Careers Handbook 2016 Your future, your stories, your handbook.
All you need to know about:
Career-boosting opportunities
Choosing your career and graduate options
Applying for jobs and internships
Contents
Contents From campus to career:
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01/ Career-boosting opportunities Nottingham Advantage Award 08 Students’ Union 10 Part-time work through Unitemps 13 Work experience 14 EnterpriseLab 16 Work and study abroad 17
02/ Choose your career Choosing a career Postgraduate and PhD study Taking a year out
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03/ Explore the job market Success in a competitive job market 25 Graduate vacancies 26 The global job market 29 Online networking 30 Know the job and company 32 inside out
04/ Apply for jobs Online job applications CVs and covering letters Psychometric tests Job interviews Assessment centres
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35 36 38 39 40
Welcome
Hello and welcome If you are reading this, then you are probably starting to think about what you might do when you graduate. The good news is that as a Nottingham student you are targeted by hundreds of employers who are keen to recruit you. That is great if you know what you want to do, but if you have no idea, it really doesn’t help! At the Careers and Employability Service we are committed to helping you achieve your career ambitions wherever you are in your thinking.
For those of you who are ready to apply for jobs you’ll be pleased to know that our University is consistently highly targeted by top graduate recruiters*, many of whom advertise their graduate and internship vacancies via My Career, our online vacancies, events and appointments system. It’s not just about the big names though; we also advertise vacancies from highly successful companies and local businesses which are less well known but offer exciting opportunities for you to develop your career.
Written by our career professionals, this guide will help you to explore your career options and make the most of the opportunities available to you to develop your skills and meet a wide range of employers. We also have the inside track on how to be successful during selection processes based on our regular contact with recruiters who are targeting Nottingham students.
So, where to start? After you have looked through this, why not talk to us? You can find us in your faculty and school and in central spaces at Jubilee Campus, the QMC, Sutton Bonington and University Park. Find out more about how to meet us on page 5, and the hundreds of events we run every year on page 27 or on our website. It’s never too early to start thinking about your future and it is never as complicated as it seems. With our expert help you can achieve your ambitions as a Nottingham graduate. We look forward to meeting you soon. Nalayini Thambar Director, Careers and Employability Service
* High Fliers Research, ‘The Graduate Market in 2015.’
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Welcome
From campus to career: we’ll help you at every stage Whether you know where your future lies or are undecided, our team is committed to helping you on your way to your dream job. Our experts can help you make the most of your time at Nottingham, identify your options, gain an understanding of job sectors and prepare for internships and graduate employment. “We strongly encourage students to explore and take advantage of the personalised support offered by the Careers and Employability Service”
Dr Robert Adlington Associate Professor, School of Music
It’s all about you It’s your future, so we’re here to support you and answer any questions that you have – it doesn’t matter whether you know what you want to do or not! We can support you along the way to finding a job that makes you excited for Monday mornings. Our faculty Careers teams have regular advice sessions in your faculty. Just turn up at one of the many regular drop-in sessions and have a chat or book an appointment through My Career. If you’ve got a quick question, why not tweet us or send a private Facebook message? If you’ve found that ideal job or internship opportunity, book a CV, covering letter or application form review with one of our team and we’ll work with you to get you onto the interview list.
Explore your career options There are so many ways to find out about your options! Talk to the people in the know by attending our Spotlight On… events where professionals talk about their jobs, what they do on a daily basis, the high and lows, and entry routes. Get insights and advice from Nottingham alumni through our eMentoring scheme and ‘Ask a professional’ initiative. Or take your research online – watch videos, get expert advice and exclusive access to career resources through our website. You can also be the first to know about the latest local, national and international news and opportunities by following us on Facebook and Twitter.
Find an internship and graduate job We organise hundreds of events involving more than 350 employers, so there’s plenty of opportunities for you to talk to recruiters about the opportunities within their company. We also advertise hundreds of graduate and internship positions in the UK and overseas on My Career, our online vacancies and events database. Create your search criteria and get email alerts when new jobs are registered.
Making a successful application We can help your application stand out from the first to last stages of the recruitment process. We offer workshops on developing effective CVs, completing application forms, improving your interview technique, practising psychometric tests and much more. You can experience a mock assessment centre and gain feedback from our advisers on your performance to help you ace the real thing!
Take the next step… • Explore our website to kick-start your career planning: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers
“I’d never considered a career in advertising, marketing or PR, but two hours of learning from successful speakers at a careers event seemed a better idea than more late-night panic research…it was hugely informative!” Nicole Jones (BA English, graduated 2014)
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Welcome
Come and see us Jubilee Campus
For details of when you can come and see us, visit: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/students
• A floor, YANG Fujia Building
Connect with us
Queen’s Medical Centre
Follow us on social media for the latest vacancies, events and insights. Ask our experts a question on Facebook or Twitter…
• B floor, Medical School
Sutton Bonington
CareersUoN
• Student Services Centre
UoNCareers
University Park
blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/careers
• Level D, Portland Building • B floor, Pope Building
Come and chat to us at our Careers Roadshows. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers 05
What are you waiting for? www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers CareersUoN @UoNCareers 06
www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers
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Career-boosting opportunities
Students visiting our annual Graduate Jobs Fair. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers 07
Career-boosting opportunities
Nottingham Advantage Award With more than 5,000 students taking part in over 250 modules across our UK, China and Malaysia campuses, join the Nottingham Advantage Award to build on your extracurricular interests and personalise your career development. The Award gives you the opportunity to stand out, the vision to achieve your goals and recognition for your commitment. The Nottingham Advantage Award is an award-winning scheme that has been developed to help students to participate in activities that develop the kinds of attributes and qualities sought by employers. The Award is accredited by the University, which means you will achieve additional credits on top of your degree. The Award is recognised and supported by graduate employers who deliver skills workshops and modules. Several graduate employers also offer students additional prizes and certificates to recognise outstanding achievement. Students who have completed the Award or achieved additional prizes are also invited to attend the annual Celebration Event!
How does the Award work? To achieve the full Award you need to complete 30 credits. To ensure your academic studies come first you can only take a maximum of 20 credits within any academic year. This means the earlier you register, the better! This will help you plan your module journey throughout your studies to complete the Award. You will: • develop skills and reflect on your learning throughout your Award modules • receive support from the Award team and your module leaders • work individually or as part of a group to achieve credits • receive an Award completion certificate • gain recognition on your graduate transcript
What modules can I take? Award modules cover extracurricular activities such as part-time work, involvement in the Students’ Union or studying abroad. There are also modules that are specific to your degree subject, such as Unlocking the potential of your Philosophy Degree and the Zoology Outreach Collection Volunteers. Some modules will give you an insight into areas such as public relations, fundraising and sales, while others will help you to develop leadership, decision making and business skills for the workplace. Watch our video to find out more about the Award at www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/advantage
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The Award has over 250 modules grouped into the following categories: • Buddying, mentoring and peer support • Careers skills and employability • Community and volunteering • Cultural awareness, language learning and study abroad • Employer-led • Enactus modules • Enterprise, events and project management • Internships, placements and work experience • Online • Sports • Students’ Union
Careers modules We have a range of careers modules, to help enhance your recruitment and workplace skills knowledge. In our Skills for Employability module, you’ll attend skills workshops delivered by top graduate employers as well as experts from our team. The module puts you in control – you get to pick the skills you want to focus on. Do you work alongside your studies? Our Part-time Jobs, Vacation Jobs and Volunteering module allows you to reflect upon your experience and the skills you have gained while helping you to create a killer CV. The modules within the career skills and employability category are discipline specific and cross-disciplinary modules, led by our team and school staff.
