YourGuideToGettingAJob PDF

Career Development Services
Your Guide To...
Finding part-time and graduate jobs

Employability skills
CVs, Covering Letters & Applications
Psychometric Tests
Interviews and Assessment Centres
Getting a
job
UOB STUDENT CDS CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES - YOUR GUIDE TO...

Introduction
This booklet has been designed by Career Development Services to help

you get the job you want and includes information on: where to look for Get in touch
graduate jobs, part-time work, CVs and applications, performing effectively
at interview and more.
The information has been tailored for University of Bradford students and
graduates. As well as featuring information specific to your Faculty and www.bradford.ac.uk/
your experience as a UoB student, there are also details of businesses and careers
organisations in Bradford and the local area to help you get started.
The booklet is divided into three colour-coded sections to help you easily get
to the place you want, these are:
01274 234991
Section 1: Developing your skills & finding a job
Section 2: Applying for jobs
Section 3: Assessment centres & interviews. careers@

bradford.ac.uk
On the next two pages there is a contents flowchart to guide you through
the job seeking process, with a breakdown of exactly what’s in each section.
For more detailed information, visit our website: www.bradford.ac.uk/careers

and please come to see us if you have any careers-related queries.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES - YOUR GUIDE TO... CDS STUDENT UOB 3

Contents
SECTION ONE: Developing your skills and finding a job
Getting started /
Researching your career options page 6
Volunteering, joining a club or society

& taking a year out page 8
DEVELOPING Where to look for

YOUR EMPLOYABILITY Finding a
part time work page 9
SKILLS part-time job Local companies

page 7 page 9
page 10
Agencies and
further info page 11
What is a graduate job?

What about salary? page 12
Research graduate opportunities page 13
FINDING A GRADUATE JOB Where to look - Advertised jobs.

Graduate job sites by Faculty page 14
OR INTERNSHIP
page 12 Using LinkedIn for
job hunting page 17
How to find jobs
that aren’t advertised Using Facebook &
Face-to-face networking Twitter for job
Digital networking hunting page 18
page 16
More social media for
job hunting page 19
SECTION TWO: Applying for jobs
Top tips / example

person specification
page 22
Application forms Example competency

page 21 question page 23
Personal statements
page 24
APPLYING
What should I
FOR JOBS - include? page 27
Where do I start? Formatting page 28

page 20 CVs Submitting your CV
Types of CV page 29
page 26 CV guideline page 30
Sample CVs:
Part-time pages 32-33
Graduate pages 34-37
4 UOB STUDENT CDS CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES - YOUR GUIDE TO...

What should I include?
page 39
Covering letter guideline

Covering Letters page 40
Top tips Sample covering letter

APPLYING page 38 (part-time work) page 41
FOR JOBS Sample graduate

covering letter (response
(continued) to advert) page 42
Sample graduate
covering letter
(speculative application)
page 43
Useful words & phrases page 44
Psychometric tests
Aptitude tests page 45
SELECTION TESTS
page 45 Personality questionnaires
Situational judgement tests (SJTs) page 46
SECTION THREE: The interview process
On the day page 48

ASSESSMENT CENTRES Types of activities pages 48-50
What are assessment centres?
page 47 Top tips
After the assessment centre page 51
Preparing for interviews page 52
Practical preparation page 54
At the interview: First impressions, Body language,

Answering questions effectively page 55
INTERVIEWS
page 52 Types of questions page 56
1:1, panel, competency
-based, strength-based
page 57
Types of interview
page 57 MMIs, sequential, group,
telephone page 58
Video & webcam

interviews page 59
The end of the interview page 60
RESOURCES page 61
ABOUT CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES page 63

SECTION ONE: Developing your skills and
finding a job
This booklet focuses

Getting Started
on finding a job;
When should I start thinking about my career?
for details on other
options please visit In today’s job market, employers are looking for more than just a good degree grade, so you
our website or ring should take steps to improve your knowledge and skills to stand out from the crowd. It’s never
us on 01274 234991 too early to start thinking about what you want to do; below are our suggestions on when to
to arrange an start:
appointment. First year Middle years Final year
Develop your Keep working on your Apply for vacancies.
employability skills skills. Attend our Employability
and experience by Research your career Workshops and Careers
working part-time, options (see below). Fairs.
Lots of jobs
volunteering, joining Attend our Make an appointment with
don’t require a
specific degree, so a club or society, (see Employability a career development
researching could page 8). Workshops and adviser to explore your
give you an idea of Call into Careers to Careers Fairs. career options, get help
career prospects that get your CV checked. Update your CV. with applications, refine
aren’t necessarily Attend our Apply for our your CV and practice your
linked to your Employability ‘Summer Experience’ interview technique.
subject. Workshops and six week placements.
Careers Fairs.
Apply for our
‘Summer Experience’
programme.
What if I’ve got no idea what I want to do?

Come to see a career development adviser to discuss your options, or you could try
the Prospects Career Planner: www.prospects.ac.uk/planner
Researching your career options

Why should I research my options?
Researching will give you a better understanding of your chosen career and the types of jobs
available. Your research may even open up options which you haven’t previously considered.
Where do I start with my research?

Book a guidance appointment with a career development adviser to get started. We can give
you impartial advice and direct you to relevant resources.
Explore the ‘What can I do with my degree?’ section on the Prospects website:
www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree and other resources
(listed on page 61) to help you generate ideas about future career paths and help you
understand what’s happening in the labour market.
Researching Labour Market Information (LMI) will help you find out about:
what jobs are out there
who the main employers are in your field
where jobs are being created
regional differences in job prospects.
Take a look at the labour market information, including the ‘What Do Graduates Do?’
report on our website: www.bradford.ac.uk/careers/options/degree-options/
You can also find out what previous graduates from your course and Faculty have gone on to
do via the Unistats website: http://unistats.direct.gov.uk
What should I do after I have researched?

Plan how you’re going to develop your employability skills through getting the right
experience to be a successful job hunter.
Book an appointment with a career development adviser to discuss your ideas further.
6 UOB STUDENT CDS DEVELOPING YOUR SKILLS & FINDING A JOB

Developing your skills
Developing your employability skills
What are employability skills?
The University of Bradford has defined and categorised the main skills that employers look for ‘Employability’ is
into nine employability capabilities. These are described below along with their related key the group of skills
words and suggestions about how you can gain and demonstrate these as a UoB student or necessary for
graduate. getting and being
CAPABILITY DEFINITION KEY WORDS / SKILLS
HOW TO
GAIN / DEMONSTRATE THIS
successful in a job.
The willingness and commitment Planning, Organisation, Try new things - join societies and
to learn and develop, including the Decision making, Initiative, groups
Management ability to adapt quickly to new Analytical & logical thinking, Set personal goals
of Self & Own situations. Setting objectives to Critical thinking, Resilience, Research and share things you are
continually improve yourself. Self-motivation, passionate about via social media
Performance Enthusiasm, Commitment, Travel - arrange an itinerary
To respond positively under
pressure. Time management Fundraising e.g. charity fun run
Portraying a professional image Responsibility, Any work experience, part-time job

through reliability, consistency Accountability, or internship
Professional and honesty. Time management, Position of responsibility in a See page 44 for
Values Dressing and acting appropriately. Professionalism, student club or society more useful words
The ability to deliver work Integrity, Meeting assignment deadlines
outcomes to agreed quality Customer service, Become a first-aider, fire warden or and phrases to help
standards and timescales. Team working health & safety officer you write about your
skills and experience.
Customer service, Written- through academic work,
Getting your message across blogs, administration experience
Communication Negotiation, Influencing,
and conveying your ideas and Verbal- through customer-facing
Listening, Advising,
& Presentation thoughts effectively, face-to-
Languages, Persuading, job roles, university presentations,
Skills face, over the telephone, volunteering in the community
Performing / Presenting,
electronically and in writing. Student radio (RAMAIR)
Interpersonal skills,
Networking Be a career ambassador / course rep /
student mentor (PAL scheme)
People skills, Group working at Uni

Working successfully with people Interpersonal skills,
Team & Involvement in sports teams,
from a wide range of backgrounds. Interaction, Adaptable, societies, music groups
Customer Understanding the elements of Flexible, Responsive, Any work experience working with
Working customer service. Coaching / Mentoring, others and dealing with customers
Working under pressure, Volunteering in the community
Time management
Analytical & logical thinking, Dissertation / final year project

Problem How you personally react to a Applying knowledge, Personal projects, e.g. starting a
problem, how quickly and Decision making, small business
Solving Travel
effectively you find a solution. Recommending, Persuading,
& Decision Creative thinking, Fundraising / campaigning
Making Researching, Entering competitions
Time management Organising events
Analytical & logical thinking, Entering business competitions

Decision making, Leadership,
The ability to identify and develop Attending career networking events
Innovation Creative thinking,
opportunities through research Create a website, blog and share
& Enterprise and planning.
Networking, Researching,
articles about a subject or industry
Customer service,
Suggest improvements at your
Resilience, Determination,
part-time job
Budgeting, Developing
Start a student society or club
Client relationships
The ability to use computers and Creative thinking, Dissertation / final year project
software for word processing, Evaluate, Research,
Information Blog and share articles about a
presenting, research, retrieval and Analytical & logical thinking,
& Digital specific subject or industry, having
storage of information etc. Applying knowledge, a professional online presence
Literacy Use of social media and an Maintain, retrieve and (see pages 16-19).
awareness of the potential uses update data, Keep up to date with new technology
of digital technology. Microsoft Office
Ability to understand a range of Understanding financial Work experience, handling cash etc.
financial concepts e.g. budgets, concepts,
Financial Starting your own business and
credit, debit, profit, revenue, loss. Budgeting, keeping accounts
Literacy Ability to apply these concepts to Book keeping, Become a treasurer for a student
make effective decisions Economics, club or society
within business settings and Decision making,
personal life. Analytical & logical thinking
Analytical & logical thinking, Entering business competitions

Understanding and evaluating
Understanding, Blog and share articles about a
Business & commercial priorities and
Decision making, specific subject or industry
Commercial economic factors which affect
Creative thinking, Suggest improvements at your
business and development in a
Awareness particular field.
Customer service, part-time job
Financial, Arrange a business mentor / work
Managing others shadowing
DEVELOPING YOUR SKILLS & FINDING A JOB CDS STUDENT UOB 7

Developing your skills
How do I develop my employability skills?

Visit the Students’
Union in Student You’ll already have lots of skills: as a student you’ve adapted to new situations; communicated
Central to find with your lecturers and fellow students; worked in or led teams; planned and organised
out more about your assignments; and many more. You can always build on these skills to increase your
volunteering and employability and stand out from the crowd. Have you considered:
societies at the
university. working part-time
volunteering
joining a club or society
taking a year out?
You could also

consider becoming
a student
representative, Working part-time Taking a year out
career ambassador,
or be part of the peer See the following pages for full details.
assisted learning Some graduates decide to take time out
scheme. after university. If you plan your time
Volunteering effectively, decide on your objectives and
spend your time out productively it can be
Volunteering is great way to develop your a good way of improving your employability
employability skills and impress employers. for when you do decide to enter the job
As well as gaining experience, it’s also an market.
opportunity to network, build your contacts
and it may even lead to paid work. Your gap year could involve:
To find out more about volunteering volunteering

opportunities locally, contact the UBU travelling
starting a small business
Student Volunteering Centre on 01274
working abroad
233300, by email volunteering@bradford.
ac.uk, or visit their website:
www.ubuonline.co.uk/volunteering If these options appeal to you, it’s important
to consider the costs, e.g. you may have to
pay for training, flights, accommodation, etc.
Joining a club or society
To find out more, there is information about
Joining a club or society is another way volunteering abroad, entrepreneurship and
of building up your employability skills, other options on our website:
particularly if you take on positions of www.bradford.ac.uk/careers
responsibility such as president, secretary, You can also book an appointment with a
team captain, student representative or career development adviser to discuss the
treasurer. Joining in also shows that you are right options for you.
reliable, committed and trustworthy. You can
find a list of societies and sports clubs on
the University of Bradford Student’s Union
website: www.ubuonline.co.uk

Finding a part-time job
Why should I get a part-time job? For local part-time
jobs, check our pages
Having a job alongside your studies has many potential benefits. It can give you the on Facebook www.
opportunity to earn extra money, enhance your CV, and improve your employability skills and facebook.com/
prospects beyond university. Working part-time also offers the chance to meet new people UniBradCareers
and have a different social experience outside the university environment. and Twitter
www.twitter.com/
However, you should make sure that you can balance your job and your studies - we strongly UniBradCareers
recommend that you work no more than 15 hours per week during term time. Retail and every Thursday.
hospitality jobs generally give you the flexibility to work weekends and evenings around your
studies, but there are a wide range of roles which offer part-time hours.
Where can I look for part-time work? Think about what you
want to do. How about:
Jobs advertised by Career Development Services retail jobs
waiting & bar work
cleaning jobs
Register at http://brad.prospects.ac.uk Most jobs on campus are advertised
call centre work
to access our Jobs Online database for on Jobs Online, but also check with
warehouse work?
part-time, casual or vacation work. your department to see if they have
Jobs Online is updated daily and vacancies.
vacancies are filled quickly, so you need Look out for our ‘Job of the Week’
to browse it regularly. posters in the Union Mall or come in to
Sign up for email alerts to get notified Careers to pick up a list of part-time jobs
as soon as a vacancy is added which (new every Thursday).
matches your preferences.
Friends and other contacts Local newspapers

Let your friends and family know that you Newspapers also have jobs sections on their
are looking for part-time work as they may websites, and usually print a selection of
know of local vacancies. Word of mouth jobs weekly. Local newspapers include:
often works well. The Telegraph and Argus (jobs on
Wednesdays):
www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk
Other local companies The Yorkshire Post (jobs on Thursdays):
www.yorkshirepost.co.uk
Think about where you might find a part- Yorkshire Evening Post (jobs on
time job around Bradford, such as: Thursdays):
The Broadway Shopping Centre www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk
Forster Square Retail Park Jobs Today for the Yorkshire region
Restaurants, cafes and bars (Saturdays): www.jobstoday.co.uk
Hotels and theatres
Speculative applications
Some businesses looking for part-time employees put adverts in their windows or on a
noticeboard.
If you know what work you’d like to do, or if you know of an employer who takes on part-time
staff, visit them and ask if they are recruiting – make sure you take a copy of your CV. If they
don’t accept CVs, they may ask you to fill in an application form. You could telephone or write,
but make sure to send your CV and a covering letter (see Applying for Jobs starting on page
20 for more).
See the next page for businesses and organisations who may be hiring in Bradford.

Working at the Broadway Centre

Keep an eye out
for new businesses 3 Store: careers.three.co.uk/ KFC: www.kfc.co.uk/join-us/work-with-us
opening in Bradford Boots (includes Pharmacy): www.boots.jobs M&S: careers.marksandspencer.com/careers-at-
and ask if they are Burger King: www.bkcareers.co.uk/crew.aspx m-and-s
recruiting. Carphone Warehouse: New Look: www.newlookcareers.co.uk/
www.careersatcarphone.com/ Next: careers.next.co.uk/
Costa: Patisserie Valerie:
www.costa.co.uk/about-us/careers/careers www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk/careers.aspx
Debenhams: www.debenhams-careers.com The Perfume Shop:
EE Mobile: jobs.ee.co.uk www.theperfumeshopjobs.com/index.cfm
The Entertainer: www.thetoyshop.com/careers River Island: www.riverisland.com/inside-river-
Ernest Jones: island/careers/river-island/want-to-join-us
www.signetjobs.co.uk/ErnestJones.aspx Sainsbury’s: sainsburys.jobs
Cut out unsuitable Foot Asylum: www.footasylum.com/careers Spud-u-Like: www.spudulike.co.uk/careers
jobs from your online Goldsmiths Boutique: Subway: www.subway.co.uk/business/careers/
searches by refining careers.aurumholdings.co.uk Thomson:
H Samuel: www.signetjobs.co.uk/hsamuel.aspx/ www.thomson.co.uk/jobs/travel-jobs.html
your results by H&M: career.hm.com/content/hmcareer/en_gb/ Topshop: www.careers.topshop.com/job-search
‘distance’, ‘job type’, findjob.html Vision Express: www.visionexpresscareers.com
‘posting date’, etc. Holland & Barrett: Vodafone: careers.vodafone.co.uk/home
www.hollandandbarrett.com/info/careers WH Smith: www.whsmithcareers.co.uk
JD Sports: jdsports-careers.basis-system.com
Other local companies and organisations
Argos: www.argoscareers.com O2: www.telefonicaando2careers.com/gb

Asda: www.asda.jobs Odeon Leeds Bradford:
Burger King: www.bkcareers.co.uk/home.aspx www.jobtrain.co.uk/Odeon5
Cineworld: www.cineworld.co.uk/careers Peacocks: www.peacocks.co.uk/careers
Clarks: uk.clarksjobs.com Pets at Home: www.petsathomejobs.com
Dixons Carphone: www.dixonscareers.com Pizza Hut: www.pizzahut.co.uk/recruitment
DFS: www.dfscareers.co.uk SCS: www.scs-recruitment.co.uk
Halfords: www.halfordscareers.com Sports Direct:
Harveys: www.harveysfurniturecareers.co.uk http://www.sportsdirect.com/Careers
McDonald’s: www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/ Tesco: www.tesco-careers.com
People/Join-the-team.html TK Maxx: www.tkmaxx.com/content/ebiz/
Morrisons: www.morrisons.jobs tkmaxx/resources/careers/index.html
Mothercare: mothercare.team.careers Waterstones: www.waterstones.com/help/
National Media Museum: www. careers/47
nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/aboutus/Jobs. Wetherspoons: www.wetherspoonjobs.co.uk
aspx
Other websites
Many part-time jobs are advertised on job search websites as well as the individual company’s pages.
An advantage of regularly checking these sites is that they display vacancies from different companies
in the same search. Jobs websites which you may want to check or download the apps include:
Jobcentre Plus – the UK Government’s website to provide support for people seeking
employment, listing all types of jobs: www.gov.uk/jobsearch
Monster – all types of jobs: www.monster.co.uk
Indeed – all types of jobs: www.indeed.co.uk
JobsGoPublic – public sector jobs: www.jobsgopublic.com
A quick internet search will reveal many more.
Many smaller independent businesses will not have recruitment websites, so it’s worth contacting
them directly to ask if they have any suitable vacancies.

Recruitment /employment agencies

The University
Signing up with recruitment agencies can be a useful way of finding temporary or part-time work. recommends that you
Never use an agency which asks you for money – regulated agencies earn their fees from employers. work no more than
15 hours per week
Agencies often specialise in certain types of work, and can offer both permanent and temporary during term time.
contracts. Register with the ones that offer the kind of jobs that you are interested in. Local
recruitment agencies include:
Assist Support www.assistsupport.co.uk (tel 0845 600 8376) - public sector, housing association
and retail & business work, including locally-based Morrisons.
Brook Street www.brookstreet.co.uk (tel 01274 733721) - office and light industrial work.
Interaction Recruitment www.interactionrecruitment.co.uk (tel 01274 743943) - customer
service and office work.
Office Angels www.officeangels.com (tel 01274 726300) - secretarial, administration and office- Our employability
based work. advisers can help you
Premier Education www.premier-education.co.uk (tel 01274 271 173) - education and teaching. find and apply for
Reed www.reedglobal.com (tel 01274 377610) - office, education, light industrial and health work.
local part-time jobs,
Smarter Recruitment www.smarterrecruitment.co.uk (tel 01274 393687) - deal with a wide range
get in touch with us
of work, with labouring and catering work regularly advertised.
Stafforce www.stafforce.co.uk (tel 01274 777973) - manufacturing and industrial work. for more information.
How much will I be paid?

