Tag Archives: jobs

Going Global – researching employers outside the UK

Careers resources Job hunting No Comments

going-global

One of my colleagues recently gave a short demo on a resource we’ve had at the Careers Service for a while.  It’s called Going Global and it provides a way of finding out about living and working in different parts of the world.  I was amazed at all the different things you can use the resource for so I thought I’d mention some of them here.

  • It has career and employment information for over 30 countries.
  • Has detailed information on the USA where it covers 50 cities.
  • Use the employer directory to search for employers in a specific industry sector in a particular country
  • Find out which websites are good for finding advertised jobs, again in a particular country
  • Good section on working in non-profit and voluntary organisations in different countries
  • Gives details of professional bodies or business organisations which can be a useful source of information and provide networking opportunities
  • Advice on what’s expected in a CV or resume for that country

There’s lots more of interest on there but I’d suggest you explore if you are interested in working outside the UK, or indeed if you’re already located outside the UK.  If you want to get the best out of Going Global I suggest you watch the training video which you can access from the left hand menu when you’re in the resource.

And how do you access Going Global?  You’ll find it under ‘Careers Service Resources‘ on MyEd.

Could a difficult relationship with your boss impact on a future reference?

Applications No Comments

When applying for a new role we all hope that we will be given a positive and supportive reference by our current, or previous, line manager. However, even the most conscientious and easy going individual can have an occasional difficult working relationship. So, what do you do if you have not always seen eye to eye with your line manager?

A good first step is to talk to them. Tell them about your plans, your motivation for the roles you are seeking, and ask them what kind of reference they would provide for you. You may find that they are much more supportive than you expect. Asking them for a copy of the reference they will provide may also allay your fears. If they are prepared to focus on your strengths and achievements you will no doubt be reassured.

An alternative approach is simply to ask someone else to write a reference for you. This could be a colleague you have worked with closely either on a day-to-day basis or on a specific project. You may have plenty of people who could do this for you and would be happy to comment on you work ethic, professionalism, knowledge and ability.

Bear in mind that professional references do not have to be written by a direct work colleague. You could approach other industry professionals who know you well, or maybe even contacts from clubs or voluntary bodies in which you participate or volunteer. And, of course, don’t forget that you can also ask your academic supervisor who will have got to know you and watch you develop throughout your degree.

Regardless of who you decide to approach, ensure that they are clear about what you are applying for, why you are interested, and what makes you suitable for this role. You may wish to remind them of some of your most relevant knowledge, experience and skills. It can also be helpful to forward them a copy of your application.

How to anticipate interview questions

Interviews No Comments

A key part of interview preparation should be anticipating the range of questions you are likely to be asked. My colleague, Suzanne Agnew, explains how you can approach this task:

Part of the service the Careers Service offers is tailored practice interviews (which are available via Skype and telephone as well as face to face).  How do we know what to ask?  Obviously, it’s down to professional experience but the way that we anticipate interview questions is something that you can do too.

Go back in time

What made you apply for this job in the first place?  Interviews are used as a way to explore your motivation and fit for the organisation.  Questions here shouldn’t be a surprise!  Be able to articulate why you are right for the role and what attracts you to this organisation.  No organisation exists in a bubble so be prepared for questions which look to discover how much you know about the sector. What are the current challenges and opportunities for the sector and for this employer?

Return to the vacancy

Look carefully at the job description and person specification.  What is it that really matters to the employer?  Some examples of phrases from a vacancy:

  • ‘a talented analytical individual with strong numerical capabilities’,
  • ‘have a passion and excitement for the industry’,
  • ‘have flair for problem-solving and teamwork’
  • ‘adept at delivering drive improved performance’

These are the qualities they are looking for in their ideal candidate.  They will use the interview as a way for you to demonstrate that you have what they are looking for.

The skills and qualities they are looking for can help you identify what competency questions they could ask.  Questions such as ‘tell me about a time when you used a creative approach to problem solving’.  They will want to you to use concrete experiences to demonstrate that you meet a specific competency.  If you have ever completed a CPD plan you will be familiar with this!

Know the employer

Many organisations have key competencies, qualities or values which underpin the way they operate.  Some organisations make these highly visible both to clients and staff via their website.  If they are particularly high profile then you can expect probing around these.  Employers will want you to demonstrate that you meet these competencies and/or share their values.  Think about it from their point of view: they want to ensure you are a good ‘fit’.

Tell your story

Fundamentally interviews are about making a connection.  One of the best ways of building a connection is through story.  What is your career story?  If asked ‘Tell me about yourself’, having an engaging story ready can be a good way for the employer to get a sense of your strengths and get a better understanding of who you are.  Can you demonstrate that you are someone they want to work with?

 

If you have got this interview through networking or via a speculative application your strategy for interviews may be different.  You obviously won’t have a vacancy to refer to but you can still anticipate questions around motivation and how you will add value to the organisation.  Competency questions can still play a part and this is where it makes sense to have a good understanding of the role and/or organisation.

There will always be questions that you hadn’t prepared for but by ensuring you have a good level of self-awareness and can easily articulate your experiences and strengths you can ensure you won’t be caught off-guard.  While these all focus on what an employer might ask you be sure that you have questions to ask them.

 

Video Interviewing – a growing trend

Interviews No Comments

Approaches to recruitment interviewing have evolved over time and in recent years it has become fairly common for initial screening interviews to be conducted by telephone or Skype. Over the last two years we have seen yet another development –  the video questionnaire interview. Although this is a relatively recent innovation, it’s an approach which seems to be growing in popularity. The UK Association of Graduate Recruiters have recently reported that 20% of their members are now using video interviews.

With video questionnaire interviews all candidates are asked the same set of questions. These questions are usually viewed as text on the screen, rather than via a live connection with an interviewer. This will take place either at a company office or off-site location with a webcam and microphone setup.

