The University's Careers blog has had a revamp and has moved to:
http://uoccareers.wordpress.com
Please update your bookmarks, and don't forget to follow us over on our new blog!
Any problems, email us at careers@cumbria.ac.uk
Monday, 2 December 2013
Thursday, 15 August 2013
Fancy A Career in Human Relations? Read On...
An Interview with Kathy Allison, Head of HR at boohoo.com
How did you begin your career in HR and progress to your current position at boohoo?
Before joining boohoo, I worked in the hospitality sector as a People Development Manager at Radisson Blu Hotels. Throughout my time there I looked after Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool properties. My position at boohoo came after a friend encouraged me to apply – they had seen the role advertised and thought it sounded like a good role for me. It was a lengthy interview process but I was fortunate enough to get the job and become the first Head of HR at boohoo.
How would you describe a typical day working at boohoo?
My role is really varied so it is difficult to describe a typical day. I can be doing anything from a full day of interviewing senior candidates, supporting with people issues or attending and addressing director meetings. There is always plenty for me to do!
Do you think you need to have a degree in HR to start a career in it?
My degree wasn’t in HR but I have gained a lot of experience to develop my career in this field. Having said that, I do think it is great to have a HR degree as it provides a foundation and you then have the technical and theoretical knowledge about HR.
What advice do you have for anyone wanting to begin a career in HR?
It is helpful to know what industry you’d like to do HR in and then you can gain experience in that area. This isn’t essential though as your skills will be transferable. I do feel that being prepared to understand the HR function from the ground up is a good basis for career development. As with many competitive industries, it is really important that you prove your determination and demonstrate the skills you have that will make you stand out from the crowd.
Do you have any suggestions about how someone could sell their skills when applying for a role in HR?
Have a look at your CV and make sure it is concise. Start with highlighting your key achievements. Don’t make it long, and more importantly keep it focused to the particular role you’re applying for. A one size fits all approach doesn’t always work.
What do you look for in a candidate applying for a job within HR?
Candidates that stand out to me are those who can show how they will benefit the business if they are successful. Being able to work commercially and a real desire to deliver success through people is important. It is also great to see someone with a real passion and persistence to work in the industry.
Note: Thanks to Sasha Jones for providing this interview. If you would like to know more about careers in HR, a good starting point is the Graduate Prospects website.
How did you begin your career in HR and progress to your current position at boohoo?
 |
| Kathy Allison |
How would you describe a typical day working at boohoo?
My role is really varied so it is difficult to describe a typical day. I can be doing anything from a full day of interviewing senior candidates, supporting with people issues or attending and addressing director meetings. There is always plenty for me to do!
Do you think you need to have a degree in HR to start a career in it?
My degree wasn’t in HR but I have gained a lot of experience to develop my career in this field. Having said that, I do think it is great to have a HR degree as it provides a foundation and you then have the technical and theoretical knowledge about HR.
What advice do you have for anyone wanting to begin a career in HR?
It is helpful to know what industry you’d like to do HR in and then you can gain experience in that area. This isn’t essential though as your skills will be transferable. I do feel that being prepared to understand the HR function from the ground up is a good basis for career development. As with many competitive industries, it is really important that you prove your determination and demonstrate the skills you have that will make you stand out from the crowd.
Do you have any suggestions about how someone could sell their skills when applying for a role in HR?
Have a look at your CV and make sure it is concise. Start with highlighting your key achievements. Don’t make it long, and more importantly keep it focused to the particular role you’re applying for. A one size fits all approach doesn’t always work.
What do you look for in a candidate applying for a job within HR?
Candidates that stand out to me are those who can show how they will benefit the business if they are successful. Being able to work commercially and a real desire to deliver success through people is important. It is also great to see someone with a real passion and persistence to work in the industry.
Note: Thanks to Sasha Jones for providing this interview. If you would like to know more about careers in HR, a good starting point is the Graduate Prospects website.
Friday, 9 August 2013
A Step Up For Social Work Training?
On the lines of new in-service training programmes for graduates wishing to become teachers, there is now a similar on-the-job route open to would-be Social Workers.
Step Up to Social Work is a 14-month tailored programme for high-achieving graduates or career changers with experience of working with children and young people to train as social workers. The great news for those that fit this description is that they will have their tuition fees paid for and receive a bursary of over £19,000.
Students are work-based throughout their training and delivery arrangements vary according to agreements between the universities and regional partnerships running the Step Up to Social Work programme. They may include formal lectures and e-learning, as well as internal local authority training provision and one-to-one support.
For more information
Contact: susw@penna.com Step Up To Social Work Programme, Penna Plc (Tel. 0845 366 5557)
Meanwhile for qualified Social Workers, we are hearing the Cumbria Children's Services have started recruiting again following a long period of austerity and that Randstad Newcastle are providing them with contract staff.
Step Up to Social Work is a 14-month tailored programme for high-achieving graduates or career changers with experience of working with children and young people to train as social workers. The great news for those that fit this description is that they will have their tuition fees paid for and receive a bursary of over £19,000.
Students are work-based throughout their training and delivery arrangements vary according to agreements between the universities and regional partnerships running the Step Up to Social Work programme. They may include formal lectures and e-learning, as well as internal local authority training provision and one-to-one support.
For more information
Contact: susw@penna.com Step Up To Social Work Programme, Penna Plc (Tel. 0845 366 5557)
Meanwhile for qualified Social Workers, we are hearing the Cumbria Children's Services have started recruiting again following a long period of austerity and that Randstad Newcastle are providing them with contract staff.
Thursday, 1 August 2013
Assessment Centres - Practice Makes Perfect?
Many students worry about what will happen in a job interview, but increasingly the key phase of the selection process for many UK companies is the Assessment Centre. Usually only offered to candidates who have passed the initial stages of selection, such as an online application form or a telephone interview, assessment centres are a longer event, typically lasting one or possibly more days.
Elements that tend to be included in an assessment centre are:
Candidates are under fairly intense scrutiny and are often very aware of competing each other, which may lead to some rather unnatural behaviour. According to careers advisers, some of the phrases that indicate successful performance are: speaking up (without being unduly dominant), taking a lead, "building" on the contributions of others, keeping an eye on time, analysing facts, facilitating, awareness of the 'big picture'. Much of this focus is on how people work together in teams so it may be worth studying something about group dynamics in business situations.
But nothing beats having a try! Many careers services are now offering practice sessions on Assessment Centres to students and the University of Cumbria is no exception. On 13th November, we plan to run two practice assessment centres in collaboration with Enterprise Rent-a-Car at our Lancaster campus (exact location to be confirmed). Priority will be offered to students from the New Business School but a large number of places will be available, so watch your student globals at the start of next session.
If you can't wait until then, here are a couple of links to help you gen up on the subject of Assessment Centres:
http://www.diigo.com/user/uoccareers/assessment
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/interview_tips_assessment_centres.htm
Enjoy!
Elements that tend to be included in an assessment centre are:
- Psychometric tests
- Group discussion exercises
- E-tray or in tray prioritisation exercises
- Business case studies
- Presentations
- In-depth interviews
Candidates are under fairly intense scrutiny and are often very aware of competing each other, which may lead to some rather unnatural behaviour. According to careers advisers, some of the phrases that indicate successful performance are: speaking up (without being unduly dominant), taking a lead, "building" on the contributions of others, keeping an eye on time, analysing facts, facilitating, awareness of the 'big picture'. Much of this focus is on how people work together in teams so it may be worth studying something about group dynamics in business situations.
But nothing beats having a try! Many careers services are now offering practice sessions on Assessment Centres to students and the University of Cumbria is no exception. On 13th November, we plan to run two practice assessment centres in collaboration with Enterprise Rent-a-Car at our Lancaster campus (exact location to be confirmed). Priority will be offered to students from the New Business School but a large number of places will be available, so watch your student globals at the start of next session.
If you can't wait until then, here are a couple of links to help you gen up on the subject of Assessment Centres:
http://www.diigo.com/user/uoccareers/assessment
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/interview_tips_assessment_centres.htm
Enjoy!
Thursday, 25 July 2013
Interview Infographic
Infographics have become a bit of a trend recently and are increasingly being used on careers websites. Here's an example of one I found on the subject of interviews. As it's a bit small to read properly here, you might want to take a look at the original on mint.com:
The basic principle is to convey a lot of information in very few words and the use of the various graphics makes the key messages stand out in a way that appeals to the imagination (right side of the brain, Tony Buzan, etc).
One obvious drawback is you have no means of checking the validity of the information provided. Who for example says that 26% of 'warm source' interviews come from company websites? How do we define a warm or cold source anyway?
Well suffice it to say that this is a pretty good introduction to the wonderful world of job interviews for candidates. The only comments I would add are:
- Length of ideal interview answer probably varies from person to person. Not everyone 'drones on' - a lot of people answer too briefly.
- A couple of feared questions that could have been added are: "Where do you see yourself in five years' time?" and "What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?"
It's also apparent that infographics are multiplying like rabbits. You can even use them to write your CV!
Tuesday, 16 July 2013
A Career Is Born!
Thanks to the efforts of the Beer Academy a new career has come over the horizon - that of a Beer Sommelier!
According to "Wetherspoon News", the Academy introduced its Beer Sommelier scheme in 2011 to help restaurateurs, publicans and bar staff develop on their expertise on many students' favourite subject on the lines of the more established wine sommelier. As well as advising on quality, a key part of the sommelier's role is to suggest how beverages can be paired with food items on the establishment's menu. So, for example in the case of beer, it seems Belgian raspberry beer works really well with chocolate pudding and a tangy IPA is the perfect compliment for a Stilton at dessert.
To become a beer sommelier, candidates have to pass the Beer Academy's Advanced Training Course as well as a course entitled "How To Judge Beer" plus an 'oral' (presumably verbal) examination and a blind tasting in which they have to identify different styles of beer. Examiners look not only for a high level of technical expertise but good communication skills to convey their enthusiasm about beer. A written portfolio, showing the candidate's skills in pairing beer and food in practice is also required.
Apparently, the Beer Academy has identified a gap in the market for beer connoisseurs, but it is not yet clear whether we can expect a flood of vacancies coming through on the University of Cumbria Job Shop
According to "Wetherspoon News", the Academy introduced its Beer Sommelier scheme in 2011 to help restaurateurs, publicans and bar staff develop on their expertise on many students' favourite subject on the lines of the more established wine sommelier. As well as advising on quality, a key part of the sommelier's role is to suggest how beverages can be paired with food items on the establishment's menu. So, for example in the case of beer, it seems Belgian raspberry beer works really well with chocolate pudding and a tangy IPA is the perfect compliment for a Stilton at dessert.
To become a beer sommelier, candidates have to pass the Beer Academy's Advanced Training Course as well as a course entitled "How To Judge Beer" plus an 'oral' (presumably verbal) examination and a blind tasting in which they have to identify different styles of beer. Examiners look not only for a high level of technical expertise but good communication skills to convey their enthusiasm about beer. A written portfolio, showing the candidate's skills in pairing beer and food in practice is also required.
Apparently, the Beer Academy has identified a gap in the market for beer connoisseurs, but it is not yet clear whether we can expect a flood of vacancies coming through on the University of Cumbria Job Shop
Thursday, 4 July 2013
NHS Trusts To Ringfence Posts For Local Graduates?
This may be good news for Health graduates who have so far not found jobs.
We have had sight of a recent email sent to North West NHS Trusts encouraging them to make the NHS Jobs Newly Qualified Profile Pool the 'first port of call' when undertaking major recruitment exercises.
In other words, it may give you a head start to register on the pool if you have not already done so.
According to a more detailed advisory document, employers can contact registered candidates to advise them of a particular advert that is about to be placed on the system or ask them for more information.
The Profile Pool system requires candidates to answer the following:
N.b. however that providing incorrect information will prevent the candidate from re-registering within the pool for a period of 12 weeks.
Also, candidates will still be expected to submit individual applications to specific vacancies.
We have had sight of a recent email sent to North West NHS Trusts encouraging them to make the NHS Jobs Newly Qualified Profile Pool the 'first port of call' when undertaking major recruitment exercises.
In other words, it may give you a head start to register on the pool if you have not already done so.
According to a more detailed advisory document, employers can contact registered candidates to advise them of a particular advert that is about to be placed on the system or ask them for more information.
The Profile Pool system requires candidates to answer the following:
- Have you received notification from the Exam Board that you have
qualified as a nurse, midwife, allied healthcare professional or as a
healthcare scientist? (Yes/No)
- Have you qualified from an English Higher Education Institution in the UK?
(Yes/No)
- When did you qualify? ( 2010, 2011, 2012, Other)
- Do you have the right, under UK immigration rules, to live and work in the
UK and without restriction? (Yes/No)
- Please select your profession? (from identified list but includes all nursing disciplines, midwifery, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, radiography)
- Please select your area of specialty? (from identified list)
- Please specify which Higher Education Institution you completed your professional qualification? (Lists those Higher Education Institutions that the SHA commissioned and funded)
N.b. however that providing incorrect information will prevent the candidate from re-registering within the pool for a period of 12 weeks.
Also, candidates will still be expected to submit individual applications to specific vacancies.
Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Adzuna and Milkround’s Graduate of the Year Competition 2013
Graduates! It’s back! And this time it
is bigger and better than ever before. Adzuna has teamed up with top graduate
website Milkround to bring you “Graduate of the Year 2013.” Together we are
offering you the chance to win a JOB, some CASH and a foot in the
door.
The rest is up to you!
1.
An
internship with a top UK company (including eBay, L’Oreal, Sony & Google)
2.
A cash
prize of £1000
3.
A CV clinic
with a top UK entrepreneur
4.
The
Illustrious Crown of “Graduate of the Year”
If you are a recent or soon-to-be graduate from a recognised UK university then we want to hear from you. We are looking for the brightest, sparkiest, gutsiest individual around. Whether you excel in arts, music, sports, academia, languages or are an outstanding student union member, leader, or social contributor, we want to hear about you and why you deserve to win.
To enter go to Graduate of the Year 2013 and tell us briefly why you think you are worthy of this magnificent prize. Deadline is 1st July 2013 and the overall winner will be announced at the Award Ceremony on the 1st August 2013.
Don’t believe us, check out the success
of last year’s winner Leo Anthias. Following his internship at Passion Capital, Leo has since gone on to found his own company,
Verse (making PowerPoint collaboration painless).
Remember
not everyone can be a winner but that doesn’t mean you can’t land your dream
job too. Check out our blog for great interview tips, stellar advice for graduates, thousands of graduate jobs, internships and more vacancies than you can shake a stick at.
Join the
chat on twitter: #graduateoftheyear
Monday, 10 June 2013
Best (or Should that be Worst?...) Lawyer Jokes
The Legal profession stands out as one which generates a lot of jokes at its own expense. But since the financial crisis of 2008, it has also stood out as one which has become increasingly tricky to enter. Potential lawyers face the multiple hazards of shrinking numbers of job opportunities, lengthy and expensive postgraduate training periods, unpaid internships, under-employment, gender discrimination* and the like.
My guess is that those prospective lawyers need a bit of cheering up, so what better excuse for providing a selection of favourite lawyer jokes, having separated the wheat from much chaff and cut down on the 'shaggy dog' elements:
Q: What is the difference between a solicitor and a barrister?
A: One's like a crocodile and the other's like an alligator.
Q: What's the difference between a dead fox on the road and a dead lawyer
A: There's skidmarks next to the fox.
Q: Why won't a shark eat a lawyer?
A: Professional respect.
Graveyard tombstone: Here lies a lawyer and an honest man.
Passer-by: It doesn't look big enough for two people
Client waiting to appear in court: How long do you think this business is going to last?
Lawyer: For me about two hours, for you about five years.
Lawyer: If you want my honest opinion...
Client: I don't want your honest opinion, I want your professional advice.
Q: Which side should a tired lawyer lie on?
A: The one with the most money.
Lawyer: Have you told me the whole truth about this incident?
Client: Of course! You can add the lies in later.
Q. How can you tell a lawyer is lying?
A. Other lawyers look interested.
Q: Do you have a criminal lawyer in this town?
A: Yes, all of them are.
"I hereby give, grant and convey to you all and singular my interest, right, title and claim of and in this orange, together with all its rind, skin, juice, pulp and pips, and all right and advantage therein with full power to bite, suck or otherwise eat or consume the said orange, or give away the said orange, with or without its rind, skin, juice, pulp or pips subject to any agreement subsequently introduced or drawn up to this agreement." (Lawyer offering an orange to a colleague)
God: I'm going to sue you for trespassing in heaven.
Devil: And where do you expect to get a lawyer from?
Lawyer (awaking from major surgery): Why are the curtains drawn?
Nurse: Well there's a fire across the road and we didn't want you to think you had died.
Hospital Visitor (to very ill lawyer): Why are you reading the bible?
Lawyer: I'm looking for loopholes.
Lawyer's wife: This room needs new wallpaper.
Lawyer: Don't worry, dear, I'm doing a divorce case at the moment. Once I've broken up their home, we can redecorate ours.
Butcher: Your dog came into my shop this morning and stole a turkey.
Lawyer: How much was the turkey worth?
Butcher: About £10.
Lawyer: Well, my fee for legal advice is £50, so just send me a cheque for £40 and we'll call it quits.
Irish Barrister: The offence was committed at half past twelve at night on the morning of the following day.
Icelandic Barrister: Where were you on the night of December 3rd to March 2nd?
Q: How many lawyer jokes are there?
A: Only three, the rest are all true.
Unless, of course, you know better. Please feel free to add a comment below with your favourite lawyer joke.
*see end of previous post on The Futuretrack Survey
My guess is that those prospective lawyers need a bit of cheering up, so what better excuse for providing a selection of favourite lawyer jokes, having separated the wheat from much chaff and cut down on the 'shaggy dog' elements:
Q: What is the difference between a solicitor and a barrister?
A: One's like a crocodile and the other's like an alligator.
Q: What's the difference between a dead fox on the road and a dead lawyer
A: There's skidmarks next to the fox.
Q: Why won't a shark eat a lawyer?
A: Professional respect.
Graveyard tombstone: Here lies a lawyer and an honest man.
Passer-by: It doesn't look big enough for two people
Client waiting to appear in court: How long do you think this business is going to last?
Lawyer: For me about two hours, for you about five years.
Lawyer: If you want my honest opinion...
Client: I don't want your honest opinion, I want your professional advice.
Q: Which side should a tired lawyer lie on?
A: The one with the most money.
Lawyer: Have you told me the whole truth about this incident?
Client: Of course! You can add the lies in later.
Q. How can you tell a lawyer is lying?
A. Other lawyers look interested.
Q: Do you have a criminal lawyer in this town?
A: Yes, all of them are.
"I hereby give, grant and convey to you all and singular my interest, right, title and claim of and in this orange, together with all its rind, skin, juice, pulp and pips, and all right and advantage therein with full power to bite, suck or otherwise eat or consume the said orange, or give away the said orange, with or without its rind, skin, juice, pulp or pips subject to any agreement subsequently introduced or drawn up to this agreement." (Lawyer offering an orange to a colleague)
God: I'm going to sue you for trespassing in heaven.
Devil: And where do you expect to get a lawyer from?
Lawyer (awaking from major surgery): Why are the curtains drawn?
Nurse: Well there's a fire across the road and we didn't want you to think you had died.
Hospital Visitor (to very ill lawyer): Why are you reading the bible?
Lawyer: I'm looking for loopholes.
Lawyer's wife: This room needs new wallpaper.
Lawyer: Don't worry, dear, I'm doing a divorce case at the moment. Once I've broken up their home, we can redecorate ours.
Butcher: Your dog came into my shop this morning and stole a turkey.
Lawyer: How much was the turkey worth?
Butcher: About £10.
Lawyer: Well, my fee for legal advice is £50, so just send me a cheque for £40 and we'll call it quits.
Irish Barrister: The offence was committed at half past twelve at night on the morning of the following day.
Icelandic Barrister: Where were you on the night of December 3rd to March 2nd?
Q: How many lawyer jokes are there?
A: Only three, the rest are all true.
Unless, of course, you know better. Please feel free to add a comment below with your favourite lawyer joke.
*see end of previous post on The Futuretrack Survey
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Working abroad: tips and insights
Working abroad is a popular idea. A recent survey by Tredence suggested that 22% of graduates expected to go abroad to find work, although some would argue that this is more of a reflection on UK employment prospects than a fully formed strategy.
Certainly international experience can be a great asset to your career as this global outlook is a characteristic many employers look for. Networking internationally is useful for sharing ideas and information and can pave the way to more advanced projects once back in the UK.
