Professional Training at Surrey

1. Professional Training at Surrey • The University has one of the highest graduate employment rates in the country • Professional Training develops students professionally and personally • Attracts students to the University

2. finding and getting the right placement year 1 workshop

3. why should I do a placement year?

4. The killer reasons why • enhance your future job prospects • build a great CV • acquire new, transferable = marketable skills • learn how to succeed in an organisation = “soft” skills • earn some money • improve your final year performance • have a better idea what career to pursue • apply the mathematics you have learned • have fun

5. why wouldn’t you want to do a professional training placement? ?

6. the competition is fierce • The placements are there but you have to find them and compete for them • The more effort you make the stronger your prospects • You can improve your prospects • the earlier you start • the better your CV and covering letters • the better your on-line applications • the more research you do • the better you perform in interviews

7. What can you do? • You can improve your prospects • The earlier you start • The better your CV and covering letters • The better your on-line applications • The more research you do • The better you perform in interviews • It’s not too late to build your CV! • volunteer, interests, societies, languages….

8. Some Recent Placements • Pharmaceutical - GSK/Pfizer/ Quintiles/ • Roche • Finance – Bank of England/Lloyds TSB/HSBC/HFC/Goldman Sachs/Disney • Actuarial – RSA/AXA/Mercer/AVIVA • Computing – Microsoft/IBM/ Intel • Education – HEFCE/AQA • Government – Civil Service/Customs and Excise/DTI/ONS/DSTL/ • National Vetinary Labs/LOCOG • Car Industry – Rolls-Royce/ Ford/ • Peugeot/Citroen • Marketing - Marks and Spencer/ Reuters/Nestle/Kimberley Clark • Statistical/Mathematical - Datalytics/ Broventure/NATS

9. Professional Training Results July 2012 degree classifications: All students (84) Prof. Training (29) First class 43% 55% Upper second 31% 38% Lower second 24% 7% Third/Ordinary 2% 0%

10. what is the process of finding a professional placement? • attend workshops and other sessions designed to help you • complete the PTY form and give it to Steph Evans in PTY Office on BB 04 or give it to her today • write your CV and e-mail it to John Rayman for comments • use the resources available to research sectors/companies and placements • be ready to start applying late summer 2014

11. complete the professional training form • information you’ll need for your CV • information for the professional training office

12. creating your CV • the purpose of a CV • structure • content • cover letter • resources to help you

13. assess this CV • would you select this applicant for interview? • how many mistakes can you find?

17. spelling spelling

18. purpose of a CV • from your point of view • to get the interview, not the job • demonstrate in the CV that you have the skills, experience and motivation • to sell yourself • from the employers’ point of view • weed out unsuitable candidates quickly • make a short list

19. imagine that you are the product and the CV is your advertisement • get your unique selling propositions (USPs) across • only have a few seconds attention from the reader • your particular strengths • unique combinations of attributes • what do you have that the competition doesn’t?

20. things to think about • first impressions are critical in job hunting as in life. • the CV and the covering letter are your first contact with a potential employer. • your CV is competingwith all the other CVs • the CV needs to show immediately that you have • the relevant aptitudes, skills and knowledge • the necessary experience • the motivation • these features can be demonstrated by your CV how the CV is written is as important as what it contains

21. structure • Up to you – it’s your CV • must be logical and easy to follow • no repetition • everything the reader needs must be clear and easy to find • typical example • education • employment (work experience, volunteering) • skills and aptitudes • interests • bio data • references • two pages of A4 – also be able to produce a one page version • explore internet for examples/templates

22. style • sharp, positive and focussed • most space given to most important aspects • make every word count • reverse chronological order for education and employment • bullet points – short and punchy, not prose • active verbs – e.g. organised, managed, presented • don’t use the word “I” • don’t repeat yourself

23. education • give your overall marks for first semester (then year 1 when you have them), don’t list modules studied • individual module marks if very good and relevant to the job • A levels and year • list GCSEs briefly but mention specifically English and foreign languages • awards, scholarships and prizes (most emphasis on university)

24. possible education template Education 2012 – present University of Surrey BSc Mathematics year 1 first semester mark 68% 2010 – 2012 St John’s College, Wigan A level Maths (A*) Biology (B) Physics (A) 2005 – 2010 Templecourt School, Warrington GCSE 7 A, 3 B, 1 C including English (A), French (B)

25. employment • company name, location (not address), job title, dates e.g. 6/11 – 9/11 • describe company’s business • list what you did and the results you achieved and any achievements • describe any training given • include volunteering or internships in same detail • briefly mention short work experience • don’t cover skills used or developed • employment experience is probably the most important elements employers are looking for

26. possible employment template Employment 4/10 -9/10 Courtauld’s Ltd, Coventry Artificial and Synthetic Fibres Division Laboratory technician • set up apparatus for preparation of novel compounds • carried out syntheses and tested resulting products using mass spectrometry • wrote up reports of work carried out • presented verbal report on work at weekly meetings

27. skills and aptitudes • developed from studies, employment, volunteering, interests … • either integrate into sections with the activity - but risk of repetition • or a specific section • give evidence for each claimed skill • no clichés • select your key strengths • where you think you are better than most

