The
Careers
Service.
SUMMER INTERNSHIPS –
MAKE IT COUNT!
Helen Thorpe, Careers Service
CONTENT
• WHY DO A SUMMER PLACEMENT?
• WHAT IT INVOLVES?
• HOW TO FIND A SUMMER PLACEMENT?
• ON SPEC/CV/COVER LETTERS/APPLICATION
FORMS
• SUPPORT AVAILABLE FROM CAREERS
Facts about Summer Placements
• Structured, project based work experience
within a company
• Open to students from any degree subject
• Undertake in your own time
• Some are unpaid ...
• International students can undertake
• Highly competitive .. Some students do 2!
Why do a Summer Placement?
• Stepping stone for doing
a year out placement or
even a job!
• Obtain references for
future job
• Learn about the world of
work
• Insight into your industry
• Improve Industrial
Knowledge
• Decide if this is the right
career path for you
• Build on your skills –
academic theory to
practical
• Develop transferable
skills – eg team working =
more employable
• Valuable networking skills
THE PRACTICALITIES
• Start applying for summer
placements in your second
year – but can be earlier
• Closing Dates – October to
December but can be all
year round ..
• Tell your tutor/dept if you
secure one
• Students can work
overseas – ERASMUS
Work Scheme
• You can work overseas – but
make sure you get insurance –
medical/travel/employer
insurance/visa advice
• No support from University
whilst you are on summer
placement as it is not part of
your University course
• Record the skills you develop
whilst on placement and
update your CV
• International students can work
full time in their holidays
SOME EMPLOYERS WHO HAVE
SUMMER PLACEMENT SCHEMES ...
Where to look for a summer placement?
• All vacancies – including international are:
http://shef.ac.uk/careers/students/jobs
• Recruitment Websites – www.ratemyplacement.co.uk
• www.gradcracker.co.uk for science/it/techonology/eng
• Targetjobshttp://targetjobs.co.uk/work-experience
• For international placements – use Going global –
http://online.goinglobal.com
• Milkround.com – www.milkround.com - visit the Internship
Zone
• Inside Careers Website, www.insidecareers.co.uk
Where to look for a summer placement?
• Step – www.step.org.uk – A national scheme advertising
project based work
• www.student.ladder.co.uk
• www.TopInternships.com
• Politics internships -http://www.w4mp.org/
• Direct to company websites
• Social Media – LinkedIn
http://www.shef.ac.uk/careers/students/gettingajob/media
• Face Book (vacancies) and Twitter
(research/developments)
International placement?
• www.europlacement.com – Advertises a range including community
development, marketing, medicine and engineering.
• www.eurobrussels.com - Advertises placements and permanent
jobs in Brussels, mostly connected with the Commission or with
lobbying organisations.
• International Association for the Exchange of Students –
www.iaeste.org
• www.aiesec.org
• Goingglobal -http://online.goinglobal.com/default.aspx
• http://www.careers.dept.shef.ac.uk/infotree/EmploymentOverseas.p
hp
The
Careers
Service.
The
Careers
Service.
at http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/careers/students/jobs or via the link on the
Careers tab in MUSE.
NEW REGISTRATIONS BY 29/11/13
COULD WIN AN IPAD MINI!
Announcements are shown
here, including news about
employers and vacancies
The
Careers
Service.
Search on work experience
CHECK
YOUR
EMAILS!
Different Recruitment Approaches
• On Spec – no vacancies
• Cover letter and CV for advertised
vacancy
• Application Form for advertised vacancy
• What skills are employers looking for
ON SPEC ...
• Can be a way into
organisations that don’t
advertise work experience
• Why are you approaching
this organisation ?
• What skills and experiences
can you bring?
• Use your covering letter to
explain what you want to get
out of your work experience
• State when you are available,
and how long for
• Look at the type of skills the
employer values in its full-time
employees and structure your
CV and covering letter
accordingly
Employer requirements...
SKILLS & COMPETENCIES
• Common sense
• Autonomy
• Analytical problem solving
• Customer relationships
• Interpersonal
• Commercial awareness
• Communication
• Time management
• Team work
• Organisation skills
• Leadership
• Project management
• Negotiation
• IT
Each competency/skill may have a series of behaviours
Employer requirements...
SKILLS & COMPETENCIES
Rolls-Royce – “Core Behaviours
Framework”
GSK – “high performance
behaviours”
•
•
Breadth and business
understanding: commercial
awareness and business
knowledge.
•
Courage, integrity and leadership:
commitment to ethical practices.
•
Delivering and managing work:
leadership skills.
•
Influence and working together:
communication skills.
•
Judgement and common sense:
ability to analyse and reason.
Achieving excellence:
enable and drive change, continuous
improvement, customer focus.
•
Engaging and developing
others:
building relationships, developing people,
teamwork.
•
Innovative thinking:
information search (ie gathering information
from a range of sources before making a
decision), creating business solutions,
flexible thinking.
•
Leading people:
influence, building confidence,
communication.
Employer requirements...
SKILLS & COMPETENCIES
Deloitte – “Areas of Competency”
•Communication
•Commercial Awareness
Transferable
skills
•Planning and Organisational Skills
•Adaptability
•Problem Solving – analyse, distil and solve practical problems, generate new ideas
and make sound judgements in complex situations
Covering letters for on spec or advertised
vacancies
• No more than one side A4
• Addressed to a named individual
• Clearly explain why you are sending your CV
• Tailored to specific job :
− Say why the job interests you
− Indicate why you are interested in them
− Give them your key selling points
• Suitable ending to show enthusiasm
• Check spelling and grammar before sending!
