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Win a ticket to the Global Entrepreneurship Congress February 21, 2012

Posted by president in : employability and skills, entrepreneurship , add a comment

Originally posted at Royal Holloway Entrepreneurs

We’ve got some great news – NACUE is giving away 100 free tickets to the Global Entrepreneurship Congress! You and anyone in your society (or even anyone you know!) can get hold of one by writing only 150 words. Here’s what you’ll get:
  • A ticket to GEC in Liverpool worth £180 (13th March) – speakers include Richard Branson and Sir Terry Leah (ex-CEO Tesco)
  • Train travel of up to £100
  • Free entry to Intuit Financial Fitness Workshop (12th March)
  • Free entry to exclusive drinks reception with the Minister for Business Mark Prisk MP
  • Overnight accommodation at Jury’s Inn Liverpool on 12th M
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    It really couldn’t be simpler to get a ticket – just write 150 words pitching your business idea and send it with your name, address, email and mobile number to intuit100Up@promoentries.com.
    The deadline is 11.59pm on 26th February so be quick!!

    For more details on how you’ll be assessed have a look at the attached
    PDF.  Also terms and conditions are here: http://promoterms.com/intuit100up
    Please forward this information to anyone that may be interested. Good luck!

    Advertising internship markets me better February 16, 2012

    Posted by Andrew Falconer in : Marketing, Advertising & PR, career profiles, employability and skills, networking , add a comment

    Royal Holloway Geography student Jack Smale blogs about his internship in education advertising.

    My summer internship with a digital advertising company gave me a real insight into the world of advertising specialising in the education sector, and I gained a clear understanding of the competitive and target-driven nature of the sales side of the business. I learned a great deal about the importance of building business relationships, and was given the opportunity to go out and meet a number of clients. Perhaps most importantly though, I experienced what working a nine-to-five job was actually like, and how I would have to adjust my lifestyle after graduation to fit in with the corporate world.

    During the three months I spent in the company’s Southwark offices, I worked on a number of projects, which included carrying out preliminary research into accountancy recruitment for a new ACCA-branded website (now launched at accacareers.com); researching, writing and designing articles for the student magazines All-Clear (send to A-level students on results day) and Navigator; producing online adverts on behalf of clients such as Strathallan Independent School; and helping with content development for the StuGlo.com website. Each day provided me with a new challenge, and I think I suitably impressed my line manager as I was invited back to work there the following Christmas.

    I was introduced to a number of senior figures within the company, including group heads, directors and the CEO, all of whom were very approachable and encouraged me to ask them questions to help aid my personal development. Even though I’d only just completed my first year at University and was relatively inexperienced, the staff were used to accommodating interns and made me feel as though I had an important role to play within the business.

    Although I don’t necessarily see myself going into a career in advertising, I gained a number of transferrable skills from the experience, which have since helped me to secure a part-time job alongside my studies. In addition, I made some good friends, some great contacts, and even managed to get a recommendation for my LinkedIn profile!”

    See current internship opportunities on Job Online

    Getting started in the film industry February 16, 2012

    Posted by TCG Info in : Arts & Heritage, CVs, Media, employability and skills, networking , add a comment

    Guest blogger Luke Cairns, producer with Butchers Hook Video Production, shares his insight into developing a career in the film industry.

    During a normal working week here at Butchers Hook Video, I’ve come to expect at least a dozen CV’s of young people interested in breaking into the film business in the UK.

    Now it is widely known that getting a break in the business is difficult, so in this article I’ll attempt to address this and offer some tips I’ve picked up along my career from lowly runner to corporate video producer working with Fortune 500 companies.

    The reason the film business is based on the “who you know” principle is simple – people senior to you (technicians/producers etc) need to be sure they know and can trust people in their employ – because mistakes can reflect badly on them.

    In extreme cases – it can have a seriously detrimental effect on a career – as the business is relatively small and bad news travels fast. But equally – building a good reputation means your good name travels fast.

    One of the most common pitfalls I see when I receive CVs of young people is a total lack of experience in the business. Now, this may not seem too unreasonable – as the CV comes from a person who has just left school or University with a newly minted academic qualification.

