LiverpoolSU & World of Work Careers Centre Employability Guide - 2014

Employability Guide

academic life

social life

work life

support

www.liverpoolSU.com

campaigns

About LiverpoolSU LiverpoolSU is the representative body of all students at LJMU. It’s our job to make sure that University life is relevant to all of our members.

LiverpoolSU is student led. That means that we don’t just exist for students, but that we’re run by students too. Each year we elect four Officers who lead our organisation for 12 months, deciding our priorities and working to improve the student experience.

Our Officers hold their own responsibilities; our President leads LiverpoolSU and works with LJMU to make executive decisions about academic, environmental and social issues.

Our Vice President Academic Quality ensures the academic wellbeing of our students and strives to improve the standard of teaching and assessments across the University.

Our Vice President Activities organizes and provides support for our student groups, oversees our Fresher’s package and our social offering.

Our Vice President Community Engagement is responsible for issues relating to student

accommodation, wellbeing, work and volunteering, and campaigns and lobbies on issues in these areas.

Elections take place each March, with the winning team taking office in July. As well as gaining great experience at leading a multi-million pound organisation, our Officers have had some great achievements in recent years – do you recognise any of the below?

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Assessments returned within 15 days Access to free water on campus Hidden Course costs now paid for by LJMU – saving of over £1million Anonymous feedback Wednesday afternoons free from classes FREE NUS Card for Level 4 students £50 printing credit for undergraduates A wider choice of food options, including a Halal range

LiverpoolSU is life changing – get involved:

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Join a sports team or society Attend a GIAG trip Work for us Volunteer for us

Hi, I’m Curtis, LiverpoolSU President Employability is a key issue for a large number of students at our university.

Making yourself as employable as possible is usually at the top of the agenda for the modern day student with the worrying lack of job opportunities available in the current climate. Latest estimates suggest that anywhere between 60-80 graduates apply for every graduate level position. I personally believe that it’s the added extras that you take on whilst at university that help to add to the student experience which in turn makes you more attractive to potential employers. It can be hard to study and fit in extra curricular activities as a student, but the skills gained from being a volunteer, society committee member, taking the university’s unique World of Work Skills Certificate etc. will (if evidenced properly) stand you in good stead for whatever career path you choose. And ‘evidence’ is the key word here. In the following pages some of our team talk about what they have achieved while at LJMU and how it will help them provide evidence of their skills to employers on an application form or at interview. Having lots of skills is one thing, but understanding how to present them to an employer is another. That’s why we are working with the team at the World of Work Careers Centre to stress the importance of understanding your employability and, irrespective of what level of study you are undertaking, to use the services available to you to ensure you get the future you want.

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Final Year Guide 2014

Student Groups was required to understand and manage a large budget and was responsible for the financial running of the club. I was required

in these roles to develop good time management, balancing academic studies, sporting and committee commitments as well as

my own personal life. Due to my active involvement this led me to find the opportunity for my current graduate placement with LiverpoolSU as Student Group Co-ordinator. This position requires the coordination and running of sports clubs financially and throughout the fixture programme. From the experience gained from committee roles I am more capable of undertaking my job successfully. Being in my role at LiverpoolSU has also helped me keep in touch with the university and therefore has opened an opportunity to gain a job within the Sport & Exercise Department.

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During my time with the LJMU Netball Club, I held committee roles including vice-captain and treasurer.

These roles allowed me to work within a team in both a sporting and nonsporting environment to ensure the successful day to day running of the club.

I was able to learn and enhance key skills such as leadership, communication and organisation which were necessary to plan and organise a combination of short term events such as team socials and weekly matches, but also longer term events such as national championship finals and charity events.

During my treasurer role, I

Gemma Miller, Student Groups Co-ordinator & Former Treasurer, LJMU Netball

Hi, I’m Sam, the officer responsible for this area LiverpoolSU has over 100 different sports teams, clubs and societies, and there’s something for everyone. Our groups range from competitive sports, including football, netball, Gaelic, hockey, freestyle dance and lacrosse, to social groups, political societies and groups of students with similar interests, such as our Anime and Conservation Societies. We welcome new societies all of the time, so if there isn’t a society for you, you might consider setting one up!

We currently have over 740 students regularly taking part in our sports team activities and almost 400 taking part in non-sporting activities. Within

these groups, 280 students regularly volunteer in a committee member capacity; leading the group and deciding the direction in the capacity as Chair, Captain or President, handling the finances through the treasurer role and organising key events and functions through Social and Events Committee positions.

