The Employability Times 14 06 2013
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14 June 2013 Turn the pages for – • Why haven’t I got a placement yet? – Tips and advice • Curriculum Vitae a.k.a. CV –What you should & shouldn’t include • Mark your diary – upcoming event • Placement opportunities – Want one? We’ve got many! Job advantage for graduates with work experience – survey By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent http://goo.gl/sDt6c Graduates who had internships or work experience when they were students are much more successful in job hunting after university, research suggests. The High Fliers study of more than 18,000 university leavers indicates that graduates who have had internships are three times as likely to land jobs. Marketing is the most popular sector for these first jobs and more students than ever plan to work in London. Fewer students are taking time off after studies to travel. This picture of the graduate jobs market is based on face-to-face interviews with students leaving 30 leading universities across the UK, carried out by High Fliers Research, which produces data on graduate recruitment. The study shows an increasingly intense job hunt, with applications at record levels, applications being sent earlier and a rising expectation that students will already have relevant work experience. More than one in three students had carried out work experience or internships with a prospective employer - and in some universities, with Bath the highest, this was above three-quarters. "Work experience is no longer an optional extra for university students, it's an essential part of preparing for the graduate job market," said Martin Birchall, managing director of the research firm. Mr Birchall highlighted how much job hunting had become part of student life. "Students who just focus on their degree studies without spending time in the workplace are unlikely to develop the skills and interests that graduate employers are looking for. "The survey also shows just how hard today's university students are working to secure a graduate job at the end of their degree. Record numbers of students are now choosing to research their career options in their first or second year at university, rather than leaving job hunting until the final six months before graduation." Year 2
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Transcript of The Employability Times 14 06 2013
14 June 2013
Turn the pages for –
• Why haven’t I got a placement yet? – Tips and advice
• Curriculum Vitae a.k.a. CV –What you should & shouldn’t include
• Mark your diary – upcoming event
• Placement opportunities – Want one? We’ve got many!
Job advantage for graduates with work experience – survey By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent http://goo.gl/sDt6c Graduates who had internships or work experience when they were students are much more successful in job hunting after university, research suggests. The High Fliers study of more than 18,000 university leavers indicates that graduates who have had internships are three times as likely to land jobs. Marketing is the most popular sector for these first jobs and more students than ever plan to work in London. Fewer students are taking time off after studies to travel. This picture of the graduate jobs market is based on face-to-face interviews with students leaving 30 leading universities across the UK, carried out by High Fliers Research, which produces data on graduate recruitment. The study shows an increasingly intense job hunt, with applications at record levels, applications being sent earlier and a rising expectation that students will already have relevant work experience. More than one in three students had carried out work experience or internships with a prospective employer - and in some universities, with Bath the highest, this was above three-quarters. "Work experience is no longer an optional extra for university students, it's an essential part of preparing for the graduate job market," said Martin Birchall, managing director of the research firm. Mr Birchall highlighted how much job hunting had become part of student life. "Students who just focus on their degree studies without spending time in the workplace are unlikely to develop the skills and interests that graduate employers are looking for. "The survey also shows just how hard today's university students are working to secure a graduate job at the end of their degree. Record numbers of students are now choosing to research their career options in their first or second year at university, rather than leaving job hunting until the final six months before graduation."
Year 2
Your exams are finished, you can finally breathe for a moment then you receive an email about placements. You start to panic. It is already June and you still haven’t found a placement. You know how valuable a sandwich year is to your employability prospects but the sheer struggle of trying to secure a place is starting to get you down. What are you doing wrong? You get good grades and some work experience that should be enough surely? In such a competitive climate, employers are looking at anything to help shortlist applicants for interviews. If you’re not getting the invitations to interviews then it could be something on your CV or Covering letter. Sometimes it could be the simplest of things such a poor spelling and grammar or a badly formatted CV. If you haven’t made it clear enough, the Employer isn’t going to waste their time looking through it. Have you matched your skills to the skills they desire for the role? Why is it relevant that you spent a year at this company or travelled to this country? Show you have a variety of skills from different examples, don’t exhaust the same couple each time.