However there are barriers for UK graduates when seeking career success abroad. Some may not be as globally focussed as those from other countries, who may have already had international placements while at university. Perhaps the biggest obstacle is skills as most international positions require language proficiency as well as technical skills. Although America and Australia have always been popular locations, career mobility across Europe is now highly desirable for graduates and companies. This means that graduates who can speak a second or third language are in a particularly strong position.
Where are the opportunities?
There are worldwide skills gaps which present opportunities for those who can fill them. Countries such as India and China are hot markets with strong growth in GDP. Mexico and Brazil hav skills shortages, particularly in engineering, life sciences, finance and oil and gas. Singapore and Hong Kong are also attractive partly because it's relatively easy to hire from overseas but also because English in widely spoken.
The hardest to fill positions across the globe are generally in IT, engineering, sales, production and research and development, although this differs between countries so it is worth researching if you have a particular location in mind.
How do I get started?
Structured graduate schemes with multinationals are one way in to an international career. Many international companies have a base n the UK and advertise jobs to start in London. Look for companies where you can relocate after being taken on, rather then holding out for an international position straightaway.
You could also consider taking up international work and study placements such as the Erasmus programme which allows you to study in EU universities for set periods of time.
The Association of Graduate Recruiters carried out research with the Council for Industry and Higher Education to explore what businesses need from global graduates. The most prized skills were the ability to work collaboratively with people from diverse backgrounds and countries and excellent communication skills. Stress these, as well as your adaptability, flexibility, resilience and self-awareness in your applications.
If you need any further information or advice on the idea of working abroad contact the careers service on careers@cumbria.ac.uk
(Taken from an article by Clare Whitmell in Guardian Professional, May 2013)
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Career Ahead - University of Cumbria's Employability Award
Career Ahead is now coming to the end of its first year and it is with great pride that I have seen the accomplishments of our students developing their employability skills through an amazing array of activities. From bar jobs and shop work to volunteering with St. John's ambulance, student ambassador work and student mentoring while successfully continuing with their academic studies.
The Award has provided students who participate in extra-curricular activity the opportunity to pull all their experience together, providing evidence of attending workshops, coaching, voluntary and paid work to develop an e-portfolio which show-cases their skills to prospective employers.
The Award enables students to make the most of their university experience, to increase their employability skills and provide a method of evidencing their activities outside their university course. Consequently, students are not only developing their skills but also they are learning how to promote themselves through practical experiences such as paid/volunteer work, training, workshops and sports etc.
Elements of the Award consist of personal development - reflecting on what skills you have and what skills you need to develop further in order to get the job you want. Developing 4 key employability skills while taking part in 100+ hours of extra curricular activity throughout your time at university. Job searching, completing a job application form, developing a CV and attending a mock interview are all elements of the Award that develop skills helping students find their ideal job when they graduate.
We now have students that have completed the Award and it really is inspiring to see the dedication and effort that these students have put in to developing their e-portfolios. These students are the ones's that will be ready when they graduate to tackle the jobmarket, they will have all the skills that you need to get the jobs, they will stand out from the crowd because they put that extra bit of effort in while they were at university. I therefore want to applaud those students and congratulate them for completing the Award and hope that other students realise not only the importance of developing their employability skills but also realise their own potential to achieve their career goals and realise their dreams.
Well done and congratualtions!
For students interested in knowing more about career Ahead taking please email me, Libby, at careerahead@cumbria.ac.uk
The Award has provided students who participate in extra-curricular activity the opportunity to pull all their experience together, providing evidence of attending workshops, coaching, voluntary and paid work to develop an e-portfolio which show-cases their skills to prospective employers.
The Award enables students to make the most of their university experience, to increase their employability skills and provide a method of evidencing their activities outside their university course. Consequently, students are not only developing their skills but also they are learning how to promote themselves through practical experiences such as paid/volunteer work, training, workshops and sports etc.
Elements of the Award consist of personal development - reflecting on what skills you have and what skills you need to develop further in order to get the job you want. Developing 4 key employability skills while taking part in 100+ hours of extra curricular activity throughout your time at university. Job searching, completing a job application form, developing a CV and attending a mock interview are all elements of the Award that develop skills helping students find their ideal job when they graduate.
We now have students that have completed the Award and it really is inspiring to see the dedication and effort that these students have put in to developing their e-portfolios. These students are the ones's that will be ready when they graduate to tackle the jobmarket, they will have all the skills that you need to get the jobs, they will stand out from the crowd because they put that extra bit of effort in while they were at university. I therefore want to applaud those students and congratulate them for completing the Award and hope that other students realise not only the importance of developing their employability skills but also realise their own potential to achieve their career goals and realise their dreams.
Well done and congratualtions!
For students interested in knowing more about career Ahead taking please email me, Libby, at careerahead@cumbria.ac.uk
Application Howlers
The last few posts on graduate prospects, etc. seem so serious, perhaps it's time for something a little more light-hearted!
This was taken from a circulation that went round UK careers advisers a few years ago, but is still worth its weight in gold. It's a series of 'howlers' that candidates have, so we are led to believe, put on their job application forms:
"I am someone who knows my own destiny, but I have no definite long term plans."
"I was closely involved in every aspect of my former company, right up to its bankruptcy." (would-be Trainee Accountant)
"Excellent memory skills, good analytical skills, memory skills..."
On an application for a position requiring considerable people skills - "My hobbies include watching television, computer chess, philately (especially first day covers) and walking my 2 spaniels."
"I have a criminal record but I am not in jail at the moment."
"I have a desire to work with commuters."
"At secondary school I was a prefix."
"Hi, I want 2 get a job with U."
"I have a 100% attendance at work, except for the seven days I have taken off sick."
"Size of employer: about 5’ 10” "
"Here are my qualifications for you to overlook."
"Suspected to graduate early next year..."
"My health good, that of my parents not so good."
"Like one of your coffees, I am designed to be opened, savoured and enjoyed."
"Finished eighth in my class of ten."
"I enclose a tea-bag so you can enjoy a cuppa while perusing my form."
"I loathe filling in application forms so much that I'll give you details at the interview."
"If called to interview I would like to discuss the salary, pensions and sickness benefits."
"Place of birth - A London hospital."
"Being a Virgoan, my sense of assertiveness and resilience has prompted me to continue with my ambitions to be a solicitor in a major city law firm…I am also a seventh generation descendant of a Chinese princess and a Sulawesian warrior, which makes me…both an amiable and energetic person."
"I do not have any major achievements that I would consider to be of interest to this application."
"...dealing with fear and being able to follow orders under terrifying conditions." (from a student member of a sky diving club)
"I believe in helping other people and so I am a blood and organ donor."
"Up until a little while ago I used to compete in British-Eventing competitions on my horse, from which I got a real kick."
"Working on a farm has...improved my communication skills which are especially important when working with large livestock."
"My life-long love of chocolate biscuits, is the main reason for his interest in the company." (United Biscuits)
And the morale of this cautionary tale is of course: proof read your application carefully before you send it off!
If you have any other application howlers you would like to tell us about, please send them in to careers@cumbria.ac.uk (ref: UOC Careers Blog). All submissions that are decent and legal WILL be published. Look forward to hearing from you shorty...
