You’re Hired!
Thomas Mills High School
Year 12 Careers Development Week
9-13 July 2012
Presented by Michael Pickup, Managing Director, Oyster Search & Selection
Agenda
• About Us
• Getting Hired
-Job search
-Applying for a job: covering letters, CVs and application forms
-Selection: interviews and assessment centres
• Summary
• Q&A
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About Us
• Established in 2009, Oyster Search & Selection Ltd is a recruitment
consultancy based in Framlingham. We recruit lawyers and other
qualified professionals in functional areas such as Human Resources
and Finance for law firms and other employers
• Previously spent 15 years in Human Resources with professional
services firms such PWC and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
• BA (Hons) Degree in Economics and Sociology, MSc in Industrial
Relations and Personnel Management, CIPD qualified
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Getting Hired
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Job Search
• “Searching for a job is a job in itself”
• Getting Started
-Being organised – work space, covering letters, CVs, what to wear
-Plan your time effectively – have a routine and set yourself goals
-Get involved – voluntary work, skills development, part-time work
-Downtime – friends, family, looking after yourself
• Sources of Information
-School Careers Service
-Job Centres
-Recruitment agencies
-Work placements, vacation schemes, internships, apprenticeships
-Careers Fairs
-The Media – newspapers, TV
-Employers’ websites
-Professional Bodies
-Networks – Framlingham Business Association, Family/Friends
-Social Media – Facebook, Linkedin
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Applying for a Job
Quick Facts...
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60% of covering letters are addressed to the wrong person
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80% of graduate CVs will be dismissed by a recruiter within 30 seconds, due to:
-Poor layout
-Poor spelling and grammar
-Wordy and lengthy content
-No appropriate cover letter that compliments the CV
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Somebody once said...
“Think of a covering letter as a glass of brandy. It's a short measure, quite potent, you'll know
very quickly if you like it or not, and it's very easy to judge the quality. A CV is more like a glass
of wine. It's a bit longer, and while like brandy it's basically fermented fruit juice it takes more
time to grade, and probably a bit more skill”.
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The Covering Letter
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Vital to your CV
Demonstrates your writing style
Puts flesh on the bare bones of the CV
Comments from a Graduate Recruitment Manager...
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Do not make them longer than a page
There should be 4 paragraphs - what you are applying for; why you are interested
in the role; what you feel you have to offer; round up
The letter should not repeat your CV
Check that it is addressed to the right person and proof-read for grammar and
punctuation mistakes
Dear Sir/Madam = Yours faithfully; Dear [name] = Yours sincerely
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The Curriculum Vitae (CV)
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Latin for “the course of my life”
Most flexible and convenient way to make applications
A marketing document
Can be used to make multiple applications in a specific career area
...but many large graduate recruiters may not accept CVs
Use a CV when...
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an employer asks for applications to be received in this format
an employer simply states "apply to ..." without specifying the format
making speculative applications (when writing to an employer who has not
advertised a vacancy but who you hope may have one)
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Information to Include in a CV
Comments from a Graduate Recruitment Manager...
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The CV (at sixth form/Graduate stage) should be no longer than 2 pages
Start off with name, address, telephone number and e-mail address
A 2-3 line profile which highlights 3 attributes, what you are currently doing
and what you are looking for in terms of a role
The next section should be Education - be transparent and put down A-levels,
AS Levels and GCSEs (and grades)
This should be followed by an Employment section (if you have worked
before)
The Employment section should have job title and 5-6 bullet points of key
things that you have done/are doing
The next section should be Interests, Attributes, Achievements - 5-6 bullet
points on what you like doing, your skills etc
The final section should be References – “available upon request”
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Application Forms
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Alternative to a CV. May be combined with psychometric testing and/or telephone interview
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Identify the transferable skills you have gained from work experience, sports teams, volunteering,
internships, summer work
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Be informative, detailed but concise in your answers: give the employer the essential detail but
leave them wanting to meet you to find out more!
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Keep in mind the qualities that the employer is looking for and answer the questions in ways that
will show that you have these qualities.
