1. The University of Leicester
Career Planning
Guide
Inside this guide
What do Leicester graduates do?
Why employers love Leicester graduates
Planning your career
Meet employers – face to face
Effective applications – impress employers
Successful interviews and assessment centres
Be enterprising – be your own boss
www.le.ac.uk/careers

2. 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER CAREER PLANNING GUIDE
Contents
Leicester and your Job seeking Further Careers
career 16 Meet employers – Service resources
4 What do Leicester face to face 28 Employers who recruit
graduates do? Leicester graduates
18 Effective applications –
5 Why employers love impress employers 30 Your career starts now
Leicester graduates
21 Successful interviews and 31 Your career and
6 The Careers Service – assessment centres academic success
here to help 23 Make your Masters degree 32 Get Set for Career Success
work for you
Planning your future
8 Planning your career
Alternative options
24 Be enterprising –
10 Experience works
be your own boss
12 Skills – show employers you
25 Taking time out
have what they want
26 Go further – consider
14 International students postgraduate study
Editor: Vicky Parkin
Photos: A variety of sources
including the University of
Leicester Design Service,
Vicky Parkin and Shutterstock
Produced by: The University of
Leicester Design Service
Source: The Leicester Guide to
Career Planning - GTI Media
and the University of Leicester
Careers Service

3. THE UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER CAREER PLANNING GUIDE 3
Start here...
...to plan your future
Welcome to this edition of The University of
Leicester Career Planning Guide. Studying at the
University of Leicester, a first class UK higher
education institution, is an excellent basis for your
future career.
However, employers expect more than academic achievement. They are looking for
their applicants to be equipped with sound employability skills, many of which will be
developed throughout your university career.
The University of Leicester Career Planning Guide is written by Careers Service
professionals at the University of Leicester especially for you. It offers excellent
guidance on areas such as planning your career, developing your skills, job seeking,
and postgraduate study. I strongly urge you to take advantage of this advice and visit
the Careers Service on a regular basis to tap into their wealth of knowledge and the
many events they run for your benefit. If you do all of this, it will undoubtedly stand University of Leicester
you in good stead for your future.” – a top institution
Professor Sir Robert Burgess,
Vice-Chancellor
Contact us
Careers Service
2nd Floor David Wilson Library
University of Leicester
University Road
Leicester LE1 7RH
www.le.ac.uk/careers
Open
Monday to Friday
10.00 am to 4.00 pm

4. 4 LEICESTER AND YOUR CAREER
What do
Leicester Successful gr
aduates
graduates do?
Leicester alumni are successful in entering a huge resource to help you think about what
you would like to do. This information is
variety of career areas as well as pursuing other available on the Careers Service website
at www.le.ac.uk/careers. It is worth
options such as further study, travelling and noting that most of this data is collected
voluntary work. just six months after graduation, when
some people are still in temporary jobs
Every year Leicester graduates embark before going on to more permanent
Postgraduate study
on a wide variety of career paths. positions.
The University of Leicester has a high
Many graduates find employment with proportion of graduates embarking on
multinational organisations such as further study. This provides essential Find out about Leicester alumni
Alstom, Barclays Bank, BBC, training for many careers such as law,
Caterpillar/Perkins Engines Ltd, You can read career profiles of recent
teaching, scientific research, finance, Leicester graduates on the Careers
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, HM Revenue and medicine.
and Customs, John Lewis, Medical Service website at
www.le.ac.uk/careers.
Research Council, Metropolitan Police
Service, National Grid, How graduate destinations
PricewaterhouseCoopers, Shell and information can help you
Vodafone. However, Leicester Having access to information about
graduates may also be found working what previous students have gone on to
in other areas such as a range of small do after they graduate can be a valuable
to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs),
the voluntary and charity sectors, the
public sector, the forces, the creative
industries, and the media.
Destinations of Leicester graduates (class of 2009/10)
What sort of jobs do Leicester
Full-time paid work only: 45.2%
graduates do?
Part-time paid work only: 9.3%
There is a huge variety of jobs that
Leicester graduates do. As a random Voluntary/unpaid work only: 1.7%
sample, these include teacher, librarian, Work and further study: 6.9%
administrator, software engineer, Further study only: 24.0%
business analyst, recruitment
Assumed unemployed: 10.3%
consultant, firearm licensing officer,
graduate engineer, trainee accountant, Not available for employment: 2.1%
museum curator, parliamentary Other: 0.5%
assistant, PR account executive, and
doctor, to name just a few. For many
Source: Destination of Leavers from Higher Education Survey
of these jobs employers recruit
graduates in any degree discipline.

5. LEICESTER AND YOUR CAREER 5
Employers value your skills,
ambition and employability
Why employers
love Leicester Mattioli Woods has regularly selected
University of Leicester graduates into
graduates
the graduate training programme,
with great success. We feel not only
that the standard of their academic
achievement is extremely high, but
they have often participated in a
Find out why Leicester students are in demand. variety of employability programmes
run on campus. This means they are
Employers have confidence in students It is no wonder that employers are keen able to communicate much more
from Leicester. The University of Leicester to have links with Leicester. Over recent effectively at our selection stages the
is a leading UK university committed to years, staff in the Careers Service have skills and abilities they can bring to us
international excellence through the built up a strong reputation and excellent as an employer. These graduates also
creation of world-changing research and relationships with local, regional, national tend to be focused, ambitious
individuals, which – as a growing
high quality, inspirational teaching. The and international employers. Here are just
company – is crucial to our success.
University won the Times Higher some of the activities that employers are
Education (THE) award for Outstanding involved with: Penny Waterfield, Recruitment and
Student Support 2009/10. It was also Development Manager,
• Campus visits where employers come to
named THE University of the Year in Mattioli Woods
deliver a presentation about their
2008/09 and applauded by the judges as organisation or a skills workshop.
‘elite without being elitist’. Attend as many of these presentations
The University has a growing reputation as you can – even if you are not
for excellence. It is consistently in the top interested in applying to that particular
20 of major national league tables. The employer you will gain a valuable insight
University is ranked in the top two per into the job market and the sort of skills
cent of universities in the world by the QS and attributes that employers generally
World University Rankings 2010. look for. Look out for details of
(Information correct at the time of going employer-led events at
to print.) www.le.ac.uk/careers.
• Careers fairs where students have the Employers such as Enterprise Rent-A-
opportunity to make contact in person – Car like hiring University of Leicester
Careers facts do come along and speak to as many graduates because they tend to be
• It often doesn’t matter what employers as possible. very commercially aware of the sectors
degree discipline you have they apply to and are able to tailor
• Talks and presentations to students in
studied as long as you have the their experiences to match those the
specific disciplines where you can meet
skills and attributes that employer is looking for. They
employers at careers day events run by
employers look for. therefore make themselves extremely
department and Careers Service staff. employable by being able to talk
• Most of the jobs advertised on • Advertising vacancies on JOBSonline at about their encounters during
JOBSonline are for graduates of education, part-time employment,
www.le.ac.uk/jobsonline where
any discipline.
around 4,500 employers are registered, society/sports activities and relate
• Employers like to recruit many of whom are currently advertising these experiences to the competencies
Leicester graduates and will to fill their vacancies. the position requires. This means that
train you in their graduate they are better prepared not only for
programmes. • Skills development programmes such as
the interviews but also for the actual
Experience Employability and job they are interviewing for.
• Employers have successfully
Tomorrow’s Managers, both of which
recruited from Leicester in the Claire Fisher, Talent Acquisition
are part of the Leicester Award for
past and would like to do so Manager, East England Region,
again in the future. Employability, and have considerable
input from employers. Enterprise Rent-A-Car

6. 6 LEICESTER AND YOUR CAREER
The
Careers Service –
here to help
days (see ‘Make an appointment’ in the
Whether you need help with career options or ‘Develop your career’ section at
want to meet employers, find out how staff in www.le.ac.uk/careers for more details).
the Careers Service can help you.
Information resources
University life can be hectic and thinking Come in and talk to us – ask at the There is a range of careers-related
about careers may not be uppermost in Help Desk if you need any assistance. information in the Careers Service. This
your mind when you are busy studying includes information about occupations,
for your degree, possibly doing some department/subject areas, and Career
part-time or voluntary work and, well, Getting help from an Development Guides on making
just enjoying yourself. However, it’s information and advice applications.
never too early to start to think specialist
about what you want to do after Information and advice specialists are
you graduate. normally available between 10.00am Recent graduate view
The Careers Service isn’t just about and 4.00pm and offer individual
As a student both at
getting a graduate job. Our friendly consultations. They can help you find
undergraduate and postgraduate
staff can help you to find out about the information you require, offer the
initial advice you need to get started, levels, the Careers Service has
gaining experience and skills through
and provide feedback on CVs, provided me with much needed
vacation work, placements, volunteering
application forms, covering letters, help with writing a good CV,
and part-time jobs. We can point you to
and personal statements. researching different job options,
information about postgraduate
and deciding whether further
funding or how to make the most of a
study was right for me. The staff
gap year. We can also help you to plan
your career path, meet employers, and
Getting help from a are always friendly and willing to
make effective applications. careers adviser point you in the right direction if
Careers advisers provide in-depth you're lost in the masses of
The Careers Service is located on the resources available. There are
guidance as well as interview
second floor of the David Wilson Library. regular careers events where you
coaching. You can book an
appointment at the Help Desk in the get the chance to meet potential
Opening times Careers Service, or you can telephone employers face to face and ask
0116 252 2004. The Help Desk is them about their companies – it’s
The Careers Service is open for
open between 10.00am and 4.00pm. an excellent way to find out what
students to browse the resources
during normal David Wilson Further appointments with a careers different jobs are really like.
Library opening times. Staff are adviser may also be arranged
following an initial meeting. Careers Jonathan Potter,
available from Monday to Friday
advice is also available by telephone MA Humanities and English
from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.
and e-mail. We aim to respond to all
e-mail enquiries within seven working

