven’t secured a graduate scheme place and still want to, you could consider:

To help you with tricky tests, interviews and assessment centres, CityCareers offer:

• Searching for last-minute opportunities from employers who didn’t fill all of their places or need to find more trainees than anticipated. Some roles and positions in particular areas of the country are harder to fill. How flexible are you? • Seeking out employers who recruit graduates all year round. There are some employers who will accept applications at any time, although they may not have an immediate vacancy and they will be looking for exceptional candidates. Does that sound like you?

• Trying again in the next round of recruitment – this is likely to mean entry in the next year. Make sure you research how to improve your chances for success. What more will you be able to offer and will it be what they want?

• Ability tests to try online. Send your request to careers@city.ac.uk with your name and student number. If you cannot remember it, call us on +44 (0)20 7040 8093 • Mock assessment centres. Check our events listings regularly at www.city.ac.uk/careers to see if we or any employers are running a practice session • Mock interviews. Book a 45 minute mock interview with a careers consultant and check our events listing to see if any employers are offering them too. www.city.ac.uk/careers.

What is a graduate job? The shorter queue If you haven’t found a graduate scheme position yet, you are not alone. Each year a small percentage (five to ten per cent) of graduating students find work on the schemes of well-known organisations in the UK. The majority find graduate-level work with other employers, often small to medium sized (SME) organisations. This is not surprising when you consider SMEs make up as much as 99 per cent of all companies in the UK and whilst they individually employ far less people, collectively that’s still a lot of jobs. They tend to have shorter queues for job opportunities as well, as most graduates tend to apply to large organisations. These opportunities can deliver more responsibility, faster progression and greater visibility with senior management than those with large companies. Search for ‘Silicon Roundabout’ for an example of this within the IT industry.

• Identify smaller organisations in your target sector, or those likely to offer jobs you want to do, by exploring the relevant trade or professional body. Their websites may list member companies and might also advertise job vacancies. For instance the Management Consultancies Association (www.mca.org.uk), Chartered Institute of Marketing (www.cim.co.uk) and the British Pharmaceutical Industry (www.abpi.org.uk) feature variations on a members list for their industry. • Check out www.graduate-jobs.com/sme for details of smaller organisations • Consider networking with smaller employers in your area at events held by local chambers of commerce, which can be found at www.britishchambers.org.uk. You may have to become a member Search the online directory of the Federation of Small Businesses for local contacts at www.fsbonline.co.uk.

Some sectors have very few large employers offering formal, structured training schemes. Finding work in some sectors might be achieved by networking, direct approaches to potential employers and through gaining experience via internships, temporary work or entry level roles. To begin your graduate job search outside of the big graduate schemes, you could:

Check the vacancies sent to us by employers www.city.ac.uk/careers. CityCareers can help you prepare for tricky tests, interviews and assessment centres.

Identify solutions to problems Is a 2:2 or a third the end of the line? The employer’s opinion Large employer versus SME: There can be a difference in opinion between large employers and SMEs when it comes to how much your degree classification matters to them. As we hinted in ‘What is a graduate scheme? – the longer queue’ large employers tend to say no to a 2:2 or a third whilst SMEs can care far more about the fact that you have a degree, or even more importantly, whether you can do the job they need you to do. So having a 2:2 or a third does not mean the end of your professional life. Reasons to still believe in a graduate scheme with a large organisation: • There are large organisations out there that are happy with a 2:2 • Exceptions are sometimes made for average degree performance or mitigating circumstances that have affected your study, such as serious illness or bereavement. If you have just missed out on a 2:1 and your experience, knowledge and skills are outstanding, you might be lucky. Contact each company in turn to ask them about this • Some employers are also flexible if you are a mature student with plenty of experience, particularly if your degree was taken years ago

• If you have a 2:2 or a third and think that taking a Masters will redress the balance, check with employers before committing your time and money. It may make no difference to them and you may also find that your degree result is not sufficient for entry to many postgraduate courses. If you do decide this is a worthwhile option try www.findamasters.com and www.prospects.ac.uk to find Masters courses. Turning your 2:2 or third into competitive advantage Complacency can work against your graduate competitors who have a first or a 2:1. They may not put much effort into their applications and you can learn from their mistakes. Many companies would rather interview someone with a 2:2 whose application contains impeccable spelling and grammar and who has clear and personally motivated reasons why both the company and industry are the perfect fit for them. To make sure you impress employers, book an appointment or a mock interview with a careers consultant to talk about your applications.

