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

• 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