You are usually be given around 30 seconds to read each question and one to two minutes to record your answer. Before you complete the video interview, you may be given the opportunity to practise online until you feel comfortable with the process. This can really help as it can take a bit of time to get used to talking without getting any of the feedback which you would normally receive in a face-to-face interview. You can also make use of ‘Interview Simulator’, a Careers Service resource which lets you practise interview questions and learn what employers are hoping to hear. You can access it this through MyCareerHub:

What are the benefits of this approach?

  • Video interviews are seen as a particularly fair approach to selection. Every candidate will have exactly the same interview experience and this reduces this chance of any assessor bias.
  • Video recordings can be viewed by a number of assessors including those based in different geographic locations.
  • Video Interviews are quick and easy to set up. There is no need to schedule interview days taking pressure off both companies and applicants.

If you would like to find out more have a look at the Careers Service web pages on video interviewing:.

Achieve the salary you deserve

Researching careers No Comments

The money maestros at Save the Student suggest a plan to get you what you’re worth. Ruth Bushi takes a look at how to make your career pay.

  1. Pick a path

Salaries on offer can vary enormously. Even new graduate starting salaries are like the proverbial piece of string: right now, salaries for UK graduates fall anywhere between 16 grand and a whopping £70k.

Interestingly, it’s not just about studying ‘the right’ subjects, but also which career path you follow. Use an English degree for journalism and you could be looking at as little as £12,000 in your first year of work. Switch to teaching and you could almost double that. Or jump ship entirely for Aldi’s grad training scheme and you could drive away – in a company car – with £42k.

Whatever you study, there could be a career path out there littered with fast cars, big money and international travel. In reality, while there are routes and roles that could earn you a bit more, the smart advice is picking things you enjoy, make you happy and want to do for the long term. If you’re more likely to work hard because you love your job, the pay can catch up – but only you can decide which is more important (and focus on nailing it).

  1. Know your worth

Researching your chosen industry, pay scales and career progression is a no-brainer but, as well as helping you pick a vocation, it can show where you fit into the bigger picture when you start applying for jobs.

  • What do other graduates / professionals in your field get paid for similar roles? Look at salary surveys and job profiles to get an idea of starting pay – (perhaps start with the Careers Service’s guide to occupations)
  • Does your field pay more for specialist training or experience, and would it help if you got some? Is your postgraduate degree addressing this? A career mentor can help if you need insider advice. (Connect.ed on the Careers tab on your MyEd portal is one way to find alumni who may be able to help.)
  • Do your skills deserve a premium? Are you missing any essential criteria (and can you get them)? Read job ads, including more senior roles, to see what training or experience could boost your pay.
  • Double-check the salary on the job description (or call ahead and ask for it). Will the money cover your living costs – how will you manage if it doesn’t?
  • If the money’s nothing to write home about, do the company, colleagues and opportunities make it a good investment anyway? Whatever your ‘spidey sense’ tells you – listen to it.
  1. Stand out from the crowd

It stands to reason that the bigger the talent pool, the slimmer the salaries on offer. If you’ve got your heart set on a popular and not overly specialised career, lower wages can be the trade-off (film and TV ‘runners’ are often paid nothing when they start out because there’s no shortage of candidates jumping at the bit). Training and experience can help you leapfrog your way up the career ladder: the higher you get on, the more you’re likely to earn.

Get networking – locally or online (you can even look at profiles of people you rate on LinkedIn) – to find out what qualities folk at the top have capitalised on, and ask how they got them.

  1. Ask for more

Once you’ve got a job offer on the table, check that the salary is fair, reasonable, and matches what you’re bringing to the party (have another look at ‘Know your worth’ above). If it isn’t, this is the perfect time to ask for a bit more.

Here are some tips that can help:

  • Ask to see the salary range before you apply: there’s little point for asking for something way beyond the company purse
  • Know the going rate for your industry (start with the links in ‘Pick a Path’) so you’ve got a clear idea of what to ask for
  • Make a strong case for why you deserve more, especially any experience, skills, training or solutions you’re bringing to the company
  • If the pay doesn’t reflect the location (and commuting costs or rent as a result), you could ask for something to cover the extra expense of getting to work.

The salary offered often isn’t as high as it could be simply because people just don’t ask. Women are even less likely to negotiate (and also likely to earn less over their careers than men doing similar roles). Either way, it’s important to learn how to negotiate effectively.

  1. Don’t forget the full package

If your employer can’t offer you any more cash, it’s always worth finding out what else could sweeten the deal:

  • Training, whether on the job or externally certified, can boost your net worth later on
  • Health insurance or gym membership
  • Perks, from company cars to time-out for volunteering
  • Their pension scheme (it’s always good to plan longer term!)

You might also want to find out how soon you can pitch for promotion or a pay rise.

Salaries, like house prices, usually go up over time – even without a career plan or Mafia-style negotiation skills. Knowing what you want can certainly help you earn more – but big bucks aren’t the be-all of working life. Finding something you enjoy, learning cool stuff and working with fun people can all be worth just as much. Also be aware that your attitude to work and your colleagues can do just as much to inflate your salary as your CV can.

It’s often good to take the long term view. If you wring the most out of your opportunities – financial or otherwise – you’ll get the bigger pay-off.

Happy hunting!

Where do online students go for careers support?

Career Management No Comments

online surveyYou may remember that the Careers Service asked you to complete a survey on careers support for online distance learning (ODL) students a few months ago.  It produced a few interesting results about what you are thinking so we thought we would share an overview with you.

Who you go to for careers support

When asked who you go to for your careers support, most common choices were your professional network (70% of you said you used this frequently or occasionally), friends and family (65%) and work colleagues (62%).  This is really common and rightly so.

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