International graduates and job hunting in the UK Job hunting in the UK if you are an international graduate is not always easy. By international we mean citizens of countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA), see www.conformance.co.uk/ info/eea.php. Please check your individual circumstances with the UK Border Agency at www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/eucitizens. International graduates need to navigate the often confusing and changing work visa processes. For a full listing of current work visas for the UK and the latest information about how they are working, visit the UK Border Agency website. You do need to keep yourself personally informed as not every employer you come across will necessarily know the most current rules. Alongside working visas one thing that shouldn’t be forgotten is the fundamental need to ensure your written applications are of the highest possible standard of English. Employers don’t always make allowances if English isn’t your first language. One thing they may look favourably on is the fact that you’ve got experience and awareness of the culture, values and habits of the country or countries outside the UK you’ve lived in. For companies trying to market to, collaborate with or break into these countries your knowledge could be highly valued. Finding out who these companies are comes down to the quality of your research and don’t forget to think about companies with a base in the UK that were established outside the UK.

Graduate job hunting outside the UK Some of you may be considering graduate jobs outside the UK. Although it would be an enormous challenge for us to be experts in the job hunting processes of every country in the world, there are some very useful websites to get you started. These include the country guides at www.goinglobal. com, www.prospects.ac.uk/country_ profiles.htm and http://targetjobs.co.uk/ careers-advice/working-abroad. The websites of university careers services in the countries you are interested in could also be a great place to start. Remember, there will be differences in the ways to job hunt and how the job market place operates in different countries but there will also be similarities. The help we can give you about job hunting in the UK can be transferred to job hunting abroad.

To make sure you impress employers, book an appointment with a careers consultant to talk about your applications or have a mock interview. 11

Start looking and spread your net wide Where are the jobs?

The rise of internships

Before starting this section keep in mind that you may have to take a few jobs that are not ideal but could be stepping stones to the one you really want. For example, jobs that do not require a degree could give you relevant and valuable experience, access to useful training or access to the type of organisation that you want to work in. Some graduates have found that once they have demonstrated their capabilities in a job, opportunities have become available to them or they have been proactive in finding the next step forward with the same, or different, employer.

The graduate job outlook has changed in the last few years. One major change has been the rise of graduate internships. These are real jobs with real companies for fixed periods of time (from a few weeks up to six months). They allow employers to try out graduates over a period of time and allow graduates to start bridging the work experience gap. Internships have attracted controversy due to some unscrupulous employers trying to get graduates to work in significant jobs for free. The vast majority aren’t like this and unpaid doesn’t always mean absolutely nothing. Often travel and lunch expenses are covered and many are fully paid. Assess each opportunity on its own merits and make your own decision on how suitable it is for you.

The ‘normal sources’ Well-known job sites such as www.monster.co.uk, www.gradjobs.co.uk, and www.milkround.com are very useful sources and may well work for you. They do however often focus on the big corporates and attract the largest number of candidates. Another source that used to be normal but is now unjustly overlooked is the humble local or national newspaper. Because so few people think to look there, you will often find excellent jobs with a much shorter queue of applicants.

Here are some good sources for internship opportunities: • http://graduatetalentpool.direct.gov.uk • http://opportunities.stepenterprise. co.uk/ui/public/default.aspx • www.enternships.com • www.ratemyplacement.co.uk • www.inspiringinterns.com • www.placement-uk.com • www.work-experience.org.

The temp route Temps are a hidden workforce in the UK. In a similar way to internships, temping jobs are short term assignments, though they are always all paid. The types of work aren’t necessarily very interesting or challenging and you need to be flexible both with your availability and the locations you are prepared to work in. However they can provide you with opportunities to get your foot in the door of the organisations or sectors you’re interested in. You can take the opportunity to speak to more senior people in the organisation whilst you’re temping there and build your own professional network. If you do your job well, without complaint and create a positive impression it could lead to a full-time contract doing something far more interesting. Temping opportunities might be filled through recruitment agencies so you won’t necessarily see them advertised, so you’ll need to go straight to the recruitment agencies and employers themselves.

