PSYCHOLOGY CAREER PLANNING GUIDE by LJMUCareers

career planning guide

PSYCHOLOGY

PRODUCED BY THE LJMU CAREERS TEAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LJMU SCHOOL/FACULTY STAFF

CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

LOOK TO THE FUTURE WITH POSTGRADUATE STUDY The practical experience and knowledge I am gaining here should give me exactly what I need to get the job I want. Mario Artukovic, Strength and Conditioning MSc

For more information, go to: ljmu.ac.uk/postgraduate CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

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What’s in this guide ...

WHAT’S IN THIS GUIDE

CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE Clinical psychology Counselling psychology Educational psychology Forensic psychology Health psychology Neuropsychology Occupational psychology Sport and exercise psychology

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Research and academic psychology Other career options Spotlight on a career as an IAPT practitioner A conversation with a High Intensity Therapist A conversation with a counsellor Spotlight on a career in human resources

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A conversation with a clinical psychologist A conversation with a counselling psychologist Spotlight on a career in marketing Experience is the key The benefits of volunteering

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SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES AT LJMU Get support on your doorstep in our campus Careers Zones Connect with employers Careers website Careers Zone 24/7: Online careers tools CareerSmart: Explore, Experience and Engage How to make the most of your university time Move up to Masters: The benefits of postgraduate study Professional and personal development opportunities abroad Get great work experience with your Students’ Union Placement Learning Support Unit

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TACTICS AND CHOICES Planning your career Thinking about postgraduate study Finding graduate level jobs Thinking of starting your own business The importance of relevant work experience

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GETTING THE JOB How to write a winning CV and covering letter How to write effective application forms How to succeed at interviews Psychometric tests and assessment centres

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Introduction Programmes in the School of Natural Sciences and Psychology provide a wide range of diverse career opportunities, all of which are challenging, personally rewarding and socially beneficial. Career opportunities for graduates of the psychology programmes exist in a range of psychology professions, for Geography and Wildlife Conservation graduates in a wide range of geography, conservation and environmental agencies, and for graduates from the bioscience programmes (Animal Behaviour, Biology and Zoology) in a wide range of biology, zoology and conservation related professions. All programmes equip graduates with a range of skills that enable them to develop careers in other professional areas in addition to the subject-specific professional areas. The School’s programmes, in conjunction with the Careers Team, will assist you in fulfilling your potential to develop your career planning and prepare yourself for work. This guide, in conjunction with School and the Careers Team, will support you in pursuing work placements, study visits and other practice-based experience, all designed to assist you in gaining the best opportunities to succeed in your chosen career path.

PROFESSOR ANDY TATTERSALL DIRECTOR, SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES & PSYCHOLOGY

PRODUCED BY: LJMU Careers Team || Tel: 0151 231 2048/3719 || Email: careers@ljmu.ac.uk || Website: www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

Please contact us if you would like this document in an alternate format, e.g. large print.

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CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

Introduction

Your Careers Adviser:

Hayley Fallon

PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF CAREER OPTIONS OPEN TO THEM. CAREERS ADVISER HAYLEY FALLON LOOKS AT SOME OF THE OPTIONS TO GET YOU STARTED

Psychology is one of the most popular subjects to study because it has a big impact on all areas of life, from education and health, to the economy and crime. Psychologists apply scientific methodology to explain human behaviour. They formulate theories, test hypotheses through observation and experiment, and analyse their reports with statistical techniques that help them identify important findings. On completing an accredited Psychology programme at LJMU students will be able to:

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Communicate effectively, both face to-face and in writing Understand, analyse and use complex data Retrieve and organise information from different sources Handle primary source material critically Engage in effective team work Solve problems and reason scientifically to consider alternative approaches and solutions Make critical judgements and evaluations to gain different perspectives on a question Be sensitive to contextual and interpersonal factors, including behaviour and social interaction Use personal planning and project management skills to become more independent and pragmatic Be computer literate

Studying towards a degree in Psychology at LJMU will help you develop a number of transferable skills, which will put you in a good position to enter a range of careers. Your degree programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS); this means you will be eligible for graduate membership of the BPS which is a key requirement to pursue many psychologyrelated postgraduate courses and is the first step towards becoming a chartered psychologist. If you are interested in becoming a psychologist after your degree course, it is important to be aware that this requires a lengthy period of training following your degree. For example, to enter areas of psychology such as counselling, forensic and clinical psychology, three or more years of training are required. In addition, you may need relevant work experience to gain entry to some of these training courses following your degree. Over the next few pages, we will explore some career options open to you that are directly related to your degree programme (i.e. the various branches of psychology) in addition to other possible career pathways where your degree would be useful.

I have been working in Higher Education (HE) since 2005 with experience in both human resources and the graduate employability field. Prior to working in HE I worked in the private sector supporting staff training initiatives alongside spending a year working in Australia before undertaking my postgraduate qualifications. In addition to providing one-to-one careers guidance to students, I assist with the delivery of a range of careers modules, deliver career talks and sessions on a range of employability-related topics, produce bespoke careers information to help you with your career planning and work closely with staff and employers to organise career and alumni events. The information over the following pages will provide an introduction to the wide variety of career opportunities available to you. To book an appointment, call into the Careers Zone in Byrom Street or phone us on 0151 231 2048. You can also follow me on Twitter where I post relevant job opportunities and sector news @Hayley_Fallon

Careers in psychology Clinical psychology

What is it?

Clinical psychology aims to reduce psychological distress and to enhance the promotion of psychological wellbeing. Clinical psychologists deal with a wide range of mental and physical health problems including addiction, anxiety, depression, learning difficulties and relationship issues. They may undertake a clinical assessment to investigate a client’s situation. There are a variety of methods available including psychometric tests, interviews and direct observation of behaviour. Assessment may lead to advice, counselling or therapy.

Where do they work?

Clinical psychologists work largely in health

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

and social care settings such as hospitals, health centres, community mental health teams, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and social services. They often work in a team with other health professionals and practitioners. Most are employed by the National Health Service (NHS), but some work in private practice.

How do I become one?

A significant number of psychology graduates are interested in a career in clinical psychology. Following your degree course in Applied Psychology at LJMU, you would need to complete the three-year Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. There are 32 different universities that run this training course. The majority of

universities running this course offer NHSfunded places. Many of these universities require a 2:1 or above in your first degree. Furthermore, at least one to two years’ paid work experience within a clinical setting is normally needed. Psychology graduates may undertake a range of different job roles in order to gain paid experience, including roles such as support worker, healthcare assistant, behavioural therapist or teaching assistant. Although not all of these roles are traditionally seen as graduate roles, they can provide valuable and rewarding experience within a clinical setting. Some psychology graduates may also find paid employment as an assistant psychologist (for example within the NHS), although there can be high levels of competition for these types of roles. www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE Work experience

In order to gain access to a paid role after university, it is important to start to gain work experience in a mental health setting during your degree course. Work experience can be difficult to access in some specific areas of psychology, but any related experience of working with children or adults with disabilities/ learning difficulties or working in a care home, hospice or healthcare-related environment would be beneficial. This would demonstrate to prospective employers that you have the motivation to succeed in your chosen area and

have developed the required skills. You can contact the volunteering department of your local hospital to find out about voluntary work opportunities. Websites such as https://do-it. org/ (the national database for volunteering opportunities) list local voluntary work opportunities. You might also want to contact the Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology. Their handbook gives information about what sort of work experience is desirable for each course.

of competition for entry to the three-year Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. According to figures supplied by The Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology in 2016, 16% of those who applied to the threeyear Doctorate in Clinical Psychology were successful in gaining a place on this course (1 in 6 applicants got a place on a course). Therefore if you are considering a career in clinical psychology, it is also imperative to have a back-up plan.

It is important to be aware of the levels

Graduate Case Study ELENYA HARSTON GRADUATED IN 2016 WITH A DEGREE IN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY AND NOW WORKS AS AN ASSISTANT PSYCHOLOGIST FOR CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL PARTNERSHIP NHS TRUST Briefly, can you tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are today? Before I came to LJMU I knew I wanted to work as a Clinical Psychologist. I enjoyed the course here, and worked very hard to get a First Class, as well as doing some volunteering in mental health wards for my second year placement and working with my personal tutor on a research project over the summer. After graduating I made numerous unsuccessful applications for Assistant Psychologist posts on NHS jobs. It was quite easy to feel disheartened!

What do you like about your job? ❚❚ Working with children is very rewarding and my favourite part. It can be fun and entertaining at times, but additionally it can be taxing and emotionally challenging depending on the child’s situation. ❚❚ Being able to travel around as it means you don’t have to be sat behind a desk all day. I spend a lot of my days going to people’s homes to do the consent forms and questionnaires, or going into schools and administering questionnaires to the children.

After giving it some thought, my experience was not extensive enough for these posts, so I applied for a lower post as a Bank Clinical Support Worker on mental health wards. I matched the person specification and I knew this would be a good way to gain clinical experience with service users in ward settings so that I could apply for Assistant Psychologist posts in the future.

What did the application and selection process involve and how did you prepare? I have an account on the NHS jobs website, and you can set-up email alerts for when jobs you might be interested in get posted. Because these jobs tend to attract a lot of applications it’s always a good idea to apply as soon as you see a vacancy so that it’s not taken down.

I was invited for interview and offered the job. A few days later, I received a call from the temporary staffing team who had interviewed me saying there was an Assistant Psychologist post that had just been passed to them for a research project that needed someone to start straight away, and that they felt I had the right qualifications and experience to apply. I went for an interview with the two clinical psychologists running the study, and was hired onto their team. Even though this was a very unusual way to be hired as an Assistant Psychologist, it just goes to show that sometimes, changing your application and even applying to a lower level job can pay off in the long run. What does your current job involve? I work on a research project funded by Health Education England. We are researching whether a Narrative Therapy and Mindfulness based intervention program called the “Team of Life” can help improve resilience in vulnerable children and aid transition between primary and secondary school. My job involves obtaining consent from parents and children to take part in the study, administering questionnaires, conducting interviews, inputting data using SPSS, making home visits and going into schools to do teacher questionnaires.

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On the NHS job application there is a section called “Supporting Information” where you write about your experience, qualifications and anything you think makes you right for the job. After I had made a few unsuccessful applications, I spoke with a careers advisor from LJMU who advised me how to best tailor my application to the job. She had a lot of knowledge of the NHS application process, and told me to structure this section to match the person specification given with the job advert. Using this approach means it’s easier for employers to tick off all the criteria you meet. I was even given a booklet with examples of this at the Careers Zone, and after using this my applications became much more successful! When I was called for interview I used the person specification again as a guide, and thought of all the examples of how my experiences can relate to the different points listed. What relevant work experience/volunteering did you refer to during the selection process? I used my placement in second year to volunteer with ‘Together for Mental Wellbeing’, a charity I found through the placement fair. They work in in-patient mental health units and meet with service users who’ve been placed under section to speak with them about their right to appeal

against the decision, and their right to speak with an Independent Mental Health Advocate. I worked with other volunteers and we would speak to the service users about their situation. This kind of direct contact with service users in a secure inpatient setting has proved invaluable to me as something to write on my CV and talk about in interviews. I really valued being able to sit with people in what could often be a very distressing time in their life and try and find ways to make it a little easier. This experience also helped me to brush up on my knowledge of the Mental Health Act and other legislation, which is something that is applied in all areas of mental health work and is often discussed in interview. Did the Centre Team at LJMU help you in any way? The Careers Team helped me a lot because every year I would go to their “Careers in Clinical Psychology” event which would have speakers from the University of Liverpool, including Trainee Psychologists and Assistant Psychologists with all kinds of information about what experience you might need, alternative routes into clinical training and what they had done to get where they are. I would get the career planning guides every year as I found them so helpful. The case studies were particularly useful because they featured psychology graduates following the career path I wanted to take, so it was a good source of inspiration. I spoke with staff from the Careers Zones on multiple occasions, and each time I’d come away with useful information that I still use today. I really feel as though I’ve used the Careers Team at every stage of my application, and I wouldn’t be in this job if it wasn’t for their support. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? My advice would be to use every scrap of information you can! Use the career guides, the employer events, get advice from the Careers Zones - don’t be afraid to ask people if they have any information that might help you because they will have spoken to someone in your situation before!

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

Graduate Case Study HELENA TUCKER GRADUATED IN 2009 WITH A FIRST CLASS HONOURS DEGREE IN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY AND COMPLETED HER DOCTORATE IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL IN 2015 What did the application process involve for clinical psychology and how did you prepare?

The selection process for the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology courses (DClinPsy) is very competitive. The success rate in 2013 was 16%; 1 in 6 applicants got a place on a course. The first part of the process is an application through the Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology. You can apply for a maximum of four courses and the deadline is usually in December each year. You will be required to have completed your degree. Courses usually look for applicants with a 1st class Honours or a good 2:1. Some courses may consider applicants with a 2:2 but usually a further demonstration of academic ability is required, e.g. a relevant Masters degree. See individual course information for details. Alongside academic requirements, the courses require applicants to have relevant clinicallyrelated experience. This may include voluntary or paid work, usually in mental health settings, Social Services, services for people with disabilities, etc. Often, applicants have previously worked as assistant psychologists in the NHS or for a private provider where they were supervised by a clinical psychologist. Relevant posts also include working as a support worker, healthcare assistant etc. Research experience is also relevant. Some applicants have previously worked as research assistants or completed postgraduate research degrees. Following the shortlisting process, some applicants are invited for interviews. Each course conducts their interviews in a different way; however the focus is usually on clinical and research knowledge and experience. Some courses require applicants to complete a written test and/or group-based tasks. It is common that people apply on several occasions before securing a place. The Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology (http://www.leeds.ac.uk/chpccp/index.html) is the place to find out more information about individual courses, entry requirements, the selection process, funding etc. Preparation for the process involved gaining experience in clinical and research settings including working as a support worker, assistant psychologist and research assistant, and completing a postgraduate degree, i.e. MPhil in Clinical Psychology. I found out about individual courses, their ethos and the applicants they are looking for and thought about a good fit with my values and orientation with regards to a focus on different therapeutic models. When applying for the course I sought feedback from my supervisors on completing the

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

application form. Preparation for interviews included attending local assistant psychologist groups and preparing for interviews with peers, keeping up-to-date with relevant literature and news, such as changes in the NHS, and importantly taking time out as the process can easily take over many things in your life.

What does the three-year training course in clinical psychology involve?

The training course has three main elements: academic, clinical and research. Throughout the three years you complete six half-year placements in the NHS working as trainee clinical psychologists. For example, on a child placement my role involved individual and group therapy, family therapy, neuropsychology assessment, contributing to multidisciplinary meetings, consultation and working with staff teams, teaching and training, and supervision of junior staff, etc. The academic element of the programme involves attending weekly teaching days and completing clinical and service reports, essays and exams. Research is an important part of the programme and you are required to undertake a large research project and complete a doctoral thesis and a viva. By the nature of the course, the training is very demanding and requires trainees to juggle many responsibilities. For me, being a trainee clinical psychologist has been both a challenge and a privilege, and I feel a great reward from seeing people that I worked with move from a place of distress to a more positive future.

What help and support did you access from the Careers Team?

Support from the LJMU Careers Team was very valuable. I had an individual consultation and was able to discuss the potential career paths after completing my degree. At the end of my time at LJMU, the Careers Team provided support with writing my CV. I was shortlisted for an interview for a mental health rehabilitation worker and the Team provided an opportunity to complete a mock interview tailored specifically to the job. This was a great preparation for future interviews.

What relevant work experience did you use during the selection process?

Initially, I began to do some thinking about clinical psychology and what working as a clinical psychologist actually involved. It was important that I found out more about the role in order to commit to the process of gaining experience and applying for courses. While studying at LJMU I worked part-time as a support worker in a residential home for young people with learning disabilities. I sought out responsibilities to work as a key worker and

attended a n d contributed to multidisciplinary meetings. When deciding about my dissertation I made sure that the focus was clinically relevant so that I could draw on my research in potential future interviews. I also sought opportunities to disseminate my research findings and presented them at a conference. I also had a temporary post as a research assistant at LJMU which involved participant recruitment and data collection. After graduating from LJMU I went on to study for an MPhil in Clinical Psychology at the University of Manchester. This is a research-based degree and provided opportunities to develop my research skills, present at conferences and network with other researchers and clinicians. While completing the postgraduate course parttime, I also worked as an assistant psychologist in a private brain injury rehabilitation service and then at a memory assessment service in the NHS. These clinical posts provided opportunities to be supervised by a clinical psychologist, carry out individual and group therapy work, service evaluations and audits, staff training, project management and many other roles I was able to reflect on in my DClinPsy application and interviews. Voluntary work is also relevant when applying for the course. In interviews I was able to talk about some of my work for a homelessness charity and a few weeks I spent working in an orphanage in India.

What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?

I would say that gaining relevant experience while completing your degree is essential. This may be voluntary work or part-time paid work but do not be afraid to be creative. Speak to tutors in your department about their research and offer help, for example with data collection. Attend conferences and network with people. Look out for jobs you are likely to apply for, think about the person specifications and what you can do to develop the required skills and knowledge. When applying for jobs it is also important to think about the person you are outside of work and university. When interviewing, people want to talk to someone interesting. What is it about you that makes you interesting or different? Often people say what is your UPS, your unique selling point? Build on this in your applications and get people interested in meeting you, whether that is skydiving in your free time or baking cakes for your work colleagues every week.

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CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

Graduate Case Study LAURA BINSALE GRADUATED IN 2012 WITH A FIRST CLASS HONOURS DEGREE IN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY Currently I am working as a Trainee Clinical Psychologist based at Lancaster University on the Doctorate of Clinical Psychology course. Since graduating I spent ten months working at a local department store while applying for relevant jobs in psychology. I also assisted for a short period of time on a Mindfulness Project at LJMU, observing and co-delivering groups to research participants. I then spent six months as an honorary assistant psychologist, followed by eight months as a full-time assistant psychologist both within a complex

trauma service (four months into this post I obtained a place on the Doctorate). Studying psychology Studying Psychology at LJMU was a fantastic experience! The variety of modules provided a theoretical understanding and taught me transferrable skills, which can be applied to clinical psychology in practice. The most valuable aspect of my undergraduate degree was the dissertation module. I thoroughly enjoyed conducting my own piece of research and working closely with a research supervisor. This experience prepared me well for my assistant psychologist post and for my

current role as a trainee clinical psychologist. My advice to any undergraduate students would be to seek support and guidance from your tutors. I had an excellent dissertation supervisor who was extremely supportive, which I found especially helpful during my final year! Future aims I hope to qualify as a clinical psychologist in July 2017. At the moment I am unsure of what area I want to specialise in… luckily for me I have two years to decide!

Counselling psychology What is it? Counselling psychologists focus on working with a tailored psychological formulation to improve psychological functioning and wellbeing, working collaboratively with people across a diverse range of disciplines. Counselling psychologists deal with a wide range of mental health problems concerning life issues including bereavement, domestic violence, sexual abuse, traumas and relationship issues. They understand diagnosis and the medical context to mental health problems and work with the individual’s unique subjective psychological experience to empower their recovery and alleviate distress. Where do they work? Counselling psychologists work in hospitals (acute admissions, psychiatric intensive care, rehabilitation), health centres, Improving Access to Psychological Therapy Services, community mental health teams and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. They also work within private hospitals, private practice, forensic settings, industry, education, research and corporate institutions. How do I become one? There are two steps to becoming a chartered counselling psychologist: ❚❚

Firstly, you need to achieve Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC - 2:2 minimum required). This

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can be done by completing either a British Psychological Society (BPS)accredited undergraduate degree or a conversion course. ❚❚

You will then need to complete a BPS-accredited Doctorate in Counselling Psychology or the BPS Qualification in Counselling Psychology. Following this, you are entitled to chartered status and full membership of the BPS Division of Counselling Psychology.

You will also be eligible for entry onto the Health & Care Professions Council

(HCPC) register, which entitles you to use the title ‘counselling psychologist’. Full details about qualifying to become a chartered counselling psychologist are available from the British Psychological Society (BPS) - www.bps.org.uk/ Work experience It is often an entry requirement of the counselling psychology courses to have completed a basic counselling skills course. For more information on where to find counselling skills courses, please contact the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) - http://www.bacp.co.uk/

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

Graduate Case Study SOPHIE JENKINS-ANDERSON GRADUATED IN 2014 WITH A FIRST CLASS HONOURS DEGREE IN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY. My current role I am currently working as a Research Executive at Adelphi Global Research in Manchester. Adelphi conducts market research for the world’s leading pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. On a day-to-day basis I update clients with developments in their project and research the topic area to share knowledge of disease/treatment relevant with the rest of my team. Another key part of my role is managing the day-to-day logistics of my team’s projects. This can entail duties such as creating PowerPoints for presentations, analysing data or proof reading links and questionnaires and liaising with the recruitment agencies to ensure the correct participants are being screened in.

Since graduating Since graduating I have completed an eight-week internship in the psychology department under the supervision of Dr David McIlroy. I also went on a fab summer holiday with my pals and was successful in my first job application and started working in September shortly after graduation. I have aspirations of becoming a clinical psychologist so I will be applying for the doctorate in October. Until then I will be enjoying my new job and settling in! Studying psychology I have always been interested in the study of the human mind. After

studying psychology for A-level I knew psychology was going to be an exciting and rewarding degree if I worked hard. I particularly picked Applied Psychology at LJMU because it was applicable to real life and I knew I would gain experience during the six-week placement in second year. The tutors and lecturers were fab and the variety of modules to choose from in third year is great!

Educational psychology What is it? Educational psychology is concerned with children and young people in educational and early years settings. Educational psychologists tackle challenges such as learning difficulties, social and emotional problems, issues around disability, as well as more complex developmental disorders. They work in a variety of ways including observations, interviews and assessments and offer consultation, advice and support to teachers, parents, the wider community as well as the young people concerned. They research innovative ways of helping vulnerable young people and often train teachers, learning support assistants and others working with children. Where do they work? Local authorities (LAs) employ the majority of educational psychologists working in schools, colleges, nurseries and special units although increasing numbers are working directly in schools, academies and other educational settings. They regularly liaise with other professionals from education, health and social services. A growing number work as independent or private consultants. How do I become one? You will need the following qualifications:

❚❚ Firstly, you need to achieve Graduate

Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC - 2:2 minimum required). This can be done by completing either a British Psychological Society (BPS)- accredited undergraduate degree or a conversion course.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

❚❚ A BPS-accredited Doctorate in

Educational Psychology or, for Scotland only, an accredited Masters in Educational Psychology followed by the BPS Award in educational psychology.

