Graham KeatingCareers Consultant

The University of Manchester Careers and Employability

Division

You should know… Large firms can get an average of

100 applications for every graduate vacancy

Companies who recruit globally get even more...

Even though all the applicants will probably meet the academic requirements about 80% of applications can be rejected at the first stage

Reasons for rejection Spelling mistakes

Poor grammar

CVs too long

CVs too short

CVs not targeted

Covering letters not addressed properly

Covering letters not concise

Questions on application forms not answered fully

Skills claimed but not substantiated

Not following instructions on the application form

Task no: 1 - Self AssessmentWhat have you got to offer ?

The process....

Examine key events in the last five years

Split your life into sections

Write everything down

Break items into component parts

Extract the lessons learned and the skills acquired

What have you got to offer ?

Education

Work Experience

Activities and Interests

What have you got to offer?

.

Use your achievements as EVIDENCE

I’m clever I’m honest

I’m enthusiastic

I have good communication skills

2 A’s and a B at A level Treasurer for hall bar,

handling money in supermarket

Kept team motivated during bad spell mid-season

Acted as a tour guide to department for 6th formers

What I think ... The evidence

What have you got to offer ?

Education Seminars Field trip Work Experience Camp America Garden Centre Assistant -

vacations Activities and Interests Secretary - Badminton club Travel

What have you got to offer ? Education Seminars - presentation skills, working in a

team, influencing others

Work Experience Camp America - taking responsibility,

patience, tact, sensitivity, creativity, leadership

Activities and Interests Secretary, Badminton club - organising,

persuading, motivating, numeracy

Why are you different? You’ve had the opportunity to live

and study in another country. What skills have you developed as a

result of this experience?

Communication skills, Team work, Leadership, Organisational ability, Drive and Initiative, Analytical skills, Motivating others, Commercial awareness, Problem solving, Taking responsibility, Creativity, Planning

Key Skills Requested By Graduate Recruiters

Business focus, Drive and resilience, Task management, Career motivation, Leadership, Building relationships, Problem Solving, Making an Impact

Communication, Teamwork and collaboration, Adaptability, Creative problem solving, Drive to achieve, Customer focus, Trustworthiness, Taking ownership, Passion for Business

Customer focus, Achieving, Influencing, Thinking, Collaboration & Teamwork, Team Leadership, Self Management, Confidence, Commercial Awareness

Problem solving, Achieving results, Communicating and influencing, Leadership, Drive and motivation, Building relationships 

Analytical Ability, Problem-solving skills, Communication skills, Interpersonal skills, Generic business awareness

KPMG - The Co-operative - HSBC - Cancer Research UK - IBM

Key Skills Requested By Graduate Recruiters

.

IBMCommunication, Teamwork and collaboration. Adaptability, Creative problem solving, Drive to achieve, Customer focus, Trustworthiness, Taking ownership, Passion for Business

The Co-operativeCustomer focus, Achieving, Influencing, Thinking, Collaboration & TeamworkTeam Leadership, Self Management, Confidence, Commercial Awareness KPMGBusiness focus, Drive and resilience, Task management, Career motivation, Leadership, Building relationships, Problem Solving, Making an Impact

Cancer Research UK Problem solving, Achieving resultsLeadership. Drive and motivation, Communicating & influencing, Building relationships

HSBCAnalytical ability, problem-solving skills, communication and interpersonal skills and some generic business awareness.

Task no: 2 - What does the employer want ?

Employers recruit against specific criteria

These are usually set out in brochures or explained in presentations

Some require technical skills

All require appropriate personal qualities

It is not enough to claim certain skills, you must provide the evidence

Use strong wordsWords like: created, started, managed,

designed, devised...NOT ‘My project was a study of local theatres’BUT ‘Organised an extensive survey of

student use of local theatres’. ‘Arranged interviews with students’ Analysed the results and presented

the information to my tutor

And ……Quantify

‘Organised an extensive survey of student use of local theatres using over 1000 questionnaires’.

‘Arranged interviews with 80 students’

Analysed the results using an Excel spreadsheet and presented the information to my tutor

Interests & Activities Enjoy chess but no chess club at Homer

Simpson University.

While there, sought out other players and arranged chess tournament against University of Montgomery Burns

Charged nominal fee for 40 participants with proceeds of $200 going to charity of winner’s choice

Following this, students at Homer Simpson formed chess club and I still play games with them on the net.

I really enjoy chess and was hoping there would be a society at my placement university. There wasn’t, but I quickly tracked down some other interested people and we’d meet up once a week for a few games. I thought it would be a good idea to increase our experience so I issued a light-hearted challenge to a neighbouring University. They accepted and I arranged a weekend tournament. We charged the 40 participants a small entry fee but instead of using the funds as prize money we donated the proceeds, $200, to a local children’s charity.

By the time I left, the local students had approached the University and obtained some funding to set up an official chess club. I’m still in touch and we play games over the internet.

(130 words)

I really enjoy chess [activity] and was hoping there would be a society at my placement university. There wasn’t, but I quickly tracked down [initiative] some other interested people and we’d meet up once a week for a few games.

I thought it would be a good idea to increase our experience [initiative, again] so I persuaded the others [communication skills, leadership] we should issue a light-hearted challenge to a neighbouring University.

They accepted and I arranged [organisation, planning] a weekend tournament with the help of other students. [team working]

We charged the 40 [quantifying] participants a small entry fee but instead of using the funds as prize money we donated the proceeds, $200 [quantifying again] , to a local children’s charity. [creativity]

By the time I left, the local students had approached the University [motivating others] and obtained some funding to set up an official chess club. I’m still in touch and we play games over the internet.

Previous applications… “I enjoy practicing marital arts”

“At secondary school I was a prefix”

“In my spare time I enjoy hiding my horse”

“I loathe filling in applications so much that I’ll give you details at the interview”

“Special skills: Thyping”

“Thank you for your consideration. Hope to hear from you shorty”

“I have worked in the pubic sector……”

“Hi I want 2 get a job with U”

Previous applications…“I am someone who knows my own destiny, but I have no

definite long term plans”

“I am a conscious individual”

“I have excellent memory skills, good analytical skills, excellent memory skills”

Reason for leaving last job. “They insisted that all employees get to work by 8.45 every morning. I could not work under those conditions.”

Problems faced: “I had no support so I compiled a letter to the client

using trial and error.” Influencing people:

“Recently my flatmates came to ask about whether the heating should be on and for how long.”

Previous applications…

“Being a Virgoan, my sense of assertiveness and resilience has prompted me to continue with my ambition to be a solicitor in a major city law firm.

I am also a seventh generation descendant of a Chinese princess and a Sulawesian warrior, which makes me both an amiable and energetic person”

What the Careers Service offers Ranked ‘number one’ by employers 5 years running (Association of Graduate Recruiters)

More major employers target The University of Manchester than any other university

(High Fliers Research Ltd.)

One of the largest in the UK… Lots on offer: insight courses, talks, mock interviews, advice on CVs & applications, videos covering on-line applications, interviews, psychometric tests, assessment centres.

Excellent information libraries, IT resources and website

Literature

Where are we? Crawford House, across the road www.manchester.ac.uk/careers

THANKS FOR LISTENING! GOOD LUCK FOR THE

FUTURE!