Working effectively with recruitment agencies Adding working with recruitment agencies to your job search strategy is a good decision for several reasons: • They can connect you with job opportunities. That’s what they do • They are often aware of job vacancies that aren’t necessarily advertised anywhere else. Typically these are with SMEs that may not have the budget to both advertise and recruit for the role. The agency does it for them • They often know what the current state of the job market is in particular sectors. It’s also part of their job to know this. There are some potential down sides. Not every agency is the same. You may feel that some keep putting you forward for the wrong jobs or don’t keep in contact with you at all. Each agency has its own look and feel and it’s important to spend time finding the right ones for you. The Recruitment and Employment Federation (www.rec.uk.com/home) or Agency Central (www.agencycentral.co.uk/) are good places to start. For more tips about working effectively with recruitment agencies read www.grb.uk.com/using-recruitment-agencies and www.rec.uk.com/jobseeker.

www.unitemps.co.uk specialises in short term paid assignments. 13

Volunteering

Jobs in less obvious places

Volunteering can divide opinion. Some graduates feel that “I didn’t get a degree just to volunteer”. But what if you looked at it as a means to an end rather than the end itself?

If graduates are looking for IT jobs they tend to look at tech companies. If they’re looking for marketing jobs they tend to look at marketing agencies. If they’re looking for HR jobs they tend to look at commercial organisations. Everyone else is doing this too, so think about it! Every organisation relies on IT systems, needs to market itself and has staff management issues, whether in the commercial world or in the public sector. So, for instance, look for IT roles in fast moving consumer goods companies, marketing roles in tech companies, or HR roles in universities. Think outside the box.

In such a crowded job market volunteering experiences on your cv can help you stand out, showing initiative and proactivity. There are also far more challenging volunteering opportunities out there than you might imagine; opportunities that have a direct business benefit to the organisations in question. You can volunteer alongside any full-time non-graduate work, at weekends or in the evenings. Like internships and temping, volunteering can occasionally lead to paid full-time positions with the company. What’s more, volunteering opportunities are available abroad and can offer a complete change of scenery, although this can sometimes require some money up-front. Great places to start looking are www.do-it.org.uk, City’s own volunteering initiative http://volunteering.city.ac.uk, www.raleighinternational.org and www.vso.org.uk.

In such a crowded job market volunteering experiences on your cv can help you stand out. 14

Making applications Top five tips for application success

Self-reflection – what’s motivating you?

Quality, not quantity:

Employers know you want a graduate job. They know you probably want to be paid an amount equal to your standing as a graduate and with challenges befitting a graduate but they suspect you often haven’t thought too much beyond that. Why do you want to pursue this career path? Why do you want to work for them, as opposed to their competitors and other companies offering a similar deal? This is really important to them. A sense of panic in the graduate job hunting community can lead to graduates applying for anything. People who haven’t thought it through tend to be the first to leave shortly after starting work with a company.

Faced with what seems to be a flooded graduate job market and the pressures you put on yourself to find a job, the natural temptation is to send out as many applications as you can. Graduates tend to think “the more jobs I apply for the better chance I’ve got” In reality, the chances of this strategy working are small. Often it’s hard to maintain the quality of each application when you’re sending out several each week. Particularly as each application should be individually tailored to the specific job on offer. Strike a balance, apply for fewer jobs and make each application outstanding rather than applying for lots of jobs with mediocre applications. Spelling, grammar, sense checking: Applicants who don’t pass the first stage (and keep in mind recruiters are screening out the majority of applicants at this first stage) tend to fail for a variety of reasons. By far the most common are poor spelling, grammar and not sense checking their applications. These errors can end the chances of applicants, even those with a first class degree. The impression of sloppiness and poor attention to detail is a hard one to overcome for the recruiter, particularly as it’s all they’ve got to go on when deciding to interview you or not. So make sure your grammar and spelling are accurate.