To use the title ‘educational psychologist’, you will need to be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). This involves completing a doctorate in educational psychology (or equivalent) approved by the HCPC. Contact the HCPC for more information on the entry requirements for their register http://www.hcpc-uk.co.uk/ Applications for the doctorate courses in England are made through the Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP). Please contact the relevant institution for more information.

Work experience Examples of settings in which relevant experience is likely to be gained include working as a teacher, a graduate assistant in an educational psychology service, a learning support assistant, an educational social worker, a learning mentor, a speech and language therapist, a care worker and a worker in early years settings. Voluntary experience of various kinds may assist applicants in demonstrating a breadth of relevant experience. Whatever work experience you have gained, course providers will be primarily interested in what you have learnt from the experience that is relevant to work as an educational psychologist and how you have been able to apply the knowledge of psychology gained through your first degree.

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CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

Forensic psychology What is it? Forensic psychology is devoted to psychological aspects of legal processes in courts. The term is also often used to refer to investigative and criminological psychology, i.e. applying psychological theory to criminal investigation, understanding psychological problems associated with criminal behaviour, and the treatment of those who have committed offences. Daily key tasks can include piloting and implementing treatment programmes; modifying offender behaviour; responding to the changing needs of staff and prisoners as well as reducing stress for staff and prisoners. Forensic psychologists also provide hard research evidence to support practice including undertaking statistical analysis for prisoner profiling, giving evidence in courts, plus advising parole boards and mental health tribunals. Where do they work? The largest employer in the UK is the HM

Prison Service. Forensic psychologists are also employed by rehabilitation units, secure hospitals, social services and in university departments or private consultancy. How do I become one? To become a chartered forensic psychologist you will need: ❚❚

Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), which you can achieve by completing a British Psychological Society (BPS)accredited degree or conversion course (2:2 minimum required)

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A BPS-accredited Masters in Forensic Psychology, which may be available on a part-time or distance-learning basis

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Stage 2 of the BPS Qualification in Forensic Psychology, which involves a minimum of two years of supervised practice that requires you to provide evidence of applying psychology in forensic practice. It

is possible to complete this stage while working as a trainee forensic psychologist. Work experience Competition is fierce for both accredited Masters courses and entry-level forensic psychologist jobs. To succeed in both, it is crucial that you build up as much work experience as possible. You will have an advantage if you can show course tutors that you have mentored young offenders or completed voluntary work with organisations such as the Witness Service or Victim Support. The universities offering the accredited Masters in Forensic Psychology will decide upon the type and nature of experience required. Identify the courses you are interested in and then approach the course tutors directly to see if they can provide you with a profile of the type of experience a successful applicant will have gained.

Graduate Case Study LOUISE KENNEDY GRADUATED IN 2003 WITH A FIRST CLASS DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND IS NOW A CHARTERED AND REGISTERED FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST AT A SECURE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL Briefly describe your current role: My current role involves delivering psychological interventions on a one-toone and group basis; undertaking risk assessments; delivering staff training; undertaking research; MDT (multidisciplinary team) working; developing policies and procedures and consultancy work. Three things that you like about your job: ❚❚ Every day is different. ❚❚ I am constantly learning. ❚❚ I feel I am making a difference and helping people to improve their lives. Key points in your career: During my time in Liverpool John Moores University, I also had a voluntary position with the Witness Service at Liverpool Magistrates Court. I worked there every Friday during the final year of my degree and assisted witnesses and victims of crime when they attended court, mainly providing practical and emotional support. I showed them around the courtrooms and sat with them on the days they came to give evidence. For me, this was fantastic experience working within the forensic field and learning first-hand about court processes. After graduating I secured a role in a local prison as Accredited Programmes Facilitator. This role largely comprised of facilitating an offending behaviour programme to prisoners. However it also involved conducting assessments; one-to-one

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sessions with prisoners; MDT working; and delivering staff training. After two years I was promoted to Deputy Treatment Manager, where in addition to the tasks highlighted above, I was also involved in staff supervision and treatment managing a number of offending behaviour programmes.

meetings, contributing to patients’ treatment and risk management plans; developing hospital policies; undertaking research; and developing and delivering staff training.

In total I spent five years within the Prison Service. I gained many skills and learnt a lot while I was there. I was trained as a hostage negotiator and I also undertook a role as a national trainer where I trained and assessed potential facilitators to deliver offending behaviour programmes. During my time in the Prison Service I also undertook my MSc in Forensic Psychology, which I self-funded and completed part-time over two years.

What relevant work experience/skills/ volunteering did you have? I volunteered with the Witness Service in Liverpool Magistrates court for approximately two years during my undergraduate degree. I was also lucky enough to spend two weeks with the psychology department in HMP Liverpool.

Unfortunately, the prison I worked in did not have a psychology department, so in order to progress with my career I had to look for other opportunities elsewhere. In 2008, I secured a position as a Forensic Psychologist in Training. I have worked in conditions of low and medium security, with male and female patients who are diagnosed with mental illness and/or personality disorder. Every day is completely different and my role involves a variety of tasks, including undertaking risk assessments; completing cognitive functioning assessments; delivering oneto-one and group-based psychological interventions; providing psychological information within multidisciplinary team

What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? I would advise students to gain as much voluntary experience as possible in order to make their CVs stand out from the rest. Experience will also give them a better idea of whether forensic psychology is the career they want. Would you do anything differently if you were a first-year student again? Whilst I have always been passionate about forensic psychology, I wish I had looked into other psychology routes that are available. Many other psychological disciplines can work within forensic settings, such as clinical and counselling psychologists. I wish I had this information at the beginning of my career.

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CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

A CONVERSATION WITH A …

FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST

Dr Sue Thomas is a Chartered and Registered Forensic Psychologist and works for North West Psychological Services (NWPS) What does your job involve? There isn’t really a typical day, you cannot predict what will happen and it will vary depending on the grade you are within NWPS. Trainees will be given a variety of work around assessments, interventions, consultancy, training and research as they are required to submit evidence of these competencies for their qualification. Newly qualified staff will mainly be involved in clinical work (assessments and interventions) with more complex cases and some supervision of trainees. Experienced qualified staff will also have line management responsibilities and regional roles that feed into national agendas. As a Cluster Manager I also have line management and supervision responsibilities. Although I still do some clinical work to ensure

I retain my professional qualification I have a more strategic/management role. For example, I oversee all the trainee progression plans and am the contact with the main training route provider. I also sit on national committees with regard to trainee progression and training. I am a negotiator advisor which involves assisting the training of negotiators and attending critical incidents to support the negotiators and advise on resolution strategy.

Chartered Forensic status with the BPS and HCPC registration. Before the end of my career break I was offered a permanent post in the Prison Service. ❙❙ At the end of the project, I took up the post of Head of Psychology at HMP Lancaster Farms, then moved to HMP Garth. Two years ago I was promoted to my current role. Any top tips for psychology student wanting to pursue a career as a Forensic Psychologist? ❙❙ You will draw on all of the topics you cover in your undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in your work. ❙❙ You need to be persistent i.e. do not get discouraged if you do not get a post on your first attempt. ❙❙ You need to ensure you have a work/home life balance: you cannot take it home with you!

What three things do you like about your job? ❙❙ Reading the files and interviewing prisoners is very interesting and challenging. ❙❙ The variety of the work and client groups as we work across all establishments in the North West. ❙❙ Supervising trainee psychologists and seeing them develop and becoming qualified. What three things are you not so keen on? ❙❙ Working in a political environment that appears to be in a constant state of change can be challenging. ❙❙ Being aware of some of the life experiences some prisoners have had to endure in the past can be difficult. ❙❙ Working with people who are resistant to change.

What kinds of work experience and volunteering would you recommend students undertake to increase their chances? Anything that involves working with those classed as ‘vulnerable’ e.g. elderly people, young people, those with disabilities, ex-offenders, mental health, substance misuse etc. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer work experience or volunteering.

Key points in your career development to date: ❙❙ Graduated in 1992 with a 1st Class honours degree in Psychology and Sociology (age 39). ❙❙ Obtained PhD in Forensic Psychology in 2000. ❙❙ Became Head of Psychology at a University and during this time I worked with the Prison Service on various projects. ❙❙ In 2005 I took a career break from the University to work for a European Social Fund/Prison Service project across the UK and Europe. During this time I gained my

Forensic psychology is a competitive career area, what other roles would you also recommend students explore if they are not successful first time round? A ‘Group Facilitator’ is a very good grounding role. Individual establishments recruit facilitators to deliver programmes for those convicted as sex offenders, violent offenders as well as general cognitive skills programmes. Other roles would be Prison Officers or working within the Probation Service.

Postgraduate Case Study EMMA HIGGINSON GRADUATED IN 2018 WITH A DEGREE IN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY AND SECURED A PLACE ON THE MSC FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY AND MENTAL HEALTH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER Why did you decide to apply for this postgraduate course? I developed an interest in forensic psychology during second year when I completed a placement as part of a module. I spent three days at HMP Altcourse, which gave me a snapshot of the role that mental illness and disorder can play in committing crime. I knew straight away that this was the area I wanted to pursue a career in, and attending a lecture by a Forensic Psychologist in third year further confirmed this for me. The course at The University of Manchester stood out due to its focus on mental health, and the modules really appealed to me. What did the application process involve? I was asked to provide a full CV, two academic references and a personal statement of a page in length demonstrating my understanding of the role of a forensic psychologist and outlining my research interests and experiences. I was invited to an interview and was asked to submit a 500 word Masters Dissertation proposal, which I then delivered a 10-minute presentation on during the interview with two lecturers from the course. What help and support did you access from the Careers Team? I first met with Hayley Fallon, the Careers Adviser

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for my course, to discuss the application process and funding for postgraduate courses, as I had no idea about what the process involved. Hayley also showed me the personal statement information sheet which was very useful and enabled me to create a draft CV and personal statement which I presented to Anja Heid, one of the Employability Advisers, in a second meeting. Anja gave me extremely helpful and specific feedback, including ways to demonstrate how my experience made me suitable for the course. I updated my CV and personal statement and Anja responded by email with extremely helpful follow-up feedback on how to make my personal statement more concise, as I had originally written a lot more than a page. Tell us about any work experience or volunteering you have done? Interviewing domestic violence offenders at HMP Altcourse for my dissertation provided me with realistic expectations of what a career in forensic psychology would involve. It also helped me to develop relevant research skills and awareness of the many ethical issues that need to be considered. Volunteering at the Whitechapel Centre, a homeless and housing charity, gave me an extremely valuable experience of working with individuals who struggle with mental health. Both

experiences developed my interpersonal and communication skills with such individuals and my maturity. I know that these experiences strongly benefited my application as they demonstrated my genuine passion and interest in the area. Would you do anything differently in terms of career planning if you were a first-year student again? If I had my time at university again, I definitely would have started volunteering and gaining work experience earlier on, as you have much more free time in first year compared to third. Even if you are not sure about which area you want to go into, experience can help you decide. I also would have looked into Masters courses earlier, so that I could have attended the open day. What are your plans after finishing the postgraduate programme? After my Masters I will complete the BPS Qualification in Forensic Psychology to become a Forensic Psychologist, which involves a minimum of two years of supervised practice.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

Health psychology What is it?

Health psychology is concerned with people’s experiences of health and illness. Health psychologists use their knowledge of psychology and health to promote general wellbeing and understanding physical illness. They are specially trained to help people deal with the psychological and emotional aspects of health and illness as well as supporting people who are chronically ill. Health psychologists promote healthier lifestyles and try to find ways to encourage people to improve their health. For example, they may help people to lose weight or stop smoking. Health psychologists also use their skills to try to improve the healthcare system. For example, they may advise doctors about better ways to communicate with their patients.

Where do they work?

Health psychologists are represented in a number of settings, such as hospitals, academic health research units, health authorities, university departments and also in consultancy practice. They may deal with problems identified by healthcare agencies, including NHS trusts and health authorities. This is in addition to also working alongside other medical professionals such as GPs, nurses and rehabilitation therapists. Health psychologists may also deal with organisations and employees outside the health care system.

How do I become one? ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚

To become a chartered health psychologist you will need: Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), which you achieve by completing a British Psychological Society (BPS)accredited degree or conversion course (2:2 minimum required); A Society-accredited Masters in Health Psychology

And one of the following ‘Stage 2’, doctoral-level qualifications:

and funding bodies do offer trainee health psychologist roles or funding for training.

Work experience

The universities offering the accredited Masters in Health Psychology will decide upon the type and nature of experience, if required. Identify the courses you are interested in and then approach the course tutors directly to see if they can provide you with a profile of the type of experience a successful applicant will have gained.

The Society’s Qualification in Health Psychology Stage 2 (QHP Stage 2) A Society-accredited Doctorate in Health Psychology

Professional Doctorates will generally require you to have access to suitable opportunities for placements, and some courses will require you to have these arranged before you enrol.

In Scotland, an NHS-funded Stage 2 training scheme employs a number of trainee health psychologists each year. This allows achieving Chartership through the Society’s Qualification in Health Psychology. Currently, there is not an equivalent funded Stage 2 training scheme for the rest of the UK; however, some institutions

NHS-funded Stage 2 training places may require you to have a number of years’ experience working in relevant areas such as working with people with physical health problems, supporting people to make lifestyle changes, population-based interventions, or undertaking research and evaluation.

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Graduate Case Study JULIE DAVIES GRADUATED IN 2009 WITH A FIRST CLASS HONOURS DEGREE IN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY My current role I am currently working as an Assistant Psychologist within a community learning disability service – a challenging and diverse role but so enjoyable it doesn’t actually feel like work. Since graduating After graduating I took advantage of several volunteering opportunities within my local mental health trust, including a voluntary assistant psychologist position with a personality disorder service. This invaluable experience eventually led to a paid position as a clinical audit assistant working on service improvement projects and then onto my current position. Studying psychology I embarked on my Applied Psychology degree at LJMU at 34 as a full-time housewife and parent to two young children. I have longterm health issues which have affected my ability to work in the past,

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

so initially I started my degree as a means of keeping my brain active without any real sense of where it might take me. As a mature student, I wasn’t sure if I could keep up at first and my social experience was probably a little different from most students due to family commitments, etc. However, I did keep up, enjoying it immensely, and the subject matter as well as LJMU’s supportive environment really fired my enthusiasm for psychology and the potential difference applying it in real life contexts can make to real people. Future aims The next step for me is to gain a much competed-for place on an NHS Doctorate course to train as a clinical psychologist; in the meantime, I’ll continue to enjoy the journey.

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CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

Neuropsychology What is it?

Neuropsychology is concerned with the assessment and rehabilitation of people with brain injury or other neurological disease. They work with people of all ages dealing with patients who have had traumatic brain injury, strokes, toxic and metabolic disorders, tumours and neurodegenerative diseases. Neuropsychologists require not only general clinical skills and knowledge of the broad range of mental health problems, but also a substantial degree of specialist knowledge in the neurosciences. Neuropsychology is a post qualification discipline, in which you first need to be a chartered psychologist within the field of clinical or educational psychology.

Where do they work?

Neuropsychologists most commonly work in acute settings, usually in regional neuroscience centres where their main focus is on the early effects of trauma, neurosurgery and neurological diseases. They also work in rehabilitation centres providing post-acute assessment, training and support for people who have sustained brain injury, or who have other neurological problems.

How do I become one?

To become a Practitioner Full Member of the Division of Neuropsychology you will need:

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Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC). This is achieved by completing a Society accredited degree or an accredited conversion course (2:2 minimum required) - www. bps.org.uk/node/683/ Accredited postgraduate training programme that gives eligibility for membership as a chartered psychologist through the clinical or educational training route. The Society’s Qualification in Clinical Neuropsychology (QiCN). Those that have completed accredited postgraduate training

in Clinical Neuropsychology will be eligible for exemption from part of the Society’s Practitioner Full Membership Qualification - www.bps.org.uk/careers-education-training/ society-qualifications/clinical-neuropsychology/clinicalneuropsychology

Work Experience

Neuropsychologists may be employed within the National Health Service (NHS), and also in the independent sector within both private and not-for-profit charitable organisations. Pay is on the same scales as clinical psychologists. However, many senior neuropsychologists substantially supplement their income by undertaking private medicolegal consultancy as expert witnesses in personal injury cases.

Graduate Case Study CHRISTINA CUSACK GRADUATED IN 2014 WITH A FIRST CLASS HONOURS DEGREE IN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY My current role Working as an Assistant Psychologist in a private neurorehabilitation care home specialising in the rehabilitation of young people with brain injuries and strokes, I administer cognitive tests and work with a psychologist to help patients achieve their rehabilitation goals. Since graduating I was selected for the Curriculum Vitae Enhanced Program, run by LJMU. This gave me the opportunity to work as an intern for David McIlroy over the summer on a project concerning the effects of personality and self-efficacy on academic performance. I then moved to Ascot, where I came across the opportunity that led me to my current role as an Assistant Psychologist. I have now moved to Birmingham but have continued in the same role. Studying psychology The university offered many opportunities to develop my skills

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and improve my chances of getting into the right career. The course itself was efficiently run and the staff were constantly altering their teaching methods so students’ needs were met. The content of the course was extremely interesting and keeps students engaged throughout their three years. Over my three years at LJMU, I was a course rep for Applied Psychology, and was heavily involved in Open Days and Applicant Days, and these helped develop my confidence and communication skills. Future aims I would like to complete a PhD in Neuroscience and go on to publish ground-breaking research in the field.

Christina has recently moved into a new role as a Clinical Research Assistant for an NHS trust.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

Occupational psychology What is it?

Occupational psychology delivers tangible benefits by enhancing the effectiveness of organisations and developing the performance, motivation and wellbeing of people in the workplace. Occupational psychologists apply the science of psychology to work. They develop and apply a range of tools and interventions, including psychometrics and assessment, learning and development, stress-management, organisational change, coaching and job design.

Where do they work?

Occupational psychologists work with organisations and businesses of all sizes across the private, public and third sectors. You will find occupational psychologists working in government and public services, in leadership development centres and in consultancies. They work alongside other professionals such as managers, HR staff, union representatives, training advisors and specialist staff within client organisations.

How do I become one?

There are three steps in the process of becoming accredited by the BPS as a charted occupational psychologist:

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Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), which you can get by completing a British Psychological Society (BPS)accredited degree or conversion course (2:2 minimum required); Completion of a BPS-accredited Masters in Occupational Psychology - also referred to as ‘Stage 1’. For information on universities offering accredited Masters degrees, check the list of BPS-accredited courses on the BPS Careers website http://www.bps.org.uk/careers-portal Completion of a BPS Doctorate-level Qualification in Occupational Psychology, QOccPsych - also referred to as ‘Stage 2’.

Competition for the Masters course is moderate to high, depending upon the course. Many courses expect at least a 2:1 Honours, plus relevant work experience. Relevant experience in personnel/human resources and business/management is a strong advantage for both postgraduate study and employment. You must be employed in a relevant role in order to complete the period of practice as a trainee occupational psychologist essential for the Stage 2 course with the BPS.

Work experience

The universities offering the accredited Masters courses for Occupational Psychology will decide upon the type and nature of experience required. Identify the courses you are interested in and then approach the course tutors directly to see if they can provide you with a profile of the type of experience a successful applicant is likely to have gained.

Sport and exercise psychology What is it?

Sport psychology’s predominant aim is to help athletes prepare psychologically for the demands of competition and training. Examples of the work sport psychologists carry out include counselling referees to deal with the stressful and demanding aspects of their role, advising coaches on how to build cohesion within their squad of athletes, and helping athletes with personal development and the psychological consequences of sustaining an injury. Exercise psychology is primarily concerned with the application of psychology to increase exercise participation and motivational levels in the general public. Examples of the work they do include optimising the benefits that can be derived from exercise participation and helping individual clients with the implementation of goal setting strategies. Practitioners typically specialise in either the sport or exercise branches, although some work equally in both fields.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

Where do they work?

Sport and exercise psychologists work in a wide range of settings with a diverse range of clients participating in recreational, amateur, and elite levels of competition. Some sport psychologists work as private consultants or hold full-time positions with professional sports teams or national governing bodies of sport. Most combine their consultancy work with teaching and research or also work in other areas such as the clinical and occupational domains. Exercise psychologists combine consultancy with teaching and research careers. The work of exercise psychologists might involve GP exercise referral and setting up and evaluating exercise programmes in employment, prison and psychiatric contexts.

How do I become one?

To qualify as a practising sport and exercise psychologist you will need to complete: ❙❙ A degree in psychology accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) leading to the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership GBC (2:2 minimum required);

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A BPS-accredited MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology; Stage 2 of the BPS Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (QSEP), i.e. two years of supervised practice.

Once you have completed Stage 2 of the BPS QSEP you will be eligible for registration with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) and can use the title ‘sport and exercise psychologist’.

Work experience

For entry on to a Masters course you will also need relevant work experience. Practical experience in sports performance or in areas such as coaching, fitness and exercise instruction, health promotion and PE teaching will be useful. Contact course providers to find out how much experience they are looking for. The information in this guide has been adapted from the BPS careers website. To find out more about the routes into various branches of psychology, please refer to http:// www.bps.org.uk/careers-in-psychology

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Research and academic psychology What is it?

Research in psychology requires the application of skills and knowledge to scientifically hypothesise about an aspect of human behaviour, then to test it, analyse it and communicate the results. Research underpins much of the teaching and practice of psychology as it provides the evidence-base for psychological theory and the effectiveness of treatments, interventions, tests and teaching methods. Typically academics or researchers in higher education undertake both research and teaching and lecturing.

Where do they work?

Most researchers are employed in higher education institutions or specialist research units; however, others are employed in a wide variety of contexts including the food and drink industries, pharmaceutical industries, marketing, government departments (such as the Ministry of Defence) and the NHS.

How do I become one?

To become a Chartered Member of the Society in the field of teaching or research in psychology, you need Graduate Basis for

Chartered Membership (GBC) and five or more years of supervised and assessed professional activity. The research route will normally include taking a PhD or equivalent research experience.

