CRIMINOLOGY CAREERS GUIDE
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Department of Criminology
CRIMINOLOGY
Careers Guide
Preparing you for the future
www.le.ac.uk/criminology
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UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY
Introduction
This guide is intended to raise your awareness of potential
opportunities in the employment market where a criminology
degree is advantageous, and to make you think about the
opportunities to enhance your career prospects while studying
at the University of Leicester’s Department of Criminology.
By studying criminology you will develop your understanding of the social and
personal aspects of crime, victimisation and responses to crime and deviance. You
also develop skills in generating and evaluating evidence, making reasoned arguments
and ethical judgments and analysing and interpreting data. You will build up subjectspecific knowledge and skills including:
Contents
•
theoretical approaches relating to crime, victimisation and responses to crime;
•
the principles of social research and research methods;
•
processes of criminalisation and victimisation;
•
the causes and organisation of crime and deviance;
•
processes of preventing and managing crime and victimisation;
•
official and unofficial responses to crime, deviance and social harm, including
policing and the various stages of the criminal justice process;
Introduction
2
Careers Related to
Criminology
3
•
representations of crime, offenders, victims and agencies of control (as found in
reports, mass media and public opinion); and
Skills Gained from
Studying Criminology
8
•
local, national, and international contexts of crime, security and human rights.
Useful Employment Links
9
Volunteering
11
Preparing for the
Job Market
13
Preparing for Employment
14
Writing a Curriculum Vitae
14
Application Forms
16
Competency Questions
18
Interviews
20
Assessment Centres
23
Assessment Centre
Interviews
24
Psychometric Assessments
26
Criminology draws on the range of human and social science disciplines, and it
can be studied jointly with other subjects. If you study other subjects alongside
criminology, you should also consider the complementary skills they provide you with.
For example, you may have increased awareness of psychology or politics related to
criminology topics.
You will also develop core transferable skills which are attractive to a variety of
employers. These include research skills, written and oral communication skills, time
management and planning, the ability to work to deadlines, IT skills and the ability to
work productively both in a group and autonomously.
Consider the skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities,
such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of
societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of
your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you
really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile.
You should also make contact with the Careers Service early in your studies, and be
involved in a wide range of student activities in order to achieve this end.
CRIMINOLOGY CAREERS GUIDE
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Careers Related to Criminology
Remember! There are a wide range of vocations and
jobs specifically related to criminology. While this list is not
exhaustive, it will hopefully help you to think about the type
of careers available where a degree in criminology may
be advantageous.
Probation Service Officer/
Probation Officer
Each year, probation officers supervise
around 225,000 offenders in the
community on both community
sentences given by the courts and post
custody licences after prison. They
make assessments, such as writing
pre-sentence reports in order to advise
courts, manage and enforce community
orders, and work with prisoners during
and after sentencing. Probation officers
interact with offenders, victims, police
and prison colleagues on a regular
basis. They also work closely with local
authorities, housing departments and
a range of independent and voluntary
sector partners.
The role is that of law enforcement
officer, rather than social worker and
much probation work involves making
evidence-based assessments about the
risks that individuals present. Probation
work is varied and complex, and can
be challenging and difficult. It can
involve working with difficult and
dangerous individuals, but it can also
be extremely rewarding.
Youth Offending
Team Officer
Much like probation officers, youth
offending team work is varied, and
involves working with young people
(aged under 18) who have been involved
in crime. Like probation officers they
make assessments, such as writing
pre-sentence reports in order to advise
courts, manage and enforce community
orders, and work with prisoners during
and after sentencing. They also interact
with offenders, victims, police and prison
colleagues on a regular basis. They work
closely with local authorities, housing
departments and a range of independent
and voluntary sector partners. However,
where the role varies somewhat is that
youth offending team officers tend to
be involved in more traditional forms
of social work than their probation
colleagues. While they make risk
assessments about the danger young
offenders present, they tend to work for
local authorities and hold social work
based postgraduate qualifications.
Connexions Personal
Adviser
This role relates to employment and
training advice and is focused on young
people (it is often attached to Youth
Offending Teams) but operates across a
range of agencies e.g. Education, Health,
Youth Work, Social Welfare and Criminal
Justice. The support provided ranges
from basic information, advice and
guidance to vulnerable young people,
to more substantial one to one support.
For more information, see www.
connexions.gov.uk
Prison Officer/Governor
Prison officers and prison governors are
responsible for managing the safe and
effective operation of prisons in both the
public and private sectors. Prison officers
tend to be hands on staff who will
usually wear uniform and work on the
landings with prisoners, managing the
daily running of the prison or working
on specialist rehabilitation programmes.
In contrast governors (at the most senior
level) are employed as prison managers
who have overall responsibility for the
management of a team that includes
prison officers, duty governors and
other staff, and ensure that prisons
operate within the requirements of
the Prison Service and also oversee
the development and rehabilitation of
prisoners – before and after trials, and
following conviction.
Through the prison system the spectrum
of opportunity runs from junior
grade prison staff through to senior
organisational management, and there
are opportunities for career progression
at every level, with pay varying
tremendously dependent upon the
levels of responsibility.
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UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY
step towards a role as a researcher
is voluntary experience coupled with
specialist training as part of a research
focused postgraduate qualification.
An alternative route is to gain experience
as a researcher in the university sector,
although again the best steps toward
this end are normally taking a Masters
qualification or working towards a PhD.
For opportunities for further study at
Leicester please visit the website; for
research roles in the Home Office see
www.homeoffice.gov.uk.
Case Review Manager/
working for the Criminal
Cases Review Commission
Home Office Researcher/
Research Manager/
Private Research &
Consultancy
In studying for a degree in criminology,
students will have developed core
skills in research that are of use in both
government and non-government
organisations.
Researchers and research managers will
be involved in a range of diverse crimerelated projects including developing
ideas to overcome barriers to delivering
research projects. While the skills needed
to be an excellent researcher or research
manager are generic and transferable,
and there are plentiful opportunities
to use knowledge of research
methodologies to develop a rewarding
career, the best opportunities to do this
directly related to criminology exist either
within non-government organisations
and the Voluntary Sector (see below) or
working with the Home Office.
Private research consultancies, such as
Matrix offer opportunities for skilled
researchers, however, often the best
The Criminal Cases Review Commission
(CCRC) is the independent public
body set up to investigate possible
miscarriages of justice in England, Wales
and Northern Ireland. The Commission
assesses whether convictions or
sentences should be referred to a
court of appeal. It employs people in
various roles, although the majority of
its recruitment tends to be for junior
case review managers. The staff spend
a high proportion of their time reading
the core documents surrounding a case
either scanned onto computer systems
or as hard copies. Depending on what
stage a case is at they may be issuing a
Section 17 to request documents from
the Court of Appeal, the CPS, the Courts
or perhaps Social Services.
They often spend their time investigating
particular issues raised by applicants,
deciding whether or not an issue is
relevant to the case, whether it opens up
new evidence, and the work they do can
be very varied. Every case is different,
but Case Review Managers do and can
acquire a wealth of knowledge of the
criminal justice system. The case working
skills learnt are also immensely valuable
in a range of other settings. http://
www.ccrc.gov.uk/careers.htm.
Forensic Accounting and
Fraud Investigation
Forensic accountancy is the investigatory
side to accountancy. Often disputes
arise where the measure of loss requires
an expert accountant. Disputes range
within areas such as:
•
Fraud Investigation
•
Professional Negligence
•
Personal and Medical Injury
•
Asset Tracing
•
Matrimonial
•
Dispute Resolution
•
Share Valuation
•
Expert Witness
Forensic accountants work closely with
their instructing party, usually the legal
profession, insurers and regulatory
and prosecuting bodies, to prepare
and deliver a report covering detailed
requirements for the Court. Depending
on the instruction, the report can be
used as advice for the instructing party
or as expert evidence in a Court of Law.
Avenues into such jobs are extensive, but
students might want to consider the Big
Four companies (Deloitte, Ernst & Young,
KPMG and PWH).
Community Support
Officer/Police Officer
All police officers must complete a twoyear probationary period, after which there
is a wide variety of career opportunities
available. There is training and support
available to help you move through the
ranks into a senior position within the
force. All police officers are able to apply
for a wide variety of career opportunities
with specialist units, including the criminal
investigation department (CID), fraud
squad, drugs squad, fire arms, child
protection unit, traffic, mounted branches,
dog handlers, underwater search units,
through to secondments into youth
offending teams. Force areas run their
own recruitment programmes.
CRIMINOLOGY CAREERS GUIDE
British Transport Police
Another opportunity is presented
by the British Transport Police, the
national police for the railway providing
a policing service to rail operators,
their staff and passengers throughout
England, Scotland and Wales. Every day
they police journeys of over six million
passengers and 400,000 tonnes of
freight over 10,000 miles of track.
While they mirror the regular police with
a Criminal Investigation Department that
investigates serious crime, much of their
role is quite specialist, but some specific
opportunities exist to become involved in
unique roles, such as football intelligence
work. You may also want to consider
the Civilian Nuclear Constabulary:
http://www.cnc.police.uk/
information-centre/useful-links).
Criminal Intelligence
Analyst
Criminal Intelligence Analysts work
within police forces, producing analytical
reports and disseminating information
to help officers in the field to fight
persistent and serious and organised
crime. They undertake research and
analytical work targeting criminals and
identifying crime trends. They provide
and disseminate accurate intelligence,
identifying links between suspected
offenders and committed crimes, to
operational police officers to assist in
the arrest of offenders and the
prevention of crime.
CASE STUDY
Beth – Case Review
Manager
After taking a Psychology
degree, Beth undertook took
a Masters in Criminology at
the University of Leicester.
She was writing up a PhD
in Criminal Justice when she
joined the Criminal Cases
Review Commission (The
information provided here is
taken from the Commissions
own website)
What attracted you to work for the Commission?
Having studied criminology and criminal justice, I was well aware of the
Commission and the nature of its work. They were top of my list of places to
work, so when I saw an advertisement in 2001, I jumped at the chance to join the
Commission – especially since they understood my desire to complete my PhD.
Is there a typical day?
Not really. You can spend a high proportion of your time reading the core
documents surrounding a case either scanned onto our computer systems or as
hard copies. Depending on what stage a case is at you may be issuing a section
17 to request documents from the Court of Appeal, the CPS, the Courts or
perhaps Social Services. You could be investigating particular issues raised by
applicants, deciding whether or not an issue is relevant to the case, whether it
opens up new evidence.
What is your favourite aspect of the job?
I like the variety. Every case is so different; you don’t know what you will be
working on next. I also derive satisfaction from being trusted to get on with
cases. It gives you enormous confidence.
How valuable is the experience you’re gaining?
As a first job, this is an excellent stepping stone. You have to want to learn.
Most Case Review Managers do and can acquire a wealth of knowledge of
the criminal justice system. The case working skills you learn are also
immensely valuable.
This case study has been taken from http://www.ccrc.gov.uk
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UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY
Other Police-related Career Opportunities
The modern police & criminal justice sector offers many front line
crime fighting operational roles for which you do not need to
be a serving police officer. These roles are at the heart of crime
detection, investigation and law enforcement, working alongside
serving officers.
These civilian crime-fighting opportunities allow you work within the police,
helping to solve crimes and serve the public whilst developing your skills.
•
Civilian investigators
Working alongside serving officers building cases by gathering evidence via
interviews, telephonic research etc.
•
Hi tech crime investigators
Focused on computer-related crime and crimes where computers have been used.
•
Crime Scene Investigation
Forensic science related discipline. Involves attending and examining scenes of
crimes and gathering forensic evidence.
The Security Services
Typically, you would start
•
Assisting custody officers in the detention of prisoners/detainees within the
integrated custody environment. Escorting and facilitating prisoner welfare.
•
by assessing or investigating
•
also be involved in personnel,
Case Builders
Both the Police & the Crown Prosecution Service require paralegal support in case
management and initial preparation of prosecutions. They offer some of the best
training and entry level positions for legal professionals.
finance, management or
operational work, ranging from
implementing policies to dealing
Crime analyst
Providing analytical support focussing on the strategic aims of crime intelligence
and incidents identifying patterns and trends.
threats to national security;
over your career, you could
Custody assistant
Other Law Enforcement Opportunities
with agents. You would have
your own areas of responsibility
•
Local authority trading standards officers are charged with ensuring companies
and individual’s intellectual property is protected, and take action against people
who manufacture and supply counterfeit property such as designer clothing
through to automotive components. They also ensure that companies and
businesses follow consumer legislation.
but you would also be working
as part of a wider team of
people from a range
of backgrounds.
See www.mi5careers.gov.uk
Trading Standards
•
RSPCA
The RSPCA are responsible for enforcing a range of laws and prosecuting
individuals for offences against animals and wildlife, running the full remit of
investigating domestic animal cruelty cases through to prosecuting organised dog
fighting rings. RSPCA inspectors will have a role in prosecuting offenders and
work in a law enforcement capacity on occasion.
CRIMINOLOGY CAREERS GUIDE
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Environmental Health Officers (EHOs)
EHOs are similar to Trading standards officers, but tend to enforce environmental
laws concerning behaviour such as fly tipping and illegal waste disposal, ensure
the food we eat is safe and of good quality, to improve housing conditions,
safeguard standards of workplace health and safety and create a better
environment. EHOs are responsible for developing, implementing and enforcing
health policies, using specialist technical skills and knowledge to maintain and
safeguard standards relating to people’s health and well-being. They may be
generalist or may be specialist in specific areas of the industry such, food safety
and food standards, environmental protection, waste management and
pollution control.
•
The Fire Brigade
While often thought of simply as an emergency service, the Fire Brigade offers
the opportunity in some specific roles to be involved in investigating suspicious
fires, and some members of the Fire Brigade are involved in working with
arsonists and fire setters, especially young people.
•
Military Police and Provost Core
The military operate their own police: the Royal Military Police (RMP), who
undertake the specific role of investigating crimes committed by members of
the armed forces, apprehending AWOL soldiers and providing military security
and policing. The Provost core in the military is much like the prison service,
responsible amongst other functions for running the Military’s prison: the
Military Correctional Training centre at Colchester. Graduates are eligible to apply
to join the military at officer grades, but positions exist at all ranks and levels.
•
•
Some other career areas
open to all graduates where
Benefits Officers (Fraud Officer)
a criminology degree could
Fraud officer jobs involve working within the housing, revenues and benefits
and social care sectors of local councils, regulatory bodies and the police. You
will be working to prevent fraud in the local community, including cases of
benefit fraud, and assist in fraud investigations. There are no specific academic
qualifications required for fraud officer jobs however a good academic
background with strong English and maths skills will be beneficial in starting as
a junior fraud officer. Progression for more senior officer roles and movement to
a fraud investigator requires candidates to be up to date in the latest legislation,
and a knowledge of crime and the criminal justice system and its processes is
undoubtedly an advantage.
be useful
Customs and Excise
• Social Work
With 71,000 employees, around £436 billion revenue, and around 33 million
customers, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is a major business with serious
responsibilities. HMRC work and the revenue it collects means that it impacts on the
lives of every single adult and business in the UK, from students and single mothers,
to the largest multi-national corporations. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/jobs/.
• Journalism
• Research Related Roles
• Management
• Teaching/Education
• Public Administration/
Civil Service
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UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY
Skills Gained from Studying Criminology
Many graduates do not go to work in a field that is linked
with their degree, and being a university graduate has always
traditionally and historically opened doors because employers
see graduates as holders of skills which are of value to their
businesses and services.
Therefore, while you will have gained specific knowledge about the criminal justice
system, you will likely have improved a range of core transferable skills that will be
valuable in any employment setting.
These will include.
•
Organisation (self
and others)
•
Planning
•
Gathering, assessing
and interpreting
information
•
Team working
•
Clear & logical
•
Literacy
•
Communication
•
Critical evaluation
•
Problem solving
•
Research skills
•
Working to deadlines
•
Analytical skills
thinking
Remember! – many employers
will want you to demonstrate
your skills as part of an
application process, and sections
of application forms are
increasingly asking applicants
Further information and help
As you can see, the career opportunities for a criminology graduate are broad and
numerous. Deciding what you want to do can be very difficult, not to say daunting!
However, help is at hand.
to demonstrate evidence of
The Student Development website provides an excellent tool, titled ‘plan your future
career’ to help you start to work out your future career direction:
vocational competence through
http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/sd/careers/plan
written sections of an application
form. However, you should
also remember that most
employers will also want
well rounded applicants who
have developed skills in a
range of settings. It is possible
to overstate your academic
achievements, and really you
should be demonstrating that
you are a well rounded individual
who has developed skills in an
array of settings e.g. voluntary
work, sporting activities, etc.
Furthermore, ‘Prospects Planner’ is another very useful, free, tool that will provide you
with ideas for what to do when you graduate:
http://ww2.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/What_jobs_
would_suit_me___Prospects_Planner_/Login_to_My_Prospects2/
p!ejgFgXm?mode=try_pp
You can also spend some time discussing potential career options with your Personal
Tutor – why not arrange an appointment with them to talk you through their
experiences of working within criminology and related fields? Your Personnel Tutor
will be able to help you think about your potential career options and discussing such
things with an interested party is always very useful.
In addition, you can also book a face to face or telephone appointment with
a Careers Adviser, who will be able to help you identify a suitable career
and start to build an effective career development plan. Appointments can
be made by visiting the Student Development Zone (2nd floor, David Wilson
Library) or by calling 0116 252 2004 between 10am and 4pm.
CRIMINOLOGY CAREERS GUIDE
Useful Employment Links
•
www.crimlinks.com – links to resources in criminal justice and criminology
in the UK and around the world.
•
www.jobs.ac.uk – a web site that offers academic posts including funded
PhD and funded research related opportunities. It is a great one stop site to
check potential funded sources of further postgraduate study.
•
The British Society of Criminology http://www.britsoccrim.org – the
society representing British criminologists. Alongside an array of useful
criminology-related resources, the site also has a jobs section advertising
vacancies related to the discipline.
Police, Prison and
Probation Services
•
General information on police
recruitment in England & Wales,
including the High Potential
Development Scheme –
www.police.uk – links to
police force web pages.
•
www.police-jobs.co.uk –
jobsite for serving and former
police officers, civilian police
staff and criminal justice sector
practitioners. Temporary, contract
and permanent investigation and
law enforcement jobs.
•
G4S Policing Solutions –
www.policingsolutions.co.uk
– provides police jobs and
skills to UK police forces, local
authorities, regulatory bodies and
Government departments.
•
HM Prison Service
(England & Wales ) – www.
hmprisonservice.gov.uk.
•
National Probation Service
(England & Wales ) – www.
probation.homeoffice.gov.uk.
Central Government Departments and Agencies
•
The Civil Service Recruitment Gateway – www.careers.civil-service.gov.uk
provides an overview of the range of jobs in the Civil Service, at all levels.
•
Civil Service Fast Stream – www.faststream.gov.uk is the Civil Service’s
accelerated development programme for graduates.
•
Connexions – www.connexions.gov.uk recruits Personal Advisers to
provide guidance and support to young people aged 13-19.
•
Ministry of Justice – www.justice.gov.uk/.
•
The Court Service – www.courtservice.gov.uk.
•
Criminal Records Bureau – www.crb.gov.uk.
•
Crown Prosecution Service – www.cps.gov.uk/working/index.html.
•
HM Revenue & Customs – www.hmrc.gov.uk.
•
The Home Office – www.homeoffice.gov.uk.
•
Northern Ireland: the Criminal Justice System Northern Ireland website –
www.cjsni.gov.uk – gives quick access to the police, prison, probation and
courts services in Northern Ireland.
Private Investigation
and Security
•
Academy of Professional
Investigation –
www.pi-academy.com.
Intelligence Agencies
•
Information on the UK‘s national intelligence machinery can be found at –
www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/caboff/nim/0114301808.pdf.
•
•
The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) – www.gchq.gov.
uk – recruits technicians, mathematicians, linguists and fast-track management
trainees to monitor and interpret information affecting national security.
Fraud management and
criminal investigation – www.
focusgroup.uk.com.
•
Group 4 Securicor – www.g4s.
com/uk.
•
The Serious Organised Crime Agency – www.soca.gov.uk (This will shortly
be replaced).
•
International Professional Security
Association – www.ipsa.org.uk.
•
The Security Service (MI5) – www.mi5.gov.uk – the UK’s security
intelligence agency.
•
Nationwide Investigations Group –
www.nig.co.uk.
•
The Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) – www.mi6.gov.uk – operates
worldwide to collect secret foreign intelligence.
•
World Association of Professional
Investigators – www.wapi.com.
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10 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY
Other Career Areas
•
Housing: The Chartered Institute of Housing – www.cih.org.
•
Law: The Law Society – http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/home.law.
•
Social Work: The Department of Health’s social work and social care website
– www.socialworkcareers.co.uk has information on social work careers
and training.
Academic and
Professional Bodies
and Further Study
•
European Society of Criminology
– www.esc-eurocrim.org.
•
American Society of Criminology
– www.asc41.com.
•
The Social Research
Association includes many
useful links to public and private
sector research organisations, as
well as think-tanks – www.thesra.org.uk.
•
Criminal Justice Degree
lists undergraduate and
postgraduate degrees, mostly
in the USA, and also notes
the most common US career
positions in the criminal
justice field – www.
criminaljusticedegree.com.
Voluntary Organisations
•
Catch 22: www.catch-22.org.uk – national charity working with ‘young people
in difficult situations’.
•
The Howard League for Penal Reform – www.howardleague.org.
•
NACRO – crime reduction charity – www.nacro.org.uk.
•
National Association of Official Prison Visitors – www.naopv.com.
•
SOVA works to strengthen communities by involving local volunteers in promoting
social inclusion and reducing crime – www.sova.org.uk.
•
Victim Support – www.victimsupport.org.uk.
•
Youth Offender Panels recruit volunteers to work alongside Youth Offending
Team members to consider the best course of action for young offenders –
www.yjb.gov.uk/YouthOffenderPanels.
CRIMINOLOGY CAREERS GUIDE
11
Criminal Justice Volunteering
You may well have chosen to take a criminology degree because
you have an ambition to work in some capacity in the criminal
justice sector once you graduate. However, you will be unlikely to
successfully find a good criminal justice job if you rely solely upon
your degree.
While your degree will teach you many theoretical concepts that will help you in
employment, getting your foot in the door with criminal justice agencies will likely
require more than a degree alone, and you are well advised to think about developing
skills and competencies early on. To that end we recommend that all our students are
involved in a range of activities while they are at university. Firstly we suggest that
students join the Criminology Society and give careful consideration to becoming a
member of the affiliated student group for the Howard League for Penal Reform as
an absolute minimum.
We recommend that all our
students are involved in a range
of activities while they are at
university. Firstly we suggest that
students join the Criminology
Society and give careful
However, beyond that we also suggest that students seek out the opportunity as
early as possible to join an organisation that fits with their own personal career aims.
To this end we suggest that all students take part in some form of criminal justice
volunteering. In doing this you will gain (and be able to demonstrate) competencies
that will be sought by employers in the future. Even if you have no idea what you
want to do as a career in the future, volunteering in any of the organisations or
roles listed in this Guide will have a number of benefits. It will give you practical and
vocational experience that may well be useful and relevant in your degree studies;
it will develop your interpersonal and communication skills; it will give you a wider
social network and help you to meet new people; and it will make you seem a better
prospective employee.
consideration to becoming a
member of the affiliated student
group for the Howard League
for Penal Reform as an
absolute minimum.
Surveys have given us
snapshots of the importance
of volunteers in the criminal
justice system. There are around
30,000 volunteers working as
Magistrates, and 6,000 working
as Victim Support volunteers.
How many people are volunteering in the criminal
justice system?
The true answer is that nobody knows the full number of volunteers in the criminal
justice system, but the good news is that there are probably more volunteering
opportunities linked to criminal justice than in any other sphere of work, and that
the work that you can do, while sometimes demanding, is also immensely rewarding
and character building. It will also give you a great opportunity to help others less
fortunate than you, and you can make real, positive social changes.
Surveys have given us snapshots of the importance of volunteers in the criminal
justice system. There are around 30,000 volunteers working as Magistrates, and
6,000 working as Victim Support volunteers.
Volunteers work with offenders in prison, once they are released, and when in the
community in a variety of ways: for example, there are 1,850 Independent Monitoring
Board members; numerous prison visitors; volunteers working through third sector
organisations such as NACRO; 7,000 volunteers involved in prisons alone through
faith-based organisations and many more in community chaplaincies; up to 84 Lay
12 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY
What can I do as a volunteer?
You can do all sorts of things.
For example those wishing to
join the police might be well
advised to consider becoming a
special constable, whereas those
who wish to work in probation
might be better suited as a
probation volunteer, or working
as a volunteer in the local youth
justice team.
The examples in this Guide detail
only some of the opportunities
available: the Student Support
Service can help you further
access some of them, but
Advisors helping to oversee MAPPA (Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements)
relating to sexual and violent offenders. There are a massive range of roles that you
can take on, some are as simple as writing a letter to a prisoner who has nobody
to communicate with on the outside, while more demanding roles might involve
working as part of a circle of support and accountability helping a high risk sex
offender to re-integrate into the community after a custodial sentence.
You need only take on a role that you feel comfortable in, and some people will
obviously not feel happy working with some groups, however, the criminal justice
system is diverse enough that you will be able to find something you can do.
You should think carefully about how much time you can commit and what you
feel comfortable doing before you contact an organisation, but most voluntary
organisations, while wanting committed individuals, realise that what they do may
not be for all people and will not take it too badly if you decide that their scheme
is not for you. However out of courtesy, you should be careful to try and be
professional with the organisation you work with, even if you are not being paid
for your services.
remember that there are also
opportunities outside the
criminal justice system that may
be relevant. For example, you
might want to join the University
officer training corps if you
would like a career as an officer
in the military police. Summers
with Camp America could
be of use if you feel that you
would like to pursue a career in
teaching.
You should remember that any
experience while you are at
Working with the police there are around 14,000 special constables, and 6,000
Police Support Volunteers (expected to rise to 10,000 by the year 2012). Indeed,
Neighbourhood Watch is the biggest voluntary movement in the country. Criminal
justice volunteering as a broad area is not particularly well documented and you may
have to search around. The ‘What Can I Do?’ booklet and website produced by the
university will help you develop
Prison Advice & Care Trust, is one of the few projects that has attempted
to document and promote volunteering across the different agencies of the CJS.
You can link to it here: http://www.ccjf.org/whatcanido/pdfs/wcid12.pdf.
is very limited, and it will go
your CV, and will likely give you
an edge in the future. Remember
that your time at university
quickly. It is never too early to
start planning for your future.
CRIMINOLOGY CAREERS GUIDE
13
Preparing for the Job Market
This section of the Careers Guide is intended to help you think practically about the steps that you
will go through in order to secure employment. Some of the advice relates specifically to trying to
attempt to secure a job. The material presented here does not run sequentially, and it is intended
that you dip in and out of the Guide using appropriate sections as and when required.
Personal Development
Planning (PDP)
Personal Development Planning (PDP) is a
structured and supported process designed
to help you improve and enhance your
academic performance and to plan for
life beyond your course. Whether you
are an undergraduate or postgraduate,
campus-based or distance learner, PDP
at the University of Leicester will provide
you with a range of tools and resources
relevant to you and your aspirations.
PDP and your academic
progress
As you will be aware, there is a great
deal more to academic success than
attending lectures and seminars and
handing in coursework on time –
important though these are! Successful
students are those able to take charge
of their own learning and development,
and demonstrate their ability to think
critically, independently, and creatively.
PDP can help you to become a more
independent and effective learner in the
following ways:
•
by providing you with the tools you
need to take charge of your own
academic progress and development;
•
by giving you the chance to think
about your strengths as a learner and
identify the areas you can improve
on; and
•
by enabling you to identify the
practical steps required to achieve
these improvements.
This process is relevant whether you are
a new undergraduate working on your
first essay, or a PhD student researching
your thesis.
PDP and your
employability and career
prospects
PDP is also highly relevant to your
life beyond university. Participating
in PDP will help you to enhance your
employability and future career prospects
in the following ways:
•
by providing you with clear and easyto-use career planning tools;
•
by helping you to identify
opportunities for enhancing and
developing your employability; and
•
by providing you with resources to
help you represent and articulate to
others (including employers), your
learning, skills and achievements.
How PDP works
PDP is a process whereby you
reflect on your progress, recognise
achievements, and set objectives for
future development. At the University of
Leicester, we believe that the best way for
you to encounter and participate in this
process is via your academic department,
or departments. This way, you are
encouraged to view PDP as an integral
part of your student experience.
Your department(s) will have, in
collaboration with key university services
such as Student Development, created
a model for PDP specially tailored to
the specific needs of their students. In
many departments, elements of PDP are
integrated into existing modules and other
areas of the curriculum.
If you are a campus-based student and
you want to find out more about how you
can participate in PDP, simply contact your
personal tutor and/or supervisor to find
out more about how to get involved. If you
are a distance learner, you should get in
touch with your department on how best
to access materials and support.
Crucially, PDP is a process which you are in
charge of. Your department and others can
support and guide you, but ultimately your
development is your responsibility.
14 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY
Preparing for Employment
Writing a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
It is very important to have a well written CV, because while not
all employers will ask for one, it is good to be in the practice
of having a basic CV while at university and updating it fairly
regularly and routinely with any relevant experience that you gain.
This helps prevent lapses in your CV and means that you get into
the habit of recording good relevant experiences that you might
otherwise forget to include in your CV.
A good CV should both inform an employer of your skills and experience and
persuade them that you are worth interviewing. They are normally required because:
a) an employer has specified this in a job advertisement; or
b) you are approaching employers speculatively about jobs.
Here are a few general
points to consider when
producing your CV:
• no more than 2 sides of A4
and word processed;
• be consistent in how you
present information;
• do not mix too many
typefaces and font sizes;
• leave plenty of space
around the information so
that it is clear; and
• try to use the first person
and the active voice wherever
possible; for example, “I
organised...”, “I developed...”,
“I co-ordinated...”.
However, other organisations may retain CVs on file, and CVs can also be a useful
way of securing voluntary positions and internships that can in some cases lead to full
time employment.
Whatever the case that you use a CV, it is your chance to sell yourself and therefore
you need to know what your selling points are, i.e. the relevant skills, qualifications,
interests and experience that an employer will be interested in.
What should a CV include?
In general a CV should contain the following information, although these headings
are not always necessary:
Personal Details – name, address, telephone number, email address (select a
sensible e-mail address, it might be worth opening a separate e-mail account to your
university account, but you will need to check and use it, and ‘sexyboy49@gmail’
or ‘Jucyjenni@hotmail’ may not be the best addresses to convince a prospective
employer you are a serious candidate – we have seen these, seriously). If your name
sounds non-UK, include your nationality and immigration status if you are not a
British citizen;
Personal Statement – your career objective or mission – be as specific as possible;
Education – give details of your education to date, including fuller details about
courses relevant to the job;
Work Experience – put your most recent and/or relevant experience first;
Interests – try and specify your level of involvement in these, particularly where you held
a position of responsibility (note ‘position of responsibility’ is a good heading to use);
Relevant Skills – for example, communication, teamwork, problem-solving,
languages, computing;
References – usually one academic and one from a work situation. Remember to ask
your referees’ permission first.
CRIMINOLOGY CAREERS GUIDE
How should a CV be
laid out?
This will vary according to the aspects
of your life that you want to emphasise;
for example, a mature student with
plenty of work experience might place
this information above their education
in order to highlight it. Consider what
the reader is going to be interested in.
There are two broad styles of CV
although many variations exist
within these:
•
•
Chronological – the information
is arranged under general headings
(Education, Work Experience
etc.) and set out chronologically
thereafter with the most recent
events first;
Skills-based – all information is
analysed for evidence of the most
relevant skills for the job and then
arranged under skills headings. This
is known as targeting your CV and is
increasingly common.
Tips on Presenting Your CV
•
Two sides of word-processed A4 is
normally sufficient.
•
Make your CV clear and consistent
and leave plenty of white space.
•
Use good quality paper and paper
clips, not staples.
•
Make your headings stand out by
using bold or italics.
•
For your education put your most
recent course first.
•
Use a legible font with a minimum
size of 11.
•
Summarise qualifications that were
achieved some years ago,
for example, GCSEs.
•
Use positive/action words which
describe what you did.
•
•
For your work experience try and
make your most relevant experience
stand out. You may want to consider
having a separate section for this.
Check your spelling, grammar and
punctuation.
•
Use a laser printer for a better
quality finish.
Further information and help
There is a range of resources available for reference in Student Development
(and often in some public libraries) which you should be able to access. If you can
visit the Student Development Zone on the 2nd floor of the David Wilson Library
you will be able to access a number of useful written resources and you’ll also find
lots of help on the Student Development and Prospects websites:
Student Development Website – http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/sd/careers
Prospects Website – http://www.prospects.ac.uk/
Should I adopt an
unusual approach?
This can work, but it very much
depends on who you are contacting.
Think about who will read the CV and
how they might react to an off-beat
style. Using green ink on pink paper and
enclosing a single red rose will probably
not endear you to a firm of solicitors!
Employers are fairly conventional in
general and want to see evidence of
your skills and abilities above all else,
but if you can encourage them to read
more about you by taking a slightly
different approach then it might be
worth the risk.
Many employers take the time to come onto campus over the academic year to run
skills sessions that cover all aspects of the recruitment process, including CVs. This
is a fantastic opportunity to gain an insight into why employers ask you to submit
these documents and what, in their view, makes a successful CV.
Details of these events can be found here:
http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/sd/careers/events
You can also spend some time discussing your CV with your Personal Tutor –
why not arrange an appointment with them to read through your CV? Your
Personnel Tutor will also ask some questions about it, and this will help you feel
more confident before you are ever questioned about it in a formal setting by a
prospective employer.
In addition, you can book a short face to face or telephone appointment
with a Careers Adviser, who will be able to help and advise you on CVs,
application forms and any other career related issues. Appointments can
be made by visiting the Student Development Zone (2nd floor, David
Wilson Library) or by calling 0116 252 2004 between 10am and 4pm.
15
16 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY
Application Forms
An application form may be
your first point of contact
with an employer. Employers
often receive hundreds of
application forms and may
spend only a few seconds on
each one. Therefore, their first
impressions must be positive.
These forms are often designed
A good application form takes a
considerable amount of time to complete
and should be well thought out and
properly constructed. This part of the
Guide explores some of the issues involved
in this part of the application process and
provides useful general guidelines.
Before you start
Why is an application
forms used?
Applying for jobs is very competitive.
Employers use application forms as part of
their selection processes in order to
draw up a short list of candidates to invite
for interview.
may be quite sophisticated. They are
Filling in the form –
general tips
usually very challenging, are generally
Here are a few hints and tips which
now completed online and most are
may help you while you are completing
designed to make candidates think about
the form.
specifically for individual employers and
themselves and their suitability for the
opportunities on offer.
Some may seem very obvious but a
surprising number of candidates do get
them wrong:
•
Before applying to an employer make
sure that you:
•
•
•
Research the organisation where
you wish to work – find out about
what they do, their philosophy, their
structure, their successes and goals.
Research the job to find out about
the necessary requirements and
person specification – read the
supporting company literature and
visit their website.
Give yourself plenty of time.
Make sure you comply with
instructions. For instance, there may
be a word limit for each question.
•
Pay attention to spelling and
grammar – many applications are
automatically rejected if a candidate
is weak in these areas.
•
Make sure that your details are
correct, e.g. your contact details,
educational and/or work history
(don’t lie! – employers often ask
to see original certificates of your
qualifications).
CRIMINOLOGY CAREERS GUIDE
•
•
Put your most important work area/
experience etc first (although this
may not be possible if chronological
order is asked for).
Identify your skills,
knowledge and
experience
Explain any gaps (e.g. where you
have been travelling or taking a
career break).
In addition to a degree qualification
employers seek a range of other
qualities. Identify your own particular
skills, knowledge and experience and
give good examples if you are asked
to demonstrate them. This is an ideal
opportunity to illustrate any additional
skills you have gained which are relevant
to the employer and the job you are
applying for.
Referees
It is normal to have one academic (if you
are a recent graduate) and one other
related to employment. Do check with
referees first to ensure that they are
willing and able to supply a supportive
reference. If necessary, give them
information about the job to help them
to tailor their reference.
17
After completing
the form
Before you send your completed
application form to the employer
make sure you:
•
Spell and grammar check your
application form to avoid careless
and easily correctable errors – ask a
friend to read it for you to do a final
proof before you send it.
•
Make a copy of the application
form so that you can prepare more
easily if you are called for interview.
18 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY
Competency
Questions
Most mainstream criminal
justice organisations now have
sections on application forms
and parts of the interview
process which ask applicants
to demonstrate that they have
core competencies which are
central to the role that is
being applied for.
