Ready to compete...where are
the jobs, is my CV and interview
technique OK?
Pauline Glasgow, Careers adviser
p.glasgow@qub.ac.uk
Aims
• Raise awareness of the job market and opportunities
available to you when you graduate
• Encourage you to make successful applications
Objectives
• Increase knowledge of the labour market
• Identify your selling points
• Promote yourself effectively on your CV and at interview
SWOT Analysis
• Small groups
• Write down on flip chart paper
• Report back
• www.prospects.ac.uk
• www.gradireland.com
• Surveys/reports/useful websites for English
UK Graduate Careers
Survey
Apprx 18,000 students, including 599 from QUB
25% of students planning to do postgraduate study
13% planning taking time out to travel (down on last year)
40% expecting to join labour market – this is an increase
The media is still the most popular career area
Accountancy is the 8th most popular choice
More students are making earlier applications – ‘huge shift’
Queens students make, on average, 5 applications. UK
average, is 6.8
Salary expectations - £22,600
Appropriate Resources
ROI Graduate Careers
Service
www.gradireland.com
Gti Target Careers
www,targetjobs.co.uk
QUB Careers Service
www.qub.ac.uk/careers
Your Careers Service!
Private sector
(own websites or
directories)
www.yell.com
UK Graduate Careers
Service
www.prospects.ac.uk
Public sector
(own websites or
directories)
www.getalife.org.
uk
www.jobs.ac.uk
Website
Publications
Publications
-Career Planning
guides
-Employer
Directories
-Helpsheet series
-Sector Guides
Advisers
www.agencycentral.c
o.uk
Inside Careers
www.insidecareers.co.uk
Website
UK Careers
Website
Publications
ROI Careers
www.exp.ie
www.jobs-ireland.com
Europe
www.careerseurope.co.uk/
Voluntary Sector
(own websites or
directories)
NI Careers
www.getalife.org
.uk
www.jobsni.com
Websites
www.careersserviceni.co
m
Websites
How to find employers/vacancies in NI
• Graduate Opportunities Section of the Careers website
• Employer websites eg NI Civil Service www.nicsrecruitment.gov.uk,
Queen’s/UU, NHS www.hpssjobs.com, individual companies etc
• Yell www.yell.co.uk (useful for identifying companies in different
occupational areas/locations etc)
• JobCentre On-line www.jobcentreonline.com
• Regional/local/national newspapers eg Belfast Telegraph, Irish News
etc
• Recruitment agencies
Competencies & skills
•
•
•
•
Times Top 100/Directories/sample jobs
Identify criteria ‘any discipline’ recruiters want
How do you match?
In pairs, tell your partner one thing you are good at/do
well
CVs
• Sample CVs
• Read from an employer’s perspective
• Discuss – what you liked, what could be improved
Degree Education
• Basic details ie dates, name of university, course
studied, degree result expected/obtained
• Achievements eg projects, scholarships/prizes
awarded, work placements
• Notable aspects eg features/modules you enjoyed
etc
• Important to say something about what you gained
from your degree (think transferability)
Work Experience
• Basic details ie dates, name of employer, job title
• Brief overview of duties/what you did
• Achievements ie skills developed, insights gained,
extensions to original term, notable outcomes etc
• Focus on what you gained rather than what you
did (again, think transferability)
Achievements and Interests
• Your chance to include other relevant details not
included in degree/education and work
experience eg
-Extra-curricular activities at University
-Voluntary work
-Sporting activities
-Other skills eg IT, languages
-Achievements outside degree/work experience
-Hobbies/pastimes
• Can be a key factor in demonstrating your
motivation and ‘get up and go’ factor
Activities and interests
• Selectors are more interested in
your level of involvement than in
what you are involved in.
• Mention any position of
responsibility.
• Stress social skills e.g. teamwork,
motivating others etc.
• Describe any initiative you
developed.
• Don’t use weak words such as “did” or “worked”; change
them to “achieved” or “implemented”.
• Include active verbs when describing your activities e.g.
achieved, arranged, contributed, established, implemented,
initiated, negotiated, organised.