Graduate Case Study KATE SLADE GRADUATED FROM LJMU IN 2015 WITH A DEGREE IN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY. SHE IS NOW A PSYCHOLOGY PHD RESEARCHER ON A STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP AT LJMU What have you done since graduating from LJMU? After graduating I applied for a couple of PhD studentship positions at LJMU and was eventually successful! I am now part way through my PhD focused on psychophysiology, motivation and listening effort. I will be completing an MPhil transfer after my first year, as I did not study for a Masters degree prior to enrolling on my PhD programme. Why did you decide to pursue postgraduate study? I enjoyed my undergraduate study immensely, and I felt drawn to several domains in psychology. Therefore, I considered a wide range of career options, including counselling and clinical psychology, human resources and primary school teaching. However, whilst completing my dissertation in my third year, I realised my passion was research! I was inspired by the prospect of continuing my studies into PhD level, and progressively challenging myself and expanding my knowledge of psychology. The idea that my research will contribute to enhancing knowledge in the field, and eventually inform practice to benefit individuals in real life is really motivating. What do you enjoy about it? ❚❚ I enjoy being able to continue

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learning through researching and challenging myself to reach new levels of understanding. I learn something new every day! Collecting novel data is really exiting. I love having the opportunity to produce innovative results and eventually make a difference to people’s lives in the real world.

What was the application and selection process like for your PhD? I applied for the PhD studentship through the LJMU website. As it was a studentship, the research idea was already outlined with funding in place. I emailed the director of studies with my CV and a cover letter. I was then invited to an interview with a panel of doctors and professors at the university, including my director of studies and another of my supervisors. I was nervous, but I had already had an unsuccessful interview for another studentship, so I was more prepared and knew what to expect. I prepared by researching interview questions and practising my answers. I also looked into the research area and read relevant literature; this meant I would be ready for any questions regarding the area and specific proposed research. What relevant work experience/skills/ volunteering did you refer to during the selection process?

Throughout my third year, I developed professional relationships with my dissertation supervisor and lecturers, and sought advice about how to pursue a postgraduate research career. This was important for building a rapport and creating a good impression. I also volunteered to present my dissertation research and data at the BPS student conference; this allowed me to develop my ability to articulate scientific information to a lay audience. I also referred to a lot of the experience I gained from my dissertation, for example, data collection, using SPSS and scientific writing skills. Any tips for those interested in pursuing a career in research? Don’t be scared of stats! Statistical analysis was always really daunting for me, but I found it very different when I was running analysis on my own research. It was much more exciting, because I was interested to know whether or not I had found significant results and why. Pursuing a career in research is challenging and you will be able to face difficult questions and overcome your doubts – it is very rewarding.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

Other career options Although your degree at LJMU is an excellent starting point for a career in the various areas of psychology, the transferable skills you will be developing throughout your studies are much sought after by employers from a range of sectors as diverse as education, media, social research, human resources, consultancy, marketing, market research, PR, or accounting and finance. It is important to understand that a career as a psychologist requires commitment, as you would need to spend a long time building up experience and completing further study and training, as well as the resilience to deal with inevitable setbacks, like having to apply for a relevant postgraduate course numerous times, or struggling to find and secure assistant psychologist roles. In fact, it is estimated that only around 15 to 20% of psychology graduates will complete postgraduate courses and training, and become professional, chartered psychologists (source: University of Manchester website). So whilst many students will look for a career directly related to their degree, it is also very important to remember that this is by no means the only career route to consider. A degree in psychology provides a useful foundation for a wide range of careers and employers. The top ten occupations include HR, youth and community workers and marketing associate professionals. Major employers of psychology graduates include:

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the National Health Service local and national government schools, sixth form colleges and colleges of further education social services police forces, the National Probation Service and prisons human resources departments the media marketing companies financial organisations commercial and industrial companies

There are also other options which graduates interested in working in a mental health setting can consider. In recent years, the government has rolled out IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies), which is an NHS programme offering interventions for treating people with

depression and anxiety disorders. Consequently, there are now many new job roles such as ‘wellbeing practitioners’ who offer therapy to clients using cognitive behavioural techniques. With some experience in a mental health setting, psychology graduates can apply for roles as ‘trainee wellbeing practitioners’ within the NHS – check https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/ for vacancies. Some psychology graduates also consider careers such as mental health nursing. There are two-year accelerated courses in nursing available at some universities, which graduates can apply to. Similarly, there are also two-year Masters courses available in fields such as occupational therapy and speech therapy, which may be open to psychology graduates. Such courses may also offer some funding via NHS Bursaries.

Graduate training schemes Graduate training schemes (within both the public and private sector) are another career option for psychology students to consider. These schemes are generally offered with large organisations and many accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, but check the entry requirements on the scheme websites for details. Both the NHS (www.nhsgraduates.co.uk/the-scheme/ specialisms.aspx) and the Civil Service (http://faststream. civilservice.gov.uk/the-different-streams) offer a graduate training scheme in areas like general management, HR and finance. Those who are interested in social work may also be interested in Frontline (www.thefrontline.org.uk/) which provides the opportunity for graduates to train as a social worker while in employment. For those interested in mental health social work, there is also the Think Ahead graduate scheme (http://thinkahead.org/). Many large private companies also run graduate schemes in areas like HR, marketing and communications, retail management or finance. These again tend to accept applications from final-year students and graduates from any degree background. Some examples are listed below, but we would advise you to research additional employers from the sectors you are particularly interested in.

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www.rolls-royce.com/careers/students_and_graduates/ graduate_programmes/ www.unilever.co.uk/careers-jobs/graduates/uflp

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

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https://jobs.rbs.com/pages/graduate-programmes http://graduates.aviva.com/en/ https://careers.marksandspencer.com/early-careers/ graduates

If you are interested in these roles, you will need to be aware of the graduate recruitment cycle. Many recruiters begin the graduate recruitment process during the autumn term for final-year students. Some placements are advertised then as well. Most closing dates are in November and December, but some are earlier, so it is important to start researching companies that you want to apply to early on. Most of the large recruiters have a section on the student/graduate pages of their website that outlines the different steps of their selection process, so check these to find out what is required. For more information about graduate schemes, download the ‘Graduate Schemes’ guide from the resources page of www.ljmu.ac.uk/ careers. We also deliver a ‘Graduate schemes uncovered’ workshop on a regular basis. To find out more about the variety of careers available to you following your degree in Applied Psychology read our ‘Applied Psychology Career Insight’ available on the resources page of the Careers website. A useful website to help you start exploring graduate career options across a range of sectors is the ‘Prospects website’ - www.prospects.ac.uk

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CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE For the undergraduate route (level six) – successful applicants will be able to demonstrate successful academic study and progress at level four and five in a relevant field (e.g. Diploma in mental health Nursing, Dip HE social work) and experience of working in mental health, preferably in primary care.

Interested in a career as an IAPT practitioner? Careers Adviser Hayley Fallon looks at how to pursue a career in this field.

trainees are employed on a year-long contract while they are completing the 12-month PWP training. They are typically salaried at band 4 Agenda for Change (www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/ working-in-the-nhs/pay-and-benefits/agendafor-change-pay-rates/), even if they are not working for the NHS. On successful completion of the programme, the employing service may offer the newly-qualified PWP employment but this will be dependent on service need. Employment is obtained via successful job application and these posts are advertised on a number of websites including NHS jobs, local third sector organisations’ websites – e.g. Healthy Minds, Insight Health or Mental Health Matters and in job centres. The costs of the PWP training are also currently covered by the employer. At LJMU we are looking at providing the option of students self- funding and are currently working with a service to identify a high quality clinical placement that meets PWP trainee needs.

What is IAPT?

Entry requirements

Gaining entry onto this training route is highly competitive, so to be successful, it is essential that you have gained paid or voluntary experience in a mental health-related role, ideally in a clinical setting. Experience in CCBT (Computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) as delivered by mental health charity Self Help (https://www.selfhelpservices.org.uk/) or NHS trusts like MerseyCare, or experience of working as a voluntary counsellor for the Samaritans or ChildLine can also be very useful.

SPOTLIGHT ON A CAREER AS AN ...

IAPT PRACTITIONER

The term IAPT stands for Improving Access to Psychological Therapies. In 2008 the way in which psychological services were commissioned and provided in England changed to what is known as the ‘Stepped Care’ model (Clark 2011). Depending on the complexity of the mental health problem, people are able to access psychological therapies that meet their needs. Professional staff include cognitive behavioural practitioners, counsellors, interpersonal practitioners, psychodynamic practitioners and a new workforce – the Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP). At LJMU we deliver the PWP training. PWPs are trained to deliver what is known as low intensity psychological interventions to people who are experiencing mild to moderate levels of anxiety and depression (Papworth 2013, Clark 2011, Bennet–Levy et al 2011).

The IAPT programme at LJMU can be accessed through both a postgraduate and undergraduate route. The award/qualification at the end is the same but trainees on the different routes will be assessed on their academic progress in a way that accurately measures the level of study they are undertaking. (www.bps.org.uk/careerseducation-training/accredited-coursestraining-programmes/psychologicalwellbeing-practitioner-training-courses/ psycholo)

How to become an IAPT practitioner?

*Applicants who do not have a 2:1 in their first degree but who have a good breadth and depth of relevant clinical experience will be considered.

Currently at LJMU, all IAPT PWP training is delivered in conjunction with IAPT services. PWP

For postgraduate route (level seven) – an undergraduate degree (preferably 2:1 or above*) is required in a field relevant to mental health – e.g. psychology, mental health nursing, social work. Experience of working in a mental health setting is also needed, preferably in primary care.

Both routes provide identical training. All students, regardless of exit level, study together.

Skills and experience needed

❙❙ Evidence of academic competence and

achievement in a relevant field of study

❙❙ Clinical experience in a relevant field of

mental health service provision – preferably primary care

Both of the above are essential criteria as competition for this training is very high across England.

Useful links

❙❙ https://www.england.nhs.uk/mentalhealth/adults/iapt/

❙❙ https://www.clinpsy.org.uk/forum/ ❙❙ https://www.mind.org.uk/media/494424/ we-still-need-to-talk_report.pdf

❙❙ https://www.samaritans.org/volunteer-us ❙❙ https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-youcan-do/volunteering-nspcc-childline/ volunteer-childline-helpline/

Benefits of Student Membership of the British Psychological Society The British Psychological Society (BPS) is the professional society that represents all psychologists in the UK. It provides support for psychology practitioners, develops policy and guidelines, and organises conferences and training. Most importantly for you, it accredits the Psychology courses at LJMU and at universities across the UK. They have made sure that every degree course covers the ‘core’ areas of psychology to equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to pursue training for a psychology career. This is called the ‘GBC’ – Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership. But you don’t have to wait until you graduate to become a member of the BPS! They welcome student members and the cost is about a fifth of what it would be once you graduate: only £25 for one year, or £63 for your full three year degree course. Student membership has the following benefits: ❙❙

❙❙ ❙❙ ❙❙

❙❙ ❙❙ ❙❙ ❙❙

Free copy of The Psychologist magazine every month, containing: Articles relating to cutting-edge research in psychology Articles relating to practice in professional areas such as clinical, forensic or educational psychology Career-related articles Adverts for psychology jobs and masters courses Psychtalk student magazine, with opportunities to publish your own writing Opportunity to attend the Student Conference and other networking events Access to a range of discounts on books, journals and events

Joining is easy and can be done online at:

https://www.bps.org.uk/join-us/membership/student-membership Student membership of the BPS provides lots of useful information and opportunities and is one possible option for demonstrating your seriousness about a career in Psychology

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

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CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

A CONVERSATION WITH A …

HIGH INTENSITY THERAPIST

Melissa Bett is the Deputy Clinical Lead and a High Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapist at Warrington Primary Care Psychological Services. What does your job involve? Everyday can be different with my job so it’s difficult for me to describe a typical day. I am the service’s Deputy Clinical Lead which includes attending multi-disciplinary meetings with secondary care services to assess and accept suitable patients for psychological therapies. I may be supervising practitioners or providing clinical guidance to staff or external agencies. I am also responsible for the clinical governance of the service and therefore I ensure practitioners are using the appropriate and most effective evidence based treatment, so I could be completing clinical audits. I am also responsible for ensuring our service meets its contractual targets and therefore I regularly review discharged patients to re-engage them back into psychological therapies as well as ensuring we increase access to therapy for local community groups. As well as being Deputy Clinical Lead I also manage a caseload of patients who I diagnostically assess and treat using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). I treat patients with OCD, PTSD, health anxiety, social phobia, specific phobias, panic disorder and depressive disorders. I use psychometric and client self-reported measures to identify the effectiveness of the CBT protocol used within a course of therapy. What three things do you like about your job? ❙❙ Treating common mental health problems and helping patients reach recovery from their disorders. ❙❙ Training – I have completed three post-graduate degrees within my IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) career, all of which have been fully funded by NHS England. ❙❙ Supervising and developing qualified and trainee practitioners. What three things are you not so keen on? ❙❙ IAPT is target driven – the service and individual practitioners have monthly targets to meet. This can be stressful, however it is with the overall aim to ensure our service is effective, productive and to improve our waiting lists.

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❙❙ Clinical audits – a very lengthy process. ❙❙ Very, very long meetings I have to attend.

experience was vital in helping me to acquire a trainee PWP role.

How do you become a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner or High Intensity Therapist in the NHS? I applied for the position of a trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) following two years post university experience in the field of mental health. I became a qualified PWP following completing my Postgraduate Certificate in Low Intensity CBT Interventions at LJMU. I developed as a qualified practitioner for three years, including completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Practice in Primary Care Mental Health at The University of Manchester and a PWP supervision qualification from UCLAN. This ensured that I could clinically supervise trainee and qualified PWP’s.

What advice would you give to undergraduate psychology students wanting to pursue this career route? It is an extremely competitive career and trainee posts will close within hours of them opening on NHS jobs (www.jobs.nhs.uk). The most important thing is to ensure that you have relevant experience, we are looking for experience of working with individuals experiencing common mental health problems. This can be in a paid or voluntary position. I would recommend during university try and volunteer with services such as the Samaritan’s. This will then allow you to gain more paid clinical experience after university or assist you to access a trainee PWP job. Computerised CBT services are excellent places to start to gain experience and would look desirable on your application. Also look out for trainee assistant practitioner jobs within IAPT, these roles will allow you to eventually move into a trainee PWP post.

In 2015, I became a Trainee High Intensity Therapist within the Warrington service. This included completing a Postgraduate Diploma in High Intensity CBT Therapy at The University of Chester. After qualifying as a HIT, I then achieved the role as a step 2 lead/ HIT at the service. This included being a line manager to PWP’s and a clinician. I remained in the post until 2017 where I then achieved the role as the services Deputy Clinical Lead. What kinds of work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today? After my undergraduate degree, I spent two years gaining clinical work experience in the field of mental health prior to IAPT. I worked firstly as a community support worker with adults with mental health disorders and following this I worked in a CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services) psychiatric ward as a clinical support worker. This

I have shortlisted and interviewed for many Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner’s and Trainee High Intensity Therapists over the years. I would recommend you ensure that your application identifies how you meet the essential criteria for the position, if it doesn’t you won’t be shortlisted. Get your applications in fast, these jobs close within hours with hundreds of applications!

Useful websites: ❙❙ www.jobs.nhs.uk/ ❙❙ www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/ psychological-therapies

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CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

Graduate Case Study ZOE LAWRENCE IS AN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS A TRAINEE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING PRACTITIONER What does your current job involve? My role involves conducting patient-centred interviews to identify areas where a patient wishes to see change, making accurate assessments of the risk a patient poses to themselves and others, making decisions on the suitability of new referrals, and referring unsuitable clients to alternative services or ‘stepping-up’ their treatment to high-intensity psychological therapy. I am also responsible for case management and treatment at Low Intensity/Step 2. This includes providing low-intensity interventions, such as psychoeducational interventions, guided self-help, computerised CBT, as well as assisting in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.

treated in an IAPT service, when really, they might need secondary care. Sometimes patients may end their own life during therapy, and this is very difficult for everyone involved in their care, as well as their family and friends. This is very uncommon; however, it might be at the back of your mind when working with high risk patients, which is naturally difficult. Tell us how you got to where you are today? My first helping role was as a support worker when I was 16 for a child with complex needs. During my second year at university, I completed a placement with a mindfulness company, and then volunteered there for the rest of university until I graduated. I also volunteered at an art and drama therapy centre. My first job after graduation was as a special educational needs teaching assistant. I then gained a role as a mental healthcare assistant in a psychiatric ward, where I worked for about a year. I then secured an honorary assistant psychologist role in a general hospital on a heart and lung transplant unit and a pain clinic. After that, I landed this role as a Trainee PWP. I believe my mental healthcare assistant and assistant psychologist roles were very important to secure my current position.

What three things do you like about your job? ❙❙ Helping people be their own therapist, improving their wellbeing and giving them tools to manage their mental health difficulties and reach their goals. ❙❙ The balance between being at university and at work, and being able to apply new skills learned in the work environment. ❙❙ Working with lots of different people from all different walks of life. What three things are you not so keen on? ❙❙ This role is very demanding because you’re at university and in work full-time. Revision and essay writing in your own time over evenings and weekends is sometimes required. ❙❙ Having a high caseload of patients as a trainee is quite overwhelming, and it increases as the year goes on/as you qualify. ❙❙ Sometimes patients that might not be relevant for an IAPT service end up being

What did the application process involve and how did you prepare? The application process for my current role involved applying through the university (UCL); however the other roles I applied for were all through NHS Jobs. I prepared to relocate for the job – as this is a very competitive role I applied all over the UK – and moved to London for my current job. I spent a lot of time researching

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and reading materials online, such as the Reach Out manual. I had two interviews and they were both very different, but both quite intense. I read a lot around the background of IAPT and possible interview questions. Some interviews may require a role play, most are an hour in length and include a psychologist, line manager and lecturer on the panel. Another thing to note is that trainee PWP roles go up on the NHS website and within the same day go down (sometimes within a few hours) due to a large number of applicants, so have a template ready to adjust accordingly to each job you apply for, to make sure you submit before the job gets taken down. Also set up alerts to your email for when the roles go live on NHS jobs. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Try and get a range of experience working in the community and in a hospital, with different roles. Tailor your applications specifically to the job spec and use headlines and bullet points to show how you meet all the essential and desirable criteria in order, or they might not even bother reading it. They receive such a high volume of applications, so it is important to make it as easy as possible for them to follow and offer you an interview. Do a thorough amount of research before interviews so you’re confident and able to answer any questions they might throw at you. This was my second time applying – perseverance is key for such competitive roles – so don’t give up!

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CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

A CONVERSATION WITH A…

COUNSELLOR

Alison Williams is a psychological wellbeing counsellor for Cheshire & Wirral NHS Foundation Trust What does your job involve? Most of my work is clinical and I deliver oneto-one therapy to employees of our trust. I currently have a caseload of 45 clients, but this can vary depending on the number of referrals into our service. I manage a high caseload by seeing clients fortnightly, or with even longer gaps, depending on where they are up to with therapy and their circumstances. I receive regular supervision on a one-to-one basis and also in a group setting. I am able to confer with our head of service and also the clinical team manager with regard to complex cases and for support in my work. I am also a senior supervisor in the team and work closely with my colleagues to support them in their clinical work. I co-ordinate any mediation requests that come into the service from our trust and, occasionally, external trusts. As a fully trained mediator, I am able to mediate between two parties and I am also trained to work with group mediations. I occasionally have to respond to traumatic incidents that may occur on the wards in our trust, and this involves delivering either individual or team debriefs to members of staff who have been involved in traumatic events. I also act as clinical lead on occasions and support our other counsellors and admin staff with clinical queries and complex referrals. My post involves working with various stakeholders and collaboration with occupational health services, human resources and managers of the trust, amongst others. Three things you like about your job: ❙❙ The most rewarding aspect of my work is delivering individual therapy and engaging clients in a process that can change the way they function in life; the rewards are often both satisfying and touching. ❙❙ I enjoy my position of responsibility and being able to offer sound clinical advice

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to my colleagues based on 20 years of experience in this field. It is very rewarding when my colleagues consult with me and we can work our way through a potential problem. ❙❙ Initially, I was reluctant to become involved in conflict resolution, but I now thoroughly enjoy my role as a mediator and having the opportunity to enable two individuals to find their way through a conflict situation and to gain greater understanding and respect for one another’s differences. I have assisted in delivering conflict resolution training with my manager and this has helped me to gain greater awareness of how people’s past experiences in their families can influence the way they manage conflict in the workplace. This is very interesting work and the outcomes can be unpredictable! Three things you’re not so keen on: ❙❙ It is very difficult to identify three things I am not keen on! However here goes… ❙❙ The detailed admin and record keeping that has to be completed. ❙❙ The number of emails that I receive from my managers and other areas of the trust which also need prompt attention. ❙❙ As this is such a busy service, there can be a lack of time for reflection (other than in supervision) and I am kept busy with the numbers of clients that I have to see in a day. In an ideal world, some more time in between appointments would be beneficial and provide time to reflect on the last client seen and prepare more thoroughly for the next one. How did you get into this career? My journey into this career began many years ago when my children were young and I wanted to do something to keep my mind active, so I completed a night class in psychology. I loved the mental health aspect of the course and then accessed an Introduction to Counselling course at the University of Chester. I then signed up to the Diploma in Counselling, gained a distinction, and thought I may as well go on and do the Masters in Counselling Studies. Throughout this time, I worked for a bereavement and loss charity and then carried out my student placement in an occupational health setting for my local council. I applied for a job in primary care and worked in and out of various GP practices for the next seven years, as well as working in a number of occupational health settings. What do you wish you’d known when you were a student? I wish I had been more prepared for the variety and complexity of the referrals that I have encountered over the years; nothing prepares you for that and you learn so much through experience and CPD. I also think that students need to be well prepared for dealing with risk situations and need to be very aware of the organisation’s safe-guarding policies

and practices. Self-care is also very important in this line of work and it is essential to have a good work/life balance and to enjoy activities outside of work. It can be competitive pursuing a career in counselling. What advice would you give to psychology students wanting to pursue this career route? It is a competitive field, but if your passion and commitment show through, hopefully success will follow. It is important to gain experience in various settings, if possible, as this helps to inform you about the wide variety of referrals that may come your way. Offering your service as a volunteer counsellor is also a helpful way of gaining a post in an NHS setting and there is a lot of knowledge to be gained from working alongside other experienced counsellors and joining in group supervision sessions. In our service, we value an integrative approach and all of our counsellors have training in a number of theoretical approaches to inform their work. We always look for BACP-accredited counsellors when we are looking to employ our therapists and I highly recommend this as a way forward. For more information about careers in counselling and counselling psychotherapy: ❚❚ British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP): www.bacp.co.uk/ crs/Training/careersincounselling.php ❚❚ UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP): www.psychotherapy.org.uk/

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CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

of people in terms of skills and experience, and that training and development opportunities are available to employees to enhance their performance and achieve the employer’s business aims.

SPOTLIGHT ON A CAREER IN ...

