Category: Improving employability

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How to Ace Your Interviews

In previous articles, I have covered how the university’s careers service can support you as you create CVs and write cover letters. Now it is time to move on to later parts of the application process: interviews, tests and assessment centres.  

There is a lot to get through so this article will focus on the interview stage and other articles on tests and assessment centres respectively. 

Interviews 

A crucial step of the application process, the interview is what gives an employer a more accurate picture of who you are, what you can do, and how well you might work with the team.  

Interviews are some of the most nerve-racking things you can do, regardless of your age. But there are ways you can prepare yourself for them.  

There is a range of questions you may be asked: 

Motivational questions (e.g. ‘Why do you want to work for us?’) 

Employer-focused questions (e.g. ‘What do you know about us?’) 

CV and career aspiration questions (e.g. ‘Tell me about your internship with…’ or ‘What is your career goal?’) 

Hypothetical questions (e.g. ‘What would you do if X happened?’) 

Competency or values-based questions. These might ask for previous examples of when you used skills or demonstrated values (e.g. ‘Give me an example of when you worked in a team to solve a problem’ or ‘Tell me about a time when you took pride in your work’) 

Strength-based questions. These focus on what you like doing and what you are good at (e.g. ‘What motivates you?’ or ‘Do you prefer to work in a team or by yourself?’). 

Two of best things to do are to practice and to prepare: 

Practice 

Interviews are a daunting task but the more you do, the better you will get and the more confident you will come across. Even an unsuccessful interview is successful in other ways. 

Prepare 

Hopefully, during your initial application, you researched the company. Now that you’ve secured an interview, you need to do more research. Get an understanding of what the company does, and what their policies are and make sure you understand what you would be doing in the job you are applying for. You might even be told who will be interviewing you, so try to look them up and what their roles are! 

Practice answers to typical interview questions as well as searching online for previous interview questions that may have been asked by the company. A great methodology to stick to when answering interview questions is STAR (Situation Task Analysis Response). This structure is helpful as it allows you to use your past experiences to help portray what makes you suitable for the role. It is recommended that you try and write out answers to a range of questions using the STAR format, but use different scenarios for each, just to get practice with it as well as a range of information to pull from when asked a question during your interview. 

With the pandemic, more and more interviews are being conducted online. It is easier to set up a zoom or teams than organise travel and book a room for an in-person interview. That is why it is a great idea to get as much practise as you can with this style of interview. The MyCareer’s page has tons of resources to help with this, but there is one I recommend checking out: Shortlist.me. 

Shortlist.me is a practice video interview tool used by actual graduate recruiters to give an accurate view of what a video interview is like as well as AI-generated reports and your answers themselves to reflect on. You can participate in a range of video interviews for different fields as well as some strength-based interviews and employer-specific ones for NHS Digital, AstraZeneca and law firm, Womble Bond Dickinson. 

As you can see there is a broad range of mock interviews you can attempt: 

After completing one of these interviews, which asked six questions, I received the following feedback: 

As you can see, it gives a useful breakdown of metrics like speech rate, filler words and time used. In addition to this feedback, you can look back at each of your answers and reflect on how you performed. Just attempting the questions is a great way to practice! 

Also, be sure to remember that interviews are there to help you decide as well! Be sure to ask your own questions to figure out if you are the right person for this role. You don’t want to be stuck in a role that isn’t right for you.  

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Learn about Industry with Podcasts

To really stand out during interviews and other stages of your application, you need to know what you are talking about. But not just the theory you’ve learnt in class. You need to know what is happening in the industry now, otherwise, you might come across as out of touch. 

Being aware of what is happening in a certain industry is no small feat, however, especially with computing and the multitude of fields and rates at which it develops. Even when you focus on a certain industry, there is so much to unpack. So how do you make sure that you come across as knowledgeable? 

Podcasts 

One of the most dominant types of media now is podcasts. If you can think of it, chances are there is a podcast for it. That’s good news for us as it means we have accessible and easy-to-digest content we can engage with whenever we want. You can listen while you’re working, exercising or just pottering around.  

Just looking at Spotify, there are countless podcasts centred around computing and technology. With many releasing frequent episodes, it is an easy way to keep up to date with the industry. Interested in a specific topic? Searching through Spotify not only gives you a list of podcasts that might be relevant, but specific episodes as well, meaning you can pick and choose what you want to listen to! 

Here are just a few podcasts I found that you could check out if you aren’t sure what to listen to. 

General 

The Wan Show 

Even if you are only slightly engaged with the tech industry, chances are you have heard of the YouTube channel Linus Tech Tips. They also have a podcast called The Wan Show! In it they discuss the current goings on in the technology industry in frequent and lengthy episodes. 