All employers must pay the National Minimum Wage.
From October 2016, the National Minimum Wage

(NMW) rates are:
£6.95 for workers 21 and over
£5.55 for 18 – 20 year olds
The NMW rate normally changes in October each year.
Further to this, the National Living Wage was introduced in April 2016. This means that
employers must pay everyone over 25 a rate of at least £7.20 per hour (again, this is
subject to change every year).
What if I’m not from the UK?

All European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss Nationals are free to work in the United
Kingdom without the need to apply for permission. Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway
are not members of the European Union (EU) but citizens of these countries have the
same rights to enter, live in and work in the UK.
However, nationals from Croatia do not have an automatic right to work while you’re a
student in the UK - you will need to apply for permission before you start work.
International Students (those who are not from EEA countries or Switzerland) will need
to check the restrictions on their student visa.
For further information please check the GOV.UK website: www.gov.uk.
How do I apply for part-time work?
For advice and examples on how to write an application form, CV or cover letter for part-time
work, please take a look at:
the Applying for jobs section starting on page 20
sample part-time CVs on pages 32-33
a sample covering letter for part-time work, page 41.

Finding a graduate job or internship
What is a graduate job?
Employers value Graduate jobs are those which usually require a degree from the start, either because the
graduates for degree gives you the specific knowledge and qualifications to do a job, or because employers
both technical and value the skills and experience gained from a university education.
transferrable skills
gained at university. Graduate schemes are training programmes over a set period, usually one to two years,
which offer work experience and training within a company with a guaranteed job at the end
(providing you pass the training).
Internships are another way into employment, these can offer work experience and training
but unlike graduate schemes do not necessarily end in a formal job offer. However, they can
be a good way to improve your employability skills and find out whether a job is right for you
without signing up for a long period of time.
Think carefully Be aware that some internships are unpaid, think carefully about applying for these.
about whether a
job is right for you Career Development Services organise the Bradford Graduate Internship Programme
- things to consider to help recent graduates find ten-week internships at local businesses and organisations:
include the company, www.bradford.ac.uk/careers/options/bgi2016/
salary, location and
prospects.
What about salary?
The advertised salary will vary depending on the type of job, but there are a few things to
consider when deciding whether the job’s salary is right for you:
Tax and national insurance: Tax and Long term prospects: If the job starts
national insurance contributions will on a lower rate, but there is a proven
be deducted from your pay, and there way to progress and increase your
may be further deductions for student salary and career prospects over time,
loans, pensions etc., so be aware this could be a better choice than a
that you will take home less than the job with a higher starting salary but
advertised salary. little security or no way to progress.
Hours worked: Full-time hours can Contract term: The most secure type
vary, so make sure that when you of job is a permanent contract, but
break it down by an hourly rate, it’s many employers offer fixed-term
worth it. positions, generally for between six
Distance to work and travel costs: months and two years. Bear in mind
If you are driving or commuting to that if you have a fixed-term contract,
work, this costs both time and money, the employer is under no obligation
for example, you could be adding two to offer you a new contract when this
hours travel per day and £2000 travel expires.
costs per year - is this worth it?

Graduate jobs and internships
Research graduate opportunities
Why should I research?
Applying for jobs is time consuming, so before you apply, be sure that you want to work for Your research
the organisation; you could be working there for a long time. will also be useful
at the interview
Secondly, research will be useful at every stage of the recruitment process. You can use your stage, see page 52
knowledge of the vacancies to tailor your application and impress the recruiters at interview.
for more details.
What kind of research should I do?
Consider the job Consider the company

Read general job descriptions: www. Look at the company’s website, online Use your research to
prospects.ac.uk and www.targetjobs. presence and social media profile. Research tailor your application
co.uk both feature overviews of salaries, the organisation by looking at local and to show how your
conditions, entry requirements, training national newspapers, business directories experience, career
and career development. and reports. Google them and see if there goals and enthusiasm
Read job adverts / job description are any recent news stories about them - it make you an ideal
/ person specification and required might also be useful to do an image search candidate.
competencies thoroughly: Some to become familiar with how they market
organisations provide a detailed job themselves through their branding and
description and person specification, style. The Careers Information Room has a
while other organisations tend range of employer directories and computers
to provide a list of the required available for such research.
competencies, so ask yourself: is this
what I am looking for? What have Before you apply, consider if the aims and
people who have done this job gone on ethos of the company fit in with your own,
to do afterwards? Is that where I want to and if the location and size of the company
direct my career? Will I enjoy it? suits. You could also do a SWOT analysis
on the company (see page 52) – however,
this level of depth may be regarded as more
relevant to the interview stage but if you
have time and are hoping to get an interview,
there would be no harm in starting this stage
early.
Consider yourself What should I do after I have researched?
Read the person specification or job After you have researched, evaluate your
description and ask yourself if you have the findings and decide if you want to apply. If
required personal qualities, commitment, you do, use your research when you write
energy, motivation, initiative, and your application form, CV or covering
knowledge to perform the role. It’s hard to letter. Tailoring your application towards
evaluate this on paper, so evaluate yourself the specific post will greatly increase your
and talk to people in the role to see if you chances of being shortlisted for an interview.
think you are a good match.

Where to look
Many graduate opportunities are advertised on company websites, job boards, trade and
industry journals (see resources on page 61 for more details), newspapers and recruitment
Industry journals agencies but not all jobs are advertised. Here are some useful tips on where to look and hints
and websites will on job-hunting for both advertised and unadvertised vacancies.
also help you to
stay informed Advertised jobs
about wider trends
and events. Register at http://brad.prospects.ac.uk to access our Jobs Online database for graduate
jobs (this also features part-time, casual and vacation work).
Jobs Online is updated regularly and vacancies are filled quickly, so you need to browse it
regularly.
Sign up for email alerts to get notified as soon as a vacancy is added which matches your
preferences.
Visit our regular Other websites offering graduate job opportunities include:
careers fairs Prospects: www.prospects.ac.uk
TARGETjobs: www.targetjobs.co.uk
for an insight
Yorkshire Graduates: www.yorkshiregraduates.co.uk
into local and Find more on our webpages:
national graduate www.bradford.ac.uk/careers/finding-a-job/graduate-jobs/
recruiters.
Below is a selection of faculty-related graduate job websites:
Life Sciences Health Studies

Environment Agency - JobsGoPublic -
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ www.jobsgopublic.com
environment-agency/about/recruitment
CHASE Medical Sales Recruitment -
Environmental Data Services - www.chasepeople.com
www.ends.co.uk
Medrek -
Biomedical Sciences - www.medrek.co.uk
www.careerscene.com
New Scientist -
Royal Society of Chemistry - www.newscientist.com
www.rsc.org
NHS Jobs -
Life Science Recruitment - www.jobs.nhs.uk
lifescience.ie
TARGETjobs Healthcare -
PMlive - targetjobs.co.uk
jobs.pmlive.com
New Scientist -
jobs.newscientist.com/en-gb/ Management & Law
ResearchGate - Directions -
www.researchgate.net www.directions.org.uk
British Archaeological Jobs and Risk -
Resources (BAJR) - www.discoverrisk.co.uk
www.bajr.org
Graduate Auditor Careers and Jobs -
Countryside Jobs Link - www.careersinaudit.com
www.countrysidejobslink.co.uk
People Management -
ProClinical Limited - www.cipd.co.uk/pm/
www.proclinical.jobs/en
Crown Prosecution Service -
Pharmiweb - www.cps.gov.uk/careers
www.pharmiweb.com
TARGETJobs Law -
Medrek - targetjobs.co.uk/law
www.medrek.co.uk

Where to look
Engineering Social Sciences

Gradcracker – World Service Enquiry - www.wse.org.uk Set up a job hunting
bookmarks folder in
www.gradcracker.com
Bond - www.bond.org.uk your web browser
Career Structure - to keep useful and
www.careerstructure.com DFID - www.gov.uk/government/ relevant job websites
organisations/department-for-
international-development in one place.
ICErecruit –
icerecruit.com Bradford Council –
TARGETjobs Construction, QS and Civil www.bradford.gov.uk/bmdc/employment_
Engineering – jobs_and_careers/
targetjobs.co.uk/construction Jobs in social work and social care
TARGETjobs Engineering – Community Care Jobs -

targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors/ jobs.communitycare.co.uk/
engineering Sanctuary Social Care - Sign up to
www.sanctuarysocialcare.com mailing lists for
Inside Careers – Creative Support - newsletters and job
www.insidecareers.co.uk www.creativesupport.co.uk/jobs/
alerts so you don’t
Technical Jobs – Jobs for psychology graduates
miss anything.
www.technojobs.co.uk The British Psychological Society -
www.bps.org.uk/jobs/jobs
The Career Engineer -
www.fish4.co.uk/engineering Jobs in Economics
UK Engineering Recruitment – TARGETjobs Economics -

targetjobs.co.uk/
www.ukengineeringrecruitment.net
Government Economic Service-
www.civilservice.gov.uk/networks/ges
Work with offenders
Informatics and Media West Yorkshire Community Rehabilitation
Company -
TARGETjobs IT magazine - www.westyorkshirecrc.co.uk/careers/
targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors/it-and- careers-and-volunteering-opportunities/
technology West Yorkshire Police -
Inside Careers - www.westyorkshire.police.uk/recruitment
www.insidecareers.co.uk National Offender Management Service -
www.nomscareers.com/
Deanslist -
Local and national government
deanslist.co.uk
Civil Service Jobs -
www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk
BBC Jobs -
Civil Service Fast Stream -
www.bbc.co.uk/careers/home www.gov.uk/faststream
Screen Yorkshire - Jobs in schools
www.screenyorkshire.co.uk E Teach - www.eteach.com/jobs.aspx
Creative Skillset -
Health sector
creativeskillset.org
NHS Jobs - www.jobs.nhs.uk
Develop -
www.develop-online.net Work in voluntary / charity sector
GamesIndustry.biz - JobsGoPublic -
www.gamesindustry.biz www.jobsgopublic.com
Voluntary Sector Jobs -
voluntarysectorjobs.co.uk/
Charity Job -
www.charityjob.co.uk/

Jobs that aren’t advertised
See the next pages How can I find jobs that aren’t advertised? Digital networking
for your guides to the
three key social media Some jobs are offered to people already What is it?
platforms for job known to the recruiters without being Digital networking can work in the same
hunting: advertised, so if you are job hunting it makes way as face-to-face networking, but is done
LinkedIn sense to build up your network of contacts. purely online through social media and
Facebook There are two ways of doing this: face-to- internet forums.
Twitter. face networking and digital networking.
Advantages of networking digitally as well as
face-to-face include:
Face-to-face networking
Research: as well as connecting with
What is it? people, you can find out what an
Start with LinkedIn You’ll already have your own network of organisation does, and who works for
for your job search, friends, family, academics and previous them. This can potentially give you an
as unlike Facebook employers, but you can always do more to advantage over the other applicants
and Twitter, it is build up your network. Effective networking who just read the website.
increases your chances of hearing about Building your digital networks: social
primarily for career
vacancies, and boosts your knowledge of the media has made it much easier for
networking. labour market. you to connect with people online who
may be able to help with your career
How do I do it? planning (e.g. employers, potential
recruiters and alumni).
Some useful ways to network include: Recruiting: as well as using social
Ask your family: does anyone in your media to market their products and
family know people who work in your services, many companies also use
chosen career area? LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to
Get involved in your local community: advertise vacancies and even search for
ask around and see if members of your prospective applicants.
community can offer information.
Speak to employers you know: for
example, the University of Bradford is a Your online profile
large organisation with lots of different Once you have connected with a potential
departments, e.g. HR, Finance, IT. If you employer, many will ‘Google’ you to check
have a part-time job, ask your manager out your digital profile and may even assess
and colleagues. you as a potential candidate. Make sure
Attend university events: We organise the impression employers get is a positive
careers fairs and other careers events, one – keep your digital footprint clean and
such as employer-led workshops, professional, set your privacy settings, and
recruitment open days and entrepreneur do a regular internet search on your name
meetings, offering great networking (while logged out of your social media
opportunities. Attend them and talk accounts) to check what comes up. Some
directly to employers. employers, such as media and marketing will
Get in touch with alumni: the University expect to see that you have an active social
of Bradford has a large alumni, and media presence.
many will be happy to help. Consider
getting in touch with alumni through
LinkedIn (more on next page), perhaps Top tips
through specific alumni groups. Employers are usually impressed by:
Join professional bodies and attend Professional online photos and other
their events: this may help you to links
establish contacts. Student membership A well written and grammatically
may not be free; make sure you check correct profile
their website. Positive recommendations,
Approach people politely and achievements, qualifications
professionally: don’t ask for jobs A wide range of interests and work
straight away, and keep in touch experience
afterwards to maintain your connection. An active social media presence

Digital networking
Using LinkedIn for job hunting
What is LinkedIn? How do I use it?

LinkedIn is a global professional
Create an account at www.linkedin.com. See our guide on
networking site with a focus on
Take a look at other LinkedIn profiles to page 19 for how to
linking companies, employees and
get some ideas and then start yours. get the best out of
individuals for business purposes.
Use the headline under your name to your social media
display your career goals. If you don’t profiles for job
How can LinkedIn help me in my job hunt? hunting.
With LinkedIn, you can: have a suitable current job title, write a
Establish your online professional brief description of the type of work you
identity. want, so that you show up on searches
Make contacts with people in your using these words.
chosen career area who may be able to If your CV is up-to-date and sells you
advise you. well, upload some information directly
Network with alumni and potential into your profile.
recruiters – for instance, you can find Build your profile as fully as possible
to get an ‘All-Star’ rating - detail Follow the University
out how alumni got to their current of Bradford on
positions. your education, at least three
work experience roles and skills, a LinkedIn:
Find out about industries and companies http://tinyurl.com/
that interest you, and gain commercial professional photo, your location and
industry, and 50+ connections. This way, q6b9vff
awareness.
Join groups of like-minded individuals you’ll appear in more searches.
and get involved in vocational The settings button (behind your small
discussions. photo, top right) allows you to change
Find out about jobs. your privacy settings.
Make introductions and referrals for By clicking the Profile tab you can edit,
others. add content, and rearrange sections.
Any top tips?
Link with people: search for friends, family, work colleagues, previous employers and
other contacts to link with them. You can also use LinkedIn’s search facility to find people
who may be able to help you. Do be careful how you approach people; asking politely for
information or advice is more acceptable than asking for a job.
Link with companies: to help with your career research search for companies to follow. See
if any of your contacts work at a company, as this can be useful if you need an introduction
or information you wouldn’t normally get from a job description or company website.
Link to your other accounts: Facebook, Twitter, blog, portfolio and website.
Join relevant groups: search for relevant student, placement, and alumni groups; look for
groups related to your career interests; get involved in discussions about your career area
to raise your profile and expand your network, and ‘like’, share and comment on interesting
posts.
Search for jobs: LinkedIn has a dedicated jobs portal for students and graduates that lets
you refine your search by sector and location (www.linkedin.com/studentjobs). Search for
opportunities through the ‘jobs you may be interested in’ feature.
Use key words: recruiters will look for potential job candidates by searching using key
words, so make it easy for them to find you.
List skills: take advantage of the fact that you can list up to 50 skills on your profile.
Encourage your contacts to endorse you and you’ll be more likely to show up in the right
searches.
Show off your expertise: you can add files, video clips and presentations. If you’re a
blogger then add links to market your posts.
Seek recommendations: don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations and endorsements
but be prepared to write one in return.
Show your personality: unlike a CV, you can inject some personality into your profile. In
the summary section you can write in the first person to give an idea of your interests and
goals.
Think about who will see your profile: a CV is about tailored information for a specific
audience. However, an online profile may be seen by anyone. It needs to convey the key
highlights of your career to date clearly and succinctly. Remember, too, that ‘anyone’ can
also include your current and previous boss.

Digital networking
Using Facebook for job hunting
What is Facebook? With over a billion monthly users,

Facebook is a social networking Facebook is a useful networking tool.
site in which you create a How do I use it?
profile to keep in touch with
Follow us on friends and family. You can Create a profile at www.facebook.com.
Facebook: share photos and updates with people you’re Make use of status updates: personal
connected to. It can also be used to find out updates on your current situation will help
www.facebook.com/
about job opportunities, and for careers you get noticed.
UniBradCareers
research. Your profile can help to inform employers
about you - keep it professional and hide
How can Facebook help me in my job hunt? anything you don’t want people to see.
Many companies advertise opportunities Either amend your privacy settings or
on Facebook, and have careers and if you are organised keep two separate
graduate recruitment pages. profiles: one personal, one professional.
Any top tips?
Like and subscribe: you’ll find that the vast majority of companies are on Facebook. Use the
Follow us on Twitter: search facility to find companies in the field you are looking to enter, industry experts, job
www.twitter.com/ sites, recruiters, graduate / placement specialists, alumni groups, and careers specialists. Be
UniBradCareers aware that there will often be multiple pages for a large company, so make sure you double-
check the details.
Check your privacy settings: anyone can potentially see the content you post on Facebook,
including your photos, statuses, and what you have ‘liked’. Allowing third party applications
access to your profile also grants the company behind the app access to your information.
So keep it professional, monitor your privacy settings, and be careful as many employers will
check your social media profiles before they proceed with your application.
Keep your profile up to date and truthful: remember, your details can also be seen on other
social networking sites.
Be proactive: network by updating your profile and status to tell people what kind of job role
you are seeking. ‘Like’ company Facebook pages and consider involving yourself in online
communities by commenting and asking questions.
Using Twitter for job hunting

What is Twitter? Twitter can also be a way of simply doing
Twitter is a social networking some ‘market research’ about different
site which allows you to post and companies.
view 140-character messages,
called tweets, to those you How do I use it?
connect with. You don’t have to Create an account at www.twitter.com
tweet yourself, as you can just follow to begin You can usually follow whoever you like on
with. Twitter without them approving you as a
follower. So find, follow and communicate
How can Twitter help me in my job hunt? with organisations and professionals in
Twitter is widely used by businesses and industries you are interested in.
potential employers. It is frequently used Post regular, well-informed and
to advertise opportunities, promote events professionally appropriate tweets to give
and competitions, and communicate with a good first impression through social
potential applicants. media.
Any top tips?
Keep it professional: if you plan to use Twitter for job hunting, use a professional head-and-
shoulders photo and find people and organisations in your chosen career area to follow.
Think about the content that you post, and its tone. You can set your account to ‘protected’,
but you may miss out this way, as others can’t see the good content you’ve posted.
Tweet and retweet: join conversations, pose questions and retweet interesting
professionally-relevant content to display your pro-active interest in the area.
Communicate: reach out to employers by engaging in discussions as above, but tailor your
interactions according to the tone of those you’re replying to. Thank others for posting
interesting content and respond to questions as well as posing them. Post links to relevant
articles with thoughtful comments to show you’re engaged with your field.