HUMAN RESOURCES

Human Resources (HR) can open doors to jobs in many sectors. You can build your career internationally or at home. From media to engineering and from banks to charities, pretty much every industry and company will need the expertise of a HR professional. HR officers for example develop, advise on and implement policies relating to the effective use of staff within an organisation. Their aim is to ensure that the organisation employs the right balance

We talked to Samantha Birkett, People and Organisational Development Manager in Human Resources at LJMU, about her career and asked for her top tips for those wishing to pursue a career in this area. What does your job involve? When you work in HR, there really isn’t a typical day, as your primary job is dealing with employees and an interrupted day becomes the norm. Employees frequently come to you with matters they wish to discuss and which are of course very important to them; it’s important that you don’t lose sight of this and that you are accessible to staff or you will be closed off to what is really happening in the organisation. I usually start the day by working through e-mails; these can range from guidance on a recruitment and selection process, training and development, absence management to queries about the interpretation of policies and procedures or payroll questions. HR managers tend to lead various teams within the HR function so a lot of time can be spent in meetings with staff, discussing their workload and any other matters they may be working on such as training and development initiatives, recruitment and selection, staff surveys and organisational change. There is usually some time in the day dedicated to policy development. The employment legislation framework in the UK changes at such a rapid pace that we have to be sure that all our policies and procedures reflect current changes and best practice. Many organisations are beginning to see the benefits of ensuring the wellbeing of employees so there are lots of new initiatives to ensure a healthy workforce which the HR manager may get involved in. This can be anything from helping manage stress and absence to more innovative ideas such as workplace fitness challenges and promotions about healthy eating.

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HR officers are involved in a range of activities required by organisations, whatever the size or type of business. These cover areas such as working practices, recruitment, pay, conditions of employment, negotiation with external workrelated agencies, assisting in implementing business change and equality and diversity.

What qualifications are required? Although this area of work is open to all graduates (particularly those who have studied business, management, and human resource management), having a psychology degree can also be a particularly relevant qualification and useful for this career path. There are various entry routes into human resources and competition for entry is generally fierce. Applying to a HR graduate training scheme is one possibility. Early application is strongly advised for such schemes. You could also try sending speculative applications for graduate roles.

Some graduates move into HR after having experienced placements in several areas of an organisation as part of a general management training programme. Starting in an administrative role in an HR department also provides useful experience, and it is possible to get promoted into HR management if suitable positions arise. Although it is possible to enter HR work without being professionally qualified, for middle and higher management posts employers will prefer an accredited qualification from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), the professional body for HR and people development - www.cipd.co.uk Every organisation is different and so is the way their HR function operates. From generalist roles to specialist positions, there are many different functions, depending on the organisation’s size and needs. For more information about the varied roles in HR, check out the careers section of the CIPD website - http://www.cipd.co.uk/ Prospects also has a good overview of this career route: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobprofiles/human-resources-officer

HR managers are often asked to assist when staff who work together experience interpersonal issues; sometimes this requires some form of informal resolution such as the facilitation of a mediation process which the HR manager would be responsible for. I will spend some part of most days talking to our trade union colleagues; many organisations have developed strong working relationships with their trade unions and can often tackle difficult issues in partnership. Three things you like about your job: ❙❙ Dealing with a diverse mix of people daily. ❙❙ Managing a great team of people who are dedicated to improving the organisation and getting the best out of staff. ❙❙ It’s great when you get to offer the successful candidate the post they have worked so hard to get or when you can resolve an employee’s problem. It can often be something minor but it still gives you a sense of satisfaction, and you can really feel that you have made a difference. Key points in your career development to date: Successfully obtaining the MA in Human Resource Management and then becoming a fellow of the CIPD did change the course of my career in a very positive way. Becoming a manager for the first time was quite daunting but it is enjoyable and rewarding and can of course be challenging. The first time I delivered a presentation to senior managers was quite overwhelming but you can improve with practice and are able to influence key HR matters by building your confidence in this area. Any words of advice for someone who wants to get into this career area? I still believe that CIPD membership is relevant and important if you are serious about developing a career in HR. It’s worth the effort and you will stand out against other candidates to potential employers.

What skills and experiences would students need to develop to be successful in HR? Good people skills, the ability to influence, strong listening skills, the ability to be firm and use softer skills when required and interchangeably. It can be quite a difficult job which some people don’t expect and you need to develop your sense of resilience. Any final top tips for the recruitment process? Make sure you know your employment legislation inside out - current, prospective and case law – this will impress a panel. Do your research about the company; they will have a HR strategy and numerous policies, so do your homework and understand the direction the HR team are going in and the complexities of the core business of the organisation you are applying for. Lots of HR staff overlook this and become insular, focusing their energies on core HR matters, and often losing sight of the bigger picture. Ensure you demonstrate your willingness to undertake continuous professional development (including the CIPD).

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CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

A CONVERSATION WITH A …

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Dr Sarah Butchard is employed as a clinical psychologist by Mersey Care NHS Trust, a large mental health trust serving Liverpool, Knowsley and Sefton. She is also vice-chair of the British Psychological Society’s Faculty for Psychology of Older People (FPOP) and works closely with the University of Liverpool both as an honorary lecturer and chair of the Clinical Psychology programme training committee. What does your job involve? It is very difficult to describe a ‘typical day’ as my job is so varied, which is why I enjoy it so much. I work in an older people’s community mental health team, and as such a large proportion of my time is spent seeing people aged over 65, or people living with dementia, for psychological support. This can be individual therapy but often is more systemic in nature working with couples, families and wider organisations. I am often referred people who are experiencing cognitive difficulties but the cause of these difficulties is unclear. I complete neuropsychological assessments with these people to provide a clearer understanding of the difficulties they are experiencing. Another aspect of my role is the development and facilitation of groups. We currently have a packed programme of groups running to support people living with dementia. Over more recent years, there has been a marked shift in the role of clinical psychologists away from one-to-one therapy towards a broader application of psychological theory to inform service development. I also spend time using the skills I have in evaluation to ensure that the services we provide are of a high quality and meeting the needs of the people we serve. In addition to this I am involved with various projects related to my role as vice chair of FPOP which ensures that I am never bored!

Three things you like about your job: 1. My favourite aspect is the clinical work I do in dementia services. Historically it was believed that there was no role for clinical psychology in dementia services due to the progressive nature of the cognitive impairments. Working in dementia services

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has made me re-evaluate my beliefs about the role of a clinical psychologist and I now feel that striving to help people achieve their full potential, whatever that might mean for each individual, is of vital importance. This has led to many developments in dementia services and I am proud of the quality of psychological services now on offer to people living with dementia. 2. I particularly enjoy working with a variety of different colleagues. Whilst I value the contact I have with other clinical psychologists, I also enjoy working in collaboration with colleagues from other disciplines. I believe that we should consider all aspects of an individual when we work with them and this means working in a multidisciplinary way. Differences of opinions can also arise and it forces me to question my own assumptions and values. 3. I get bored easily so I need new challenges regularly. I am lucky in that my job allows me to face new challenges all the time. I recently got involved in a large-scale research study investigating whether the application of a human rights-based approach to dementia care can lead to improvements in the care people with dementia receive. This has encouraged me to revisit my research skills (so do listen when you have research lectures – you may need the information one day!)

Three things you’re not so keen on: 1. With a varied role comes a varied, sometimes extremely high, workload! 2. It can be extremely frustrating when services are restricted due to financial pressures. Everyone is aware that we are living in times of austerity and working in mental health services, we see the consequences that social inequalities can have on an individual’s mental wellbeing. It is disheartening when you can see the solution to a person’s difficulties but financial or social factors make this impossible. 3. Travelling with work can sound glamorous but given that I’m not so keen on early mornings, getting the 7am train to London regularly is not a treat for me! How did you get into this career? I graduated from the University of Manchester in 1999 with a BSc in Psychology. I went on to work as an assistant psychologist, which provided me with a good understanding of the practical application of psychological theory and helped me understand the context and settings in which clinical psychologists operate. Having obtained a place on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology I completed six six-month placements in a variety of clinical settings which gave me a clearer idea of the kind of clinical psychologist I wanted to be as well as the clinical area I wanted to work in. What do you wish you had known when you were a student? I first became interested in clinical psychology when I was at university, but unfortunately was not well supported in this. Despite being on

track to receive a good degree, I was told that it would be almost impossible to secure a place on a training course – this obviously wasn’t true. What I would say however is that it is important to consider whether this is a career that you are truly interested in, as there is a lot of hard work involved in being successful in obtaining a training place. There may be multiple knock backs and hurdles but if you are passionate about pursing clinical psychology as a career, I would certainly recommend it.

What kinds of work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today? I have always been interested in working with people and so even before I knew that I wanted to pursue this career, I tended to look for opportunities that allowed me to support people. Over the years, I have worked or volunteered in; a day centre for people with intellectual disabilities, a play scheme for children with a variety of special needs and a mental health unit for working age adults. It can be very competitive pursuing a career in clinical psychology. What advice would you give to psychology students wanting to pursue this career route? The best advice I could give, although it sounds obvious, is to get the best degree you possibly can. Clinical psychology training is extremely competitive and almost all candidates have the basic requirements. Given that most courses will receive in excess of 20 applicants for each place on the course, they need to discriminate between people in some way. Often this is via degree class. There has always been a requirement to obtain at least a 2.1 or a 2.2 plus a Master degree to pursue a career in clinical psychology, but as competition increases, it is getting harder to win a place on a course with a 2.2. So, whilst I would still recommend trying to gain relevant experience during your degree, if the choice is between dedicating time to your studies or gaining experience I would choose the academic work. You can always gain relevant experience after your degree but you can’t go back and get a better degree class!

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CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

and a practice supervisor for students on a BPS training course. Much of this work is online, or via telephone and Skype.

A CONVERSATION WITH A …

COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGIST

Dr Pam James is a self-employed counselling psychologist (Independent Practitioner). This differs from those colleagues who work in an organisation, such as the NHS. The main differences are having a team of other psychologists in the same building for discussion; the pace of work is not self-organised and the work is salaried. The kinds of issues that are presented by clients are similar. What does your job involve? My day is planned in advance and I have a closelymanaged diary, between the hours of 9am and 9pm. I work from a part of my home that has been set aside to see clients. I have appointments with four clients a day which is the most manageable number. Some have been referred by their GP, by a psychiatrist, by self-referral through one of the directories or through an insurance company. I also see counsellors and other therapists for supervision; I have a voluntary involvement in the British Psychological Society and so there are emails to attend to in connection with this. I am also an academic supervisor for students’ theses on a doctoral training course in a university

Three things you like about your job: I can work at my own pace. It is good to see people and apply the knowledge and training gained to help them directly and I can plan the variety of the day. Three things you’re not so keen on: I do like nearly every part of the job, so it’s not so easy to list things that aren’t ok. I receive payment from a number of different sources and have to manage an invoicing system and keep records as a self-employed person. This task is necessary but can be time-consuming! It can be very competitive pursuing a career in counselling psychology. What advice would you give to psychology students wanting to pursue this career route? Get voluntary and paid experience working with different people in different cultures; don’t worry too much about the nature of the task. Make sure the environment is physically safe. Start this voluntary involvement when you are an undergraduate and make sure that you have enough time for your degree studies! Train to be a counsellor after your psychology degree, then train on the BPS route to be a counselling psychologist. This route is called the Qualification (doctoral level) and all the details are available on the BPS website. The other route is to study on one of the 13 doctoral programmes in counselling psychology that are situated in England and Scotland. For either of the two routes mentioned above, you will need to look very carefully at the entry requirements. It’s helpful to think about where and how you might like to train as a postgraduate, when you are still an undergraduate. This will

psychology graduates sought after for entrylevel positions in the marketing sector.

SPOTLIGHT ON A CAREER IN ...

MARKETING

Marketing is a popular career choice amongst many graduates and as a profession it offers challenge, excitement and variety. You don’t have to have studied marketing either to get into the industry. It is by no means only business and management graduates that develop successful careers in marketing. Having a good understanding of consumer behaviour and the ability to evaluate market research data makes

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Working in marketing can be a varied and interesting career. Some marketing jobs primarily involve research skills or data analysis, others demand creativity and interpersonal skills, and many require a mix of logical thinking, drive and excellent communication skills. The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) defines marketing as ‘the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably’. The well-known 7 P’s highlight the sequence in the marketing process: develop your Product, get the right Packaging, Position it in the marketplace, Promote it at the right Price to achieve a reasonable Profit, with the right People. You can find out more about the marketing sector and the various roles available on the Prospects website: www.prospects.ac.uk/ marketing_advertising_pr_sector.htm.

help you to make decisions about how to manage your available time. My own route was a little different as I followed a research route after my undergraduate degree, then I had an academic career in colleges and universities. During this time and in parallel with working, I trained part-time to be a counselling psychologist. Although there were several years of intense activity, the advantage has been that I was able to apply much of the psychology that I learnt into my current practice. Perhaps a final word is about remaining open to your own experience and the experiences of other people. Counselling psychologists are always in supervision which is a place to confidentially discuss case-work and remain as self-aware as possible. It is also necessary to maintain continuing professional development (CPD) which keeps an open view on different aspects of working and is also an arena to be in touch with colleagues.

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) also provides a useful overview of the industry, including some advice for graduates on entering the sector: http://www.cim.co.uk/ more/getin2marketing One of the beauties of working in marketing is the many opportunities to specialise in certain areas such as market research, digital marketing and direct marketing or diversify into other related disciplines such as public relations and advertising. New entrants into the industry will typically start their career as a marketing executive but, in a world where branding and re-branding is commonplace this job is sometimes known as product manager or assistant brand manager. Another popular entry level position is that of market researcher.

We chatted to LJMU alumnus Jo Denye who is Head of Marketing at Teach First. We asked about her marketing career to date and her top tips for entering this profession….

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

What qualifications are required? Entry levels vary but most employers require a degree. I started with a 2.1 in Business Studies from LJMU and then went on to gain my CIM postgrad. It’s not essential to do a postgraduate qualification, but it does help with progression. Generally when I’m recruiting I consider experience and attitude to be just as important as qualifications. My degree was a four-year sandwich course which I believe really helped me at the start of my career, as it enabled me to gain some tangible experience. Briefly explain what your job involves: Marketing is about identifying demand relative to a product or service and developing ways in which consumers can engage or purchase that product or service. For me in my role at education charity Teach First, this means taking strategic responsibility for our recruitment brand. Now the largest graduate employer in the UK, my team are responsible for the attraction of candidates to our Leadership Development Programme (LDP). Three things you like about your job: Overall I would say that working for a charity is one of the things I like the most about my job. It’s really great to feel that the work you are doing is making a difference. At Teach First our vision is that no child’s educational success is limited by their background. Every day I know that the work I am doing is having a direct impact and contributing towards that vision. When it comes to marketing, the thing I like most about the work is how varied it can be. There is always a new challenge and the opportunity to be creative. One day I could be on a photo-shoot for a new campaign and the next presenting to our business leaders council or meeting potential applicants at our events. Key points in your career development to date: My first role after graduating was a key point in my career. I joined a marketing start-up as the first full-time employee. I was totally in at the deep end as I had to do everything from finding new clients and pitching to developing and delivering strategy and campaigns. A baptism of fire but a great experience. Another key point was moving to Australia. I quit my job and arrived in Sydney with no job or place to live but a few weeks later I managed to land a job and sponsorship. The biggest thing I took away from the experience was confidence. Any words of advice for someone who wants to get into this career area? Gain as much experiences as you can. It will really set you apart in the job market. I know my year in industry helped a lot when I was first starting out. Also don’t be afraid to try

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

a few different things. My degree was in business but I did work experience in HR and marketing to try and figure out what I wanted to do. Whatever you decide, make sure it’s something you love and then it won’t feel like work at all! What skills and experiences would you say students need to develop to be successful in marketing? Interpersonal and communication skills are important in any role but especially important in marketing. You’ll be required to build an understanding of the consumer as well as the needs of the client, and balance lots of stakeholder relationships. Creativity is also essential. Depending on your role, you may be required to write copy for marketing materials and press releases or help with the layout and design of media. On top of this, your work may involve contributing to the ideas stage of planning a campaign. Depending on your role you may also need some specific technical skills. As digital marketing becomes more and more important as a means of communicating with and building relationships with customers, those with IT and web skills will increasingly be sought after by employers. What do you wish you had known when you were a student? University really is one of the best times of your life. Looking back I certainly wish I had made more of the freedom. If I had my time again I would have travelled a lot more and made more of the summer breaks. Working in graduate recruitment I also see the pressure that students are under these days to increase their employability and focus on career planning. My advice would be not

to worry too much and make sure that you remember going to university is also about the experience and not just the job at the end of it. Any final top tips for the recruitment process? My biggest piece of advice would be to just go for it. If you can demonstrate your enthusiasm and passion it counts for so much and will really set you apart. You can always learn new skills but you can’t teach someone how to have a good attitude. Getting some tangible experience and committing to your own development is also really important. It took me a while to realise it but the best thing you can do for your career development is ask for feedback. Where would you recommend looking for a graduate job in marketing, advertising and PR? Many organisations promote their vacancies through university careers services, careers fairs and on their own graduate vacancy pages. However, many specialist marketing and PR publications have dedicated job websites for marketing, advertising and PR jobs: ❙❙ Campaign: www.campaignlive.co.uk/ ❙❙ Marketing Week Jobs: https://jobs.marketingweek.com/ ❙❙ PR Week: www.prweek.com/uk Building up your network of contacts is also very important, as smaller businesses and marketing agencies may use informal recruitment practices to find candidates. Creating and maintaining a profile on LinkedIn is another way to find employers and potential work. Many companies advertise their graduate opportunities on social media, so ensure that you regularly check the Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages of marketingrelated companies.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

Experience is the key... DR JENNIFER MCLAUGHLIN, LECTURER IN FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY, NATURAL SCIENCES AND PSYCHOLOGY, EXPLAINS THE ADVANTAGES OF AN WORK EXPERIENCE TO ENHANCE YOUR EMPLOYABILITY The Psychology degree goes beyond just teaching you theories about human thinking and behaviour; it helps you understand how it is applied in practice and what it means in real world settings. The modules provided give you specialist knowledge in the areas psychologists actually work in, such as education, forensics, health, substance use, and neuroscience. The degree is delivered by expert academics who are actively engaged in a wide range of research. This ensures that the teaching you receive is informed by the very latest research in that area. The programme has been designed to help you develop not only your knowledge and skills, but also your self-awareness, self-management, self-expression and self-presentation, so that you emerge from your studies as a fully-rounded and practical individual who is wellprepared for the world of work. In addition, there is a strong focus on employability and developing transferrable skills throughout the degree, which makes you well placed to pursue your chosen career, whatever that may be. In the second year of your degree, you have the opportunity to undertake a 20-hour work placement. Students get to choose their own placement, ensuring that it meets the individual student’s needs and interests. Students choose to undertake their placements in a wide variety of settings, such as within nurseries, schools, charities and organisations that support people with mental health issues or social

Top tips on making the most of your placement!

issues such as homelessness, victim support, prison settings, and healthcare settings. In the next academic year, we are also going to open up more opportunities to students who wish to pursue careers in research or academia, such as offering placements as research assistants, or giving students the chance to shadow a Psychology lecturer! The work placement is a very valuable opportunity. Gaining this type of applied experience helps students to reach decisions about which direction they would like to go in with their career. It can also establish useful contacts, and a source which can provide a work reference in a relevant field. Many of our students choose to work with their placement beyond the required placement hours to further develop their experience and strengthen their CV. Students often reflect that the placement was a very beneficial experience, both in terms of their future career, and in contributing to their personal development.

15-20

Facts and figures

Estimated percentage of psychology graduates who will complete postgraduate courses and training, and become professional, chartered psychologists (source: University of Manchester website). Other psychology graduates go on to use their degree in a variety of other careers.

Choose your placement based on specific careers that interest you.

Plan early! Good placements can take a while to organise.

Be professional and put your best foot forward! You never know what opportunities they may be able to offer in the future.

Build good relationships. They can give you a wealth of information about your desired career, not to mention a good reference!

psychology. 1 in 6 applicants got a place on a course (source: website of the Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology).

Take employers’ advice about other types of experience or skills you might need.

Ask questions! Make the most of your access to an expert in the field.

psychology graduates in 2013 were 15% ofundertaking further study, and a further 10%

Reflect on how the knowledge you are gaining from your degree fits in the applied setting.

Reflect on your own personal development.

Use the experience to inform your career goals.

10. Don’t forget your personal tutor will be there to help, support and advise you.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

success rate in 2016 for those who applied 16% The to the three year Doctorate course in clinical

were combining work and study at the same time, six months after graduation (Prospects website).

of new cognitive behavioural therapy 3600 Number workers trained to work within the NHS (IAPT

website) following the introduction of IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) in 2009 – which is an NHS programme offering interventions for treating people with depression and anxiety disorders.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

Placement Case Study JESSICA MCKENZIE IS AN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY GRADUATE WHO ARRANGED A PLACEMENT YEAR AT AIRBUS UK. WE SPOKE TO JESSICA ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES ON PLACEMENT How did your placement year come about? Although a placement is not a requirement or option on my course, I thought that by doing a placement year it would help me to stand out from the crowd when it comes to applying for graduate jobs in the future. At first I wasn’t sure I would be successful in getting one as I know how competitive they are. Nevertheless, I applied to several large companies close to my hometown and seven months later I received a phone call asking if I would like to go for interview! What did you do during your placement? My role was split between two departments at the Airbus Broughton site and I reported to a human resource manager and a marketing manager. Although I was an intern, my role was exactly the same as other employees in these departments, which means I gained lots of valuable experience. Do you have any long term career plans? How will your placement help you? Yes, I would like to secure a graduate job with a company in a human resources department and work towards my CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) qualification with

their help. Hopefully, with a year’s experience at Airbus UK, I will be able to either return on completion of my studies, or get a job at another similar large graduate recruiter. What was the recruitment process like for your placement year? Firstly, I needed to complete a fairly standard online application form. I also had to write a short covering letter explaining why I was applying for the role in question. For the job I was applying to, you had to be studying towards a business or HR degree, which I am not, so I had to outline why I thought my Applied Psychology degree could also help me in a career in HR. The second stage was the assessment centre, which was very nerve racking! There were about ten candidates on the day and around 15-20 assessors that spent the day with us. They assessed us during a group work task and then in an interview situation. We also had a chance to talk to the current interns and ask any questions. Finally, we were asked to write a few pages on what we thought we could bring to the company and why we wanted to work for them. Around two weeks later, I received a phone call to say they were considering me for the

role in marketing, as well as HR and wanted to ask me a few more questions to assess my suitability. The questions focused on how they thought I would be able to cope with having effectively two jobs and two line managers. A few hours after the second telephone interview I was offered the position! What advice would you give to other Applied Psychology students studying at LJMU to improve their employability? Volunteer. Whatever it is you want to do, offer to do a few unpaid hours to gain experience. I volunteered in the HR department in my part-time job on four separate days. That may not seem very much but those days provided me with the experience I needed to secure my placement. Any other top career tips? Keep your options open. Studying a certain degree doesn’t mean you are confined to a certain career. I chose to study psychology, applied for a HR job and was offered a marketing one! I am hoping that somewhere along the way I will find which area will suit me and find something I really enjoy. The flexibility means that if I’m not keen on one area, I can then venture into the other!