The Stack Overflow Podcast 

The saving grace of any stumped programmer, Stack Overflow is a fantastic internet resource. But it is also a podcast you can check out. On the Stack Overflow podcast, they host important conversations and fascinating guests that will help you understand how technology is made and where it’s headed. 

WSJ Tech News Briefing 

When you hear Wall Street Journal, your mind may immediately go to business and economics, but you should also consider the excellent technology podcast under its umbrella as well. With new episodes every weekday on the latest and greatest news in the tech industry as well as interviews with leading minds, this is one you should absolutely check out. And each episode is only 15 minutes long so it won’t take too long to listen to. 

Games 

Play Watch Listen 

Hosted by Game Writer Alanah Pierce, The Play Watch Listen Podcast gives four unique perspectives on the game industry and what is currently happening within it. Alongside Alanah, there is Troy Baker (voice actor), Mike Bithell (game director) and Austin Wintory (game composer). 

IGN UK Podcast 

While less towards game development and programming, the IGN UK Podcast provides an easy-to-understand view of where the game industry is now, hopefully providing some context or ideas regarding any projects you may be working on. 

The GameIndustry.biz Podcast 

While the IGN UK Podcast is aimed towards a more casual gamer or media consumer, the GameIndustry.biz Podcast focuses on developers and the industry itself. Talking about the intricacies of development and insight into trends in the industry, this podcast is highly recommended for those wanting to brush up on the game industry. 

AI and Data Science 

The AI Podcast 

Nvidia is one of the leading companies in the tech industry, so the opportunity to gain insight into what they are doing and discussing should be taken. Thankfully they have a podcast or two. The AI podcast is a biweekly 25-minute interview with some of the most interesting minds working in various industries and how they are using artificial intelligence.

Practical AI: Machine Learning, Data Science 

Another great AI podcast that features content for people of all levels including technology professionals, businesspeople, students and enthusiasts, Practical AI is a perfect place to start if you are interested in getting involved with artificial intelligence. 

Naked Data Science` 

A go-to podcast about everything data science that credits itself on having no fluff and focusing on the information you want to know. Each episode tends to be less than half an hour long, so it won’t be too much of a commitment to get into! 

Cyber Security 

Cyber Security Simplified 

While not really one for those with experience in cyber security, Cyber Security Simplified is a great place to get started with this industry. They also offer simple and succinct explorations of the latest cybersecurity trends, threats and news so it is a great resource to keep up to date with what is going on in the industry. 

Darknet Diaries 

More narrative-driven, Darknet Diaries gives case studies of the darker side of the internet and the world of hacking, data breaches and cybercrime. It may not teach you too much about cybersecurity, but it may provide an interesting perspective. 

Naked Security 

This podcast gives an expert look at the cyber security incidents happening now, how they happened and why. These real-world case studies should help improve your understanding of what is happening in the industry currently, and then apply it to your applications. 

These are only a handful of podcasts I’ve found on a single podcasting site. They are a fantastic resource you should try at least once. Some won’t appeal to you and that’s okay, just take some time to try and figure out what does and doesn’t work for you. 

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Learning LinkedIn

When it comes to searching for jobs and developing your employability, the biggest platform is LinkedIn. Chances are you have heard of it, and you might even have an account. But you may not know how to make the most of it. 

Do you need to have a LinkedIn account? No, it isn’t essential when applying for jobs. But when more than 9 in 10 companies use LinkedIn to hire new recruits it would be a mistake to not make use of it! Having a good LinkedIn profile is like having a resume that can be seen 24/7 by employers and gives you exposure to tons of great jobs. 

Profile Picture 

One of the most critical parts of your LinkedIn profile is your profile picture. You need to make sure you have an appropriate photo of yourself. Don’t use something you might have on Facebook or Instagram with a drink in hand or your dog! But there is something worse than having an unprofessional photo, and that would be no photo at all! Having a photo helps employers connect to you as a person and will give you 14x more views than not having one. 

If you don’t have a photo, worry not! The university regularly has LinkedIn photo sessions where you can get a professional photo taken to use for your account. 

Profile Headline 

Now you have a good photo, you need a snappy caption to give a succinct rundown of who you are and what your focus is. It should be something you want a recruiter to know about you. This could be as simple as something like “Graduate seeking cyber security role”. It is short and sweet but tells employers exactly who you are and what you want. If you are struggling to think of a good profile headline, look at other people’s summaries! Be them alumni in the industry you want to go in or just someone you admire; their headlines might give you the inspiration you need. Just try to avoid using overused phrases and words like “Code Ninja” or “Strategic” as they are extremely overused and will mean nothing to employers. 

