Chris Messenger

Employability Advisor

Brief overview of the Employability Service

LSBU Alumni Mentoring Scheme

Work Placement Overview

Creative CVs

Ground Floor, Student Centre

Opening hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday

Drop-in service all day

Services that we provide in the Job Shop:

Take away Careers Resources

CV and application advice

Mock Interviews

Careers Advice

Access to Job Shop Online, our specially made digital job board

(Part-time, Placements and Graduate roles)

1st Floor, Student Centre (T232)

Services that we provide in the Career Gym:

Career focused workshops

Skill development training

Employer presentations

Further information on our services and workshops

Employability Service

Is LSBU’s first online Mentoring Scheme, connecting mentors to students.

Provides an opportunity to gain employability advice from industry professionals.

Offers real-life insight into today’s working world.

http://www.mentormatch.me/lsbu/

Who are the mentors? Former LSBU Graduates who are now industry professionals, have signed

up to support you with career direction, support and guidance.

How will you benefit from the scheme? As a mentee, you will receive first-hand knowledge, employment advice and

encouragement from someone who has valuable industry experience, for 6 months.

http://www.mentormatch.me/lsbu/

Receive employability support for 6 months.

http://www.mentormatch.me/lsbu/

Attend one of our Mentee Training Sessions

1. Training

2.Set up an account

3. Choose your mentor and send a proposal

To book a place contact:

Rudaba Osmani: osmanir@lsbu.ac.uk

Feb 18th 2-3pm

Feb 19th 2-3pm

Feb 24th 10-11am

Feb 26th 2-3pm

https://my.lsbu.ac.uk/page/skills-zone

Gives you hands on experience in industry- a chance to practice your skills in a real life setting

Complements your degree work

You will gain valuable professional social skills & build your commercial acumen

Enhances your CV in preparation for your future career and the graduate job market

Enhances your portfolio

Builds your network of useful contacts

Help with your career planning- What do you enjoy doing? What do you not enjoy?

STEP 1 – Call into the Job Shop and register with the Employability Service to discuss your interests and get your CV approved & add in a link to your portfolio

STEP 2 – Search:

Reactive (mail outs from the Employability team and vacancies added to the Blog)

Proactive (identify companies you want to approach speculatively)

STEP 3- Use the Employability service to:

-Review draft applications

-Provide Support for Mock Interviews

-Provide Support when you find a placement

Your placement or placements must equate to a minimum of 70 hours activity (usually 1 day per week over 10 weeks)

You must notify the Employability Service when you find a placement and before you start work

The Employability Service must contact your employer to check details before you start work

Targeted CV and covering letter (demonstrate an understanding of the business)

Identify appropriate skills (with evidence) match to the job/ USPs

Strong portfolio linked to your CV

Use the employability service

Use your contacts

Will be added to the Blog

These include: Invisible Dust

Oxford House

The Tree Council

More will be added shortly

……tell us!

Placement confirmation form

Employability Service will contact the employer to complete additional paperwork.

You will need to complete a 5 week and 10 week reflection report which can be downloaded from https://my.lsbu.ac.uk/page/jobshop-placements

We will also require a poster at the end of your placement.

Q: what is the purpose of a CV?

A: to get an interview

CV is a marketing document

CVs don’t just inform, they persuade

One size does not fit all – you should be looking to tweak your CV for different job applications

You are an employer who has received over 100 CVs and covering letters for a job - You have to reduce these to a manageable shortlist for interview What are the mistakes applicants might make on their CVs or covering letters, that would stop you from inviting them to interview

Spelling grammar and usage mistakes

Incorrect Contact Details

Wrong chronological order

Unprofessional email address /other unprofessional/ informal use of language

Poor formatting or overly complicated formatting on CV

All soft skills, no tangible skills on the CV

Too much body text- too wordy

Layout is important – first impressions count

Length? Templates? Bullet points / paragraphs? Headings / use of bold to guide the

reader Font Line spacing Help with formatting+ Word Training:

https://my.lsbu.ac.uk/page/it-training

Personal details

Career Objective / Personal Profile

Education and Qualifications

Skills Profile

Work Experience

Interests

References

Name and address

Full contact details

Use a sensible email!

Check your voicemail message

Link to your online portfolio

Common on CVs – helps to explain context

States your purpose and gives a useful summary

Can be a hook/ sales pitch

Tips: Keep it short and relevant – it is a marketing statement not your covering letter

What are you doing now, what do you want to do & why?

Always list your degree course with key modules

Go back as far as secondary education Tips: Reverse chronology - recent

qualifications matter more Mention any relevant modules, projects /

dissertation (may be a USP) Summarise GCSEs Overseas qualifications

Made up of Tangible and transferable skills

Evidence is essential for transferable skills

Tailor this section to the skills the employer is looking for

Communication (verbal and written)

Commercial awareness

Teamwork

Leadership

Decision making

Analytical / problem solving

You need to provide evidence!

Typically Include:

Technical Skills relating to a particular occupational area or industry (e.g. photo editing)

Non-technical skills relating to a particular occupational area

Languages

IT Skills

Professional qualifications / memberships

Don’t dismiss or downplay what you’ve done already – all work experience counts

Think what you did / think what you gained / developed

What you did is the context / what you gained are the transferable skills

Make it achievement oriented rather than just factual

Sub-divide if necessary (e.g. Related Experience, Other Work Experience)

Gives employer a more rounded view of you

Don’t understate - may evidence key skills and attributes

Positions of Responsibility in Student societies or other extra curricular activities

Emphasise the active (sports, voluntary work) over the passive (reading, cinema)

Keep it balanced

On request or contact details?

Who is an appropriate referee?

In small groups look at the CV example and see if you can see what’s wrong with it.

Format for CVs change depending on many things including the industry.

Some industries (for example Banking and Finance) require very plain CVs.

Creative industries such as photography would expect a bit more creativity in CVs

Creative CVs should:

◦ Grab Attention

◦ Showcase your individual work

◦ Talk to other creatives

◦ Get the employer interested in you and who you are

Split into small groups and look at the CV example

Try to come up with a few ideas on how the CV could be made more creative.

Ideas for improvement

Background colour

Text Colour

Borders

Use of images (portfolio taster)

Use of columns

Word Art

Just make sure it is clear!

References

Creative CV guide / Jan Cole & David Whistance

2 copies in the Perry Library, 2 on order

1 reference copy in the Job Shop