• Take a step back. Really think about what motivates you • Arrange a meeting with a careers consultant to discuss your motivations. Being clear on these can really make you stand out in an interview.

P.s. What we mean by sense checking is making sure you’ve used the right version of the word. For instance ‘meet’ and ‘meat’ are both spelt correctly but mean very different things.

Targeted applications – Understand the job description: Recent graduates often rightly ask us as careers consultants what the employer really wants to see in their cv, cover letter or online application. The reality is that the employer has done their best to make that very clear in their job or scheme description. However the majority of people skim read them, identify a few points that match themselves and rush to submit an application. They aren’t the most exciting things to read, some are full of jargon and they don’t always say what the job is but they’re still the key to enabling you to effectively target your application. Good practice is to:

Be contactable: Pay attention to details. If you are making applications an employer may wish to contact you. • Keep your mobile charged, always answer it clearly and professionally (saying hello and giving your name works well) and make sure you have a clear and business like voicemail message – which you need to check regularly • Use a business-like email address (nothing humorous) and check your emails regularly too.

• Spend up to an hour dissecting the description • Highlight or underline the really relevant parts • Try rearranging these key points on a separate document, so they make more sense to you, whether that’s as a list, mind map or through visuals • Map your specific skills and interests to what they’re looking for. Remember, you don’t need to have everything they are looking for to apply but be clear on where you do match.

Arrange a meeting with a City careers consultant to discuss your motivations. Being clear on these can really make you stand out. See our career guide to networking and search the Ask Alumni database of ex-City students. 16

Less obvious ways to job hunt

Utilising social media to your advantage:

Building on your current non-graduate job:

If you are not already on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) you should be. LinkedIn is a professional social network with a large set of free features, including the ability to set up a personal profile. Make sure your profile showcases what you have to offer. LinkedIn has a dedicated student area (http://students.linkedin.com/uk) that allows you to record and maintain evidence of your achievements at university as well as building a profile that will be attractive to your future employers. Use the advice available on LinkedIn, including their video tutorials on their YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/LinkedIn) advising how to present yourself well in your profile. There are also plenty of articles on the internet about how to get the most out of LinkedIn. Some good ones are:

If you already have a job but it is not your ideal job, capitalise on it in whatever way you can. Are there any projects you can request to take part in, extra responsibility you can take on or training you can benefit from? Can you work shadow someone in a different area of the business, who may be doing a job that you want to do? Speculative approaches: Target employers you would like to work for with a tailored cv and cover letter identifying where you might fit into the organisation and what you can offer them. This approach, usually by email but possibly in person, requires a lot of research into each organisation and what they might need. Developing and using your network of contacts: This is usually a longer term strategy so don’t expect immediate results. Who do you know already that might have knowledge of or contacts in organisations of interest to you? Friends and family, colleagues, excolleagues, other students and graduates? Do they know someone who knows someone who can advise or help you find routes into particular work and where and how to find vacancies? See our career guide to networking and search the Ask Alumni database of ex-City students who may be able to advise you on breaking into their sector or work.

• w ww.socialmediaexaminer.com/ 26-tips-to-enhance-your-experienceon-linkedin • w ww.theguardian.com/education/ mortarboard/2013/dec/30/linkedintips-for-students-employability • w ww.bubble-jobs.co.uk/blog/graduateadvice/linkedin-etiquette-dos-dontsnew-graduates • http://blog.linkedin.com/author/johnhill (John Hill is the guru when it comes to using LinkedIn as a student.) You can also use LinkedIn to find City alumni you might choose to contact to expand your professional network. Use the Find Alumni or Advanced Search features to do this. LinkedIn recommends that to have a truly productive network you should aim to connect with around 50 other people. Be selective who you connect with, it’s not a random exercise. LinkedIn also has a new feature allowing you to keep track of who you have contacted and what you have discussed with them.