    Now having the qualification is a big plus – but it will need to be supplemented with some real world experience. Thus the chicken and the egg scenario, fortunately there are some relatively straight forward ways to gain the necessary experience.

    The very first step on the journey into the industry is to decide what specialism you want to take. If you want to break into a technical specialism (i.e. camera, sound, make up etc) the first essential is to have a good deal of experience with the equipment. For the auteur and post production people, the best method is to get creating and make a decent show reel as an absolute priority. For people interested in the production side of the business, a solid grasp of figures and the ability to network and schmooze is ideal!

    After this – the next step is to get involved with as many free projects as possible in your local area. This can help people who haven’t decided what area they want to specialise in and give vital experience to everyone else.  Aside from experience, the other major benefit of freebies is networking.  The importance of networking to those in the industry (from producer down) can’t be too emphatically emphasised. If you happen to be working as camera assistant (for example) for a DoP on a free shoot and do a great job – the chances are you will be remembered when the DoP is working on a paid job next time.

    A great resource for finding jobs on low budget films in your local area is Shooting People

    After a number of freebies – you’ll have a great deal more experience and your CV will look like the kind of CV that producers want to see!

    When you progress to paid shoots – here are a few minimum expectations I have for people in my employ. You need to have boundless energy and enthusiasm and stay 100% positive! A strong grasp of the technical aspects of your specialism sounds like a total given but again, need to be emphasised.

    One of main ways people get into production is through the time honoured route of being a runner.  Now this isn’t a pretty route – they are also the most put upon and badly paid people in the business – I found it akin to slave labour! However runners are the work horses of the industry and are vital – and pay your dues (and work bloody hard!) and it pays off.

    To conclude – entry to the film and video industry is tough – but very rewarding if you work hard and know how to play the game properly!

    Our Facebook page “Careers in the Creative Industries” can provide additional advice.

    He’ll just be treated like all the other wives February 13, 2012

    Posted by Andrew Falconer in : diversity, employability and skills , add a comment

    Gays shouldn’t work with children. Or animals. Or with other male staff. Or plants. Don’t even mention the army. Nor should they work in factories. Actually, they should confine themselves to theatres and let the rest of us get on with it. The disturbing thing is that people have said these things to me over the years, sometimes only half jokingly. I “came-out” when I was seventeen and whilst my family and friends have been supportive, sometimes they throw in comments like these without thinking about them too much.

    A few years ago I attended an open day at a Government department. I spoke to them about relocation and how my partner would be treated. Their lovely response was “He’ll just be treated like all the other wives”. I think they meant well!

    This image is of  serving officers in the Royal Navy marching at Gay Pride in London. Other professions, from police to firemen, also march in this parade. Employers are increasingly aware of the need to recruit and support LGBT staff. Some will opt to take part in the Stonewall Diversity Champion scheme, but this scheme has been criticised as being an income generator for a political lobbying group with other organisations prefering alternative means of demonstrating their commitment.

    Why do LGBT people need additional support? Actually, more often than not I suspect they don’t. LGBT status is a “protected characteristic” in terms of the Equalities Act but for many LGBT people, it is a legislative framework they don’t feel the need to use. For me, it is important to know that it is there. In every job I have worked there has come a moment where I have “come out” to colleagues. It can be difficult to know what the response will be like, but for me has been important to do because I enjoy positive and open relationships with colleagues in the workplace. I do know a few LGBT people who prefer it not to be known.

    According to a survey conducted in 2008, 82% of lesbians and 75% of gay men – say that being completely open about being gay to everyone at work is not a good idea. 14% of respondents claimed they were harassed at work because they were perceived to be lesbian or gay.

    Whilst the accronym LGBT is used a lot, there can be significant differences in how people respond to transgender colleagues than gay or bisexual. The ability to “hide” and therefore not be provocative is for some, an asset. I haven’t personally experienced harassment but my nature is perceived as “straight acting” (assumed to be straight) whereas some friends who would be seen as more effeminate have been challenged, and in one case, physically abused – ironically he is straight. Actor Russell Tovey explains to comedian Rob Brydon what “straight acting” means in this mock documentary.