Skills gathered through being involved in a student group are highly transferable throughout life and, importantly, throughout the working world.

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Jobs

200 EMPLOYS OVER

MEMBERS OF STAFF?

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●● WE RECRUIT A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS EACH YEAR TO WORK IN OUR STUDENT-FACING DEPARTMENTS ●● APPLICATIONS OPEN IN JANUARY AND CLOSE AT THE END OF FEBRUARY EACH YEAR ●● WE GUARANTEE ALL APPLICANTS AN INTERVIEW

I came to LJMU wanting to be a lawyer, only to change my mind two years down the line. I’ve worked for Liverpool Students’ Union for almost 4 years now, and it’s through this organisation that I’ve found myself questioning what I do and how I do it - I’ve had a range of jobs, but the one thing that became apparent was that I had a skill I didn’t know I had - I found myself working largely within the Marketing department on a range of things; web, social media, copywriting, etc, and I realised I was quite good at it. Still unsure that Law was for me, I took an unplanned gap year and got myself a work placement, re-assessed my life and went back to university to finish my degree, accepting that I didn’t want to become a lawyer after all, but that I quite enjoyed another career path, which is where I’ve ended up now, graduating with a 2:1 in Law and working full-time in Marketing. It’s OK to change your mind - my recommendation to any student would be to get involved in as much as you can whilst at University - join a sports team, volunteer, go to events, meet new people and get a job. You might find yourself in a similar position to me, but that’s OK. It’s OK to change your mind and walk down another path. There’s lots of help available from the World of Work Careers Centre!

Nathan Selby, Campaigns Co-ordinator

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DID YOU KNOW LIVERPOOLSU

OUR PEOPLE WORK IN A WIDE RANGE OF ROLES:

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Lois Frost, Student Staff (Digital Content & Reception)

DID WE MENTION THAT WE’RE A LIVING WAGE

EMPLOYER? ALL OF OUR STAFF EARN AT LEAST:

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As a media student, my skills have been directly transferred into the work that I do and being able to say that I’ve worked within an organisation like LiverpoolSU and created quality content will look good on my CV. The hours are flexible to fit around my other commitments and I’ve made friends with other people who are interested in the same subject as me. Having a job at University was quite important and the extra money has been really helpful.

£8.23 PER HOUR

LiverpoolSU is a Living Wage employer. This means we pay the commended hourly rate as calculated by The Living Wage Foundation; it is set independently and calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK. Current UK minimum wage is £6.31 Final Year Guide 2014

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Volunteering

Volunteering is great for developing skills for the workplace – it’s also great for learning how to manage relationships and build rapport with individuals.

We have a range of volunteering options at LiverpoolSU; did you know we have over 800 Course Representatives? The role of a Course Rep is to deliver change

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on a module or programme level. They’re chosen peers who volunteer approximately 2 hours a month to make sure that their course is the best it can be, gathering feedback from fellow students and taking this to meetings called ‘Board of Studies’ and working with programme teams and the University to implement the change students want.

Being a Course Rep is great – it builds up your skillset and helps make change. We currently have over 800 Course Reps, who we train and support throughout the year to make sure they get the most out of their position.

Being a Course Rep at LJMU has been a fantastic and significant opportunity for me while at University. At first I wasn’t sure how I would be as a course rep, and felt the pressure of representing a whole cohort of students, but as time went on I grew in confidence. Being a course rep meant that I made relationships with my peers and developed a strong relationship with the Course Team. I attend Board of Study meetings to feed back any issues or positive notes. My course (Media Professional Studies) went under review last year, which meant that the course had to revise its curriculum and approach in teaching to its students because feedback from the previous year was negative. This meant that I had to obtain quality feedback from the students on my course and forward them on to the Course Leader. I also had to attend a meeting that the Dean attended to try and resolve some issues with the course at the time. Being a course rep has proved to be one of the best things that I have decided to do at University because I have matured as a person, have improved my communication skills and I am now able to add this post to my CV!

Josh McDowell, Course Rep 6

Hi, I’m Dan, the officer responsible for this area

Final Year Guide 2014

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LiverpoolSU has over 1500 volunteers, each with their own story about why they got involved, how volunteering has helped them become more confident and – ultimately – more employable.

