Careers and Employability Service

1. Working in a university Careers and Employability Service Nicola Urquhart Careers Adviser

2. What we will cover • Information about the HE Sector • What opportunities are available • How to get a job • Networking • Ways to get involved as a student • Key websites • How CES can support you • Questions

3. Information about the sector • 119 universities in the UK • in some UK towns the central university is the largest employer. In 2011/12 there were 181,385 academic staff working in UK higher education institutions and 196,860 non-academic staff; • 47% are male • Females are most likely to be under 30 whilst males are most likely to be 55 or over • 70% are employed on permanent contracts

4. What do employers want? Sector awareness Degree Work experience Extra-curricular activities Professional attributes Employability skills

5. Key skills and attributes needed for working in a University • To have good interpersonal and communication skills • To be able to work in a team • To be able to network • To be able to spot opportunities • To be flexible • To be able to prioritise own workload • To be innovative • To have good project management skills

6. Skills of the future Innovative thinkers Curiosity Determination Pragmatism Agility Resilience Networked Collaborative

7. Areas of increasing importance • Globalisation • Customer service and the student experience • Commercial focus • Widening participation • Organisational efficiency • Management of change

8. Example opportunities • Lecturing • Research • Information Services • Student Recruitment • Information Technology • Corporate Communications • Data Compliance • Commercial Services • Student Services • Human Resources • Estates Department • Finance • Innovation and Enterprise • Risk Management • And many more …

9. How to get a job in a university • Get some work experience • Be flexible about the role • Let people know you are interested • Learn how to network and build contacts • Find out how the University/Academic School works • Find out how and when they recruit • Put together a good CV • Be prepared to take temporary posts • Find out if they use recruitment agencies

10. Network, Network, Network • 80% of job roles are not openly advertised • In HE most are but many will have identified frontrunner candidates • Attend extra-curricular and School events • Take on additional roles • Use Social Media • Be friendly, professional and polite • Market Yourself ! - It’s not necessarily who you know but who knows you

11. Social media • Social Media: “an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos, and audio.” www.wikipedia.org • Enabling conversations • Facilitating discussions

12. Linkedin and Twitter • Many employees of a university will be on LinkedIn http://uk.linkedin.com/in/nicolaurquhart

13. Twitter • Companies/employers you are interested in working for • Industry experts/bloggers • Professional networks and industry/professional publications • Job sites and job boards • Recruiters / head-hunters / HR personnel who are hiring for the roles you're targeting • @unikentemploy

14. Get involved during your studies • Kent Union /Job Shop • Student Ambassador Scheme • Academic Peer Mentoring Scheme • Student Representative • Kent Hospitality • Student Societies • Award Schemes (Employability Points and Global Skills award) • Academic School specific

15. Useful websites • www.kent.ac.uk/employability • www.jobs.ac.uk • www.academiccareer.manchester.ac.uk/ • www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/ • http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/ • www.kent.ac.uk/jobs • http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/AboutUs/Workhere/Workhere.aspx • www.prospects.ac.uk

16. How the Careers and Employability Service can help you.

17. What we do Careers Talks and Workshops Careers Library: Employer Directories, Occupational Profiles, Books etc Comprehensive Web Pages Careers Employability Award (CEM) on Moodle Vacancy Database Alumni Careers Network Annual Careers and Recruitment Fair Drop In - Quick Query Careers Guidance Interviews

18. Careers and Employability Service Web Site: www.kent.ac.uk/ces

19. Careers Employability Award www.kent.ac.uk/careers/moodle.htm • The module takes about 12 hours to complete • But this can be done at your own pace You do this by completing: • 9 quizzes • 3 short assignments • 1 feedback form

20. Attend Careers Talks and Workshops. • Career planning for your second year • How to achieve success at interview • Commercial awareness • Using social media in your job search • Passing assessment centres • Subject specific ‘What can I do with a degree in?

21. Vacancy Database • All vacancies sent to the Careers and Employability Service by employers, whether for graduate jobs, sandwich placements or vacation work/internships are entered on this database which offers: • Email alerts of new vacancies which may interest you • Employers notifying vacancies are often specifically targeting Kent graduates, so competition for jobs is lower than on other vacancy sites www.kent.ac.uk/careers/jobs/index.htm

22. Speak to an adviser: • Quick query, drop in and speak to an adviser 10.30am -12.30pm and 2.00pm-4pm Monday to Friday. • E mail careerhelp@kent.ac.uk and an adviser will respond to your query. • You can also book a longer career guidance appointment over the phone or pop in.

23. Advice • Get involved during your time at University! • Remember the importance of networking • Let people know if you are interested in gaining work experience/paid employment • If there is something you would like to be involved with talk to your Academic School • Regularly check vacancy pages • Remember not all jobs are for Academics • Keep up to date with information about the sector • Make use of the Careers and Employability Service

24. Questions

25. You can download a copy of this presentation at www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm Careers and Employability Service