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HOW TO WIN AT THE JOB GAME. OUTLINE. How to decide what job How to improve your profile How to look for work experience/internships How the job selection process works How to write a good internship application. How To Decide What To Do With The Rest Of Your Life.
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OUTLINE • How to decide what job • How to improve your profile • How to look for work experience/internships • How the job selection process works • How to write a good internship application
How To Decide What To Do With The Rest Of Your Life • Probably is not the rest of your life, people change track and jobs many times • However, it is something you have to think about • Do not embark on further study just to postpone your decision
Make a list of your skills and things you would like to do in a job, eg interacting with people, data analysis, making money,..... • Think about what jobs would involve your skills and wish list • List of job types and skills at (I recommend the first) http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/workin.htm www.prospects.ac.uk/links/Occupations
CAREERS & EMPLOYABILITY FAIR • Thursday 1st November 2.00 – 5.00 pm in Eliot Great Hall • Lots of different employers including • Bank of England • PWC • Capita • Reeves • Accenture • If you attend, do your homework about these companies
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW? • Think about what you want to do after your degree. The next two years rush past and the serious employee has to think about the future NOW • Consider internships and work experience in the field you wish to work in. More about this later • There are a number of University run initiatives
Job Market Forum • This is a School of Economics run Moodle module which you can register for, see the right hand button on the School of Economics home page https://www.kent.ac.uk/economics/index.html • The Job market forum is for past and present Economics students who are in the job market. It is a forum for student discussion about jobs in general and employment advice • If wish to receive a reference from a member of the School, we require you to upload your CV onto this site. In the first instance, you should be asking your personal tutor/academic adviser for a reference.
MyFolio • MyFolio is the University of Kent’s student owned e-portfolio and Personal Development • It is a personal develop planning (PDP) tool • It is designed to help you set and achieve personal and employment related goals • Most usefully, it records your achievements • It is at https://myfolio.kent.ac.uk/myfolio/
Employability Points Scheme • This University of Kent scheme provides students with the means to demonstrate activity across a range of activities. • The scheme has links with a number of external firms and organisations. Students can get work experience with a number of participating companies. • More details at http://www.kent.ac.uk/employabilitypoints/ or contact: Christopher Broad, Employability Points Co-ordinator, email: c.m.broad@kent.ac.uk
University of Kent Careers Employability Award The University of Kent Careers Employability Award helps students to identify and plan • Possible future careers • Potential employers • The student’s employment skills • Present these skills in CVs and job applications The award takes about 12 hours, is free, undertaken online using Moodle and further details can be found at http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/moodle.htm
Other Possibilities • Volunteering, see Kent Union http://www.kentunion.co.uk/volunteering/ • Student Ambassador Scheme, see http://www.kent.ac.uk/ems/student-ambassadors/ • Course Rep (bit late for this) • University Societies • Language and IT skills, see http://www.kent.ac.uk/cewl/courses/language-express.html and http://www.kent.ac.uk/student/skills/ecdl/
INTERNSHIPS AND WORK EXPERIENCE? • Difficult as pressure of work • Apply to smaller firms for experience • Will you be paid? • Unpaid internships are common • Need to think about where you are going to live
HOW TO LOOK FOR INTERNSHIPS • Internet makes this easy, eg Google graduate finance internships London • Look at http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/vacwork.htm http://www.kent.ac.uk/ces/work-experience.html http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/skillsmenu.htm http://news.efinancialcareers.com/uk-en/students/ This last one is good for financial internships and job advice • Use your family and any contacts • Use company websites, have to know them first
However, be realistic. No point in wasting effort • Firms are not just interested in your degree results so far. Firms look at A levels. Without As you are not going to hit a top financial firm • They often have minimum scores in GCSEs, eg Maths and English grade B at least
THE PROCESS OF APPLYING • It varies a lot between jobs • Hard work and takes time (from now to September 2013). More continuous than before • Some mix of • online/paper application • CV + cover letter • online tasks • Competency questions • Interview • It is hard work making applications and going through the application process
SOME DOs & DON’Ts • Quality of application is important. This takes hours and days of time. Take it seriously • Research your application • Clamp down on the security of Facebook and other social network stuff
CURRICULUM VITAE • Even if the application is online, the following rules still apply • List of education, work and other experiences related to getting you an internship or work experience • You are trying to match your skill set and experience to those that are required for the internship • Make a list of the requirements and make sure your CV match these. Use your brain, internship description or look at http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/workin.htm or www.prospects.ac.uk/links/Occupations
So have to alter CV to fit the internship • Have a basic CV but make it fit the skills etc. required for the different internships you apply for • CVs are just one part of the application process • CVs are often used as a filter to get the number of applicants down to a reasonable number • CVs have to be easy to read
They are an advert for you. They are often read in less than 30 seconds • Design and think clearly about the design and order of presentation • No more than two sides (backed or unbacked?) • Some like one side. But a CV must be clear and bring out the message. You have the skills they want
Personal Profile - You can put a short personal statement at the beginning summarising the type of person you are and matching the requirements of the job • Do not have complicated boxes or tables, do not repeat yourself a lot, eg putting your school next to each educational qualification • Position the really good things so they catch the eye. Not every word of your CV will be read closely. So good things go first or last in a clearly labelled section. • You have to put exam results down. If they are not good, think about whether a job is for you.
EXAMPLE CV • Easy to read • Personal profile – does the CV justify this profile? This person has good personal skills and gets on with well with people • Everything bullet pointed no long paragraphs • Has a wide range of skills (numeracy, analytical, literacy and personal skills), does this come across? • Experience a bit confusingly organised
Second year marks? • This student’s computing skills a bit hidden • Would put maths grade A much more visibly • Put average mark of 67% in first bullet point. Depending on results, might give individual marks. • Overall could do with a little more punch • Other comments?
COVER LETTER • A covering letter is a short introduction of yourself • Written in clear English – no mistakes • Make sure that it matches the requirements of the internship • You can make no more than 3 short points • Try to have a name you are writing to • Show you know the firm • Do not go over the top
EXAMPLE COVER LETTER • Which University and what am I studying? • Could show more knowledge of XXX • Has “economics given an extensive knowledge of business and customers.......? • Leadership , is that what they want? • Paragraph beginning “Overall ...” is a bit over the top? • C.V is an error • Other errors or suggestions?
WHAT WE WILL DO TO HELP YOU • Help you with CV and covering letter workshops on one to one basis • Come with your printed CV and example cover letter (not all at the same time!) • Next week talk on “Further Academic Study”
Weeks 6-12, drop in advice sessions • Email me to arrange a meeting • Anything else you would like?
CONCLUSION AND WHAT TO DO NOW • Decide what you are going to do. Nothing or a big effort • Consider signing up for University initiatives • However, work experience and especially internships are what will really kick start success in your search for a good job • Sort out you CV and start applying. Be prepared for the effort involved and the different types of assessment involved • If in doubt ask for help • DO NOT POSTPONE THESE ACTIONS