Digital networking - How to use social media for job hunting
PROFILE
Add a professional photo,

YOUR
plus a cover / background photo where appropriate
Complete your profile as Add a description of yourself

Make sure your public
fully as possible, including facing page is work- in 140 characters
Summary, Work Experience put a link to your online portfolio
appropriate
and Skills or LinkedIn page
Request and add contacts

CONTACTS
from your friends, colleagues, alumni, professionals in

relevant groups, industry experts, academic contacts, etc.
FIND
Ask for recommendations and Follow industry bodies, news sites,

endorsements of skills large companies and bloggers and
from appropriate people arrange your feed into lists
Join Groups
NETWORKING
Alumni, course / subject groups,

companies & organisations, industry
START
Share stories ‘Like’ and comment Retweet and comment

Discuss Ideas on others' posts, on interesting posts
Congratulate others share relevant Join in and start
content conversations
FIND & APPLY
Find jobs
FOR JOBS
Search for opportunities

Through company pages, contacts and groups using #hashtags and user lists
Make contact with the organisations /

individuals you are applying to for insights into the position
GET THE JOB

Could I use any other social media platforms for job hunting?
Here are some more social media platforms, along with how they could be useful in improving your online visibility:
Video Photo sharing Others

Blogs
Pinterest is an online pinboard for
YouTube and Vimeo are Instagram is a mobile- Tumblr, Blogger, WordPress
collecting interesting content, and
the main video hosting based photo sharing app. are all blogging platforms,
users can ‘follow’ other’s boards.
websites. They generally Flickr is an online Tumblr is the most social
Slideshare allows users to upload
allow the sharing portfolio/ photo album media-friendly as posts
presentations to the web and share
embedding of videos geared towards more are easily shareable and
them online, Google+ is similar
within other platforms as professional quality ‘liked’, and users follow
to Facebook in its format, but
does Vine, which just hosts photos, users can others to create a rolling
not widely used despite its useful
six-second looping videos. comment and favourite. content feed.
inbuilt Google functions.
Potential use for job hunting: Potential use for job hunting: Potential use for job hunting: Potential use for job hunting:
promote yourself with a video reflect your interests via create and share articles create a job hunting pinboard, create
CV, research organisations your photos, build your online about your chosen industry. presentations, expand your online
and look at job-hunting tips. presence. Research other industry presence.
bloggers.

SECTION TWO: Applying for jobs
How you apply will differ between vacancies, but it is likely you will have to submit your
application in one of three ways:
Use the grid on
this page as a Application Form (see pages 21-25)
basis for your CV (see pages 26-37)
application form, Covering Letter (see pages 38-43)
CV or covering Although the methods differ, an effective application will contain the same key information
letter. about you, so prepare now to make applying for any job more straightforward.
Where do I start?
Firstly, take a blank sheet of paper and list your experience, achievements and skills:
‘Tailoring’ your Experience and achievements Skills

application makes
it much easier for This should include your university, college Even if your experience is unrelated to the
a recruiter to see and school education, any work experience, roles which you are applying for, anything
how you would be placements or voluntary work which you which you have listed in ‘experience and
the right person have done, involvement in the community, achievements’ will demonstrate your skills.
university societies and sports clubs, plus For example, working as a sales assistant
for the job.
any positions of responsibility you have held. might have developed your ability to
Include any achievements which you are communicate with different people, work
proud of or which demonstrate transferable under pressure at busy times and handle
skills, such as awards, prizes, travel, hobbies difficult customers. Likewise, a university
and interests. group project may demonstrate that you
could work within a set timescale, meet
objectives, and work as part of a team.
Tailor your application

If you’ve researched the job and employer (see page 13), you should be able to write about
your skills and experience in a way which is specific to the vacancy. Ask yourself what is
it that the organisation will expect you to do, and think about how you can demonstrate
that you have the skills they require. Make the employer’s job as easy as possible by clearly
showing how your skills match their criteria. In addition, demonstrate your understanding of
the organisation and the nature of the business.
Try creating a grid for yourself like the example below: use the criteria from the job
you are applying for and match it to your list of experience, achievements and skills to
come up with good examples for your application.
Criteria Your experience / skills How demonstrated

Degree or equivalent
qualification
Excellent written and verbal

communication skills
Experience of working in a
busy office environment,
organising own workload,
managing conflicting and
tight deadlines
20 UOB STUDENT CDS A P P L I C AT I O N S , C V S & C OV E R I N G L E T T E R S

Application methods
Application forms
What are they?

Application forms could be online or on paper. Unlike a CV, these forms will usually ask you to Allow plenty of time
answer a set of pre-defined questions. to complete your
application, and
How do I go about filling one in? book in with a career
Give yourself plenty of time to complete an application form, and allow time to review what development adviser
you have written. Aim to send the form as early as you can, as in the current economic for feedback before
climate some employers close their recruitment once a certain volume of applications has you submit it.
been received.
What sort of questions can I expect?

Application forms typically ask for the following details:
Transferable skills
Personal details Alternatively, these can be grouped as are the general
This section is fairly self-explanatory, asking abilities gained
competency questions, which are specific
you for your name, address and contact from university,
scenario-based questions set by the employer volunteering or part-
details, and possibly other information such which you are required to answer. See the time work which are
as date of birth and whether you hold a advice and information on the following useful in other roles,
driving licence. pages, including an example competency e.g. communication,
Education question on page 23. teamwork, etc.
Present your qualifications to display There is no need to formally introduce your
your best results prominently. Insert your supporting statement as you would with a
qualifications in reverse chronological (date) covering letter.
order, putting the most recent first. List your Referees
highest grades for each set of examinations at It is usual to include the details of two
the top of each list. referees – usually a current or previous
If the form asks for specific qualifications employer, plus an academic referee such as
which it is not easy for you to list – for your tutor or course leader. Remember to ask
instance, if it asks for UCAS points when you your referees for permission before adding
have international high school qualifications their details to your application
– ask Career Developments Services on how Additional information
best to present your own set of qualifications. Here you can add any information which you
Employment / work experience feel is relevant to your application, but has not
Use reverse date order for your employment been covered elsewhere on the application
details unless the instructions say otherwise. form.
When writing about what you did in each You can also use this to list dates you are not
job, describe your duties and responsibilities, available for interview, or to attach a covering
linking it where you can with the skills the letter or scans of your qualifications, etc.
employer is asking for. Equal opportunities
Include information about voluntary work, This section will not be seen by the people
particularly if it is related to the role or if involved in selecting successful applicants,
you don’t have a lot of work experience. This and will remain confidential to the Human
will highlight the transferable skills you have Resources department. It will be used to
gained, which an employer should recognise. monitor equal opportunities policies and often
On the other hand, if you have insufficient asks for your gender, sexual orientation, date
space for all your jobs, you can group similar of birth, nationality, ethnic origin, disability,
jobs together or summarise your experience. etc.
Make the most of this section by drawing
attention to particular achievements you have
Disclosing disability
Some forms ask if you consider yourself to
accomplished at work or when volunteering.
be disabled. Visit our website for information
Supporting statements about factors to consider about disclosing
disability, or see the section on Equality and
This is often a blank text box in which to write
Diversity on page 62.
your statement, so you may find that it is
easiest to break the supporting statement Criminal records disclosure
down into different sections. You can create This section is usually stored separately
your own headers from the job description from your application form to protect
or person specification to demonstrate your confidentiality. Details that you provide
skills in an easily readable manner (see page will be treated confidentially, and will not
25 for more). automatically exclude you from being
considered for vacancies.
A P P L I C AT I O N S , C V S & C OV E R I N G L E T T E R S CDS STUDENT UOB 21

Application Forms
Top Tips
Download a copy of the application form so that you can complete it offline in a Word
Application
document to start with. This means that you can use Word’s spellcheck and word
forms are used count, as many online forms don’t have a spelling or grammar checker.
by employers to Don’t automatically cut and paste information from other application forms or your
get a consistent CV without adapting it to suit exactly what the form is asking for.
response from all Most online forms don’t let you use features such as bullet points, so keep things
applicants... simple.
Some forms include personality questionnaires. The best advice is just to go with your
immediate response and give an honest answer (see page 46 for more info).
If you have questions about how to complete the form, call into Careers. Some
employers may also have a FAQs section on their websites giving advice.
...but that doesn’t Example Person Specification

mean that you
can’t stand out Below is the type of person specification you might find as part of a job description. You can
from the crowd use this template to form the basis of your answers as part of your application.
with your answers.
Criteria Essential Desirable Example
Qualifications A degree, at least (2:2) Level 2/ 3 qualification
classification or training in Customer
English and Maths to Care
GCSE Grade C or above
Skills & knowledge Ability to co-operate

effectively in a team
Leadership potential
Ability to manage time

effectively
Good presentation skills
Analytical and problem

solving skills
Experience Experience of Supervisory experience

working in a busy
office environment,
organising own
workload, managing
conflicting and tight
deadlines
Personal qualities Ability to work on own

initiative with limited
supervision
Make sure that you mention all of the essential criteria and as many of the desirable
criteria as possible. Give examples where possible and quantify them with facts and
figures, such as how many people you supervised, the figures from any targets you had
to meet, or the financial turnover that you were responsible for.
If the form asks for a supporting statement in one block rather than being divided into
competency questions, you may find is easiest to use the Essential and Desirable criteria
as headings within your statement (see example on page 25).
There are several techniques which you may hear regarding answering interview and
application form questions. The most regularly used are
STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result
SBO: Situation, Behaviour, Outcome
CAR: Context, Action, Result.
In essence, these are similar; always give a specific example, describe the situation or
context, explain what you did and why, and what this achieved. The following page gives a
possible example.

Application Forms
Example competency question
An example of a Customer Service application form using the STAR technique to form the
answer: Competency
questions on
How can you demonstrate your application forms
experience and skill in providing This answer relies on the ‘STAR’
excellent customer care, are usually based
technique to produce a clear, logical and
particularly when dealing with thorough answer to the question. on the person
difficult customers? specification for
the role.
Situation (spend around 20% of your

answer on this aspect)
During my part-time work in a large local
In the ‘situation’ section, you are Sometimes
hotel I dealt with a difficult situation
effectively setting the scene in order to
involving a customer who wanted a describe your behaviour in the particular
the letter ‘D’ is
drink after last orders. The man became scenario: added at the end
rude and offensive when I told him that What was going on? (STAR D) – ‘D’
I could not serve him as last orders What was the problem? denotes ‘what you
had been called five minutes ago. His would have done
behaviour was affecting other guests,
differently’.
and I could see the embarrassment
being caused by his shouting and foul
language.
Task (spend around 10% of your answer

stating this aspect)
Recognising the need to take control of In the ‘task’ section, state how you
the situation so that all customers could recognise what needs doing by you. This
enjoy their time at the hotel, I decided to can just be a short factual statement.
try to calm the customer down.
Action (spend around 50% of your

I knew that he was a speaker at an
important conference being held in the
hotel and, to keep things discreet, I tried In the ‘action’ section, you should speak
to deal with this without calling security. about what you did and how you did
it. Stay focused on yourself – say what
I calmly repeated the fact that I could
YOU did, not what others or ‘we’ did.
not serve him and offered him a glass Use positive language to reflect your
of water. I also told him that in his hotel achievements. Quantify your statements,
room his mini bar would be stocked with for example saying ‘I was responsible
drinks. for up to 50 queries per day’ or ‘I line
The man continued to shout and managed a team of five’. Avoid giving
referred to his position as a key speaker opinions, as these provide no information
at the conference. I politely told him that about what you did, and avoid talking
theoretically, such as by stating “I would
I could not make exceptions to the bar
do…” or “I always…”.
rules and that if he continued to behave
in that way I would have to have him
removed from the bar.
Result (spend around 20% of your

On hearing this, the man quietened
down and accepted the situation. I In the ‘outcome’ section, indicate
offered to organise an early morning clearly the results of your actions. Was
telephone call for him the next day the problem solved? What about skills
to give him enough time to get ready gained? Did you meet the targets?
for his conference presentation. The
following morning the man passed
me in the hotel and apologised for his
behaviour in the bar.

Application Forms
Personal Statements
What are they?
Personal In the context of a job application, a personal statement is a piece of writing in which you
statements are outline your suitability for a vacancy.
also often used on The purpose of a personal statement is to allow the employer to decide if you meet their
applications for requirements. Unlike competency questions (as detailed on the previous page), you will only
have one field to complete. This field will often be preceded by a statement such as “in this
further study...
space, please give your reasons for applying for this job and information showing how you
meet the person specification, including relevant skills and experience.” As it is one block
of text, you are given the chance to write freely about your suitability as a candidate, without
being restricted to specific questions.
...for more How do I write one?

information:
A personal statement needs to be well- You can divide a personal statement into
www.brad.ac.uk/
structured, logical, clearly written, and different sections through subheadings.
careers/
free from grammatical and spelling errors. Take the titles of your subheadings from the
postgrad-study/ Speak about your reasons for applying for person specification, to make it easy for the
pg-applications the post and your understanding of the employer to check that you have covered all
particular organisation, as well as your skills, the relevant points. Any essential criteria in
experience, and relevance of your studies the person specification must be addressed,
if applicable. It may help you to consider it plus as many desirable criteria as possible.
from the employer’s perspective. What would
they like to hear from candidates? Make it If the vacancy details do not include a person
reader-friendly and positive, and tailor it to specification, use the job description, advert
the job description and person specification and company information to understand
as closely as possible. what skills they want.
Any top tips?
Keep to any word limits and check to see if you are invited to continue on a separate
sheet, if you wish to.
Be clear and concise and avoid long, complex sentences. Use positive language to
express your enthusiasm (see page 44 for suggestions).
Check your draft statement for spelling and grammatical errors.
Use formal English at all times (i.e. no slang or jargon).
Ask yourself after each sentence: is this relevant? Does it add to the statement or is
it just a ‘filler’? If so, you could be using that space more to your advantage.
Don’t focus on what you haven’t got to offer. You will only create a negative
impression of yourself. For instance, if you can’t meet one of the desirable criteria
but do want to mention it in your statement, write about how you would go about
meeting it in the future. Perhaps, for instance, you have not used a specific type of
software which is desirable; instead, you could mention the fact that you have used
similar databases, have transferable skills and that you are a quick learner.
Allow plenty of time to write this section; it may seem straightforward but you should
always proofread carefully.
If you have particular information which you want to provide, for instance a prize or
scholarship, sporting achievement or anything else which doesn’t fit easily into your
personal statement, this could go in the Additional Information section.
Arrange to see a career development adviser for feedback on what you have written.
Keep a copy of your form. It will be useful at the interview stage.

Application Forms
Example Personal Statement
Business and Technical IT Consultant - Person specification This example uses

• A degree in Business, Economics, Finance, Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics. the requirements
• Have a genuine interest in business and IT with a drive towards achieving a successful career.
of the person
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• An analytical, problem solving mind-set.
specification
• Proven ability to work under pressure within a fast-paced and challenging environment. as headings
• You are a team player who takes the initiative and shows a high level of commitment. to specifically
• Geographic flexibility throughout the UK. address each
point.
Please demonstrate how you meet the Key Criteria on the person specification
I believe that I am a strong candidate for the role of Business and Technical IT Consultant due
to my education, skills and experience, and feel that I would grow into the role and make a
real contribution to the company. I have outlined below how I meet the criteria of the person
specification: Use positive, pro-
active language in
A degree in Business, Economics, Finance, Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics
I graduated from the University of Bradford in July 2015 with a BSc (Hons) in Business Economics
your answers - see
2:1. My studies gave me an excellent grounding in core economic ideas, how these apply to our ‘useful words
business and the environment within which firms operate. and phrases’
on page 44 for
Have a genuine interest in business and IT with a drive towards achieving a successful career suggestions.
My studies confirmed to me that I am definitely interested in pursuing a career in business
economics, and I consistently scored high marks in modules where the use of IT tools was
necessary to analyse and assess data. In addition, I am a confident user of a wide range of IT
software such as Microsoft Office, economics applications including SAGE and various company-
specific software packages.
I would appreciate the chance to develop my career at your company, as your close links with the
University have given me the chance to see how other alumni have gone on to successful and
satisfying careers and this is something I hope to emulate.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Through group working on projects at university, my role as a career ambassador and my part-
time job at Tesco I have developed excellent communication and interpersonal skills. I have been
required to negotiate disagreements between fellow students, communicate information about
careers to a wide range of students from varying backgrounds and work closely with my team-
mates at Tesco to ensure customers were served promptly and efficiently.
An analytical, problem solving mind-set

My final year dissertation involved the analysis of a small business. Looking at its finances
and other factors I put together suggestions to improve the efficiency of the organisation,
particularly through the use of a new IT system, to increase profitability by an estimated 25%.
Proven ability to work under pressure within a fast-paced and challenging environment
My job at Tesco has given me lots of experience working under pressure, particularly during the
Christmas period where customer footfall and product turnover is at its highest. After a year
on the produce team working weekends, I was made team leader in the lead up to Christmas.
I was responsible for monitoring stock levels and ensuring my team communicated effectively
and worked together to ensure all customers were served satisfactorily and all products were
available on the shop floor.
You are a team player who takes the initiative and shows a high level of commitment
When working on a group project at university, it soon became clear that one of our group was
not participating fully. I decided to take the initiative and call a group meeting to discuss the
sharing of the workload. At the meeting, it turned out the person didn’t fully understand what
was expected of him and was struggling with some of the details. I took it upon myself to spend
some time to help him understand these details and I kept in touch regularly to make sure the
project stayed on track. The project was a success and our group achieved the highest mark in
the class.
Geographic flexibility throughout the UK

I am willing to relocate for the role and am happy to travel as necessary. I have a full clean
driving licence and enjoy experiencing new cities and people.

Applications
CVs
What are they?
Produce a tailored A CV is a one or two page document which shows your skills, achievements, qualifications
CV for each and experience. CVs vary from country to country, and the following section will address how
application, and to make a conventional UK CV. The American English term for CV is ‘resume’, so you may also
save each one under hear this mentioned. Your CV gives an overview of who you are and what you have to offer an
the name of the employer.
job or employer for
reference. Why do I need one?
CVs are often requested as part of the application process.
You will need one if you are making speculative enquiries to an organisation to find out if
there are any potential opportunities for you.
Recruitment agencies usually ask for a CV.
We recommend offering a copy of your CV to employers attending careers fairs, so make
sure you bring plenty of copies with you.
Certain sectors may
have differences in CVs are generally submitted with an accompanying cover letter, even when sent by email (see
how they require page 38 for more on covering letters).
information - do
your research into
industry-specific Types of CV Infographic & Video CVs: are often
CVs. used in creative industries to help your
There are different formats of CV. To application stand out and present your
choose the one which fits your purpose creative skills. This could be in the form
best, think about the type of job you are of an infographic CV, using graphic
applying for, the organisation’s culture, design to showcase your skills and
your experience and how you wish to ‘sell’ experience in an interesting way, or a
yourself to the employer. Types include: video or animated / interactive CV to
show off your technical skills. However,
Chronological: details your education for traditional and non-creative roles,
and work history in reverse date order. a quirky CV may single you out for the
Skills-based: emphasises the skills wrong reasons; try and gauge your
you have developed throughout your audience beforehand.
employment, education, voluntary Academic: this type is most commonly
activities, etc. The details about your used in postgraduate applications for
employment and education are usually research-based courses or lecturing
kept to a minimum, with the focus positions. This format places emphasis
being a larger skills section detailing on your studies, including projects you
your transferable skills. Evidence and have been involved in, dissertations
examples should be included to back and publications you have written,
these up. conferences you have attended or
Hybrid: these CVs combine the above contributed to and your areas of
two styles. They feature a more academic interest and research.
detailed employment and education For more information about applying for
section, as well as a skills section with postgraduate study, visit our website:
evidence and examples. www.brad.ac.uk/careers/students-and-
graduates/further-study/
How do I go about it?