Saturday, 18 May 2013
Can Things Only Get Better? The Futuretrack Survey
Following on from the broad brush but optimistic approach of the last couple of posts the Futuretrack survey reported in "Graduate Market Trends" offers some contrasting insights as it studies the development of a group of students who started University in 2006. In other words, most of them graduated at the time when graduate unemployment was at its highest (8.9%).
Unenployment and Under-Employment
Over 30% of those studied were still in what is classed as non-graduate level employment by the time of the latest survey in February 2012, although with considerable variations according to degree subject. Looking on the negative side men, those aged 21-25 on applying to University (interestingly) and those from ethnic minority groups were found to be at most risk of unemployment after graduation, whereas (unsurprisingly) graduates achieving First Class Honours were much less likely to be on the dole.
There are also clear suggestions that those students who got involved in extra curricular activities, and especially those who held roles as a student representative or official were more likely to be in 'graduate level' jobs by 2012. The interesting point here is that first generation graduates from poorer backgrounds are far less likely to have found the opportunity to take on this kind of function. The same group are also more likely to be put off considering postgraduate study, which the survey finds has become less popular following the introduction of tuition fees.
Job Satisfaction
One of the tables in the Stage 4 Futuretrack report provides an insight into the degree-related skills used by graduates in their current job. This is a subjective measure but suggests that the - by employers - much vaunted skills of spoken communication, teamwork and time management came out bottom, whereas the more academic sounding skills of research and critical evaluation made up the top two. It would be fascinating to compare this finding with the original adverts for the jobs these graduates were actually doing at the time!
As well as providing some of the highest levels of graduate employment, students of engineering technologies and subjects related to medicine also recorded the highest levels of job satisfaction in their current roles. bottom of the pile were architecture, building and planning with creative arts and design - so perhaps it's only two cheers for hopes of creative satisfaction in the longer term.
Gender
It's also only two cheers for gender equality as research into the respective earnings of men and women show that they remain strikingly uneven, in that women were much more strongly represented than men in the £15 - £24,000 range. Men were far more likely to be earning more, even though there was no substantial gender difference in the UCAS points held by those surveyed.
Almost 40 years after the introduction of the Sex Discrimination Act, there were only two silver linings for women in the research:
But Are Things Getting Better?..
The work of Futuretrack shows some aspects of individual choice (degree subject, extra-curricular activity) that can affect future job prospects but you cannot unfortunately choose the year you graduate.
Since 2009, prospects for graduates have been getting better and more recently Careers Advisers are noticing an increasing number of vacancies, for example coming in to the University of Cumbria Jobshop
Even the public sector is starting to recover, with evidence of increasing numbers of vacancies for newly-qualified teachers and something of a shortage of qualified nurses.
Unenployment and Under-Employment
Over 30% of those studied were still in what is classed as non-graduate level employment by the time of the latest survey in February 2012, although with considerable variations according to degree subject. Looking on the negative side men, those aged 21-25 on applying to University (interestingly) and those from ethnic minority groups were found to be at most risk of unemployment after graduation, whereas (unsurprisingly) graduates achieving First Class Honours were much less likely to be on the dole.
There are also clear suggestions that those students who got involved in extra curricular activities, and especially those who held roles as a student representative or official were more likely to be in 'graduate level' jobs by 2012. The interesting point here is that first generation graduates from poorer backgrounds are far less likely to have found the opportunity to take on this kind of function. The same group are also more likely to be put off considering postgraduate study, which the survey finds has become less popular following the introduction of tuition fees.
Job Satisfaction
One of the tables in the Stage 4 Futuretrack report provides an insight into the degree-related skills used by graduates in their current job. This is a subjective measure but suggests that the - by employers - much vaunted skills of spoken communication, teamwork and time management came out bottom, whereas the more academic sounding skills of research and critical evaluation made up the top two. It would be fascinating to compare this finding with the original adverts for the jobs these graduates were actually doing at the time!
As well as providing some of the highest levels of graduate employment, students of engineering technologies and subjects related to medicine also recorded the highest levels of job satisfaction in their current roles. bottom of the pile were architecture, building and planning with creative arts and design - so perhaps it's only two cheers for hopes of creative satisfaction in the longer term.
 |
| From Futuretrack Stage 4 Report p. 92 |
It's also only two cheers for gender equality as research into the respective earnings of men and women show that they remain strikingly uneven, in that women were much more strongly represented than men in the £15 - £24,000 range. Men were far more likely to be earning more, even though there was no substantial gender difference in the UCAS points held by those surveyed.
Almost 40 years after the introduction of the Sex Discrimination Act, there were only two silver linings for women in the research:
- In the not-for-profit sector alone, reported salary levels were roughly equal with those earned by men.
- The minority of women who were earning salaries of £40,000 plus actually recorded higher levels of job satisfaction than their male counterparts.
But the researchers reserved their most forthright comments on the subject for the Law sector: "Compared with the Education sector, female law graduates seeking a professional career should be aware that the profession remains some forty years behind the times with respect to the elimination of gendered career paths."
Strong words indeed!
But Are Things Getting Better?..
The work of Futuretrack shows some aspects of individual choice (degree subject, extra-curricular activity) that can affect future job prospects but you cannot unfortunately choose the year you graduate.
Since 2009, prospects for graduates have been getting better and more recently Careers Advisers are noticing an increasing number of vacancies, for example coming in to the University of Cumbria Jobshop
Even the public sector is starting to recover, with evidence of increasing numbers of vacancies for newly-qualified teachers and something of a shortage of qualified nurses.
Friday, 3 May 2013
More Jobs for Graduates!
A recent Skills and Employment Survey by researchers at the Institute of Education shows that graduate jobs are at a record high and unskilled jobs at a record low. The full results will be launched on 20 May and last week the BBC published the first report on this change in the UK labour market.
According to the report, more than a quarter of jobs are now available solely to graduates – this seems to indicate that many more employers in the UK are recognising the skills and qualities a Higher Education degree gives people the chance to develop.
The change is indicative of a shift in the country’s economy towards a more skills based economy and a move away from unskilled jobs. This is a major shift from the situation for example in the 1980s where only one in 10 jobs required a degree level qualification.
This change doesn’t only affect full time jobs, in fact part time workers have seen the proportion of jobs available to unqualified workers fall by more than half since the mid-1980s
The report also shows that the number of people who are ‘under-employed’ i.e. graduates in non-graduate level jobs is falling year on year, meaning that more people with degree who find employment are likely to find it at the right level.
What this report does not address is those who do not find employment in the first place. It only looks at those graduates who are in a job at the moment.
Overall this is good news for graduates, it means less chance of under-employment, it means employers understand the value of a degree better, it means that there is a growing availability in jobs for graduates, and it means that your degree put you in a great position for jobs that come up. What is doesn’t mean is that there are more jobs out there. It shows a positive development for the future of the UK economy, but competition is still fierce, therefore it’s very important to think about your skills from an employer’s perspective, what is it about you that makes you a good graduate? How have you made the most of your University experience? How can you demonstrate the skills that you have developed and how they transfer to this particular post?
