stand out from the crowd: developing your employability - lesley dennison and stephanie brockbank
DESCRIPTION
Presentation for HEA-funded workshop 'The employable accounting and finance graduate – Make your work experience count' The event was a practical workshop which focused on the employability skills looked for within graduate accounting market. Although, it was not grounded in academic research, the event was an opportunity for students to hear first-hand what employers recruiting accounting and finance professionals are looking for. This presentation forms part of a blog post which can be accessed via: For further details of HEA Social Sciences work relating to employability and global citizenship please see: http://bit.ly/17n8KnjTRANSCRIPT
Stand out from the crowd
Developing your Employability
Lesley Dennison & Stephanie Brockbank
Employability & Placements Unit
Faculty of Business and Law
Why are you at university?
• To improve my job prospects
• You are investing in yourself but how can you do that?
• How can you get a head start?
How can I get a head start?
There are a range of skills, knowledge and attributes that every employer is looking for in new recruits:
Employability skills
Essential building blocks to get your first job and the next whatever your degree or your career choice
What are the Employability skills?
• Positive attitude
• Problem solving/Decision making
• Team working
• Self management
• Communication
• Planning and organising
• Commercial and customer awareness
• Networking
• Numeracy
• IT literacy
CBI/NUS Survey 2010
How can I develop them?
• In my course
• Placements
• Volunteering
• Temporary work
• Work related learning
• Internships
• Student union roles
Who can support me?
• Jobs and Careers www.leedsmet.ac.uk/studenthub/career-advice.htm
Student Hub : Employability resources/Employability skills Prospects @ Employment Team Employability Resource Online (ERol)
• X-stream – Employability tab https://x-stream.leedsmet.ac.uk/
• Employability and Placement Unit www.leedsmet.ac.uk/fbl/placements.htm
• Volunteering www.leedsmet.ac.uk/studenthub/volunteering.htm
After the experience………
• Record the activity
• Reflect on the experience
• What did you learn?
• Build evidence of your developing skills
Sell your employability skills to prospective employers to stand out from the crowd at interview
Your Placement Year – Don’t Miss It!
A fantastic
opportunity for you
Benefits for you?
• Employers prefer graduates with work experience
• You will gain real-life practical work experience
• Think of all the contacts you will make and networking opportunities you will have
• You will perform better in your final year
• You will be paid a salary
• An extra module in your final year already complete
What does the Placement involve?
• 12 months valuable work experience in a business
• The work must be relevant to your course and at a level allowing some responsibility
• Full time employee of the company, retaining student status
• Undertaken in your third year. Can commence any time between June & September
Where have BAAF students been placed?
• Warner Brothers
• Audit Partnership
• NHS
• Redmayne Bentley
• UKAR
• Asda
• Walt Disney
• Marks & Spencer
• GE Capital
• House of Commons
• IBM
• HM Treasury
• Pearson Jones
• Panasonic
• Cummins Engine Company
Numbers taking up the opportunity
Year Students enrolled
Students registered
% students registered
2011/12 255 54 21%
2012/13 146 96 66%
2013/14 92 64 70%
A tough challenge but it is worth it!
• Finance sector crisis
• Supply of placements
• Desire to graduate in 3 years
• Limited mobility of students
Help is available – you will not be alone!
How will we help you?
A dedicated team of staff to help you on your journey Help with: • CVs and Letters • Application Forms • Interviews • Assessment Centres • Psychometric Tests
How will we help you?
• A website advertising 12 month and short term opportunities
• Testimonials from students and employers
• Timetabled support sessions
• Useful resources to help you get a placement
• Knowledge of businesses that have taken our students before
Stand out from the crowd
• http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/fbl/placements.htm
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq6y3RO12UQb
Employability and Placement Unit
www.leedsmet.ac.uk/fbl/placements.htm
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 0113 812 7510