Introduction to the Careers and
Employability Service
Bioscience Year 1
Bruce Woodcock
University of Kent
Careers and Employability Service
bw@kent.ac.uk
You can download a copy of this presentation at
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm
“Students in their first or
second year at university need
to ask themselves what job they
want to do.
It’s important that they do not
wait until their final year to
think about finding a job,
especially in the current
market”.
Sarah Shillingford, Graduate
Recruitment Partner, Deloitte
The more you enjoy university life, the more you’ll get out of
it.
Employers like you to have what they call “customer-facing
experience”. You’ll get loads of that if you take a part-time
job or work as a student volunteer.
It’s a terrific help if you can understand how businesses work,
show you can get things done and apply simple common sense.
It was my work experience that gave me all these things, not
my academic course.
Kate, marketing officer with a PR agency
Join three university societies and become actively involved in
at least one.
Alan Richardson, Graduate Recruitment, RBS
VACATION WORK
• Work Experience page
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/vacwork.htm
• See our jobs and internship database
www.kent.ac.uk/ces/vacancies.html
• Science internships
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/ScienceJobs.htm
• Placements
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/placements.htm
BUNAC
www.bunac.org.uk
Spend summer working and travelling in North
America.
 Summer Camp USA: employed as a camp
counsellor, teaching sports, music and other
skills
 Work America programme: anything from
working in a theme park or a restaurant to
arranging an internship with a company.
What can I do
with a Kent
Bioscience
Degree?
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/bioscience.htm
Bioscience Careers Page
• What Kent Bioscience graduates did after
leaving
• Jobs related to your subject
• Employers and vacancy sources
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/bioscience.htm
WHAT SKILLS DO BIOSCIENTISTS
NEED? - GSK
•
•
•
•
•
•
Presentation skills
Teamworking
Computing skills
Time management/organising skills
People skills
Report writing/documentation of
experiments
• Laboratory experience
• Problem solving skills
Skills gained on a science degree
• Gather and analyse relevant information from a
wide variety of sources
• Identify and propose solutions to problems
• Project management
• Technical skills
• Work independently (individual projects)
• Communicate with others in a clear and
articulate manner
• Present ideas and arguments verbally in
presentations, seminars, and discussions
Sell these on your CV and applications
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/skillsmenu.htm
Application Process
The smaller company process is much simpler and you can apply much
later (often after final exams) but salaries are usually lower and they offer less
training and less chance to specialise.
PRESENTATION OF YOUR CV
• Use short sentences and
concise phrases
• Use bold type and bullet
points, but in moderation
• BSc. And MSc. Not Bsc or
MSC!
• Don’t use lower case I: “i am
……”
Research by forum3 found:
• The average graduate will send out 70 CVs when looking for
their first graduate job. The average number of responses is 7
including 4 rejections and the remainder inviting the graduate to
interview or further contact.
• The more CVs you send out the more interviews you get.
• Applicants who included a covering letter with their CV were
10% more likely to get a reply.
• Applicants who addressed their application to the correct
named person were 15% more likely to get a letter of
acknowledgement and 5% more likely to get an interview.
• Applicants sending CVs and letters without spelling mistakes
are 61% more likely to get a reply and 26% more likely to get an
interview. The most common mistakes not found in a spell
check were: fro instead of for, grate: great, liased: liaised,
stationary: stationery.
How not to do it ….
 Working on a farm has improved my communication skills which are
especially important when working with large livestock.
 Applying for job at biscuit company: my life-long love of chocolate
biscuits, is the main reason for my interest in the company
 It's best for employers that I not work with people
 On an application for a position requiring considerable people skills My hobbies include watching television, computer chess, stamp
collecting and walking my 2 spaniels.
 Reason for leaving last job: my employers insisted that all employees
get to work by 8.45 am and I could not work under those conditions.
 I am seeking challenges that test my mind and body, since the two
are usually inseparable.
 I have an excellent track record, although I am not a horse.
Why you need to use a spell checker
•
•
•
•
•
I am a prefectionist and rarely if if ever forget details.
Proven ability to track down and correct erors.
I have good writen comunication skills.
Lurnt Word computor and spreadsheet pogroms.
Develop an annual operating expense fudget…
And why you must read it carefully as well
• Extra Circular Activities
• At secondary school I was a prefix
• Over summer I worked for an examinations bored. (Kent BA English
graduate!)
• In my spare time I enjoy hiding my horse
• I want experience in a big sex practice
• I am a conscious individual.
• Reason for leaving last job: maturity leave
• I have a desire to work with commuters
• Dear Madman (instead of Madam)
• I hope to hear from you shorty
Science CVs: “Sell” your degree
• List relevant modules (plus marks if good!)
• Projects – especially if relevant
• Laboratory skills/IT skills
• Soft skills – evidence of teamwork, project
management, problem solving etc.
• For non-science jobs (e.g. banking) you
would need a different CV focusing on your
soft skills more than technical skills.