• Put the most powerful words at the left-hand side of the page:
that is were the scanning eye travels first. Not “While I was at
Brown and Co. I developed a new database system”, but
“Developed a new database system while at Brown and Co”.
Interviews
• If you get to the interview stage you basically meet the
requirements for the job
• The purpose of the interview is to give the employer a
chance to assess your suitability for the role and for you
to demonstrate your abilities and personality
• The interview should be a two-way process
• Interviews can take different forms eg face-to-face,
panel, by telephone etc
• Can also be ‘stand alone’ or form part of an assessment
centre
STAR APPROACH : Will help
structure your answers
SiTuation
Describe the situation or the task that you had to accomplish.
Give an example of a specific event or situation, of what
you have done in the past. Give enough detail for the
interviewer to understand. This situation can be from college,
work experience or from your social life.
Action
you took
Describe the action you took ……….keep the focus on you.
Even if you are discussing a group project, describe what you
did -- not the efforts of the team. Don't tell what you might
do, tell what you did
Results
you
achieved
What happened? How did the event end? What did you
accomplish? What did you learn?
Tell me about yourself
Means: Can you present yourself as the best
candidate for the job?
Approach:






Read the job description
What are the key competencies required?
Prepare a list of your main selling points
Prioritise your list
Start with your best selling point
Introduce the remaining points throughout the interview
Why should we employ you?
Means: Can you add value to the company?
Approach:
 Refer to the job description and your list of selling
points.
 Briefly summarise how your education, experience and
skills match the job.
 If given time, you may introduce additional selling points
Why did you apply for this job?
Means: How motivated are you?
Approach:
• Do your homework.
• Make sure they know you’ve done it.
• List the attractions of the job
- Interesting work
- Aligns with your previous experience
- Real responsibility
- Reputation of the company etc.
• State your desire to work for a company offering these incentives.
Can you give me an example of
When you’ve worked as part
of a team?
Means: Can you work effectively with other
people?
Approach:
 Thinks about teams you belong to.
 How do you contribute to their effectiveness?
 Provide an example of you supporting others
in a team effort.
Can you give an example of
when you’ve had to work
under pressure?
Means: Can you prioritise your work and
do you have a work ethic?
Approach:
 Thinks about a time when you had
deadlines to meet.
 How did you prioritise your use of
time?
 Describe the outcome and how you
maximised your effectiveness.
What do you do in your spare time?
Means: Are you a well-rounded person and do your interests
demonstrate other abilities?
Approach:
• Emphasise involvement and achievement.
• Try to match the skills you have developed with those required by
the job.
• Be enthusiastic.
• Keep it brief.
What are your strengths and weakness?
Means: Are you self-aware and do
you have a plan for your own
development?
Approach:
 Link your strengths to the job.
 Describe weaknesses in
terms of personal
development – how you have
become stronger.
 Mention briefly how you hope
to develop further.
Scenario problem solving
Means: Can you think on your feet and see the implications of your
decisions?
Approach:
– Make sure you understand the problem
– Ask for time to think about it.
– Try to consider a number of alternative solutions
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Means: Have you a career objective that
is achievable with this company?
Approach:
• Discuss your personal goals in
terms of the job e.g.
• Acquiring experience and
responsibility
• Developing your management
skills
• Continuous professional
development – do not make
this a condition!
Have you any questions?
Means: They are providing you with an opportunity to clarify any
issues that are important to you.
Approach:
• You are still being assessed so ask about eg:
• training and development
• performance assessment and prospects for promotion
First Impressions
A first impression is often based on the first 30-90
seconds:
• Smile
• Respond in an animated, enthusiastic way
• Be confident and maintain good eye contact
Body language
Research has shown
that:
• 55% is based on
appearance
• 38% is based on
tone of voice
• 7% what is actually
Resources
•
•
•
•
People – Careers, lecturers, network contacts
Websites, as discussed
Events – Summer Recruitment Fair, 12th June
Information Room materials