Careers and Employability Centre International students – Build and promote your employability skills Claire Ward – Careers and Employability Consultant Careers and Employability Centre

What we do.. Careers and Employability Centre Advice and information on how you can develop your skills and experience whilst studying, including getting involved with student societies, volunteering and other extra curricular activities. First floor, Library Mon-Friday 10-5pm www.sussex.ac.uk/careers

Information about Identifying your employability skills and competencies Providing evidence of your skills and competencies Applying for jobs CEC events and resources

Identifying your skills CV checklist handout Choose a skill to focus on Write down something that would demonstrate this skill How would you give evidence of having this skill? http://www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/jobs/applyingforjobs/cvs

Evidence of skills How to gain experience and develop skills Placement year Volunteering Vacation internships/schemes Work experience Part time work Clubs and societies Student rep/ambassador roles http://www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/gettingexperience

Evidence of skills S situation or scenario T task or challenge A action, what did you do? R result, positive outcomes

Example Organisation skills I worked as an activity leader on a children's summer camp in America. There were ten leaders and due to bad weather we had to come up with a plan to keep the children busy indoors. I suggested we brainstorm some ideas and then get into groups of three to spend an hour developing one idea each. I then drew up a rota so that we all knew what we were doing and when. The extra activities were popular and the other leaders were happy to have shared the workload and limited the amount of additional work.

How to apply for job Application form CV Cover letter Phone employer Call in Linked in

Application form - tips Work in draft first Follow guidelines for on-line applications Check for spelling and grammar Complete all the sections of all the questions Be positive!

CV design A CV usually contains the following: Personal details inc. name and contact details Education history Employment/voluntary work Skills and experiences Achievements Interests and hobbies References

CV Two pages in length – clear layout you can use headings to separate sections A personal profile/objective – optional but useful Ensure you check spelling and grammar Be concise, use bullet points and space Make a positive impression on the first page so the employer is immediately aware of what you can do

Cover letters First paragraph Who are you and why are you writing? Second paragraph What attracts you to the job and what have you done that makes you a suitable applicant Third paragraph What attracts you to the organisation- research the company and why you want to work for them specifically Fourth paragraph Your availability for interview and your enthusiasm to discuss your application in person at interview What about speculative letters?

Part time work in the uk Students on a Tier 4 visa are usually allowed to be in paid employment for up to 20 hours per week during term Undergrads can work full time during the vacation. Postgrads can work full time during the Christmas and Easter vacation and after the official end of their programme (currently) Restrictions include self employment , professional sportsperson or entertainer The University recommends that you only undertake paid work for up to 15 hours per week if you are an undergraduate (20 hours per week if postgrad) Student jobs are advertised our website – log into CareerHub and ‘vacancies’ www.sussex.ac.uk/careers www.sussex.ac.uk/careers

Student jobs on Careerhub National minimum wage (£7.50ph) or above Income Tax (only payable if earning over £11000 per year) National Insurance (only payable if earning over £155 per week) You must have a NI number 0345 6000 643 ussex.ac.uk/careers

Come to our sessions for international students Lockin China (Wed18th Oct 5pm) Mandarin Consultants (Weds 26th Oct) Career Fair (Weds 8th Nov) Grad link (Thurs 9th Nov) ‘Using Linked in for job search’

Signpost session: Career planning – start here!

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Come to our sessions for international students Tuesday 3rd October 10-11 – Get hired! Practical advice on applying for placements, internships & jobs Most Tier 4 students can work part time and also apply for a professional placement year or vacation internship (sometimes called a vacation scheme). Knowing when and how to apply is crucial if you want to take advantage of this opportunity. This session will prepare you to make winning applications. Tuesday 10th October 11-12 – 10 effective job search strategies Not sure where, when or how to start looking for vacancies, or how to organise your job/placement search? This session will provide 10 logical steps to help you to make positive applications and approach employers with confidence. Wednesday 18th Oct 12-1 – How to build and promote your employability skills ‘Explain how your skills and experience meet the job description’ - most application forms will include a question asking you to explain why you are the best person for the job. In this session you can explore your skills and experience in advance so that you will be able to answer this question and make a positive impression.

How we can help Website www.sussex.ac.uk/careers - start here! Briefing sessions – working part time, CV design, interview practice etc. Events including Careers Fair 8th Nov 2017 Careers and Employability Consultants Offering CV advice, personal statements, cover letters etc.