29. skills and aptitudes that employers want most • verbal communications • team working • integrity • intellectual ability • self-confidence • organisational skills • interpersonal skills • writing ability • numeracy • analytic skills/decision making

30. interests • demonstrate breadth of personality • if you don’t have interests – get some! • socialising with friends doesn’t count • current/recent most important • sports, clubs, charities, cultural activities.. • interesting travel, projects… • be specific – what, when, what level, where… • be aware of current affairs • listen to radio 4, Today programme • read a quality newspaper

31. bio data • addresses, phone (mobile) and non-quirky e-mail • boozytommy@gmail.com ? • much better t.jones@surrey.ac.uk • d.o.b., nationality optional • two referees • academic, employment/volunteering • not “references supplied on request”

32. a reader friendly CV • logical structure • all key information clear and easily available • no jargon, no acronyms • professional looking presentation • text balanced over 2 pages • good use of white space • very good quality paper if printed • single conventional font e.g. • verdana • ariel • times new roman • 11 or 12 point size, but headings can be larger, use bold, italic and underlineappropriatelyCAPITALS CAN BE UGLY

33. putting the CV together • sweet spot – middle of first page – should have your best aspects • get someone else to check it before you send it – especially if English is not your mother tongue • never rely on spell check e.g. hobbit • never tell lies • everything on the CV must be true • not everything that is true must be on the CV • blow your own trumpet but no hyperbole

34. some signs of a bad CV • more than 2 pages long, poorly word processed or printed, section breaks over page • gaps in chronology • spelling or grammar mistakes • irrelevant, trivial details • gimmicky fonts • quirky presentation

35. some employers’ pet hates • typos 61% • inappropriate e-mail addresses 35% • no section on key skills 30% • more than two pages 22% • decorative paper 20% • with a photo 13%

36. personal statements? • “I have a real passion for learning and I approach all tasks with great enthusiasm. I am a responsible and reliable student who is willing to work hard in order to develop my career.” actual statement from a student with 72% overall • “I have a real passion for learning (obvious – you got a first) and I approach all tasks with great enthusiasm (where is the proof?).I am a responsible and reliable student (repeated what you just said in the first sentence) who is willing to work hard in order to develop my career (can you imagine someone saying that they are not willing to work hard to develop their career?).”

37. use the “not” test • I am a hardworking and honest individual and an excellent timekeeper • I don’t work hard, I’m not particularly honest and I am a poor timekeeper • but when might these three attributes be worth putting down?

38. sending CVs to employers • use original print hard copies not photocopies • electronically use a PDF, not Word document • send/e-mail to named individual with cover letter

39. cover letters • grab the reader’s attention and interest • highlight the relevant skills and experience in your CV • show you have done your research on the job/activity and employer • demonstrate why you want to work for that employer • Could be applying for a vacancy or speculative

40. writing the cover letter • no more than ¾ of a page of A4 • addressed to a named individual • specific for particular application even with a template • written in formal business style • well laid out, clear and easy to follow • perfectspelling and grammar • good quality paper

41. cover letters are formal • written English is not spoken English written down • some words to avoid • don’t, can’t, I’d, Dad, shouldn’t, it’s (which only means it is!) • don’t start sentences with “and”, “but” … • typed, not handwritten but signed by hand • short sentences each with a verb, subject and object • not bullet points

42. typical structure of cover letter • Your address and the address of the company • subject e.g. professional placement/ job title • para 1 introduce yourself, what you are applying for, where you saw it • para 2 why do you want to work in this job/activity? • para 3 why do you want to work for this company? • para 4 why you are a suitable candidate, what relevant skills and experience you bring • positive ending • your signature • your name

43. can I improve what goes into my CV? • during the semester • get actively involved with clubs/societies • develop an existing interest or take up new interests • go to evening classes to learn something useful • volunteer • use the long vacation this summer • get a paid job • do an internship • volunteering at home or overseas • major project • learn to drive • travel somewhere interesting, do something useful there don’t just sit back, your competitors are on the case already

46. resources – summer activities • http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/research/sector/vacationworkandworkexperience • http://www.careers.cam.ac.uk/sectors/Vacwork/index.asp • http://www.prospects.ac.uk/work_experience_vacation_work.htm • http://www.lboro.ac.uk/service/careers/experience/placements/vacation-work.html

47. what should I do now to prepare for applying for a placement? • fill out the PTY form and return to Steph Evans • get your CV written and send it to John Rayman

48. useful resources • www.surrey.ac.uk/careers/current/leaflets/index.htm • www.surrey.ac.uk/careers/current/work/cv/index.htm • www.prospects.ac.uk/cvs_and_cover_letters.htm • www3.surrey.ac.uk/destinations/units/unit-cv005.shtml • http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/job-hunting-tools-downloads applying for jobs abroad: • www.surrey.ac.uk/careers/current/work/abroad/index.htm

49. more useful resources…… • http://www.milkround.com • www.work-placement.co.uk • www.gradjobs.co.uk • www.studentemploymentservices.co.uk • www.RateMyPlacement.co.uk • http://www.gradcracker.com/ • http://www.allaboutcareers.com/jobs • www.Wikijob.co.uk • www.fledglings.net