Careers and Employability Service
‘Making the most of your year abroad’
Nicola Urquhart
Careers Adviser
October 2012
What we will cover:
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What is employability?
What employability skills are graduate recruiters
looking for?
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Benefits of a year abroad – Activity 1
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CVs – Activity 2
How to ‘sell’ your year abroad to potential
employers
Interviews – Activity 3
Action points
Questions
What is Employability?
‘A set of attributes, skills and
knowledge that all labour
market participants should
possess to ensure they have the
capability of being effective in
the workplace – to the benefit of
themselves, their employer and
the wider economy.’ (CBI, March
2009)
Why are employability skills so important?
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Increased competition –
over 400,000 graduates
leaving university each
year.
‘Our latest UK recruitment
campaign closed having
attracted c.24500. The bank
will offer c.475 places in
2012.’ HSBC newsletter April
2012
Changing world of work:
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Global economy
More career changes
New technology/social media
Roles change
Changes to graduate
recruitment
Changes to graduate recruitment
Employers increasingly focusing
on attributes in addition to
traditional employability skills
Successful candidates need to be
able to demonstrate these
attributes on their applications
and articulate them at interview
Your year abroad can help you to
do this!
Activity 1
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In your groups write down
what you gained from your
year abroad.
Benefits of a Year Abroad
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The experience itself
“rewarding” & “life-changing”
Enduring friendships
Extended network
Enhanced cultural
awareness
Better prepared for further
study
Confidence
Learnt more about me
Improved planning and skills
And many more!
Skills and attributes that graduate recruiters are
looking for?
Communication
Adaptability
Self awareness
Leadership
Energy
Contextual/cultural awareness
Report writing
Problem Solving
Adaptability
Numeracy
Positive attitude
Reflection
Confidence
Team working
Integrity
Capacity to develop
Reliability
Drive and resilience
Project management
IT skills
Business and
customer awareness
Enterprise
Enthusiasm/passion
Planning and organisation
Maturity
Benefit to employers
“international education
ignites a passion for
understanding other people
and their perspectives ..
essential to success in our
increasingly diverse world.”
Douglas N. Daft
Chairman & Chief Executive
– Coca-Cola
Who to sell these benefits to
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Civil Service Departments
e.g. DFID, Diplomatic Service,
GCHQ etc…
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International businesses
e.g. Nestle, PwC, Sky, Shell,
Bloomberg etc…
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International NGOs
e.g. Greenpeace, Amnesty,
Raleigh etc…
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Other International groups
e.g. United Nations, European
Union etc…
What employers say…
"Few students are able to
articulate what they have
gained from their
experience in higher
education." (Association of
Graduate Recruiters, 1995)
Using your year abroad to enhance your CV
When should a CV be used?
• When an employer asks
for an application in that
format
• When an employer states
‘apply to…’ without
specifying the format
• When making speculative
applications
• Always with a covering
letter
What is the purpose of a CV?
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To inform the employer about
your education, work
experience, skills and
interests
To show how you meet the
criteria so the employer can
not deselect you
To ‘sell’ your qualities and to
persuade the employer to
invite you to interview
Matching up your CV with the position/company
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It is not ‘one size fits all’, you
need to tailor your CV to each
position you apply for.
Research the organisation. Do they
have a mission statement or core
values? What will they be looking for
in you? Who works there at the
moment? What are they passionate
about?
What makes an effective CV and covering letter
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Right format
Well presented
Proof read/consistent tenses
You have included all the
necessary information
Your skills and abilities are clearly
evidenced
Conveyed your understanding and
enthusiasm for the job
Targeted it to the job
What does it need to contain?
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Personal details
Education and qualifications
Work experience
Skills
Interests and additional information
References
However don’t be constrained by headings.
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Scholarships/Awards
Voluntary work
Relevant experience
Positions of responsibility
Publication/Presentations
Conferences attended
Research skills
Additional skills
Languages
Hints on wording
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Avoid personal pronouns No “I’s”
Avoid producing a passive
CV
Start with verbs wherever
possible
Use short sentences &
concise phrases
Focus on accomplishments
Refer to specific projects
with quantifiable results
Make use of Action Verbs
created instructed analysed produced
negotiated designed calculated maintained
administered controlled reviewed observed
consolidated delivered founded increased
studied invented supplied detected
programmed recommended distributed
developed solved prepared installed selected
arranged formulated solved started
Activity 2
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In your groups write down
employability skills/
attributes you would want to
highlight on your CV. How
can you demonstrate these
through your year abroad?