Many companies have their own company pages on LinkedIn and recommend that you join their page to keep up-to-date with what they are up to and view their current job opportunities. Search for groups on LinkedIn, relevant to your career interests, that allow you to contribute well written, professional and useful posts to discussions. This will help illustrate your capabilities. If you are looking for jobs in career sectors where having a portfolio is a must you can also use LinkedIn to hold your portfolio online (www.linkedin.com/portfolio). Be warned – Look at your own online presence: If an employer were to Google you, what would they find? If you are on Facebook, can a potential employer access your account and if so, what would they find there? Similarly, what image do you project in any tweeting or blogging you may do? If you have a website, is the content acceptable and does it demonstrate what a desirable candidate you are for a job?

Recruitment fairs: CityCareers run several discipline specific recruitment fairs at City. To find out more about these, visit the events listings at www.city.ac.uk/careers. National recruitment fairs also take place throughout the year. Information about these can be found at www.prospects.ac.uk.

Assessments used in recruitment processes You may have experienced several different methods that organisations use to assess applicants for jobs. We have a range of guides and resources covering the varied aspects of selection processes which can be found at www.city.ac.uk/careers/ for-students-and-recent-graduates/ career-guides and on our Career Hub at https://careershub.city.ac.uk/students/ login?ReturnUrl=%2fResources.chpx. The most common assessment techniques are: Psychometric assessments These include: • Tests to assess abilities that are important for the job, such as numerical reasoning or logical reasoning. They are usually online, timed and many feature multiple choice answers • Personality questionnaires, highlighting your personality traits. These are sometimes used to assess work related competences and preferences • Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs) which pose a series of hypothetical work situations. You are then asked what action you would take by choosing from multiple answers. Tests can feature at any stage of selection but in some cases you may have to pass a test before you can even make an application to an employer. If tests are not for you, remember that not all employers use them. Smaller organisations are less likely to use them and they are less common in some sectors and for certain jobs. Examples of assessment tools, including an SJT and a personality questionnaire, along with information and tips for taking tests are available at www.assessmentday.co.uk.

Interviews You should expect to experience a variety of formats, including: interviews with one or more interviewers, group interviews with other applicants for the job and case study interviews that require you to read, analyse and discuss a hypothetical situation or issue. Interviews might be face-to-face, by telephone, Skype or via video conferencing. Video interviews are a recent development where you sit in front of a computer or tablet with a webcam and answer the interview questions that appear on screen. Your answers are saved and later assessed by the organisation’s recruiters. Whatever the format, the principles are still the same. Interviews are used to assess whether you meet the job criteria and whether you are capable of performing well in the job. Make sure you are well prepared, be clear about the entry requirements and think about examples from your experiences that will help demonstrate that you fulfil the requirements. CityCareers have a range of resources focussing on interviews and interview techniques at www.city.ac.uk/careers/forstudents-and-recent-graduates/careerguides. You should also consider booking a mock interview with a career consultant. Assessment centres

• Role play – mirroring a work situation typical to the job • In-tray/e-tray exercises – you’ll be given a series of tasks and information typical to the day-to-day activities of the job and have to decide how and in what order to tackle them. Strength-based assessment “Graduate employers are adopting different selection practices in order to assess potential, while also ensuring the right fit for the individual and the organisation. Nestle adopted a strengths-based method of assessment in 2012 and have seen an increase in retention levels due to making the correct hiring decisions.” Tom Banham, Academy Recruitment Manager, Nestle Nestle and EY are among several organisations that focus on an individual’s strengths during selection. Interview questions and the style in which they are asked may seem different and can be more rapid than you expect. One objective of this style is to avoid well-rehearsed answers and obtain more natural responses. Although strength-based assessments don’t use competency questions, e.g. ‘tell me about a time when you worked well in a team?’ you might be able to include examples from your experiences to illustrate your answers, if appropriate.