7. LEICESTER AND YOUR CAREER 7
Making contact with under ‘Develop your career’ at
employers www.le.ac.uk/careers for full details of Recent graduate view
these sessions. Careers advisers also I received invaluable guidance
The University has regular contact with a
wide range of employers who want to collaborate with academic staff in from a careers adviser in the
meet and recruit Leicester students. departments to run sessions related to Careers Service on how to improve
Careers fairs, skills sessions and employer your degree discipline. Contact your my CV. Their advice was vital and
presentations are organised throughout departmental careers tutor for more they helped make my CV stand
the autumn and spring terms. The details (see the ‘People’ area in the ‘About out which, in today’s competitive
Autumn Fair, normally held in November, us’ section at www.le.ac.uk/careers for job market, gave me a better
hosts over 100 employers. Other events to contact details). chance of gaining employment
look out for include additional fairs such after graduation.
as the Volunteering Fair in the autumn James Parker, MA Modern
Getting help after you
and the Summer Careers Fair, as well as Literature and Creative Writing
careers days within individual
graduate
departments. Employers are also involved Our Get Set for Career Success
in skills development programmes such programme provides you with a number
as Experience Employability and of services. You can:
Tomorrow’s Managers.
• use the resources on the Careers Service
Job vacancies are advertised on website at www.le.ac.uk/careers
JOBSonline at www.le.ac.uk/jobsonline
• arrange a telephone discussion with a
where over 4,500 employers are
careers adviser – telephone the Help
registered, many of whom are currently
Desk on 0116 252 2004
advertising to fill their vacancies.
• e-mail your enquiry using the form
available at www.le.ac.uk/careers
Workshops
(see ‘Make an appointment’ under
Staff in the Careers Service run a variety of
‘Develop your career’)
practical workshops covering areas such
as: CVs and covering letters, interview • use the graduate online advice services
preparation and postgraduate study. Visit at targetjobs.co.uk or
the ‘Events, workshops, activities’ section www.prospects.ac.uk.
Attenborough
Where to find us
Bennett Engineering
Careers Service Charles
Computer Science
Wilson
2nd Floor David Wilson Library
Adrian
Rattray
Lecture
Archaeology &
University of Leicester Theatre
Ancient History
David Wilson Michael Atiyah
Bennett Library
University Road Link
Leicester LE1 7RH College
House
t: (appointments):
0116 252 2004
Entrance
3
t: (general enquiries):
0116 252 5040
k
al
W
w: www.le.ac.uk/careers
s
or
ay
M
Entrance
2
Fielding Johnson
Univer South Wing
sity
Road
George
Porter
Entrance
Maurice Shock 1
Medical
Sciences Percy Gee
The Careers Service is located Students' Union
The
on the second floor of theGatehouse Astley
Chaplaincy Fielding Clarke
David Wilson Building on theCentre Johnson Nuffield Fitness To Welford Road
main University campus. Ken and Wellbeing (A5199)
Edwards Centre

8. 8 PLANNING YOUR FUTURE
Talking abou
t your skills an
d experience
be the first st can
Planning
ep in career pl
anning
your career
Some people know exactly what they
want to do after graduating; others have
absolutely no idea. Many fall somewhere
between the two. Wherever you are in
the process, putting in some effort now
to do some research can really help you
Whether you know what you want to do or along the path to making the right career
don’t have a clue, it’s essential to plan ahead. decision. Although there are various
methods to approach career planning,
Either way the Careers Service can help you. the process opposite shows one way of
looking at the different stages.
UNDERSTANDING
YOURSELF - think about
Understanding yourself and what makes
you special
yourself
Career planning starts with you. Think
about your skills, interests, values and
motivations. What skills and
Researching competences can you offer to an
Time for
what’s out employer? What makes you different?
action
there What have you achieved? And what
are you are looking for in a career?
• Look at the ‘Career planning’ section
of the Careers Service website at
www.le.ac.uk/careers.
• Try using Prospects Planner, a careers
guidance programme, at
www.prospects.ac.uk (see ‘Jobs
and work experience’ then ‘What
jobs would suit me?’).
Making Gaining
• Think about Personal Development
Choices experience
Planning (PDP) which is designed to
help you to record, reflect and
develop your skills, and build up
your career profile. If you are a
campus-based student contact your
personal tutor and/or supervisor. If
you are a distance learner, contact
your department.

9. PLANNING YOUR FUTURE 9
enjoy them long-term. Keep a diary to
RESEARCHING WHAT’S record what you have done and to refer Our advice
OUT THERE – find out to when making applications. Taking time to plan your career
what’s available can make your job hunting more
focused and straightforward –
MAKING CHOICES – the earlier you start the better.
decision time Use the resources in the Careers
Service. Make the most of your
• Look at what other graduates in your time at university. Get involved
subject have gone on to do, available in different activities, whether
at www.le.ac.uk/careers (see it’s society membership, work
‘Develop your career’ then ‘Plan your experience or volunteering. All
future career’ then ‘Graduate When you have researched your ideas these will help you develop
destinations’). you will be able to start making choices those all-important employability
that suit your skills and interests. Think skills that employers will expect
• Find out about employers and talk to you to have.
about short, medium and long-term
them at employer events such as fairs
goals which will enable you to develop Vicky Parkin, Careers Adviser,
and presentations. Details are
your career on your terms. Consider the Careers Service
advertised on our website.
priorities of what you need to do and
• Visit the Prospects website at when. For example, not everyone
www.prospects.ac.uk for information chooses to pursue a career immediately
on specific occupations (see ‘Jobs and after graduating. You may decide to
work experience’ then ‘Types of jobs’). take time out, or undertake a
postgraduate course. Book an
• Consider other options such as
appointment with a careers adviser if
postgraduate study or taking a
you would like to discuss the ideas you
gap year.
have, and make a contingency plan in
case things don’t go quite as you expect
them to.
GAINING EXPERIENCE –
helping you decide
what you do and don’t TIME FOR ACTION –
like doing making applications
Use your time at university to gain as
much experience as you can.
Demonstrate to employers that you
Apply for vacancies that match the
have the skills they are looking for.
career choices you have made –
There are so many things you can get
whether for jobs or postgraduate study.
involved in, such as:
Before you start however, make sure
• working during vacations to you do some research into an
demonstrate that you are committed organisation before applying to them. Getting help
and motivated
• Talk to employers by visiting fairs, • Look at the resources in the
• working part-time during the term to attending presentations and going Careers Service (second floor
develop those valuable transferable to workshops. of the David Wilson Library).
skills
• Write/update your CV. • Visit the Careers Service
• working on volunteering projects – website at
• Visit the Careers Service website at
if you are developing your skills it is www.le.ac.uk/careers, the
www.le.ac.uk/careers for
irrelevant to an employer whether you Prospects website at
information on covering letters,
get paid or not www.prospects.ac.uk or the
application forms, interviews and
TARGETjobs website at
• work shadowing if you are interested assessment centres, the Prospects
http://targetjobs.co.uk.
in a particular career area where work website at www.prospects.ac.uk or
experience is not easy to come by. the TARGETjobs website at • Consult an adviser
http://targetjobs.co.uk. (10.00 pm – 4.00 pm).
Work experience is also invaluable as it
allows you to ‘test-drive’ different roles, • Consult an adviser if you would like
helping you establish whether you’d help with any of these.

10. 10 PLANNING YOUR FUTURE
Experience
Works
Top-notch co
mmunication
skills will
see you right
in any job
Work experience is an integral part of your time Benefits of our internship
opportunities:
at university and will improve your career • opportunity to take ownership of and
prospects once you have graduated. deliver a genuine project
• gain valuable employability skills and
Work experience has become increasingly experience that will make a significant
Graduate internships
important in the graduate market. No difference to your career prospects
The graduate internships are based
longer will a good honours degree suffice with external employers from different • receive an allowance of £1000
as employers focus their attention more sectors. They are open to any University per month.
and more on graduates’ ability to of Leicester graduate who has either
articulate the skills they have gained from For further information about how to
graduated in the last three years or apply, please visit www.le.ac.uk/wrl or
work experience.
who will be graduating in 2012. The email workrelatedlearning@le.ac.uk.
Work experience is one route towards internship opportunities are advertised
gaining those all-important skills that will from March 2012 and are available
give you the competitive edge and until December 2012. The duration
increase your chances of securing the of each internship opportunity is Student view
right graduate position. Work experience twelve weeks.
The best way to gain relevant
includes volunteering, internships and
and useful transferable skills is
part-time work amongst other things.
Summer internships to get some work experience in
your chosen area.
The summer internships are very similar
Work experience opportunities: to the graduate internships except they Graham Smith, LLB, work
Internships are open to any University of Leicester placement at Shepherd and
The University of Leicester runs student who is in their penultimate year Wedderburn LLP
internships for both current students of study. The internships begin in
and graduates. June/July 2012 and run for a period of
eight weeks.
Obtaining internships
Student view workshops
The Leicester Graduate The Careers Service runs ‘Obtaining
I highly recommend summer
work experience placements. Internship Programme internships’ workshops for students
The experience was very useful This internship programme for recent looking into applying for internships.
for both my academic studies graduates places interns with The workshops run in the autumn and
and research skills. departments within the University for a spring terms and provide information
six-month duration. The internships are and guidance about: the internship
Sara Rafice, PhD Chemistry, also accompanied with a series of process, where to search for
work placement at IAESTE employability skills workshops over the opportunities, articulating your skills to
course of the six months. employers, and what to do before,