If you are concerned about your interview technique then book an appointment to speak to someone on how to prepare for your interview. This could be for one-to-one, group or telephone interviews. Are you on social media? There are thousands of placements and jobs on LinkedIn and Twitter, are you aware of those? Need help to make your LinkedIn profile? Come to us and ask for help. Nothing comes to those who are not looking for it. We have the resources in the office to assist you for any selection process such as assessment centres and psychometric tests so speak to us beforehand to help prepare.
Email us at [email protected] and book your appointment today. We are open throughout the summer. Meet us and beat the rush.
It may be worth you booking an appointment to speak to a member of our team about having your CV & Covering letter reviewed. We have found our students have benefitted significantly by using this service. What if you’re one of the students who can get to the interview stages but never seems to be successful? Once again, simple changes could mean all the different to your changes. Have you thought about some questions to ask the employer? Are you speaking too fast? Have you done your research on the company before the interview? Are you dressed smartly enough for the interview? Have you polished your shoes? Overlooking details like this stand out to Employers and that will work to you disadvantage as it will make you look as if you are not fully prepared.
Social media helps you take the world in your hand!
So what should you put in your CV and what should be left out? When deciding on topics to show what a well rounded person you are, sometimes there are times where we need to rein it in slightly…
Sporting interests and achievements. Musical interests or talents. Travelling experiences or aspirations. Appropriate club memberships – e.g. choir. Anything you’re passionate about – if asked to
discuss it, this will show your personality. Wider achievements – e.g. service to the
community. Volunteering opportunities. Future goals – do you have something on your
bucket list you wish to achieve? Put it down! It shows you have drive.
• Going out – drinking does not count as an interest, or at least not on a CV!
• Anything illegal - if asked about a criminal record, you must disclose it but don’t advertise anything you have done which may seem dodgy.
• Any lies – be honest, you will get caught out. • Television – an interest in media, yes, an
interest in Scrubs, maybe not. • Inappropriate achievements – holding the
Guinness World Record for most amount of pizzas eaten isn’t appropriate for a professional CV.
A special lecture by Prof. Rob Cross on Social Media Analysis
Friday 14th June 2013
10am-12pm
Hamilton House, 15 Park Vista
Click to register
Prof Rob Cross is one of the world’s foremost business consultant in the field of Social Network Analysis and will be discussing methods he has employed to engage leading corporate clients in organisational network projects – what applications are particularly sought, what are the most effective engagement methods. Where social media plays a powerful role in business it is imperative to realise its impact and to use it to your advantage. Rob has worked directly with more than 200 strategically important networks across over 120 well-known organizations in consulting, pharmaceuticals, software, electronics and computer manufacturers, consumer products, financial services, petroleum, heavy equipment manufacturing, chemicals, and government. Use this opportunity to ask an expert in their field exactly what role social media has played in networking and where he believes the future, your future, will lead businesses.
Listed below are all the vacancies currently available on Moodle. To access this page, please log into Portal, click
on “My Courses” and then “WORP1001 – Placement Preparations”. Note: only students who are registered as a
sandwich student will have access to this page.
Please note: students must apply for all the vacancies themselves. To apply for the vacancy, please ensure you
have read the details of the application correctly. You should send your application directly to the Business
School Employability office, unless stated otherwise. Best of luck!
Human Resources Roles
Name & Address of
Company Job Title and Salary How to Apply & Deadline
Hilton Hotel
Buenavista Toledo,
Spain
HR Assistant
300 € per month
Please send your CV and Covering Letter in
Spanish including availability for start and end
date to Thomas Clarke at
[email protected] or Marie Leroy at
[email protected]. The deadline is
Wednesday 12th June 2013.
Hays
Nationwide
Student HR Placement
Competitive
To apply, please contact the BSEO on
[email protected] for the job
description and application link.
ARM
Nationwide
HR Intern
Competitive
To apply, go to
http://www.arm.com/about/careers/students/ind
ex.php
Denne
Borden, Near
Sittingbourne
Skills and Training Co-
ordinator
£17,000-£23,000 pa
To apply, please send your CV and Covering
Letter to [email protected] The
deadline is Wednesday 12th June.
Name & Address of
Company Job Title and Salary How to Apply & Deadline
Lufthansa
Hayes, London
Finance Internship
£12,070 plus Flexi-time
To apply, please contact the BSEO on
[email protected] for the job
description and application link.
Deloitte
Jersey, Offshore
Aberdeen, Scotland &
Northern Ireland
Industrial Placement
Competitive plus benefits
To apply, please contact the BSEO on
[email protected] for the job
description and application link.
Accounting and Finance Roles
Events and Tourism Roles
Name & Address of
Company Job Title and Salary How to Apply & Deadline
Connect Events
Pembury, Kent
Events Co-ordinator
£6,000 pa
Please send your CV and Covering Letter to
[email protected]. The deadline is
Thursday 20th June 2013 at 4pm.
Pro-Ven
Hemel Hempstead,
Herts
Conference Co-Ordinator
£12,000
To apply, please contact the BSEO on
[email protected] for the job
description and application details.
Ovolo Group
Hong Kong
Student Internship
HK$5,000 per month with
accommodation provided
To apply, please contact the BSEO on
[email protected] for the job
description and application form. Continuous
recruitment, apply early to avoid
disappointment.
We Represent
Nationwide
Promotion and Events
Manager
TBC
Please send your CV and Covering Letter to
[email protected]. The deadline is
Monday 1st July 2013 at 4pm. Email receipt of
application will be sent.
Marketing and PR Roles
Name & Address of
Company Job Title and Salary How to Apply & Deadline
The National Lottery
Greater London,
London
Public Relations
Internship
£16,000 pa
To apply please visit http://www.prospects.ac.uk/ and
type in PR Intern National Lottery to apply. The deadline
is Sunday 23rd June 2013.
Dixons Retail
Nationwide
Marketing Placement
Unpaid
To apply, please contact the BSEO on
[email protected] for the job description and
application link.
Alcatel Lucent
Newport
Strategic Business
Planning Intern
TBC
To apply, please contact the BSEO on
[email protected] for the job description and
application link. Reference: 13000003HJ
General Placements Roles
Name & Address of
Company Job Title and Salary How to Apply & Deadline
Capgemini
Telford or London
Technology Placement
TBC
To apply, please contact the BSEO on
[email protected] for the job
description and application details
Michael Bailey
Associates Plc.
London
Internship
£6,000 + bonus – realistic on
target earnings of £8,000-
£9,000
Please send your CV and Covering Letter to
[email protected]. The deadline is
Friday 28th June 2013 at 4pm. Email receipt of
application will be sent.
HP
Nationwide
Intern Development
Programme
Competitive
To apply visit www.hp.co.uk/jobs and search
1041712 for Sales, 1041715 for Marketing and
1041716 for IT.
B&M Bargains
East Midlands, North
West and London
Undergraduate Work
Placement
£15,000 plus benefits
To apply, please visit www.bmstores.co.uk Each
role is advertised under Area Manager roles on
the website according to relevant location.
Logistics, Operations, Supply Chain,
Sales and Management Roles
Name & Address of
Company Job Title and Salary How to Apply & Deadline
Triumph
London
Purchasing Industrial
Placement
Competitive
To apply, please contact the BSEO on
[email protected] for the job description and
application details
IMPORTANT:
You can request all job descriptions by contacting the Business School Employability Office by email
([email protected]) or by telephone (0208 331 9772) or by visiting our office (QM245).
Please keep checking Moodle course “Placement Preparations” for updates on placements or visit us
in our office.
NB: Only students fully registered on the sandwich mode of their degree will have access to the Moodle
course. If you have any doubts, please contact the Business School Employability Office.
Useful Websites
Listed below are some useful websites that offer job vacancies and hints and tips that
you may find useful when finding your placement.
Disclaimer: None of the organisations mentioned in this booklet are endorsed by the
University of Greenwich. The university cannot accept responsibility or liability for these
organisations.
National Council for Work Experience
Promoting, supporting and developing quality work
experience for the benefit of students, organisations
and the economy.
Web: www.work-experience.org
REED
The UK’s number 1 jobsite.
