student careers guide

Student Careers Guide

Healthcare career options 2

Application Process Skills 10

Interviews 14

Harriet Ellis Student Careers Guide

Contents


“Starting a new career is tough,

but I am so much happier now – all

that hard work was definitely

worth it!”

Healthcare Career Options

2.


“I’ve been a

dental nurse for

15 years already,

there is great

career stability

and I like that it

fits in with my

family.”


Dental NursingDental Nursing is one of those really important professions that can be really rewarding.

You work with a really close team and it is great for those who like to keep busy and meet new people, as you are working with the public all day.

Your job is to assist the dentist – as they only have one pair of hands. You can be doing anything from keeping records, sterilising equipment and ensuring stock levels are kept up; to giving advice to patients, mixing materials and processing radiographs.

It’s a busy day, with plenty of development options once you have qualified. There are no entry requirements to training so you can work your way up.


Nursing There are so many different types of nursing, that it is almost difficult to know where to start. It is one of those careers that is really diverse, you could be working in a hospital or in a local GP surgery.

Nursing is a really compassionate profession. You need to have a lot of patience and be quite resilient. If you do then you can reap the rewards of this really rewarding profession.

There are often shortages in nursing, this means that there is really good career security.

You can progress to specialise in the following areas and more:• Child Nursing• Mental Health Nursing• Midwifery• Practice Nursing


“I was so scared with my first patient, I can still remember them. But now, I can handle

any situation. My family always tell me how proud they are.”


“I learn something new and face new

challenges every day. I wouldn’t

change a thing!”


MidwiferyMidwifery is a career where you can really build relationships with your patients. Midwives look after women through all stages of labour, delivery and early postnatal stages.

Known as one of the oldest nursing professions, many Midwives describe their role as “privileged”. It can be a really rewarding career.

There are a range of development routes as a Midwife; including health visiting, research and teaching. No two days or two careers are the same and it is really something which you can make your own.

You can study midwifery as an undergraduate, or you can take a post graduate course if you are a qualified nurse.


Further Study Routes Becoming qualified is only the first step in the journey through the reset of your career. There a number of post –registration qualifications which you can do which will enable you to specialise.

All careers require you to maintain a set level of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Some courses are short course, others give you an extra qualification to use in your current role and others can involve full time study to take you on to that next level.

Some courses you can do include:

• Dental Radiography• Oral Health Education • L3 Award in Education and Training• Treatment Co-ordination• Management• Extended Duties


“If you had told me that I would be teaching others

and running my own clinics – I would have never

believed you. It’s amazing where a healthcare career

can take you.”

Application Process Skills

10.


“I have to read CVs between my

patients so I need them to be easy to read and straight

to the point”


CV TipsYour CV is your first impression so

ensure that it looks smart.

Only include the best bits of you, which

are relevant to the job you are going for.

Remember to include your contact

details, however don’t put a landline if

you never use it!

Use transferrable skills. Rather than

saying you ‘track the lettuce expiry

dates’, say that you ‘keep accurate

records of expiry dates’.

Include your hobbies and interests –

this makes you sound more human.

However, make sure they give the right

impression!

Keep it short and sweet – for a brand

new career this should be only 1 page

long.

Use whole pages and half pages, rather

than going over for 1 or 2 lines.

Research your new career first and

include things that they will be looking

for.


Cover Letters Your cover letter is your chance to pitch

yourself for the position you are

applying to.

Make sure it is unique, there is nothing

worse than a generic cover letter.

Research the organisation you are

applying to and talk about why you want

to work for them.

What benefits you by working there?

Explain why this would make you

grateful for any opportunity.

Remember that you need to

demonstrate your willingness to learn

from them and not what you think you

can teach them.

You need to explain why you are a good

person for them to employ, however you

need to do this without boasting too

much. No one likes a show off.

A cover letter should be a formal letter,

with your contact details at the top and

a proper letter structure.

Use the term, ‘Yours Sincerely’, rather

than ‘Thanks’ at the end.

Get a friend to check what you have

written, you want to make sure that you

come across correctly and a friend will

be able to read it from a different

perspective.

It doesn’t have to be an essay, so try

and keep the cover letter to 1 page.


“ I don’t have time to interview everyone, so your cover letter needs to be passionate. Make me want to meet you.”

The Interview

14.


Dress to ImpressYou have got to dress smart, but make

sure you are comfortable.

It is usual to wear a tie with your shirt

and a blazer. Women should wear a suit

dress or shirt and skirt, however the

skirt should be comfortably below the

knee.

You want to wear a bold colour,

however avoid red. A deep purple can

work well. Ensure the colour contrasts

your skin – don’t wear yellow if you are

fair.

This is a healthcare position, where you

will work in minimal makeup and

jewellery. This should be reflected in the

style you choose.

Your hair should be of a natural colour

and off the collar. For ladies, it should

be tied back. This can be more casual

than at work, but not over the top.

Try not to wear a coat or take a bag.

These are not necessary for your time

in the interview and are best left

elsewhere. If you do need a bag,

ensure that it is small and clean.

Many people will judge you by your

footwear, so ensure that your shoes are

plain, simple and elegant. They should

be polished and not scuffed. If you don’t

wear heels normally then don’t wear

heels to the interview.

Perfume or aftershave can be a nice

touch, however this should only be used

lightly. Remember that it can trigger

allergies and that won’t be a good

memory.


“Interviews are about building a relationship. I

have hired weaker candidates on paper,

because I felt they would fit into the team.”


“Tell me a bit about

yourself”

What the question is asking:

I need to know about your personality and a bit about who you are, to see if you fit into my team.

How to answer:

Talk about the things that make up who you are. You need to talk about your personality, such as the fact that you are a bubbly character or that you enjoy new challenges. This is when you can highlight your hobbies and ability to get on with others.

The student Experience:

This was the first question that they asked me. It completely threw

me off! I think they wanted to relax me but I just froze. I still got the

job though – but I would recommend practicing your answer

beforehand.

Emma EcclesStudent Nurse


“Why do you want to be a

…….?”


I have to work out if this is something you really want to do, or whether you are going to change your mind in a couple of weeks.

How to answer:

Something must have motivated you to be there. Is it the role or the place you have applied to? You need to explain how you have come to be a student and get across that this was a decision you have consciously made. Ensure that your dedication comes across.


To be honest – I knew the answer to this question. I hadn’t done will

at school and I wanted something I could build into a career. After

researching many options, I decided on Dentistry and becoming a

Dental Nurse. I like the teamwork aspect of the role and helping the

public. It fits me perfectly.

Thomas MatthewsTrainee Dental Nurse


“Why should we employ

you over someone

else?”


This can bring out some interesting personality traits. I am looking for your work ethic and attitude to the role. Don’t be over the top.

How to answer:

The most important thing with this question is to stay fairly reserved. You have a lot going for you as an adult learner – such as reliability, dedication and motivation. Explain how much the job means to you and how hard you will work given the opportunity.


When they asked me this I felt as though I had just stepped into an

episode of the apprentice. I am glad that I had worked on my

answer before I got there or I would have got in a muddle. I

basically told them the benefits of having a mature student around

– I think it worked.

Tracey CrowshankDental Hygienist


“Where do you see

yourself in 5 years time?”


I am looking at how much research you have done into the career. Have you looked at progression routes and do you know your plan?

How to answer:

Even if you don’t want to specialise or take further commitments on, it is still important that you know what your options would be. A candidate who is looking to continue to develop is more appealing than someone who has not really thought about the career.


This was easy question to answer for me because I knew for a long

time I would be nurse. It will take me 4 year to be full nurse so in 5

year I will be in hospital. I explain how I wish be a general nurse

and how I like elderly care, so will do more study later.

Marica DominickaAccess to Nursing & Midwifery Student


Any Questions?

Will you support me with further studies once I have qualified?

I am going to need support with my coursework, will you be able to offer me this?

A part of my training is to gain a certain level of practical experience. Will this role enable me to achieve this?

Are there options for development within this role?

It is important that you have a couple of questions prepared, to as at the end of the interview. These should not include contract details as this can

be discussed later. Course and experience related questions are good.

“Asking questions shows that you have prepared for the Interview.”

Access to HE Nursing and Midwifery Class S 2014 - 2015

“Success is when preparation meets opportunity”

www.harrietellis.com01708 776050

[email protected]

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