Consider the above list and think about
what kind of CV you want to create. It may
help you to have a look at our CV examples
starting on page 30. It will give you an idea
of what information you should put where,
and how a professional CV should look. When
you are ready to start writing your CV, you
can start with a blank word document – or,
alternatively, you can use the CV Builder on the
Careers website to get started:
www.bradford.ac.uk/careers/build-my-career/

CVs
There is no rule about what you must include, but the following sections are typically what you
should put in all types of CV: Recruiters use
software to scan
Personal details: Skills / Personal Qualities: your CV for key
Do include: your name, address, telephone Provide information about any exceptional words, so make sure
number, current and most reliable email address. skills you have, quantifying how you developed to use them in your
You could also add your LinkedIn account or them. For instance, rather than just stating personal profile...
other social media links if appropriate. “I have excellent presentation skills”, provide
Don’t include: a photo, your date of birth, evidence, such as “My verbal presentation skills
gender, ethnicity, marital status, national have been developed to an excellent standard
insurance number or religion in a UK CV. as a result of delivering weekly seminar
presentations to groups of 20+ as part of my
Personal Profile: degree”.
An optional extra. If you do decide to use
one, make sure it adds value to your CV - Match your skills to the job description, ...e.g “skills include
don’t just use generic buzzwords. rather than producing a generic list of marketing, social
Focus on the role applied for, using skills. media and HTML”,
information from the job description and Try to avoid duplicating information shown “a strong
person specification. elsewhere on your CV. communicator
Include your personal qualities, experience
with excellent
presentation skills”.
and skills. Interests, Responsibilities and
Can be useful in explaining a change of Achievements:
direction in your studies or career if you This is optional, but many employers
have a varied work or educational history. value it as it can indicate teamwork, time
management and personal priorities.
Education and Qualifications: Try to find a balance between your
Work backwards, starting with university,
activities, provide evidence, and show how
followed by your high school (A-Levels,
they enable you to develop as a person.
GCSEs or equivalents).
How often do you do the activity? What
There is no need to put education prior
level have you reached?
to high school in a CV. Put the full name,
Include any positions of responsibility
dates, and overall grades acquired. There
you have held, such as treasurer of your
is no need to put the address of each
football club, or social secretary of the
institution in.
pharmacy society, etc.
If you have overseas qualifications then you
should indicate their UK equivalence.
Additional Skills:
If it is particularly relevant or to highlight This is optional, but useful if you
transferable skills, you can include the names have additional or specialist skills and
of some of the modules you have studied at qualifications, especially if they are relevant
university, perhaps your dissertation title, to your application. Think about the skills and
any relevant modules and skills that you have experience you have gained from your studies,
acquired. work experience and your personal life that
would be valued in the role, for example:
If you have not yet graduated you can give your Laboratory skills: “I have an excellent
predicted or expected degree results e.g. BSc knowledge of laboratory techniques
(Hons) Computer Science – expected 2:1. If you including protein analysis, handling human
have lots of additional qualifications, such as samples, analysis of vitamin C content by
ECDL, PRINCE2, COSHH, Health & Safety, you titration...”
can include them here or create a separate IT skills: “I have extensive experience using
Additional Qualifications section. Microsoft Office, SAGE, Java, HTML, CAD
etc.”
Employment History or Work Languages: “I am fluent in reading, writing
Experience: and speaking Urdu and Punjabi”
Give the name of the business you were Current First Aid Certificate from St John
employed at, your job title and the dates Ambulance
of your employment in reverse date order. Full clean driving licence
Underneath this, detail your responsibilities,
duties and skills developed. References:
You should include any voluntary Either give details of two people, or state
experience in this section. ‘references available on request’. Ideally you
If you have a lot of work experience, you should have one academic referee and your
may want to create a Relevant Employment most recent employer.
Experience and an Other Employment Don’t forget to ask your referees for
Experience section. permission.

CVs
Formatting
Use a clearly legible font, e.g. Arial, Calibri, Verdana, or Tahoma, in no smaller
See page 38 for than size 11.
more on Covering Put headings and subheadings in a larger font, and consider using bold, italics or
Letters. underline to emphasise them.
Make sure your dates are consistently formatted, clearly chronological and aligned.
Use consistent subheadings – for instance, list all previous employment items in the
same style.
Use short blocks of information, in bullet points if possible, as opposed to large blocks of
text.
Think carefully about use of colour – formatting for black and white is your safest bet
when it comes to reproducing your CV.
If you are writing a
CV for postgraduate
study, have a look at
our website: www. How long should my CV be?
brad.ac.uk/careers/
students-and- A one page CV is acceptable for part-time work.
graduates/further- Two page CVs are the norm for graduate opportunities.
study/ Longer CVs may be acceptable for academic positions, particularly if you have lots of
publications and conferences to list.
Will my CV be read?
In the current job market, employers receive a lot of CVs. Recent surveys suggest that
employers may only give a CV an initial 7-to-10 second glance before deciding if they want to
read it in more detail or discard it. Although this sounds worrying, if you make sure that your
CV is clearly laid out and you demonstrate valuable skills, the employer will want to read it
more carefully.
Should I embellish the truth to make my CV stand out?
Definitely not. Any lies on your CV are likely to be found out, which is likely to lead to your
dismissal if you get the job. Whether you are offered a job or not, if you are found guilty of
making a fraudulent job application you may be placed on the CIFAS Internal Fraud database
for six years, which would seriously damage your chances of finding work (see page 62 for
more).
How should I lay out my CV?
Place key information at the top of each page to have the most impact, and always start a
page with a new section; it is good practice to start and finish individual sections on the same
page.
See our CV guideline and example CVs on the following pages for more.
There are even more example CVs on our website:

www.bradford.ac.uk/careers/applications/cv/

CVs
Submitting your CV
Send your CVs in
Always send a covering letter together with your CV (see page 38 for more on covering
PDF format by
letters). Make sure you have read the submission guidelines and you are sending it how the
recruiter wants it. email to make sure
the formatting
stays the same as
By email By post you intended.
Add your covering letter and CV as If sending your CV by post, use good
attachments, rather than typing the quality white or cream paper, and
covering letter in the email itself. a high-resolution printer to give a
Keep the email formal, professional professional impression.
and concise when applying for a job. Post early to ensure you meet the
See the example below - state that closing date.
your CV and cover letter are attached Print your CV on
for the consideration of the particular good quality paper
position – remember, an employer - go for at least
may have multiple vacancies 100gsm.
advertised at any one time.
Use a professional sounding email
address.
Example Email
Include the job

title and reference
To: mrjohnson@azsolutions.co.uk (if applicable) in your
Subject: CV and covering letter for the post of Graduate subject field.
Data Analyst, reference 112/A
Write in the formal
Dear Mr Johnson, style, using ‘Dear...’
and ‘Yours sincerely’
etc.
Please find attached my CV and covering letter to apply for the
position of Graduate Data Analyst. I would be grateful if you could Keep it concise and
confirm receipt of this application by return email. simple - the covering
letter should contain
If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me. the details of your
application (see
Covering Letter
Yours sincerely, Guideline, page 40 for
more).
Maria Khan
maria_khan@businessmail.co.uk Provide your contact

details.
07888 123456

CVs
CV Guideline
YOUR NAME (bold/font size 16)

Your full address and postcode (you can put it on one line to save space)
Mobile: 07777 111 222 Email: use a professional sounding email address
LinkedIn or other social media links if appropriate
Nationality: only if it has an impact on work permit issues
PERSONAL PROFILE or CAREER OBJECTIVE (optional)

About 3 to 4 lines (maximum). When these work, they can be highly effective but when they don’t, they can
be superficial and vague and a waste of space. If you want to include one, make sure it is effective and sells
you successfully. Focus on the role applied for and include personal qualities, experience and skills and make
sure your claims are specific and substantiated. If using ‘Career Objective’, then be sure it’s targeted to the
job and to the company. This is prime space on your CV so use it well.
EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS (in reverse chronological order)

University of Bradford 2012 – 2015
BSc (Hons) Business and Management Studies Expected: 2.1
Final Year Project:
“E‐Commerce and the changing business process” – An analytical investigation, examining and identifying the
issues in business etc. You may use up to 4/5 lines if relevant.
Modules included: – Average 68%
Name of Module xx% Name of Module xx%
Try to put in order of importance / relevance and no need to list all. You can add in individual results if you
think it will help your application.
Awarded the “Name of Prize / Award” for best overall student?
Name of School, Town or City (and Country if from/applying overseas) Year – Year
GCE A Levels: Subject (Grade), Subject (Grade), Subject (Grade) and Subject (Grade)
GCE AS Levels: Subject (Grade) and Subject (Grade) (if grades are poor then leave out)
Name of School, Town or City (and Country if from/applying overseas) Year – Year
GCSEs: 9 subjects (3As, 4Bs and 2Cs) including Mathematics, English and Physics
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY or WORK EXPERIENCE (in reverse chronological order)
Name of Company / Organisation, Town or City (Country) Month Year – Month Year
Job Title
 Be specific – tell them what you did, roles and responsibilities and the skills you have developed.
 Give priority to experience and skills relevant to the job you are applying for.
 Give evidence about how your skills were developed and use action verbs and quantify and
qualify your statements – see examples below:
 “Handling and resolving up to 100 customer queries per day which enhanced and improved my
communication skills, particularly the ability to handle difficult customers professionally.”
 “Responsible for a project worth £10K and led and managed a team of 10 staff.”
 If you have any particular achievements then do mention them.
Name of Company/Organisation, Town or City (Country) Month Year – Month Year

Job Title
 The bullet points above are still applicable but try to highlight different skills and don’t repeat
the same ones as above.
 Use the correct tense – past tense for previous jobs and present tense for current jobs.
 If the job is relevant to the one you are applying, give more details on responsibilities, however if
it’s not that relevant, you may want to concentrate on the skills gained.
 If you have a large number of jobs that are similar, you could group them together.

CVs
CV Guideline
VOLUNTARY WORK EXPERIENCE (in reverse chronological order and only if relevant)
Organisation / Company Name, Town or City (Country) Month Year – Month Year
Job Title
 Same notes as above; keep checking that, if possible, what you’ve written is fully targeted to the
job and to the company. Put your most responsible / demanding tasks first.
 “Raised £1K for Cancer Research by organizing…”
IT / COMPUTING AND / OR TECHNICAL SKILLS (alternatively a specific title, e.g. Laboratory Skills)
 Can be useful as a separate section or you can include in the additional skills section below
 Name the specific packages that you can use and indicate the level of competency. The
following are examples only.
 Consistently good grades in various programming languages such as... (name them)
 Proven competency using AutoCAD, SAP2000 and EuroCode 8 etc.
 Extensive experience with Microsoft Office 2013 (Word, Access, Excel and PowerPoint).
 Established user of social media – LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, with many subscribers.
ADDITIONAL SKILLS OR KEY TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
 Choose the skills that most closely match the career area or the job applied for e.g. teamwork,
problem solving, analytical skills, customer service, planning and organising.
 E.g. Teamwork – From your education, work experience and leisure pursuits, pick out the best
examples of when you have demonstrated team working skills. Get down to specifics rather
than writing at a general level. Pick a key aspect or incident within each scenario that
demonstrates the skill, rather than trying to tell the whole story. Write about specific team roles
you are good at. Remind yourself of the skills needed for effective teamwork at
www.brad.ac.uk/careers/students‐and‐graduates/employability‐skills and the table on page 7.
 E.g. Communication – Be specific as there are several ways you can communicate: face‐to‐face,
telephone calls, group or individual presentations to large audiences, etc. Be clear about whether
you are referring to verbal or written communication skills.
 E.g. Languages – Depends on the job and your competency, useful to add but do state the level of
your skills.
ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS

Positions of responsibility (could also be written as a separate section)
 President of the Economics Society – write down what you do / did and the skills gained.
 Class / Year Representative – write down what you do/ did and the skills gained.
Volunteering
 Volunteering experience, e.g. charity fundraising which shows a commitment to a cause can go here. Put
in a separate section as above if relevant to the role you are applying for.
Leisure interests (use this section to try to show your personality and enthusiasm)
 Society memberships, outside interests, sports (a section on its own if you are very active in
sports and take part at competitive levels but useful to say how often you do something and
with whom (county / university / local league).
 Keep details brief but show how the interests enable you to develop as a person.
REFEREES
Names and addresses of 2 referees will be made available upon request.
[It is acceptable to put the sentence above but if you have space, give name, title, full address, telephone and
email contacts (usually one academic and one employer – but not GPs, friends or family)
Don’t forget to ask your referees for permission].

CVs
Part-time Sample CV 1 (with some work experience)
ASMA BEGUM
10 Heaton Place, Heaton, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD9 7DD
Mobile: 07777 111 222 Home: 01274 123456
Email: A.Begum475@gmail.com
EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

University of Bradford 2013 – present
BSc (Hons) Psychology
Grange Upper School, Bradford

2006 – 2013
A Levels: Psychology (A), English (C) and Religious Education (C)
GCSEs: 9 subjects (1A, 4Bs and 4Cs) including Mathematics and English
EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
Wilko, Bradford Retail Assistant March 2013 – present
 Working as part of a team to receive early morning deliveries, maintain warehouse standards
and provide customer service. I consistently fulfil my tasks before the end of every shift.
 Developed excellent communication and customer liaison skills. I have shown initiative and
teamwork skills by supporting other team members with their tasks after finishing my own.
TK Maxx, Leeds Customer Services Assistant Dec 2012

 Encouraged colleagues to reach work targets collectively creating team spirit.
 Tidied up the shop floor and maintained stock in pristine condition.
 Dealt with telephone calls and queries from other stores such as searching for coded items in
order to price them.
VOLUNTARY WORK EXPERIENCE

Malik Solicitors, Bradford Volunteer July 2012
 Carried out a range of clerical duties such as photocopying and filing; familiar with a range of
office equipment.
RSPCA, Keighley Volunteer
 Worked as part of a small team from a variety of social backgrounds to run an RSPCA
charity shop in Keighley town centre.
 Supported the manager by unloading deliveries and using practical skills to display goods for
resale.
SKILLS PROFILE
 Communication – enhanced communication skills when interacting with customers at Wilko.
 Teamwork – developed through playing for the netball team and taking an active role in the club.
 Problem Solving – dealt with angry customers in a professional manner, resolving situations
using own initiative.
 IT / Computing – proficient user of Microsoft Office programs including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
 Languages – Urdu (fluent) and French (basic).
INTERESTS
 Enjoy listening to music and reading autobiographies and books on psychology.
 Keeping up‐to‐date with current affairs.
 Vice-captain of local netball team playing league matches every week.
REFEREES
Names and addresses of two referees are available upon request.

CVs
Part-time Sample CV 2 (with limited or no work experience)
JAMES SIMMONS
10 Downing Street, Cottingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1ZZ
Mobile: 07777 123 123 E‐mail: jamessimmons2@mail.com
PERSONAL PROFILE
A Business and Management student with strong organisational ability; skilled at working closely with
others in a team environment and with a flexible approach to work. Currently looking for a part-time
role in retail or a customer services environment.

2012 – 2016 University of Bradford
BSc (Hons) in Business and Management Studies
2005 – 2012 Bingley High School

A Levels: Business Studies (B), English (C) and Mathematics (C)
GCSEs: 9 subjects A‐C, including Mathematics and English
RELEVANT SKILLS
Communication
 Experience of liaising with younger students and teachers in my role as a Mentor at Bingley High
School. Found different ways of explaining things to help Year 9 students with their
maths homework.
 Presented project work both individually and as part of a team during my Business Studies
A- level. This involved preparing PowerPoint slides, delivering a presentation to a varied
audience and producing a written report.
Teamwork
 Play football, helping and supporting the team to do their best by encouraging others even
when we are not playing well. Regularly attend training sessions help with coaching the junior
team.
 Worked with a team of four students to produce a business plan for an assessed project. I
arranged some social events for the team to help us get to know each other; knowing each
other’s strengths helped us work better as a team and achieve a good grade for our project.
Responsibility
 Several of the neighbours on our street at home regularly arrange for me to house‐sit when they
are away, as they trust me to ensure the security and maintenance of their properties.
ADDITIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
2010 – 2011 Captain of Bingley High School Football Team.

July 2010 Grade 4 Award for guitar.
LEISURE INTERESTS
 Enjoy playing and watching football, playing the guitar and swimming.
 Other interests include keeping up‐to‐date with current affairs and watching business
programmes on TV.
REFEREES
References are available upon request

CVs
Graduate/ Full-time Sample CV1
RIFAT KHAN
12 Christchurch Mount, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS6 4BW
Tel: 0113 224 6778 Mobile: 07745 987655
Email: r.khan@student.bradford.ac.uk
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/rifat‐khan/44/224/438
Profile
As a highly motivated Biomedical Sciences undergraduate, I have gathered a range of experiences during my
studies. With such a diverse curriculum, I have become skilled in many different areas, both practically and
theoretically. A combination of my previous work experience, qualifications and a continuous need to
develop personally and professionally, demonstrates that I enjoy challenges and always rise to meet the
expectations I have set for myself, and those of my employer.
Education and Qualifications
University of Bradford 2013 – 2016
BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences Predicted class of degree: 2.1
Modules studied include:
Biochemistry 68% Haematology 64%
Human Endocrinology 69% Microbiology 65%
Montgomery High School, Leeds 2008 – 2013
A Levels: Biology (B), Chemistry (C) and Mathematics (B)
GCSEs: 8 subjects (2As*, 3As and 3Bs) including English, Mathematics and Science
Laboratory Skills
• Excellent knowledge of basic laboratory techniques including protein analysis and titration methods of
quantitative chemical analysis, used to determine the concentration of reagents of known and unknown
substances.
• Appropriate aseptic techniques used to obtain samples, including sterilising loops to streak individual
colonies onto agar and then carrying out serial dilutions to reduce the concentration of cells in samples.
• Competent in using light microscope to observe cell structures and spectrophotometers to measure
transmittance of solutions.
• Accurate testing of urine and blood samples for disease, such as testing for urinary tract infection.
• Careful data handling and analysis to e.g. find the normal body functioning ranges.
• Maintaining professional standards of Health and Safety.
Relevant Work Experience
Research Volunteer, University of Bradford Jan - March 2015
 Volunteered to assist a post‐doctoral researcher in the Institute for Cancer Therapeutics with her
experiments associated with research into “bacterial lipoproteins as vaccine targets”.
 Work had to be 100% accurate and planned meticulously.

