jump to navigation

Getting an internship after you graduate May 15, 2012

Posted by Andrew Falconer in : Marketing, Publishing, career profiles, employability and skills , add a comment

Internships have traditionally been targetted at penultimate year students but increasingly graduates are seeing them as a useful means of gaining professional experience. Indeed The Careers Group has a specific internship programme open only to graduates.

At a recent conference for employers, the benefit of having a graduate internship was stressed by Middlesex University alumnus Abdul Ahad who undertook an opportunity with Dennis Publishing. Abdul had already undertaken paid positions in other organisations but decided that he needed a career, not just a job.

In this video Abdul explains to an audience of employers and professionals why he found his graduate internship so valuable.

Jobs: Top 5 web platforms to get noticed on March 27, 2012

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

Do you know your plaxo from your digg? Is Facebook still “where it’s at”? Non-plussed about Google +? These questions are hard enough when keeping track of your social life, but need a lot of thought before being used as a job-hunting tool.

With so many different web platforms to choose from, which are more effective for raising your profile and getting noticed by a prospective employer? The difficulty is that these platforms change, develop, grow or collapse. Putting all your eggs in one basket is probably not the best solution, but focusing your efforts on one or two and having a stand-by is more realistic.

First of all, why bother? Well I have already posted on why it’s worth bothering about LinkedIn but it’s worth looking at the issue more generally. According to Jobvite, in the USA nearly 90% of companies are planning to use social networks to find job candidates, up from 83% a year ago. This trend, I suspect, would also been seen in the UK. Social media tends to be cheap, very easy to target and fast.

When you’re thinking of social media you need to think about your target market. What do they use? Not every industry will use the same sites, and different sites are more popular in different countries. Do your research.

So our Top 5…. (more…)

CV advice for International Development March 7, 2012

Posted by Jeff Riley in : CVs, Global Careers, Third Sector, career profiles , 1 comment so far

Originally posted at Getting into International Development

Comfort Osilaja was pulling her hair out. It’s a regular experience for recruiters who are looking through CVs for international development internships and jobs.  Comfort has many years experience in the sector and has worked for Anti-Slavery International, Cafod and the Commonwealth Foundation.  One of her current projects is ‘Identity Careers’ which she runs with Kevin Cusack. Identity Careers provides training and coaching for people looking to start in the sector.

We spoke to Comfort about the damage she is inflicting on her hair.  “The problem is we do get lots of applications.  For example a recent internship was up on our site and JobOnline for just a week and I had to look through 42 applications. In some ways basic errors make my job easier. For example I can easily set aside applications from people who don’t include a covering letter when asked to do so.  Or applicants who plaster Curriculum Vitae in big bold letters across their CV and have lots of ‘special effects’ – but then don’t include a name. Believe me it does happen.

How can people make a good impression then? One thing lots of students do is automatically start with their education.

Does developing country experience make a difference? Honestly, its usually more important that people can find their way around an office than around Africa. Certainly for the entry level office work we were advertising recently. It is important that people demonstrate a passion for the sector but that can be done more practically through longer term volunteering in the UK than a six week experience in the summer holiday.

What is Identity Careers? Kevin and I produce one day workshops and 2-hour CV workshops for small groups of people on getting into development – usually no more than 20 at a time.  It’s different from the one day course The Careers Group, University of London offers because participants will get individual advice and the opportunity for follow up coaching to better develop their cvs and put together an action plan to really get them started on their international development careers, which is really important, as we all know how easy it is to get fired up by a workshop and then do nothing afterwards

But I don’t WANT to be a translator! March 1, 2012

Posted by Andrew Falconer in : Global Careers, Languages, Politics and Policy, Third Sector , add a comment

Despair. That was the look on the student’s face as she told me that she didn’t want to be a translator. She studied modern languages (Italian and French) and according to her parents, non-modern language friends and some random careers-related websites, her career options started and stopped at translation. She wanted to use her language but didn’t aspire to be stuck in a booth translating cross languages.