Web: www.reed.co.uk
Talentladder
A comprehensive online directory.
Web: www.talentladder.com
Fledglings
The UK's number 1 jobsite for industrial placements,
summer internships and work experience.
Web: www.fledglings.net
Prospects
The UK’s official graduate careers website.
Web: www.prospects.ac.uk
Stepstone
A comprehensive portal for jobsites across Europe.
Web: www.stepstone.co.uk
Guardian Jobs
The dedicated jobsite from Guardian News and Media.
Web: http://jobs.guardian.co.uk
Fledglings
The UK's number 1 jobsite for industrial placements,
summer internships and work experience.
Web: www.fledglings.net
RateMyPlacement
Work Placements and Internships for students. Student
reviews
Web: www.ratemyplacement.co.uk
Gradunet
The graduate jobs website.
Web: www.gradunet.co.uk
LondonCareers.net
The jobsite for jobs in London.
Web: www.londoncareers.net
Adecco
A recruitment company that recruits for a wide variety
of sectors across the UK.
Web: www.adecco.co.uk
Blue Arrow
One of the UK’s largest recruitment businesses,
specialising in the industrial, driving, logistics, catering
and office recruitment solutions.
Web: www.bluearrow.co.uk
Brook Street
Brook Street specialises in all office and light industrial
positions on both a temporary and permanent basis.
Web: www.brookstreet.co.uk
Workthing
Workthing is the UK’s leading jobsite for vacancies
direct from employers.
Web: www.workthing.com
Manpower
A comprehensive jobsite.
Web: www.manpower.co.uk
Milkround
A guide to student life with offers, information and the
latest internships and placements to give your career a
kick start while you are studying.
Web: www.milkround.com
TARGETjobs
The UK’s largest source of graduate jobs, internships
and advice.
Web: www.targetjobs.co.uk
Placement UK
Offering undergraduate internships and placement student opportunities.
Web: www.placement-uk.com
InternOptions: Internships and Work Placements in Australia and New Zealand
Web: http://www.internoptions.com/
Intern Abroad: Search for vacancies, internships and work placements all over the world
Web: http://www.internabroad.com/
Global Experiences: Search for vacancies as well as tips on finding vacancies abroad
Web: http://www.globalexperiences.com
Inter Coined: Vacancies in Spanish speaking countries, such as Spain and Latin America
Web: http://www.intercoined.com
Halsbury Work Experience Abroad: Search for vacancies in Europe
Web: http://www.workexperienceabroad.co.uk
Useful Websites – Vacancies Abroad Listed below are some useful websites that offer job vacancies abroad and hints and tips that you
may find useful when finding your Professional Placement
Disclaimer: None of the organisations mentioned in this booklet are endorsed by the University of
Greenwich. The university cannot accept responsibility or liability for these organisations.
Internship Programs: The largest internship community on the Internet. The site has three
separate areas: for students, for employer and for careers centers.
Web: www.internshipprograms.com
Job Smart: Search California and the West Coast of America for internships
Web: www.jobsmart.org
Internjobs: A national database for students and recent graduates. Job seekers can search the
internships database by keyword or location and post a resume online for employers to view
Web: www.internjobs.com
Petersons: A comprehensive site containing links to internships
Web: www.petersons.com
Internship: As the name suggests a simple web-site that allows you to search for all types of
internships in all parts of America. Don’t be fooled by its basic format.
Web: www.internship.com
Question Answer
“What is a placement?”
The Business School offers the sandwich (or industrial placement) option on all of
its undergraduate degrees. This is seen as an ideal way for students to obtain some
valuable employment experience prior to venturing into the graduate job market.
The placement must be a minimum of 9 months and maximum of 14 months
full‐time paid work and is undertaken after the second year and before the third
year of study.
What are the benefits to choosing
a sandwich degree?
Previous sandwich students have cited the internship/placement as the most
important part of their CV. It demonstrates an ability to bring together your
academic learning with vocational experience. In general some of the benefits are:
• Enables you to obtain the Graduate Diploma in Professional Practice (GDPP), which is awarded to students on work placements only • Helps you to secure a better job after graduation by having some previous useful employment experience on your CV • Earns you some cash (students are usually paid for their placement year or reimbursed for travel expenses) • Gives you an opportunity to put your academic learning from years 1 & 2 into practice • Provides a basis for your final year dissertation and case studies • Improves your confidence and employability.