Key Skills
Communication and presentation :
• My degree enables me to socialise with not only people of different ages to myself, but also people
from different cultures. I have developed confidence in communicating with others and working with a
wide range of peers
 Verbal communication skills were developed through conducting market research at ABP News, where I
conversed in a clear and concise manner, listening carefully to respondents to capture information.
Adaptability:
 As a personal tutor I regularly adapted my manner and style, dependent on the person I was dealing
with, showing my ability to work flexibly to suit the needs of others.
 Within my Research Volunteer post I regularly changed my work plans to support the work of my
supervisor, by initiating meetings and working flexibly within the team.
Team working:
 At Age UK, I worked with other volunteers, agreed tasks and completed them efficiently.
 Group based projects at university have developed my skills in working within a team to meet targets,
share tasks, compromise and work with individuals who might not have the same goals as my own.
 Playing volleyball and archery has taught me fair play, how to discuss and plan tactics, how to be
supportive, how to listen and value others’ opinions or strengths.
Innovation:
 Within my role with Age UK, I took responsibility for creating and organising themes to market
available stock effectively and increase sales. I chose seasonal and topical window display themes to
attract customers to the shop.
Other Work Experience

ABP News, London Summer 2015
 Responsible for overseeing the work of 7 staff at this busy newsagents and general store,
while also working as a cashier providing courteous and prompt customer service.
 Dealt with stock ordering, banking, and resolving customer complaints efficiently and politely.
 Organised monthly staff rotas according to business needs, negotiating with staff as required
to fill unpopular shifts.
Private Tutoring March 2012 – May 2013
 As a mathematics tutor for individual pupils, I overcame problems through creating learning
strategies to facilitate my students’ learning.
 I also constructed academic target plans for my students and motivated them to succeed.
Volunteer at Age UK, Headingley, Leeds Oct 2011 – Sept 2012
 Here I created displays in the shop and supported customers with their enquiries.
 I also organised and coordinated fundraising activities in the local area.
Positions of Responsibility and Interests
 Treasurer of The Biomedical Sciences Society; responsible for a budget of £3,000. Led the organisation
of a trip for 50 students to a scientific conference in Berlin.
 Course Representative; which involves negotiating solutions to issues put forward by fellow
students at Course Management meetings and informally with staff.
 Active member of Archery and Volleyball societies, I also have a keen interest in yoga and running.
 Participated in the Cancer Research Race for Life run in 2014.
References Available on request.

CVs
Graduate/ Full-time Sample CV2
JENNIFER SIMMONS
10 Morley Street, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD7 7DP
Tel: 07777 111 222 (mobile) 01274 777777 (home)
Email: jennifer.simmons@student.bradford.ac.uk
2013 – 2016 University of Bradford

BA (Hons) Social Work (year 2 average = 66%)
Year 2 Modules: Child and Family Social Work, Law, Mental Health, Practice Learning 1, Working
with Adults.
Year 1 Modules: Academic, Personal and Professional Development, Communication Skills: Children
and Adults, Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Social Work, Social Work Values and Ethics and
State and Society.
2006– 2013 Unity College, Bradford

A Levels: Sociology (B), Psychology (B) and Business Studies (D)
AS Levels: English Literature (C)
GCSEs: English Literature (A), ICT (B), French (B), Mathematics (C), English (C) Dual Science (C),
History (C) and Religious Education (C)
RELEVANT VOLUNTARY EXPERIENCE
Oct 2014 – present Volunteer Playworker, Abundant Life Church, Bradford

 Looking after children aged 5‐7 years, playing games, helping them with art and crafts and
supervising meal times
 Working as part of a small team, assisting play‐leaders in devising activities, preparing and
setting out materials for play
 Helping children develop literacy and numeracy skills through play
 Developing patience and empathy skills and an awareness of child development
 Liaising with parents, answering queries about their children’s progress
 First aid training for minor health problems e.g. asthma, allergies, minor injuries
Jan 2012 – March 2013 Youth Action Volunteering, All Saints Primary School, Bradford
 Assisted play‐workers at the after‐school club, helping out with activities being run for the
children such as games and sports, cleaning up at the end of the session
 Learnt to stay calm and handle emotional and behavioural problems, encouraged children to
participate in activities together, developed listening skills and the ability to relate to children of
different ages
 Worked with children with learning difficulties and ADHD
OTHER EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
Nov 2013 – present Refreshment Assistant, CineWorld, Bradford (Weekends)

 Serving refreshments to customers and providing a friendly and welcoming service
 Remaining calm when working under pressure during the busy weekend shifts
 Regularly demonstrating enthusiasm and flexibility in relation to working hours when asked
to stay on to cover shifts due to staff shortage
Summer 2013 Receptionist, Tempest Consultancy Ltd, Leeds

 Provided support to the director, took incoming calls from clients and members of the public,
used initiative to book appointments and answered basic queries
 Ordered stock, calculated VAT on invoices before sending them out to clients, responsible for
outgoing post and distribution of internal mail and packages

Summer 2012 Administrative Assistant, Leeds Magistrates Court
 Assisted with general administration and updated client records.
 Learnt to maintain confidentiality due to the sensitive nature of the work activities and court
proceedings
 Was commended for being polite, punctual, reliable and enthusiastic in my work
KEY SKILLS
Communication
 Ability to use appropriate oral communication skills when working with primary age children in
playwork roles
 Enhanced spoken communication skills through speaking to clients over the phone at Tempest
Consultancy, listening to the customers’ needs and responding in a clear and concise manner
 Developed the ability to ask questions and listening skills through studying and conducting
interviews in research methods modules
 Written communication skills developed through completing essays and writing up reports at
university
Working with others
 Working with a team of playworkers, learning how to assist with tasks and keep them informed
about progress or problems
 Extensive experience of working in teams gained through playing hockey i.e. discussing tactics,
listening to and evaluating team members’ ideas, recognising strengths and motivating each
other
 Learnt leadership skills by coaching and motivating primary school pupils as part of my Sports
Leadership Award
Organisation
 Assisted in planning and organising activities for a primary school summer fair as part of my
Sports Leadership Award
 Helping to plan and organise play activities, sourcing and setting out the required play materials
 Was always punctual and worked to set timescales at Leeds Magistrates Court in preparation for
court sittings
IT/Computing
 Competent in the use of Microsoft Office packages: Word, PowerPoint, Access and Excel at
university. Used SAGE accounting software to record customer invoices
 Regular user of email and the internet for research; keen user of Facebook and Twitter
ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS

 Sports – currently on the hockey team at university and was a Sports Leader for two years at
Unity College, gaining a Sports Leadership UK Level 2 Award accredited by the Qualifications and
Curriculum Authority.
 Social – enjoy an active social life with friends, dancing, ice‐skating, cinema, bowling, and going
out for meals.
REFEREES
Mrs Sue Beardsworth Ms S Jylha
Lecturer Director
University of Bradford Tempest Consultancy
Richmond Road 29 Harley Street
West Yorkshire Leeds
BD7 1DP LS1 9QR
Tel: 01274 236767 Tel: 0113 328 6129
s.beardsworth@bradford.ac.uk s.jylha@tempest.com

Applications
Covering Letters
What are covering letters?
Be professional, A covering letter usually accompanies a CV and can be used for applications by post or
positive and online. If an advert asks you to ‘apply in writing’ or ‘send your CV’, you can safely assume that
enthusiastic in a covering letter is required as well.
your writing, see
page 44 for a list The purpose of the covering letter is to get the reader to look at your CV by introducing,
of effective words. highlighting and drawing out some of your key selling points. It is also your opportunity to
give more detail about some of the points of your CV. Your letter will form the employer’s
opinion of you as a candidate before they have even met you, so make sure it is written to
create a positive impression of yourself.
How do I write one?
Ideally, your letter should be one side of A4. Use short paragraphs to make it easy to read,
As with a CV, email
professionally laid out and use clear, formal English.
or upload your
covering letter If you are sending it alongside a CV, the two should look like a professional package together,
in PDF format to so use the same style and size of font for both, and if you are posting them use the same
keep the layout as quality and colour of paper.
you intended.
Top tips:
Think of your covering letter as a compelling argument to show how you are the best
person for the job.
Keep it to one page only and use the same font and formatting as your CV.
Reflect the terminology in the job description and person specification in your writing.
Always proofread thoroughly. A good idea is to read it out loud or to get a friend to read
it for spelling and grammar mistakes. You can also book an appointment with Career
Development Services to have an adviser look at your letter before you send it off.
Turn negatives into positives. For instance, rather than saying “unfortunately I do not
have the required six months experience of working directly in an IT support role”, you
could write “I have voluntarily undertaken numerous website design projects for local
charities. Recently I was responsible for designing a website using Java SE8. I would be
thrilled to continue to develop these skills in a professional capacity”. This way, although
you may not meet the specific criteria, you are showing that you still possess the
required skill and ability to develop.
If you require a visa to work in the position which you are applying for, you may wish to
mention this at the end of your covering letter. State it simply and confidently, perhaps
offering a link where the employer can find out more information rather than giving
them too many details. If it sounds too complicated, it may put them off interviewing
you, so state the facts plainly.

Covering Letters

It may be useful to structure your covering letter by dividing it into the following sections.
You can even copy these headings into your letter to give you a starting point, and when you Try to explain
are happy with what you have written, delete them. what you can offer,
rather than what
you will gain from
the job.
Section 1: who are you and why are you For example, “I am particularly interested
writing? in clinical trials as I am looking to embark
on a career in pharmaceutical research
If you are sending this letter after having and development, and am specifically
spoken to someone, you could start with interested in your organisation’s current
something like: “Further to my recent research into drugs to fight cancer”.
conversation with Miss Tracy King at the
Graduate Recruitment Fair on 21st October, If you have been inspired to apply
Do your research
I am pleased to enclose a copy of my CV as after speaking to someone from the and make sure to
she suggested”. organisation, you could mention it here e.g. include specific,
“I recently met one of your representatives personal reasons
If you haven’t spoken to someone, you at the University of Bradford Careers Fair why you’d like
could start with something along the lines in October, and became very interested in
of “I recently saw the position of Graduate your organisation, particularly…”
to work for the
Management Trainee advertised on your organisation.
website, and would like to apply for the Section 4: the positive ending
role. I have enclosed a copy of my CV as
requested”. End positively, suggesting the next steps.
If writing in response to an advertised
Section 2*: why you? position, you could state when you are
available for interview, or say that you are
You should explain in a positive and looking forward to hearing from them. For
enthusiastic way the things you can offer instance, “I am particularly interested in
the company, rather than what you can this position and hope that you want to
gain. Avoid phrases such as “I believe I learn more about my background. I am
could gain valuable experience with your available for interview anytime”. You could
company”, instead focus on your skills then provide details of how you can be
and experience which the employer may contacted e.g. “If you have any queries,
benefit from. For instance, you may write please do not hesitate to contact me either
something along the lines of “having by email at (state email address) or by
worked for a large supermarket chain telephone (07777 123 456). I am available
during the last two years, I have gained anytime after 3pm”.
experience of dealing with and resolving
customer queries and complaints. I have If applying speculatively, you could ask for
thoroughly enjoyed this experience, and the opportunity to meet e.g. “I hope you
believe it would be beneficial to your will find my details of interest. Should you
organisation”. feel there might be a suitable opening,
now or in the future, I would be pleased
Section 3*: why them? to discuss this with you”. Or if you are
planning to follow up with a phone call, you
Avoid generic, non-specific phrases such
could say when you intend to phone e.g. “I
as “I am applying to you as you are a
hope you will find my CV of interest and I
large multinational company with a great
will be in touch to arrange a suitable time
reputation”. Instead explain what it is
to speak with you next week”.
specifically about this organisation that
makes you want to work for them.
*Sections 2 and 3 can be rearranged as necessary. Use your judgement or ask a career
development adviser which order makes the strongest argument for your application (the Sample
Covering Letter on page 42 is an example of how to change the order to good effect).
On the next few pages there is a Covering Letter Guideline, along with example covering
letters for part-time and graduate level work.

Covering Letters
Covering Letter Guideline
Put in name (if available) and job Your Name (if you wish)
title of the person you are applying Full address
to, together with company name, Postcode
full address and postcode. Your tel. no. and email
(Ideally all text to be right aligned)
Today’s date
Dear (Name of person applying to e.g. Ms Berry or Sir or Madam),
RE: JOB TITLE OF ROLE APPLYING FOR (plus Reference number if relevant)
Speculative letters also need a title e.g. ‘CIVIL ENGINEERING PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
2015/16’
Section 1 – This should be where you clearly state what position you have applied for – if you
choose not to list it as shown above. You may find it useful to say where and when you saw it
advertised, or if a speculative application what type of role you are seeking. You can inform the
employer at this point of the degree/course title you are studying/have studied, how relevant
to the role applied for and possibly your classification if graduated. Maybe also let them know
that your CV is attached for their information.
Section 2 – This is really your opportunity to sell yourself to the role by showing what it is that
you have to offer that makes you an ideally suited candidate and one that they must progress
to the next stage of selection. To do this, you should address the key requirements of the role
by highlighting what relevant skills, qualities, qualifications and work experience you have to
offer the organisation. Employers prefer applicants to give specific evidence showing how they
have a particular skill. For example, if the advert specified someone with good influencing skills:
“Last summer, I worked for a market research company where on one Saturday, I successfully
persuaded over 40 shoppers to stop and answer questions relating to their buying habits,
despite their initial reluctance”. Do not directly repeat what is on your CV but pull out the points
the employer will be most interested in.
Section 3 – This is your chance to say what particularly attracts you to the organisation to
which you are applying. It is essential you show that you have carried out research and thought
about why you are applying. It is a chance to show that you know what they do and possibly
what particular projects or work the organisation is doing that attracts you to them. Re-read
the job advert, check out the website, company literature and any relevant articles and journals.
Try to avoid saying salary, number of holidays and such like as this is what YOU will gain and not
what the organisation thinks is good about their goods, services, research etc.
Section 4 – Try to finish off your letter on a positive note; there are many ways to do this.
Suggestions include “I hope you will find my details of interest, however, if you have any queries
then please do not hesitate to contact me on the above number. I look forward to hearing from
you in the near future.”
Yours sincerely, (if you started with “Dear Name e.g. Ms Berry”) Yours faithfully, (if you started
with “Dear Sir or Madam”)
Space for your signature (unless sending electronically; or scan your signature if you wish)
Your name (in full, not initials)

Covering Letters
Sample Covering Letter (for part-time work)
The Branch Manager George Smith
McDonalds Plc. 22 Great Horton Road
Forster Square Retail Park Bradford
Bradford West Yorkshire
BD99 1XX BD7 5EE
Today’s date
Dear Sir/Madam,
PART‐TIME CREW MEMBER / CUSTOMER SERVICES
I am writing to enquire of the possibility of working part-time as a Crew Member with McDonald's.
I am currently in my first year studying BSc (Hons) Business and Management at the University of
Bradford. Prior to coming to Bradford, I have worked in retail / customer services roles; I
therefore believe that I have developed the necessary skills and qualities to make an effective and
immediate contribution.
As a Sales Assistant at ASDA supermarket in my hometown, I worked as part of a team of ten,
responsible for providing good customer service mainly in the Fresh Food Department. My main
duties were to check morning deliveries of goods and to ensure that the stocks were replenished
daily. Other duties included working at the till and handling and resolving customer queries. The
experience has further developed my skills in communication, team work and customer services.
I have also worked as a Volunteer with Cancer Research, UK where I have raised funds and

awareness outside various shops and supermarkets for the charity. To date, I have helped raise
£1,500.
In all of my work experience, I have always been a reliable member of staff and have 100%
attendance. As a full-time student, I will be available in the evenings after 6pm and any time
during the weekends. I am flexible and will be able to adapt (within the time stated above) to suit
your requirements. In addition, I also hold a Food and Hygiene Certificate which is valid until Dec
2016.
Your branch location attracts me as I have observed how busy it is and how much the team seem
to enjoy working in the environment. I relish working under pressure and would like to continue
working within customer services.
I hope you find my details of interest. If you have any queries, please contact me on my mobile
(07719 111 222) or my email (georgesmith@googlemail.com).
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours faithfully,
George Smith
George Smith

Covering Letters
Sample Covering Letter 2 (in response to an advert for a graduate job)
Ms Louise Brownlee 6 Grange St

HR Manager Bradford
James Lewis BD9 1ZP
Oxford Street
London
W1A 5ST
Today’s date
Dear Ms Brownlee
Graduate Retail Management Training Scheme
I am a final year student at the University of Bradford, predicted to gain a 2:1

classification in my BSc (Hons) Psychology, and wish to apply for the Graduate Retail
Management Scheme, as advertised on my university’s careers website. I attach my CV
for your consideration.
My commitment to a career in retail management has developed through my part-time

and vacation work in a department store, where I have gained promotion to supervisor on
weekend shifts. This experience has given me the chance to run a section of a busy
department store, solve problems and keep the staff team well organised and motivated.
I am particularly interested in James Lewis because of the great success of your

business model, involving fast turnaround of stock and introduction of new clothing
ranges every 2-3 weeks, the opening of new stores throughout Europe and your effective
use of online shopping to generate sales. Your reputation as an employer who develops
its workforce and gives early responsibility to graduate trainees further attracted me.
My degree course has provided me with many transferable skills that would enable me to
perform well on the graduate programme. I am a good team worker, through working
successfully on several group projects on my course. The experience has shown me that
I am able to get people to co-operate well in teams, as well as keeping a team on track to
achieve its goal. Studying psychology has developed my analytical skills and my
dissertation enabled me to carry out a small scale research project, which included
designing and undertaking a survey and interpreting qualitative data.
My leadership potential has been tested out in several ways at university, such as
through my role as President of the Psychology Society at university and as a Course
Representative. In the latter role I have successfully negotiated solutions to problems, put
forward by my peers, including a co-ordinated approach to the setting of assignment
deadlines across the whole degree programme. This required good communication and
perseverance.
I am a hard worker, strongly motivated to work in retail management and am able to bring
energy and enthusiasm to this role, which I believe would be of great value in motivating
others.
I hope you will find my CV of interest and I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Anna Cartwright

Covering Letters
Sample Covering Letter 3 (speculative application for a graduate job)
Mr William Brown
73 Field Street
Project Team Manager (IT)
Great Horton Road
Happy Computers
Bradford
40 Adler Street
West Yorkshire
London BD7 0ND
E1 1EE

Today’s date
Dear Mr Brown,
OPPORTUNITY WITHIN IT
I am enclosing my CV in the hope that you may have an opportunity arising within your IT
department, ideally in a support role. I am due to complete my BSc (Hons) Business Computing
degree from the University of Bradford in June 2016, and am confident I possess a range of
skills, experience and qualities to make a long term contribution to your organisation.
As you can see from my attached CV, through my degree, I have developed a wide range of
technical skills from software development, networks and operating systems to database design
and web development. Recently, I voluntarily designed and implemented a website for a small
local charity using Java.net. This was a really enjoyable experience and I am still responsible for
updating this website on an ad‐hoc basis. In addition to my existing IT skills, I learn quickly how to
use new software and am always eager to learn from others.
Having worked in the Geoban Financial Call Centre over the past 18 months, I have gained
experience of answering incoming calls by listening to customer requirements, diagnosing their
needs and providing appropriate solutions. Through my experience working at Café Kebab, I have
demonstrated a range of skills including the ability to build rapport and work with different types
of people and believe I could fit easily into your team. Working on busy Saturday nights
demonstrated my ability to handle pressure and deal with stressful situations.
Furthermore, my organisational skills are strong as during the first semester of my final year I
juggled working 20 hours per week, undertaking voluntary work, completing my coursework and
preparing for exams, yet I still received an average of 67% across my modules.
I am very keen to work for Happy Computers because of your outstanding commitment to both
client service and third sector work, with social responsibility at the heart of all your activities. I
understand your core business focuses on making charities and housing associations more
effective by providing cost effective, high quality ICT training. As a keen volunteer myself, I have a
desire to make a contribution to other charities and would really enjoy working for an
organisation with this ethos and client base. In addition, I am aware that Happy Computers has
been rated one of the top three IT SME training companies in the UK for the past three years.
I appreciate you taking the time to read this letter and would be delighted to discuss any possible
opportunities with you. I am available for interview at your convenience and can be contacted by
telephone on 07777 123 456 or by email at anoor27@gmail.com.
I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Yours sincerely,
Ahmad Noor
Ahmad Noor

Applications
Useful Words & Phrases
It’s easy to repeat words and phrases when writing about your skills and experience, so
here are some suggestions to help you avoid repetition and add a sense of action and
positivity to your application.
These active,
positive words As well as effective words to help describe yourself, below are lists of active words grouped
portray a pro-active together under their basic meaning:
work ethic on your
application.
Made Changed / Fixed

Describing Your What you did
Personality Started Arranged
Achieved Devised Broadened
Adaptable Administered Established Completed
Capable Collated Implemented Controlled
Competent Communicated Initiated Determined (an issue)
Consistent Completed Introduced Eliminated
Remember that Customer focused Launched
the spell checker Co-ordinated Improved
Dedicated Proposed Minimised
function isn’t always Demonstrated
100% accurate, Determined Distributed Modernised
especially of you’ve Diligent Ensured Built Organised
used the wrong word Effective Expanded Refined
but spelt it correctly. Composed
Efficient Repaired
Facilitated Created
Experienced Resolved
Interacted Designed
Restored
Expertise Liaised Developed
Revamped
Flexible Maintained Engineered
Simplified
Focussed Networked Generated
Solved
Goal-oriented Operated Produced
Streamlined
Hard-working Participated Strengthened
Helpful Performed Helped Transformed
Honest Planned Advised
Keen Presented Looked At
Assisted
Proactive Processed Enabled Analysed
Productive Programmed Encouraged
Proficient Assessed
Promoted Motivated Consulted
Profitable Provided Diagnosed
Qualified Reacted Evaluated
Resourceful Started
Represented Identified
Successful Responded Devised Instigated
Thorough Specialised Established Monitored
Trustworthy Undertook Implemented Planned
Valued Unsupervised Initiated Quantified
Versatile Volunteered Introduced Recommended
Willing Launched Researched
Proposed Reviewed
Demonstrated skills in... Proven track record in...