Take the next step… • Visit the Nottingham Advantage Award website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/advantage
Career-boosting opportunities
“I chose my modules to learn new skills vital for the world of work. These skills have helped me to enhance my employability and work in teams with people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds.� Gabby Hodnett (BA Modern Languages with Business, graduated 2015)
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Career-boosting opportunities
Students’ Union The Students’ Union offers hundreds of opportunities for you to get involved in activities that look great on your CV. What are you going to do? University is about much more than getting a degree: it’s about seizing the opportunities available to develop skills you can use to impress prospective employers and land your ideal job. Students who have developed employability skills such as communication, time management and leadership through their involvement in the Students’ Union are more likely to stand out from the graduate crowd. Whether you are a member of a society, a Week One Rep or work in a Students’ Union shop, you are building up skills to enhance that all-important CV and get yourself ready for the world of work. With over 200 societies, more than 70 sports clubs and lots of volunteering projects, the Students’ Union offers hundreds of opportunities for you to try new activities, make friends and develop your skills. Regardless of your interests and the amount of spare time you have, the Union will have something for you.
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Something for everyone Getting involved in a society, sports club or project isn’t just a good way to meet new people, it can seriously help to boost your employability. Being a member allows you to gain experience of working in a team and demonstrates a broad range of interests to future employers. Not only that, but if you choose to join a committee for a society or club you’ll show your ability to take on a position of responsibility and develop the skills involved in organising events, managing budgets and coordinating publicity. The Students’ Union also supports a range of student-run media groups, which are perfect if you’re hoping to pursue a career in the media or looking to gain voluntary work experience. Our TV station, magazine, radio station, sound and lighting company and theatre company are always looking for enthusiastic new students, whether you want to show off your writing or performance skills or work behind the scenes. You can even get involved in Karnival, our student-run charity and fundraising organisation, which last year raised over £1.7m for worthy causes.
Career-boosting opportunities
“I would encourage first years to get involved in as many societies as possible. It not only enhances your life skills but also allows you to meet a whole new range of people.” Will Leney (BA English and Classical Civilisation)
Recognising your contribution
Student Volunteer Centre
The Students’ Union offers a suite of Nottingham Advantage Award modules designed to recognise the efforts of students who have a position of responsibility within the Union. You can accredit your role on a society committee, sports club or hall committee or enhance your experience as a peer mentor within a society. The Union also offers the first society-led Award module designed to increase your confidence in public speaking.
“94% of employers think that employee volunteering has added to the skills of their workforce.”
Outside of societies and clubs there are lots of opportunities to enhance your CV through student-led projects, volunteering and working in the Union – all of which will help you develop those all important transferable skills!
Get your body and CV in shape Sport participation is great for your body, and for your CV. There are over 70 sports you can get involved in as well as intra-mural sports leagues, which are more casual sports played against other halls, societies and departments. Taking part is a great way to make friends, get fit and show you can work as part of a team.
TimeBank Through ongoing projects, student-led projects and oneoff opportunities, volunteering is a brilliant way to gain work experience and give back to the community. The varied opportunities offer a range of commitment levels, meaning you can get involved even if you have only a little time to spare. Volunteering gives you the chance to develop important skills such as teamwork and communication, as well as improve your confidence in meeting new groups and different people. Research has shown that volunteering is very attractive to employers and, additionally, if you have little work experience it’s a great way to begin building your CV.
Take the next step… • Contact the Students’ Union: http://su.nottingham.ac.uk @UoNSU UofNSU
There are more than 70 sports clubs you can get involved with. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers 11
Career-boosting opportunities
“I first applied to Unitemps prior to my degree to help fund my studies, but after securing a regular position I kept accepting more and more because they proved so rewarding, so varied and so downright enjoyable!” Kenny Masters (MSc Environmental Management, graduated 2014) Read Kenny’s story at www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/kenny
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Career-boosting opportunities
Part-time work through Unitemps Our recruitment business, Unitemps, will help you find part-time work to boost your finances and build your CV. Jobs are based on campus or in the local area. Unitemps is the University’s recruitment business for parttime, casual and temporary jobs on campus and with local businesses. As a service set up for students, it is the ideal place to look for a part-time job that will fit around your academic and other commitments.
Finally, a part-time job will not only help you support yourself financially, it will look great on your CV and show future employers that you’re a dedicated and hard-working individual. Besides, you may even get experience in a specialist area that will really set you apart from other graduates!
What jobs can you get?
Getting a job through Unitemps: the process
Unitemps offers various temporary work opportunities throughout the year, giving you complete flexibility as to when you work and what you do. Here are only a few examples of the type of jobs that you could get.
1 Register a profile at www.unitemps.com to be notified of their latest vacancies.
• Administration work, for example, data entry, reception, admin support and working as a personal assistant. • Events and hospitality, including working as waiting staff, bar staff and house-keepers. • Student ambassador roles at on-campus events, such Open Days • Specialist roles such as marketing, design, IT, engineering and web design. • Translation and other roles requiring foreign language skills. • Call centre support, customer service and telesales. • Student helper roles for focus groups, photo and video shoots, promotional work, market research... and many more!
2 Upload your CV on your Unitemps profile. Make sure it is up to date and effectively presents your skills and experience. (For help with your CV, see page 36.) 3 Apply for vacancies that suit your availability, skills and interests. Make sure that your covering letter and application form clearly demonstrate why you are a suitable candidate for the role. 4 The Unitemps team will call you if you have been selected for an interview or to book you for the job! Once you have a job, you will be able to submit time sheets and monitor your monthly payments through your Unitemps online profile.
What are the benefits of working through Unitemps?
International students Students from outside the European Union are usually permitted to work a maximum of 20 hours per week during term-time and full–time outside term time.
First of all, working through Unitemps gives you flexibility to choose assignments that suit your skills, availability and career aims. You will always be able to choose when and how much you work.
For further questions about eligibility to work in the UK, please contact the International Office: www.nottingham.ac.uk/internationaloffice
Secondly, you will earn good rates of pay and accumulate holiday pay with every hour that you work. Thirdly, most Unitemps jobs are on campus (University Park, Jubilee Campus, King’s Meadow Campus and Sutton Bonington Campus) or close by, so you won’t have to spend too much time travelling to work.
Take the next step… • Explore the assignments and get in touch: www.unitemps.com t: 0115 846 7374 Unitemps, Portland Building Level B, University Park
www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers
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Lead change. Benefit millions of lives. Join our Future Leaders Programme and you’ll be part of a leading global business tackling the world’s biggest healthcare challenges. Bring your curiosity. Share our ambition. We’ll give you the opportunities to build the future you want. Find out more at
www.futureleaders.gsk.com Yazmin IT Future Leaders Programme. Ensuring leading IT systems protect patient safety.
20514614_GSK_TT100_260x180_AW.indd 1
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Free, personalised, expert advice What are you waiting for? www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers CareersUoN @UoNCareers www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers 15
Career-boosting opportunities
Getting early work experience Employers are looking for graduates who can start to contribute to their organisation from the day they join and work experience is a great way to gain skills and show you have the attributes they are looking for. Not only will work experience enhance your job prospects, it is a great way to explore a profession and help you to make decisions about your future career. There are many ways you can gain work experience: • internships, vacation schemes (law students) and studentships (science students) • year-long sandwich placements • part-time work or casual work through Unitemps, our internal recruitment agency • volunteering • work shadowing • a position of responsibility with a society in the Students’ Union Our website provides more information on these options as well as information on how to research opportunities overseas. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/workexperience
Know your sector Work experience opportunities come in many shapes and sizes depending on the career sector you are looking at. Whether you’re looking for a paid internship, a year-long placement, work shadowing or volunteering opportunities, doing some research about companies and sectors will help you identify what kind of work experience programmes on offer. Many large companies will offer structured opportunities such as summer internships or placements, as well as insight days where you will get a chance to spend a day at a company’s HQ and learn about what they do. Smaller companies, or those in less business focused areas, often operate a much less formal approach to work
experience, but their opportunities can be equally as valuable – you might just have to be a bit more proactive to find them. Don’t be afraid to approach an exciting company and promote yourself. The table below provides examples of work experience within popular sectors.
Sources of vacancies
Competition can be fierce for internships and placements so use all available sources. Alongside advertised vacancies, contact companies to ask about opportunities by sending a tailored letter and CV. Use your contacts such as family, friends and tutors to identify potential placements as well as social media channels including LinkedIn (see page 30). International students should seek advice from the International Office about their eligibility to work in the UK before applying for vacancies.
