1. Job Talk Designing a module to help international students respond effectively to the demands of current recruitment methods Adam Wattam & Hansa Bissoondeeal

2. The Talent Development Centre

3. Why Job Talk? Raises awareness of current recruitment practices
Enhances employment chances by improving applications, CVs and interview skills
Helps to identify skills and achievements and to consider them as ‘transferable’
Gives lots of opportunity for ‘low-stress’ practice

5. http://webarchive. nationalarchives. gov. uk/+/http:/www. ukces. org

6. “Universities provide an environment for deeper and wider learning, allowing for the development of analytical and creative thinking, objective inquiry and primary research. But evidence suggests that for most students, the most important outcome of higher education is finding employment.”

7. Essex Employability Sub-Strategy
“…we see our students as researchers in their own careers... This research is driven by discovery through experiences (e.g. volunteering, internships, placements and overseas study/work) … and opportunities for reflection on their degree studies and extra- curricular experiences.”

8. What lies behind our approach?
Students often lack employment experience and they think that this means they have yet to develop the skills that would interest an employer. The classic ‘Catch-22’ problem.
My involvement in BC Competency project

9. In fact… The competency/skills-based approach allows for:
a wide range of skills and experience to be drawn upon and presented as relevant in a job application
apparently ‘non-job-related’ skills and experience to be used as evidence of suitability

10. British Council competencies: Achievement Analytical Thinking
Customer Service Orientation
Entrepreneurship
Flexibility
Holding People Accountable
Intercultural Competence
Leading and Developing Others
Professional Confidence
Relationship Building for Influence
Self Awareness
Team Working
Working Strategically

11. Which competency?
‘I had a holiday job working in a shop. My boss would sometimes change my working hours, often at short notice, but I was able to work when he asked me to.’ WORKING STRATEGICALLY FLEXIBILITY ACHIEVEMENT ‘With some other students I set up a revision group. We shared revision materials and plans and took on particular roles according to our interests.’ ANALYTICAL THINKING SELF AWARENESS TEAM WORKING

12. 1. Applications and interviews (Adam)
3. Numeracy Tests
(Hansa & Adam)
2. Personal branding and CV clinic (Employability team)

13. 1. Applications and interviews
Students relate their experience and skills to a set of behavioural competencies
Students practise giving evidence-based interview answers
Students develop their interview technique
Students practise giving written evidence against competencies in an application form

15. Good and bad questions: the interviewee

16. Good and bad questions: the interviewer

17. 2. Personal branding and CV clinic (Employability)
cover letters
personal statements
networking
writing effective CVs

20. 3. Numeracy Tests Two components: The language of numeracy tests
Tips for tackling maths problems

21. Common language

22. Common language generated
His business has ________________ a considerable profit.
B. 2/6 is __________________ 1/3.
C. Water ___________________ two molecules of hydrogen and one of oxygen.
equivalent to
consists of

23. Quiz in pairs

25. Additional Resources

26. References
BBC New website. ‘Graduates aren’t skilled enough, say employers’ [Accessed 6/4/17]: British Council competency dictionary: Council Department for Business, Education and Skills (2016). ‘Success as a Knowledge Economy’ Durrani N and Tariq, V (2012) The role of numeracy skills in graduate employability. Education + Training, Vol. 54 Issue: 5, pp , doi: / Essex Employability Sub-Strategy: Guardian article: are-ready-for-workplace Lynda.com video (interview technique): questions/109366/ html UK Commission for Employment and Skills (2009). ‘The Employability Challenge’ :

27. Talent Development Centre
Visit us at the Silberrad Student Centre