Month: January 2015

Stupidly busy? Be smart and manage your time effectively.

Posted on by Careers Service

Sometimes it seems there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. With the competing demands of revising for exams, writing essays and applying for jobs, good management of your time is essential.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, consider if you are filling your time wisely. Are you putting off more challenging tasks by cleaning the house, doing the washing up, checking Facebook? My advice…..

Stop Procrastinating!

  1. Just start – do something (anything) to get the task under-way.
  2. If it’s big, break it down into smaller parts and do a little each day so you don’t feel so daunted by it.
  3. Do one thing at a time. Just because you can do ten things at once doesn’t mean you should. Focusing on one thing at a time means you’ll do better work, finish faster, and move on to other, more enjoyable activities.
  4. A cluttered desk is not helpful. Clear your desk of everything not related to what you are currently doing. This will help you concentrate and focus your attention.
  5. Identify your ‘prime time’. We all have a time of day when we are alert and attentive. The secret is to recognise when this is and do the tasks that require energy, concentration and thought when you’re at your sharpest.
  6. Plan ahead by creating a schedule including study, work, and your personal commitments for the next few months. Then…
  7. Prioritise: to be effective, you need to decide what tasks are urgent and important and focus on these. You’ll feel a real sense of achievement and satisfaction from ticking completed tasks off you list.
  8. Work in blocks of time: try a maximum of an hour before taking a 15min break, this way you’ll concentrate better.
  9. Minimise interruptions by switching off your phone, signing out of social media, turning off alerts and push notifications or asking friends not to disturb you. You can survive without knowing your friends’ latest status update for a few hours.
  10. Give yourself a reward once you complete a task to keep you motivated.

Some people believe they need the chaos of leaving things to the last minute and the pressure of a tight deadline to motivate them: ask yourself whether this is really effective or whether it’s disguised procrastination.

If you just do it now, you can look forward to some real leisure time later without the pressure of future work hanging over you. Breaking tasks down and scheduling work ahead of time also means you won’t get overwhelmed later on. It’s all about delayed gratification and you might actually find you produce better work under less stress.

Claire Wrixon
Careers Adviser

Media Careers Conference

Posted on by Careers Service

Every year the Careers Service puts on an event dedicated to finding out about careers within the media industry.  So if you think you’re the next Jon Snow, Arianna Huffington, or even Don Draper (see Mad Men!) then this is the conference for you. Last year the conference took place at the beginning of Easter and all students could choose two pathways and attend workshops linked to those pathways. These were: JournalismFeatured image Publishing Advertising, marketing and PR Creative industries Broadcast (TV and radio) Film and production The speakers at the conference ranged from recent alumni now working in film production through to the former Director of BBC World Service and Global News. The conference gave students the opportunity to talk with employers and alumni and find out more about different areas of the media industry. Last year speakers included representatives from

  • BBC
  • Dorling Kingsley
  • McCann Erikson
  • Films@59
  • The Sun on Sunday
  • Cardiff School of Journalism
  • Heart FM
  • Immediate Media and many more

What did the participants have to say about the conference? “I went into the Media Conference not knowing much about the Media Industry; I came out knowing more about the ins-and-outs of what a job in media entails. We heard from a wide range of people within the industry, covering journalism, social media and documentaries. They described what it takes to work in the industry, what experience you need, and what to expect from a job in media. This conference helped me understand what I do and don’t want from a career, finding out more about any job you’re considering is definitely worth doing to help point your future in the right direction for you” Madeleine (Current UoB student) How else did the course help the participants?

“I learnt about the processes and differences between jobs and companies”

“Learnt that journalism is something I’d love and learnt what to do and how to get there”

“Realise that post production is something I would really enjoy doing”

“Found a company I am interested in contacting”

“Made contacts and have a clear idea of different career paths available to me”

“Have specific areas in marketing and PR I’m interested in”

“Understand that there isn’t one set way/importance of contacts and networking”

“Eliminated some career paths and became more interested in other areas”

Media Careers Conference 2015 This year’s conference is taking place on Monday 30th & Tuesday 31st March 2015. To book your place, go to the Careers Service website “I found the media conference really helpful, mostly as it let me know that what I was doing was the right thing, and I also got a few pointers on how to get work experience.” Max, UoB Graduate 2014, now working as a Sports Journalist

Ready for your close-up? Video interviews, your chance to shine on the small screen.

Posted on by Careers Service

Does the idea of a video interview fill you with dread or are you secretly excited by the prospect? However you feel, they are becoming increasingly more popular with graduate recruiters. Don’t panic they’re not looking for the next movie star – actually they are just saving themselves some effort!

So what is a video interview?

A video interview is an interview that you record and send to the recruiter to view at a later date.

So why are video interviews so popular with graduate recruiters?

Time efficiency:  Trust me, having been a graduate recruiter, attempting to organise a phone interview in just two people’s diaries can be a nightmare, times this by 30 or 40 potential candidates for just a handful of positions and it adds up to several days’ worth of back and forth rescheduling. Video interviews do away with this. Recruiters set up one interview, send it to an unlimited number of candidates and give them a deadline to complete. You get to conduct the interview when it suits you and the interviewer can watch them at a convenient time for them.

Personality: Recruiters can’t read a candidate at the end of a phone, but on screen body language and personality come across. So make sure you are engaging and remember to smile.

Consistency: Every phone interview is essentially a different conversation, in comparison a video interviewer asks all the questions in exactly the same way to all candidates. This means that there is a more balanced evaluation of all candidates via this method, so it works in your favour.

Review and sharing: It’s easy with this format for recruiters to take a second look or share your interview with others if they want a second opinion. This is really helpful for them, so they are not just relying on their notes.

However remember, once the interview starts you can’t rewind or review your answers – it’s exactly the same as a face to face interview, without the interaction. So here are some tips to help you get it right first time:

Top Tips

  1. Check your background, take down the posters, remove that 3 day old mug and pick a room with clear bright lighting.
  2. Silence the house, warn your flatmates, silence your phone and close the door.
  3. Look presentable, just because you are in your bedroom this is not an excuse for PJs.
  4. Look into the camera, not the screen to ensure you are making eye contact.
  5. Timing: there may be a delay in the questions so make sure the ‘interviewer’ is completely finished before responding to avoid talking over them.
  6. Practice: see how you come across on video, do you fidget or wave your hands around, try to limit distracting gestures.
  7. Like a scout: be prepared. Are you using a laptop, is it plugged in with enough power, test every aspect of the equipment.
  8. Clean the camera lens, the slightest smudge can be very distracting for the interviewer.
  9. Sit still, be aware that the microphone picks up all the noise in the room so don’t tap your pen or shuffle papers.
  10. Have notes in bullet format to prompt you and place them at eye level, so you are not constantly looking down or reading from them.

As always the Careers Service is here to answer any questions or help you to prepare for your interviews so get in touch if you need more help or advice.

Good Luck!

Claire Wrixon, Careers Adviser

Why should you consider Spring Insight with an employer?

Posted on by Careers Service

An Insight scheme or programme is a brief period spent with an employer, usually in the spring or summer, to gain industry knowledge and explain career opportunities within that business. Activities provide an overview of company life and usually include presentations and seminars, work shadowing and some practical work experience.

Banks, Law firms and Professional Services companies are the main employers offering Insight programmes. Eligibility varies but many schemes are designed for first years whilst remaining open to other year groups. Here are 4 reasons why insight could be an important step for your career planning.

1. Narrow down your career options

It is common to feel pressure to discover your career path while at University. Insight schemes are a great way to narrow down the options. You may discover your future career or rule certain options out. This is all useful experience.

2. Get work experience

As Insight programmes range from a few days to a few weeks you can try out multiple industries to add work experience to your CV. Whether you find a sector you can picture yourself in or not you are still sure to develop transferable skills to boost your employability for any job.

3. Make industry contacts

You are likely to work with fellow students, interns, graduates and more experienced staff. You leave a first impression even in a short time, show yourself to be keen and colleagues will not mind you following up with further career questions.

4. Turn Insight into a job

Employers are increasingly using these programmes to funnel strong candidates through to internships and then graduate roles. If an Insight scheme goes well it could set you on the path to future full time employment!

Rate My Placement is a good place to start looking for Insight opportunities. Our advice is to apply early, many places get filled on a rolling basis. As always the Careers Service is here to answer any questions or help you to prepare an application.

Good Luck!

Maxine Robinson, Graduate Recruitment Officer