11. PLANNING YOUR FUTURE 11
during and after your internship. The
workshop is an excellent opportunity
to gain an insight into internships. For
further information please visit
www.le.ac.uk/wrl.
Work Experience Bulletin
Watch out for the weekly Work
Experience Bulletin, a comprehensive
list of vacancies that you should Graduate view Graduate view (Leicester
receive from your department via (Leicester Graduate Graduate Internship
e-mail. The bulletin includes industrial Internship Programme) Programme)
placements, vacation work, summer
I think the internship scheme The programme has offered me a
placements, internships and
offers a wonderful opportunity good platform between studying
volunteering opportunities to which
to graduates. It’s a gateway into for my degree and the work of
you can apply directly.
an institution that you probably world. It’s a mix of training and
These placements, as well as a wouldn’t otherwise be able to being paid to do work, so you get
comprehensive and current list of enter into on your first job. It really valuable experience,
graduate vacancies, can be found at provides you with an insight especially for me in press and
JOBSonline, the University of Leicester into the working world and communications. I have been given
student and graduate vacancy bulletin, trains you not only in the skills the freedom to develop and carry
at www.le.ac.uk/jobsonline. relevant to the job you are out independent projects. I felt
doing but also in the workshops very well supported both at the
that we do on how to get a job start of the internship and
Maximise your work afterwards. So it’s a really good throughout as and when more
experience grounding for a future career. training was needed.
Regardless of whether you are It has been a wonderful I feel I now have the work
considering a summer internship, a introduction to working life; I experience which is so highly
year in industry or voluntary work, you have learnt so much and gained sought after in applications. I
should strive to make the most of your so many skills which will set me would recommend the Internship
work experience. Here are some useful up well for my future career. Programme to others and I have
tips to help you do just that. already recommended it to a
Amy Cory,
friend who is graduating next year.
Press Office Intern
Ruth Shephard,
Before work experience Press Office Intern
• Research the employer/organisation
that you are interested in – look at
their website and contact their HR
department for information. After work experience related learning consultation by e-mailing
• Use your diary or logbook to help you workrelatedlearning@le.ac.uk. Our
• Establish some learning outcomes advisers will help with all aspects of the
articulate your skills and professional
that you would like to achieve work experience process, from
development in your CV, application
during your work experience. researching opportunities right through to
forms and job interviews.
articulating your experience in your CV.
• Book a work-related learning • Reflect on your experiences and what
consultation by e-mailing you achieved. Was your work
workrelatedlearning@le.ac.uk. experience role one that you’d like Useful websites
to develop? Book a work-related • www.le.ac.uk/careers – Careers
learning consultation to talk through Service
During work experience your next steps.
• Maintain a diary or logbook of your • go.le.ac.uk/volunteering – Student
activities and achievements. Contact Volunteers
Work-related learning • www.step.org.uk – eight-week
• Ensure you are assigned a mentor
consultations summer placement programme
and meet regularly with him or her
If you are struggling to find work
to discuss your progress. • www.fledglings.net – work
experience opportunities or feel
placement organisation
• Request a reference or a certificate uncertain about how to present your
listing the competences you have CV/application to a work experience • targetjobs.co.uk/workexperience
developed. employer then you should book a work-

12. 12 PLANNING YOUR FUTURE
Skills – show Student socie
ties offer the
employers you
decision mak chance to draw
ing and orga on your
planning prom nisation skills,
otional events especially whe
such as this ba n
lloon launch
have what they want
Recruiters look for more than academic Student view
achievement – they want transferable skills too. Volunteering made a huge
Show them that you can hit the ground running. difference to my university
experience. Not only did it help
me make great friends and
Employers in today's work environment What are the skills and abilities positively impact my local
expect graduates to be equipped with that employers want? community, but it also gave me
relevant employability skills, abilities and the skills to go straight into a
The general skills and abilities that
personal qualities in addition to good rewarding job after graduating.
employers look for – often referred to as
academic qualifications. Those who are
employability, transferable, key skills, or Jenny Idle, Graduate 2008
able to demonstrate that they have such
competencies – can be developed in one
skills are likely to be successful in a
environment and applied to another in a
competitive job market.
new context. As a student you acquire
Being aware of your own strengths and transferable skills not just in your lectures opportunities are all Leicester Award-
weaknesses will help you to: accredited. Visit the website at
and seminars but through all of the
www.le.ac.uk/leicesteraward.
• decide on a suitable career activities you engage in and the many
experiences you have in life.
• identify those employability skills that Experience Employability
you need to develop Some examples of skills that employers
value and ideas for how you might This is a programme that allows students
• make effective applications that match provide evidence of these abilities are to reflect on their work experience or
an employer’s needs. listed in the table on the opposite page. extra-curricular activities and to examine
and improve those skills. It is delivered via
workshops and is assessed through
Employer view The Leicester Award for assignments and a presentation.
Employability
Our involvement with the
Leicester Award for
There are many opportunities to develop Tomorrow's Managers
your skills during your time at university. This is a two-day insight into management
Employability has proved to be
Participating in societies, sports teams, course, which helps students gain an
an invaluable way to gain
obtaining work experience (paid or insight into different career areas. Through
exposure to high calibre,
voluntary) or doing a part-time job can all presentations, role-play and business
motivated and enthusiastic
help to develop your skills and improve exercises, students can develop key skills
students.
your CV. The Leicester Award for required in the working world.
Barry Nee, Accenture Employability is a ‘kitemark’ that validates
a suite of programmes across the
institution that aim to help students to Volunteering Award
develop, assess, recognise and record their Students can volunteer in a huge variety
employability skills. The following of projects from after-school clubs