Year abroad specific
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Energy and commitment
Language skills
Cultural awareness
A positive ‘can do’ attitude
Drive, resilience and adaptability
Planning and organisational skills
Enhanced communication skills
Confidence
Awareness of a different labour market
Problem solving skills
Relevant skills
Adaptability
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Produced work to a high standard whilst learning new academic
procedures during my time spent at another university
Communication skills
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Cultivated language and communication skills through contact with people
from around the world. Learned to use non verbal and verbal
communication to overcome communication and language barriers
Planning and organisational skills
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Developed budgeting and planning skills by financing, planning and
organising my year abroad. This involved using various spreadsheets and
keeping a record of expenses
Confidence
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Successfully undertook a year abroad which enabled me to make contacts
with students and employers working within the sector in Italy
Using your year abroad to help you succeed at
interviews
Selling yourself at interview
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The interviewer is very likely to ask
you about your year abroad at
interview
This is your opportunity to highlight
your skills/attributes and how you
could be successful in the role
It is easier to interview someone who
is talking about something they are
interested in.
Activity 3
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Write down three possible
questions an interviewer
may ask about your year
abroad. Have a think about
how you would answer the
questions.
Possible questions …
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‘Why did you decide to spend a year
abroad as part of your degree?’
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‘Tell me about your year abroad?’
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‘What did you learn about yourself on your
year abroad?’
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‘How did you decide where to go?’
‘What were the main challenge of spending
a year abroad?’
'Is there anything you would do differently?
Possible answers
Describe a situation during your year abroad
where you had to adapt to a new situation.
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Situation: I was studying at the University of ….
during my year abroad
Task: I had to submit an essay which was a
different length from what I was used to.
Action: I spent longer planning the essay,
including producing a detailed structure. As it was
a bigger piece of work I started writing the essay
earlier than I normally would.
Result: I submitted my essay on time and
achieved a merit.
How the Careers and Employability Service can
help you.
What we do
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Careers Talks and Workshops
Careers Library: Employer Directories, Occupational
Profiles, Books etc
Comprehensive Web Pages
Careers Employability Award (CEM) on Moodle
Vacancy Database
Alumni Careers Network
Annual Careers and Recruitment Fair
Drop In - Quick Query
Careers Guidance Interviews
Careers and Employability Service
Web Site: www.kent.ac.uk/ces
Working abroad
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Information on working abroad
http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sitesint.htm
Prospects ‘Working abroad’ (50 Country Profiles)
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/working_abroad.htm
Advice on working abroad
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/BritonsLivingAbroad/Educa
tionAndJobs/DG_4014676
Another route is to work for a large organisation initially
in the UK and then transfer
Careers Employability Award (on moodle)
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/moodle.htm
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The module takes about 12 hours to complete
But this can be done at your own pace
You do this by completing:
9 quizzes
3 short assignments
1 feedback form
Vacancy Database
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All vacancies sent to the Careers and Employability
Service by employers, whether for graduate jobs,
sandwich placements or vacation
work/internships are entered on this database
which offers:
Email alerts of new vacancies which may interest
you
Employers notifying vacancies are often
specifically targeting Kent graduates, so
competition for jobs is lower than on other
vacancy sites
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/jobs/index.htm
Careers and Employability Service Fair
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Thursday 1st
November 2-5pm Eliot
Great Hall.
Chance to meet
employers and hear
about opportunities
Speak to an adviser:
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Quick query, drop in and
speak to an adviser
10.30am -12.30pm and
2.00pm-4pm Monday to
Friday.
E mail @careerhelp and an
adviser will respond to your
query.
You can also book a longer
career guidance
appointment over the phone
or pop in.
Stay up-to-date with what is happening
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www.kent.ac.uk/ces
www.kent.ac.uk/employability
Employability Newsletter
Follow us on Facebook at University
of Kent Student Employability
www.facebook.com/UKCES
Follow us on Twitter at
@unikentemploy
Action Points
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Be proud of what you achieved!
Put together a CV while your year
abroad is still fresh in your mind.
Prepare responses to typical
interview questions drawing on
your year abroad.
Stay in touch with people you met
( LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook
etc.) These people are your
network
Make use of the Careers and
Employability Service.
www.kent.ac.uk/ces
Questions
The University of Kent
Careers and Employability Service
You can download a copy of this presentation
at www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm