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The London Graduate Career Fair June 18, 2013

Posted by Kirsti Burton in : The Careers Group Blogs, networking , add a comment

Originally posted at QM Jobs Blog

The London Graduate Fair from The Careers Group and Targetjobs.co.uk takes place on Wednesday 19 & Thursday 20 June 2013 from 12pm – 5pm, Business Design Centre Islington.

There will be 65 exhibitors confirmed so far promoting their opportunities, with presentations and workshops taking place throughout the day. It is a fantastic chance to speak to recruiters informally and get ideas about job options and industry areas. Keep an open mind when deciding which companies to approach – you might be looking for a job in marketing, but find your perfect role in an engineering firm or travel company.

To make the most of the fair, check the list of exhibitors in advance and plan who you would like to talk to. Research the organisations you are interested in, so you are familiar with what they do and which roles they recruit in to. Fairs are a great opportunity to network and practice interacting with employers, as well as get ‘inside information’ about the organisation and how their recruitment process works.  So having researched the firm, plan  some intelligent questions about industry trends / what skills they look for in applications / work experience etc.

Possible questions you could ask include:

Could you describe a day in the life of someone working in this role?

What sort of work experience would make me a good candidate for this role?

Which skills are you looking for in a candidate?

What makes an application stand out?

What is particularly distinctive about your organisation?

(You can use their answer in your application to show you’ve made the effort to research them properly.)

To avoid having to queue on the day register in advance.

How to get into fashion June 14, 2013

Posted by robinsonjenna in : Creative Industries , add a comment

If you have an interest in fashion, styling and beauty then a career in the fashion industry could be for you!  This industry is not just for fashion designers, there are many other jobs within the industry that could be of an interest to you.

Jobs available

Advice from the experts – make yourself more employable June 10, 2013

Posted by Kirsti Burton in : The Careers Group Blogs , add a comment

Originally posted at QM Jobs Blog

What can I do to make myself more employable?

As a Careers Consultant this is one of the questions I am asked the most at the moment (both from recent graduates and current students).

This is my advice…

1. Get some experience – this could be internships, work shadowing, summer jobs, part time work, volunteering, a year in industry, work placements – anything and everything! These experiences demonstrate your skills  such as teamwork,  organisation and communication skills.  It will also give you commercial awareness (business understanding), which is what most recruiters really want from you and will help you stand out from the crowd.  Often the more you have, the better your chances of getting a job.

2. Start job hunting early – Don’t leave it to the last minute to start looking. Many vacancies open early in the autumn term. So look now for jobs and internships starting in July.

3. PROPERLY tailor your application – Don’t just copy and paste answers into application forms and don’t send the same CV to all companies – making an effort with your applications really pays off. It’s better to make a few good applications than knock out loads of almost identical ones which aren’t really targeted to the job.

4. Research the Company – When writing a cover letter or answering the question “Why do you want to work for this company?” never just look at their website for two minutes. Make sure you do lots of research into the company – what they do, who their clients and competitors are etc.  It will really show how motivated you are to work there.

5. Talk to people – Ask lots of questions and don’t be afraid of speaking to people in the real world. Ask questions about them, their job,and what they do day to day. You can also ask for advice about what you can do to get an advantage when applying for jobs, where to look for vacancies and who else you can speak to for information and advice.

Insider Tips for a Career in Fashion June 7, 2013

Posted by TCG Info in : Creative Industries, The Careers Group Blogs , add a comment

The fashion industry is glamorous, exciting and fiercely competitive.

Here are some tips from Sophie Gorton, a fashion designer who has her own label and has sold through stores such as Liberty’s, Selfridges and Harrods.

She also teaches on the Central St Martins Foundation where she specialises in fashion and is an Associate Lecturer in Textiles on the MA at Chelsea college of Art.

1. Apply for internships

Some fashion degrees include placements as part of the course. But either way apply for internships while you’re doing your course and afterwards.

Look for an internship by contacting the different companies you’re interested in.

Target anyone you see yourself working with, remember the worst thing they can say is “no”.

Call the company and make sure you find out the name, email, phone number and address of the person you need to send your CV to.

Email your CV making sure you place your latest work at the front. Always send photos of your work when you send your CV.

Top Tip: Send a follow-up hard copy of your CV to help you stand out. Phone up and check they have received it. Fashion companies get hundreds of CVs by email and they may miss yours.

2. Finesse your skills

Whether you set up your own label or work for another label you will need to have a range of skills including business and PR.

They include:

• Understanding fabrics and their properties
• Understanding shape, detail and structure
• Colour relationships
• Surface pattern
• Texture
• Image-making and drawing
• Styling and PR
• Attention to detail

3. Read below if you are considering running your own fashion business

Be prepared for very hard work it’s not going to be glamorous most of the time. You will be producing this season’s collection and at the same time designing the next collection. At the same time you will be collecting money from last season’s collection which will be being delivered.

You will need to have excellent attention to detail – getting something wrong could make the difference between making a profit, breaking even or going bankrupt.

But there are rewards – the best feedback will be orders coming in, people buying your designs. You usually don’t meet your customers but you will get feedback from buyers. Also seeing your work in magazines is great.

4. Don’t forget

This is a very competitive industry. It’s not for the faint-hearted. If you have the right attitude you’ll do well but enter with your eyes open!

Don’t be discouraged by not getting a job straight away. You will probably need to do lots of internships before you get anything and when you do land your first job be prepared to do a bit of everything.

Insight – work experience in a charity. June 6, 2013

Posted by melaniechristou in : Not for Profit, Third Sector, Voluntary work , add a comment

Thinking of getting a career in the charity sector? We’ve asked two Queen Mary, University of London students to write about their experience working as project leaders in a charitable organisation. As part of the QProjects programme, Roslyn and Anum were placed in three-month project placements in the Small Charities Coalition and the Ragged School Museum. The charity sector is very diverse and experiences can vary depending on the nature of the organisation’s work so this is just a taster to showcase what kind of work you might do in a charity.

Roslyn Lim, Administration Project Leader at Small Charities Coalition:
I am currently studying Russian with Politics and will be graduating in 2014 and last summer I had the opportunity of doing a placement with the Small Charities Coalition. It was undoubtedly an insightful experience and the charity sector is one that I have always had an interest in and wanted to learn more about how it worked.

My role at SCC involved updating their current internal policies and writing new ones. It was something that was completely new to me and initially, I found it daunting. However, at the end of the project, I was glad that I had taken on the role and managed to contribute to the organisation.

My experience certainly gave me a deeper insight into the running of a charity. It presented the challenges that smaller charities faced and, in my opinion, this knowledge was one of the more valuable things that I gained. At university, we are able to hone our writing skills and learn about time management. However, we do not have the opportunities to learn about the problems that an industry faces. I believe that such insights and experiences would be useful in future interviews or applications as employers would want to see that you have an idea of how the industry works and not just vague, idealistic notions.

Anum Ahmed, Educational Research Project Leader at Ragged School Museum:
I am currently in the 2nd year of my BA English degree course. My role included researching possible ideas for an upcoming Key Stage 3 programme; however, I decided to produce a portfolio of my findings to ensure the museum directors could freely access the research material.

Initially the placement was for three months but I chose to extend my commitment to the museum for another three in order to complete the project that was assigned to.

Through this experience I was able to greatly enhance my written communication skills, in particular my ability to analyse and present information in an interesting and organised form, when producing the research portfolio.  I also had to attend and deliver school meetings, interviews and museum tours that improved my oral communication skills.  I believe that these transferable skills will certainly help me in my future career goal as a journalist.

To find out more about getting work experience in the charity sector check: Careers Tagged – Charity resources

Communication careers in the Charity sector May 29, 2013

Posted by manpreetdhesi in : Industry Focus, Marketing, Marketing, Advertising & PR, Media, Media, Not for Profit, Third Sector, Voluntary work, advertising and PR , add a comment

You’ve finally settled on a career path of communications, but there is a nagging feeling in the back of your mind saying ‘you should be helping people’. Have you though about combining the two for a communications careers within the not-for-profit sector?

A few years ago, Facebook news feeds were filling up with statuses of “pink”, “black”, “white”, and “green”.  People were updating their statuses with their bra colours to raise awareness for breast cancer. The communications department thought up this viral campaign and it wasn’t long before the media picked up on the story.

Creating awareness for their cause and getting people to engage is often the main aim for all communication departments within any organisation, but for a charity it’s the lifeblood to continue the amazing work they do. But how do you get your foot in the door?

Skill-up

You may need to build up your skills and experience in the sector before going through the application process of a job that’s of interest.  With it currently being tougher than ever to find the right job for you and with increasing competition, it can seem like a hard prospect.

One of the best ways to get a feel for what working for a charity might be like is by reading about those who already work for a charity. There’s plenty of information out there.

A good place to start is the Careers in Charities Facebook page, where you will find a range of information of different issues affecting the Charity sector, jobs and internships. PR Week Volunteer & Charity News and ThirdSector have a range of good articles, case studies and interviews on issues currently affecting the sector which gives you a good grounding to think of ways to communicate these within job applications and interviews and more importantly, understand what they do.  CharityComms is a professional membership body for charity communicators and has a wealth of information from re-branding through to best practice. To gain a wider view of the Charity sector as a whole Careers Tagged is an invaluable resource.

Volunteering is also a great way to pick up more skills and network with potential employers.  Charities often advertise internships and volunteering opportunities with them on their websites. Companies such as vInspired, Do-It and even Job Online have opportunities for you to gain some extra skills and see if this sector is right for you.

Sell yourself

Make sure you effectively market the skills you gain and have on your application. If you can’t communicate what you have done and why you want to work for them effectively, you have potentially fallen at the first hurdle.

Make yourself standout when applying; you can use all that Facebooking, Tweeting and blogging to your advantage. Create a portfolio of your work, engage with charities on social media, and follow thought leaders and companies. Learn how to sell yourself in 140 characters. Effective personal communications throughout different channels is incredibly important, especially as there has been a major shift towards more digital communications over traditional channels.

Subscribe to Job Alerts

When you’re looking for a job in Charity, you’re going to need to know when they come up and who they’re with. There’s lots of places to get job alert from, with the most popular ones being Guardian Jobs, PR Week Jobs, Third Sector Jobs, JobOnline and Charity Jobs.

Network with other Not-for-profit Professionals

Another good way of finding out about Charity communication jobs and roles is to network with those who work in the sector. With the proliferation of social networking, there are now lots of ways to connect with other Charity professionals.

LinkedIn is a great way to ‘meet’ people. Join groups such as Non-Profit & Charity Network and Charity Marketing & Fundraising Network. LinkedIn is also used by a variety of Charities when recruiting or advertising jobs.

One of the longest running communities is the Third Sector PR and Comms Network on Facebook. Setup and managed by Rob Dyson, PR Manager at Whizz-Kidz, the group contains all sorts of useful information related to Charity communications.

Join, get social and communicate your way to a winning role!

Top 5 networking tips to get you started May 28, 2013

Posted by Helen Curry in : networking , 4comments

Networking is one of those things that some people do naturally, staying in touch with wide circles of contacts and friends, but others resist it, feeling they should have to use personal favours to get work. But networking isn’t the same as nepotism, it’s about relationships you generate, and it can be an essential way to discover if a career or a particular workplace is right for you before seeking that job. It is also particularly important in a recession jobs market, as you may hear about jobs before they are advertised, you have insiders to ask for interview tips, and you can convince recruiters that you understand and will fit in with that workplace culture.

Here are some top tips from a recent course run at The Careers Group.

1. Building relationships This is definitely the key point to remember. Networking objectives don’t have to be big, you shouldn’t be looking to every person you meet to give you a job, or buy into your product. This is what intimidates a lot of people about networking. Instead you should be starting small, making friends, learning what to expect. Find out their objectives see if there is any way you can help them – chat about an innovative new website, introduce them to a useful contact of yours. Or you might ask them about their background, how they got to where they are now. Your initial objectives should be along the lines of gathering information, current awareness, feeling out opinions, finding people who share your outlook. You will find some of these relationships suit you better than others, and you can then build on these.
2. Preparation This can really pay off. Before a networking opportunity, think about the people you might meet. Do a quick Google search for some background information on them, or likely buzz topics of conversation. What is your main objective? Think about some open questions you might ask. Is there anything you need to take with you?
3. Remembering names The personal touch makes a difference, but when you are meeting a bunch of new people, how are you going to remember them all? Depends how your memory works. Some people like to repeat a name back to someone when they are introduced, personally I need to write the name down later with a quick note of something to remember them by. If you get a business card, write it on the back of that.
4. Starting conversations Some people like to get straight to the point, but not everyone appreciates it, and if you start out by asking for a job and there isn’t one, that’s a conversation stopper. Finding some common ground is a great way to start – chat about the buffet, the biscuits, or a recent news story in that sector. Yes it might seem like boring small-talk at first, but it should feed casual and relaxed, and if you can find a common passion or point of view, you have instantly become memorable, even if there is nothing you can do for each other yet.
5. Phone, email, Twitter, letter, fax…?! Everyone has a different preference, and it is important to consider that when making contact. Emails are easier to ignore, but may be a more polite and considered way of introducing yourself. Phone calls can be more effective at getting results, but can feel coercive. Letters are less common these days, so may make a special impact if you can give them a personal touch e.g. an unexpected thank you card. Try different methods and see what a person responds to best. How you say it is just as important as what you say.

For more websites and information resources on networking, see this page on Careers Tagged.

Archaeologists look to the future as well as the past May 24, 2013

Posted by helenkempster in : Arts & Heritage, Creative Industries, Industry Focus , add a comment

If you’ve been following the story about Richard III’s body being found in a Leicester car park you’ll be familiar with the recent controversy over where he should be laid to rest.  Some of his living relatives are calling for his remains to be buried in York, as that is the place with which he is most associated.  Laying aside the fact that his living relatives could number tens of thousands of people, there is no doubt that feelings are running high, and archaeologists are at the centre of the storm.

Those who might think of a career in archaeology as (quite literally) dry and dusty should perhaps think again.  Archaeologists are very much involved in contemporary decisions.  Their aim is to unlock new knowledge which may have lain hidden for hundreds and thousands of years.  You may be surprised to learn that much archaeology work in the UK is funded by property developers.  This is because, to get planning permission, developers have to show they have done any necessary excavations and have protected any archaeological finds.  They can’t do this without the support of archaeologists.  This career also appeals to a wide range of people.  Archaeologists need to be able to analyse data and solve problems, but also to communicate their findings with people in an accessible way.

Archaeology also offers the opportunity to travel the country and the globe.  As an archaeologist, you need to be mobile, as field work assignments are often temporary (three to six months).  This could be the career for you if you like variety and discovering new cultures and ideas.

So, how would you go about getting into archaeology?  Many people have studied a relevant degree, although this isn’t strictly necessary.  As with most careers, experience and insight are important.  Many archaeological organisations offer work experience placements.  Others, such as the Museum of London hold community excavations which allow members of the public to get involved in a dig.

Another fantastic source of information about the profession is the Institute for Archaeologists.  Here, for example, you can find a list of archaeological organisations who you could approach for work experience or to find out more.

Just think, your future could be helping others to make sense of the past.

Considering Postgraduate Study? Find out what financial help you can get May 21, 2013

Posted by Kirsti Burton in : The Careers Group Blogs , add a comment

Originally posted at QM Jobs Blog

Figuring out funding for postgraduate study can be a confusing and lengthy task. You will often have to look in an endless amount of places to find information on what funding is available, and sometimes search tools are limited in their ability to return accurate results. With such a wide range of funding sources from charities to educational trusts, a comprehensive search tool is a useful way to more efficiently discover what funding is out there.

Finding out where students who have previously studied the same course received funding from can be a great place to start (you can usually find this out by asking the department). But, online search tools are also useful too.

TARGETcourses have recently launched a new comprehensive postgraduate funding database. The new funding database lets you narrow down your results based on your preferred subject area, institutions and region.

The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding is another useful resource for those seeking funding. As well as highlighting the top 300 charities and trusts which offer funding, it features advice on how to write your application.

TARGETcourses also have their own bursary competition where you can win £2,000 towards the course fees for a taught or research postgraduate course in 2013/14. The deadline for applications is the 30 June 2013. Find out more about the competition here.

Remember you can find postgraduate funding in the most unlikely places.

So you’re studying Art. Here’s just a few of the career paths you could take May 20, 2013

Posted by cbrindley2013 in : Creative Industries , add a comment

Where do Art graduates work?

Art graduates have gone on to be:

• Freelance Artists
• Designers
• Curators
• Stage and Studio Managers
• Conference, Exhibition and Events Co-ordinators and Consultants
• University and Higher Education Lecturers
• Community Arts Workers
• Public Relations Officers
• Advertising and Marketing Executives
• Librarians

What skills will I gain studying Art?

Studying Art will provide you with a variety of skills that can be applied to a broad range of employment areas:

• creative problem solving
• resourcefulness
• effective oral and written communication
• observational and analytical skills
• teamwork
• IT, particularly using creative software
• organisation and planning
• self-motivation and self-management
• working to briefs and meeting deadline
• decision-making
• an appreciation of diversity

What kinds of graduate employers might be interested in me?

Lots of different sectors will be interested in your skills and knowledge.  Below are some ideas to get you started but you can relate your degree to many more areas.

Galleries and Art Organisations

After graduating you may decide to work as a freelance artist or behind the scenes as an arts administrator. In this vibrant industry no two days are ever the same. As an arts administrator your job will involve planning and organising logistics related to events, buildings, performers/artists and other personnel. As a freelance artist you will interact with galleries and arts organisations and manage your own time, working to produce artworks for exhibition or sale.

Community and Education

Community arts workers collaborate with groups and organisations at a local level. As an arts worker you will encourage the use of artistic activities to support the development of the local community. Generally arts workers are employed in areas where there are social, cultural or environmental issues that need to be addressed. As a graduate of Art you can also pass your skills on to others by pursuing a career in education.

Curating and PR

Curators work within museum, galleries, heritage centres and tourist attractions. They acquire, care for, develop and display a collection of artwork or artefacts in order to inform, educate and entertain the public. Alongside this you may be involved in other activities such as public relations and marketing.

Where can I find further information?

You can visit Careers Tagged to explore a comprehensive directory of careers resources including web links, downloads and videos: Careers Tagged.

Prospects.ac.uk’s Options with Your Subject section is also a useful starting point. Here you can access detailed information about careers relating to art: Options with Art and Design

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