Employer presentations and fairs Over 500 employers visited Nottingham last year to raise awareness of their graduate and internship opportunities. We organise a series of events to help them showcase those opportunities (see page 27), as well as two specific events – the Internship Fair on 3 November and the Engineering Internships Fair on 1 October. Find out more at www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/events
Take the next step… • Use our website to find out more about the opportunities open to you: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/ workexperience
Sector
Advertised internships
Organise own placement
Work shadowing
Casual work or volunteering
Advertising, marketing and PR
Yes and competitive
Yes
Yes
Student brand manager
Charity work
Very limited
Yes
Yes
Fundraising, support events, community work
Civil Service
Limited
Yes
Yes
Law
Yes
Yes
Yes
Student ambassador
Publishing and media
Limited and competitive
Yes
Yes
Students’ Union: URN, Impact
Social and community work
Dependent on organisation
Yes
Yes
Work with children, elderly and adults with disabilities
Teaching
Teaching Agency, local schools and University schemes
Yes
Yes
Classroom assistant, youth work
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Career-boosting opportunities
“I became more confident communicating with clients and presenting to large groups of people; I also gained valuable experience in leadership and teamwork. It helped me show employers that I am motivated towards improving my employability and secure a graduate job with BT.” Shivam Samani (BSc Mathematics and Computer Science, graduated 2014) Read Shivam’s story at www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/shivam
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Career-boosting opportunities
Ingenuity Lab If you have an interest in ideas related to business, whether it’s a fully commercial venture or a social enterprise, then the Ingenuity Lab is where you need to be. Our ambition is to create an innovative community of entrepreneurs, working together to develop ideas, encourage radical innovation and produce exciting new start-ups. The Ingenuity Lab’s ethos is about exploration, co-operation and collaboration, striving to produce innovative solutions to social/ market problems. The aim is to create products and services that are not only fit for purpose but offer a different perspective and approach. The Ingenuity Lab focuses on two main areas: The Ingenuity Lab community will bring members together in order to develop peerto-peer networks as well as offer a regular timetable of events to challenge perceptions, offer greater understanding, and develop the practice of entrepreneurship. And secondly, enterprise startup activity will support great ideas via competitions and surgeries through to programmes that accelerate your ideas into the market place towards entrepreneurial success.
The Ingenuity Prize The Ingenuity Prize is the University’s innovative business ideas competition. The aim is to take undergraduates, postgraduates and alumni through the process of defining, discovering and determining the clearest path to creating a new enterprise. This competition is not only valuable to entrepreneurs looking to start their own business, but also to those looking to develop their ability to innovate and become creative problem solvers within industry. Undergraduates can also earn credits towards the Nottingham Advantage Award by taking part in the Prize. The Prize happens in the spring term and is open to budding entrepreneurs from across the University. Industry and academic mentors from a variety of sectors participate in the competition and a range of cash prizes and support allows further development of ideas.
Entrepreneurship Visa The Ingenuity Lab manages The University of Nottingham’s Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa, in partnership with the International Office. The visas allow a limited number of eligible students from The University of Nottingham to remain in the UK for up to two years to start new business ventures. For more information go to www.nottingham.ac.uk/ingenuitylab
Case study
Model Students Anna Gray was a third-year management studies student at The University of Nottingham when she started working on her idea of a modelling agency run by, and for, students. Upon talking to the Ingenuity Lab about the idea, Anna was told about a previous proposal the Lab had received for a similar project over 10 years ago but it never got past the planning stages. After gaining permission to use the idea and with lots of hard work, the business has flourished and now prides itself on offering a professional service with 150 registered models, 145 of which are current Nottingham students. The students’ flexible schedules allow for casual contracts that fit around university life and offer a fun and flexible part-time job. Looking back on the role of the Ingenuity Lab in her business journey, Anna confirms: “I would definitely recommend the Ingenuity Lab. I think that setting up a business without their support would have been a totally different experience, the support that I’ve had has been brilliant and if I was on my own, I just wouldn’t have had that and would have ended up paying out loads of money for advice and legal help. I think it’s a great opportunity, if you have any ideas while you’re studying, to go and speak to the Lab and see if they can support you in any way.” www.modelstudents.co.uk
Take the next step… • Find out more about student enterprise at Nottingham: www.nottingham.ac.uk/business/ businesscentres/hgi/student-enterprise/ 18
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Join spring, summer or autumn
Discover where a career with PwC could take you Voted employer of choice by students in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers survey for twelve years running
The experience stays with you Work in: Actuarial Assurance Consulting Deals PwC Legal Tax Technology
Opportunities are at the heart of a career with PwC. Opportunities to grow as an individual, to build lasting relationships and to make an impact in a place where people, quality and value mean everything. If you have what it takes to boost the performance of some of the world’s biggest companies and help them handle a wide range of business issues and complex commercial challenges, we have what it takes to make sure you thrive.
Take the opportunity of a lifetime pwc.com/uk/careers /pwccareersuk @pwc_uk_careers Š 2015 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved.
Diverse people make us stronger
www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers
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Career-boosting opportunities
Work and study abroad Take the unique opportunity to study or work abroad as part of your degree programme at one of our overseas campuses in Malaysia or China, in Europe or internationally. All students have the opportunity to study abroad, either as part of their degree programme or during holiday periods. This is not just for language students – many of our study abroad opportunities are for those who do not speak another language fluently. The University offers international exchanges from Australia to the USA; working or studying in Europe through the Erasmus programme; studying at one of our overseas campuses in Malaysia or China; or summer schools in Korea or Germany. We also offer a range of bursaries and scholarships to students to assist with additional costs, and those undertaking an Erasmus work placement in Europe are able to experience the world of work in another language and culture, while potentially being paid.
Students who study or work abroad are more employable and have a competitive advantage when entering the globalised workplace. They also develop an increased confidence as they settle into a new culture and make friends, as well as facing the challenges of studying within a new academic setting and potentially in another language. When studying at one of our highly ranked partner universities overseas, students demonstrate their ability to cope with new teaching methods and cultural differences in the classroom while broadening the scope of their degree. It is these qualities that persuade many employers to employ our graduates. Former exchange students work at a wide range of organisations including the European Commission, the BBC and Barclays.
“Studying abroad not only developed my cultural awareness but also allowed me to study civil engineering from a new perspective. Studying abroad helped me stand out from other candidates during the application procedure, qualities such as being adaptable and organisational skills were just a few characteristics highlighted by my experience.” Mark Russell, MEng Civil Engineering Take the next step… • Find out more: www.nottingham.ac.uk/internationalstudents/exchanges
The Ningbo China campus at night.
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...to get our help with: • free personalised advice and guidance • expert application and interview advice • internships and jobs targeted at you
What are you waiting for? www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers CareersUoN @UoNCareers www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers 21
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Choose your career
Student with product assessor in the quality control lab at Boots, Nottingham. 22
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Choose your career
Choosing a career No matter whether it’s at the dining table, a party or chatting online, we understand that when someone asks ‘what do you want to do after university?’ it can fill you with dread. But there’s no need to panic: we can help you to find out what’s out there and make a decision about what you’d like to do. When you’ve got no idea about what you want to do after university, it may seem like everyone else has got it all figured out. However, lots of students are unsure what path they want to follow after leaving Nottingham. Even those on vocational courses such as engineering and business may be uncertain about the specialist area they want to work in or may want something completely different.
Employability skills and your course As well as the subject knowledge and ‘soft skills’ such as teamwork and communication gained through your course, you will develop a number of other skills that you may want to use in your future career.
There’s no magic wand… Even if we wish there was! Come and talk to a member of our team and we’ll get you started. We can help you generate career ideas that match your interests.
Examples of skills from a history course:
Examples of skills from a biology degree:
• • • •
• data management and analysis • organisational skills • project management • report writing
analytical skills creativity construction of arguments problem-solving
www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/appointments
Keen to get started? Here are three things you can do before you meet up with a careers adviser. They won’t take long and will be good starting points for your discussion. 1. Figure out what your interests, skills, talents and work preferences are. Once you’ve don’t this, make a list and talk to your family, tutors or people who know you well as they may add to the list. You might be surprised as they may highlight skills or qualities that you haven’t recognised as personal strengths. 2. Make use of online programmes, such as Prospects Planner and TARGETjobs Careers Report. Once you have a list, find out more about the suggestions, including what the job involves, the skills required and entry routes. This will help you decide if the role is right for you. 3. Use your subject in your career If you’re enjoying your course, you should look for jobs that allow you to continue this, the guides on the Prospects and TARGETjobs websites are useful starting points. You can also find out what other students from your course went on to do – their job titles and employers – by using the ‘What do graduates do?’ pages on our website. www.nottingham.ac.uk/graduatedestinations
Careers that need these skills:
Careers that need these skills:
• • • •
• accountant • conservation and environmental officer • personnel and recruitment consultant • teacher
journalist management consultant public relations officer solicitor
Explore your options
Once you have worked out what matters to you, you will hopefully have generated some ideas you want to investigate further. Narrow down your list to the most interesting; use the information on the Types of jobs pages on our website covering careers from actuarial work to transport and logistics. To gain a real insight into the careers that may interest you, talk to those working in that area and attend employer presentations and ‘Spotlight On…’ workshops. You may be able to organise some work shadowing or a work experience placement to give you an even better insight into a role or industry. That experience could help you to decide if that career is right for you. For details of the events taking place during the autumn and spring terms, visit the Events page on our website.
Take the next step… • Visit the Prospects and TARGETjobs websites and use the tools highlighted above: www.prospects.ac.uk www.targetjobs.co.uk • Book an appointment to progress your ideas: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/login www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers 23 3 www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers
Choose your career
Postgraduate and PhD study In today’s job market, demonstrating the benefits of postgraduate study through specialist skills and knowledge may offer you a competitive edge. Taught masters and MRes • A taught masters degree is an intensive academic programme delivered through a mix of lectures and seminars with a major thesis, project or sometimes a placement element. Full-time courses usually last for one academic year, but some may have the option to study on a part-time or distance learning basis. • Masters degrees by research (MRes) last 12 months full time and involve a longer in-depth research project. Masters courses can allow you to continue to develop your academic subject knowledge; for example MSc Chemical Engineering or MA Ancient History. Others may enable you to work towards a specific career area such as MSc Marketing.
Diplomas and certificates Undertaking a diploma or certificate-level qualification is a specific requirement for some professions such as teaching and law. Other qualifications may enable you to gain specialist knowledge in a particular area relevant to a career choice such as a postgraduate diploma in brewing science. Some courses are aimed at those who are already practising in a professional area and are undertaken as further professional training, eg nursing and education professionals. Diplomas and certificate courses will have a mix of teaching delivery styles and may also be taken as full-time, part-time, distance or e-learning courses.
The University has a vibrant postgraduate community. 24
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Funding the course Most postgraduate students studying in the UK fund their own studies, usually through a combination of personal savings, part-time work, family contributions, bank loans and support from a trust or charity. There is a limited amount of financial support available and scholarships for both home and international students are highly competitive. Some support may be available from employers for those who are taking a professional development course.
Making an application
For the majority of postgraduate courses in the UK there is no central admissions system; you apply directly to individual universities. Courses with a central admissions system include teaching and graduate entry into medicine and law, which have a specific deadline for applications. For other courses, applications will no longer be accepted once all the places are filled. For popular courses this can be as early as the December prior to starting, and for others it can be right up to the start of the course. Making an application for a postgraduate course is very similar to applying for a job. You need to convince the admissions tutor you have the right skills and experience, academic ability and interest in the course. Once you’ve drafted your personal statement, a member of our team can review it and offer advice. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/appointments
Choose your career
PhD study A PhD involves three or four years of original research that will contribute to the development of new knowledge in your subject. You will take responsibility for managing your own learning and achieving your PhD. There are, of course, support systems in the form of your supervisor, other academic colleagues and peers, but it is your responsibility to plan and manage your work, and seek help and support when needed. You will also be expected to participate in other training activities to develop your research and transferable skills.
Funding a PhD The main source of research funding in the UK is the Government through research councils, charities and industry. The process is highly competitive. Funding through research councils is also subject to eligibility requirements, but there are awards specifically for international students. Internal departmental sources of funding may be on offer and support part of your studies. Contact the department for advice.
Before making an application you should consider approaching a supervisor who has expertise in the research area that interests you to discuss PhD opportunities with them. Although there are some differences in the application procedure between academic disciplines, generally you will complete an application form and include a personal statement or an outline of a research proposal. The selection process can vary but may include an interview, which will explore your interest in the research you intend to undertake as well as your general motivations for undertaking a research degree. If you are offered a place, it will be subject to you having secured funding.
Take the next step‌ • Check out our website for information about applying and funding options: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/furtherstudy • Find out about support available during a PhD: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/research
Making an application There is no central admissions system for research degrees. University departments will advertise vacancies they have for PhD research degrees internally on department noticeboards and university vacancy bulletins.
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MAKE FOUR equilateral triangles using only the sticks above. (No breaking of the sticks allowed.)
AN IT CONSULTANCY FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK. CHP employs graduates and professionals from many disciplines. You will be curious, have a logical mind, and be confident, ambitious and ready for a challenge. We are established in the UK, US, Asia-Pacific and throughout Europe. You will be based in our London City office and go on to work in a variety of roles on projects with some of the world’s leading leasing and asset finance companies. We will train you so you can work on any part of our business change projects, building and implementing our industry-leading software. You will have an outstanding academic background including a 2:1 degree or better and a minimum of 320 UCAS points. Starting salary is £40k with a £5k sign-on bonus and excellent benefits. Find out more about opportunities with CHP Consulting at www.chp.co.uk/careers. 26
www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers
Choose your career
Taking a year out Whether you call it a gap year, year out or timeout, taking time away from your usual study or work cycle can provide you with opportunities for personal and career development that employers will want to see. Your ‘gap year’ could consist of anything from a couple of months to over a year, but no matter what the time period there are a few things that you’ll need to consider. Why do you want to take a gap year? Not only can knowing what you want to get out of your time out help you to be focused when it comes to organising what you’re going to do, but being clear about why you took time out is important when talking to employers. Do you want to travel and live abroad before launching into your career? Or perhaps you want to give something back to society by dedicating yourself to a cause you’re passionate about? Is it the opportunity to take time to gain extra confidence and new skills in your chosen area that’s attracted you to taking time out? Maybe you need to get valuable or necessary work experience in order to enter into a particular role or sector? All of these are good reasons for taking a year out that employers will be more than happy to acknowledge. Taking time out can also allow you to reflect and make a decision on your future.
Early planning Although there is no official ‘closing date’, start to investigate the options and any costs as soon as you can. On our website, we’ve listed a small number of websites to act as a starting point for your research.
Choosing who to go with There are lots of organisations offering gap year opportunities – some very well known and others less so. This list of questions will help you to ensure that the organisation is legitimate and meets your needs.
How is the programme run and who is responsible? • What type of organisation runs the programme (for example – charity, sole trader, private company)? • Who will I be reporting to when I am working there? • Will there be a local contact available? What will I be doing? • Can I chat to past participants? • What will my induction involve? • What training will I get? • Will the programme continue after I have left? • What will my responsibilities be? What are the meal and accommodation arrangements? • Will I be placed with a local family or with other students? • Is there a cost and, if so, how much? What emergency procedures are in place? • Who is your emergency contact? • Can you access health care? • How close is the nearest embassy or consulate?
Take the next step… • Read more on our website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/yearout • Use Passport Career and Venture, our e-resources for researching a global career which enable you to get country-specific careers and cultural advice. Read more on our website: • www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/workingabroad
What is the precise programme cost and what does it cover? • What does the money cover exactly? Can this be confirmed in writing? • How much of the total figure is a deposit or management fee? • When and how do I pay? What means of payment are accepted? • If the programme changes or I have to cancel, would I obtain a refund? • If I have to raise funds, does the organisation give advice? • What is the recommended budget for extras?
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A student talking with an employer at one of our recruitment fairs. 28
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Explore the job market
Success in a competitive job market With more than 60 applications per graduate job* with the big recruiters, you’ll need to stand out from the crowd. Follow our eight top tips to maximise your chances of success.
Be positive and proactive
Don’t limit your options
Start thinking about your career sooner rather than later and seek advice. Don’t leave it until your final year to give it some thought. An increasing number of employers are offering taster days for first years, especially in the legal and financial sectors – don’t miss out!
Remember that the big recruiters you see quoted in the media are just the tip of the iceberg. Most work for smaller organisations in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. These can be great options for you starting out your career. You’ll need to be proactive to find the openings and we can help you. See page 26.
Develop your skills and gain some experience
Build your networks
A degree is not enough these days to get your ideal job; employers want new recruits with a variety of skills. Use the Career-boosting opportunities section in this guide to explore what you can do to develop your skill set. Gaining some work experience is becoming increasingly important. Many of the large graduate recruiters report that they are filling up to 31% of their vacancies with graduates who have worked for them before – primarily through internships.** See page 14.
Whether it’s through your studies, tutors, work experience or shadowing, extracurricular activities or family friends, build up your network of contacts. Your contacts can give you advice on your chosen career or sector and may even be able to help you get a job. For more information, see page 30-31.
Do your research Take your career research seriously. You’ll need to find out about the careers that interest you and, when you apply for vacancies, you’ll need to know everything about the company. Employers are looking for applicants who show a genuine interest and enthusiasm for their organisation. They can easily see through a weak or illconsidered application. For more information, see page 32.
Do yourself justice Learn how to articulate what you have to offer during the recruitment and selection process. Employers only know what you tell them. If you don’t put your case across convincingly, you could be beaten to a job by someone less well qualified who has written a better application or has come across better at interview. See pages 35-40.
Watch our videos on networking and commercial awareness at www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/videos
Connect with alumni We have connected with more than 170 professional alumni from the University to help inspire you and offer advice on your future career. Through the eMentoring scheme, penultimate and final year students can be matched to alumni based on your degree discipline or a career that interests you. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/ementoring
Take the next step… • Visit our website for information on graduate vacancies, what employers look for and jobhunting skills: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/students
Consider alternative careers You’ll be able to use your skills and interests in a range of careers – broaden out your career ideas so that you can maximise your job opportunities. Look at the different routes into those careers – there’s not usually just one way in. See page 19.
* Association of Graduate Recruiters, Recruitment Survey 2014 – Summer Review. ** High Fliers Research, The Graduate Market in 2015.
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Graduate vacancies Through our events and vacancy service we can put you in touch with large and small employers with job opportunities. And if you’ve got the desire to start your own business or work abroad, we can help you with that too. Graduate training schemes
Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)
The majority of large national and international companies offer a graduate training scheme, normally lasting up to two years. Most companies will recruit to specialist functions, for example marketing, commercial services or supply-chain management. However, some offer a general management scheme, which will enable you to move around parts of the business.
This is a graduate recruitment programme operating in more than 3,000 organisations from micro-sized to large businesses. Graduates are recruited to manage strategic projects within a company, while being supported by a university or research organisation.
There are a small number of graduate schemes in the public and voluntary sector, for example Civil Service, NHS, local government and charities such as Cancer Research UK. The deadline for applications for some graduate training schemes can be as early as the autumn term of your final year.
Graduate roles For many smaller companies, offering a graduate training scheme is not an option so they recruit directly into a job. Many graduatelevel jobs exist in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – these are companies that employ fewer than 250 employees and actually make up 99% of all private sector businesses in the UK. In 2014, 29% of graduates from the University reported that they are working SMEs six months after graduation. In some industries, for example public relations and the environmental sector, job opportunities only exist in these types of companies. You will also find vacancies where a degree is not a requirement but your knowledge and skills bring value to the position and the employer. If you show potential, there may be the chance for you to undertake further training and move up the career ladder as positions arise. These companies will advertise vacancies when someone leaves or a new project starts. Opportunities will exist in the public and voluntary sector. Watch the Big Opportunities in Small Businesses – Graduates in SMEs video to find out about what it’s like to work for an SME. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/work–options
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KTP works across a wide range of academic disciplines and industry sectors. So it might be that you’re planning marketing communications for a leading media agency, researching the latest engineering techniques for an environmental company, or undertaking geo-demographic profiling for the NHS.
Graduate internships Graduate internships are short-term periods of work experience typically lasting between four and 12 months. They help new or recent graduates to gain experience and develop their skills in a job or sector that interests them. Internships are offered across a range of sectors and career areas from advertising to scientific services and the placement may lead to a permanent role.
Sources of vacancies
In your job search, use as many sources of vacancies as possible. Your starting point should be our website as we have a whole section dedicated to graduate vacancies with links to: • My Career, our vacancy job board advertising hundreds of vacancies targeted at Nottingham students • professional bodies and their job boards • specialist press • national and regional job sites • recruitment agencies www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/vacancies You can pick up directories such as The Times Top 100 Graduate Recruiters and Inside Careers guides from our offices (see page 5). You should also use LinkedIn, an online professional network, as an increasing number of employers are using this method to recruit staff. Find out more about LinkedIn on page 30.
Explore the job market
Recruiters on campus
Working for yourself
We have hundreds of employers visiting Nottingham keen to recruit our students and graduates. They hold presentations to promote their graduate opportunities and explain the recruitment and selection process. These events and the following recruitment fairs provide you with an excellent opportunity to ask the questions that are important to you.
The University of Nottingham has its fair share of budding entrepreneurs. In 2014, over 150 graduates became selfemployed, freelance or started up their own business six months after graduating. Setting up and running your own business takes a lot of planning and all students at The University of Nottingham have access to services offered by the Ingenuity Lab.
• Careers in Management Fair • Careers in Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering • Law Fair • Nursing and Midwifery Careers Fair • Careers in Science Fair • Careers in Electrical and Electronic Engineering • Careers in Technology Fair • Careers in Civil Engineering Fair • Graduate Jobs Fair This is in addition to our Spotlight On... series of employer presentations and events run throughout the year. Full event listings: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/events
The Ingenuity Lab provides a supportive environment for undergraduates and postgraduates to learn about enterprise through exploring and developing their ideas about setting up their own business. For information, visit page 16 or their website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/ingenuitylab
Eligibility to work in the UK The University’s International office provides information and guidance for international students on working in the UK, including visa options for pursuing your career or launching a business in the UK after your degree course. www.nottingham.ac.uk/internationalstudents/ workingintheuk
Undergraduate and Postgraduate Ingenuity Prize The Ingenuity Lab offers a chance for students to attend workshops to develop their own business ideas and submit these to the competition panel for a chance to compete for a range of cash prizes and follow-on support. www.nottingham.ac.uk/ingenuitylab
Take the next step… • Research your options using our website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/graduatejobs • Book an appointment with a member of staff: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/appointments
Also check out the Home Office’s website for the latest information on visas and immigration: www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas We offer a wealth of resources including online materials, workshops and appointments covering the different stages of the selection process.
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Nighttime view of the City of Ningbo, China.
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The global job market Are you are a home student seeking an international career or an overseas student planning to work in your home country or other locations? We can provide practical advice on researching job markets and potential employers. Together with the knowledge and skills gained during your degree, The University of Nottingham will give you many opportunities to enhance your employability, whatever your goals and destination. We can assist you in assessing your options, sourcing vacancies and preparing for the application process.
Go Global Conference This one-day careers conference will help you to understand the international opportunities open to you when you graduate. It takes place on Thursday 10 December and you can find out more at www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/goglobal
Developing your skills
International online resources Familiarising yourself with foreign job markets, industries and recruitment practices usually takes time and effort, as does researching potential employers to source ‘hidden’ vacancies. Visit Passport Career and Venture, our main online resources on working abroad, for a starting point:
Get fully involved in university life by participating in initiatives and schemes with an international dimension to match your interests. The outlook, skills and references you will gain through these activities should be of great interest to potential employers worldwide. Also visit our Internships abroad web page to research vacation jobs abroad: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/internships-abroad
Sources of vacancies and information If you are looking for a UK-based post with an international remit or seeking UK jobs involving trips abroad, see the ‘Graduate vacancies’ section for job listings and sources of vacancies. Our ‘Using languages’ section gives additional advice on looking for positions requiring language skills. For vacancies overseas use our working abroad resources, which include continent-specific sections with sources of vacancies and labour market information. Working entitlements Immigration policies and requirements vary greatly from country to country, as do the types of workers in demand. You should research these matters carefully, starting as soon as possible. We cannot offer legal advice on these matters, but we can refer you to useful sources of information.
Passport Career and Venture
You will need to login using your University username and password to use these resources. Passport Career is a great resource for students and graduates considering a global career, with content written by experts on starting a global career, CV and networking guidance, a job and internship portal and cultural advice for over 80 countries. Venture provides a wide range of articles searchable by country and topic – particularly useful if you are considering various destinations or are researching multinational organisations. It also has comprehensive information on studying and living abroad, from general considerations to country-specific advice. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/workingabroad
Take the next step… • Read our e-guide on gaining global exposure at Nottingham: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/ globalgraduate • Book an appointment with a member of our team: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/appointments
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Are you LinkedIn? According to recent statistics*, over half of UK employers use social media in their recruitment processes. It’s a great tool for researching a company’s latest news, developments and vacancies. Your Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn profiles can reinforce the positive impression you’ve given an employer from your CV and covering letter.
Making connections with people
Write a personal message when making a connection to demonstrate your enthusiasm and the reason you are contacting them. If you have never met the person before, you need to make your intentions clear and be polite as you would when writing a covering letter.
LinkedIn is a professional networking tool to help you connect with individuals, groups and companies. It is used by more than 175 million professionals globally to create a profile that showcases their experience, knowledge, and skills, which they then use to connect with others. It is designed to help you to exchange knowledge, ideas, and opportunities with other users. However, unlike other online networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, which tend to be more informal and used socially to communicate with friends, LinkedIn is a professional networking tool. Why you should use it: • Make professional contacts to get the inside story on careers that interest you • Join groups to understand issues affecting the sector or industry that you want to work in • Research companies or organisations to know what it is like to work for them • Find job vacancies How to use it To get started with LinkedIn, create a profile which should be treated as an online CV demonstrating work experience, education and interests that reflect your career ambitions. Update your profile regularly and include a sensible photo. Watch our videos about LinkedIn, available through our website, to develop your personal profile and use in your job search. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/videos
Once you’ve built your profile you can start to connect with and expand your network of professional contacts. For example, your LinkedIn network might include: • other students • lecturers • graduate recruiters you may have met at careers fairs or events • managers or colleagues from internships or volunteering • work colleagues from current or previous employment • professionals working in your desired industry, company or role
When you have connected with someone, you can ask about their role. If you build a positive relationship they might share opportunities with you. Always thank people who have helped you and reciprocate when you can, as networking goes both ways. Make sure you let people know about progress towards your aims and professional news.
Joining groups Groups are made up of professionals who share a common interest in your career goals and by joining groups you can gain insider perspectives. You can do this passively by following discussions, or by asking questions directly. Once you have gained experience in the industry you may want to help others in groups by providing answers as well. This will demonstrate the depth of your knowledge to other professionals.
Following companies Employers expect applicants to have an understanding of their sector such as recent developments, the latest challenges or opportunities they face and influential figures within it. This is called commercial awareness. By following a company you can get insight into: • details about their products and services • career paths and perspectives of previous employees • developments in the company and industry
* The use of social media in the recruitment process, 2013, The Institute of Employment Studies. 34
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Professional blogs
Facebook and Twitter
An excellent way to demonstrate your skills, interests and knowledge of a discipline is to create a professional blog. It proves to an employer you are self-motivated and disciplined by creating regular content and contributing to your field.
Many companies are now using social media as a way of recruiting. Twitter and Facebook accounts that include “careers” in their names more often than not, will share the latest job vacancies within their company as well as tips on how to make a good application. If you want to work at a specific company, following these social media sites is a great way of finding jobs with them.
If you’re not sure where to start, you could provide insight into your development as a student or your experiences as a graduate. For example: • work placements, travel and volunteering – a journal of your experiences, responsibilities and what you have learned • your work portfolio – particularly for those in the creative industries, eg web design, fine arts and journalism • projects and start-up businesses – primarily to provide insight into your work, with less focus on self-promotion Research different blog styles that fit your topic or desired audience. For example, if you are looking to start a cupcake business the style would be image-based to help sell your products. However, if you want a career in scientific journalism, the blog would be more academic and follow an essay structure. To maximise your professional blog’s potential: • give credit to others through references and hyperlinks to avoid plagiarism • include photos that are relevant and appropriate • design an eye-catching format • proofread thoroughly • advertise your blog on social networks • establish mutual advertising with related blogs Want more advice on maximising your blog’s impact? Try www.blogherald.com as it provides free advice and news in ‘bite-sized’ articles. In regards to which platform to use, WordPress is free, widely used by professionals and is the blog site of choice for the University. For advice in setting it up, visit www.wordpress.org
Top five LinkedIn Tips Your audience! If your profile is public, make sure you remain professional at all times. You never know who could be viewing your profile. Key words in your profile If you want a career in marketing, for example, make sure you relate your experiences and your profile back to marketing. Relevant media to your profile It’s all well and good saying that you have a blog but linking to your blog allows people to see the quality and style of work you produce. Plus it makes it look more visually exciting. Include a recent and professional looking profile picture No matter how great you look in that pool party picture, it won’t send the right message to potential employers! Previous employers or work colleges to give you recommendations or endorsements. Don’t be afraid to ask for these! It will show potential employers just how vital a team member you really are.
Take the next step… • Visit our website and find out how to set up a LinkedIn profile and network online with professionals: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/ onlinenetworking
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Know the job and company inside out Want to impress the person who will be reading your job application or interviewing you? Showing that you’ve conducted research is a sure-fire way to demonstrate that you’re passionate about working for the company and are serious about entering into that position and sector. With around 60 applications* for every graduate job, employers can be much more selective during the recruitment process. The Association of Graduate Recruiters advises students to:
“Conduct rigorous research into potential employers and into the sector prior to interviews.” Use your research skills honed during your studies and the resources on this page to find the information you need.
Researching the job The level of information an employer provides about a vacancy can vary from a few general points to a detailed job description and person specification listing the qualifications, experience and skills they are looking for in the ideal candidate. You need to feel comfortable that you understand what the role involves and be able to articulate how your knowledge, skills, attributes and experience make you suitable for it. Here are a few questions to get you started: add your own questions to reflect the role you are applying for. Questions to ask: • What would I be doing on a day-to-day basis? • What will I be responsible for? Would I share responsibility? • Who would I work with? How many people are in the team? • Will I be working with colleagues in other departments or external to the company? • Where will I be based and will there be any travel involved in the role? If so, where to? • What systems will I be using? Finding the answers: • Give the employer a ring before the interview. If you have two or three pertinent questions to ask, this will create a good first impression and it will also help you during the interview to tailor your answers using this new information. • Talk to people working in that areas to get the inside story – perhaps friends and family, contacts on LinkedIn (page 30) and employers at our career fairs.
* Association of Graduate Recruiters, Recruitment Survey 2014 – Summer Review.
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• At the end of an interview recruiters will usually ask if you have any questions. Use this opportunity to find out additional information that will help you to decide if the job is right for you, for example training opportunities and career progression.
Researching the sector and employer Questions to ask: • What are the company’s key products or services? • Where is it based? • Does it operate in other countries? • Who is its parent company? • Who are its major customers? • Who are its competitors? • What are the trends and developments within the industry or sector? • How is the company responding to these developments? • Has the company been in the news recently? If so, why? • Why do you want to work for the company? Finding the answers: • Use the company’s website and social media channels but don’t limit yourself to these resources as they will only give you one view of the organisation. • Search for industry journals, websites or social media sites for sector information and latest news, for example Marketing Week. • Explore the TARGETjobs Employer Insights to get insider information on the top companies – www.targetjobs.co.uk. • Visit the Prospects website for industry information at www.prospects.ac.uk and click on Industry Insights. • Read the quality national newspapers, local newspapers or search the BBC to find out when the company has been in the news.
Take the next step… • If you have questions after you’ve carried out some research, book an appointment with a member of our team: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/appointments
MOVE YOUR MIND
Graduates in Law
Aim beyond pure legal knowledge. Beyond commercial advice. Be known for something more: a clarity of thought and an instinct for problem solving that can influence governments and leading businesses the world over. Join us and we’ll help you enrich and expand your worldview, grow your skills and influence new ways of thinking. In other words, we’ll help you move minds.
Begin now at careers.ashurst.com AshurstGraduates
AshurstGraduates
Ashurst
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Apply for jobs
Job applications You’ve read the job description; you have all of the relevant work experience and skills, great! It’s within a commutable distance, perfect! Your CV and covering letter are ready to send, excellent. All you have left to do is click ‘Apply’; only to find out that you now need to complete a 10-page application form. No need to worry, follow our simple tips and we’ll help you perfect that job application. What are they?
Application forms are usually made up of several sections and a mixture of different question types, such as multiple choice and longer written formats. Remember you don’t have to complete it all in one sitting: many employers use systems that allow you to save your progress and return to the form later.
Before you begin • Research, research, research! Make sure you thoroughly research the employer and job role before you begin. Go further than their website and be clear about the skills, competencies and experience the role requires. Use page 32 for more information. • Brainstorm all the relevant experiences you’ve had in the last three years to show how skilled you are for the job; think about work experience, academic work, clubs and societies, travel, year abroad, etc. • Print off or save the form. Read through the whole form and get a clear feel for what is being asked of you and avoid repeating yourself or putting things in the wrong place.
How to answer probing questions In addition to employment history, you will also need to persuade the employer that you match their criteria to be able to do the job. Usually you do this by answering some tricky questions, such as: • Tell us about a time when you worked in a team – what was your role and how did you contribute to the outcome? • Describe a project or event you organised and the obstacles you had to overcome. • Tell us about an occasion when you had to communicate complex information. Why did you have to do this and how did you go about it? Did you achieve your desired result? The trick here is to understand what you’re being asked and turn it into a straightforward question. For example, the first one from above: can you work as part of a team to reach a set goal?
Watch the video Your Job’s Online, which shows how employers assess online applications and highlights common mistakes. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/videos
Providing evidence and structuring your answers It’s the specific information that counts here. Give the employer something to judge you on. Use concrete examples rather than vague generalisations. You’ll need to be concise as there is often a word limit. Break your answer down into: • Context – describe the situation • What you did – remember that the question is about what you did • Outcome – what happened as a result
“When you give examples give enough detail in your answer. What actions you took and their impact.” — Rachel Rotherham, The Co-operative Group
Finishing touches and common mistakes to avoid • Answering with an opinion instead of evidence – for example ‘I think good communication is vital to successful teamwork’ instead of showing how you have demonstrated your communication skills in a specific situation. • Spelling and grammar matter – ask someone else to proofread your application before you send it. • Cutting and pasting from one application to another is fraught with danger – so if you do this be very, very careful. • Answers need thought, care and intelligence – don’t let yourself down with a weak answer. • Don’t overshoot your word count – writing concisely is part of the assessment.
Take the next step… • Visit our website for more information and advice, sign up for a workshop covering online applications or book an appointment to review aspects of your form: www.nottingham.ac.uk/ careers/application–forms
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CVs and covering letters Just 30 seconds! That’s how long it takes to make a first impression. In a competitive job market your CV is your prime marketing tool, yet employers will only spend a few seconds scanning your CV before making the decision whether they want to see more from you or not. Follow this advice to get your application into the ‘must see’ pile. One of the most important tasks when developing your CV is to research the role you are applying for carefully and the company you are applying to. Find out what you will need to know and where to find the answers on page 32. You’ll then need to tailor your CV to this role, providing evidence of your skills and competencies that match the company’s requirements – sending off the same CV for numerous positions will fail to impress. If you are applying for vacancies overseas you will need to research the conventions for CVs and covering letters as they may vary from country to country. Use Passport Career, an international careers resource available through our website, for information and advice. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/workingabroad
CV styles There are two main types of CV: • The chronological CV is the most common format. It outlines your experiences in reverse date order. • The skills-based CV highlights and gives evidence of your relevant skills. It is particularly appropriate if you want to demonstrate your transferable skills. For an example of a skillsbased CV, pick up our Writing a CV and covering letter leaflet.
Top CV tips Presentation: • Aim for two pages unless requested otherwise. • Be consistent with font size and style. • Break up text with bullet points and bold font. • Be concise, avoiding long sentences or lengthy paragraphs. • Be word perfect – check for errors. Content and language: • Tailor your CV for every job, matching your competencies to the skill requirements. Reading through the person specification and job description carefully will help you to do this. • Draw attention to the most relevant items by locating them on the first page, making it easy for the employer to identify you as a strong candidate. • Use active verbs and phrases with impact. For example, ‘I managed and implemented a new system.’
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• Bring what you did to life with examples and outcomes – numbers of people, values of sales, lengths of projects, budgets etc. For example, ‘I organised a charity ball for 150 guests and 12 VIPs.’ Watch our CV advice video at www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/cv
Covering letter Your CV should always be accompanied with a covering letter. The letter is a professional introduction that specifically relates your attributes, achievements and experience to a particular opportunity. The letter should not exceed one side of A4 paper. • Where possible, address your letter to a named person. • Draw the reader’s attention to the highlights of your CV and explain their relevance to the role. • Ensure you convey real enthusiasm for the position on offer. • Demonstrate your interest in and knowledge of the company. A typical letter should include: • A short introductory statement that explains the purpose of the letter and details how you found out about the opportunity. • A short series of concise paragraphs that prove you are an ideal candidate and meet, or even exceed, the requirements of the position by highlighting your skills and experience. To help structure your information use the following approach: make the point, provide evidence, and explain why it is relevant to the opportunity. • A paragraph that demonstrates that you have researched the company and explains why you want to work for them. • A closing statement that ends the letter positively and demonstrates your willingness to attend an interview or meet the employer to discuss the opportunity further.
Take the next step… • Visit our website for advice on writing a CV and covering letter, sign up for a workshop or book an appointment to review your CV: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/cv
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Example of a covering letter
Don’t copy this example word for word. Your covering letter has to reflect your skills and how they relate to the job or role you are applying for.
4 Green Drive Lenton Nottingham NG7 2EE s.brown@hotmail.com 6th September 2014 Ms Eleanor Dashwood Farrar PR Ltd 22 Regents Crescent London SW1B 2TP Dear Ms Dashwood I would be pleased if you could consider this application for an account handling role at Farrar PR. I note from your website that you welcome applications before Christmas for the September 2015 intake.
State why you are writing
I am a confident and highly motivated final year history undergraduate at the University of Nottingham. I have gained editorial experience through Impact Magazine whilst at University. Having researched various media occupations, and undertaken work placements, I am now fully committed to pursuing a career in PR and have a particular interest in consumer PR. My verbal communication skills are equally good. Extensive customer service jobs helped develop these skills, coupled with my drama performance interests. Socially confident, I am capable of addressing a range of audiences. I have excellent negotiation and persuasion skills which I have had to apply recently when persuading store managers to lend me props for 26 photo shoots. As can be seen in my role profile, I possess a combination of creative ability with a very can-do approach. My peers regard me as a good team player who, being well organised, is comfortable with both event management and communication roles.
State what you can offer the employer
I note from your website that you are a full service agency who specialises in PR for the retail industry. I am impressed by your extensive range of clients including the top names such as Tesco, and have followed their recent campaigns in the media. Communication skills are my strength. My editorial experience has really developed my writing skills, and taught me the need to produce copy to tight deadlines. At Crispin Publishing I learnt how to compile and research information. The strong emphasis on written coursework throughout my studies has been important in developing my written communication skills. My secretarial course and employment also taught me how to use business English and my IT skills are well developed.