13. PLANNING YOUR FUTURE 13
Skill What it means Examples of how to Where can you develop
demonstrate it this skill at Leicester?
Adapting Changing or modifying your behaviour in Adjusting to life in another country; coping Volunteering, Leicester Award
response to needs or demands of others with a new role on a student committee for Employability
Business Interest in and knowledge Reading relevant publications to develop Careers fairs, employer presentations,
awareness of the commercial environment understanding of the economic climate Leicester Award for Employability
and trends; attending employer
presentations and open days
Personal Being aware of your own strengths Engaging with PDP development PDP within your department, careers
and career and weaknesses and acting programmes interviews or events, Tomorrow’s Managers
development appropriately to utilise/address them
Communication Expressing ideas and giving information Giving a presentation; contributing Volunteering, as a course representative,
or explanations effectively to the student newspaper; as an active member of the Students’
working as a Leicester Ambassador Union, Leicester Award for Employability
Decision Identifying options, evaluating them and Serving on a Students’ Union committee As a Students’ Union society or club
making then choosing the most appropriate and deciding which events you should committee member, course representative,
organise with the funds available volunteering, part-time work
Flexibility Being able to respond readily to Working on differing tasks in your role as Volunteering, as a Leicester
changing plans a volunteer or in part-time work Ambassador, part-time work
IT literacy Understanding and being Using databases in your academic work; Academic course, clubs and societies
able to use a range of software doing a society’s accounts on a spreadsheet
Leadership Being able to lead, motivate, set Leading a group project, student society Leicester Award for Employability; Tomorrow’s
direction and win the commitment or Students’ Union sports team Managers, as a Leicester Ambassador or
of others through course representative training
Negotiating Holding discussions with people Securing a pay increase or a change As a course representative, club or society
in order to reach a position in your working/volunteering conditions leader, volunteering, by working in teams
of mutual satisfaction on your course
Problem Identifying and using an appropriate Developing a new product or service during a Volunteering, as a Leicester Ambassador,
solving method to arrive at a solution work placement; volunteering as a course rep Tomorrow’s Managers, as a course representative
Planning and Working out how to schedule available Arranging a trip abroad for a group of friends, As a club or society leader, volunteering,
organising resources and activities to meet an objective including finding ways to raise funds academic course projects
Team working Ability to work effectively with Being a member of a theatre group; Club or society, volunteering,
others to achieve objectives working as a group to organise an event Leicester Award for Employability
Time Ability to prioritise and manage personal Ensuring your coursework is handed in on time Academic course, part-time work
management tasks effectively and meet deadlines while balancing the demands of part-time work
This is by no means a complete list and, above all, employers are looking for graduates who are willing to learn and are capable of applying themselves to real-life situations.
These skills can also be developed through a range of work experience including internships, part-time work and volunteering.
through to mentoring or running their Ambassador. Ambassadors support
own project via Contact Student outreach activities for schools and Further information
Volunteers. This programme enables colleges, including school events, www.le.ac.uk/leicesteraward –
students to reflect on the skills gained mentoring projects and summer schools. Leicester Award
from their volunteering and apply these to This programme is delivered as a series of go.le.ac.uk/tomorrowsmanagers –
a work-based context. evening classes combined with practical Tomorrow’s Managers
experience and personal reflection.
www.le.ac.uk/volunteering –
Course representatives Contact Student Volunteers
University of Leicester Students’ Union run Personal Development leicesterunion.com – Students’
a support and training course for students Planning (PDP) Union
undertaking the role of course Your academic department(s) will have its www.le.ac.uk/jobsonline –
representative. This course covers the skills own arrangements for supporting PDP. JOBSonline: find out about
needed to effectively communicate with a This might include some or all of the part-time and full-time work
wide range of audiences and each student following: taught sessions on how to opportunities
presents a portfolio of the skills they have develop your skills; exercises to help you www.le.ac.uk/offices/scs –
developed throughout the course. reflect on strengths and weaknesses; Leicester Ambassadors
tools to help capture your skills and plan go.le.ac.uk/careersevents – attend
for your future; and opportunities to employer presentations
Leicester Ambassadors discuss your progress with a personal
www.le.ac.uk/ml/lal – learn a
The Undergraduate Student Recruitment tutor. To find out more about how your new language through
Office offers a training programme for department supports PDP, contact your Languages at Leicester
students wishing to work as a University personal tutor.

14. 14 PLANNING YOUR FUTURE
International
students
Good commun
ication skills
will
help you secu
re a job
Whether you’re hoping to stay on in the UK or
return home after your studies, you need to plan
for your future career.
Services for international students. We also run a number of Working in the UK:
students events specifically geared towards the the regulations
The Careers Service provides needs of International Students If you are planning to work in the UK,
information for all University of including central workshops on either while studying or after completing
Leicester students, including ‘Finding a part-time Job’, ‘Creating a your studies, familiarise yourself with the
international students. Find us on the UK style CV’ and ‘How to look for current work permit regulations.
second floor of the David Wilson work experience’. Check our website You will find this information on the
Library. Here you will find professional for details of up and coming events. UK Border Agency website at
help to support you with your career www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk and
planning, guidance on making the the UKCISA website at
most of your time at university, Making the most of your www.ukcisa.org.uk.
employment and further study. There investment
is a dedicated section for international
students on our website at Finding a graduate job is competitive
and you need to make best use of
What counts as work
www.le.ac.uk/careers and a careers experience?
adviser and information specialist your time at university to ensure you
dedicated for the development of gain the skills and experience that will • Year in Industry - some courses may
services and support for international help you ‘stand out from the crowd’. provide the option of spending a year
Employability skills (e.g. in industry on a graduate work
placement between your second and
communication, teamwork etc.) are a
Student views third year.
priority for employers so in addition to
The vast amount of support doing well academically you also need • Work placement – many employers
that I received from the to develop your skills through a range offer placements (internships) during
Careers Service not only of extracurricular activities and work vacation periods e.g. you could do an
enhanced my confidence as an experience. Getting involved in eight-week work placement during the
international postgraduate university life will help you to make summer vacation. It is possible to do a
student but also maximised friends. It will also enable you to find graduate work placement after you
my chances of success. out about the UK and its diverse finish your course and before your
culture and develop your English student visa expires.
Eirini-Chrysovalantou Zempi,
MSc Criminology language skills, attributes which • Project work – completing projects that
are valued by employers in your provide a business solution as part of
home country. your course.