First things first though. I had to challenge her perceptions of what translation was like. She could see the fascination in working with EU Careers, for example, and also hadn’t realised that many translators are freelance. Before ruling out a career, it is useful to build your knowledge about it first. We have a good selection of resources relating to translation on Careers Tagged.

So, what else can a modern languages student do? Pretty much anything. And that doesn’t help, does it? Well here are some obvious ones:

Within these sectors there are opportunities to use your language as a part of your job. For example, BBC Monitoring recruit language specialists to listen. watch and read foreign news broadcasts. International development charities may benefit from staff that can speak native or former colonial languages (e.g. English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German) in overseas work. The Government has need for a range of language skills including intelligence, policy and research.

Languages are very useful in business. Even when they don’t explicitly state it, speaking the language of a parent company can be a strong asset in job candidates. For example, Nomura Bank has operations throughout the world but somebody that can speak Japanese and understand their culture, may find their career progresses quicker. Similarly, speaking French could be a positive attribute if working for L’Oreal.

You can find out more about using your languages skills on the Prospects.ac.uk website. But above all, translation is not the only option.

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.

The journalist’s journalist December 27, 2011

Posted by Andrew Falconer in : city jobs, entrepreneurship, further study and training , add a comment

Royal Holloway Physics alumnus Andrew Michael is perhaps the journalistic equivalent of a B2B manager. He is the editor of HeadlineMoney.co.uk, a website used by over 1500 financial journalists in the UK. The work he does is targeted at well known journalists that we read on a daily basis. However he has worked in various journalistic capacities in order to become editor of HeadlineMoney.

Journalism can be a fascinating career choice as Andrew has demonstrated. You do not necessarily need to do a masters to get into the profession – there are a range of courses, including the NTCJ, that can be an alternative route. There are also courses available that may have amazing marketing but may not deliver in education or outcome – so be wary consumers.

Andrew spoke at Royal Holloway’s Creative Careers event in March this year, where he shared his thoughts on the industry and gave tips on how to progress in it.

Top 5 Creative CVs December 8, 2011

Posted by Andrew Falconer in : CVs, Performing arts, Publishing, employability and skills , 2comments

CV writing can become an art form. Getting across your education, experience, motivation and personal qualities in just two (or one) pages can be really challenging. How do you stand out from the crowd?

One of the employers interviewed on Career Player’s “Sorting your CV” video warns about being frivolous and being quirky for the sake of it. Being creative isn’t the same as being wacky.  Even a, one page CV for investment banks can have creative flair. You need to think about your audience. What sort of CV would the employer most prefer? What is appropriate for the market?

There are many great examples of really creative CVs, so here is my top five….

Number 1 – Michael Anderson

If you are working in Information Graphics what better way is there for you to showcase your abiliites than with your CV in infographic form? This attractice, colourful CV uses a range of techniques to give a professional career overview, with a strong sense of the author’s personality.

Number 2 – Kristian Walsh

Project management tends to use charts as a visual means of understanding scope and timelines. This board-game approach is novel and clearly highlights the achievements and “bench-marks” in her life.

Number 3 – Yingshu Luqiu

When you print this CV you end up moving the paper around to see all of the text. That makes it very tactile and you feel much more engaged with it than a typical CV.

Number 4 – Chuck Lay

Another great use of the candidate’s professional skill – a graphic designer using their experience to grab attention. This has a good level of content whilst demonstrating creativity and competence.

Number 5 – Ksenia Goryacheva

This is so simple yet very effective. The use of colour is very effective and the crucial information is very accessible.

Careers with Classics December 6, 2011

Posted by Andrew Falconer in : arts administration , add a comment

The London Graduate Fair is here! October 13, 2011

Posted by Andrew Falconer in : Uncategorized , add a comment

Once again the wonderful Business Design Centre in Islington is host to the London Graduate Fair which takes place next Tuesday.  Over 80 employers and training providers will be available to talk you through opportunities with them. You can pre-register to attend.

Careers Fairs have changed over the years. The days of spot-offers for jobs, if they ever really existed, have gone. That can be a bit of a culture shock to international students but also UK students often have different perceptions about what a fair is and how to use it.