You may be invited to attend a day or more, with other candidates, that could involve any of the following: • One or more interviews • Tests – even if you have already passed an online test, you may be re-tested • Presentations – you might be given a topic in advance, or on the day • Group exercises – you’ll work with other applicants to resolve an, often work related, issue while being monitored by observers

Life after university and overcoming setbacks University life verses job hunting life – making the transition in one piece Setting expectations for your parents and you: For the first time in quite a while you could find yourself back in your parental home. Both you and your parents will have to adjust to this and your parents will naturally be concerned about how your job hunt is going. It is helpful to manage their expectations and establish how you’re going to update them. It’s worth reminding them how long finding a job can take and that the majority of graduates are not in graduate level employment by the end of the summer. • Sit down together and scrutinise news articles about the graduate job situation. You’ll often find they are based on very small samples of employers and only relate to the most popular employers, so they don’t present the full picture. Also, remember that news presented in a negative way sells newspapers • Agree a weekly or fortnightly way to update your parents on your progress and deal in facts, not emotion • Read this article for more hints and tips: http://webarchive.nationalarchives. gov.uk/20121015000000/http://www. direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/ dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@educ/ documents/digitalasset/dg_183544.pdf. It’s crucial for the well-being of you all.

Your home office: Returning to your old bedroom can be disconcerting. It can feel like the last three or four years never happened and that you’re stuck in a past you thought you’d left behind. Change things about: • Update the posters on the wall and the books on the bookshelf • Turn one part of your room into your job hunting office. You’ll need a desk, calendar, laptop, pens, paper, post-its and a reading lamp etc. • Keep this area tidy and only use it for your job hunting. Your ‘getting a job’ timetable: Since you were five years old 70 per cent of your life has been governed by academic timetables. The responsibility of what you should be doing and when was decided for you. Now it’s in your hands. Here are some tips for managing the transition: • Every Friday plan the next week’s job hunting activities • Make sure there’s variety in your plan (making applications, collaborating with job hunting friends somewhere local and quiet, one-to-one sessions with the CityCareers advisers, coffee with people in industry etc.).

Keep it fresh:

Work and play:

The actual process of writing cvs, cover letters and online applications can be monotonous and repetitive and is something that you’ll usually do on your own. It will soon wear you down if that’s all you’re doing, so make sure you add some variety and contact with other people into your schedule. Valid excuses to get out of the house include:

Make sure you schedule time away from job hunting as it can be a mentally exhausting process. You need to keep yourself fresh and in the right frame of mind. You’re likely to be working for the next 40 years so alongside the importance of finding your first graduate job, take advantage of the freedom of organising your own time:

• Face-to-face meetings with career advisers or friends

• Schedule things you enjoy doing • Meet up with friends

• Meetings with working people at their places of work.

• Reward yourself for achievements

Job hunting shouldn’t just be about sitting at home making applications.

It’s a good idea to introduce this strategy to your parents early on so they understand and can be supportive.

From collaboration to isolation: For many, the experience of being around so many people is one of the highlights of university. You may experience a stark contrast after leaving university, being back home, with just you and your relatives, as people tend to job hunt alone. To make the transition easier: • As well as social activity, schedule time to get together with your friends to job hunt • At the very least meet in the same location to prepare your individual applications and search for opportunities • Set some ground-rules and do’s and don’ts for these meet ups. There needs to be a business-like atmosphere • Share what’s working for you in your own job hunt and be each other’s support network.

Remember, you can get in-depth feedback on your applications and interview technique from CityCareers. 21

Some online and app tools for self-management At university you... • Were given timetables and deadlines –A ny.do syncs across several platforms, scheduling appointments into sections labelled Today, Tomorrow, Upcoming and Someday. Turning your device on its side brings up a more detailed, calendarbased view that can also sync with Google Calendar. Time-based reminders and contact details can be added and tasks can be embellished with notes. When completed, simply swiping over an action will list it as having been completed. This service is suited to both small tasks and heavier use and is available for iOS and Android • Were often told where and how to research –E vernote allows you to make notes, grab a screenshot, record audio or copy a link. Once captured, Evernote organises, indexes and makes all this information searchable –M indmap is mind-mapping software that can help improve the way you think, plan, study, create, present and organise

• Were given clear goals –G oalsOnTrack allows you to record your goals and why you’ve set them. These goals can then be supplemented with start and end dates, metrics, sub-goals, habits and action plans and due dates can be synced with Google Calendar and Outlook. You can even create goal templates • Were given tasks to do with others – 43 Things is a free, social, goal-making site that helps you create a list of your goals, set reminders about your resolutions and connect with others who have similar goals. The community aspect of 43 Things is what makes it stand out: you can find inspiration for new goals, adopt others’ ideas, send and receive “cheers” for supporting resolutions and add comments and progress updates which can link to your Facebook account. • Had all your contacts in one place – Remember, the LinkedIn student area allows you to keep track of who you have contacted, when and what you have discussed.