“Do I need to find the placement
myself?”
Ultimately – yes. As part of our Code of Practice, it is the student’s responsibility to
find and secure their own placement. We do advertise placement vacancies to
students, but you will need to make a fair amount of applications independently in
order to increase your chances of securing a job.
“Can I apply for placements
myself?” Yes. Students are expected to apply themselves.
“What happens if I don’t find a
placement in time?” You can transfer to the full-time equivalent of your programme.
“How soon should I start looking?”
As soon as you start university in the second year. Do not leave your job search
too late or you will find that you have missed out on some of the major placement
vacancies.
“When can I start my actual
placement?”
As soon as you have finished your 2nd year of study. Students are reminded that
they should make every effort to obtain good grades for the 2nd year as this is
usually one aspect which employers are keen on when recruiting a placement
student.
“Can I go abroad during my
placement?”
Yes. Students on the BA Hons International Business are encouraged to go abroad
for their placements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question Answer
“How much will I be paid?”
Students on sandwich courses at university are exempt from the National
Minimum Wage (NMW), therefore an employer has no obligation to pay you a
specific amount for your salary. The average this year is between £12,500 to
£14,500 per annum – but it is the quality of the placement (and not the salary!)
that is the most important issue.
“Will the Business School
Placements Office help me to find
a placement?”
We are here to support and guide you. We aim to do this through workshops,
meetings, briefings, one-to-one appointments and group sessions. We will provide
you with guidance on CVs, résumés, covering letters, application forms, interviews,
on-line tests, health and safety, equal opportunities etc. We will not, however,
find a placement for you.
“Do I have to pay tuition fees
during my sandwich year?”
Yes. This is currently set at £650 for the academic year 2011-2012, but can vary
each year. The same amount applies to international students. You will pay
whatever fee you paid in Y3 as you did in Y1 and Y2. Your fee does not go up in Y3.
“Do I need a work permit if I am
an international student?”
No. As long as your placement has been authorised and you are registered on a
valid sandwich programme you do not require a work permit to be employed in
this country. However your full-time work cannot exceed the one-year for your
placement and you should not apply to permanent positions at any time.
“How do I book an appointment
with the BSPO?”
Use the details on the Contact Us link and we will book you in for the next available
appointment depending on the nature of your enquiry. Alternatively you can visit
the office and request an appointment at the front-desk.
“What happens if I fail my second
year of study?”
This depends on your academic profile and decision made by the School Board.
You may still be able to complete your placement (if found), however students are
advised to speak to a member of the Employability Office and/or the Quality
Officer for individual guidance.
“Can I use the Business School
Placements Office as a referee?”
Yes. But we are unable to comment on your character or personal suitability for a
vacancy. We can confirm your programme, mode of study, requirement for a
placement, name of placement company, duration of placement, dates of
placement, expected graduation date, attendance at meetings and workshops,
punctuality and level of preparation when attending appointments.
“How do change my mode of
study (to or from sandwich
mode)?”
Please send an email to [email protected] requesting to change your
mode of study. Please ensure you write your full name, student ID and year and
programme of study.
“What is the minimum length of
my placement?” 36 weeks/9 months of full-time work – half of which must be with one employer.
Question Answer
“Does my placement have to be
within my subject area?”
It is strongly advised that you do secure a placement which corresponds to the
programme you are studying. Otherwise you may be asked by future employers
about the difference between your academic and vocational profile – remember,
employers prefer consistency and focus in potential employees.
“Is there a limitation of the
numbers of hours I can work
during my placement?”
During a work placement, there is no limitation on the number of hours an
international or home student can work as part of a placement. The 20 hours a
week rule only applies to the amount of work a student can undertake when they
are attending classes.
Want to make sure you don’t miss out on current news, events and deadlines ?
Check your student email account … Everyday.
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life
- Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple Inc.