Meeting the right people

The majority of job-seeking is now done online, but the advantage of coming to the fair is that you get to meet the recruitment teams from the companies you are interested in applying to.

This is a unique opportunity to get the information you want to know, not what their website tells you. You can make a lasting impression, putting yourself ahead of other candidates. In the current climate that could make all the difference.

If you’re a bit shy about approaching exhibitors, don’t worry – they are there to help you.

Here are some tips:

Dress to Impress

Remember how important it is to create a good first impression. Some careers advisers may advise you to wear a suit as if you were attending a formal interview, some say smart casual is enough. Whatever you wear, make sure your clothes are clean and presentable and you feel comfortable – pulling or tugging at your suit after a few hours walking around the fair is not going to present you in a very positive, confident light. Wear what you think will make you look professional and smart. Why are we so sure? We’ve heard it straight from the horse’s mouth, as Vince Curran, graduate programme manager at CPA Global explains:

“We will be looking out for how graduates dress for the fair. Even though we will be business casual it is still important that they remember they are trying to impress an employer, and the way they present themselves is a shop window to their future career.”

Don’t forget to bring plenty of CVs to the fair to hand out to the companies you are interested in. They may no

t accept them as job applications but they will at least have your contact details should they want to speak to you further. If you have access to a careers service you should get your CV checked before the event. For those without access to such advice, free CV checking is also available on the day.

LinkedIn: Why bother? September 15, 2011

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

A graduate recently told me that she had messaged over twenty professionals on linkedin asking for a job. It had cost her financially and she only received six responses – all negative. She showed me what she had sent them. It was three lines – a link to her profile, a generic comment about her being hardworking and enthusiastic and a plea for a job. I’m surprised she even got six replies. She had completely misunderstood LinkedIn and the subtlety of using it.

I think LinkedIn is a fantastic site. When I spoke at International Futures earlier this year I think I sounded like a LinkedIn salesman or evangelist. For me the site delivers so much potential, both for experienced professionals and those starting out in their careers.  You can listen to my enthusiasm and watch the powerpoint slides online.

The graduate I met had very high and misguided expectations about LinkedIn. It is not a jobs website. It is also not Facebook. It’s a professional network that requires input. Students often expect that once their profile is published suddenly all sorts of job offers will pour into their inbox. It is rare that just by turning up to a networking event you would immediately ask for a job, so why would you on LinkedIn?

And LinkedIn is like a networking event. Professionals from all sorts of industries, from all over the world (although some countries have a difficult relationship with such networks) are on the site. My first “real” job was as a Funeral Director – and yes, even they are on there. If you want to work in anything from finance to international development or environmental consultancy, the site could help you.

So if you can’t ask for a job, what can you do? Networking is a process.  We’ll be running a series of posts on Networking at the end of October which will look at the process and how you put it into practice. Essentially the key benefit of networking is about building knowledge. The jobs come once you have the level of knowledge required to understand opportunities when they arise. If you want to work in environmental consulting, there are lots of resources online but LinkedIn has groups where current professionals discuss key issues. It is in these groups that you can learn more about the profession and ask (intelligent!) questions of its members. It can then also drive them to your lovingly-created profile.  And just to be sure, there are some good sites warning of LinkedIn faux pas.

It is of course not the only social networking site around. Indeed Facebook is being used by employers as a recruitment tool, with some sectors finding it more succesful than LinkedIn. But Facebook is not conducive to professional groups, particularly where professionals seek to seperate their private and business lives. Like all aspects of job seeking, use a variety of tools to explore opportunties.

LinkedIn has a Learning Centre with resources for students and job seekers. Whilst oriented towards an American market, the information is useful for those setting up LinkedIn profiles for the first time and taking first steps towards engaging with professionals. Some college careers services also run hands-on LinkedIn training sessions which are worth participating in. But, like with all networking, the advice is to put yourself out there, get started. It may take a while to build confidence but people on LinkedIn are there because they like to share. If in doubt remember the first rule of networking – people love talking about themselves! So just ask.