Those are just a few of the question to ask yourself when starting an application process, and don’t forget if you need any help with applications, interviews, CV writing and making the most of developing your Employability during your degree, contact the Careers Team on careers@cumbria.ac.uk with your questions and we’ll be happy to help!
Tuesday, 23 April 2013
Are These The Jobs of The Future?
In other words, it is a good guide to job areas in which UK citizens as well as immigrants to the country may themselves find opportunities in the future and may repay some further study. Of course some of the
jobs are very high level occupations that would not be immediately within the grasp of the average graduate - but we would hope that least some of those who have sought careers advice at the University of Cumbria will harbour longer-term ambitions.
It might come as little surprise that many of the items on the list contain the word engineering at some point and some of the key disciplines that get several mentions are:
- nuclear decommissioning and waste management (so good news here for the sons and daughters of West Cumbria)
- electricity distribution and transmission
- tunnelling and landfill
- 'all chemical engineers'
- aerospace manufacture
- oil and gas
The continuing need for oil and gas extraction also accounts for a further sub-family of anticipated shortage applications incuding geologists, hydrogeologists, geochemists, geophysicists and pipe welders as well as a wide number of engineering technical specialisms.
If you've spotted that you can't study many of these areas at the University of Cumbria, there is better news coming. The shortage recommendation list includes a number of occupations relating to 2D/3D computer animation for film, televison and video games, including artists, modellers and production specialists as well as dancers and musicians.
Health occupations are also well represented, notably:
- hospital doctors in haeomotology, emergency medicine, paediatrics, old age psychiatry, anaesthetics, intensive care, internal medicine and accident and emergency
- diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers
- operating theatre nurses
- social workers in children's and family services (interestingly in the light of current vacancy shortages locally)
- nuclear medicine and radiotherapy phycisists
Lastly, secondary teachers of biology, chemistry and physics as well as chefs also receive a mention.
Currently the shortage occupation list is reviewed every two years - the so-called sunset clause.
Currently the shortage occupation list is reviewed every two years - the so-called sunset clause.
Tuesday, 9 April 2013
Working Towards Management?
This week we are very pleased to feature a guest post written by Sean McPheat, MD of management training and leadership development specialists MTD Training. Sean has been featured on the BBC, ITV, CNN International and many more, and has over 250 media credits to his name:
Start Securing the Skills Now!
Sidling Sociality
The first thing to know about any management role is that it’s a social one. Your ability to succeed will hinge directly on your people skills, your ability to converse and drum up a dialogue, your aptitude when it comes to building relationships and reaching out to people. As a manager, your team is everything, and forging and maintaining strong bridges to them as individuals will be the difference that makes you successful out in the field. Relationships are incomparably important and knowing how they work is one of the most prominent skills you’ll need!
Confidence Balance
Believing in your own ability is something you won’t get far in life without, and that’s a general rule across the board. Having the confidence to trust your instincts and your decisions is a difficult thing to learn, but knowing where the balance lies is even trickier. In a management role, your confidence should never be overbearing; it can be authoritative and final, however it’s all too easy to let this become too domineering, so much so that you could cause dissent and disengagement amongst your team. Learn how to find the right balance between being a strong decision-maker and being overconfident. When you work in teams, think about how the project is being managed, what people tend to work with and what they work against.
Critical Thinking
Of course, you can’t have the confidence to be a strong decision-maker without the ability to think critically. You currently find yourself in situations everyday wherein you must be reflective, responsive, analytical and methodical in your approach, even if you don’t realize it. If you start observing and analysing these situations, you’ll be one step ahead and better prepared to step right into the role you’ll aim for as a graduate. University is, essentially, one of the best environments for developing critical thinking, so long as you pay attention to your circumstances.
Emotional Control
Emotions can delve deeply into the equilibrium of a social situation, and one thing a manager must be able to do, is know when to exercise control. Whilst this sounds like becoming a cold and calculated management machine, it’s simply more of a case of analysing situational congruence and knowing whether particular emotions you may be experiencing will be appropriate. You’ll need all your emotions to build relationships with your people, but knowing how and when to keep them under control is the key. Again, you likely already do this on a daily basis, you just don’t realize it. Think about when you decide to keep certain emotions hidden, and how that skill might be applicable in a professional environment.
Consider how you function socially and cognitively every day, things you do without even thinking; you’ll quickly find there’s plenty of opportunity to learn all you need to know to be successful right where you are!
Friday, 5 April 2013
Hello Diigo - Goodbye Delicious!
After reviewing for some while the development of delicious.com since it was sold on by Yahoo, the University of Cumbria Careers Service has decided to use diigo.com as its main website for useful links. Our links will be stored at the specific url http://www.diigo.com/user/uoccareers. Here's a quick screenshot to show roughly what it looked like earlier today:
Hold On - What's All This About?
If you're not familiar with the likes of diigo and delicious, they are both social bookmarking sites. Anyone can sign up for an account and use it to save web references that interest them - although in the case of diigo, you can do much more, e.g, annotate or highlight text within the referenced webpages. A bit like Google bookmarks, they have the advantage that, unlike IE favourites or similar, you can view them from any computer. An extra advantage over Google bookmarks is that anyone else can view them too, if you have allowed public access to your bookmarks.
Because of the vast explosion of careers and job information on the internet, many University Careers Services make use of them to reference the vast amount of online information likely to be relevant to their clients. For example, the University of Cumbria currently has 2055 web pages bookmarked on diigo - far too many to even consider putting on a "Useful Links" section of a website. Most services use delicious or diigo but there are others, and the University of London have their own dedicated bookmarking site, Careers Tagged
The key trick is that the use of tags means that it is possible to pick out links according to a key theme or area of interest, rather than browsing all of our links to find if there's anything useful to you. So you get exactly those weblinks that are relevant to your needs - more or less. You can see the precise tags below each web reference in the screenshot.
OK, So How Do I Use This Stuff?
If you visit http://www.diigo.com/user/uoccareers you can pick out the tags that will interest you and search on them in the box at the top (next to Careers Adviser's Public Library). Or simply type the first few letters of a word you want to search on and diigo will bring up all the possibilities in a dropdown box. Alternatively just click on any tag beneath a weblink or in the "Top Tags" list and diigo will bring up all the bookmarks bearing that tag.
Then click on the link to bring it up in your browser, or use the 'preview' facility to get a taste of what's on that page. If you have too many links using one tag, you can narrow things down by selecting another.
You can also retrieve links by modifying the main link to the uoccareers section of diigo in a url web address. So http://www.diigo.com/user/uoccareers/cv will bring up all the links tagged 'CV' and http://www.diigo.com/user/uoccareers/internship will bring up all the stuff on internships, etc.
Useful isn't it?
Sites like diigo offer you a vast amount of information at your fingertips and weed out a lot of the chaff you would get by just googling the themes you want. It's surprising then that most students report that they have not heard of this sort of site, let alone used them, or set up their own accounts. All we can say is - give it a try!