Extensive academic / practical background Experienced in all facets / phases / aspects
in... of...
Accurately checked... Experience involved / included...
Knowledge of... / experienced as... Successful in / at developing...
Extensive training / involvement in... Reported to senior management when...
Constant interaction with... Disseminated results of analysis...
Provided technical assistance to... Professionally handled...
Worked closely with... Familiar with...
Efficiently organised... Supported customers and colleagues with...
Planned and managed... Researching, assessing and synthesising...
Initiated financial savings by... Promoted to…

Applications
Selection tests
What are selection tests?

Selection tests are tests set by some employers to help them to find out if you have the The term
required skills, aptitude and personality to carry out the role successfully. Not all jobs will ‘psychometric tests’
require you to complete a test prior to employment. There are many different types of can be used for a
selection test – the ones that come up most frequently are listed below. Companies usually let range of selection
you know which tests you are required to complete in advance. tests - this section
explains the
When will I take a selection test? different types you
You could be asked to complete a selection test as part of the initial application, or at any might experience.
point during the interview process. Tests may be done at home on a computer or at an
assessment centre (see page 47 for more details).
Psychometric Tests
What are psychometric tests?

Aptitude tests
There are two types of psychometric tests: have definitive
correct answers,
Aptitude tests (sometimes just called psychometric tests) may be set by an employer to
determine your skillset, knowledge and ability in particular areas. but personality
Personality questionnaires explore your interests, values and motivation. questionnaires
don’t.
Aptitude Tests
What is an aptitude test?
The most common types of test are:
Verbal reasoning tests – to test your ability to interpret and understand written
arguments.
Numerical reasoning tests – to test your ability to interpret and understand data in
tables and charts.
Diagrammatic reasoning tests – to test your ability to extract and apply logical rules
from a series of diagrams and symbols.
Spatial reasoning tests - to test your ability to visualise objects in space and imagine 3D
objects, useful in engineering and design roles.
How do I complete a psychometric aptitude How can I prepare?

test? There are ways of preparing for these to give
You usually need to complete this test on you a better chance of achieving a higher
a computer. This may be online at home score.
on your own computer before shortlisting,
before or after an interview, or on location The best advice is to practice these
at an assessment centre. tests as much as possible. University of
Bradford students have free access to
It will be timed and, if taken at interview Graduates First practice tests. See how to
or at an assessment centre, is taken under log in at: www.bradford.ac.uk/careers/
exam conditions. If you do not finish the applications/psychometric-tests/
test in time, try not to worry – you are not
always expected to finish all the questions. See Resources, page 62 for more places
Generally, try to complete questions to an to find practice tests.
accurate standard, rather rushing through
to complete as many questions as possible. How will I be assessed?
Sometimes, you will be allowed paper or After you have completed your test, the
a calculator to help. The employer should results will be calculated. Your results may
provide information on what is required be compared with other candidates’ results,
beforehand. If in doubt, ask. or rated against an expected standard.

Applications
Selection tests
Personality Questionnaires Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs)

Personality
questionnaires What is a personality test / questionnaire? What are SJTs?
and SJTs assess There are no right or wrong answers for These are multiple-choice tests which give
your values and these. Instead, they ask questions about an employer an idea of how you behave
ethics to see how your interests, values and motivations, under certain circumstances.
they fit with the through which recruiters can analyse if your
personality fits in well with the ethos, service How do I complete a SJT?
organisation. area and cause of the organisation. These tests are usually done online. They
will usually occur early in the recruitment
How do I complete a personality process, often from your own home
questionnaire? computer as part of the application form.
It is likely that you will complete these tests On the web page, you will be presented with
at home at your own computer early on a scenario and multiple possible responses.
in the recruitment process, although you You may be asked to select the one response
Take these which most fits in with your working style,
may also be required to complete them at
tests seriously an assessment centre. These are generally or to rank the responses in order of your
- they can be a made up of lots of very short statements own personal preference, or mark which you
significant part of where you are required to indicate how would be most and least likely to do.
the recruitment strongly you agree with each one. There
are no right or wrong answers, and you are How can I prepare?
process. As with personality tests, you cannot
unlikely to be strictly timed.
practice for this in the same way you would
How can I prepare? a verbal or numerical test as there are
You can familiarise yourself with the format, no strict right and wrong answers but it
but as the tests are entirely based on your is objective. Be as truthful as possible – if
honest responses, you don’t need to practice you do not score highly, this may usefully
to improve your chances of being successful. indicate that you would not enjoy the role, so
it is best to be honest. However, you can see
How will I be assessed? online examples here: www.assessmentday.
The employer will gain an insight into your co.uk/situational-judgement-test.htm.
personality to see if it matches what they
are looking for in an employee. However, do How will I be assessed?
not try and tailor your responses to what The employer will use your answers to see if
you think will be favourable. It is impossible you are a good fit for the workplace.
to tell what employers are looking for in
candidates on this level, and there are
built-in checks to ensure your answers are
consistent (you may notice that similar
questions come up multiple times) – these
tests can be a clever way to judge your
integrity, as well as your personality. An
employer is trying to work out how you do
things, not how well.
Top tips:
If you can, practice so you are familiar with the test style and format. Simply getting
comfortable with completing online tests and doing number and word puzzles can
increase your score (see page 62 for suggestions).
Think about what particular test you might face for your type of job or industry.
Look on similar companies’ websites for examples and ‘past papers’.
Don’t panic: aptitude tests don’t require advanced algebra or knowledge of
Shakespeare. Brush up on GCSE level maths and practice good grammar.
Take everything you need, including a watch, and read instructions carefully. If you
are not given an indication of what to take (if at an interview or assessment centre)
contact the employer beforehand to ask.
If there is no right or wrong answer within the type of test you are completing,
answer honestly.
Don’t dwell on questions – if you are unsure of an answer, move on. Use any time left
to check your answers, but don’t be disheartened if you don’t finish all the questions,
as the tests are meant to be challenging.

SECTION THREE: The interview process
Assessment Centres
What are assessment centres?
An assessment centre is often the last stage in the recruitment process for many graduate
roles. If it is part of the process, you will usually be invited to attend an assessment centre Thoroughly
after the initial application stage. research the
It may last from half a day to several days, and provides an opportunity for the employers employer prior to
to get to know more about you, to see how you perform at certain tasks and judge the assessment
your interaction with others. Employers are checking to make sure you have the right centre - see page
competencies and are a good fit for the role. 52 for information.
What should I expect? What should I wear?

You will probably experience a range of Dress formally, as if you were going to an
activities, such as interviews, psychometric interview. You should take smart clothes
testing, individual and group exercises. This to last the duration of the centre. This is
will be explained to you on the day, although particularly important if the assessment Read your
you may be provided with some information centre lasts for a few days. invitation letter
in advance, which you should study to help carefully and
you prepare. You will be told when and What if I have a disability? plan your travel,
where to report on the first day. Starting on If you want the employer to make clothing and
the next page there is an outline of what you appropriate adjustments, contact them in accommodation (if
may face. good time to discuss your requirements. necessary) well in
These could include extra time given advance.
How can I prepare?
to candidates with dyslexia, physical
Thinking ahead to the likely activities at the
environmental adjustments, specialist
assessment centre will help you to be calm
equipment, materials in alternative formats,
and collected on the day and improve your
etc.
chances of success. You should also research
the company itself, see pages 52-53 for
How should I behave?
information.
From the moment you arrive, you will be
Where are assessment centres held? under scrutiny, so be professional and
Assessment centres are usually held in courteous at all times, including during
company training centres or a hotel, so social events. Try to relax and be yourself,
that there are comfortable surroundings, but ensure that you uphold good manners,
a variety of rooms for the activities, and polite behaviour and act in a pleasant
peace and quiet away from the demands of and friendly way towards candidates and
the normal working environment. However, company personnel. Assessors often ask for
this will depend on the role, and you may the opinions of other company personnel
be asked to attend an assessment centre who have met you. Do not treat others as if
at a more relevant location (e.g. at the local they are in competition with you, as you will
retail store for graduate trainees in retail also be assessed on your ability to get on
management). with others.
How many candidates are invited? You will be expected to socialise well
This will depend on the role, but typically, with other candidates as well as with
you will be invited to attend an assessment management, and you are likely to be
centre with up to 30 other candidates. You observed at break times and at social events.
may then be divided into small groups. If alcohol is available, don’t feel obliged to
As this is usually the last stage in the drink and don’t overdo it; it will be noted, and
application process, the numbers will be you may regret it.
small but the quality of candidates will be
high. However, you are not necessarily in Will I get expenses?
competition with others; it may be that every Travelling expenses are normally mentioned
candidate who achieves a certain score in in the assessment centre invitation. Keep
the activities is offered a position, or that receipts, as you may need them to reclaim
some candidates are applying for different expenses. Some organisations impose a
roles. spending limit, i.e. standard rail tickets, or
petrol plus hotel accommodation of up to
What should I bring? £80. If expenses are not mentioned, it is
You may receive a checklist from the perfectly acceptable to make enquiries.
employer stating what to bring to the
assessment centre. Make sure you bring
everything listed, including any official
documents requested, otherwise you may
not be able to take part. You should also
bring a notebook and pen, and a watch to
time yourself during tests and activities.
ASSESSMENT CENTRES & INTERVIEWS CDS STUDENT UOB 47

Assessment Centres
On the day
When you arrive at the assessment centre you should be ready to start work. After a brief
introduction, you might go straight into a group exercise or test. At a longer event, you might
You should have have an easy first evening with an employer presentation and a chance to mix informally with
an idea of the type company managers, staff and other candidates. Usually, information is sent in advance so you
of activities from should have a general idea of a plan for the day.
the invitation, but Although programmes vary, our advice is that you may encounter any combination of the
be ready for some following activities. Many of them will be strictly timed, so keep an eye on the clock. You may
surprises. not have to do all the following tasks, but it’s good to be aware of what could happen.
The main thing to remember is that the activities are structured to test your competencies in
the various skills required for the role or industry. Read the job description and do your best
to make sure you stand out by demonstrating through the activities that you understand and
possess the relevant skills required for the position.
Remember,
employers aren’t
Types of activities
Below are some of the more common tasks you may face as part of your assessment centre.
necessarily
You may not have to do all these activities and you may encounter tasks and activities not
looking for the listed here.
loudest and most
dominating person
in the group. Employer presentation Group exercises
Often, the assessment centre will start In these exercises, the group may be
with a presentation by the employer given a problem to solve with a specific
describing the organisation, their objective. It usually isn’t straightforward,
graduate scheme and career progression and every approach may have
opportunities. Generally, you are not disadvantages as well as advantages. The
assessed during this activity, but pay problem may be a physical puzzle to solve,
close attention to what is said as it may such as building a bridge, or a theoretical
be useful to you at a later stage (perhaps one, such as a scenario-based emergency
during one of the activities). Look situation where you are presented with
interested and ask questions. facts of the case and must logically
work out the best option. Exercises can
be undertaken both indoors and out.
The outcome is to aim for an agreed
Communication and teamwork exercises plan of action defined by the end of the
exercise, so negotiation and compromise
Ice-breakers are important. You may have to present
your findings in an individual or group
As the name implies, these are initially presentation at the end of the session.
exercises to ‘break the ice’ and to get Make sure you understand the task, and
everyone working together; a willingness to approach it in a logical way. Decide and
contribute and get involved in the activity agree on the goals and priorities. Consider
is important. These might involve: allocating tasks to different team members
A formal and generic short to use time effectively – perhaps do this
presentation lasting around two in a manner which utilises individual’s
minutes where you stand up one at skills, as you should have got to know one
a time to introduce yourself to the another through the initial introduction.
group. Alternatively, you may be asked
to find out as much as possible about Listen to others, contribute and don’t
the candidate next to you and then dominate discussions.
introduce them to the group.
Possible competencies being
A less conventional approach, such as assessed: working under pressure,
doing a group task together, drawing creativity, initiative, analytical / clarity of
a picture or playing a game which thinking, verbal communication, numeracy,
encourages communication and time management, business /commercial
building initial rapport. awareness, problem solving, and strategy /
Possible competencies being action planning.
assessed: verbal communication,
leadership, assertiveness, teamwork, co-
operation, creativity, initiative and time
management.
48 UOB STUDENT CDS ASSESSMENT CENTRES & INTERVIEWS

Assessment Centres
Committee exercise / debates Case study
Within a committee exercise, group This could be a group or individual exercise See the list
members are designated roles and the in which you are given official reports, of possible
task may be to come up with a consensus tables of figures, newspaper cuttings, competencies
plan that the committee agreed on and memos, etc. and a problem to solve. being assessed
puts forward. In this case the topic might Alternatively, the group may be given and try to
be very vague, so the discussion has to be a business case study, which has to be
kept focused if the committee is to achieve analysed and understood before making demonstrate
something. suggestions for subsequent action. You these.
may be asked to make a presentation
Within a debate, a topic question may be about the key issues and suggested
given and the members are free to discuss strategy, demonstrating that you or the
the pros and cons of different angles group can respond well to assessors posing
concerning it. Make sure you contribute, questions.
but listen to others as well and try to
involve everyone in the debate. It will There is often not one specific ‘correct’
be noted if you don’t contribute to the answer in this exercise. Recruiters are In discussions,
discussion, but likewise it will be noticed assessing your ability to analyse problems, focus on putting
if you dominate the discussion and don’t prioritise tasks and put forward effective forward effective
listen to others. Be assertive but not arguments with clarity and tact. arguments rather
aggressive, and put your points across
firmly and fairly, responding to others than trying to find
politely whether you agree or disagree Possible competencies being
definitive answers.
with their points. Remember, the selectors assessed: analytical / clarity of
are not expecting you to be an expert on thinking, planning and organising, time
the subject under discussion or the task management, working under pressure
to completed, but they do want to see and business / commercial awareness,
evidence that you can make an effective creativity.
contribution to a group.

assessed: team working, co-operation
/ interpersonal relationships,
communication, negotiation, time
management, planning and organising and
working under pressure
Problem-solving exercises
Psychometric aptitude tests

Certain aptitude tests, such as numerical reasoning and diagrammatical reasoning tests,
have problem-solving elements. This is one area which you can prepare extensively for. See
the previous section on psychometric tests (page 45) for details.
Possible competencies being assessed: specific skills such as maths and spatial
reasoning, logical thinking, time management, problem solving under pressure.

Assessment Centres
Written and practical tests
In-tray / e-tray exercise Applicant presentations
Excercises may This task is designed to simulate the This may be about a case study (see
be interrupted by administrative features of a job. For previous page), or about a specific topic
example, you may be given a pile of given to you either prior to or on the
a ‘messenger’ to papers representing a post tray containing day, with a short time to prepare. These
test your ability emails, faxes, memos, letters, telephone can be individual, or in groups. If an
to work under messages, reports and computer printouts. individual presentation is required, but no
pressure. Alternatively it could be entirely PC-based specific presentation topic given ahead of
(known as an e-tray exercise), where schedule, it’s worth having a presentation
you may be asked to organise and reply prepared about a topic of your choice. If
to emails in Outlook, amend an Excel you know that the subject will be given at
spreadsheet, or summarise an article in the assessment centre, think about how
Word (or a combination of all the above to structure a presentation, consider what
and more). Your task may be to sort the type of visual aids you might use, and find
documents according to importance and out what resources are available.
evaluate how quickly to act, to draft mock To prepare for a presentation about
replies to the material, or to prioritise your yourself, use our Elevator Pitch Builder
Always keep an workload as if this was your desk in the on Build My Career :
morning. www.bradford.ac.uk/careers/build-my-
eye on the time
career/
during tasks. General advice for this is don’t just work
from the top down, and if you are provided Think about your audience – don’t
with instructions, ensure you read them use technical jargon if they are not
as thoroughly and accurately as possible familiar with the terminology. Technical
within the given time, as it may be testing information is difficult to present, so
your attention to detail. Sometimes, choose a topic of wide interest. Make sure
the exercise may be complicated by a your presentation has a clear structure
messenger, calling at your ‘office’ every and be careful about telling jokes – not
few minutes or so, delivering more everyone may appreciate your sense of
material. humour. Speak clearly and stick to the
time limit.
Possible competencies being Be prepared to answer questions posed
assessed: planning and organising / by the assessors at the end of your
prioritising, judgement, time management, presentation – use this as a chance to
written communication, basic computer clarify aspects of your presentation in
competency, and working under pressure. more detail.