State what the employer can offer you
I hope that my enthusiasm for PR is conveyed in this application. I consider that I have the necessary drive and personal qualities required to contribute to your success as an established PR agency.
Close positively
I look forward to hearing from you shortly regarding an interview. Yours sincerely Steven Brown
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Psychometric tests Psychometric tests aren’t as scary as their name might suggest! These structured, systematic tests are a useful way for employers to see how you perform in different situations and are another opportunity for you to stand out in an application process. Why do employers use psychometric tests?
• They’re a cost-effective method of identifying suitable candidates from a large pool of applicants. • They provide another tool to assess applicants, as well as the more traditional methods such as CVs, application forms and interviews. There are four types: • Questionnaires of personality, values and interests. • Aptitude, cognitive, ability or intelligence tests. • Motivation, values and engagement tests. • Situational judgement and work-style preferences. If you have a disability that may affect your performance in a psychometric test, discuss the matter with the employer beforehand.
Personality questionnaires
Personality questionnaires are carefully designed questionnaires that gather information about the way you tend to react to, or deal with, different situations and people. • There are no ‘right or wrong’ answers and questionnaires are not usually timed. • The selectors will not be looking for one personality profile but rather a range that are suitable for that particular job. • Answer the questions as honestly as you can. Guessing what the employer is looking for could mean you find yourself in a job which does not really suit you.
Aptitude tests Aptitude tests focus on your logical reasoning and thinking performance. They are not tests of general knowledge. There are a variety of tests, such as: • verbal reasoning: tests of working with written information • numerical reasoning: numbers, charts and graphs • diagrammatic or spatial reasoning: abstract figures The types of test used will differ according to the tasks involved in the job you are applying for.
Key characteristics of these tests: • The questions have definite right and wrong answers, which usually you choose from multiple choice options. • They are timed and are under exam conditions if you take them at a company’s premises. • If you have to take them online, it is important to complete them in a quiet environment where you will not be disturbed. Top tips: • Calm your nerves by practising aptitude tests. You’ll become more familiar with the types of questions asked and quicker at answering them. • If you have a choice of when you take the tests, think about when you are at your best during the day, for example first thing in the morning. Make sure you choose a location where you are free from noise and interruptions. • Listen or read the instructions carefully and be clear how long you have for the exercise. • Work as quickly and accurately as you can but avoid simply guessing. Don’t worry if you don’t finish.
Motivational tests These tests will assess your values, drive, energy and engagement in the workplace. Like personality questionnaires, motivational tests have not right or wrong answers but are used to assess what drives you and how it would fit with an employers’ culture.
Situational judgement tests These tests are about assessing your jugdgment, work-style preferences, practical knowledge, and what is often referred to as “common sense”. You are likely to be assessed the following based on workplace scenarios: • Behaviour • Skills • Competencies
Take the next step… • Use the practice tests on our website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/cv • Book a place on an aptitude tests workshop: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/events
Watch our screencast about how to use the online Profiling for Success practice psychometric tests at www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/psychometrictests www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers
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Job interviews Interviews are a nerve-wracking experience for everyone, whether it’s your first one or you’ve had a bit of experience. Each one is different and you’ll want to convince the interviewer that you’re the right person for the positon, especially if it’s your ideal job. Preparation is key Start your preparation as soon as you can – you don’t want to be panicking the night before your interview! Read through the job description and person specification, which identify the skills and experience required by the employer. Start to think about likely question areas and use your CV or application form to help you prepare some possible responses. Identify the strengths and key skills you most want to promote about yourself. Find out as much as you can about the employer, the industry and key issues facing the company – use the information on page 32. Your presentation and body language are important so dress smartly, arrive on time, shake hands, smile and maintain eye contact. If you are a student with disabilities, you may need to disclose this to the employer now. Discuss this with a careers adviser beforehand.
Examples of typical questions • Why have you applied for this role? • What attracts you to our organisation? • Do you know who our major competitors are? What differentiates us from them? • What skills have you gained at university? • What achievements are you most proud of in your life? • What are your weaknesses? Other questions will relate to the post you are applying for and will relate to your experience and skills. There are different types of interviews and the three most common types are highlighted below and opposite. You may also encounter technical and case study interviews which are explained on our website. Each interview type will vary in the way questions are asked and how you should structure your answer.
Strengths-based interviews Strengths-based interviewing aims to find out about the real you, what you’re good at, and what energises you. Interview questions are usually less formulaic than competency-based interview questions and interviewers will focus not only on what you say but will also look at your body language and movement, and things such as the pitch and tone of your voice.
Telephone and video interviews These are increasingly used by employers as the first sift of candidates. The key to success here is recognising the absence of non-verbal communication and making allowances for it. For example, smiling and not slouching while on the phone can help you to put the right expression in your voice. Watch our Interview success video for advice on how to prepare for interviews and how to structure your answers. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/videos Watch the video Making an impact showing real students and graduates interviewed by actual recruiters. Covers both competency-based and telephone interviews. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/videos Watch our Strengths–based interviews video to find out why employers use them, typical questions and how to answer them. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/videos Watch our video interviews to find out why employers use them and get some top tips, and use our video resource to practise yourself. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/interviews
Face-to-face interviews
Take the next step…
Competency-based interviews These interviews are structured to reflect the competencies and skills that the employer is looking for. They will be phrased to focus on the competency and then you will need to provide evidence that you possess that skill. For example, you might be asked about the role you played in a team, your impact and the outcome.
• Get advice on our website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/interviews • Book an appointment with our staff to get help with those tricky questions: www.nottingham. ac.uk/careers/appointments
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Assessment centres The letter or email has come through and you’ve been invited to an assessment centre! Now’s your chance to build on the CV and covering letter that impressed the employer and demonstrate the competencies they’re looking for. What is an assessment centre?
Lasting anywhere from half a day to two days or even more, an assessment centre can comprise of a mixture of group tasks, individual tasks and socialising opportunities. But remember, you could still be assessed when socialising – take care at the bar! If you have a disability that may affect your performance in any of the exercises, discuss the matter with the employer before attending the assessment centre.
Typical activities There are a range of activities that you may be presented with and these include individual and group tasks: • An in-tray or e-tray exercise where you prioritise various messages and correspondence, drafting replies, making decisions and taking action. • Presentations are often used. You may know your topic in advance or you may have to prepare it on the day. • Psychometric tests refer to either personality questionnaires or aptitude tests. Personality tests have no right or wrong answers and it’s important to be yourself, otherwise you may find yourself in a job you’re not suited to. See page 38. • Aptitude tests show your ability in a range of skills relevant to the job, including verbal and numerical reasoning. See page 38. • Group exercises will reflect the role being recruited for. Make sure you are familiar with the skills or competencies the employer is looking for. The exercise may focus on teamwork, problemsolving or persuasion. With this type of exercise, the outcome is often less important than how the group reaches it. • Another more in-depth interview.
Top tips • Relax and be yourself. • Research the company and sector carefully, and be clear on the skills and competencies required for the role you are applying for. See page 32. • Contribute to discussions but remember it’s the quality of your input rather than the quantity that will impress. • Listen carefully to instructions from the assessors and contributions from the other candidates during activities. • Very few candidates will excel in all the activities, so try not to be too hard on yourself if you haven’t performed as well as you would like in one area in particular. • Remember, when taking part in group exercises you are not in direct competition with one another. The assessors want to see how you react and work with others. Watch the At the Assessment Centre video, which takes you through each stage of the process and includes feedback from selectors and reflections from candidates about their performance. www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/assessmentcentres
Take the next step… • Book a place on an assessment centre workshop: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/events
If you require this publication in an alternative format, please contact us. t: +44 (0)115 951 4591 e: alternativeformats@nottingham.ac.uk
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Printed September 2015. The University of Nottingham has made every effort to ensure that the information in this brochure was accurate when published. Please note, however, that the nature of the content means that it is subject to change from time-to-time, and you should therefore consider the information to be guiding rather than definitive. Š The University of Nottingham 2015. All rights reserved.