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Don't dismiss anything as irrelevant without careful thought. Students often assume that their
vacation work as a waiter, shop assistant or fruit-picker can be of no possible interest to a graduate
employer. This is not so - employers can learn a great deal about your motivation and skills from
jobs such as these - so do include them
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Don't make lists: "reading, cinema, sport" under "Interests" will not tell the employer anything
useful about you. Give details of the extent of these interests and any clubs, societies or
achievements related to them.
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Competency-Based Interviews
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Many organisations use so-called competency-based (also called "structured" or
"situational") interviews in which the questions are designed to help candidates
give evidence of the personal qualities and skills which are needed to perform well
in the job.
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Usually, you will be expected to give an example of how you have demonstrated
these qualities in the past
For example you may need to describe a situation where you had to...
• show leadership
• make a difficult decision
• work as a member of a team
• shown initiative
• change your plans at the last minute
• overcome a difficult obstacle
• refuse to compromise
• work with others to solve a problem
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STAR Interview Technique
Situation Task Action Result
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Situation
How, when, where, with whom?
"Whilst employed at ABC Company last summer...
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Task
Describe the situation or the task you were faced with.
...I was given the task of rationalising the stock control system...
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Action
What action did YOU take?
...I would look at factors such as when the stock was last ordered, what it was used for and how
often it was used. I worked out a method of streamlining the paperwork involved in this process and
redesigned the relevant forms, which I then submitted to my manager...
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Result
What results did you achieve/conclusions did you reach/what did you learn from the experience?
...My ideas were accepted and implemented and a 15% reduction in stock levels was achieved"
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Assessment Centres: Why Use?
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Also known as selection centres. Few applicants are called. Usually the final round
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Exercises to assess the full range of skills and personal attributes required for the job
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One of the most reliable methods of assessing candidates. Interviews, or any other method, taken
alone, may be as low as 15% accurate. However, when scores from a number of different selection
exercises are combined, their accuracy can rise to over 60%.
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Generally accepted as a fair method of selection, providing equal opportunities for all candidates
and selecting on merit
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Designed to provide selectors with as much information as possible about candidates
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Assess what candidates will actually do if selected: not just how good they are at interview!
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Offer a thorough, in-depth assessment: most candidates, even if rejected after a selection centre,
feel that they have had a fair chance to show what they can do
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Assessment Centres: Activities
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Individual or group exercises. Activities vary from one employer to another but typically
involve some or all of the following:
-Group Exercises: e.g. complete a task or undertake a group discussion
-In-tray exercises: identify a course of action in order of priority
-Presentation: may be impromptu, limited time to prepare
-Psychometric tests: e.g. numerical/verbal reasoning, behavioural etc
-Interviews: In-depth, may pick-up on points raised at first interview
-Written exercises: e.g. a paper you may be asked to summarise/produce a report on
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Typically assessed by trained managers from the firm across a number of areas, for
example:
-Teamwork
-Leadership
-Interpersonal skills
-Time management
-Presentation skills
-Communication skills
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Assessment Centres: Lessons (1)
Where do people fall down?
• Poor preparation: no reading of pre-assessment centre briefing materials
• No research about the company or the sector: superficial awareness of
challenges being faced
• Lack of understanding of the role or types of skills/attributes required
• No consideration of what challenging questions could be asked/No
preparation of thoughts or answers
• Bad at building rapport
• Not reading or clarifying the task instructions
• Running out of planning time
• Nerves
• Being derailed by one bad performance
• Being derailed by one bad person in the group
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Assessment Centres: Lessons (2)
Comments from a Graduate Recruitment Manager...
• Every organisation operates different assessment centres - do not
generalise and assume one type fits all
• The assessment centre exercises should be assessing you on key
skills that the organisation feels are relevant to the job
• Understand what is being asked of you - there is nothing worse
than doing the wrong thing
• Perform to the best of your ability - there are (unfortunately) no
second chances
• If you are unsuccessful, ask for feedback if you can to improve for
future assessment centres that you participate in
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Summary
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Key Points
• Planning , preparation and presentation
• Transferable skills, strengths & weaknesses, what’s required
• Commitment and understanding the business
• CV – “the course of my life”
• “Employability” – continuous, ongoing and evolving
• Reviewing your career – mentoring and coaching
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Supporting Information
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Hints & Tips: Covering Letters
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Plain white photocopier paper is fine. It's OK to print your letter on expensive cream or pale blue paper, but
content and layout are far more important! Use the same colour for your CV. Don't use lined paper or paper with
punched holes!