Internship Case Study SOPHIE QUAYLE IS AN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY GRADUATE WHO DID AN LJMU-FUNDED INTERNSHIP AT SOCIAL ENTERPRISE PLACED AS A PROGRAMME ASSISTANT Tell us a little bit about your internship? As a Programme Assistant I worked closely with the PLACED Director and delivery team to develop education and consultation programmes to teach a wide range of people across the Northwest about architecture and the built environment. I supported two core projects: an Easter School workshop for young people to gain an insight into urban design and planning and an outreach programme to raise awareness about the value of people having a voice in their built environment. I wanted to do this internship because I know how important it is to build up as much experience as possible during the time you are at university and to make yourself stand out from other candidates. I also thought the role sounded very interesting and felt I could demonstrate all the essential skills they were asking for.

of interviews and how to prepare most effectively. I also made sure I thoroughly researched the company and looked at previous projects they had done, so I could show I was genuinely interested in their work.

Where did you find out about the internship? I received an email from the Careers Team at LJMU with an attachment regarding the job specification and information about the company.

What advice would you give other students to improve their employability? I think being part of a society is a great way to meet new people and also demonstrates to future employers that you are an active and sociable person. Also, as LinkedIn is becoming an increasingly common way for jobs to be advertised, making sure you have a fully completed page, and asking previous employers or academic tutors to write you a recommendation would further help to show potential employers what an asset you would be to their team.

What did you enjoy most? I loved being involved in the planning and organising side of things for the workshop activities and engaging with the public to find out their thoughts and ideas on how their local built environment could be improved. What did the application process involve and how did you prepare? I emailed my CV to the Employer Engagement staff from the Careers Team and then received an email inviting me for an interview with the company Director. I got an Employability Adviser to check my CV before I sent it to highlight the skills I had which were required for the role and attended a workshop with a Careers Adviser on the types

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

How do you feel that the placement has benefitted you? With the outreach programme and Easter workshop, I had to interact with people of all ages which enabled me to develop my interpersonal and engagement skills by learning the most effective way to communicate with each age group. I was also able to improve my IT skills, specifically with Microsoft Excel which I was less familiar with when filling in the details of applicants.

Has the placement helped you with your long-term career plans? I plan to go into HR initially and then work with young people in an employability/careers advising position, so being able to work with young people in the Easter School and then people of all ages in the outreach project was very helpful in helping me to deal with a variety of people.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

The benefits of Volunteering WE CHATTED TO FINAL-YEAR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENT SAMMY

NORTON ABOUT HER FIVE-WEEK EXPERIENCE IN SRI LANKA AS A VOLUNTEER TEACHER WITH SLV Tell us about SLV and how you found out about this great volunteering opportunity? During the first year of my degree, I was worried that I did not have enough experience in the mental health field, so I decided to research mental health placements. I found it difficult to find relevant work experience or placements that would fit in with my university life. Luckily, I stumbled upon the SLV.Global webpage. The more I researched what they offered and where they offered the placements, the more I wanted to be a part of the team. The fact that they offer placements that are purposely made to fit around university life sold it to me as well as all the fantastic aspects of the projects they offered. What was your experience like and what did it involve? My experience with SLV.Global was out of this world. I was not sure what to expect and how I would cope with being away from home and working in a different country, as I am a home comforts kind of girl. However, I found it very surprising how quickly I became accustomed to life in Sri Lanka, and it soon became my second home. I really liked the way of life, the way of work and the kind nature of the Sri Lankans. During my placement, I was involved in various different projects. I worked alongside a fantastic team of volunteers and locals to provide support and learning in various different services. I worked within:

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Psychiatric facilities – Here I worked on various different wards providing patients with art and sensory projects. These skills allow for preparation for discharge back into the community or halfway mental health homes. Special needs day centres and orphanages – Here we were able to organise art tasks, musical activities and social games. Mental health care homes – Here we involved residents in art activities, creative activities, cooking skills, dancing and singing activities and speaking English. Addiction clinics – Here we attended addiction clinics delivered in a group format that allow former and current addicts come together and talk as a group to express how they are coping with a psychologist present. All individuals are able to develop friendships with others within the group. This makes the road to recovery a little easier when they have access to support not only from professionals but also others who are in similar situations. Meditation workshops – Here we had the opportunity to learn a little more about the culture and the religious background of where we were working. We were able to practise different types of meditation techniques alongside a Buddhist monk. English teaching – Here our responsibility was to teach basic English to children, young adults and the elder generation.

The purpose of all the projects listed is to promote positive mental health and develop the individuals’ social and confidence skills. All projects also allow individuals to develop their basic English skills and give volunteers the opportunity to learn Sinhala (the language spoken in that area of Sri Lanka).

What did you enjoy most and least?

There wasn’t really anything that I didn’t enjoy on this placement because I had a fantastic time both on the projects I was assigned CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

to, the home life and the friends and family I made and of course the traveling with my adopted family. However, I was very nervous about the English project because I am not very confident in my English skills and I am dyslexic. I found that I really enjoyed this project and found that I returned back to England with better English language skills than when I left for the placement. If I had to pick my favourite thing that I did in Sri Lanka other than all the fantastic projects I was involved in, this would definitely be the team building weekend in the jungle. I thought I knew what teamwork was before this weekend, but I was so very wrong! The jungle weekend really highlighted how important teamwork is. Activities such as white water rafting, cliff jumping and simple group problem-solving tasks could not be achieved without the team pulling together. Would you recommend other students do this? I would 100% recommend this opportunity to other students, as they will earn invaluable skills and experience. You will definitely learn who you are and what you are capable of. I have come away from this experience with a better view on life. If you have the opportunity, do it, you will not regret it! What did the application process involve? The application process is easy. You complete an online application form on their website, and once they have reviewed this, they offer successful applicants a time slot for a telephone interview. If you are successful at that stage, you will receive an email to offer you a place. Once you have chosen a time period and duration for the placement, they set up a portal with all the information and deadlines you will have to meet in preparation for your placement. They will email you and guide you through the whole process. The team are beyond helpful! How do you feel it has benefited you? This opportunity has benefited me in so many ways: the experience I gained is invaluable, the people I have met have become family, the skills I learnt will be skills I will never forget, and my confidence has most definitely been boosted. This opportunity opens your eyes to a completely new world and once you have seen it, there is no going back. The placement has not only benefited me emotionally, but also intellectually. I have learnt that nothing can stop you achieving, as long as you put hard work and passion into what you want to achieve. Any top tips for this kind of experience? Do not be afraid to jump into uncomfortable waters; it is usually the scariest opportunities that are the best and most invaluable ones. Do not over-pack, as you can find anything over there. Although take plenty of sun cream and bug spray! They do not sell that surprisingly. Never underestimate the importance of water! Always take a litre of water around with you. Always travel as a group on the weekends; it’s safer and more enjoyable! Last of all; make the most of everything you do! Take note, write a diary and take loads of pictures, because you will miss it when you return!

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES AT LJMU

Get support on your doorstep in our campus

Careers Zones

WHETHER YOU WANT TO EXPLORE YOUR CAREER OPTIONS, GET YOUR CV AND APPLICATION FORM CHECKED, FIND A WORK PLACEMENT,

IMPRESS AT INTERVIEW OR MEET AND NETWORK WITH EMPLOYERS, WE CAN HELP IN A VARIETY OF WAYS VIA OUR CAMPUS CAREERS ZONES.

LJMU’s Careers Team provides tailored careers support to all LJMU students during their studies through delivery of careers education, information, advice and guidance from our three campus-based Careers Zones. The Careers Zones are located in Aldham Robarts Library, Byrom Street and IM Marsh Library. Call in to find out how we can help you. Alternatively phone us on 0151 231 2048/3719 if you can’t make it into a Careers Zone.

What support can I get in the Careers Zones?

Support from your Careers Adviser

Support from Employability Advisers

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Bookable appointments with Careers and Employability Advisers to provide you with individual, tailored support

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Drop ins (no appointment required) to speak to an adviser and access help with quick careers and employabilityrelated questions

In the School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, you have your own dedicated Careers Adviser, Hayley Fallon. You are likely to meet Hayley at some point during your programme of study. She is available for:

Our Employability Advisers Anja Heid, Jenny Hammond, Nicola Davenport, Gwyneth Tyrer, Sally Beyer and Karen Forman work across the university Careers Zones providing professional, personalised advice on:

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Expert job sector advice and information tailored to your needs

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Careers guidance interviews to discuss career options with your degree, including finding jobs/ postgraduate options and gaining relevant work experience

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Signposting to useful resources and information

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Signposting to careers events, workshops and fairs

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Access to a range of employers who regularly visit the Zones

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Help to access our online careers tools via ‘Careers Zone 24/7’

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Help to access our job search websites including GoinGlobal

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Looking for jobs and the application process Tailoring your CV & covering letters Writing applications and personal statements for work experience, jobs, postgraduate study and PhDs Preparing for interviews

INTERVIEW PRACTICE SESSIONS We offer individual interview practice sessions to help build your confidence by experiencing a one-to-one ‘mock’ interview with a trained assessor who will give you detailed feedback and advice. Whether you want to practise your interview technique or are preparing for a real life interview, you can book in to use this service.

A student says ...

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I booked an appointment at the Careers Zone to speak to an Employability Adviser. She recommended several improvements to my CV and new opportunities I should consider including going to local networking events. I met my future manager at the very first event I went to. The Employability Adviser has kept in touch for a long time after the appointment to help me with my LinkedIn account and my formal interview with the manager later. Overall, the recommendations from staff from the Careers Zones were close to real businesses’ expectations, which was extremely helpful.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES AT LJMU

Connect with

employers

THERE ARE NUMEROUS WAYS YOU CAN CONNECT WITH

EMPLOYERS WHILE YOU STUDY, ALLOWING YOU TO NETWORK, DISCUSS OPPORTUNITIES, GET THEIR ADVICE AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEIR CAREER JOURNEY.

01.

EMPLOYER VISITS TO CAREERS ZONES

02.

RECRUITMENT FAIRS & FESTIVALS

03.

SPECIALIST WORKSHOPS

Employers regularly visit the three Careers Zones at LJMU to discuss their opportunities and to meet and network with students. See below for more information about who has visited the Zones.

LJMU run a range of large-scale careers fairs, where you can meet and talk with employers about career options, and recruitment fairs, which feature graduate employers and recruitment agencies with jobs to recruit. Go to careers.ljmu.ac.uk to see what is coming up. Other large-scale fairs run around the country so check local listings at https://www.prospects.ac.uk/events

Each year we run a series of specialist workshops for students that fall outside of the regular yearround careers and employability workshops. In the last academic year for instance we ran workshops about graduate schemes, gaining work experience, and applying to graduate courses in dentistry and medicine.

04.

GUEST SPEAKERS

05.

EMPLOYER PRESENTATIONS

Guest speakers are usually featured as part of the curriculum but we also arrange for speakers to come into LJMU to talk about their job role and industry. Sometimes this will be part of an industry event, such as the ‘A Career in Clinical Psychology ’ event we arranged last year.

Employers visit the university to highlight job and placement opportunities for students and graduates. Often these will be bigger employers who are advertising graduate schemes or industrial placements. Last year Aldi, the British Council and Teach First all spoke at LJMU.

Employers in the Careers Zones ... Employers visit the Careers Zones each week offering real jobs, internships and other career opportunities. Check with staff in the Careers Zone to find out who’s coming in and don’t miss these great opportunities to meet and network with employers from a range of sectors. Organisations who have visited the Zones include:

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Liverpool Universities Officer Training Corps Civil Service Fast Stream Careers in Teaching Hire STEM Women CRISIS Smaller Earth Brook Barclays Digital Eagles Enterprise Rent-a-Car NCS Challenge

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

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All Wales Public Service Graduate Programme Camp Counsellors USA Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service Liverpool FC Foundation The Right Legal Group VMM International Catch 22 Chatteris Education Foundation Shropshire Wildlife Trust Hays Construction

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Everton in the Community Decathlon Reed Digital Service Cover Hays Recruitment Anthony Nolan/Marrow QVC Reed Scientific Camp America HMRC

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES AT LJMU

Careers website THE CAREERS WEBSITE IS THE FIRST PORT OF CALL TO FIND OUT ABOUT CAREERS SERVICES, TO ACCESS ONLINE CAREERS TOOLS AND TO DOWNLOAD ANY OF OUR GUIDES AND RESOURCES

01.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDES

02.

CAREER INSIGHTS

Each year, working alongside academic colleagues, the Careers Team produces school-specific Career Planning Guides, which give information about career options related to your degree as well as a range of articles about careers topics including CVs, applications forms, interviews, finding graduate level jobs and more.

These handy guides provide a more in-depth overview of career options with your degree and signpost you to useful links to get your research into future careers and employers under way.

03.

MINI GUIDES

04.

CAREERS ZONE 24/7

05.

BOOK A WEBINAR

06.

SEARCH FOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES

The Careers Team have distilled their wisdom on career planning, CVs, applications and interviews into a series of short guides. Also use our mini guides for further information on postgraduate study, including teacher training, and subject-specific advice, e.g. for Science, Arts and Nursing students.

We have a range of digital careers tools available to enable you to work on vitally important employability skills at your own pace, in your own time, either on or off campus. The 24/7 tools suite includes CV Builder, Interview Simulator, Careers Newsroom, CV and Interview Learning Zone, Job Search websites, GoinGlobal and more.

A webinar is an online class which you can attend from anywhere on any device with an internet or WiFi connection. Sessions include Finding Hidden Jobs, Effective Applications, Introduction to LinkedIn - the ‘Facebook’ for Professionals, Winning CVs, Interview Success and more. To book go to: https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk

Search for part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, work placements, internships or graduate roles. Our job search websites are free to all students and graduates and list opportunities with both regional, national and international employers. Go to Careers Zone 24/7 on the Careers website to access the sites.

To visit the Careers website go to:

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES AT LJMU

Careers Zone 24/7

online careers tools

WE HAVE A RANGE OF DIGITAL CAREERS TOOLS AVAILABLE VIA THE CAREERS TEAM WEBSITE TO ENABLE YOU TO WORK ON VITALLY IMPORTANT EMPLOYABILITY AND TRANSITION SKILLS AT YOUR OWN PACE, IN YOUR OWN TIME, BOTH ON OR OFF CAMPUS

01.

CV AND COVER LETTER BUILDER

02.

INTERVIEW SIMULATOR

CV builder and cover letter builder allow you to create an expert CV and covering letter within minutes and download into multiple templates. Watch videos of employers discussing what they need to see in each section of your CV and covering letter. This tool is ideal for students looking to write their first CV or cover letter. The interview simulator allows you to take a mock interview and test yourself with interactive questions and best practice answers from experienced professionals to build up your confidence and competence.

03.

CAREERS NEWSROOM

04.

CAREER ASSESSMENTS

05.

PRACTICE PSYCHOMETRIC TESTS

Features thousands of articles on careers and employability from leading global publications, updated every week with a newsletter function built in.

Each assessment provides a report for each student with tailored recommendations. Assessments include: personality insights, temperament, strengths, learning styles, sound decision-making, assertiveness, customer focus, emotional control, management skills, stress management and more.

Practice aptitude tests including numerical, verbal, inductive, diagrammatic, logical, situational judgement, critical thinking, error checking and e-tray exercises and a wealth of other assessment tools used by graduate employers via Careers Zone 24/7. See p.54 for further details.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

06.

GOINGLOBAL DATABASE

07.

INDEED JOB SEARCH

The database allows you to search for jobs and internships around the world. It contains country career guides, information on visas and local culture, employer directories and much more. Access GoinGlobal via Careers Zone 24/7 or visit: http://online.goinglobal.com/default.aspx

Allows you to search millions of jobs, in over 50 countries, from thousands of job sites, newspapers, recruiters and company career sites.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES AT LJMU

CareerSmart:

Explore, Experience and Engage FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LJMU’S CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYABILITY PROGRAMME AND HOW IT CAN HELP YOU WHILST STUDYING AT LJMU

All students in their first year of study will have an opportunity to engage with the first stage of the ‘CareerSmart’ programme as an integral part of a core module of study. The ‘CareerSmart: Explore’ e-learning tool will introduce you to the steps involved in making informed choices about your career. It enables you to consider your strengths and development areas, career motivators, the options available to you and the necessary steps to take to achieve your career goals. You will then have the opportunity to complete the next stage of the programme, ‘CareerSmart: Experience’. Here, you will learn about the value of work-related learning by finding out about the range of opportunities available, eg Work-Based Learning, part-time work, internships, volunteering, work shadowing and international opportunities. You will also learn about the benefits of these experiences including skill development, networking and sector insight. This stage also includes resources on how to find work experience and making the most of the opportunity. The third stage of the programme, ‘CareerSmart: Engage’ is employer-informed and you will find out what graduate recruiters are looking for in successful candidates. The resource will support you through each stage of the graduate recruitment process, including the job search, application process, and selection methods – interviews, psychometric tests, assessment centres. The CareerSmart programme complements the wide range of career-related provision and services available to LJMU students to support your development throughout your studies, including the one-to-one careers information, advice and guidance delivered in the campus Careers Zones.

CareerSmart: Explore e-learning assessment For students starting a programme of study in 2018, the CareerSmart: Explore e-learning resource will be completed as an assessment of one of your first-year modules. The resource will take you through steps to help you to set some goals for your first year, which can help you on your career development journey. The steps include an exploration of the following areas:

❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚

Where am I now? Reflecting on your current skills, interests and experience Where do I want to be? Discovering your career options with your degree How do I get there? Understanding the steps to take to achieve your career plans

A Careers Adviser says ...

“

Competition for professional jobs is tough but LJMU are confident that our enhanced career development and employability programme will enable you to compete against the best candidates and win.

There are many options open to you after you finish university. However, whilst it is great to know that there are so many options open to you, at the same time it can feel confusing and overwhelming to have so many choices. The first thing to remember is that uncertainty about your future career plan is normal and that many students feel this way! Although it may appear as if everyone around you has ‘a plan’ and that your fellow students all know what job they want to do in the future, this may not necessarily be the case. It is important not to panic if you are undecided about which career path you want to take. Nevertheless, it is vital to address this uncertainty and to develop a plan of the steps which you need to take to move yourself forward. Remember that the process of career planning can take time as you need to do some reflection about your own suitability in relation to career choice, and you also need time to thoroughly research your options. Therefore try and start the process of thinking about future careers as early as you can, ideally from your first year of university.

Student feedback about CareerSmart: ❙❙ ❙❙ ❙❙

❙❙ ❙❙ ❙❙

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

“Gave me a great starting block for planning my future career.” “It helped me feel more confident about my future and what I need to do to get there.” “It got me actively thinking about my future in advance. I think it is very important to think ahead before you graduate to give yourself time to be certain of what career you want to pursue, so you can start applying for placements and internships to enhance your chances of being successful. And I think that the assignment really helped me with that.” “It helped me realise how many roles are available and how much our university can help.” “I found it really helpful and it gave me some ideas of how to make the most of my university experience.” “I feel I am now able to start doing the right things, like getting involved more, to help me become more prepared for a job at the end of my course.”

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

Be the one who inspires SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES AT LJMU

#GetintoTeaching

USE YOUR DEGREE TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON STEM EDUCATION

The national shortage of STEM teachers means graduates with a degree in a science, maths or technology-related area are in great demand.

We welcome applicants from a variety of different degree backgrounds, not just those who hold a degree in the specific subject areas.

There are sector scholarships and generous government bursaries of up to £32,000* to help you start your career in teaching, plus great opportunities for career progression. You’ll also be inspiring young minds and helping to shape the future of STEM education.

If you have the potential and passion to teach, call the Faculty Admissions Team for an informal chat. The team can answer your questions and will guide you through the options available, including information about Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses and subject-specific A Level requirements.

For a fulfilling career helping young people to achieve their dreams *subject and qualification dependent. For the latest bursary information, visit getintoteaching.education.gov.uk

START YOUR TEACHING JOURNEY TODAY www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

CALL: 0151 231 5340 VISIT: www.ljmu.ac.uk/education

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES AT LJMU

How to make the most of your

university time

THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS GO TO UNIVERSITY TO ULTIMATELY SECURE A JOB WITH GREAT PROSPECTS. EMPLOYABILITY ADVISER NICOLA DAVENPORT LOOKS AT SOME IDEAS TO IMPROVE YOUR EMPLOYABILITY IN EACH YEAR OF STUDY.

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So you’ve got your place at university, you’re fulfilling all of your course commitments and enjoying yourself, but are you really making the most of your time? In addition to your academic qualifications, employers look for people who can show motivation, enthusiasm, proactivity and commitment. You can demonstrate all of these things through your extracurricular activities and employment. Work experience is key and you can find this in many forms: placements, part-time work, work shadowing, volunteering and internships. Before you look for experience, evaluate your existing skill set and analyse the labour market to find out what you may need in the future - can you find a role that will help you develop these skills now? There are a number of ways the Careers Team can help you improve your employability, so come along and see us.

DID YOU KNOW? Nearly a fifth of LJMU graduates of the class of 2017 did some voluntary work whilst at university, and over 70% of graduates had a paid, parttime job alongside their studies. In addition to looking great on your CV, research suggests that getting involved in voluntary work can also boost your self-esteem and improve your mental health.

Psychology CAREER INSIGHT

LJMU CAREERS TEAM

0151 231 2048/3719 ❚ careers@ljmu.ac.uk

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

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What can I do? In addition to gaining relevant work experience, there are many other ways that you can show motivation and enthusiasm whilst also developing skills. You could: ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚

Chair or set up a society, or become a course representative Writing, presenting or other work with a student newspaper or radio station Put on an event – music, charity… Volunteer or fundraise with a charity Complete a sponsored activity/ challenge, such as a run, climbing a mountain Learn a language Do you have a business idea? Get in touch with the Centre for Entrepreneurship! Learn a new skill – cooking, music, sport Enter competitions – writing, business, finance, student, enterprise…. Take up mentoring opportunities

As well as being a great way to get to know people and enjoy yourself, all of these things can help your employability and look great on your CV.