Summary 

The profile headline is just a short sentence to introduce you and goes hand-in-hand with your profile picture. But where should you talk about yourself? This is where the summary comes in. It is a paragraph that helps portray your experiences and interests to those viewing your account. Think of it as the best couple of paragraphs in a cover letter. While writing this section, LinkedIn can help you by giving some prompts of what to write if you are struggling to get started. 

Like with your CV, you can list your experiences. But unlike a CV, you are not limited to one or two pages, so feel free to list as much of your work experience as you wish and go into some detail about what you did in the role. And it doesn’t just have to be paid experience. You can list volunteer work under “Volunteer Experience & Causes” which is a great way of telling employers something a bit more unique about you. 

Networking 

The best thing you can be using LinkedIn for is networking. It’s as simple as that.  

Connect, connect, connect.  

The more people you have in your network, the more exposure you will have to job opportunities. About 80% of jobs on LinkedIn are never actually advertised, they are sourced and found through the network of people a person knows. Just be cautious of building too broad a network that spreads into irrelevant fields (No point adding lots of people in physiotherapy when you are interested in a career in cyber security) as it will just make it hard for you to find the content you want. Start small, focussing on quality over quantity. Add your fellow students, lecturers, co-workers and other people met at events. Aim to reach around 50 people in your network (ideally from broad and separate circles) to give you some strength when connecting with more people. 

But how can I start to build an effective network?  

It’s a question asked by many starting out on LinkedIn (myself included). Thankfully though, LinkedIn has a handful of effective resources for students and recent graduates. One of those is the Alumni Tool… 

Alumni Tool 

The alumni tool gives insight into the careers and skills for many of the graduates from a given university, as well as where they might be working. This is an extremely useful tool that you should definitely make use of if you haven’t before. Furthermore, if you are considering doing a postgraduate degree, this might help inform the decision you make as it gives helpful information relating to that university like popular career paths, fields of work and key skills. Here you can also see what people have graduated from your university which opens a healthy pool of people you could connect with. 

Use LinkedIn! 

Making connections isn’t the only thing you use LinkedIn for. If that were the case, it would be a quite boring app. Engage and explore the content and posts shared by others. Not only does it let you see what interesting things people are up to, but it also helps you maintain healthy connections and keep up to date with certain industries. At the same time, you should also be making posts of your own! Saying you have certain skills and experience is all well and good, but it is even better to keep active on LinkedIn with updates about what projects you might be working on. Not using LinkedIn regularly makes it even harder to keep it up to date when you log in every other month! 

This is just a short rundown of how you can make use of LinkedIn to help you get a job. There are tons more features to explore and make use of. Some you may never use and that is okay, they aren’t essential. Just focus on setting up the basics of your account and start making more connections! 

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Assessments: Looking beyond the marks

With semester one over and assessments finally submitted, you might be tempted to just leave it all in the past and prepare for next semester with the exams and other assignments it has to offer. But it is worthwhile to take some time to reflect on your modules and what you have learned. 

This isn’t only so you get to see how you have developed, but gives you a stronger indication of what you can talk to employers about.  

A good grade is always something to be proud of and does at least give some indication of what you can do, but to an employer just saying you have a degree in computer science or listing modules you have done well in doesn’t actually tell them what you can do. By reflecting on your modules and the key things you’ve learned and done, it gives you things you can talk to directly during an application.  

Take for example the stage 2 team project module. If an employer were to see this on your CV, it would tell them that you worked on something as a team, but not much more. Take the time to think about what you contributed to the module and what you learned and then write about it in your cover letter to give more context to what you have one. In the example of the team project, you could say things like organisation or ability to stick to a schedule while also mentioning specific ways you contributed to a task. When it comes time for an interview, and they ask you for a time where you have used problem-solving, hopefully, you can use some experiences from certain modules (e.g., changing the theme of a dissertation due to issues finding sources) when you can’t draw on your other experiences. 

Reflecting won’t just help you when it comes to showing off your skills to employers but should also help guide you towards the right career for you. Marks do give an indication of what topics you do well with and which you do not. But just going off the marks doesn’t really explain why you did how you did. Not only should you check over and discuss feedback given, but reflect on what you thought went well and where you might improve next, as well as what you enjoyed. You may not have done as well in one module as another but if you enjoyed that module more and are willing to put the time in, it stands to reason you will be able to progress better with that topic in the long run. 

So next time you submit an assignment or receive a mark, rather than just forgetting about it and moving on, take some time to reflect on what you have learned and how you can apply your new skills towards your future career prospects. 

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How to write cover letters

A few months ago, I wrote an article about creating a CV, with the assistance of resources provided by the careers service. I learnt a great deal, but it was only one-half of the initial application process. This is a follow-up to that article, focusing on the other half: the cover letter. And thankfully, the careers service has resources to help again! 