15. PLANNING YOUR FUTURE 15
• Work shadowing – observing someone work opportunities abroad. You can find
to find out about their job. sources of information in the ‘Develop
your career’ section of the website,
• Vacation/part-time job – working in
specifically the sub-sections on
a supermarket, bar or other
‘International students’ and ‘Job hunting
temporary job.
and work experience’. Country specific
• Enterprise activities – PULSE profiles are also available on
(Promoting University of Leicester www.prospects.ac.uk with
Student Enterprise) provides information on working and living in
opportunities to develop specific countries, details of vacancy
entrepreneurial skills and commercial sources and further help. Information on
awareness. the career paths of Leicester alumni is
available on the website and we may be
• Volunteering – unpaid opportunities to able to put you in touch with alumni
develop skills and gain experience. living and working in your home
• Leicester Award – this qualification country. Remember to keep in touch
provides the opportunity to develop with your networks at home and
and accredit skills and experience and consider signing up with a few
includes short courses and business reputable recruitment agencies to How the Careers Service
simulations like ‘Experience receive information on jobs. Ask your can help
friends, family and other contacts at
Employability’ and ‘Tomorrow’s
home to keep you informed of • The Careers Service website at
Managers’.
opportunities that may become www.le.ac.uk/careers contains
• Overseas placement – this could be via available. Identify a list of employers that a wide range of information
an employer with an office overseas or you want to work for and check their and resources including details
organised as part of your course (year career/vacancy web pages on a regular of graduate vacancies, work
abroad) or via an external organisation basis. Find out what they are looking for experience, internships and
like IAESTE (International Association and make sure that you get the volunteering opportunities
for the Exchange of Students for experiences you need whilst in the UK. (JOBSonline at
Technical Experience). The British Council may organise career www.le.ac.uk/jobsonline).
and job fairs to link UK–educated
• One-to-one advice and
graduates to UK businesses or
guidance is available through
Understanding graduate professionals operating in their
face-to-face appointments,
recruitment home countries.
telephone consultations and
Employers who recruit graduates e-guidance.
generally advertise their vacancies with
clear selection guidelines. This will
Postgraduate study in the UK • Workshops run throughout the
The University of Leicester offers year on creating a UK style CV,
probably include a job description and
postgraduate taught and research completing application forms,
details of the qualifications, skills and
opportunities. The websites interview preparation and
experience required of applicants. Many
targetcourses.co.uk, assessment centres, finding
employers start their graduate
www.prospects.ac.uk, part-time work, and how to
recruitment in the autumn term so it is
www.FindAMasters.com and look for work experience.
important to start researching careers
before the end of your second year or if www.FindAPhD.com can be used to • Attend employer presentations
you are doing a Masters programme search for postgraduate courses in the where you can find out about
then as soon as your course starts. Many UK. Education UK at graduate employment and the
www.educationuk.org has recruitment and selection
graduates in the UK obtain employment
information on courses and a searchable process.
that is not directly connected to their
database of funding sources. For further
degree studies, so don’t feel limited by
information on postgraduate study see • Visit careers fairs, which
your subject. For further information on
section entitled “Go further – consider provide the opportunity to
graduate recruitment in the UK see the
postgraduate study.” meet and network with a wide
“Job seeking” section of this guide.
range of graduate employers.
Whatever options you are considering,
the staff in the Careers Service can help. • Join skill development sessions
Finding work in your home delivered by employers and
country accredited courses such as
Many international graduates find work Experience Employability and
in large global companies in their home Tomorrow’s Managers.
countries or work in small to medium
sized enterprises in their local area. The
Careers Service holds information about

16. 16 JOB SEEKING
Meet
employers Meeting empl
oyers
– face to face
Use opportunities to meet employers on you make a formal application. You
may even be able to leave a copy of
campus to boost your employability. your CV with those who particularly
appeal to you.
Every year the number of graduates never too early to begin researching Fairs provide a unique opportunity to
seeking graduate-level employment future opportunities and improving engage with a variety of employers
outstrips the number of vacancies the skills needed to secure the job from a diverse range of market
available and this is accentuated when you want. sectors. While the employers will be
the economy is in recession. To make
Our events offer you an opportunity happy to hand you free promotional
sure you secure an offer of employment
to engage with employers, find out if materials such as pens and memory
it is vital that you engage with potential
an employer is right for you, and sticks, the real benefit of the event is
employers to get ahead of the field. The
then enhance your prospects of the opportunity to chat with their
Careers Service at the University of
securing an offer of employment. employees. Often, the company
Leicester offers numerous opportunities
Employer skills sessions, presentations representatives attending the event
to interact with employers throughout
and careers fairs take place will be recent graduates who have just
the course of your degree and we
throughout the year and are aimed been through the same process that
strongly encourage you to attend our
at increasing your employability. you’re going through now.
events in every year of your study. It’s
Details of these events are listed on
the Careers Service website at
www.le.ac.uk/careers (see Skills Workshop Programme
‘Develop your career’ and then Employer-led skills sessions focus on
‘Events, workshops, activities’). developing the particular skills
necessary for success at the most
rigorous of selection procedures. The
Careers fairs sessions cover selection procedures,
A good place to start getting interviews, assessment centres,
inspiration and advice on application forms, and CVs. In
your future is a careers fair. addition, employers provide talks on
These fairs are information- industry sectors. These events give
gathering and informal you the chance to meet leading
networking events. They employers and make a positive
offer you the opportunity to impression on them.
network with
representatives from
different sectors and talk Employer presentations
candidly with employers Employer presentations on campus are
who interest you before an excellent way of researching your