A useful model to help
you structure your answer
effectively and maximise the
impact of your example, for
both application forms and
interviews, is called the
CAR model;
These may ask for the individual to
demonstrate competencies such
as teamwork, relating to others,
communicating effectively, and dealing
with difficult situations.
Many criminal justice agencies use
competency questions, sometimes
they use several, and ask for you to
chose different examples for each
answer. However, as daunting as this
sounds, most organisations will let you
know in advance of the interview the
competencies they will be testing.
C – Context. What was the
situation? What was the
challenge, task or problem you
faced?
A – Action. What actions did
you take, and why did you
decide to take this course of
action, in order to drive this
example forward?
R – Result. What was the result
of the actions that you took?
What have you learnt?
Below are some good examples of
answered competency questions
within the context of an application
form. The trick to answering these
questions is to find a relevant example
which demonstrates how you used the
skills required in a specific setting very
succinctly. You do not have to give too
much background detail; indeed, the
best answers are quite short and often
condense a great deal of background
information into a sentence or two.
The trick is to remain focused, show
specifically what you did and which skills
you used, and how this shows that you
demonstrated them effectively.
Examples of tackling
competency questions
Please describe a time when you
saw an opportunity to really make
a difference for the future of a
group, an activity or yourself. What
did you do?
A good example
During the summer of 2007, I was
recruited to be part of a two-month, sixman roadshow travelling around
the M25 area promoting tennis and
Ariel Liquitabs.
Within the first week of the tour the
event manager resigned and I applied
to take over this role. Although I had no
specific previous experience, I felt it was
a great opportunity to stretch myself
and make a difference to my future. I
was accepted as the new event manager
and took over the very next day, it was
extremely difficult initially, but I drew on
my experiences of Head of School and
captains of numerous sports teams and
settled into the role relatively quickly.
My role necessitated dealing with a vast
range of individuals from Sainsbury’s
Managers to children as young as 5 years
of age, which improved my interpersonal
and communicational skills. In addition,
my motivational skills were also tested,
as I was constantly required to motivate
my staff due to the tour becoming
monotonous in the latter stages.
The roadshow appeared to be a real
success with the tennis clubs receiving
a 10% increase in applicants and rival
soap powder brands putting on extra
promotions.
The feedback I received on how I
managed the event was extremely
positive and I have subsequently been
put forward to manage numerous
other events.
CRIMINOLOGY CAREERS GUIDE
Not so good
The biggest challenge whilst carrying
out the assignment was conducting a
financial analysis on the company. I was
assigned this task {even if true, don’t
say it was ‘assigned’ to you!}, as I had
previous experience in this area as I have
carried out two financial and accounting
modules during my University degree.
I conducted a full ratio analysis on the
company, which included analysing
Next’s Profit and Loss Account and
Balance Sheet. I presented the ratios
and included details of the company’s
current financial position, along with an
explanation of how the company could
improve their position.
The Presentation involved presenting
our group’s report on Next Plc to the
rest of the Marketing group. Our group
{concentrate on you!} conducted
a Microsoft Powerpoint {spelling
‘PowerPoint’!} presentation, to ensure
it was conducted in the most efficient
and systematic way. Each member
presented their individual section, the
final section then included contributions
by all group members.
Our group {as above, concentrate on
you!} had practised the presentation
on numerous occasions prior to the final
presentation, which ensured a smooth
running. Each member of the Marketing
class was given a feedback form to
report their opinions of the presentation.
Our group received positive feedback
and were all awarded a 2:1 for the
presentation, this contributed towards
the final outcome of our Marketing
modules. {Again, too much emphasis
on the group/team and not on you}.
More good examples
Leadership
I was elected to the position of
president of the Conservation Society
during my final year at the university.
The society consisted of fifty members
with a five person committee.
My objectives were to double the
number of members, increase
the number of social events and
increase awareness of conservation
and environmental issues amongst
university students. In order to
meet these targets I had to motivate
the committee and held regular
team meetings to check we were
achieving our objectives. I particularly
enjoyed working with the university’s
environmental officer to promote
a paper recycling scheme on
campus using student volunteers and designing publicity for use in the student
newspaper and on posters around campus. In addition to our usual meetings
I also organised a series of themed social events which were increasingly well
attended throughout the year.
By the end of the year our objectives were fulfilled and I was particularly thrilled
that the membership had risen to 120.
Planning and Organisation
As a volunteer at a local children’s charity, I was responsible for organising an
activities week for 70 children aged 6-12. My initial objective was to recruit a
team of 10 student volunteers and design a programme of unusual activities. The
task also involved identifying and approaching local companies for sponsorship
for outings and prizes for the mini sports day at the end. I was also responsible
for health and safety including training the team in child protection policies,
budgets, venues, transport and the allocation of roles within the team to ensure
the best use of individual skills and abilities. In order to plan my time I used both an
Excel spreadsheet for personal time management and a weekly email to all team
volunteers to keep them up to speed with what other team members had achieved.
I formed a contingency plan to provide indoor activities for wet days. A clear
presentation of the aims and objectives of the week and the target group of
children in a particularly deprived area of Aberdeen resulted in grants of £500
from the Common Good Fund and extensive sponsorship by Asda Wal Mart of
small toys to use as prizes and consignments of fruit each day to use for snacks.
68 children attended and were able to try sports such as grass sledging,
indoor lacrosse, rockwall, kayaking and ultimate frisbee and apparently
enjoyed it hugely, and this was demonstrated when we were nominated for a
national award.
19
20 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY
Interviews
For many people, the job interview is an event that fills them
with dread and fear. While it may not be possible to ever get
to a stage that you will enjoy job interviews, with planning
and preparation it is possible to get to a stage where you are
prepared for interviews and feel comfortable in them, and the
steps suggested here might help you toward that end.
Preparation – before the interview
Research the company thoroughly – Employers often comment that many
students know too little about the company. Use all methods available to you to find
out about the company including company brochures and company websites. If you
are still job-seeking when the academic year re-starts at the end of September, make
sure you attend careers fairs that various universities organise.
Think of possible questions that you might be asked – There are example
questions in various books and files available from Student Development.
Remember! – The interview is
a two-way process. Although
you are selling yourself, you are
not the only one under scrutiny.
The interviewer is looking at you
to see if you have the relevant
qualifications, experience and
personality, to fit with that
particular environment. You
are looking at the interviewer
and the surroundings to decide
whether or not you like what is
on offer. Ask yourself; “Is this
really what I want?”
Practise answering the questions out loud – Sometimes it can be helpful to ask
a friend to listen to your responses or some people find practising in front of a mirror
useful or using a tape recorder.
Re-read your application form or CV to remind yourself of what you said –
Imagine you are the interviewer and decide what questions you might ask based on
your application. What do you want to get across to the interviewer? – try and think
of 3 key points that you would like to get across to the interviewer whatever question
they might ask! When answering most questions about your work experience,
university degree and other achievements it invariably pays to think about what you
got out of these experiences – and you should formulate answers to most questions
about them with this in mind. At interviews, you need to sell yourself!
Your questions for the interviewer – Prepare your questions for the interviewer
and write them on a card or piece of paper to take in with you. Keep your questions
to safe areas such as “How does the management training scheme work?” or “What
will my induction programme entail?” rather than “How did last years redundancy
programme that featured in the press work out?”).
Check out travel arrangements – Plan to arrive with at least 15 minutes to spare
(over half an hour would be excessive). It is important to check times and routes of
trains or buses beforehand. If at all possible do a dummy run the day before. Don’t
work to such a tight travelling schedule that you put yourself under undue pressure. It
is far better to arrive in plenty of time and be relaxed, than to be dead on time or late
and anxious. You need to save all your energy for the interview.