IT and computer-based tests (numeracy, assessed: verbal communication,
literacy) confidence, time management, information
An IT test will help employers to assess handling, adaptability and initiative.
your IT literacy. You may be tested on
programmes which you would use in
the role, or on general Microsoft Office
or internet searching skills. If you think
this may come up, the best practice is to Report writing / essay
refresh your Microsoft Excel, Word and
PowerPoint skills beforehand to make sure You may be asked to analyse information
independently and then present your
you are composed and confident on the summary and findings in a written report
day. or essay.
Psychometric aptitude tests can be used The essence here is to think clearly. You
to test your abilities within certain areas will be assessed on how you use your
such as literacy and numeracy. These skills to present focused information that
won’t require in-depth knowledge but a others will understand, the reasoning
practical and efficient understanding. For for your decisions and to test you on
instance, you may be asked to select the your written skills (spelling, grammar,
correctly spelt words in a multiple-choice etc.). Alternatively, you may be asked to
exercise, or asked to do practical sums write a letter to a customer based on the
which involve sales receipts. You can find information presented explaining clearly
more information on computer-based tests and tactfully why you will not extend their
in the section on psychometric tests (page contract to supply a specific product or
45). service.
Possible competencies being Possible competencies being

assessed: information handling, general assessed: information handling, written
computer skills, specific IT software communication, analytical / clarity of
skills, typing skills, numeracy or literacy, thinking, reasoning, business / commercial
information handling, attention to detail awareness, initiative, judgement and
customer service.

Assessment Centres
Interviews
Assessment centres usually include an interview. This may be either one-to-one or with a
panel; see the interviews section on the following pages for more information.
Get fully involved
Go over the content of any previous interviews you have had and remind yourself of tricky in every task and
questions and think about what they didn’t ask. On this occasion there could be a specialist you will leave
who does the kind of work you are applying for as well as human resources staff, so there
may be more in-depth technical and functional questions about the role. satisfied that you
did your best.
Possible competencies being assessed will vary depending on the job description.
Study this and try to provide evidence throughout that you fit the specifications required.
Top Tips
Be professional at
all times, anyone
You are likely to do better at some activities than others but don’t worry too you encounter
much - a strong performance in one area can balance out a weaker performance could be assessing
in another. Although there may be a minimum score set for each of the you.
competencies the employer is looking for, you don’t have to do brilliantly in
everything to be selected.
Always pay careful attention to any instructions, if in doubt ask for clarification.
Give everything your best shot – get fully involved in group activities, be
assertive and persuasive but diplomatic too. In group activities, show that
you are listening to others by smiling, nodding and maintaining eye contact.
Acknowledge and build on good points made by other group members as well as
putting forward your own case.
Friendly conversation with other candidates will help you to relax – all (or none)
of you may be successful at this particular assessment centre.
After the assessment centre

Your assessment centre finishes only when you leave the organisation, so be professional at
all times. Reflect on how it went, highlighting what went well and what you could improve on
in the future. You can consider sending an email to thank the organisation for considering
you, if you are very keen. Overall, most candidates find assessment centres tiring but
enjoyable.
When will I hear the results? What if I’m not successful?
How long it takes you to hear back varies; If you don’t get an offer, learn from the
it can be within a day to few weeks. Usually experience and consider contacting the
the decision is fairly quick so you will soon company for some feedback. At this stage in
know where you stand. If you get a job offer, the recruitment process, employers will often
remember that you need to be sure that provide feedback if asked.
it’s what you want before you accept. An
assessment centre should give you a good
idea of the company and whether you will
like the job.

Interviews
What are interviews?
An interview is a formal discussion between you and the recruiter, in which the recruiter asks
Congratulations on questions and you are given the opportunity to prove your suitability for the post.
being shortlisted An interview may be conducted by one person or by a panel of people. Usually interviews
for interview, but happen in person, but they may also be conducted by telephone or Skype. If you’ve been
there’s more work invited to an interview, you can safely assume that, on the basis of your application,
the employer considers you to have the potential to do the advertised job and they are
to do...
considering you as a prospective employee.
What do I do if I’m invited for an interview?

This is your opportunity to convince the employer in person that you are the best candidate,
so make the most of it by planning and preparing. Don’t assume that they will remember
your application, CV or cover letter – they may be doing multiple interviews, so try and draw
attention to the strong points of your application and CV - you don’t necessarily have to
provide fresh evidence.
...see the details
Preparation is vital. It will give you confidence, control and the ability to deal effectively with
on the following any question. Employers may schedule tests, tasks or presentations to take place during the
pages on how interview but you should be informed of these in advance.
to prepare for Information about specific types of test is available in the sections on Selection Tests (see
a successful page 45) and Assessment Centres (page 47).
interview.
How should I prepare?
Research the employer:

You should show in your interview that you know who you are applying to work with. Read the
company’s website, see if you can get hold of their annual report (this may be on the website)
and follow the organisation on LinkedIn and Twitter. A good way of researching this may be
to conduct a SWOT analysis on the company (Strengths / Weaknesses / Opportunities/
Threats) as in the example below. You may find it helpful to create a table to help you
remember information. Find out the company’s size, products or services, turnover, location,
organisational structure, competitors and position in the industry / service as a whole.
After you have researched the employer, think about how you fit in with what you have read.
What personal and technical skills, knowledge, qualities, values and experience can you offer
which fits in? Do the aims and ethos of the company fit in with your own? Are there varied
locations requiring geographical mobility? Will the size or location of the employer affect
promotion prospects?
Think of ways in which you could show how the relevance of your past experience, knowledge,
personal qualities and skills will meet the needs of the job and enhance the workforce of the
particular employer.
Example SWOT Analysis for Bradford Organics Baby Foods:
No. Employees: 49 Location West Yorkshire
Products & Baby food range with Turnover: £200k per annum
services: courier delivery service
available
Structure: Director overseeing two Competitors: Specialist companies e.g. Cow &
teams Gate, Farley’s. High street retailers
e.g. Boots, Lloyds. Megastores
e.g. Tesco, Asda. Other local
independent shops.
Strengths: Weaknesses: Opportunities: Threats:

Locally based Poor advertising Expansion into Cheaper products
Organic focus campaign other areas, e.g aggressively
Home delivery No social media baby clothes, toys marketed by
Hampers and gifts presence and gifts. competitors
available Ordering by phone Online ordering Price rises by
only system to improve suppliers
efficiency

Interviews
Preparation
Research the job Research the sector
You should research the job area in general. Commercial awareness is an important Make a list of your
The Prospects website, www.prospects.ac.uk, employability skill (more on page 7). Read
contains a large number of job descriptions. industry journals, quality newspapers,
skills and use
Click on ‘jobs and work experience’, and company reports and watch business them as a basis for
then ‘types of jobs’. Read up on the general related TV programmes. Check for videos your answers at
activities and skills requirements each role concerning the industry and company the interview.
entails. Speak to friends and family in similar on YouTube and join industry groups
roles and become familiar with the general on Facebook and LinkedIn. Look at new
tasks and terminology of the role or industry. developments and find out how the industry
Re-read the job description, person is changing. Try to formulate your own
specification, and/or list of the required opinions regarding these issues. You can
competencies. You can use these to work find out more about commercial awareness
out what kind of questions will be asked. on our website: www.bradford.ac.uk/
careers/develop-skills/commercial- TARGETjobs is
Think about what personal qualities, skills, also useful for
experience and knowledge are required? awareness/
What levels of commitment, motivation researching career
When you feel you understand the sector,
and initiative are needed? How can you think about you and the employer in its areas :
demonstrate these to an employer? context. What you could do for the employer, www.targetjobs.
or what experience do you possess which co.uk/career-
Try to write down examples which you could make their business or service more sectors
can give to demonstrate each of the points effective?
on the job description, person specification,
and competencies list.
Research interview techniques

The are a number of different kinds of
interviews you may face (see page 57
for details). Some will focus on your past
experience, while some will ask you more
about situations and skills. There is no way
to be certain what questions will be asked.
However the below advice is likely to apply
to all interviews:
Build your confidence: If you are Alternatively, interviewers may not

going to convince the employer that look at a candidate’s CV again, either
you are the right person for the job, because they don’t have time, or to give
you first need to convince yourself. In everyone a level playing field. Therefore,
an interview, you are demonstrating always keep a copy of your CV, covering
your knowledge, skills, experiences, letter or application form, and re-read
abilities and personal qualities to an this before the interview. Refresh
employer. Researching the job, industry yourself on the information you have
and company will help to give you this provided the employer, and be prepared
confidence, so that you can come across to elaborate on the examples you have
positively. provided.
Be prepared for probing questions: Be prepared to talk about the job,
We all have less positive experiences the employer and the sector: If you
at some times. If you are conscious of have done your research as the above
inconsistencies, failures or changes of sections detail, this should come fairly
direction in your life, prepare yourself naturally to you. Speak honestly about
to respond to questions about them. your understanding of the job and how
Think about what you have learnt from your research into the area has led you
the experiences, and emphasise positive to the conclusion that you should work
outcomes. in the area.
Be prepared to talk about your Formulate answers which showcase
application: You may be asked about what you can offer: One technique is to
details you have provided in your CV, write down a list of five points which you
covering letter or application form. really want the employer to know about
Interviewers may look closely at the you which showcase your skills. Try to
evidence you have provided in your get these points across in the interview.
written application before the interview, Remember, if you don’t tell them what
and want to explore your background in you have done and achieved, they have
greater depth. no way of knowing.

Interviews
Preparation
Preparing for questions
Refer back to the job description and Practice the STAR technique: a useful
person specification to think about the technique for answering interview
For details of the questions is the STAR technique:
types of questions you may be asked.
STAR technique One resource which you can use to S = Situation (20% of your answer)
see pages 22-23. create realistic interview questions to T = Task (10% of your answer)
practice with is the Interview Simulator A = Action (50% of your answer)
on Build My Career (see details on left). R = Result (20% of your answer)
Book a mock interview with a career Structuring your answers in this way
development adviser at Career will give your answers a logical format
Development Services. You could also and allow the employers to identify
rehearse your answers out loud with a your skills clearly. It may not be suitable
friend, it’s really useful to practice and for all answers, but particularly in
get feedback prior to the day. competency-based interviews you
Practice using the If you have any contacts in the sector, may find this technique helpful. It will
Interview Simulator ask them to suggest possible questions. help you to remember to always put
on Build My Career: Consider the interviewer – what would a positive spin on information that
www.brad.ac.uk/ you ask a candidate if you were the you offer, and to focus on yourself
careers/build-my- recruiter, and what answers would you throughout your answer. See pages 22-
career like to hear? 23 for more examples and information.
Practical preparation
As well as mentally preparing yourself for the interview, you will have to consider practical
factors and logistics:
How do I get there? What should I wear?

Plan what you will wear. At an
Check the venue and travel arrangements interview your appearance needs to
to make absolutely certain you will arrive be smart but at the same time it is
on time. If you are in any doubt where the important for you to be comfortable.
interview will take place, telephone the Don’t overlook the importance of
company and ask. Allow time for delays clean shoes, well ironed clothes, smart
when getting there – nothing is more likely haircut and tidy appearance.
to jeopardise an interview than arriving If you can afford it, invest in a new suit
late. Better to be 30 minutes early than 3 or jacket to boost your professionalism
and confidence.
minutes late.
What should I take with me? How can I handle nerves?
The email / letter inviting you to Don’t worry if you feel nervous or
interview, location map, a copy of your apprehensive before the interview.
CV / application form, notes on key Remember that interviewers are not
points you want to make, and questions expecting you to be perfect. They will
you would like to ask. be looking at your future potential, and
Money for a taxi (in case you are whether you have the ability, knowledge
running late). and motivation to fit into their organisation
A bottle of water. and make a valid contribution.
Any certificates asked for. This will
usually be copies of your educational These are things you can do to prepare to
qualifications, and your passport or help with nerves:
birth certificate. Read the list carefully Arrange a practice interview with a
and follow the instructions, as you career development adviser, or go
may be turned away if you do not have through some typical questions and
specifically requested documents. answers with a friend.
If you have a portfolio of your work, Try to get a good night’s sleep the night
take it with you. Offer it if it seems before your interview.
appropriate (perhaps at the end of the Eat breakfast on the morning of your
interview), but don’t force it on your interview, and try to drink plenty of
interviewer(s). water throughout the day.
Some interviewers allow candidates Breathe. Try taking a deep breath in,
to refer to copies of their CV holding it for a few seconds, and then
or application form and the job exhaling fully, repeating as necessary.
description during the interview. Check Think positive thoughts to put you in
with them if you want to do so. the best frame of mind.

Interviews
At the interview
First impressions
The impression you create in the first 60 seconds can be very important in creating the right
rapport between you and the interviewer(s): Thinking positively
can help you relax
Be courteous and friendly towards everyone you meet – anyone may be assessing you, and portray a
including the receptionist you report to in the first instance. confident image.
Remember to switch your phone off as soon as you arrive at the interview.
If you are a smoker, make sure you have mints or spray to remove the tobacco smell long
before you enter the building – the smell lingers.
Make an effort to present a confident appearance and greet the interviewer(s) with a firm
handshake.
Wait to be seated – don’t just assume one of the chairs is yours.
Above all, try to stay positive and remember that any experiences you have as part of a
recruitment process are an opportunity for you to learn and to develop.
Your body
language is
Body Language important, but
Your body language when answering questions can be as important as what you actually say. remember to focus
Non-verbal signals such as your gestures and posture, your tone of voice, and the type of on answering the
words you use all affect the way the interviewer will view you. There are four important areas questions fully.
of body language:
Eye contact: maintaining eye contact Posture: sit well back and comfortably
conveys listening, interest and honesty. in the chair. Relax (but be careful not
If it’s a panel interview, look (mainly) to slouch) with your feet firmly on the
at the interviewer who is asking the ground.
question but also make sure you glance Gestures: no movement at all is not
at or include the others on the panel natural, and may be considered as
when responding. Don’t stare at your passive and rigid behaviour. However,
interviewer but make eye contact if you have the tendency to fling your
naturally as you would in a discussion. arms around, clasp them on your lap.
Facial expressions: smiling naturally
and frequently indicates a good rapport
with the interviewer, and indicates
that you are confident and relaxed and
potentially can fit into the team.
Answering questions effectively

Listen carefully and don’t be afraid to ask for clarification or repetition if you don’t
understand the question.
Answer questions as fully and positively as you can. Try to strike the right balance
- avoid answers which are too long, repetitive or offer irrelevant or superfluous
information, but also ensure your answers are not too short and blunt to offer little
evidence and information. If in doubt, you can ask the interviewer “Would you like me
to continue…?”
Don’t answer questions in a negative way e.g. “I just…” or “I only…” when talking about
your experiences. On the other hand, don’t tell lies – it’s simply not worth it.
During the interview, if you feel you have been talking too much or too little, or if you
feel you have been too familiar, don’t be afraid to adjust your style for the remaining
questions.
Don’t be afraid to come back to previous questions asked if you feel you haven’t been
able to get some things across - the end of the interview is a good time to do this.
See previous page and pages 22-23 for details of the STAR technique.
Will I be asked to do additional tasks at the interview?
An additional test often forms a part of interviews. These could be delivering a presentation, a
psychometric test (see page 45), or an administrative task. You will be informed in advance if
this is the case. For further information on other activities, turn to pages 48-51.

Interviews
Types of questions
The key themes that interviewers usually focus on are:
Interviewers Why have you applied to this organisation / for this job? - What you know about the job
may ask specific / sector / organisation.
questions based What can you do for us? - How your skills, education, qualifications, knowledge and
on your CV, so experience fit the role.
What kind of a person are you? - How your attitude, drive, values, motivation and
make sure you are
personal qualities fit in with the job and workplace.
familiar with it. What distinguishes you from all other applicants?
Your interview is likely to include questions based on all of the above themes, so you should
make sure you prepare detailed responses for each of them. Below are some specific types of
questions along with more examples of things you could be asked.
Think about the Types of questions - examples

employability
capabilities on Questions relating to your education, Hypothetical / Situational questions:
qualifications, interests and work
page 7 - how have “What would you do if…?” best describe
experience:
you demonstrated these types of questions. These are used to
Why did you choose the University of test your specific knowledge, experience or
these? Bradford and why this course? judgement.
What do you enjoy most / least about
your work placement and why? Examples include:
What do you think you have gained from What would you do if you were the
your time at The University of Bradford? Managing Director of this company?
Tell me about your final year project / Our ‘After Sales Service Department’
dissertation / thesis. has been receiving an increasing
What do you regard as your greatest number of complaints from customers
personal achievement? recently. If you were the leader of the
Tell me about your interests outside of team, what would you do?
your academic studies. If you found someone unconscious on
Questions aimed at finding out more the pavement, what would you do?
An important client has indicated that
about you (attitudes, values, motivation, you should sell his shares when they
personal qualities and interpersonal skills): reached a particular price but that you
What do you think are your particular should check with him first. You were
strengths? What are your areas for unable to contact him despite trying for
development? the last few days, what would you do?
What skills / qualities do you think make A supplier has just informed you that
you suitable for the job? he cannot deliver an essential product
What do you look for in a job? you ordered tomorrow – you were
What other qualifications are you counting on this delivery as it will affect
considering? production. What would you do?
Are you willing to travel for the role?
Where do you see yourself in five years’ You may not have a complete answer but
time? state the steps you would take to clarify the
problem and possible courses of action. The
Technical / specialist questions employer is looking for a rational, sensible
It is likely that at some stage in the selection approach rather than a complete solution.
process you will be asked questions or have
a separate interview to test your knowledge. Theoretical questions:
Make sure you do your research and be
ready to demonstrate your knowledge. What do you think are the difficulties
Examples: and key issues facing our industry?
Tell me about your thesis / dissertation / How would you define marketing, human
final year project. resources, etc?
Describe your experience in database What do you understand by the term
design. ‘management’?
What experience have you had of What do you think are the qualities
analysing new systems? needed to be an effective civil engineer,
How would you improve our store social worker, teacher, business analyst,
layout? etc?
What do you think about the new drug
on the market?

Interviews
Types of interview
1:1 Interviews Panel Interviews
Open questions invite
These are conducted by one person, Here you are questioned by a panel, you ‘tell a story’, and
although there may be another person generally made up of three or more people. go into detail with
present to take notes. You might undergo There is usually a chairperson to co-ordinate your answer, e.g “Can
several such interviews following each the questions, a specialist who knows about you tell us about a
other, with different individuals interviewing the job in detail and a HR specialist. Such time when you showed
you, and with each interview focusing on interviews are popular in the public sector. initiative?”
particular or specialist skills.
These interviews can be daunting, but
This type of interview is generally conducted remember that every candidate has to go
as a first stage interview or at an assessment through the same process – try to treat them
centre where there will be other activities for in the same way as you would a one-to-one Closed questions have
employers to build a fuller picture of each situation. a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer
candidate. or a short factual
Direct your answers initially to the person response, e.g “Did you
who asks the question, but also try to include study at Bradford?”
everyone with appropriate eye contact as but you should still try
you give your answer. to expand on these
answers and tell the
interviewers more
about yourself.
Competency-based interviews: Strength-based interviews:

Many employers use this form of interview Some recruiters are now using strength-
to check whether you have the experience based interviews which focus on what you
they are looking for (e.g. teamwork, enjoy doing and are passionate about. In this
communication, problem solving, leadership, type of interview, employers are looking for
planning and organising, and so on). positivity, enthusiasm and authenticity as
well as a general suitability for the role.
You can use examples from your work
experience, studies or social and sporting Rather than asking open questions,
activities. strength-based questions are often shorter
and closed, so that the interviewers get
You will be marked on a set scale, according immediate response. Various signals such
to how well you have demonstrated you have tone of voice and body language will be used
the competencies required. to identify your enthusiasm, motivation and
pride in what you have been doing and your
Examples of competency based questions: achievements.
Give an example of when you have had The benefit to an organisation is that this
to explain something to someone. How style of interview identifies candidates who
did you ensure they understood you? will enjoy the role more, and perform better
Tell me about a time when you had to as a result.
influence someone to your point of
view.
Can you give an example of when you
have provided good customer service? Examples of strength-based questions:
Describe a situation where you have
planned and organised an event, What are you good at?
project or activity, which involved a What comes easily to you?
fixed deadline. How successful was the Describe a successful day you have had.
result? Have you ever built a relationship with
What aspects of your work have someone who doesn’t share common
involved working with others? goals with you?
Which do you like more – meeting new
people or completing a task?
See an example answer to a
competency question on page 23.