17. JOB SEEKING 17
career options. Employers will be develop the skills necessary to be
delighted to hear that you attended their successful with your job
presentation on campus when you apply applications. Although careers fairs
for a job, and might wonder why not if provide a platform where you can
you didn’t! You could also make a interact with a variety of
favourable impression at this point which employers and offer a great place
could help you at a later date when you to get inspiration and find
make an application, placing you one information, it is important to
seize all opportunities to engage
step ahead of your competitors.
with employers on campus to
The Skills Workshop Programme and ensure that you find the
employer presentations will take place on organisation that’s right for you
Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and then to secure a job offer.
between 12.00pm and 2.00pm and With 40 per cent of graduate
5.00pm to 7.00pm in the Careers Service level employment now open to
Seminar Room on the second floor of the graduates of any discipline, it is
David Wilson Library. vital to build up your Getting inside inform
ation
knowledge of the graduate about employers
employment market.
Why attend? Interaction with employers is a
Attendance at skills sessions and key way of doing this and enhancing
employer presentations will help you your employability at the same time.
JOBSonline
JOBSonline is the University’s
dedicated jobs website for students
and graduates. To date, nearly
12,000 jobs have been advertised on
the website and there are details of
more than 4,500 organisations
available for you to browse. Local,
national and international employers
have advertised their vacancies on
JOBSonline and a wide range of
nda r
nts cale
sectors, job types and degree
Eve disciplines are represented. It’s an
organic website, growing and
ember
2nd Nov changing as new companies and
Autum n Fair -
vember vacancies are added on a daily basis.
17th No
ering Fair - ring term What makes this website so special is
Volunte tumn/sp
me - Au that employers have sent vacancies
Program
orkshop n/spring
term in because they want to recruit
Skills W s - Autum
ntation University of Leicester students.
er prese
Employ mer term
That’s YOU!
ir - Sum
r Ca reers Fa
Summe mer term But JOBSonline is not just a resource
ss - Sum
er Succe for finding jobs when you’re about
for Care
Get Set to graduate. It’s there for you every
day of your university life as
of the /careers
ts section .le.ac.uk
employers also use it to advertise
ase see the even at www their summer internships, work
Ple bsite
ervice we .
Careers S etails of all events experience, industrial placements,
rd
for furthe volunteering opportunities, and part-
time work. If you’re not already
involved in doing some work
experience, this is a great way for
you to build your experience and
give you the extra edge to stand out
from the crowd.

18. 18 JOB SEEKING
Effective Getting a
applications –
dvice
impress employers CVs – some quick guidelines
• Two sides of word-processed,
A4 paper is normally sufficient.
Whether you use a CV or an application form,
• For postal applications, use
apply online or on paper, you’ll need to convince good quality paper and paper
the recruiter that they want to meet you. clips, not staples.
• In the education section, put
your most recent course first.
When you make an application you are The latter are the more difficult but
engaging in marketing yourself, or at they are the ones where you will be • Summarise qualifications that
least you should be, if you want to marketing and selling yourself directly were achieved some years ago
maximise your chances of obtaining an as a suitable candidate. Either way, it’s (such as GCSEs).
interview. Here’s how to go about it. essential to look at what the employer
• In the work experience section,
is offering and the type of person they
try to make your most relevant
are saying that they wish to recruit.
Application forms experience stand out.
Show awareness of the company and
The questions on application forms can why you want to work for them. For • Make your CV clear and
broadly be divided into two main types the competency-based questions avoid consistent and leave plenty of
– straightforward/factual and those that general answers – give specific white space.
analyse your qualities and competences. examples. Try and vary your use of • Make your headings stand out
examples in each question. Drawing by using bold, for example.
them from different areas of your life
will help you to do so. • Be concise. A ‘note-form’ style
Further information
of writing is generally
Visit the Careers Service For online application forms, cut and recommended.
website at paste your response from a word
processing document first to allow you • Using bullet points to list what
www.le.ac.uk/careers for
to run your text through a spell-check you have done/achieved can be
further information about:
before you send it - but make sure very effective.
• CVs, covering letters, and you proofread it anyway. Also make • Use positive/action words that
application forms, along sure that you keep a copy of what you describe what you did.
with samples have sent.
• Use a legible font with a
• dates of workshops and
minimum size of 11 point.
presentations relating to
making applications • Check your spelling, grammar
and punctuation - get a friend
• finding out how to get
to help spot mistakes.
feedback on your CV,
covering letter or • Use a laser printer for a better
application form. quality finish when you are
sending your CV by post.