When it comes to writing a cover letter to accompany your CV, there are several pitfalls you could run into. And the main reason is that many people don’t know exactly why they are writing a cover letter.  

Many make the mistake of just using it as an opportunity to rattle off their CV again.  

What you should be focusing on is you, what you are doing, why you want the role and why they should want you for the role.  

It is about linking the skills you have shown in your CV to the role you are applying for and why exactly they make you perfect for the role. 

What goes in my cover letter? 

In the past when I tried writing a cover letter, I didn’t really follow a set structure and just wrote until I filled a page. Not the best method to get the attention of a company. But through using the University’s resources, courtesy of the Careers Service, I have a much better understanding of how to approach this one-page conundrum.  

The main objective of a cover letter is to show the company you are applying for who you are.  

That personal touch makes you a person rather than another application in a dozen. The challenge is that you only have one page to do that. Sticking to that one-page limit is hard but here is a method of breaking it down: 

  1. Beginning  
  2. Introduction
  3. Why them?
  4. Why you?
  5. Ending

Let’s look at what each step asks for… 

Beginning 

Address who you are talking to, and make sure to get their name and job title correct! Try to do some research to find the name of the person who will read your application. 

Introduction 

First impressions matter, and this is where you do just that. So be sure to make it something strong, positive and confident. Explain what you are doing now and explain why you are writing. If applying for a specific role, state which role and where you saw the application.  

This part is especially important if you are applying speculatively for a role as you will need to be specific about what kind of role you are applying for and be sure to consider giving a range of options in case the role you want is not available. 

Why you 

Now that they have a rough idea of who you are and why you are writing, it is time to start selling yourself to them and explain why they should hire you for the role. Summarise what you have to offer by talking about the key selling points from your CV that demonstrate that you are what they are looking for. Don’t just repeat what is in your CV (that’s why you have one!), but rather give a concise summary with specific examples. Avoid talking about generic skills and qualities in isolation! 

Convey your enthusiasm for the role and what you can bring to the role by talking about what relevant experience you can bring to the role. This could come from your degree, an internship or other bit of extracurricular work.  

This is the most important part of your cover letter and chances are you might write more for this bit than you would other parts, so feel free to break it down into two paragraphs. 

Why them 

It can be a pain having to write a cover letter for every single company you apply for, and it can be very tempting to just use a generic one; but that will do you no favours. Each cover letter should be tailored to the organisation and role you are applying for. Otherwise, you won’t come across well to employers. 

Research the company to find out as much as possible about the field of work, the company and the role you are applying for. This will also give insight into their ethos, training and product/services which you should also talk about. Furthermore, it will help inform you as to whether this company is the right one for you. 

The orginisation’s website is a great place to start to research but don’t just repeat what is on there. Have a look around on LinkedIn at current employees and what they are up to. 

Ending 

End on a positive and friendly note asking when they would be able to have an interview before signing off with ‘Yours sincerely’ if the name of the person you are applying to is known but if not, put ‘Yours faithfully’ 

The Careers Service has many more resources and detail about what to write in each paragraph of your cover letter, so be sure to check them out here. 

How do I write my cover letter? 

Now that we have a rough idea of what we should include in a cover letter, it is good to get some practice at writing them. The only issue with this is that you need a job to apply for. 

If you want to practice early, you may not want to wait for a specific role to come available for you to practice on. Thankfully though, the university links a fantastic resource where you can find templated job descriptions for a range of different roles. You can find it here. 

By using these examples, you can create cover letters that specifically target the requirements of those roles without the pressure of deadlines.   

The careers service has example cover letters that you can also give some initial inspiration if you are struggling. 

How can I check if my cover letter is good? 

Now that you have practiced writing a cover letter, how do you check what is good and what areas to improve on?  

If you have read the CV article, it mentions an extremely useful AI-powered tool called CareerSet which analyses your CV and highlights what areas you should improve on. CareerSet also works for cover letters.  

Like the CV, you get an overall rating of your cover letter, giving an indication as if you should make changes or not. 

It gives clear examples of not only what you could improve on, but also what you did well! 

Not only does it evaluate the content and structure of your cover letter, but the relevance to the job description you are applying for. This is extremely important to help stop your applications from becoming generic, and are more tailored to the role itself! 

Of course, computer-based feedback may have some advantages, but at the end of the day, you want to make sure your cover letter appeals to an actual human. You can submit your cover letter to the Careers service, and they will give written feedback to you in around five working days. You can book a slot here. 

The career service can also help if you don’t have much work experience to include in your CV as you can book an information appointment to help develop your skills. Additionally, if you need any reasonable adjustments or have extenuating circumstances, the careers service can help you with how best to include this information in your cover letter. 

Cover letters may seem intimidating but at the end of the day, they are just a single page that you get to spend talking about how great you are. How bad can that be?