Kelly Teeboon, Women’s Campaigner There are lots of passionate students at LJMU, all with their own beliefs. As a Students’ Union we provide passionate students with a platform to campaign on issues that matter to them.

We elect a number of Campaigners each year. It’s their role to make things happen on a particular issue. We elect Campaigners to represent the following groups and interests; women, LGBT students, mature students, international students, students with a disability, black, asian and minority-ethnic students, part-time students, postgraduate students,

home students, students with an interest in ethical and environmental issues, as well as anti-racism and anti-fascism.

Our campaigner roles are part-time and voluntary; students can get out of the position as much as they put in. Previously, our campaigners (formerly Delegates) have organised a Reclaim The Night march against sexual violence, introduced LiverpoolSU’s Rate Your Landlord Campaign and played a role in our Green Impact environmental working group, which works to ensure that LiverpoolSU and LJMU are environmentally friendly.

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Since becoming women’s campaigner for LiverpoolSU I have begun work on two campaigns. Being women’s campaigner for LiverpoolSU has given me the confidence to start a Feminist society and has introduced me to many likeminded people that are passionate about the same issues as me. Since becoming a campaigner, I have been able to attend NUS conferences in London and I have recently attended a conference on women’s empowerment. When I graduate I would like to pursue a career within a non-government organisation that invests in human rights issues, particularly women’s issues. Working with LiverpoolSU and attending conferences has given me a fantastic opportunity to learn the ropes of a non-profit organisation and meet a large network of prospective employers from various organisations. LiverpoolSU have been extremely supportive, not just financially, but also in my pursuit of a career where I can make a difference.

LIVERPOOLSU

HAS OVER

1500 VOLUNTEERS

& OVER

800 COURSE REPS

LiverpoolSU is also involved in Volunteering Liverpool, a collaboration of institutions in the city, who meet regularly to discuss and promote volunteering opportunities for students:

www.VolunteeringLiverpool.org.uk

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02 - ORGANISATION

Ensure you understand your strengths and weaknesses and the type of role your skills are suited to; this will help you to focus your job search or pursue other options such as postgraduate study or starting your own business

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EMPLOYABILITY GUIDE

Alumnus (n. pl. a . lum . ni)

A graduate or former student of a college, school or university.

What benefits do I get from being an LJMU graduate?

The LJMU Alumni Association is a network of over 17000 former students of Liverpool John Moores University. Upon graduation you automatically become a member. Your membership is free and lasts for a lifetime.

The Alumni Association provides you with opportunities to develop your professional relationships in the UK and internationally through our events programme and our online communications channels. It provides you with a service after you graduate.

ALUMNI EVENTS Events are run regularly for alumni throughout the year across a range of subject areas, attracting notable speakers from industry and offering LJMU students the opportunity to network with fellow alumni and employers alike in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Over the last 3 years keynote speakers have included;

The range of benefits and services includes invitations to a range of professional networking events, academic seminars and priority tickets to the popular Roscoe Lecture Series.

Kevin Sampson (author and record producer), Ian Ayre (Managing Director, Liverpool FC), Max Steinberg CBE FRSA (Chief Executive, Liverpool Vision) and Trevor Bishop (Head of Water Resources, Environment Agency).

You can gain complimentary access to a valuable selection of business e-journals and lifelong careers support from the World of Work Careers Centre and there are selected discounts off membership to professional bodies and high street retailers.

In addition to excellent keynote speakers we bring businesses on campus to promote job opportunities, deliver industry specific networking events and organise events in London, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Shanghai.

You will be kept up to speed with new products and services via the quarterly e-newsletters so please do look out for the next one to hit your inbox.

Keep an eye on the Events page of the Alumni website for details of upcoming events.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/alumni 6

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EMPLOYABILITY GUIDE

what LJMU graduates say ...

Danielle Coogan and Ben Pearson both graduated from LJMU in 2013. Here they talk about their experiences of the current jobs market

“If I was given the opportunity to change one thing it would be to utilise the careers services available to LJMU students much earlier ...”

Before I applied to university I had clear intentions of what I wanted to get out of the course and the career I wanted to enter after I graduated. I started studying Computer Animation and Visualisation at LJMU in 2009 but within the first year of study my career goals changed which left me wondering what I could do with my degree. As I went on into my second year I still had no idea of what I wanted to do after graduation but that seemed a long way off as I still had my placement year and final year to go. Looking back, I wish I had sought guidance from the World of Work Careers Centre team to assess what direction I wanted to go in as I ended up taking a year out because I could not find a suitable placement.

I was not prepared for the amount of work

that was required from me in the final year.

Trying to juggle everything at once was stressful and before I knew it the final year was over. The time flew by so quickly I didn’t feel like I made that transition from student to graduate. Because I had to resit an exam I ended up graduating a few months after the rest of my friends and I started to notice that the majority of them were entering jobs largely thanks to the skills that they had nurtured on their placement year that I hadn’t developed, It was then that I started to worry about if I had the necessary skills to enter work.

I have now managed to secure a graduate internship, but if I was given the opportunity to change one thing it would be to utilise the careers services available to LJMU students much earlier so I would be prepared to enter

the world of work and be able to go after a job that I wanted quicker. For instance I didn’t know that you could not only apply for a graduate scheme before you have graduated but also that the majority of graduate schemes are open to everyone with a 2:1 degree no matter what your area of study.

“From my experiences I would strongly recommend students engage in any opportunities to gain invaluable work experience to build their CV’s ...”

While I was at LJMU studying LLB Law & Criminal Justice I didn’t give any considerable thought to my career or what I needed to do or how I was going to get there. Depending on my mood, I wanted to be a police officer, a solicitor, or even a law lecturer, each of these requiring a very different route to get there. I told myself that I would get some beneficial work experience in my final year of study, as I was only in Uni 2 days a week. However, as with most students, I promised myself I would organise it next week, then the week after, then after Christmas, until it was too late! At the time I did naively believe that I would be fine without completing some more work experience.

The prospect of joining the police force seemed very attractive, but soon after the government started cutting jobs in the public

sector significantly so I decided to aim to become a solicitor. It was too late to apply to do a Legal Practice Course the following

academic year, so the only option was to try and get a job with a law firm, possibly as a secretary, paralegal or assistant, then hope they would fund the LPC in the future.

I sent dozens of CV’s with covering letters to law firms in Liverpool, and attended several

interviews. However I was unsuccessful with all of them, predominantly due to my lack of beneficial work experience. I found myself working 2 minimum wage part time jobs just to get by. Although gaining some general life skills, and small amounts of money, this was not helping me as I was only getting older and no closer to my desired career. I have now secured a 6 month internship and this will hopefully help me to get the experience I am lacking, but I could have done this during my second year and saved myself a lot of time.

From my experiences I would strongly recommend students engage in any opportunities to gain invaluable work experience to build their CV’s and also utilise the services provided by the World of Work Careers Centre. The current job market is a very tricky one to break through!

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EMPLOYABILITY GUIDE

graduate career paths If you know what job you would like but are not sure how to start your search, or you are just not sure what you want to do, you should book a careers interview as soon as you can. Deciding on a particular career path will enable you to start to narrow down your list of potential careers so your search has a focus. Employers can easily spot applications from students who are just looking for any job as they want to be convinced that you understand their organisation and the role and only want to work for them. Once you have a focus a careers adviser will be able to point in the right direction to start searching and applying for jobs. For example, some careers may require you to undertake additional qualifications such as a postgraduate course, or may require specific work experience.

Employers who recruit graduates regularly will use a range of methods to select the best candidates. Applying for a graduate role can involve online applications, aptitude tests, telephone interviews and assessment centres.

When completing any of these tasks seek advice from expert Careers staff.

Any job you have undertaken will have given you the opportunity to develop skills which can be relevant in a future career. The important thing is to understand what they are, how they would help you in a future role and be able to describe them to an employer on an application form or at interview. Working in the service industry is very common for students to help pay their way through university and you will have picked up skills such as communication, team working, working under pressure, numeracy, problem-solving, customer service etc. Ensure your CV or an application form presents these skills effectively and if you are unsure how best to do this come in and see our advisers who can help.

“I’ll look for a job after I complete my course.”

The majority of graduate jobs will be advertised between October and February and so waiting until you finish your exams will mean that you may have to wait until the following year to apply for one of these positions. When we speak to graduates they regularly comment that they should have started looking, and applying, for jobs sooner. You will be restricting the number of opportunities available to you if you want to commence employment after your course but don’t apply for any jobs.

Even if you do intend to wait, or maybe you have other plans such as travelling, keep an eye on job websites, target certain companies and monitor their employment situation and ensure that when an opportunity arises you are well prepared for application forms and interviews.

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“I’m not sure how to get a job after I finish.”

“I’ve done part-time jobs but I’m not sure if they are relevant when applying for graduate jobs.”

EMPLOYABILITY GUIDE

Students will have varying degrees of employability experience both as a result of your time at LJMU and other activities and work you undertake in your personal time. However, when speaking to students, particularly in their

final year of study, our team of careers and employability advisers often hear common queries and questions which are listed below.

Check out the scenarios and see which, if any, best fits you and follow the advice given.

This suggests that your CV or application form is not doing enough to persuade the employer to shortlist you for interview. This may mean you are not tailoring them to the particular job you are applying for or addressing the key skills and attributes that an employer is looking for.

Often people send the same CV out for several jobs and this makes it easy for an employer to not select you for an interview. The same applies with application forms, cutting and pasting text will be easy to spot if the information isn’t relevant. Come in and speak to our experienced staff or take a workshop and in an hour we can set you on the right road.

This situation suggests you have the skills necessary for the jobs that you are applying for; otherwise you would not be invited for an interview. Often the issue is not presenting the skills you have in the right way at interview and‘selling’yourself effectively.

This is something that can be easily addressed by speaking to a careers adviser and taking part in a mock interview to ensure you are presenting enough evidence of your skills. Nerves can play a big part in affecting your performance at interview but because creating a good impression is essential at interview it is important to ensure that you can overcome these as much as possible. You can also have a DVD of your interview to review which can help you work on any problems to avoid any frustration or selling yourself short and taking a job you don’t want.

“I’ve been applying for jobs but I haven’t been getting anywhere.”

“I’ve had a few interviews but haven’t been selected yet.”

“I’ve changed my mind about my career path but my degree is very specific. What can I do?”

Over 50% of graduate level positions are open to students studying any degree discipline and so there will be opportunities available that you may never have thought of. Employers will focus on you as a person, your skills and attributes and will want to get a feel for how you will fit in and develop at the company. Of course, much depends on what subject area you are changing from and moving to.

Certain paths may require additional training or the need for further study but if this is not the case you could start applying for graduate jobs that are not subject specific. If you want further guidance then come in and speak to a careers adviser or search for graduate jobs open to all.

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EMPLOYABILITY GUIDE

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Speak to a Careers Adviser

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Get your CV or applications checked

Book an appointment by ringing the World of Work Careers Centre on 0151 231 8099 Via our Employability Advisers on 0151 231 8099

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Get the World of Work Skills Certificate

Unique to LJMU and backed by a huge range of employers, the certifcate helps you understand yourself, your skills and where they would be best applied - www.ljmu.ac.uk/worldofwork

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Sign up for LJMU’s Vacancy Website

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Check out our social media channels

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Pick up or download a copy of the Career Planning Guide

Search for graduate jobs, internships, voluntary work - http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk

Job opportunities, careers news & videos - Search LJMUWoW on Facebook, Twitter & YouTube

Pick up a copy in faculties or download from our website - www.ljmu.ac.uk/worldofwork

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Get a Linkedin account

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Keep an eye out for employer & networking events

An invaluable tool to build professional networks & find out about hidden job opportunities

We run regular employer events with networking opportunities - Book via our Events Website https://worldofwork.ljmu.ac.uk/events

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Research Recruitment Festivals

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Check out graduate schemes that are open all year round

The Liverppol Graduate Recruitment Festival takes place on 3rd June at St Georges Hall www.liverpoolfairs.org.uk - similar fairs take place around the country if you are based elsewhere in the UK

Search for graduate level employment via Prospects, Targetjobs and Milkround

Final Year Guide 2014

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EMPLOYABILITY GUIDE

make a smooth transition into the workplace The advice in this guide is relevant to students no matter what level of study you are currently undertaking. However, the messages are particularly relevant for final year students who have less time to work on their employability before their time at LJMU comes to an end. Although you will be incredibly busy in your final semester with dissertations, assessments, revising for and taking exams, you can still make a difference to your job prospects by spending an hour or two here and there on your employability in the time you have left. Madness? An hour a week between now and the end of your last week could make all the difference and ensure you get that all important first graduate job. There’s no right or wrong to this; but trust us when we say you will only benefit and are less likely to get stuck in a job you don’t want if you act now. Good luck in the future and we are always here to help, even after graduation.

Note: if you require this document in an alternative format such as large print please email us at worldofwork@ljmu.ac.uk or call 0151 231 8099.

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