What is Employability?How you can develop your employability skills

Natalie SmithEmployability Adviser

Agenda

• What is the Careers and Employability Service?

• What is employability?

• What employability skills are graduate recruiters looking for?

• How can you develop employability skills and provide evidence for them?

• Introduction to employability initiatives at the University of Kent.

www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm

The Careers and Employability Service

• Location

• Staff

• Opening times

• www.kent.ac.uk/ces/

Services and Facilities• Reception & careers library

• Quick queries

• Careers guidance interviews

• Talks & presentations

• Options leaflets & free careers literature

• Reference files, books & postgraduate prospectuses

• Vacancies - www.kent.ac.uk/careers/jobs/index.htm

• Alumni careers network

• Careers Employability Award on Moodle

What is employability?

‘A set of attributes, skills and knowledge that all labour market participants should possess to ensure they have the capability of being effective in the workplace – to the benefit of themselves, their employer and the wider economy.’

(CBI, March 2009)

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What employability skills are graduate recruiters looking for?

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Communication

Report writing

Team working

Leadership

Planning and organisation

Project management

Enterprise

Problem Solving

Reflection

Adaptability

Energy

Drive and resilience

Integrity

Reliability

Enthusiasm/passion

Self awareness

Confidence

Contextual/cultural awareness

Capacity to develop

NumeracyPositive attitude

Business and customer awareness

IT skills

Why are employability skills so important?

• Increased competition – over 400,000 graduates leaving university each year.

‘Our latest UK recruitment campaign closed having attracted c.24500. The bank will offer c.475 places in 2012.’

HSBC newsletter April 2012

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Why are employability skills so important?

Changing world of work:

•Global economy

•More career changes

•New technology

•Roles change

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How can you develop employability skills and provide evidence for them?

Through your course:

•Numeracy

•Problem solving

•Written work

•Research

•Presentations

•Working in groups

•Using ICT skills

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How can you develop employability skills and provide evidence for them?

Through extra-curricular activities:

•Clubs/societies

•Volunteering

•Learning a language

•Travelling

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How can you develop employability skills and provide evidence for them?

Through gaining work experience:

•Part-time work

•Internships/placements

•Company events

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Providing evidence for employability skills

• Evidence/examples/details.

• STAR approach:

Situation

Task

Action

Result

http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/compet/skillquest.htm

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Providing evidence for employability skills

Example of the STAR approach:

Describe a situation where you have demonstrated leadership skills.

It was a busy Saturday at Debenhams and I was responsible for supervising the staff on the electrical section. We were given a sales target to meet and I motivated the staff with praise and encouragement. I also acted as a role model by demonstrating how to close sales effectively. That day the team achieved a sales result of 5% above the target.

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Employability initiatives at the University of Kent

www.kent.ac.uk/employability

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Employability initiatives at the University of Kent

The Careers Employability Award:

•Quizzes

•Assignments

•CV check

Kent Alumni Careers Network

•Information interviews

•Work shadowing

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Employability initiatives at the University of Kent

Kent Union:

Kent Student Certificate for Volunteering

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KSCV Bronze

25 hours of volunteering

KSCV Silver

50 hours of volunteering

15 minute review with a member of staff

KSCV Gold

100 volunteering hours Review 2 training sessions 750 words

Employability initiatives at the University of Kent

Kent Union:

•Jobshop

•Stand Out Training

•Clubs and Societies

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Employability initiatives at the University of Kent

• Student Ambassador Scheme

• Peer mentoring schemes

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Employability initiatives at the University of Kent

• Learn a language with the Centre for English and World Languages

• Work/study abroad

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Employability initiatives at the University of Kent

ICT workshops

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Employability initiatives at the University of Kent

Employability Points Scheme

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Employability Points 2011/2012

• Over 200 rewards

•Internships, work experience, training

experiences, project placements

Employability initiatives at the University of Kent

• MyFolio

• Employability Toolkit

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Where to get more information

http://www.kent.ac.uk/employability/

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