Looking for greater insight about career options related to your degree? Download your course-specific Career Insights from:

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

YOUR CAREER JOURNEY SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES AT LJMU

FIRST YEAR: EXPLORE Meet

Join

your Careers Team at a Careers Zone or visit the Careers website www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

clubs or societies or become a course representative via the Students’ Union

Explore

LJMU and all its opportunities and support and research voluntary opportunities

Plan

start to think about your career ideas and begin planning

START UNIVERSITY

Go global

take a look at the opportunities abroad via LJMU or an external provider

SECOND YEAR: EXPERIENCE Research

your chosen career path/ options

Experience

Get involved

get relevant paid work, volunteer or work shadow

Get advice

seek out opportunities to enhance your university experience

from your Careers Team (advice and guidance, CVs, interview help)

Find

get relevant experience via a placement or internship

FINAL YEAR: ENGAGE Utilise

your Careers Team and their expert knowledge to look for and get your dream job

Reflect

on your experiences and how you can evidence these to employers

Engage

with your career sector and/ or organisation

Apply

for graduate schemes and graduate level jobs or consider further study

Graduate Outcomes is a national survey which gathers information about the activities and viewpoints of graduates 15 months after they’ve finished their studies. For graduating students GRADUATION your response to this survey is very important as it will provide future students with insight into their potential career destinations, enable LJMU’s Careers Team to offer tailored careers advice which you can continue to access for life as a LJMU graduate, provide higher education institutions, policy makers, researchers and others with data to understand current trends within the graduate jobs market and contribute to the University’s positioning in league tables. Anyone who graduates after 1 August 2017 will be asked to complete the Graduate Outcomes survey. The Graduate Outcomes survey is a statutory process for all higher education providers and is coordinated by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). The operations and data collection element of the Graduate Outcomes survey will be undertaken by a third-party survey contractor who will work in collaboration with HESA, Funding Bodies and UK Higher Education Providers. To help LJMU, all you need to do before you leave University is ensure you keep your contact details up to date via LJMU Connect (https://ljmuconnect.com) and complete the survey when you are contacted approximately 15 months after completing your course. www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES AT LJMU

Move up to Masters

The benefits of postgraduate study As you plan your next step after graduation, don’t forget that a Masters could give you the opportunity to assess your aspirations, enhance your career prospects, enjoy further study in your chosen subject or allow you to change direction. Postgraduate study at LJMU is an increasingly popular choice and one that can make you stand out from the crowd in the jobs market.

Fit your studies around your life

Many of our taught masters programmes are only a year long and, if you want to work whilst you study, some are available on a parttime basis. We even offer distance learning and evening taught programmes. In essence, there’s something for everyone in our choice of over 140 courses.

deliver the knowledge, skills and experience you need to achieve your professional ambitions.

What a Masters says about you

Can I afford it?

Our programmes are delivered by academics actively involved in innovative research or consultancy. It is this combination of academic expertise and ‘real world’ experience that ensures our offerings are up-to-date, accredited by key professional bodies and

On top of the recently introduced postgraduate loans, there are Professional Career Development loans, employer sponsorships and bursaries available for higher-level study. And what’s best of all, as a continuing LJMU student, you may be eligible for a massive 20% off your postgraduate tuition fees or a scholarship for international students (see terms and conditions at ljmu.ac.uk).

What next?

To find out more about postgraduate options at LJMU, take a look at our web pages: ljmu.ac.uk/postgraduate

My postgraduate experience ... FOLLOWING HER UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY, ESTHER GABRIEL JOINED LJMU TO STUDY FOR A MASTERS IN HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY.

“

Postgraduate study itself demonstrates your ability to learn independently, to apply yourself to real research and to venture into unchartered waters. It also opens new doors, giving you the opportunity to study in areas you may not have considered and explore different career paths.

“I chose to study at Masters level because I want to be a psychologist and therefore need a postgraduate qualification. I liked the fact that UK courses were just a year long and also that the standard of education here is very good. I researched a number of schools and discovered that LJMU was one of the best. “LJMU has good, innovative courses and my personal tutor and academic support group are always there to help whenever I need them. PG study is exactly what I was expecting: challenging, satisfying and fulfilling. “My studies have given me a sense of empowerment, showing me that I can be what I want to be. They have expanded my research capacity and shown me that I can make a difference to those whose mental health issues are all too often ignored. “My personal tutor is a real source of motivation, encouraging me and showing me the way. I have never been made to feel uncomfortable when I have asked questions and no-one has given me the impression that my questions were foolish.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

“On graduation I want to do a PhD in Psychology and, long term, I want to become a leader in the field of health psychology for chronic conditions, including addictions.”

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES AT LJMU

Professional and personal development

opportunities abroad

EMPLOYERS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING EXTRA ON YOUR CV. CONSIDER ADDING SOME INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE TO YOURS BY COMPLETING A TRIP ABROAD Pursuing a degree at university can be a daunting experience, especially if you choose to live away from home. However, once you have taken that initial leap, you may find that the path to further experiences becomes a lot clearer as your confidence grows. Whether you wish to study, intern or volunteer abroad, you may be surprised at the range of opportunities available to you via multiple funding routes. The best news is, you don’t have to limit yourself to just one either.

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01.

GET IN TOUCH

Study Abroad

LJMU have a number of Erasmus+ partners in Europe and partner universities in the USA where you can study abroad for one semester during your second year of study or for a whole year, in between your second and third year at LJMU. LJMU students are entitled to Erasmus+ grants or the LJMU travel bursary if studying in the US, helping you to afford your placement. Talk to the International Mobility Coordinator in your School about potential placements to suit your course needs and follow @LJMUGlobalOpps on Twitter and Instagram for more information when applications are open.

03.

Go Global

LJMU offer students the chance to bid for up to £1,500 (£750 for postgraduate students)* to help fund the adventure of a lifetime. You can find an experience anywhere in the world that will help you develop both personally and professionally, and LJMU will help you to achieve it. This could involve working with animal conservation teams in Africa, building houses in developing communities, being a camp counsellor, taking part in sports development programmes or anything else you set your mind to. For further information, visit www.ljmu.ac.uk/ students/go-abroad/ where you can find out more details on the many opportunities available, including the organisations LJMU work with to offer these opportunities to students, such as Smaller Earth ljmu.smallerearth.com. *Funding limit is subject to change

05.

{

For more information about international opportunities: Email: goabroadteam@ljmu.ac.uk Follow: @LJMUGlobalOpps Visit: ljmu.ac.uk/students/go-abroad

Erasmus+ Traineeship (work placement)

02.

Putting your knowledge to good use in a work environment is great for your CV, but working abroad will certainly make your CV stand out from the crowd. With Erasmus+ traineeships, you can work in Europe for two to 12 months and get funding with the Erasmus+ grant to help you with your expenses. You can complete your traineeship at almost any organisation in Europe, whether that be one of the organisations LJMU has an existing relationship with, or whether it be a traineeship you have sourced yourself. Talk to your tutor to find out what options they can recommend to you.

CRCC Asia Internship

04.

LJMU have partnered up with CRCC Asia to offer Liverpool John Moores students the opportunity to complete a two-month summer internship in Asia in sectors including business, IT, law, media, tourism, marketing, not-for-profit and green technology. Students have previously worked in Shanghai, Tokyo and Ho Chi Minh City, with more international opportunities available each year. The programme is funded, including flights, accommodation, visas and insurance, and students have the chance to immerse themselves in a new culture, learn a new language and expand their global network. Look out for more information by following @LJMUGlobalOpps on Twitter and Instagram.

International Summer Schools

Each summer, LJMU students have the opportunity to attend one of several LJMU International Summer Schools. In 2018, students visited Shanghai, Changshu and Jiaxing in China, Lima, Sharjah and Zaragoza, where they completed one-to-two week programmes at our partner universities, as well as exploring new cultures, learning new languages and making new friends. These opportunities are funded by LJMU, including flights, accommodation, visas and insurance, and the university plans to expand the opportunities even further across the globe.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES AT LJMU

work experience with your Students’ Union

Get great

DID YOU KNOW THAT BY GETTING INVOLVED WITH JMSU YOU COULD HUGELY INCREASE YOUR SKILLS AND

EMPLOYABILITY, ENHANCE YOUR CV AND IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF FINDING A JOB ONCE YOU LEAVE UNIVERSITY? Iya! We’re JMSU. Like the name says - we are here for LJMU students. Every single one of you. We represent you, we support you, and we make sure you have an absolutely boss time at Uni. We offer loads of opportunities for you to gain valuable (and fun) work experience whilst you’re studying at LJMU.

❙❙ We offer full-time, year round, paid jobs … in our four Student Officer positions. ❙❙ You can volunteer with us ... As the Captain, President or Committee Member of a sports club or society, or as a Course or Faculty Rep.

❙❙ Or join our student staff team in flexible, paid positions ... We have a variety of roles, from promoting our events and campaigns across campus, to working in our Creative Content team, to working with our Reception Team.

Hear from students who have worked and volunteered with us: Karl Kinson, UG Computer Science ... volunteers as a Course Rep.

I have been a key person that connects students in class to the staff that run the course. I do this by collecting feedback from students and then presenting this to the appropriate people in either the Faculty or the SU. It’s the best feeling ever knowing that you aren’t just attending university but you are helping improve the experience here, no matter how small that change is. This role gives you so much confidence and I cannot wait to continue next year.

Daisy Clack, MA Human Resource Management ... has worked as student staff, currently works as a Student Staff Supervisor and has completed work experience with the HR department. I have worked as a member of student staff for over 3 years, which has majorly developed my confidence and communication skills. Becoming a Supervisor of the student staff team has given me an amazing skillset which I can reference in job applications when planning for my future career. I have been able to do this role while studying full time. I have also completed work experience with the HR manager, which has given me so much valuable knowledge in my specific area of interest, meaning I can now transfer theory from my Master’s Degree in to the workplace.

WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU You can find us across campus, so it doesn’t matter where you study, we’re always close by. Our main base is at the John Foster Building on Mount Pleasant, where our reception, Advice Centre and offices are, but we’re also in the social spaces at Byrom Street, Tithebarn Street, Redmonds Building and IM Marsh.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

Jess Beresford, Sport Coaching student ... Worked as a Welcome Rep, Outreach staff, volunteered as a Course Rep, President of Women’s Rugby Union and founder and President of Sport Coaching Society. After being a member of Women’s Rugby Union for two years I was voted President in my final year, which has given me experience in management, organisation and funding; all of which are important in the sporting industry. I decided to challenge myself more and set up my own society (Sports Coaching society). This valuable experience allowed me to network with a range of people and be recognised for my achievements. It put me in a perfect position for post-graduation. The community-based roles at the Students’ Union increased my confidence by engaging with people from a range of backgrounds. This helped to enhance my employability and interpersonal skills whilst working in an enjoyable environment.

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CONNECT WITH US You can email us at: studentsunion@ljmu.ac.uk Phone: 0151 231 4900

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www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES AT LJMU

Placement Learning Support Unit PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO A PLACEMENT LEARNING SUPPORT UNIT. HERE IS WHAT THEY DO AND HOW THEY CAN ASSIST YOU.

We recognise that sometimes it can be difficult being a student, and you won’t feel satisfied or successful. Coaching is a way of helping you to improve, develop, learn new skills, find personal success, achieve aims and to manage life change and personal challenges. We know sometimes you just need someone on your side to ask the right questions. Coaching in this respect is a learning relationship which will benefit you particularly if you don’t feel you are managing your development.

How it works in practice You can make an appointment and discuss different aspects of your personal development, such as:

❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚

What students say ...

Graduate skills e.g. managing your time, working in groups. Experiences, e.g. finding a placement, writing a CV or cover letter for a placement. Professional identity e.g. fitness to practice. Degree subject e.g. understanding how you learn best. Emotional intelligence e.g. motivation, managing stress.

These areas are crucial to you managing as a student. We want to equip you with the tools that will help you get where you want to be in life.

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CONTACT DETAILS:

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The team is managed by Jamie Fearn (Placement Support Unit Manager), along with Work Based Learning Officers and administrative support. We are located in room 904 James Parsons, Byrom Street. You can email us on scienceplsu@ljmu.ac.uk, call 0151 231 2079 or visit www2.ljmu.ac.uk/scs and click on Placement Learning Support Unit.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

“

In the Faculty of Science we feel the purpose of your time here is for you to be equipped with a set of skills, knowledge, understanding and personal attributes that make you more likely to make choices and behave in ways which mean you can be satisfied and successful both now and in future.

When asked what they most enjoyed about their appointment students across the Faculty have said…

❚❚

The team “made it very clear what was required to give in our feedback and the benefits of engaging in the process. It has really helped me to learn to break down my work and highlight my skills developed.”

❚❚

“That it was a very informal meeting, where I could ask all the questions that I had…”

❚❚

“Very helpful and useful.”

❚❚

“It was really beneficial and the members of staff in the office are so helpful and very friendly. Lovely atmosphere!”

❚❚

“It was greatly beneficial to me as I was given very helpful advice in how to pursue potential placement providers and was followed up with an interview detailing all that was discussed.”

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

TACTICS AND CHOICES

Planning your career

NOT SURE WHERE TO START WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR NEXT MOVE? DON’T WORRY, MOST PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY, BUT WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU TO NAVIGATE YOUR WAY THROUGH YOUR OPTIONS.

Questions to ask yourself when exploring your career options

1. Do you have any ideas at all about careers which interest you, however vague these are? If so, make a note of these ideas and explore them further. 2. Do you wish to use the knowledge you have gained or will gain from your degree in your future career? If so, are there certain modules of your degree which you have enjoyed more than others? Try to explore job areas which could relate to these subjects. 3. Have you completed any work experience at all (even if this is unrelated to your degree subject)? Think about what you liked about this work experience and about skills which you enjoyed using. 4. Are there any jobs you have done which you didn’t enjoy? If so, why was this?

6. Think about the feedback you have received from others (for example from tutors or from friends or family) about skills you excel in. Are there particular skills which you are naturally strong in? 7. Do you have any interests outside of university which are unrelated to your studies? For example, do you have any creative interests or do you do any voluntary work? It may be worth exploring career options which relate to these interests. 8. Are you willing to undertake further study if this is required by the type of career you want to go into? 9. What kind of environment would you like to work in? For example, do you see yourself working in an office, in a laboratory or outdoors? 10. Are there any other special circumstances which may affect the type of job you can go into? For example, are you only able to work certain hours or in a certain location?

Help and support available to you..

01. 02. 03.

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT WITH A CAREERS ADVISER If you are unsure about your career options, you are advised to book an appointment with a Careers Adviser to give your search a focus. An employer can easily spot applications from students just looking for any job, as your heart won’t be in it. To book an appointment, call into a Careers Zone or alternatively phone us on 0151 231 3719/2048.

CAREERS INSIGHTS AND MINI GUIDES Check out our Careers Mini Guides available via the Careers website. Titles include Career Planning for Mature Students, Planning your Career and Graduate Schemes to help you decide which direction to take. The Career Insight for your programme highlights options available to you with your degree.

MEET EMPLOYERS & ATTEND A CAREERS EVENT/FAIR We arrange careers fairs, employer presentations, guest speakers, specialist workshops and regular employer visits to the Careers Zones where you can also meet and network with employers and find out about career opportunities and discuss career routes.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

“

{ { DID YOU KNOW?

Data from our Career Readiness Survey for 2017/18 showed that only 30% of final-year students had a specific career in mind at the beginning of the academic year. Starting to plan your career right from the start of your degree ensures that you can make applications for graduate jobs or postgraduate courses in your final year and get your career under way.

5. Were there any career ideas you had when you were at school or college? If so, is it worth revisiting or reviewing these ideas?

A Careers Adviser says ...

There are many options open to you after you finish your degree but at the same time it can feel confusing and overwhelming to have so many choices. Any uncertainty about your future career plan is normal and many students feel this way! However, it is important to address this uncertainty and to at least develop a plan of the steps you need to take to move yourself forward.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

TACTICS AND CHOICES

Thinking about

postgraduate study? ARE YOU CONSIDERING

POSTGRADUATE STUDY AS A NEXT STEP? CAREERS ADVISER STEVE BURBAGE LOOKS AT THE REASONS FOR AND AGAINST FURTHER STUDY.

A postgraduate qualification may ‘help you to stand out from the crowd’ but make sure you do your research first as, although it may enhance your career prospects in some cases, in other cases relevant work experience will be more valuable. Many students also opt to undertake postgraduate study to further develop subject knowledge or to convert to a new career area such as law, medicine, education or IT. If you are unsure about what to do next and feel that studying a postgraduate course will give you more time to help you decide, think about whether this is the best strategy. Postgraduate study is time-consuming and can be very costly so you should be reasonably clear about your career goals/aims before starting a course. You can always meet with a Careers Adviser to discuss postgraduate options in more detail by calling into your nearest Careers Zone to make an appointment.

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DISCUSS POSTGRADUATE OPTIONS WITH A CAREERS ADVISER

New postgraduate loans are available for students on Masters courses at universities across the UK. Students under 60 who ordinarily live in England can apply for a loan of up to £10,609; visit https://www.gov.uk/fundingfor-postgraduate-study for more details. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are running their own schemes. For further information on eligibility and available funding, check https:// www.findamasters.com/funding/ guides/masters-loans.aspx. A separate loan system for PhD study will also be available from 2018/19. Additional postgraduate funding options include Professional Career Development Loans, employer sponsorship, bursaries/ scholarships or charitable trusts and foundations. Check https://www. prospects.ac.uk/postgraduate-study/ funding-postgraduate-study for further details.

It’s easy to get bewildered by the wide range of postgraduate courses on offer. Discussing your career objectives and postgraduate study ideas with a Careers Adviser can help to focus your search for the course that’s right for you. Call into a Careers Zone or phone us on 0151 231 2048/3719 to book an appointment.

How and when to apply

DID YOU KNOW? The UK has one of the largest and most diversified postgraduate sectors in the world with almost 21,000 postgraduate course/research options on offer, which can make choosing the right course quite challenging. Therefore it is important that you research each course you are interested in and consider if it would help you achieve your career ambitions.

Help and support available to you..

01. 02. 03.

Funding

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GET HELP WITH YOUR POSTGRADUATE APPLICATION FORM Our Employability Advisers provide tailored feedback and advice on personal statements for postgraduate applications to help you effectively demonstrate your motivation and suitability for your chosen course to admissions tutors. To book an appointment, drop into a Careers Zone or call 0151 231 2048/3719.

DOWNLOAD OUR CAREER MINI GUIDE For further information about different course and funding options, head to our Careers website www. ljmu.ac.uk/careers/ and download our handy guides on postgraduate study, applications and PhDs.

20% DISCOUNT OFF POSTGRADUATE STUDY

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

LJMU graduates undertaking postgraduate study at LJMU are entitled to a 20% discount - see terms and conditions at ljmu.ac.uk

The majority of applications are made directly to the institutions concerned; however, some vocational courses such as teaching, law and social work require applications to be made via a central admissions service, which will restrict the amount of courses you can apply to and will usually stipulate a particular closing date. Not all courses have a closing date; however, it is still highly recommended that you do your research well in advance as some courses fill up very quickly and may have particular entry requirements i.e. relevant work experience. Applications (or enquiries) regarding PhDs/ Masters by research should ideally be made around Christmas time; the earlier your application, the more likely it is to attract funding.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

TACTICS AND CHOICES

Finding

graduate level jobs YOUR DEGREE WILL OPEN UP A HUGE RANGE OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU. KNOWING YOUR OPTIONS IN THE GRADUATE LABOUR MARKET IS THE FIRST STEP TO YOUR DREAM JOB.

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Graduate opportunities exist across all sectors and with employers of all sizes, but there are significant differences in the recruitment process and focus of the roles. Much depends on the size of the company. For example, most large private sector companies and multinationals recruit and train a number of graduates via a graduate scheme every year, whereas many public sector employers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) advertise graduate roles on a more ad-hoc basis. Most graduate schemes involve training in different business areas or working on a range of projects, and around half of all the schemes with large companies are open to graduates from any degree subject. The application process for these programmes can be lengthy, with closing dates as early as Christmas in your final year, followed by online tests, telephone/video interviews and assessment centres. Many companies of all sizes also use recruitment agencies to fill temporary vacancies. These can be a great way to enhance your CV and may lead to additional opportunities within the same company.

DID YOU KNOW? We advertise thousands of vacancies each year via the job search facility on our Careers Zone 24/7 platform; this includes graduate jobs, placements/internships, voluntary roles as well as part-time work. You can also search for overseas jobs and internships on our GoinGlobal database, which is also available via the platform. Go to the Careers website and follow the links for Careers Zone 24/7 - www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

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Help and support available to you..

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ONE TO ONE SUPPORT IN THE CAREERS ZONE If you are unsure of your options after you graduate, you can speak to a Careers Adviser to discuss which sectors and opportunities may best suit you, and our Employability Advisers can help you ace your applications for a range of graduate positions. To book an appointment, call into a Careers Zone or phone us on 0151 231 2048/3719.

WORKSHOPS/WEBINARS

Throughout the academic year, we run a number of events to help you understand your job options in the graduate labour market, from our workshops and webinars on graduate schemes and the hidden job market to a range of employer talks and fairs. Keep an eye on our events website https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk and get networking!

CAREER MINI GUIDE Head to our Careers website www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/ and download our guides on graduate schemes and the hidden job market for further information.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

The hidden job market Organisations are under no legal obligation to advertise their jobs externally, so you will only be able to search a fraction of the job market online. What you don’t see are hundreds of roles offered and accepted through other means and never advertised to the general public. This is often referred to as the ‘hidden job market’. Networking is the key to opening the door to the hidden job market, and it is easier than you think:

Get out there!

Each year the Careers Team invites employers of all sizes and sectors onto campus for a range of events, talks, fairs and careers presentations. This gives you the chance to network with employers to talk about potential opportunities and learn more about the sectors that interest you.

Get online

Use social media to follow organisations and interact with individuals who may be able to offer you advice, support and even job opportunities in the future. You may also learn about sector-specific networking events you could attend to meet future employers.

Get LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the leading professional network and your profile acts as a CV. You can connect with individuals and organisations to increase your network, gain insight into your industry and also search for jobs - https://university. linkedin.com/linkedin-for-students

You have to speculate to accumulate

You can also contact prospective employers through a speculative application, i.e. sending a CV and covering letter to organisations of interest to you when they do not currently advertise suitable vacancies. If your application impresses them, they may contact you to discuss possible upcoming positions.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

TACTICS AND CHOICES

Thinking of starting

your own business?