Choose a sensible email address:
Such as:
• eek_eek_i_am_dieing_eek_arg_errrg@milk.com
• death_metal_kitty@milk.com
• demented_bovine@gnumail.com
• platypus_mcdandruff@mail.com
• flockynockyhillipilification@gnumail.com
• virgin_on_the_ridiculous@hotmilk.com
• yourmywifenowgraham@gnumail.com
• original_madcow_jane@gnumail.com
• rage_against_the_trolley_fish@gnumail.com
• sexylikewoaaaah@hotmilk.com
WORK EXPERIENCE
Summer 2003
Sainsbury's, Canterbury
Checkout assistant
This job developed my ability
to deal with the public and
work under pressure
Don’t feel you have to include every job
“In addition to the above, I have held a variety of
temporary jobs during school and university
vacations, including fruit-picking, factory work,
bar work and waiting on tables”
Example Bioscience CV
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/sciencecv.htm
Apply early for placements in your second year as
some deadlines are early in the first term!
THE COVERING LETTER – 1 Page
First Paragraph
 State the job you’re applying for.
 Where you found out about it.
 When you're available to start
work (& end if it's a placement)
Second Paragraph
Third Paragraph
 Summarise your strengths and
how they might be an advantage
to the organisation.
 Relate your skills to the job.
Last Paragraph
 Why your interested in that type
of work
 Mention any dates that you won't
be available for interview
 Why the company attracts you (if
it's a small company say you
prefer to work for a small,
friendly organisation!)
 Thank the employer and say you
look forward to hearing from
them soon.
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/goodbadcovlet.htm
How not to do it …
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
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


"I have a criminal record but I'm not in jail at the
moment"
"I am somebody who knows my own destiny but I have
no long term plans"
"I have good writen comunication skills"
"I want experience in a big sex practice"
"I enclose a tea-bag so you can enjoy a cuppa while
perusing my form"
"I loathe filling in application forms so much that I'll
give you details at the interview"
Competency Questions on Application Forms
 The hardest part of the form for most
applicants - asking for examples of
specific skills such as teamwork,
leadership, problem solving e.g.
• Describe how your personal planning
and organisation resulted in the
successful achievement of a personal
or group task.
• Give an example of where others have
disagreed with your views. How did
you deal with this?
Competency Questions
Answers could come from
 vacation or part-time work;
 university clubs and societies;
 voluntary work;
 study at school or university – especially projects;
 holidays and travel or personal and family
experiences. Planning and organising a week’s
independent travel in Scotland is as valid an
example as a trek through the Himalayas.
COMPETENCY QUESTIONS: STAR APPROACH
• Start by briefly outlining the Situation
• Keep the focus on your specific Tasks and responsibilities
• Say what Action you took, then try to summarise what
you achieved. If it’s a group task, make sure you define
your own role and contribution. This is the biggest part
• Give concrete Results when possible. If you cannot be
totally positive about the experience, say what you
learned from it and what you might do differently next
time.
• Situation/Tasks/Action/Result =
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/compet/skillquest.htm
The STAR Approach
 SITUATION: Whilst employed at Weaver Bros. last
summer
• TASK: I was given the task of rationalising the stock
control system
• ACTION: I would look at factors such as when the stock
was last ordered, what it was used for and how often it
was used. I worked out a method of streamlining the
paperwork involved in this process and redesigned the
relevant forms, which I then submitted to my manager.
• RESULT: My ideas were accepted and implemented and
a 15% reduction in stock levels was achieved"
Applications and Interviews
• Covering Letters www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/cvexamples.htm
• Example CVs and Covering Letters
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cvexamples.htm
• CV Checklist
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/cv-checklist.htm
• Applications and interviews
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/applicn.htm
• University of Kent Vacancy Database
www.kent.ac.uk/ces/vacancies.html
FIRST YEAR CAREER PLAN
• Career Planning is a long term process. Start early!
• Get a SUMMER VACATION JOB to add skills to your CV.
• GET ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN UNIVERSITY LIFE –
societies, sports, student representative, to get
evidence of skills for your CV.
• Prepare a Science CV
• Get the Careers Employability Award on Moodle
• See www.kent.ac.uk/careers/timeline.htm
Careers Employability Award on Moodle
• Half the unemployment rate for students completing the award
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/moodle.htm
• DP2650
•
Email bw@kent.ac.uk if you have problems enrolling
DP2650 Careers Employability Award on Moodle
 Get your CV quickly and professionally reviewed
online in the CV assignment
 Learn how to give high quality answers to
application form competency questions in the
Competency Skills assignment and get a
question answer reviewed for quality.
www.kent.ac.uk/careers Telephone: 01227 823299 Email:
careerhelp@kent.ac.uk
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9 to 5 including vacations
Drop-in times (no appointment needed: 15 minutes): 10.30 to 12.30 and 2
to 4 pm
Help given for up to 3 years after graduation
Weekly careers emails every Monday afternoon
Bioscience Year 1 students
You can download a copy of this
presentation at
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm