The University of Kent Careers and Employability Service

1. Forensic Science CVs and Interviews You can download a copy of this presentation at www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm The University of KentCareers and Employability Service

2. www.kent.ac.uk/careers Telephone: 01227 823299 Email: careerhelp@kent.ac.uk Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9 to 5 including vacations Drop-in times (no appointment needed): 10.30 to 12.30 & 2 to 4 pm

3. Advantages of a Sandwich Placement. • Gain lots of new skills: and have lots of evidence of these skills for final year applications. • Usually get higher degree class. • Gives you a chance to try out a career. • Gain greatly in self confidence and maturity. • Learn application and interview skills. • Some employers only recruit placement students. • May get a job offer for when you graduate • Much lower unemployment rate after graduation and usually in much better quality jobs. • Much better chance of becoming a forensic scientist. • Usually well paid!

4. Sandwich Placements • Need to apply early in second year (e.g. GSK by Mid October!) • Prepare CV over summer. • Need to apply widely, not just to companies in Kent. • FS students have gone on placement to hospitals, Proctor and Gamble and other top companies. • Placements pagewww.kent.ac.uk/careers/placements.htm

5. Sources of Placements • Emails from Chris Shepherd C.Shepherd@kent.ac.ukFS Placement Coordinator. Chris will help you to find placements, but you have to apply yourself: he can’t spoon-feed you! • Kent University Vacancy Databasewww.kent.ac.uk/ces/vacancies.html • Science Placements pagewww.kent.ac.uk/careers/scivacwork.htm • Speculative CVs: use Forensic Science careers page www.kent.ac.uk/careers/forensicsci.htm • Science Recruitment Agencieswww.kent.ac.uk/careers/sitephar.htm#agencies • New Scientistwww.newscientistgraduate.com • Royal Society of Chemistry - Chemistry World has job vacancies www.rsc.org/chemistryworld

8. How to apply • Science CV for speculative applications and smaller companies. • On-line application form for most big companieswww.kent.ac.uk/careers/applicn.htm • Pick up our CV booklet from the Careers and Employability Service

9. Skills gained on a Forensic Science Degree • Gather and analyse relevant information from a wide variety of sources • Identify and propose solutions to problems • Work with others in the preparation and presentation of group work (group projects) • Project management • Technical skills • Work independently (individual projects) • Communicate with others in a clear and articulate manner • Present ideas and arguments verbally in presentations and seminars, and informal discussions

10. “Sell” your degree on your CV • List relevant modules (plus marks if good!) • Projects – especially if relevant • Laboratory skills/IT skills • Soft skills – evidence of teamwork, project management, problem solving etc. • For non-science jobs (e.g. banking) you would need a different CV focusing on your soft skills more than technical skills. www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/forensic-science-cv.htm

11. SCIENCE COVERING LETTERSwww.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/goodbadcovlet.htm First Paragraph • State the job you’re applying for. • Where you found out about it. • When you're available to start work (& end if it's a placement) Second Paragraph • Why your interested in that type of work • Why the company attracts you (if it's a small company say you prefer to work for a small friendly organisation!) Third Paragraph • Summarise your strengths and how they might be an advantage to the organisation. • Relate your skills to the job. Last Paragraph • Mention any dates that you won't be available for interview • Thank the employer and say you look forward to hearing from them soon.

12. SCIENCE INTERVIEWS • Interview may be “on the hoof” • Technical questions: often on projects – revise these carefully.

13. PREPARATION - THE KEY TO SUCCESS • Research the employer and the job • Prepare answers to obvious questions • Think of your unique selling points • Prepare some questions to ask • Dress smartly Science interviews pagewww.kent.ac.uk/careers/interviews/ivscience.htm

14. On-line videos • APPLICATIONS • INTERVIEWS • ON-LINE APPLICATIONS • SELECTION CENTRES • All last about 25 minutes and are excellent! • now streamed on-linewww.kent.ac.uk/careers/IntVid.htm

15. What can I do with a Degree in Forensic Science? • What graduates in your subject did after leaving Kent • Jobs related to your subject • Employers and vacancy sources www.kent.ac.uk/careers/forensicsci.htm

16. Moodle Science Careers Employability Award • Much lower unemployment rate for graduates who completed the award • ALL forensic science students are expected to complete this!

17. Moodle Science Careers Employability Award www.kent.ac.uk/careers/moodle.htm#subject

18. The amount of time put into this is astounding! I actually spoke to friends from other universities who said they wished they had something like this. I enjoyed the depth of the module. It went far beyond some general tips on how to write a good CV and prepare for an interview. Rather it went in to detail about the whole process of graduate job search from the beginning to the end. It was very instructive . The module is very, very useful! I really love how it makes you to think about your personality and helps you to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Comments from students who have completed the award It really blew my mind with some ideas I’ve never known before, such as portfolio working and working from home. I never thought about obtaining happiness from my work before. It was so easy, quick and I learned a lot. I found the module to be highly thought-provoking as it really encouraged me to consider how my degree will benefit my future and what I can be doing now to improve my graduate employment prospects. You get a really nice certificate! Without realising, you have finished the course and have already put together a very good CV and covering letter. It has made me feel a lot more confident when it comes to applications and interviews and has also made me think about skills that I didn't think I had before. It would be mad to apply for a job or attend an interview without doing it! Before the course I had only a vague idea of my career path and opportunities. Now I am applying for summer internships and know how to effectively sell my skills to a prospective employer and have a much more focused plan for my future. I recently had a very successful interview largely because I put the advice on the module into practice.

19. Bruce Woodcock • A careers adviser is on duty for short (15 minute) consultations in the Careers and Employability Service any weekday morning 10.30-12.30 or afternoon from 2 pm to 4 pm. You don't need an appointment to see the duty adviser at these times. Just ask at Careers Reception to see them. • Email:bw@kent.ac.uk

20. Other points • Check your @kent.ac.uk emails regularly as I will send you emails on Monday afternoons on vacation work, careers talks, vacancies etc. • Get actively involved in university life so you have evidence of teamwork, organising, leadership etc. skills for your CV. • Try to get a good degree: Upper Second class (usually 60% +) for most employers. • Get laboratory experience • Apply early: closing dates are often in the first term.

21. Forensic Science CVs and Interviews You can download a copy of this presentation at www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm The University of KentCareers and Employability Service