Failure can overshadow the fact that it wasn’t the right job in the first place.

Handling rejection

A lucky escape:

It’s not personal:

Failure can overshadow the fact that it wasn’t the right job in the first place. Employers want to make sure they recruit the right person. They have to know for certain that you have the abilities they need, be sure you will fit in and that they can give you enough of what you want based on what they know about you. The rejection may just be a lucky escape for you.

It may feel like it to you but an unsuccessful application, phone interview, interview or assessment centre isn’t personal. Ninety-nine per cent of the time decisions are dispassionate and based on your comparative fit for the role and the company. For the other one per cent of the time, see ‘A lucky escape’. The salesperson perspective: The cold calling salesperson is rejected nine times out of ten and has an interesting perspective on the rejection. Each “No, I’m not interested” takes them one step nearer to the “Yes” they’re looking for so they welcome the rejection because it gets it out the way. The ninth rejection puts them just one call away from success. Be curious and request feedback:

However you feel about the rejection that can go hand-in-hand with applying for jobs, there is one stand-out truth. If you don’t apply for jobs you have little or no chance of getting the graduate level job you want. You need to accept that rejection and failure are part of the journey towards getting what you want and that rejection is not personal. As long as you’re learning along the way about how to present yourself to employers and what is attractive to them you can ultimately be successful. Intelligent perseverance is key.

Human beings function better when seeking solutions rather than reflecting on disappointment. Good quality feedback can help you decide what to do differently next time. Make sure you request feedback, even if many don’t provide it. At the very least ask them a couple of times, ideally by phone. Keep any frustration to yourself because leaving a positive impression could lead to a job offer later on or you may want to apply for other roles with the same company in the future. Remember you can get in-depth feedback on your applications and interview technique from CityCareers.

Maximise support networks What can CityCareers offer?

Email careers@city.ac.uk to:

Friends and family can support, advise and sympathise with you during your job hunting journey. Support is also available from CityCareers throughout the year and for up to three years after you graduate.

• Access online ability tests, including verbal and numerical reasoning. Please provide your name and student number and ask to take the online tests

Visit www.city.ac.uk/careers to: • Book an appointment with one of our career consultants to discuss your situation or your long term aims and how to achieve them. These appointments can be face-toface or by phone • Arrange a mock interview with a career consultant or an employer where available • Receive feedback on your cv, cover letter or application by booking one of our daily 20 minute appointments • Find part-time and temporary jobs, internships and graduate jobs, which can help you develop your experience and skills. • Find out how to register for a mock assessment centre • Browse the events listings for events including: skills sessions run by graduate recruiters, job searching workshops, presentations by employers, recruitment fairs and careers panels focussing on how to get into particular sectors and areas of work • Link to other opportunities such as volunteering or mentoring • See examples of the reference books we have at CityCareers for your use • View our destinations data and discover the careers previous graduates from your course have gone on to.

• Find out how to connect with City alumni to seek their knowledge and experience and ask for their advice on the pathways into their sector or area of work • Ask questions relating to your career plans, job applications or how we can best help you. Drop in to CityCareers in the Drysdale Building, level one to: • Access Going Global, an extensive online resource for anyone looking to work in a specific country. Country profiles detail the local job market, how to apply for jobs and useful local websites • View DVDs about attending interviews and coping with assessment centres • Use the reference books and materials about a range of career topics, such as selection tests • Ask for log-in details to Ask Alumni which allows you to search for City alumni by degree course studied, the company they work for and the sector they work in. You can also directly email them.

Notes

Remember, you can access our service for up to three years after you complete your course, so make the most of it. 25

Careers, Student Development & Outreach City University London Northampton Square London EC1V 0HB

Email enquiries careers@city.ac.uk

Telephone enquiries +44 (0)20 7040 8093

www.city.ac.uk/careers

Find out more, visit www.city.ac.uk/careers