If emailed put your covering letter in the body of the email. If you attach it with nothing in the email body it may
be misidentified as spam.
Don't make the employer work to read your letter!
Keep it clear, concise and to the point.
Try not to go over one side of A4: if it does, you are writing an essay instead!
Use your own words not formal long-winded clichés.
Spell-check and then double-check your spelling and grammar. Spell checkers won't pick up form instead of from!
Answer the question "Why should I see you?"
Make the person who reads it feel special: that it is addressed to them personally and not one of fifty identical
letters you are sending out without thought or care.
You might include your understanding of the work/knowledge of the company, and how you fit the criteria
required. "I have a real interest in working as a ...." will not do: you must say why you decided to pursue this
career, what first brought it to your attention, why you as a History student should be interested in a career in
finance.
Relate your skills to the job. Show the employer that you have obtained the communicating, team working,
problem solving and leadership or other skills that are appropriate for the job.
Say when you're available to start work (and end, if it's a placement): be as flexible as possible.
Try to find the name of the person to write to. Research by Forum3 found that those who included a letter with
their CV were 10% more likely to receive a reply and those who addressed the covering letter and envelope to
the correct named person were 15% more likely to receive a letter of acknowledgement and 5% more likely to gain
an interview. They also found that 60% of CVs are mailed to the wrong person, with the managing director being
the main beneficiary of the unsolicited mail.
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Example Covering Letter
9th July 2012
Your Address
Mrs M Foster,
Graduate Recruitment Manager,
Elsewhere Bank plc,
39 High Street,
Manchester
M2 1RS
Dear Mrs Foster
I was very interested to read your advertisement for a Graduate Trainee on the University College, Suffolk vacancy database as it precisely fits my career plans.
I first became interested in retail banking during an "Insight" course which I attended during my second year at University. Since then, discussion with my careers adviser and my own research
have confirmed my belief that this is a career which will enable me to use not only my interest in business and finance but also my skills in working with people, both in an advisory and a
managerial capacity.
I am particularly interested in a career with Elsewhere Bank, because of the high reputation of your graduate training scheme, and your commitment to giving new recruits early responsibility.
During my time as a student I have had a variety of part-time and vacation jobs, all of which have required me to work as part of a team and to deal directly with the public. I found my work at the
Tourist Information Office particularly valuable in teaching me the importance of ascertaining customers' needs and providing clear and accurate information in response to those needs.
As part of my degree course, I chose to carry out a final-year project which involved a statistical analysis of 150 questionnaires sent to local employers. To process this information, I taught myself
to set up and use a database and felt great satisfaction in completing this project well ahead of the end-of-term deadline. Although my overall degree result was a 2.2., this particular piece of
work was awarded a high 2.1.
I will be available for interview at any time apart from the 12 - 24 August when I have arranged a holiday in Italy. I look forward to hearing from you shortly and enclose my CV for your
consideration.
Yours sincerely
Jane Smith
Jane Smith
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Hints & Tips: Application Forms
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Do research the company, the career area and the actual job for which you are applying. Make
sure you can offer the qualifications, experience and personal skills that the employer is seeking
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Do make sure you are using the right form - some employers have different forms for different job
functions. DON'T use a Standard Application Form or CV where the employer specifies that you
should use their own application form.
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Don’t start to write on the form itself until you are perfectly certain of what you are going to say. Do
your first draft on a photocopy of the form, to make sure that you can fit everything you want to
include into the space available.
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Do find a quiet place to fill out the form - the library, your room or wherever suits you. Keep coffee
cups, chocolate bars and small children at a safe distance.
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Do read the form through and follow all instructions. DO use black ink - your form will probably be
photocopied and this makes it easier to read.
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Do keep a copy of each application form. When it comes to the interview stage, it is immeasurably
useful to remember what you have told the employer!
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Hints & Tips: Assessment Centres
Presentations
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May be on a topic you have been asked to prepare in advance or may be impromptu speeches. Generally,
candidates are given up to half-an-hour to prepare their topic. Try to:
Speak clearly and confidently.
Keep within the allotted time.
Give a structured talk with an introduction and conclusion
Maintain good eye contact with your audience
Note down key points to keep yourself on course during your speech
The social side
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Selection centres may involve one or two nights away from home. Accommodation and meals will be provided by
the employer, either in a company training centre or in a hotel. In either case, this will normally involve at least
one evening meal with other candidates, recent graduate recruits and the interviewers. Although this is not a
formal part of the selection procedure, you will be under observation (it has been dubbed "Trial by Sherry"!), so
remember:
Do ask intelligent questions
Do appear interested in the work and the organisation
Don't tell dubious jokes, or regale everyone with an account of the last Rugby Club pub crawl
Do remember you will have to be up early and at your sparkling best the next day
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Hints & Tips: The CV (1)
Personal details
Normally these would be your name, address, date of birth (although with age discrimination laws now
in force this isn't essential), telephone number and email.
Education and qualifications
Your degree subject and university, plus A levels and GCSEs or equivalents including grades.
Work experience
Use action words such as developed, planned and organised.
Even work in a shop, bar or restaurant will involve working in a team, providing a quality service to customers, and
dealing tactfully with complaints. Don't mention the routine, non-people tasks (cleaning the tables) unless you are
applying for a casual summer job in a restaurant or similar.
Try to relate the skills to the job. A finance job will involve numeracy, analytical and problem solving skills so focus on
these whereas for a marketing role you would place a bit more emphasis on persuading and negotiating skills.
"All of my work experiences have involved working within a team-based culture. This involved planning, organisation,
co-ordination and commitment e.g., in retail, this ensured daily sales targets were met, a fair distribution of tasks and
effective communication amongst all staff members."
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Hints & Tips: The CV (2)
Interests and achievements
Keep this section short and to the point. As you grow older, your employment record will take precedence and interests will typically diminish greatly in
length and importance.
Bullets can be used to separate interests into different types: sporting, creative etc.
Don't use the old boring clichés here: "socialising with friends".
Don't put many passive, solitary hobbies (reading, watching TV, stamp collecting) or you may be perceived as lacking people skills. If you do put these, than
say what you read or watch: "I particularly enjoy Dickens, for the vivid insights you get into life in Victorian times".
Show a range of interests to avoid coming across as narrow : if everything centres around sport they may wonder if you could hold a conversation with a
client who wasn't interested in sport.
Hobbies that are a little out of the ordinary can help you to stand out from the crowd: skydiving or mountaineering can show a sense of wanting to stretch
yourself and an ability to rely on yourself in demanding situations
Any interests relevant to the job are worth mentioning: current affairs if you wish to be a journalist;
Any evidence of leadership is important to mention: captain or coach of a sports team, course representative, chair of a student society, scout leader: "As
captain of the school cricket team, I had to set a positive example, motivate and coach players and think on my feet when making bowling and field position
changes, often in tense situations"
Anything showing evidence of employability skills such as team working, organising, planning, persuading, negotiating etc.
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Hints & Tips: The CV (3)
Skills
The usual ones to mention are languages (good conversational French, basic Spanish), computing (e.g.
"good working knowledge of MS Access and Excel, plus basic web page design skills" and driving ("full
current clean driving licence").
If you are a mature candidate or have lots of relevant skills to offer, a skills-based CV may work for you
References
Normally two referees are sufficient: one academic (perhaps your tutor or a project supervisor) and one
from an employer (perhaps your last part-time or summer job).
The order and the emphasis will depend on what you are applying for and what you have to offer.
If you are applying for more than one type of work, you should have a different CV tailored to each
career area, highlighting different aspects of your skills and experience.
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