    In that survey, one in eight said that being out as gay at work would “definitely” hold back their job promotion prospects. There are certain industries that have the perception of being more challenging environments for LGBT staff. Investment Banking is one. In reality there are many LGBT employees in these organisations but there is still a perception that they are not the best environments in which to be openly gay. However a quick look at the Gay Banker blog (which can be a little risque) can give a different perspective. Organisations increasingly have LGBT Networks that provide mutual support for LGBT staff members, and support initiatives in showcasing diversity within their workforce.

    It’s criminal, putting the past behind you February 9, 2012

    Posted by Andrew Falconer in : diversity, employability and skills , 1 comment so far

    Having a criminal conviction doesn’t necessarily mean the end of your career potential but moving on from it can be a challenging experience.  Universities tend to have a diverse student body including those with previous convictions. And whilst getting a degree can increase your employability, a criminal history can still create an additional hurdle.

    So why a picture of Richard Branson? Because he is a great supporter of giving offenders opportunities to develop in the workplace. He has been encouraging the Virgin Group to actively recruit former offenders but also regonises that there are challenges. For example, he understands that recruiters can immediately be put off applicants that tick the box about criminal convictions:

    “It sounds like something we should look at, perhaps we should have a clause in our applications stating that Virgin does not hold a criminal record against applicants and that, on the contrary, we will try to help where that is the case. I’d be very happy to go that far.”

    He is giving emphasis to recruiting male offenders following the success of charity Working Chance that has focused on females.  You can listen to a podcast where former offenders Matty and Christina talk about their careers and university experience with spent convictions.

    So, if you have a criminal conviction there are some things to think about.

    First, is the conviction “spent” or not. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 allows previous convictions to be ignored for the sake of employment. There are various summaries online but this might be a useful starting point.If your conviction is spent you can say “no” if asked “Do you have a criminal record?

    Spent convictions do not need to be declared unless the roles are exempt – which must be declared, including:

    If your conviction is not spent then you must declare it to employers. Lifetracks has some useful points on how to do this:

    However you decide to tell your potential employer, make sure you talk about your conviction in a way that will reassure them that you’ve moved on. Give examples of how you’ve since demonstrated reliability and trustworthiness. But don’t let your conviction be the focus of your application – stress what you’ve learnt from the experience and then move on to say why you want this job.

    There is a lot of help available. Aimed at female offenders, Working Chance has a jobs site with employers interested in recruiting from that group. The Site has a host of information covering work, study and life and the Lifetracks site above will migrate to it in the next few months. Also bear in mind that employers tend to have experienced these situations before and you may wish to contact HR to check what would be expected, or ask your careers service for help with this.

    Thank you to Lifetracks for their help with this post.

    Getting into Publishing and Writing February 6, 2012

    Posted by Andrew Falconer in : Publishing, The Careers Group, entrepreneurship , 1 comment so far

    Writing and publishing careers are linked but are seperate professions. A good writer will understand the publishing industry as a commissioning editor should understand their writers.

    There are lots of career options in writing - from ad hoc articles for magazines, through novels to technical writing.

    Likewise the publishing industry is varied with so many different roles and divisions.

    On 21 February we are running a day course to introduce you to these career options and help you explore writing and publishing. Visit the course page for full details of the event and how to register to attend.

    A love affair with medicine January 29, 2012

    Posted by Andrew Falconer in : Medicine and Healthcare, The Careers Group, graduate entry medicine , add a comment

    Medical careers are now open to a wider range of people than ever before. Accelerated medical courses are designed specifically to train graduates with a non-medical degree as doctors.

    Use Valentine’s Day to your career advantage by taking part in the one-day coursedf exploring graduate entry into medicine.

    This course will help you to find out about:

    The day will consist of:

    Join the course on Facebook, where you’ll receive updates, can take part in discussions, ask them your questions and share the event with your friends and anyone who you think will be interested in applying to the course.