12/03/2016 © The University of Sheffield Careers Service
Use powerful language in CVs, covering letters
and in application forms
• Accomplished
• Investigated
• Budgeted
• Managed
• Contributed
• Maintained
• Designed
• Negotiated
• Established
• Persuaded
• Implemented
• Specialised
• Initiated
• Tutored
• Influenced
• Upgraded
12/03/2016 © The University of Sheffield Careers Service
CV writing checklist
•
•
•
•
•
•
There is no ideal format – 2 pages is the norm.
Look at alternative layouts
Use reverse chronology
Account for all ‘time out’
Check spelling, punctuation and grammar !
It is usual to include 2 referees – 1 academic & 1
employment related or a character referee
• Often accompanied by a covering letter
12/03/2016 © The University of Sheffield Careers Service
Preparation – Application Forms
Researching the opportunity
• Why do you want this type of job and to work for
this particular employer?
• What are the competencies that the employer is
looking for?
Analyse job descriptions and person
specifications. Check their website. Make informal
enquiries. Internet searches. Use networks. Etc,
etc… Use your initiative!
12/03/2016 © The University of Sheffield Careers Service
Application forms – what to expect
• Usually on-line, but can be paper based
• May ask for CV but application form often instead of CV
• Structured – boxes to complete, word / character limits
• Others more ‘open space’ for free text
• May be a time limit for completion
• May seem daunting – to ‘weed out’ the faint-hearted!
• Application won’t get you the job – just to the next stage
Competency based questions: EGs
• Give details of a team that you have been
involved in. What was your role? How did you
promote collaboration?
• Describe a time when you had a tight deadline
to meet and your plans were being constantly
disrupted. How did you handle this situation and
what was the outcome?
• Describe a situation where you have met
resistance to a decision you have made. How
did you persuade others to see your point of
view?
12/03/2016 © The University of Sheffield Careers Service
25
Competency-based questions
• ‘Describe a time when you had to work as part of a
team and things did not go to plan. What
happened?’
• Do your answers have STAR quality?
•
Situation – suitable and clear / concise
•
Task – objective? your role?
•
Action – what did YOU do and how did it
•
Results – positive outcome? objective met? learning?
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Evidence - use examples from:
•
•
•
•
•
Group work / projects from your degree
Work experience
Gap Year / travel
Voluntary work
Social activities /positions of responsibility
12/03/2016 © The University of Sheffield Careers Service
Application forms - summary
• First impressions count – check spellings!
• Follow the instructions
• Complete all sections (“we wouldn’t ask if we didn’t want to
know!”)
• Do not cut and paste – tailor to the company you are applying to
• Always use the company/job requirements/competencies
• Understand the question we’re asking (Leadership vs. Teamwork)
• Give specific examples as evidence
• Draw experience from all parts of your life
• Give yourself plenty of time
SUMMARY
 Research the job role and the company
 Know what they are looking for
 Understand what they mean!
 Prepare your evidence to show you have what they want
Selection process designed to assess these competences
• WRITE about them on application form
• TALK about them at interview
• TESTED at psychometric test
• DEMONSTRATE them at assessment centre
12/03/2016 © The University of Sheffield Careers Service
Resources & support
• Careers Service publication – ‘Applications’
• Careers Service website:
www.sheffield.ac.uk/careers/students/gettingajob
including online talks, DVDs, example CVs, covering letters and
application form answers
• Prospects website – Job application advice
www.prospects.ac.uk/job_application_advice.htm
• CV, covering letter and application form review available at
Careers Service (Tel 0114 222 0910)
Careers Service offers take-away information, a CV checking service
and workshops on CVs/applications to support you through this
process. Careers Service website:
www.shef.ac.uk/careers/students/gettingajob/cvs
12/03/2016 © The University of Sheffield Careers Service
Succeed at Applications
6th - 15th November
Meet major employers at applications talks and workshops:
Unilever, Teach First, PwC, IBM, Siemens, Morrisons & more
J
Learn how to create a winning application and find out
what employers are looking for
Book from 14th October at
www.sheffield.ac.uk/careers
www.sheffield.ac.uk/careers/students/events
12/03/2016 © The University of Sheffield Careers Service
Support available to help you secure your placement:
Placement Drop in Sessions
Every Tuesday throughout Semester 1 starting from 15th October
12-2.00pm in the Careers Service, No appointment necessary
ENGINEERING STUDENTS EVERY THURSDAY 12.30-1.30PM in IPO ORANGE
ROOM, MAPPIN BUILDING
ECONOMICS STUDENTS EVERY WEDNESDAY 12-1PM, ROOM 225, ECONOMICS
BUILDING,
DETAILS OF PRESENTATION CAN BE FOUND HERE
www.shef.ac.uk/placements/students
www.shef.ac.uk.placements/students
ALL PLACEMENT VACANCIES ARE ADVERTISED HERE:-
http://shef.ac.uk/careers/students/jobs
www.sheffield.ac.uk/careers
12/03/2016 © The University of Sheffield Careers Service
The
Careers
Service.
Take a Placement Year as part of your
Degree
Find out more:Thursday 14th November
LT2, Mappin Building
1.30pm-2.30pm
Thanks for listening
Any questions?
Careers Service - 388 Glossop Road
(behind Student Union,Open 9am - 5pm Mon to Fri
www.sheffield.ac.uk/careers
(11am – 5pm Tues)
12/03/2016 © The University of Sheffield Careers Service