What to wear – Decide what you want to wear and make sure that it is comfortable.
Here are some basic rules for dress: Dress to suit yourself – style and colour – rather
than high fashion. Be traditional rather than avant-garde. General tips are:
CRIMINOLOGY CAREERS GUIDE
•
Theories suggest dark colours are
more powerful than lighter ones.
•
Ensure all aspects of your appearance
from hair-cut to shoes are smart, tidy
clean and appropriate.
•
•
If in doubt as to what to wear, err
on the side of caution with business
dress e.g. suit, shirt and tie for men,
business dress/skirt, jacket and smart
top for women.
Dress to the accepted style of the
industry or job.
What to take with you
Prepare a file containing a copy of
your application form, company
correspondence and directions, and your
questions for them.
Preparation – on the day
First impressions do count so make sure
you give a good first impression:
•
Be polite to everyone you meet.
•
Look organised. Carry your file.
•
Give the impression that you are
taking the occasion seriously.
•
Think about your posture. Try and
put your head up and shoulders
back.
•
Try and relax. Deep breathing
definitely helps!
•
Make sure you have a firm
handshake.
•
Maintain good eye contact.
•
Smile.
The interview itself
Remember the importance of nonverbal communication – If what you
say conflicts with what your posture
and expression are conveying, they will
believe the latter. So regularly check your
21
posture. Also remember to maintain
positive non-verbal communication as
well by:
•
Smiling often.
•
Nodding the head when the
interviewer is speaking.
•
Leaning forward while listening and
when replying.
•
Maintaining a high level of eye
contact.
Eye contact – In a panel interview, eye
contact should normally be maintained
with the person who is asking the
question, although remember to draw in
other panellists by looking at them from
time to time.
Verbal communication – Be
enthusiastic and interesting.
Informal interviewers – Be wary of a
very informal interviewer lulling you into
a false sense of security – you may reveal
more than you should in this situation.
You should not become too informal
yourself.
Always try and remain positive –
Sometimes the interviewer will touch
on things in your past that have gone
wrong. Concentrate on what you learnt
from the experience. Don’t be negative
or apologetic about yourself.
Move on – If you answer a question
badly, forget about it and move on to
the next one. You will not be rejected on
the basis of one poor answer. So bounce
back and tackle the next question with
renewed enthusiasm. Also try not to
give one word answers. If you do, it will
put more pressure on the interviewer to
think of the next question quickly.
You may face questions to which you
find it hard to think of an answer. If this
happens there are a range of techniques
you can employ:
•
Ask if you could be given some
time to think about the question.
•
Ask them to repeat the
question, which will give you
more thinking time.
•
Ask if you can return to this
question later.
Remember! – With difficult questions
it is often your approach that interests
them rather than whether you give the
‘right answer’. Interviews are a two way
process and therefore it is not only an
opportunity for them to assess you but
also for you to assess them.
Getting feedback – You can learn a lot
from attending an interview, whether
or not you are actually offered the
job. Asking for feedback can help you
prepare for future interviews.
22 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY
8.
What are your weaknesses?
3.
What else have you applied for?
9.
Describe a difficult situation and
what you did about it.
4.
Where do you see yourself in five
years time?
10. How well do you work in a team?
5.
Do you have any questions for us?
11. This position has a large amount
of stress/negotiation/teamwork/
isolation/travel. How will you cope
with this?
6.
What do you know about equal
opportunities?
12. How do you respond to stress? Can
you provide a recent example?
•
For each question it is well worth
writing out your answer rather than
just thinking it through.
•
Bear in mind that we use different
parts of the brain for thinking and
talking so practise your answers
by talking out loud.
15. What makes you think you can be
successful with us?
•
If possible use a tape recorder to
assess your performance.
16. What do you think you can bring to
this position/company?
•
Why not get a friend to ask you the
questions so that you are simulating
an interview?
•
Book a practice interview with a
trained Careers Advisor in Student
Development (Tel 0116 2522004)
•
Keep practising until your answers
are fluent, although you should not
learn them parrot-fashion.
13. What would you look for in a
manager?
Preparation
14. How do you/would you get the best
out of people?
Typical Interview
Questions
When preparing answers to the
questions below note that they are only
a guide to what you might be asked at
an interview; additional questions are
also likely based on the information
you have given in your application
form or CV (for example about your
work experience).
Occupational awareness
1.
What do you see as the pros and
the cons of this career?
2.
What will you look forward to most
in this job?
3.
What do you know about our
organisation?
4.
In your view, what are the major
problems/opportunities facing this
company/industry/sector?
5.
What do you know about this
organisations equal opportunities/
data protection policies?
Skills, attributes and potential
1.
If we asked for a reference what
would it say about you?
2.
How would a friend describe you?
3.
What is your major achievement?
4.
How do you manage your day?
5.
How do you get things done?
6.
What do you consider yourself good
at doing?
7.
What are your strengths?
Miscellaneous questions
1.
What sort of support/training/
induction would you like for
this job?
2.
What will you do if you don’t get
this job?
CRIMINOLOGY CAREERS GUIDE
Assessment Centres
What is an assessment
centre?
Many employers now run extended
selection centres as part of their
recruitment process. Traditionally, they
have formed the second stage in the
process, but selection exercises are
becoming more common at the first
interview stage. Employers invest a
great deal of time and effort in running
assessment centres because they believe
that they result in recruiting the best
candidate. Assessment Centres are one of
the most reliable indicators of future job
performance.
Typically you will join a small group of
other candidates and undertake a series of
assessments designed to show the selectors
whether or not you possess most of the
personal and technical skills necessary. The
programme can be intensive and you may
be required to stay overnight.
How might you be
assessed?
You could be expected to get involved in
some of the following activities:
Social events
Take the opportunity over drinks or
dinner to talk to recent graduates. They
will hopefully be able to give you a clearer
picture of what it might be like to work
for your chosen company. It is a chance
to ask more detailed questions in an
informal setting. However it is important
to remember that you are being assessed
all the time so do not let yourself down
by behaving inappropriately or drinking
too much! Employers are keen to see you
in all types of situations and this social
setting may give them an indication of
how you might be when entertaining
business clients. It is therefore important
to be consistent in your behaviour over
the two days.
23
Group tasks
These generally involve discussions and
negotiations with other candidates and
can take different formats as follows:
1. Group discussions
The group may be given a topic to
discuss and perhaps reach a consensus
on. The Assessors will be looking to see
how you contribute to the group:
What are your communication
skills like?
Do you listen to others as well as
putting your own views forward?
How do you react if your viewpoint
is challenged?
You don’t have to necessarily be
dominant in the group to be successful
employers are looking for team players
that can fit in to a team easily.
2. Role play exercises
You could be asked to play a particular
role in a group:
For example, you might be part of a
committee looking at the amenities in a
town. There could be a pot of money that
needs to be invested as wisely as possible,
to give the residents the most benefit.
Each group member will have a different
role. For example one role-play might be
that of youth worker and this particular
remit could be to try and persuade the
rest of the team to use the money towards
setting up a local youth centre. The
assessors will once again be looking at
how you put your views across and might
be seeing if you can construct a convincing
argument and how well you persuade
others around to your viewpoint.
Individual exercises – such as
In-Tray or E-Tray exercises
This involves reading through
information contained in a typical in tray/
email inbox. It could involve drafting
replies, writing memos and emails
or preparing statistical reports. It is
important to read all the information
carefully, and then set priorities and then
act. For this type of exercise you might
want to think about how you deal with
current deadlines within a tight timescale
and use the same process.
If you are required to write a report using
several pieces of information the same
principles apply. It is really no different
from collecting information from a
variety of sources in order to write an
essay or other written assignment.
3. Business game/simulation
Presentations
This usually entails tackling a simulated
business situation where a task has to be
performed, targets met and difficulties
overcome. It is vital to keep to time and
allocate tasks to ensure completion of
the exercise.
You may be given advance notice of the
fact that you will be required to give a
short presentation. This obviously means
that you can prepare and practice your
presentation before the big day. Even
24 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY
if you are not sure what you might
be asked to talk about it is a good
idea to have a few topics in mind
beforehand.
Assessment Centre
Interviews
You will likely already have
experience from your first
interview, but may now need
to be prepared for more in
depth questioning, possibly
from functional specialists.
Hints and tips on presentations:
•
If given a choice of topic make
sure you choose something you
know about.
•
Try and use notes to read from
and avoid reading from a script.
•
Maintain eye contact with your
audience.
•
Smile and look relaxed.
•
Don’t try and be funny – it
doesn’t often work in this
situation.
•
If audiovisual equipment is
available to use then you will
probably be expected to use it!
•
Remember to refer to your
audiovisuals!
•
Ensure that you have a strong,
positive introduction.
•
Have a clear beginning, middle
and end – don’t just fizzle out!
More information about
presentations can be found
on the Student Learning
Centre website:
http://www2.le.ac.uk/
offices/ssds/sd/ld
Your knowledge, ability to do the
job and motivation will be under
close scrutiny. You may well have a
panel interview and in some ways this
should be treated the same as a one-to
one interview. Try and concentrate on
the person who is asking the question
and direct your answers to them,
occasionally glancing at the rest of the panel in order to include everyone. There is
plenty of information on interviews available on the Student Development website.
What are the selectors looking for?
Employers are looking for those candidates who can show evidence of the range of
skills and qualities that they are seeking. These will vary according to the job and the
employer but will probably include:
•
communication;
•
the ability to work in a team;
•
interpersonal skills including
negotiation and sensitivity;
•
self-motivation;
•
decision-making;
•
listening skills;
•
problem solving; and
•
self-confidence;
•
high standards of achievement.
•
time management;
Different skills will be assessed in different exercises. For example, it is clear that in a
group work exercise assessors will be looking for evidence of team working, good
time management, and oral communication skills.
Equally in an in-tray exercise written communication, planning and
analytical skills as well as decision-making ability are sought.
CRIMINOLOGY CAREERS GUIDE
Further information and help
There is a range of resources available for reference in Student Development (and often in some public libraries) which
you should be able to access. If you can visit the Student Development Zone on the 2nd floor of the David Wilson Library
you will be able to access a number of useful written resources and you’ll also find lots of help on the Student Development
and Prospects websites:
Student Development Website – http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/sd/careers
Prospects Website – http://www.prospects.ac.uk/
Many employers take the time to come onto campus over the academic year to run skills sessions that cover all aspects of
the recruitment process, including the assessment centre stage. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain an insight into why
employers put you through assessment centres and to gauge what they are looking for. Details of these events can be found
here; http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/sd/careers/events
‘Tomorrow’s Managers’ takes place at the end of the Spring term and is a two day insight into management skills
run by Student Development in conjunction with employers. The programme consists of a number of group exercises,
role plays and business games that will help you develop your communication, problem solving, team working and
organisational and planning skills. The activities you are asked to complete are a great insight into management and also
very representative of the type of tasks used in assessment centres to assess your ability in the competencies mentioned
earlier. Full details, including how to enrol, can be found here; http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/sd/careers/
events/tm/t-man#1
25
26 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER · DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY
Psychometric
Assessments
Psychometric assessments are
structured ways of evaluating
how people perform on
various tasks or react to
different circumstances.
They are used by many employers as
part of their selection processes, along
Aptitude tests
Aptitude tests aim to measure your
competence and intellectual capabilities
as well as your logical and analytical
reasoning abilities in a specific area.
They aim to assess your abilities to use
specific job related skills and to predict
subsequent job performance.
The most commonly used tests assess
verbal, numerical and diagrammatic
reasoning skills.
•
with other methods such as application
forms and CVs, and exercises to assess
key employability skills. However, they
can also be useful in identifying your
particular strengths or your job-related
interests.
You may be asked to complete these
assessments either on-line or by
using pencil and paper. Psychometric
assessments can generally be grouped
into two types of tests: aptitude and
personality.
•
•
Diagrammatic reasoning tests
are commonly used, particularly
for computer programming and
IT related jobs, where candidates
are asked to follow a path through
diagrams of different shapes and
symbols.
•
Other tests that may be used
include data sufficiency tests,
abstract reasoning, spatial reasoning
and others specific to a particular
employer.
Verbal reasoning tests may appear
in different formats and typically
involve reading a passage of text and
then selecting the most appropriate
of perhaps four or five answers.
Alternatively, you may be asked to fill
in blank spaces in a sentence with a
given choice of words.
Personality
questionnaires
Numerical reasoning tests may also
appear in different formats. You may
typically be asked questions relating
to information provided in the form
of statistical charts, or you may be
required to calculate the answers to
various problems.
Certain types of personality
questionnaires are routinely used
to assess job candidates to see if
they would suit a particular work
environment. The results may then
be compared to the characteristics
considered essential for the job on
Personality questionnaires explore the
way in which you do things and how you
behave in certain circumstances. They
can assess your preferences, motivations,
interests, values and attitudes.
CRIMINOLOGY CAREERS GUIDE
offer. They are usually paper-based questionnaires where a profile is drawn from
your responses to a number of questions or statements, focussing on a variety of
personality factors.
Another type of personality questionnaire involves exploring your interests and values
and these are designed to help you clarify what fields of work interest you and are
not normally used for selection purposes. They can, however, provide a useful starting
point for people who are unsure about the type of work they might want to do.
For all types of personality questionnaires there are no right and wrong answers.
How to prepare
Practise will help improve your performance with aptitude tests but can not assist
you with personality tests because, as mentioned above, there are no right or
wrong answers.
Employers sometimes send out practice leaflets or online links containing examples
of their aptitude test questions. Do the questions so that you are familiar with them;
they are to help you on the day of the test.
Student Development holds a range of books with example questions to help you
prepare in advance. These resources can be found in the Student Development
Zone on the second floor of the David Wilson library. The Student Development and
Prospects websites also have links to a range of other websites with information
relating to this area and the opportunity to practice further;
http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/sd/careers/applications/psychometricand-aptitude-testing
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/psychometric_tests.htm
When taking the test
Do listen and/or read carefully the instructions about what you have to do. If you are
sitting an aptitude test you are normally given example questions to complete first to
help you understand what you have to do. Work as quickly and as accurately as you
can as most tests have many questions and fairly short time limits and are measuring
both your accuracy and pace.
Further information and help
Aside from the written and online resources mentioned earlier, you can book a
face to face or telephone appointment with a Careers Adviser, who will be able
to help and advise you on how to prepare effectively for your psychometric test.
Appointments can be made by visiting the Student Development Zone
(2nd floor, David Wilson Library) or by calling 0116 252 2004 between
10am and 4pm.
27
Contact Details:
Admissions Administrator
Department of Criminology
University of Leicester
154 Upper New Walk
Leicester
LE1 7QA
t: +44 (0) 116 252 2458/3946
f: +44 (0) 116 252 5788
e: criminology@le.ac.uk
w: www.le.ac.uk/criminology
© University of Leicester 04/2011
Leicester LE1 7RH
UK
www.le.ac.uk
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