University of Cumbria students can find a more detailed guide about using diigo on the Jobs&Careers tab on Blackboard (see 'Plan Your Career' section). If you should find any dead links on http://www.diigo.com/user/uoccareers - or if you would like to suggest some new ones - please feel free to contact us on careers@cumbria.ac.uk
Hold On - What's All This About?
If you're not familiar with the likes of diigo and delicious, they are both social bookmarking sites. Anyone can sign up for an account and use it to save web references that interest them - although in the case of diigo, you can do much more, e.g, annotate or highlight text within the referenced webpages. A bit like Google bookmarks, they have the advantage that, unlike IE favourites or similar, you can view them from any computer. An extra advantage over Google bookmarks is that anyone else can view them too, if you have allowed public access to your bookmarks.
Because of the vast explosion of careers and job information on the internet, many University Careers Services make use of them to reference the vast amount of online information likely to be relevant to their clients. For example, the University of Cumbria currently has 2055 web pages bookmarked on diigo - far too many to even consider putting on a "Useful Links" section of a website. Most services use delicious or diigo but there are others, and the University of London have their own dedicated bookmarking site, Careers Tagged
The key trick is that the use of tags means that it is possible to pick out links according to a key theme or area of interest, rather than browsing all of our links to find if there's anything useful to you. So you get exactly those weblinks that are relevant to your needs - more or less. You can see the precise tags below each web reference in the screenshot.
OK, So How Do I Use This Stuff?
If you visit http://www.diigo.com/user/uoccareers you can pick out the tags that will interest you and search on them in the box at the top (next to Careers Adviser's Public Library). Or simply type the first few letters of a word you want to search on and diigo will bring up all the possibilities in a dropdown box. Alternatively just click on any tag beneath a weblink or in the "Top Tags" list and diigo will bring up all the bookmarks bearing that tag.
Then click on the link to bring it up in your browser, or use the 'preview' facility to get a taste of what's on that page. If you have too many links using one tag, you can narrow things down by selecting another.
You can also retrieve links by modifying the main link to the uoccareers section of diigo in a url web address. So http://www.diigo.com/user/uoccareers/cv will bring up all the links tagged 'CV' and http://www.diigo.com/user/uoccareers/internship will bring up all the stuff on internships, etc.
Useful isn't it?
Sites like diigo offer you a vast amount of information at your fingertips and weed out a lot of the chaff you would get by just googling the themes you want. It's surprising then that most students report that they have not heard of this sort of site, let alone used them, or set up their own accounts. All we can say is - give it a try!
University of Cumbria students can find a more detailed guide about using diigo on the Jobs&Careers tab on Blackboard (see 'Plan Your Career' section). If you should find any dead links on http://www.diigo.com/user/uoccareers - or if you would like to suggest some new ones - please feel free to contact us on careers@cumbria.ac.uk
Thursday, 28 March 2013
Controlling Your Interview Nerves... Before you Even Get There
I read a blog post the other day that claimed the worst thing you can do in a job interview is accept a glass of water, and then be unable to hold it steady because you are so nervous.
That's a bit rough though, isn't it? It's probably nerves that gives you a dry throat in the first place. It got me thinking about how it's almost impossible to control your behaviour once you're actually in the interview and that the only way forward is take control of things before you end up in the hot seat. I suppose this makes it my duty to reveal an Easter Bunny from the hat to show how it can be achieved. So here goes:
The first thing to realise is that nerves are basically a physical reaction, so that the key to controlling you nerves is controlling your non-verbal behaviour. There are a few ways in which you can do this.
1) Use Positive Thinking Techniques
To suffer from interview nerves is natural but some people undermine themselves so diligently that they basically do not believe they are good enough to do the job. Either they have a deepseated inferiority complex or they suffer from impostor syndrome
If you think you may fall into this sort of category, consider using techniques such as affirmation (e.g. "I am an excellent, talented... and I'm going to get the job") and visualisation (e.g visualising yourself being offered the job.)
If this theme interests you, there is a whole school of American-inspired literature on the subject of positive thinking. A word of warning here is that some of the writings from across the ocean have a "Get Rich Quick" or bible-bashing feel to them. But the works of many authors, for example Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy or Stephen Covey are generally more palatable to a UK audience.
Positive thinking techniques definitely work - but you can't expect them to start working the night before an interview. They need time and repetition.
2) Think Of Something Pleasant...
This simple solution was suggested by a girl I used to work with. In the last five minutes before her interview was called, she would simple imagine herself as a child sitting on a tree swing, gently rocking to and fro. For her, it was an image of great inner harmony, so that she inevitably felt inwardly relaxed and happy. So her non-verbal behaviour would be correspondingly relaxed and happy when she was finally invited to go in. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that first interview impressions can be vital...
Now I can imagine that there are many, many pleasant things that you could find to think of while you wait to be called for an interview and students' suggestions have occasionally been imaginative. Take your pick!
3) Relaxation and Breathing
Bearing in mind that the origin of nerves is the body, exercises that concentrate on the body like breathing and relaxation exercises as per this NHS guide can with some adaptation also be used to help you calm down immediately before an interview.
On relaxation, I particularly like the Gestalt concept of gradually just noticing each part of your body from the feet up (or head down). Sometimes just being aware of tension in say your stomach or neck can be enough to resolve it, and this is something you can readily do without anyone else noticing.
4) Just Smile
One of the first things that happens when people become nervous is that they forget to smile. If you notice that this has happened, try laughing at yourself and you will be smiling!
This is really a behaviourist idea and is based on the theory that if you do the behaviour, the feeling and thinking will fall in line.
The fact that this one doesn't totally ring with me reminds me to mention a couple of extra things:
That's a bit rough though, isn't it? It's probably nerves that gives you a dry throat in the first place. It got me thinking about how it's almost impossible to control your behaviour once you're actually in the interview and that the only way forward is take control of things before you end up in the hot seat. I suppose this makes it my duty to reveal an Easter Bunny from the hat to show how it can be achieved. So here goes:
The first thing to realise is that nerves are basically a physical reaction, so that the key to controlling you nerves is controlling your non-verbal behaviour. There are a few ways in which you can do this.
1) Use Positive Thinking Techniques
To suffer from interview nerves is natural but some people undermine themselves so diligently that they basically do not believe they are good enough to do the job. Either they have a deepseated inferiority complex or they suffer from impostor syndrome
If you think you may fall into this sort of category, consider using techniques such as affirmation (e.g. "I am an excellent, talented... and I'm going to get the job") and visualisation (e.g visualising yourself being offered the job.)
If this theme interests you, there is a whole school of American-inspired literature on the subject of positive thinking. A word of warning here is that some of the writings from across the ocean have a "Get Rich Quick" or bible-bashing feel to them. But the works of many authors, for example Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy or Stephen Covey are generally more palatable to a UK audience.
Positive thinking techniques definitely work - but you can't expect them to start working the night before an interview. They need time and repetition.
2) Think Of Something Pleasant...