LJMU’S CENTRE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP CAN HELP STUDENTS WHO WANT TO DEVELOP A NEW BUSINESS IDEA, WORK AS A FREELANCER, LAUNCH A PRODUCT OR SERVICE OR GROW AN EXISTING BUSINESS. The Centre for Entrepreneurship will help you to build your business concept alongside your studies, connect with the local business community and develop your enterprise skills. We offer:

❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚

Try It Out Awards – a £250 quick response fund to test your idea

❚❚

Idealab – a summer school to develop technology-driven business ideas

Start-up fund – up to £2000 to start your new venture

Year Out - £3000 to support a venture started as part of a sandwich year placement

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Case Study FINAL YEAR MARKETING STUDENT AMY COLLINS TELLS US HOW SHE TURNED AN INSTAGRAM TREND INTO A VIABLE BUSINESS WITH SUPPORT FROM THE CENTRE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP How did you go about starting your own business? I noticed that lots of artists I admired on Instagram were releasing enamel pins. I felt like I hadn’t put my own creative skills to the test for years so decided to use pins as a way to challenge myself and have a creative outlet. I just started with one pin design to keep the financial risk down and used the money from that to finance the second one. I haven’t put any money into the business apart from that initial couple of hundred pounds. Now, I not only sell my own designs on Etsy but also design and supply pins for other businesses and individuals. What does your job involve? It’s just me doing virtually everything so I wear many hats. I design, market, bookkeep, order stock from various suppliers, liaise with potential clients, send all the parcels out etc. Three things you like about your job: ❙❙ In the last few months I’ve started selling at local makers markets which I love doing. It’s brilliant to see the reaction on people’s faces when they appreciate your designs.

❙❙ I love being part of the Independent Liverpool scene, I kind of straddle the hospitality community and also the local indie artists and artisans. Liverpool is thriving in these areas, I feel very proud to be part of it.

❙❙ The sense of accomplishment when working

for yourself is very fulfilling. I have always had an excellent work ethic but when something works out and you’ve seen it through from concept to end result there’s no better feeling.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

What were the key challenges that you faced and how did you overcome them? Working for myself is tough as I’m not naturally organised and certainly lack discipline so I have to constantly review working practices and also just be very realistic about what one person can achieve. Another challenge was feeling like a bit of a fraud and not worthy or professional enough sometimes. Because I’ve just learned as I have gone along including graphic design skills, marketing skills and business management skills, it’s easy to convince yourself that you’re out of your depth sometimes. The more I spoke with other entrepreneurs the better I started to feel. I realised that everyone is winging it, everyone is taking risks, learning by doing, failing, then trying something a little different until it sticks. So now instead of comparing myself with everyone else, I just feel incredibly proud to have the confidence to keep trying and keep seeking new opportunities. What help or support did you access from LJMU and how was this useful? I have had some great tips and pointers from the Centre for Entrepreneurship, the most important one being; try to keep it simple, as it’s easy to get carried away with lots of ideas but being great at one thing is so much better. I also have been incorporating some digital marketing skills into my business that I’ve learned on my course too. Now that things are really taking off I have one of my classmates working with me. I can focus more on leads and design and she is organising newsletters and improving my SEO etc. What relevant work experience/skills have proved most useful in running a business? I am a mature student so I have worked many jobs

including 9 years in HMV where I was a manager. I think that every single job I’ve had has contributed in some way to my capabilities as a sole trader and entrepreneur. Because I have worked a lot and know how employable I am it means that I don’t have a fear of failure. If I have to give up Pin Head tomorrow it would be sad but I would be able to move onto another project or job. This doesn’t mean I don’t care, it means I can take risks and live with the outcome no matter what. What advice would you give other students to improve their employability or looking to start their own business? Viktor Frankl sums up precisely my thoughts on running your own business - “Don't aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one's personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself.” In other words be brilliant at what you do, help others, be true to yourself and success will come but don’t chase numbers or notoriety as you will only be disappointed. What’s next for your business? I have some ideas up my sleeve to do with working more with charities and some local projects too, but as I’m entering the final year of my Marketing degree I need to be patient and not overload myself with work. I’m determined to do well with my degree so scaling up Pin Head (www.pinheaduk.com) can wait a little longer.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

TACTICS AND CHOICES

The importance of relevant

work experience

WORK EXPERIENCE CAN OFTEN BE THE DECISIVE FACTOR IN SECURING THE JOB YOU WANT; HERE WE LOOK AT WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT AND

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THE DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN GET EXPERIENCE UNDER YOUR BELT.

DID YOU KNOW? According to a 2018 survey of large employers (carried out by High Fliers Research), more than a third of the employers taking part in the research warned that graduates who have had no previous work experience are unlikely to be successful during the selection process for the top employers’ graduate programmes. This means that by having no experience you are immediately restricting the opportunities available to you.

Types of work experience

Work experience has become a general term which incorporates a wide range of opportunities and experience. The best way for employers to recruit a future graduate can be to see them in the workplace and how they perform on a daily basis. The following types of work experience can therefore be a way of securing a future graduate position at an organisation.

2. 3. 4. 5.

Year-long placements – This type of placement is also known as an industrial or sandwich placement. They can be a compulsory part of a university course but students on other courses may also have the option to take a year out from their studies and undertake a placement. This usually takes place between the second and third year of your course. Summer placements – Increasingly the term internship is being used to describe placements that take place over the summer holidays usually for between eight and 12 weeks. They can be well-paid and, depending on the organisation, may only be available to students who have completed at least two years of their degree course. Work shadowing – These opportunities are usually short term and unpaid as you will not be undertaking a specific role in an organisation. The main activities include observing staff and getting an insight into a particular job role and organisation. They can be extremely useful in building up contacts. Part-time work – These types of positions tend to be ongoing and you may be working for one or two days per week even during term time. They may not necessarily be linked to your future career but they are still a great way to gain skills, develop your organisational awareness and build up your CV. Internships - This term is increasingly used but is just another name for a placement and can range from two weeks to a year in duration. Find out more about paid undergraduate LJMU internships on the opposite page.

A Careers Adviser says ...

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Put yourself in an employer’s position. Even if you do well at interview, if you have no work experience, and no employment references and another candidate does, they are more likely to appoint the person who has ‘proof’ of their abilities in the workplace. It is important to get hands-on experience in possible future job roles. This helps to build up your CV and provides examples to use in applications and interviews. It is also a great way to make contacts, build confidence and develop a range of skills that, even if not entirely related to your future graduate role, show that you are a motivated person who wants to develop.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

The voluntary sector Many people may not consider volunteering as it is unpaid, but it isn’t important to future employers whether your work experience is paid or unpaid. In fact, volunteering looks fantastic on your CV, as it says something about you as a person that you are prepared to work on an unpaid basis to support a community, for example, and develop personally. As with other work experience opportunities, it is a great way to improve your organisational and cultural awareness and build up contacts. There are many ways to find volunteering opportunities. You can search websites such as https://do-it.org/ for a wide variety of roles or go directly to the charity or organisation you want to support to ask about volunteering opportunities. LJMU also runs volunteering projects in schools and colleges for students to get involved with. For other opportunities outside of a school/college environment, there is a service for students called Volunteering Liverpool. LJMU is a part of the partnership running this service along with John Moores Students’ Union, Liverpool Guild of Students, Liverpool Hope University, The City of Liverpool College, and Volunteer Centre Liverpool. The Volunteering Liverpool website offers volunteering opportunities for all students in Liverpool across a variety of areas. Visit www.liverpoolguild.org/main-menu/ volunteer to search for opportunities in areas such as arts, health, environment, sport and many more.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

TACTICS AND CHOICES

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MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR VACATIONS A number of working holiday providers such as Camp America, Camp Leaders, Ski Canada, CCUSA and JET visit LJMU each year to promote their summer and year-long placement programmes. These programmes are a great way to travel, meet new people, experience different cultures and gain skills and experiences that will look great on your CV. Keep an eye on our events website (https:// careers.ljmu.ac.uk) for details of talks, which usually take place during the autumn term each year.

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Help and support available to you..

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LJMU VOLUNTEERING If you would like to arrange some volunteering or get more information you can email volunteer@ljmu.ac.uk, follow @volunteer_LJMU on Twitter or call the volunteering manager Chris Prescott on 0151 904 6356.

WORKSHOPS/WEBINARS AND EMPLOYER EVENTS

The Careers Team runs a number of workshops/webinars and events throughout the academic year, including employer presentations and visits to the Careers Zones, where you can find out about work experience and volunteering opportunities. Check our events website https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk regularly, and also look out for placement fairs organised by your faculty.

DOWNLOAD OUR CAREER MINI GUIDES For further advice, download our mini guides on part-time jobs and work experience from the Careers website at www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/

LJMU CareerSmart Internship Programme

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A fixed number of 20 day funded internships are available every summer to level 5 and 6 students. In a range of disciplines, the internships will be with a local employer, usually starting in early June. For more information, visit:

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/ plan-your-future/ljmu-internships

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

GETTING THE JOB

How to write a winning

CV and covering letter

DID YOU KNOW THAT EMPLOYERS TYPICALLY SPEND UNDER TEN SECONDS INITIALLY REVIEWING A CV? EMPLOYABILITY ADVISER JENNY HAMMOND OFFERS SOME ADVICE TO MAKE SURE YOURS MAKES THE CUT.

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Top CV tips

Different styles of CV CHRONOLOGICAL CV

Always tailor the CV for each job and organisation you apply to! If you have a person specification, make sure you address the points in this using examples and evidence. Use key words from the job advert and the employer’s website to customise your CV to show the employer that you speak ‘their language’ and would fit in well at the company. Structure the CV to make the most of your relevant skills and experience. If you have previously carried out a similar role or worked on a project using applicable skills, list these on the front page. Highlight and quantify both professional and personal achievements where you can. Make sure the CV is no longer than two sides of A4 and use a clear, concise writing style. Put your name at the top of the document (never use the title ‘CV’ as this is selfevident!). Add a link to your LinkedIn page, blog, online portfolio and perhaps your Twitter handle if you tweet about your industry. Consider using bold font, sub-headings and bullet points to break up information. Always check through your CV for spelling and grammatical mistakes or get someone to check through it for you – employers often discard applications containing spelling and grammatical errors.

Help and support available to you..

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ONE TO ONE SUPPORT IN THE CAREERS ZONE

If you are unsure about the content and structure of your CV or would like some advice on tailoring your CV to a particular role or sector, our Employability Advisers can give you professional feedback. Call into a Careers Zone or phone us on 0151 231 2048/3719 to book an appointment.

WORKSHOPS/WEBINARS

Find out how to write a winning CV by attending one of our workshops or webinars. For dates of upcoming sessions, check our event website https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk

CV BUILDER & COVERING LETTER BUILDER

These tools allow you to create a CV and covering from scratch and includes tips and advice from employers on each section of your CV and covering letter. This tool is ideal for students looking to write their first CV/ covering letter.

DOWNLOAD OUR CAREER MINI GUIDE

Our handy mini guide on CVs and covering letters provides lots more advice on what to include in each section of your CV and how to write effective covering letters. Visit our Careers website www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/ to download your copy.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

If you have plenty of relevant work experience you should use the chronological or traditional CV format, as this style draws attention to your relevant experience, which you list on the first page. Within this section you should provide an overview of key responsibilities but more importantly you should highlight any achievements. For example, did you take on extra responsibilities or gain a promotion? Did you meet or exceed targets? Did you find an effective solution to a problem? Can you demonstrate how you offered excellent customer service and gained good feedback? Highlight the skills developed in these roles as well, especially those required for the post you’re applying for.

SKILLS CV

If your experience is lacking or you are changing career path, you may want to use a skills-based CV. Within the ‘skills profile’ on the first page, you should outline relevant skills required for the role. By drawing on examples from work, university and extra-curricular activities you can demonstrate that you have what the employer is looking for. You still include employment information, but can list this more briefly, perhaps on the second page.

HYBRID CV

If you have some experience but this is fairly limited, a combination of the two styles may work best to enable you to highlight experience and skills in separate sections.

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If you are a mature applicant, a career changer, or if you have fragmented work experience, employers will be interested in reading a brief overview of your background but make the most of your experience by using positive language, highlighting what you have gained from previous experience such as commercial awareness and responsibility and skills such as teamwork and communication.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

GETTING THE JOB

Skills-based CV 1 2

Michael Lim

5 Beetham Street, Liverpool, L1 4AF / 07989 222 456 m.lim@2016.ljmu.ac.uk / LinkedIn

I am a caring and compassionate second-year BSc (Hons) Applied Psychology undergraduate with a good understanding of depression as well as developmental and social psychology gained through my volunteering experience at the Samaritans. My employment, degree studies and voluntary work have helped me to develop the communication, interpersonal, teamwork and problem-solving skills required to work within the community. I thrive on new challenges and am keen to join the Rainbow Trust volunteering programme as an Assistant Family Support Worker.

EDUCATION

3 4 5 6 7 8

2017-present Liverpool John Moores University BSc (Hons) Applied Psychology (averaging a 1st)  Modules include: Learning, Cognitive & Biological Psychology (75%), Developmental and Social Psychology (74%), Biological, Cognitive & Developmental Psychology (awaiting result), Social Psychology & Individual Differences (awaiting result)

2010-2017 Bromley Grange Grammar School, Bromley, Kent  A levels: Sociology (B), Psychology (B), Chinese (B), AS-Level: Biology (D)  10 GCSEs at grades A-C, including Maths (C), English (C) and Biology (A)

Provide a link to your LinkedIn profile.

If you include a personal profile at the start of your CV, ensure it is targeted at the role and organisation by highlighting key skills, knowledge and experience. Keep it concise and focused.

Include relevant content from your degree, e.g. individual modules you have studied.

Provide a summary of your GCSE subjects.

List any relevant experience on the first page of the CV.

Outline the skills required for the role in a skills profile.

If you have a person specification match yourself to this and use these points as sub-headings.

Provide examples to show when and how you have demonstrated the skills.

Provide a brief summary of other work experience on the second page.

Additional information such as achievements and interests can be listed towards the end of the CV.

VOLUNTARY EXPERIENCE

Mar 2018-present The Samaritans, Liverpool Listening Volunteer  After several weeks’ training I started this role on a weekly basis at my local branch and carry out a night shift every few months. My ability to be empathetic, non-judgmental and openminded is essential when speaking with distressed callers dealing with various issues, such as depression, suicidal thoughts, loneliness, grief, and eating problems. I listen carefully to each caller, allow them to talk as much as they need to, and ask caring, appropriate open questions, always ensuring confidentiality.

SKILLS PROFILE

Communication and interpersonal skills  Demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate clearly and sensitively with callers through my role at the Samaritans. I also use excellent communication skills in my position as a Customer Service Assistant at Marks & Spenser’s by taking a friendly, professional approach and building a rapport with customers.  Strong writing skills developed by writing reports and essays for university assignments. Feedback from my lecturers has particularly highlighted my concise and professional writing style.

Working independently and as part of a team  Completing a number of group assignments for my university course has further developed my teamwork skills. I volunteered to act as team leader on a number of occasions, which has improved my leadership skills by agreeing and allocating a suitable workload for each team member, arranging progress meetings, offering feedback and suggestions for improvement on team members’ work and drafting an assignment timeline to record deadline dates for individual tasks.  My role at The Samaritans requires me to work independently and draw on my training when dealing with callers. I am hoping to pass this experience on and become a mentor at some point in the future.

Mention any relevant interests you may have.

Provide the details of two referees, preferably one academic and one employer. You don’t need to include details for a character reference.

Additional information to include

Problem-solving skills  As a student representative at LJMU, I am responsible for feeding back student issues and concerns during board of study meetings and resolving any student complaints about the content and delivery of the course. This position has strengthened my problem-solving skills and helped me develop the confidence to liaise with students and staff across all levels. By using my negotiation and influencing skills and improving my professional network among senior staff in the faculty, I have been able to resolve any issues professionally using tact and diplomacy.  Working as a customer service assistant at M&S, I regularly deal with customer enquiries and complaints, e.g. regarding unavailable/ faulty products or long queues during busy times. I respond by listening to the customer, calming down irate customers and then offering suitable alternatives or process refunds where appropriate. I have frequently been commended by my line manager for my professional attitude and problem-solving abilities.

In addition to your personal details, education details, employment details, and skills you may want to include other information to make your CV stand out. ❚❚ Achievements: Employers like to see achievements and whether you have held positions of responsibility so include this kind of information too. Did you lead the university football team to victory this year? Have you been awarded a scholarship? Have you successfully raised money for a charity and participated in a sponsored event? Have you started a new society? ❚❚ Positions of responsibility: Have you chaired a committee? Acted as treasurer of a society? Been a course rep? Taken on the captain position of a sports team? Positions like these help you to demonstrate that you can make decisions and take on responsibility. ❚❚ Interests: To demonstrate further skills, to get your personality across a bit, or to just add something else to make your CV stand out, include some information about your interests. If you have interests relating to the job, definitely mention these but avoid clichés about activities such as socialising and reading.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

IT Skills  Confident user of MS Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.  SPSS skills acquired through research methods modules.

OTHER EXPERIENCE

2016-present Marks & Spencer’s Food, Liverpool (Customer Service Assistant)  Gained excellent customer service, communication and teamwork skills working throughout the store. I am able to confidently deal with problems and always ensure customers receive excellent customer service by being friendly, professional and polite at all times. Sept 2017-May 2018 LJMU Psychology Society (Events Coordinator)  Organised regular meetings and external trips, including to the Freud Museum and the Science and Pseudoscience Conference. Marketed and promoted these to undergraduate and postgraduate Psychology students via social media and email. Both visits were well attended and gained positive feedback.

ACHIEVEMENTS    

Achieved Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award in 2016 Completed Liverpool 10k, raising over £400 for the charity Mind Presented a show on Mindfulness for Looprevil Radio Course Representative 2017/18

INTERESTS

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 

I am a student member of BPS and enjoy keeping up-to-date with psychological research, with a particular interest in child and adolescent mental health. Since registering on the Futurelearn website, I have completed a number of online courses independently, including ‘Young People and Their Mental Health’ and ‘Youth Mental Health: Helping Young People with Anxiety’. To keep fit I go to the gym and play tennis during the summer. I am also a member of the Karate Society and Looprevil Radio.

REFERENCES  

Ms Hilary McCarthy, Team Leader, The Samaritans, HilaryMc@Lpoolsamaritans.co.uk, 07878 787878. Professor Paul Walker, Programme Leader, LJMU, P.Walker12@ljmu.ac.uk, 0151 231 2222.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

GETTING THE JOB

Chronological CV 1 2

Lyndsay Barry

14 Hatton Place, Bristol BR1 1TC / 07989 222 456 LBarry2345@2011.ljmu.ac.uk / LyndsayBarry.LinkedIn

A compassionate and focussed BA (Hons) Applied Psychology graduate with excellent communication skills and the ability to build rapport with and provide support to service users/patients. Working in an eating disorder service has provided me with excellent experience and a good understanding of how to provide effective support. I am looking to use my skills and experience to help people suffering with eating disorders in Support Worker role in an eating disorder charity.

EDUCATION

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2008-2015 Belleview High School, Bristol  A levels: Maths (A), Psychology (B), Communication Studies (C), AS-Level: Biology (D)  10 GCSEs at grades A-C, including Maths (A), English (C) and Biology (A)

MENTAL HEALTH WORK EXPERIENCE

Nov 2017- Present Clarks Support Service, Wirral Support Worker  Provide one to one support to clients with a range of complex mental health conditions, regarding personal care and social and emotional support.  Highly organised managing a caseload of clients; use schedules and diary management to ensure all work is carried out efficiently and to the best of my ability.  Build a rapport with clients, demonstrating empathy, understanding and a nonjudgmental approach. I help improve clients’ confidence and their ability to integrate into the community. Have built up resilience and the ability to support people in distressing circumstances.  Administer prescribed medication for a variety of conditions such as depression. Work in a methodical and organised manner ensuring clients receive the correct medication at the correct times.  Excellent teamwork and communication skills demonstrated during handover meetings with colleagues to discuss issues regarding clients’ behaviour. I contribute and listen to the concerns of others and help implement a support plan suited to the individual client.  I am observant and use my initiative; I check for changes in behaviour of clients and frequently engage in discussions and discover clients are suicidal and have contacted A&E and accompanied clients to be assessed by the Mental Health Crisis Team in this type of situation. I write up final reports for the client’s file. Have been commended by my manager for effectively dealing with crises such as these.

One thing to remember is that using a ‘one size fits all’ approach isn’t the best option. You should always find out what the employer is looking for and modify your CV to meet these requirements. Look at the person specification or entry requirements and ensure all the points from these are evidenced in the CV. Each time you apply for a different job, adapt and tailor the CV for that specific role and organisation. To grab the employer’s attention, make sure the most important and relevant information is on the first page, as this is the first thing the employer will see!

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

Include relevant content from your degree, e.g. individual modules you have studied.

Provide a summary of your GCSE subjects.

List relevant experience in reverse chronological order in a prominent position on the front page of the CV.

Provide a clear overview of your role and what you did.

Highlight skills you have developed. Always consider the skills required for the role you’re applying for.

Provide a brief summary of other work experience on the second page.

Provide the details of two referees, preferably one academic and one employer. You don’t need to include details for a character reference.

Adapt this section for each role and organisation you apply to. Keep it concise and focused and try to highlight relevant skills and experience.

June-Nov 2017 Transition Supporters (at HMP Liverpool) Volunteer Mentor  Met with offenders with resettlement and financial issues, aiming to reduce reoffending rates in low to medium-risk offenders, which developed my interpersonal skills and ability to build trust by being encouraging and listening carefully to clients’ issues.  Many offenders had significant psychological issues and struggled with aggression and substance misuse. I had to be firm and reasonable dealing with challenging service users.

June-Nov 2017 Eating Disorder Team, Royal Liverpool Hospital  Provided holistic support and intervention in line with CBT to clients, encouraging me to be clear and tailor information to suit the individual.  Used Socratic questioning to identify unhelpful thoughts and feelings in clients. I ensured my communication style is clear, firm, friendly and professional. Using my listening skills, I ensured I took on board everything the client says. It was also crucial that I carefully

An Employability Adviser says ...

Provide a link to your LinkedIn Profile.

observed clients’ behaviour so I was able to spot changes in behaviour and areas for concern.

Sept 2016- Sept 2017 ChildLine, Liverpool Telephone Counsellor  Attended counsellor training over eleven weeks before taking up my role answering phone calls from children and giving them advice and support. I learned more about the challenging issues faced by some young people and offered a friendly and supportive listening ear, demonstrating empathy and compassion and reassuring the young people that they could trust me and that our conversations were confidential.

“

2015-2018 Liverpool John Moores University BSc (Hons) Applied Psychology (1st Class)  Modules include: Cognitive Psychology (75), Abnormal Psychology (81), Forensic Psychology (79), and Social, Developmental and Biological Psychology (66)  Final-Year Project: ‘The Effects of Warnings on Hypnotic Pseudomemories: A simulating paradigm’. Designed an experiment and collected data from 50 participants before producing a detailed report using statistical analysis. I gained skills in independent research, interpretation of results and presentation delivery. I set my own deadlines and managed my time effectively, gaining a 1st class mark.

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Jan 2014-Sept 2015 Riversdale Care Home, Bristol Healthcare Assistant  Helped residents with mobility problems to move around, assisted with personal care and distributed meals and drinks. Time management was crucial to ensure that all residents were up and dressed if able, received meals at appropriate times, and medication at required periods throughout the day. I used checklists and schedules to keep track of timings.  I learnt to communicate well with patients including those who struggled to communicate or those who were hard of hearing by ensuring I spoke clearly and at a reasonable level but always making sure I showed respect and patience.  Through working here I developed a real passion for working in a caring profession.

IT SKILLS  

Confident user of MS Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. SPSS skills acquired through research methods modules and through my dissertation.

OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE

2015-2017 The Leaf, Liverpool Bar Person and Team Leader  Gained excellent customer service, communication and teamwork skills serving food and drinks in a busy café-bar.

VOLUNTARY WORK

2013-2015 The British Heart Foundation, Bristol Retail Assistant  Organised donations and displayed them in the shop.  This was a very busy role where I developed strong customer service skills and built a good rapport with regular customers by being friendly and helpful at all times.

INTERESTS

As a student member of BPS, I enjoy keeping up-to-date with psychological research and pay particular attention to any articles relating to eating disorders. I also play netball twice a week as part of a local league, which we won last year. Also enjoy cycling, playing tennis and walking my dog on the beach.

REFERENCES  

Professor Paul Smith, Programme Leader, LJMU: P.Smith45@ljmu.ac.uk / 0151 231 2222 Faith Atherton, General Manager, Clarks Support Service: KDcssupport@email.com

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

GETTING THE JOB

Covering letter example A covering letter, which should be around a page of A4 in length, should always accompany your CV. As with the CV, the covering letter should be tailored to the role. If you can, find out the name of the person to send the application to. You should demonstrate that you have researched the organisation, explain why you want to work there, and draw the employer’s attention to the key skills and experience that are highlighted within your CV.

14 Hatton Place Bristol BR1 1TC Sylvia Rolands, Head of HR at Eating Support 15 Station Road London EC1A 9FC

1 September 2018

Dear Ms Rolands, I am writing to apply for the Graduate Eating Disorder Adviser as advertised on LJMU’s ‘My Jobs and Placement’ website and enclose my CV for your consideration. I am a recent BSc (Hons) Applied Psychology graduate with a First Class degree from LJMU. During my studies, I became increasingly interested in psychological intervention, with a particular interest in how this is used with people with eating disorders. I therefore sought work experience in a local eating disorder service in Liverpool, where I worked with an assistant psychologist and clinical psychologist screening patients for initial assessment. From this, I learnt more about the use of semi-structured interviews to understand individual thoughts, behaviours and risk and spent time talking with the patients, providing general support with their care. I have also assisted with group therapy sessions and producing resources to use with patients, which developed my excellent written communication skills. Throughout this placement, I gained a better understanding of some of the stereotypes regarding eating disorders and considered how to help combat these. You will see from my CV that in addition to this I have also worked in a number of other roles with people with mental health issues. I am currently working as a support worker for clients with complex mental health conditions, some of whom stay at the centre for longer periods, allowing me to develop and build trusting relationships. I also have experience working as a ChildLine counsellor where I spoke to numerous children and young people dealing with eating disorders, giving me a good insight into some of the triggers leading to these problems. My role volunteering with offenders further developed my communication skills working with very challenging people and enabled me to demonstrate resilience and be assertive. The work that you do at Eating Support is really impressive and on further reading through your website and after speaking with one of your advisers, I am confident that I would be an excellent fit as I share your values, particularly with regards to challenging stereotypes. The array of services you offer, including support lines, group therapy sessions and online resources clearly have a positive impact on both service users and their families/friends. The links you have with other services and organisations to assist with voluntary work and fundraising demonstrate that you are an approachable service that positions itself firmly in the community to provide comprehensive support and advice. I have a real passion for working with people with eating disorders. I am a focused and diligent worker and believe my experience and skills will enable me to work well in this role. I can be available for interview at any time and look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, Lyndsay Barry

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

GETTING THE JOB

How to write effective

Application forms

INSTEAD OF A CV, MANY EMPLOYERS USE APPLICATION FORMS AS THE FIRST STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS. EMPLOYABILITY ADVISER ANJA HEID OFFERS SOME TIPS TO IMPRESS EMPLOYERS.

3. 4. 5.

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Top tips for completing application forms Good preparation is essential! Where possible, read through the whole form before you start filling it in, so you can collect any relevant information you need to complete the form and decide on your most suitable evidence for each section. Research the organisation thoroughly and analyse the person specification so you are familiar with the job requirements and can show employers that you have done your homework. Avoid spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and text-speak. Some graduate recruiters reject more than half of all applications because of the poor standard of English on the application forms. For online applications, draft your answers in Word, and spellcheck them before copying and pasting onto the form. Ask a friend or family member to proofread your work. Answer the questions! It can be tempting to use answers from previous application forms, but these might not cover all aspects required for a similar question. Read each question carefully and check that your response provides all the necessary details. Keep within any given word limits. Sell yourself! The application form might only be the first stage of the recruitment process, but if you are too modest or too unspecific in your answers, you are unlikely to make it to the next stage. Ensure your evidence is recent, relevant and tailored to reflect the skills and knowledge required for the role. And finally, keep a copy of the completed application form. As you are likely to apply for a number of positions at the same time, it will be useful to have a record of each application to prepare for a potential interview or assessment centre.

An Employability Adviser says ...

“

Some application forms use a list of specific, usually competency-based, questions to assess your suitability for the role, as well as some questions to explore your motivation and interest in working for the organisation. These could include questions like:

The supporting information/personal statement section is hugely important and should be tailored to the individual role, because this is where you need to convince the employer that you are the right candidate for the job and discuss why you would like to work for their organisation. Address the job requirements outlined on the person specification one by one and in the same order, providing convincing evidence for your suitability and including key words from the job advert.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

An employer says ...

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Describe a time when you have worked under pressure. Give an example for when you failed to complete a project on time. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Please discuss a time when you have contributed positively to a team project. Describe a situation when you have successfully communicated complex information. At BP we live by the following values: Safety, Respect, Excellence, One Team, and Courage. Please give a specific example of a time when you have demonstrated one of these values in your extra-curricular activities. Please explain why you have chosen to apply to Caterpillar and what has attracted you to your chosen discipline.

The best approach to answer these questions and to provide evidence for how you meet the selection criteria is the STAR technique.

“

Competency based questions

A structured application form which addresses the person specification and the job description makes it easy for the shortlisting panel to identify and score your evidence for each criterion. Due to the volume of applications employers receive for graduate and entrylevel roles, candidates whose personal statements do not clearly and systematically address all the essential criteria from the person specification are very unlikely to make it to the interview stage.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

GETTING THE JOB

STAR technique example STAR is a simple strategy that will help you provide concise, focused answers on application forms and at interview. In the example below, a student has been asked to ‘describe a time when you have demonstrated excellent organisation skills’. SITUATION (briefly describe the context for your example. When was this? Where was this?):

When the club needed new equipment for the games room last year, I volunteered to take the leading role in raising £1,000 to buy a new pool table and games console in time for the summer holidays, which gave me six weeks to raise the required funds.

then recorded in my project plan. For example, I tasked one experienced volunteer to raise £200 from a bag packing event at a local supermarket for week five, while I put another in charge of organising the cake sale for our main fundraising event/open day in week six. I chaired a weekly team meeting to monitor progress and identify team members that needed help. For example, when one team member was struggling to secure raffle prizes, I set aside time within my schedule for the remaining weeks to contact local companies. Thanks to my excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills, I was able to persuade several businesses to donate vouchers or cash prizes.

ACTION (describe what you did to achieve the task, how you did it and what skills you used):

RESULT (briefly describe the outcome. What did you learn? Would you do anything differently in hindsight?):

TASK (describe what you had to do. What were you hoping to achieve?):

First of all, I drafted a basic project plan to record my fundraising target and key tasks for each week. For example, my tasks for the first two weeks included recruiting volunteers to help me organise the fundraising and researching local events over the next couple of weeks to identify a suitable date for our open day. Once I had recruited a sufficient number of volunteers, I was able to allocate tasks and fundraising targets to each team member, which I

Our open day was a great success and we raised a total of £1,250 from this and the bag packing events in a local supermarket. I found it really beneficial to have taken on a leadership role for this project and have since volunteered to lead on academic projects as well. The experience of organising the various aspects of this project has also strengthened my planning skills, and I have applied this to organising my academic work more effectively this year.

Help and support available to you..

01. 02. 03.

ONE TO ONE SUPPORT IN THE CAREERS ZONE Our Employability Advisers can give you tailored feedback and advice on draft application forms to help you sell yourself effectively to potential employers. Call into a Careers Zone or phone us on 0151 231 2048/3719 to arrange an appointment.

WORKSHOPS/WEBINARS Our ‘Effective Applications’ workshop and webinar will help you understand what employers are looking for in application forms, so you give yourself the best possible chance of getting to that all-important interview. For dates of upcoming sessions, check our events website https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk

DOWNLOAD OUR CAREER MINI GUIDE Our mini guide on application forms provides lots more advice on how to tackle application forms and also includes a sample personal statement. Visit our Careers website www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/ to download your copy.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

A student says ...

“

As a regular volunteer for my local youth club, I have been involved in organising a number of fundraising events.

The advice I have had from the Employability Advisers on my application forms has been really useful. They are friendly and professional, and the information I was given was hugely relevant. I got specific and tailored feedback on which areas I needed to work on further, and this really helped me to improve my application.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

GETTING THE JOB

How to succeed at

interviews

PREPARATION IS THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW. CAREERS ADVISER HAYLEY FALLON EXPLAINS WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION AND BOOST YOUR CHANCES OF SUCCESS.

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DID YOU KNOW? First impressions are crucial. Studies have shown that someone forms judgements about you within the first four minutes of meeting you. Give a good impression to your interviewer from the very first moment. Be on time, shake hands confidently, smile and introduce yourself. Walk tall, maintain eye contact, sit upright, talk clearly and be enthusiastic and positive.

{

Help and support available to you..

01. 02. 03. 04. 05.

ONE TO ONE SUPPORT IN THE CAREERS ZONE The prospect of attending an interview can be scary, but don’t panic! Our Careers and Employability Advisers are on hand to provide tips on common interview questions to ensure you shine in the interview. To arrange an appointment, call into a Careers Zone or phone us on 0151 231 2048/3719.

WORKSHOPS/WEBINARS Learn how to prepare effectively for interviews in our ‘Interview Success’ workshop and webinar. We cover typical questions, effective answers and how to impress prospective employers at interview. For dates of upcoming sessions, check our events website https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk/

INTERVIEW SIMULATOR As part of our Careers Zone 24/7 online careers tools, you can test yourself with interactive questions on the interview simulator. Build up your confidence by taking a mock interview or learn about what makes an effective answer from experienced recruiters. You can access Careers Zone 24/7 via our Careers website www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/

CAREER MINI GUIDE Our handy mini guide on ‘Preparing for Interviews’ summarises some key advice for before, during and after the interview, and introduces you to common interview questions. Visit our Careers website www. ljmu.ac.uk/careers/ to download your copy.

INTERVIEW PRACTICE SESSIONS Never had an interview before and don’t know what to expect? Beat your interview nerves by booking a practice interview with one of our advisers by calling into a Careers Zone or phoning us on 0151 231 2048/3719.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

Different types of interview ❚❚ Telephone - Initial employer call that eliminates candidates based on essential criteria. Successful applicants are usually invited to the one-to-one stage. ❚❚ Video - Whether through Skype, FaceTime or YouTube, this type of interview is increasingly popular for graduate roles in sales, media and marketing. They’re usually held during the initial screening process. ❚❚ One-to-one - Face-to-face encounter with one interviewer, after the organisation decides that you’ve got what it’s looking for. They’re usually formal, but can also take place over lunch. You could also be interviewed by different people at different times. ❚❚ Panel - Similar to one-to-one interviews, except two or more people - often from different parts of the organisation - will be assessing you at the same time. ❚❚ Group - Multiple candidates are interviewed together. They’re asked questions in turn, or discuss certain topics. ❚❚ Assessment centres - These involve tasks including presentations, written tests, and group, role-play and in-tray exercises. They’re used to assess a candidate’s performance in a range of situations, and last between one and three days. You’ll appear alongside several other candidates. Find out more about assessment centres on p.50.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

GETTING THE JOB

Before the interview Thorough preparation is the key to a successful interview. One of the main ways to prepare is to research: Research the organisation: This demonstrates how interested and enthusiastic you are about working for the organisation and will help you prepare some questions to ask them at the end. All employers will expect you to display some understanding of what they do and the sector in which they operate! Research the job: Read the job advert and/or person specification. Look at the organisation’s website or recruitment brochure to see which skills or attributes are mentioned. Use any opportunity to meet the recruiter and employees at careers fairs, on placement and other events, such as open days. Research yourself: Think about your strengths and demonstrate self-awareness. What makes you the best candidate for the post?

Look at the job description and/or person specification and make sure you can give at least one positive example (preferably more) for each of the skills and attributes the employer is seeking. Anticipate the questions: It is often possible to predict the kind of questions you may get by looking at the job description and/or person specification or the organisation’s key competencies and corporate values. These provide the selection criteria for the job and they will ask you questions in order to determine whether or not you have what it takes to do the job effectively and fit into the organisation. Practical issues: Practical preparation can often be overlooked but don’t forget this when preparing for your interview. Plan your day so that you arrive as calm, collected and professional as you can be! Find out what the format of the interview is. Where will it be? Do you need to take anything? What are you going to wear? Do you need overnight accommodation?

During the interview With thorough preparation, you are in a good position to respond effectively to questions and display knowledge of yourself, the job and the organisation. When answering, avoid yes/no answers, seek clarification if needed, listen to the questions, be positive and use examples from different experiences. Competency-based questions are commonly used to help interviewers gain a better understanding of your skills set and suitability for the role. These could include: ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚

Give an example for when you have used your communication skills to deal with a difficult person. Please discuss a time when you have demonstrated your ability to prioritise conflicting tasks effectively. Describe a situation when you have successfully led a team.

To give structure to your answers and provide clear evidence of your skills, the STAR technique is useful to help you focus your answers and demonstrate your competencies to the recruiter.

Please see the previous section on application forms for further details about STAR and an example. Increasingly, graduate recruiters now use strength-based interviews, which allow them to explore what motivates you, whether you would fit into their organisation and whether you would enjoy the job. Questions are usually more open and give candidates more freedom in their answers than competency-based questions: ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚ ❚❚

What do you enjoy about working in a team? What motivates you? Would you be happy to compromise the quality of your work in order to deliver a project more quickly? What would people who know you well say you are good at? What modules did you enjoy the most during your degree studies?

Your responses should still reflect the required skills, personal attributes and organisational values, but ensure that your responses are natural and that your motivation shines through in all of your answers.

After the interview Learn from the experience. Note down some of the questions they asked. Were you satisfied with your answers or could you do better next time? This will help you prepare for the next stage of the process or get ready for interviews with other employers. If they don’t contact you when they said they would, or if it has been more than two weeks, phone the company and ask for an update. If you have been unsuccessful, ask for feedback on your interview. Most recruiters will be happy to provide this, and although it might not all be positive, it is important to reflect on unsuccessful interviews to help you improve your technique.

“

Interviews can be nerve wracking and stressful situations - but don’t panic. A few simple techniques, good preparation and some positive thinking can do wonders to reduce your stress levels and help you shine. If you want to discuss this further, call into your nearest Careers Zone and book an appointment with an adviser.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

An employer says ...

“

A Careers Adviser says ...

What I look for in candidates during interviews are their personal attributes. Skills you can teach, but you can’t make an individual be motivated, enthusiastic or proactive. In the last candidate I recruited, those attributes came across strongly in the interview and in everything she was talking about. And that’s what made her stand out as a candidate.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

GETTING THE JOB

Psychometric tests and assessment centres USE SCREENING TESTS AS

PART OF THEIR RECRUITMENT PROCESS AS RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THEY ARE THE BEST SINGLE PREDICTOR OF PERFORMANCE AND GIVE AN EMPLOYER AN

OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF A CANDIDATE’S ABILITIES.

If your initial application is successful, psychometric tests are usually the next part of the screening process. If you successfully navigate them, you are then usually invited to an assessment centre or assessment day. The two main types of psychometric tests used are ability tests (sometimes called aptitude tests) and personality questionnaires. Ability tests are formal tests designed to indicate how well you are able to carry out various aspects of a job i.e. to show employers your potential to do a task well. The tests are typically completed online and are usually a series of multiple choice questions taken under strict time limits. The most common tests used by graduate recruiters are verbal tests, numerical tests, diagrammatic/abstract/logical/spatial reasoning tests, industry-specific tests and situational judgement tests. Personality questionnaires look at behavioural preferences. They are not concerned with your abilities, but how you see yourself in terms of your personality; for example, the way you relate to others, and how you deal with feelings and emotions. There are no rights or wrongs in behavioural style, so the best advice is to be honest in the way you answer the questions. The next stage in the graduate recruitment process is usually an invitation to attend an assessment centre or selection centre event. Assessment centres are costly both in terms of financial outlay and staff resources so tend to be used mainly by larger organisations offering structured graduate training programmes.

“

A student says ...

Prepare yourself for each activity. There is plenty of information online and the practice tests on Careers Zone 24/7 of the Careers website is really helpful. Preparation will give you the confidence you need to perform well in any situation. Always keep in mind the type of candidate the company is looking for and also the company’s strategy and values. This information will help you structure your answers well. You are always being assessed so try to talk with the other candidates, current graduates or the staff about relevant topics. Show interest in the company and the position. Be yourself and let the others be too.

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

What happens at an assessment centre? The assessment centre is generally a one day event held in a training centre, hotel, conference centre or the employer’s own premises. Other applicants who have been successful in the first round of the selection process will also be present, typically placed in groups of between six and eight candidates. Assessment centres are usually designed to include exercises that measure you against key aspects of the job. By using a range of methods such as group exercises, further interviews, tests, presentations and intray exercises, the selectors will have a chance to examine your potential as an employee in their organisation more closely. For all of the exercises make sure you understand the instructions or the written brief. If you are unclear, ask for clarification. The activities will have been devised to highlight the attributes they require for the particular role you have applied for. It is an intensive day during which you will be under constant scrutiny and formal and informal assessment, even at meal times.

An employer says ...

“

MOST LARGE ORGANISATIONS

The toughest part of our selection process is the online tests, but there are some simple ways you can certainly improve your chances. Make sure you practise the online tests several times – once or twice just isn’t enough and make sure you practise the tests that are used by the employer you are applying to – that is essential - but it certainly won’t hurt to try others. The tests may take longer than you expect/or are told so ensure you allow plenty of time. And finally don’t sit the tests just before the deadline. If you encounter any problems you may not have enough time to contact the employer and get the issue fixed before the closing date.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

GETTING THE JOB

Help and support available to you..

01. 02. 03. 04.

ONE TO ONE SUPPORT IN THE CAREERS ZONE For individual advice on preparing for psychometric tests and assessment centres, speak to our advisers. To arrange an appointment, call into a Careers Zone or phone us on 0151 231 2048/3719.

WORKSHOPS We offer psychometric testing practice sessions to help you ace your online tests. For dates of upcoming sessions, check our events website https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk

ASSESSMENT CENTRE TOOL AND PSYCHOMETRIC TESTS Looking to practise aptitude tests and assessment centre exercises? Head to our Careers website www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers, follow the link to Careers Zone 24/7, log in and get practising!

DOWNLOAD OUR CAREER MINI GUIDES For further advice on psychometric tests and assessment centres, visit our Careers website and download a copy of our handy mini guides - www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

Applying for a graduate scheme? PRACTISE A RANGE OF TESTS USED BY GRADUATE EMPLOYERS DURING THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Use our assessment centre tool and our range of aptitude tests to get up to speed with tests used by graduate employers recruiting for graduate schemes APTITUDE TESTS INCLUDE:

❚ numerical ❚ verbal ❚ inductive ❚ diagrammatic ❚ logical ❚ situational judgement ❚ critical thinking ❚ error checking and e-tray exercises TO ACCESS THESE TOOLS GO TO 'CAREERS ZONE 24/7' ON THE LJMU CAREERS WEBSITE:

www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

LJMU will be running a range of careers and recruitment fairs during the academic year. Students from any degree programme are welcome to attend any of these events Still undecided what career to pursue? Careers fairs are designed to help you meet and network with employers and find out about career options.

Careers and Recruitment Fairs 2018/19

Need a placement or job? Recruitment Fairs are designed to help you meet employers with job and placement vacancies to offer.

For more information about these events, including which employers are attending, and which students they are aimed at, visit:

careers.ljmu.ac.uk

SEMESTER 1

SEMESTER 2

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Staff and Student Volunteering Fair 3 October, 2pm-5pm, Byrom Street

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Staff and Student Volunteering Fair 27 February, 1pm-4pm, John Lennon Art and Design Building

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Faculty of Engineering and Technology Careers Fair 11 October, 9am-12pm, Adelphi Hotel

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Creative, Culture, Media and Arts Recruitment Fair 10 April, 1pm-3pm, John Lennon Art and Design Building

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Exploring Placements and Graduate Schemes 16 October, 10am-2pm, Redmonds Building

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Exploring Working with Children, Young People and with Vulnerable Adults 17 October, 2pm-4pm, Byrom Street

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Recruitment Fair 17 April, 10am-1pm, Byrom Street

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Business, Law, Humanities and Social Science Recruitment Fair 18 April, 10am-1pm, Redmonds Building

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Exploring Science-related Career Pathways 24 October, 2pm-4pm, Byrom Street

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Exploring Working in Creative Industries 14 November, 1pm-4pm, John Lennon Art and Design Building

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Exploring Careers in Sport 22 November, 1pm-4pm, Byrom Street

LJMU CAREERS TEAM

0151 231 2048/3719 || careers@ljmu.ac.uk