University of Lincoln Careers & Employability

Each employer will be looking for specific skills necessary for their job. For example, for a computer programming position they will obviously be looking for specific technical programming skills. In addition to this, employers are looking for certain key skills. They are considering whether you have the right attitude and whether you will fit in to their team. Make sure that you thoroughly check the job specification for each position you apply to before completing the application form and attending an interview but some of the more general key skills that they are looking for are:

• Team Work
• Leadership
• Communication Skills – written and verbal
• Commercial Awareness
• Problem Solving
• Networking
• Initiative
• Planning and Organisation
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Numeracy
• Computer Literacy
• Time Management

The chances are that you will have more than you think! When completing application forms and going for interview, you need to be fully aware of what you are going to sell yourself on, what will make you attractive to that employer. Of course, reflect upon how you have developed and when you have used these skills in your studies but also consider how else you have developed them for example:

Team Work:

- Taking part in a group project

-  Playing for a sports team

- Part Time work

-Volunteering Activities

Leadership:

- Captaining a sports team

- Managing a group project

- Leading a team in the workplace

Communication Skills:

- Playing a team sport

- Taking part in a group project

- Presentations at university

- Part time work

- Volunteering

Commercial Awareness (understanding the business/ industry):

- Part time work

- Volunteering

Problem Solving:

- Coursework/ Project work at university

- Leisure Activities

- Student Rep roles

- Working with difficult staff or customers

- Overcoming barriers to achieve ambition

Networking:

- Talking to employers at presentations/ careers fairs

- Using social networking sites – LinkedIn. Facebook. Twitter

- Attending student society meetings

- Linking with professional bodies as a part of your course

Initiative:

- Taking additional responsibility at university/ work e.g student rep.

- Networking for jobs

- Suggesting new ways of working in part time work or on course

- Volunteering

Planning and Organisation:

- Project work

- Organising events

- Planning a gap year

- Revision time tables

- Planning activities for holidays – work experience etc

Adaptability and Flexibility:

- Working part time while studying

- Combining studies with other responsibilities

- Meeting a challenging deadline at short notice

Numeracy:

- Work experience

- Treasurer of a committee

Computer Literacy:

- Use of computers in studies

- Part time courses

- Use of computer in jobs

Time Management:

- Combining Studies with work/ volunteering/ sporting commitments

- Working in a pressurised environment

- Meeting course deadlines

As already covered jobs are more than day to day routine, they are about skills and abilities. It may seem in the outset that you have no direct experience in the job that you are going for but hang on!… If you have had any experience within the workplace, whether that be in a part time job, volunteering, or work shadowing then you would have developed some key employability skills that employers are looking for. Even if you have no direct experience in the work place then your hobbies may also provide you with the skills that employers are looking for e.g. captaining your local football or netball team can be sold on leadership, communication, team work and organisational skills. So the key is to think about the job that you are applying for in terms of the skills and abilities that they are looking for and then sell yourself based on those skills.

If you do not feel that you have any of these or not enough of these additional activities to sell your employability skills to potential employers then now is the time get them. The University has a range of services that can help you develop and recognise some of these key skills.

Careers & Employability Service – Will help you to identify the skills that you have. We have professionally qualified careers advisers that will guide you through the best ways to sell yourself. We also operate a Graduate Internship Scheme in partnership with employers. Watch our video below to find out about some Graduates who took advantage of these opportunities.

Community Volunteers – Has a range of volunteering opportunities available. Look at their website or visit them at the SOAP centre to find out more.

Student Job Shop – Is the place to go for all of your part time job needs. The Job Shop has a wide range of opportunities from companies looking to recruit University of Lincoln students. Look at their website or visit them in the SOAP Centre.

The Lincoln Award – This is a new award for 2010 designed to help you recognise the value in all of the things you will already be doing, from sports clubs to part time work – they all make you more employable. 

The Alumni Knowledge Bank is a new project aimed at linking current students with alumni from the university. The aim is to give you access to people working in the jobs and sectors that interest you to build your knowledge and understanding and help you prepare for the transition from study to work.

The plan is to help you find an alumnus through the knowledge bank that can offer you the help you need. Contact will be through email and you will have an initial meeting with someone from Careers & Employability to help you make the most of your contact.

Alumni experts will be able to help with discussing your career plans, help you develop a targeted CV, provide industry insights and give tips on how and where to apply. They are not there to provide opportunities and vacancies, feel free to come and talk to us for help with that.

Initially we are piloting the bank with students and alumni from Law, Forensic Science, History, Criminology, Computing and Psychology. If your not on one of these courses but would like to get involved let us know and we will try our best to find an alumnus to work with!

To find out more email Lesley O’donnell, lodonnell@lincoln.ac.uk or read through the help guide attached.

Students AKB Helpsheet