This simple solution was suggested by a girl I used to work with. In the last five minutes before her interview was called, she would simple imagine herself as a child sitting on a tree swing, gently rocking to and fro. For her, it was an image of great inner harmony, so that she inevitably felt inwardly relaxed and happy. So her non-verbal behaviour would be correspondingly relaxed and happy when she was finally invited to go in. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that first interview impressions can be vital...
Now I can imagine that there are many, many pleasant things that you could find to think of while you wait to be called for an interview and students' suggestions have occasionally been imaginative. Take your pick!
3) Relaxation and Breathing
Bearing in mind that the origin of nerves is the body, exercises that concentrate on the body like breathing and relaxation exercises as per this NHS guide can with some adaptation also be used to help you calm down immediately before an interview.
On relaxation, I particularly like the Gestalt concept of gradually just noticing each part of your body from the feet up (or head down). Sometimes just being aware of tension in say your stomach or neck can be enough to resolve it, and this is something you can readily do without anyone else noticing.
4) Just Smile
One of the first things that happens when people become nervous is that they forget to smile. If you notice that this has happened, try laughing at yourself and you will be smiling!
This is really a behaviourist idea and is based on the theory that if you do the behaviour, the feeling and thinking will fall in line.
The fact that this one doesn't totally ring with me reminds me to mention a couple of extra things:
- The above is a 'horses for courses' list. Not all the techniques are for everyone, so pick the ones that suit you.
- If you have a major hang-up about job interviews that has resulted from very negative experiences, it might be worth requesting help from a Careers Adviser to get some practice in a non-threatening environment. If you are a University of Cumbria student or recent graduate, you can do so by contacting us via careers@cumbria.ac.uk
Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Unpaid Internships: Are they Fair?
The following details were extracted from a Graduate Recruiter magazine article: "Unpaid, Unfair, Unwise" by Danielle Grufferty.
Unpaid internships are increasing and an NUS YouGov poll (Nov 2012) found that unpaid internships are widely seen as an important route into the key professions including media, fashion, finance and politics.
The current cost for a university student is many tens of thousands. This means students are paying for their education before being asked to work for free, but only if they can afford to do so. Confused? Please can somebody illuminate some reason here, any justification? Are we not missing the very purpose of labour laws? Is the fundamental principle not to protect employees?
Our economy is floundering. So when an employer says they will 'let' young people work for free on the vague promise of paying jobs later, they will find desperate people to do it. But just because people are willing to do it, can we really just let the market take over and let it happen?
Alan Milburn's report as the Government's Social Mobility Tsar on Access to Professional Careers argues ''unpaid internships clearly disadvantage those from less affluent backgrounds who cannot afford to work for free for any length of time'' he goes on to say [internships] ''should be subject to similar rules to other parts of the labour market. That means introducing proper, transparent, and a fair process for selection and reasonable terms for employment including renumeration for internships'.
The TUC launched their smartphone app, which allows individuals to work out whether their internship is legal or not, and whether it is of a decent quality - and even provides a calculator by which those who have undertaken unpaid internships can determine how much they should have been paid, and contact HMRC to raise this violation of minimum wage legislation!
TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady says 'Whether they are unscrupulous or genuinely unaware of the rules, too many employers are ripping off young people by employing them in unpaid internships that are not only unfair but, in most cases, probably illegal...... it is vital that we crackdown on those internships that offer little but hard graft for no reward. Employers need to know there is no such thing as free labour.''
Unpaid internships are increasing and an NUS YouGov poll (Nov 2012) found that unpaid internships are widely seen as an important route into the key professions including media, fashion, finance and politics.
The current cost for a university student is many tens of thousands. This means students are paying for their education before being asked to work for free, but only if they can afford to do so. Confused? Please can somebody illuminate some reason here, any justification? Are we not missing the very purpose of labour laws? Is the fundamental principle not to protect employees?
Our economy is floundering. So when an employer says they will 'let' young people work for free on the vague promise of paying jobs later, they will find desperate people to do it. But just because people are willing to do it, can we really just let the market take over and let it happen?
Alan Milburn's report as the Government's Social Mobility Tsar on Access to Professional Careers argues ''unpaid internships clearly disadvantage those from less affluent backgrounds who cannot afford to work for free for any length of time'' he goes on to say [internships] ''should be subject to similar rules to other parts of the labour market. That means introducing proper, transparent, and a fair process for selection and reasonable terms for employment including renumeration for internships'.
The TUC launched their smartphone app, which allows individuals to work out whether their internship is legal or not, and whether it is of a decent quality - and even provides a calculator by which those who have undertaken unpaid internships can determine how much they should have been paid, and contact HMRC to raise this violation of minimum wage legislation!
TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady says 'Whether they are unscrupulous or genuinely unaware of the rules, too many employers are ripping off young people by employing them in unpaid internships that are not only unfair but, in most cases, probably illegal...... it is vital that we crackdown on those internships that offer little but hard graft for no reward. Employers need to know there is no such thing as free labour.''
Thursday, 14 March 2013
Do degree scores relate directly to future earnings?
The Big Survey (of over 400 graduates) carried out by Gradcore has confirmed that this is not the case. Therefore if graduates are selected based on degree score as a measure of their overall work performance/potential, talent will remain unidentified. This view is further highlighted by the recent Target Jobs Breakfast where Simon Howard from Work Group suggested that "using the 2:1 as a recruitment filter can be bias against very good candidates on the basis of gender, ethnicity or even subject of study" Also, is a 2:1 from one University the same as a 2:1 from another?
In the light of this there is a need for other measures of graduate employability to be available to graduate recruiters. Two evolving offers are the HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Award) and Skills Awards.
The HEAR has a wide range of potential benefits but it is unclear how easily it will integrate into and add value to graduate selection processes. The "Skills Award" or "Graduate Award" has been instigated by Universities as a means of pulling together information on work experience, volunteering and extra-curricular activity into a certificate or accreditation. Again, the challenge of consistency could mean that it is hard for recruiters to know if an award from one University is the same as an award from another.
The route through this challenge lies in the strengthening of relationships between graduate employers and Universities. Then, by working together, awards/accreditations can be co-created and, as a result, a better understanding of the specific qualities of graduates from certain courses/Universities can be developed as well as the continued analysis by graduate recruiters of what makes a successful hire in their organisations. If this happens, could a 2:1 finally become a smaller part of the overall picture?
In the light of this there is a need for other measures of graduate employability to be available to graduate recruiters. Two evolving offers are the HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Award) and Skills Awards.
The HEAR has a wide range of potential benefits but it is unclear how easily it will integrate into and add value to graduate selection processes. The "Skills Award" or "Graduate Award" has been instigated by Universities as a means of pulling together information on work experience, volunteering and extra-curricular activity into a certificate or accreditation. Again, the challenge of consistency could mean that it is hard for recruiters to know if an award from one University is the same as an award from another.
The route through this challenge lies in the strengthening of relationships between graduate employers and Universities. Then, by working together, awards/accreditations can be co-created and, as a result, a better understanding of the specific qualities of graduates from certain courses/Universities can be developed as well as the continued analysis by graduate recruiters of what makes a successful hire in their organisations. If this happens, could a 2:1 finally become a smaller part of the overall picture?
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