Interviews
Types of interview
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) Sequential Interviews
An MMI is in
interview This is an increasingly popular screening This involves several interviews in turn, with
conducted at a method to select candidates in regulated a different interviewer each time. Usually,
number professions, particularly for medicine, each interviewer asks questions to test
of different dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, occupational different skills or competencies. However,
‘stations’, therapy, etc. you may find yourself answering the same
each with a In this format, each applicant attends questions over and over. If this does happen,
different task. numerous short interviews (‘stations’), make sure you answer each one as fully as
each of which is conducted by different the time before.
evaluators. Some of the short interviews Group Interviews
may involve role-play where you are directed
to act a part in a given situation. Other Occasionally (but very rarely), you may be
stations may provide some information on a interviewed by a panel together with other
topic and after receiving a prompt, you are candidates. This is only usually seen in
An interviewer given questions to answer. teaching or PGCE interviews.
can detect your
This allows recruiters to gain a variety of The trick for this type of interview is to
attitude over opinions on a candidate, and test on a wide remember that you are not competing
the telephone, range of topics and skill sets, from logical against other candidates. All or none of you
so smile and be thinking to cultural sensitivity. may be offered the position. Other than this,
positive. try to follow the same principle applies as
for other interviews, though you will need
to ensure that you allow other candidates to
respond to questions put forward to them,
as well as making sure that your answers are
heard.
Telephone Interviews
An increasing number of organisations are using telephone interviews as their first stage
of selection. These can range from a basic check to see whether you match the selection
criteria, to a very probing interview.
Generally you will be speaking to a person who will ask you questions in the same style as a
face-to-face interview, but this could be either pre-arranged or unannounced. Some people
find the process challenging, because the usual visual clues are missing, so it’s difficult to
assess how you are doing. Try to relax and act as you would in a face-to-face interview.
If a company rings you to conduct a telephone interview without having made an
appointment, politely say “Thank you for calling, do you mind waiting for a minute while I
close the door, turn off the radio, take the phone to a quieter room?” This will give you a
little time to compose yourself. If it really is a bad time, offer to call back, and arrange a date
and time that is convenient. It is important that you are in the right frame of mind to be
interviewed.
Preparing for a telephone interview:

Be ready 10 minutes before the Answer the telephone confidently
interview time. Get into the ‘interview and professionally – answering with
mentality’. Have your CV / application “Wassup man?”, “What did you say
form and a checklist of the skills or your name was?” or “Which company
qualities the employer requires in are you from?” is not going to get you
front of you so you can clearly focus off to a good start. Remember, first
on what they want. impressions count.
Don’t forget to switch off your mobile Think of your posture. The way you sit
phone (if on a landline) as you don’t can help you relax, breathe properly
want distractions. Make sure your and project your voice and yourself
environment is free from interruptions more effectively. Imagine the posture
(make arrangements in advance and you would have for a face-to-face
if you live with others let them know interview. Some people stand up and
that you are expecting a telephone dress as they would do for a face-
interview call). If using a mobile, make to-face interview as this gives them
sure it is fully charged. confidence.
Think of the tone and volume of your Have a glass of water handy in case
voice – be as enthusiastic as possible, you dry up.
because the interviewer only has your
voice to go on and remember, a smile
can be ‘heard’ down the line.

Interviews
Types of interview
Video / webcam interviews Automated video interviews:
Treat video
Increasingly, companies are using live video In an automated video interview, companies and telephone
chat such as Skype to conduct interviews. invite candidates to record their answers to interviews the
These are similar to telephone interviews, a series of questions by a set deadline. You’ll same as face-
except that you are now able to see each need to log on to an automated web-based to-face - it’s
other. For a video interview, follow the system and read and record their answers, or important to be
advice on the previous pages and take the upload their own video. As it’s not live, you
professional at all
opportunity as seriously as a face-to-face don’t have to be online the same time as the
interview. interviewer. times.
Top tips for video interviews:

Make sure you
Arrange a test call with a friend beforehand to make sure you’re comfortable with the won’t be disturbed
set up and everything is working correctly. for the duration of
Dress smartly, and don’t forget to wear smart trousers or skirt in case you have to get the interview.
up during the interview.
Make sure there are no distractions in the background – a plain room is best.
Test the lighting and make sure it flatters your features and the interviewer can see you
clearly.
Ensure that the camera and microphone are working, and that the employer can hear
you clearly.
Minimise the video image of yourself (so that you are not tempted to watch yourself).
The employer expects eye contact as anything else can be a distraction, so look in the
camera when you are speaking.
Avoid speaking over anyone. A slight delay is possible on video calls, so it’s important to
allow people to finish speaking, otherwise you risk missing information.

Interviews
At the end of the interview
What questions should I ask at the end of the interview?
See the interview as
a two-way process: At the end of the interview you will usually be asked if there are any questions you would
it should help you like to ask. Use this opportunity to show that you have a genuine interest in the role and
decide whether you the organisation, and have thought seriously about the position. Try to have two or three
are well suited to the questions prepared.
role and if you would
want to work for the Do ask about:
organisation. The job, organisation, department, training and opportunities for progression.
Information you need which may affect your decision about whether to accept the job or
not.
The next stage of the recruitment process, if appropriate.
Don’t ask about:

Things that are covered in the employer’s literature or on their website. You should
Your research already know this thoroughly.
(see page 52) Anything considered trivial e.g. Christmas holiday closure dates.
should help you Pay, pensions and benefits. However, if you really do need to ask then either contact
human resources separately or ask in a sensitive manner e.g. “sorry to ask this, but
come up with please can you give me an indication of the salary range of this post as it was not
some interesting indicated in the literature”.
questions for the Questions where it could appear as though you are trying to catch out the employer e.g.
interviewers. “What are your views on the recent press coverage of the company’s share price fall?”
How you have performed in the interview. The interviewer(s) are unlikely to tell you as
they will need to review all candidates at the end of the interviews – what will you gain
from asking at this stage?
If all your questions have already been answered during the interview, then say so politely
rather than appear uninterested. For example, you may want to say “thank you but you have
already answered my questions during the interview”. If there is something relevant that you
had hoped to say in the interview and not had the opportunity to include in your answers,
then you could consider using the time at the end of interview for your questions to tell
the interviewer(s) about your experience or skills. As you leave you may wish to thank the
interviewer(s) for inviting you to the interview.
After the interview
Your interview finishes only when you leave Highlight what went well and what could
the organisation. Any informal tour or meal have been improved on. Then think what
could be part of the selection process, so be action you can take to improve in future.
professional at all times. Finally, reflect on Consider asking politely for feedback about
how the interview went. an unsuccessful job interview. This way, you
can learn about what you did well and how
you need to improve on.
If you are offered the job

If you have been successful you are likely to get a phone call offering you the job. At this
stage you can clarify salary and other aspects of the job if these haven’t been discussed.
The formal job offer is usually sent through to you in writing.
Take time to consider all you’ve experienced during the recruitment process, and hopefully
you’ll think that the job is right for you. Remember, you don’t have to accept if you have
doubts, and if you’ve been offered one job, there’s a good chance you’ll be successful in
future applications.
If you would like to accept the job offer, make sure to send through your formal acceptance
along with any paperwork in good time to avoid delays to the start of your contract.

Resources
Start here:
The Careers
Check our website: www.bradford.ac.uk/careers – lots of useful information including Information Room
more sample CVs and an employability skills section containing information on what in Student Central
recruiters look for in a candidate. has free copies of
booklets, magazines,
Build My Career is our exciting online career management resource for University of directories and other
Bradford students. Log in at www.bradford.ac.uk/careers/build-my-career to careers publications
access: as well as reference
a CV builder books and PCs.
an interview simulator
job hunting and application support
career management tools
getting the most out of social networking
hundreds of videos and podcasts
new ‘elevator pitch builder’.
There are even more
More resources by section: journals in the Joseph
Priestley Library,
UoB: www.bradford.
ac.uk/library/library-
Employability skills and Check out the employability skills section
resources/journals/
containing information on what recruiters
Finding a job look for in a candidate on our website
www.bradford.ac.uk/careers/develop-
Research your career options skills/
Complete the Careers Report on TARGETjobs For more information about employability
at http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report to skills look at www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/
produce a list of jobs that might suit you. skillsmenu.htm
Find out what jobs suit you based on your
skills, motivations and desires with Finding a job
Career Planner on the Prospects website
at You will find specific job information at
www.prospects.ac.uk/planner www.bradford.ac.uk/careers/finding-a-
Visit www.prospects.ac.uk – follow the links job/graduate-jobs
to ‘My career options’, ‘What can I do with
my degree’, ‘Job sectors’ and ‘Types of jobs’. Visit www.gov.uk for lots of useful
information on the UK Government’s official
If you know what specific job you are looking website. Click on Working, jobs and pensions
for, go to Prospects website to find out about to get details of your rights as an employee,
the job, the entry requirements and the skills e.g. minimum working wage, maximum
and experience required; go to working hours, etc.
www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles
Check out www.nases.org.uk – national
organisation of student employment services
Labour Market gives helpful advice on identifying skills and
understanding your employment rights
Find out about the graduate labour market
including the local labour market at If you are interested in finding a
www.bradford.ac.uk/careers/options/ placement or internship then visit
degree-options/lmi/ www. ratemyplacement.co.uk
Check specific information about the job International opportunities via GoinGlobal:
sectors that you are looking for at www. www.bradford.ac.uk/careers/finding-a-
prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/browse-sector job/intl-opps/
or use TargetJobs website https://
targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors. Digital Networking and Social Media
Browse graduate employers by name or by On Build My Career: Log in at www.brad.
sector at https://targetjobs.co.uk/employer- ac.uk/careers/build-my-career/ to access
hubs. advice on social media for careers
purposes. Take a look at the Job Hunt and
Employability Skills E-Hireability sections.
Build My Career is our multimedia online CareerPlayer have produced a good video
career management resource for University with tips on using social media: www.
of Bradford students and graduates. Log in careerplayer.com/tips-and-advice/general-
at www.brad.ac.uk/careers/build-my- advice/social-media-and-job-hunting/
career/ to access your e-learning hub.
Learn new career and business skills from A great resource written by a recent
easy-to-follow video tutorials, interactive graduate on everything to do with social
e-learning courses, articles and tutorials. media: www.ideasbynet.com/blog/personal-
branding

Resources
Applying for a job More practice tests: http://practicetests.
Application forms cubiks.com/
If you have further
questions on any Practice a verbal reasoning test: www.kent.
Build My Career is our online career ac.uk/careers/tests/verbaltest.htm and a
aspect of your job management resource for University of numerical reasoning test www.kent.ac.uk/
search please get in Bradford students. Log in at careers/tests/mathstest.htm.
touch with us... www.brad.ac.uk/careers/build-my-career to
understand the purpose of an application
form, what employers are looking for and For English and maths refreshers go to www.
how to tailor your application. bbc.co.uk/skillswise
Check https://www.prospects.ac.uk/
careers-advice/applying-for-jobs/ The interview process
Visit https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-
advice/applications-and-cvs Assessment Centres
Personal Statements Further information and advice on

assessment centres can be found on the
...you can find all www.bradford.ac.uk/careers/applications/ following websites:
our contact details application-forms/ Information about what http://www.brad.ac.uk/careers/
on the next page. to include and how to structure a personal applications/assessment-centres/
statement for a job application. A sample http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/
personal statement is also available.
assessment-centres
www.prospects.ac.uk/interview-tips/
Hints and tips on how to structure your assessment-centres
personal statement for postgraduate study www.wikijob.co.uk/wiki/assessment-
appliactions and suggestions on what you centre
might like to include in the content www. www.careerplayer.com/tips-and-advice/
kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/PersonalStatement. general-advice/assessment-centers.aspx
htm
Interviews
CVs
Try www.prospects.ac.uk/interview-tips
Read information on how to construct an
effective CV on our website: Visit https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/
www.brad.ac.uk/careers/applications/cv/ interview-techniques
See www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/ Look at www.glassdoor.co.uk for candidate
cvs-and-cover-letters for further useful feedback on real interviews
resources, different types of CVs
The CIFAS Graduate Application Fraud Multiple Mini Interviews:
leaflet: www.brad.ac.uk/careers/media/ http://multipleminiinterview.com/
careerdevelopmentservices/documents/ www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.
External---Graduate-application-fraud-leaflet. php?t=1963360
pdf http://medhealth.leeds.ac.uk/info/202/
applying_for_the_mbchb/107/
Covering Letters interviews/2
Look at https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers- Skype and automated video interviews:

advice/applications-and-cvs for covering www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21334710
letter essentials with examples and hints and www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/
tips. interview-tips/1252/job-interviews-by-
skype/
Visit www.plainenglish.co.uk/files/ www.sonru.com/candidate-guide/
lettersguide.pdf – download the plain English candidate-information-sheet
guide to writing letters.
Visit www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-
advice/cvs-and-cover-letters/cover-
letters – useful resources; different types
of covering letters.
Equality & Diversity
Selection Tests The equality section of our website and
includes further resources and information
Find out about different type of selection on a range of equality issues:
tests and complete some practice www.bradford.ac.uk/careers/finding-a-
exercises at www.assessmentday.co.uk job/equality
including situational judgement tests www. Additional advice on job seeking and equality
assessmentday.co.uk/situational-judgement- and diversity issues can be
test.htm found at https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-
advice/equality-and-diversity
62 UOB STUDENT CDS CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES - YOUR GUIDE TO...

About Career Development Services
Get in touch
How can we help you?
We offer a welcoming, supportive environment where you can access impartial careers
information, advice and guidance from professionally qualified staff.
For current students

We can help with all your careers-related queries from your first year onwards, including help
www.bradford.ac.uk/
finding a part-time job, interviews, applications for placements, assessment centres, graduate careers
level roles and further study. We offer:
Drop in sessions
Longer guidance appointments
Workshops
Graduate employment opportunities
Interview preparation and practice 01274 234991
Part-time work opportunities
CV and Covering Letter advice
…and anything else careers-related.
Call in to see us or give us a call to discuss your individual needs.
For graduates careers@

As University of Bradford graduate, you have access to our services for up to five years after bradford.ac.uk
your studies. If you no longer live in Bradford or are unable to come onto campus we can also
arrange careers guidance by email, phone and Skype. We also offer specific opportunities for
recent graduates, including:
Our Life After Uni Graduate Programme includes individual support and workshops to
help you get a job.
The Bradford Graduate Internship Programme offers paid placements to help you gain
relevant work experience and improve your employability skills, with the potential for Social media
permanent employment.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Employability and Entrepreneurship is a flexible
postgraduate qualification which includes work experience and a programme designed to
help you develop your career and build your own enterprise.
Help searching and applying for vacancies, and help with interviews.
Careers-related advice regarding applying for further study and where it might take you. facebook.com/
Careers Fairs unibradcareers
We reguarly hold careers fairs on campus featuring local, national and international
employers promoting a range of opportunities including graduate jobs, internships and
placements plus casual and summer jobs.
Workshops and talks / presentations

We regularly run free-to-attend workshops on a wide range of topics including CVs,
twitter.com/
interviews, social media and LinkedIn labs. unibradcareers
Visit our website to view our current workshop programme and to book online.
Information Room
We have a wide range of resources covering applications, interviews, further study and much
more in our Information Room, including specialist reference books, leaflets and guides.
Where we are
We are based in Student Central on floor 0, and we’re open Monday to Friday with
appointments until 6pm during term time.
For further details see the Careers website for our full Statements of Service.
Please feel free to email us, phone us on 01274 234991 or call into reception if you’d like any
more information.
Faculty of Management & Law Careers Hub

We also have a careers hub at the FoML Emm Lane Campus offering help and advice
specific to those students:
www.brad.ac.uk/management/
01274 234376 careers.mgt@bradford.ac.uk
student-services-and-facilities/
career-development-service/

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Career Development Services

Your Guide To...

Finding part-time and graduate jobs

UOB STUDENT CDS CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES - YOUR GUIDE TO...

This booklet has been designed by Career Development Services to help

Section 2: Applying for jobs

Section 3: Assessment centres & interviews. careers@

For more detailed information, visit our website: www.bradford.ac.uk/careers

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES - YOUR GUIDE TO... CDS STUDENT UOB 3

Volunteering, joining a club or society

DEVELOPING Where to look for

SKILLS part-time job Local companies

What is a graduate job?

Research graduate opportunities page 13

FINDING A GRADUATE JOB Where to look - Advertised jobs.

SECTION TWO: Applying for jobs

Top tips / example

Application forms Example competency

Where do I start? Formatting page 28

page 26 CV guideline page 30

4 UOB STUDENT CDS CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES - YOUR GUIDE TO...

Covering letter guideline

Top tips Sample covering letter

FOR JOBS Sample graduate

Useful words & phrases page 44

SECTION THREE: The interview process

On the day page 48

Preparing for interviews page 52

Practical preparation page 54

At the interview: First impressions, Body language,

Video & webcam

The end of the interview page 60

ABOUT CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES page 63

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES - YOUR GUIDE TO... CDS STUDENT UOB 5

This booklet focuses

What if I’ve got no idea what I want to do?

Researching your career options

Where do I start with my research?

What should I do after I have researched?

6 UOB STUDENT CDS DEVELOPING YOUR SKILLS & FINDING A JOB

Portraying a professional image Responsibility, Any work experience, part-time job

People skills, Group working at Uni

Analytical & logical thinking, Dissertation / final year project

Analytical & logical thinking, Entering business competitions

Analytical & logical thinking, Entering business competitions

DEVELOPING YOUR SKILLS & FINDING A JOB CDS STUDENT UOB 7

How do I develop my employability skills?

You could also

To find out more about volunteering  volunteering

8 UOB STUDENT CDS DEVELOPING YOUR SKILLS & FINDING A JOB

Friends and other contacts Local newspapers

DEVELOPING YOUR SKILLS & FINDING A JOB CDS STUDENT UOB 9

Working at the Broadway Centre

Other local companies and organisations

Argos: www.argoscareers.com O2: www.telefonicaando2careers.com/gb

10 UOB STUDENT CDS DEVELOPING YOUR SKILLS & FINDING A JOB

Recruitment /employment agencies

How much will I be paid?

From October 2016, the National Minimum Wage

What if I’m not from the UK?

How do I apply for part-time work?

DEVELOPING YOUR SKILLS & FINDING A JOB CDS STUDENT UOB 11

What about salary?

To find out more about volunteering volunteering

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