    Assessment Centres – Group exercises January 26, 2012

    Posted by Andrew Falconer in : employability and skills , add a comment

    Continueing our blog posts on assessment centres, group exercises are commonly used by recruiters. They are used to determine how candidates behave in team or group situations.

    Typically they will consider:

    Not all of these are positive qualities. Companies are looking for team-players as well as leaders; being competitive is good only if it is productive; do you know when you are wrong or when somebody else has a valuable contribution to make?, do you listen? Listening is as much a part of communicating and speaking. Employers look for a range of different qualities in their staff.

    Group Exercise

    This is usually an assessed discussion with a small number of candidates – usually about 8.  Candidates will receive a short briefing paper and will be asked to come up with a team response to the question posed.

    This can also take the form of a case-study where the group is presented with a dossier of information about a client and the group needs to make recommendations about how the company can help the client.

    Role Play

    Role play is used to place a candidate in a hypothetical situation and see how they respond. Of course the situation is contrived but the closer you get to thinking as a real employee should, the better.

    And finally….

    Assessment Centres are a key part of the recruitment and selection process. You may not feel confident about them but you can prepare in advance and build your confidence up. The careers centre can help through one-to-one coaching, DVDs and printed materials, skills development workshops and practical advice.  We have even been known to help students understand etiquette and prepare for formal dinners and functions which formed part of their selection process (some Investment Banks and armed services invite candidates to formal dinners). If you feel you are a bit stuck, drop by and see us!

    Some resources

    Assessment Centres: Wonderful presentations January 23, 2012

    Posted by Andrew Falconer in : Skills and Competencies, employability and skills, training contract , add a comment

    If you have been to an Assessment Centre you may have been asked to give a presentation. As your career progresses, you will probably deliver many as they are increasingly a part of the work environment. Most students will have delivered presentations as part of their course, but being asked to speak for twenty minutes on your own can be a bit more daunting.

    Developing presentation skills could enhance your career through increasing confidence with clients, benchmarking your talents above colleagues for promotion, helping you to listen more effectively to presentations you attend. Presenting and public speaking can be, for some people, their career but for many it will form an aspect of how they deliver their work.

    In as Assessment Centre you may be asked either to

    These are quite different tasks. The second may focus less on content but more on team-work, decision making, working under pressure and presentation style. The third will look at presentation style but also your communication technique. Previous examples of this have included:

    If you are given a topic in advance, they would typically require evidence of independent research and they will consider the approach you take to the presentation.

    You need to consider:

    Thinking about postgraduate study? January 19, 2012

    Posted by Andrew Falconer in : further study and training, postgraduate , add a comment

    This is the time of year when students start considering further study. I have already posted about funding postgraduate study but I think it might be useful to consider what postgraduate options there are and how to decide whether to invest the time and money in more study.

    Many students only really consider undertaking a taught masters course. These are generally one-year courses with the emphasis being on lectures and learning in the similar style to undergraduate courses. Typically these tend to be MA or MSc qualifications. However you can also do research masters courses where the significant component will be an independent research project (e.g dissertation). These are often MRes or MPhil. Students who go on to start a PhD will often gain the MPil after their first year – that is, PhD students “upgrade” from a MPhil. MBA courses, particularly AMBA accredited courses, require significant management-level work experience prior to applying. You can explore many of these options at the MBA & Postgraduate Study fair.

    So why would you think of doing a masters? For some students it is about gaining more knowledge. Perhaps you have done a broad or general degree and want to specialise. Or maybe you want to learn about a different discipline than what you studied – e.g. a biologist may want to study marketing.

    For other students it can be about increasing their chances of getting a job. There is a perception that having a masters automatically makes you more employable. In the UK it doesn’t work like that. Some postgraduate courses will definitely increase your employability but most probably won’t enhance your career prospects so much. Generally speaking, the more specialist a masters course is the more specific employers will value it.

    Careers advisers can help talk through these options with you. It may be that postgraduate study could boost your career or just be something you want to enjoy for the sake of it. Contact your careers service to make an appointment. Our colleague Callum Leckie also contributed to this useful video that may help: