What's my bar job worth?

I recently started a bar job at uni and whilst being a great little earner to feed my shopping habits, it's also got some other perks that may be overlooked. So whilst Mum and Dad might say you "need to concentrate on your studies", or you just think you've got too much reading to do (but you're not doing it are you, you're watching Iplayer and eating biscuits), you could be missing out on the benefits of a part time job at uni: 

1) Widen your connections. 

From people that pop in for a drink to the people you work with, you create contacts in people that know you well, because they work with you a lot, and therefore are perfect to get in touch with in the future for work. Saying that, sometimes it's nice to just get away from the people you see all the time and you might make friends for life in a part time job. 

2) It's still relevant work experience! 

Some may say a bar job offers no value when you apply for a "real job", but that is just not true. It shows you have something about you, going out and getting a job to support yourself. It also shows you're interested in more than just your studies. You do gain useful skills, for instance, team work, organisation (planning your degree work around your job), plus many more. 

3) You learn how to pull a pint 

I don't mean you literally learn how to pull a pint, as this could apply to any part time job at University. I mean you learn basic life skills, such as getting yourself up in the morning for work. Interacting with new people. If you've never worked a day in your life before, you will be a lot more nervous the first day you do go to work than if you've been going to work for a few days a work for the past two years, or even just a year! 

4) Try and stay in the job

I'm not saying aspire to work in a bar forever, but not packing it in too quickly could be the best thing you ever do... By showing you have worked somewhere continuously for a couple of years, you will be able to show dedication to a job, as well as overcoming hurdles. There are some graduates that can't say they have stayed in a job for longer than a few months; that doesn't scream reliability. Don't be that guy. Give it a proper go. 

Like I said earlier, this isn't just about bar jobs, but any job at uni. Remember any experience is good experience and the value placed on a part time job by employers is vastly underrated. 

Student of the Week - Lucy Kerrigan, London Internship

This week's student really shows how much you can gain from just a couple of weeks on an internship. After contacting companies herself, Lucy was lucky enough to gain some amazing degree-relevant experience. Here she tells us more...   

"I’m a Marketing and Advertising student at Sheffield Hallam University and over the summer I moved to East London to work with a Digital Production company based in Shoreditch. I joined the company at a crucial time in the development stages of the IOS app, Lively- currently just days away from going to the App store, which feels very surreal.

I worked fairly autonomously to begin with, which was surprising. I gained different skillsets which didn’t only branch off from the Lively project, but also other small projects within the company, mostly software related such as Photoshop and the basics of coding. I met some really inspiring people and I think that’s important no matter what you do or where you go. My daily itinerary varied from week to week. I gathered insights from international BETA users, creating a usability promo video, attending meetings , conferences and workshops and writing press releases. I quickly realised how important gaining these perspectives were, it is quite easy to miss minor or even major bugs without a fresh pair of eyes.

When things weren’t so busy in the office I was able to explore London while uploading content for the app- dream job? However, it wasn’t all play and no work. Armed to the teeth with business cards and working a stone throw away from ‘The Gherkin’, obviously I felt like I was on The Apprentice, except I was in the weaker team. It was pretty challenging to market/pitch an app that wasn’t even finished yet. I really hope I never get rejected so much in such a short space of time again, I just wanted to run home and listen to Busted.

It did get better though, I was invited to a Google Campus convention which meant I could build contacts and talk about potential placement prospects face to face, steering well away from the hustle and bustle of emails, phone interviews etc, which I was already too familiar of. Above all, I wore a trendy name sticker and got free crisps. This was a particular highlight for me, not the crisps, but the contacts I made. I have a few safety nets heading into my second year and preparing myself for my third year in industry.

Of course when I returned from London (and straight back to my beloved costa coffee) my mum had gone a bit insane as a result of my absence. She’d bought a blackboard biscuit tin and written on the side ‘EMPTY L’. Although, after a cup of tea and a catch up I was let in on the secret that the biscuit tin wasn’t actually empty at all, It’s not always what you know it’s who you know, right?" 

Lucy raises some interesting points here about networking, which with upcoming events at universities all over the country will definitely be a topic I will discuss further. More than anything though, Lucy really demonstrates the fantastic opportunities that are available if you are just willing to put yourself out there. To be able to list experiences such as this on your CV will be sure to impress an employer, so give it a go yourself! The best ways to contact an employer may be by email, but a focussed email, targeting that company in particular. If you don't hear back, try a follow up telephone call so they can see you are serious. It doesn't have to be a really well known company, but every company should have something to offer.

If you would like to be featured here or know somebody who should contact us via twitter @StudentCTheory 

How many applicants?!

My confidence received a knock recently following a conversation with some colleagues. One of them had just finished interviewing for a new position at a different company he works for and was relaying some anectdotal notes on the interviewees. Along with the usual comments you get about these kinds of things, there was one figure he kept reminding me of that really put some fear into me.



Source: welovelocalgovernment.wordpress.com



For this entry level position, with a salary of £14,500 and no promise of it increasing rapidly, for which applicants are required to be educated to degree level, there were no less than 120 applicants. 120. As someone who consistently preaches that the employment level for students and graduates isn't as dire as people make out, this really shocked me. But for that reason, I decided to get to the bottom of it and here is what I discovered. Take from it what you will but after reading it I don't think that figure will scare you quite as much anymore.

1) 60 of the 120 applications went straight in the bin due to a spelling mistake.

It seems unbelievable that that many graduates would seriously even send off an application without checking it and checking it again. This tells you something, those applications aren't serious, at the most they're speculative and they are not the applications employers are interested in.

2) Of the remaining 60, at least half hadn't adapted their CV.

This job, like all jobs, requires you to have thought about the skills needed for it and requires you to have read your CV recently to make sure you demonstrate those skills. By not changing their CVs these applicants showed this wasn't the field they were interested in as some of them had even left in key phrases like, 'great customer care skills', which was completely irrelevant for the role and suggested they had been applying for other jobs in other areas.

3) This leaves us with 30 applicants.

These applicants were drilled down depending on their knowledge and skills and 10 were invited for interview.

Although I recognise that 30 applicants is still A LOT of applicants, it is a great deal better than 120 applicants. This shows how silly mistakes can leave you without a chance and that extra check really is important. Even if you say, 'but I've read it twice', get somebody else to read it, just like an essay they will always pick out mistakes you didn't see.

It also shows that a lot of graduates still aren't sure what they want to do. By trying to make that decision early you will improve your skill set ready for when you have to make that all important application. Surprisingly actually wanting to do a job  comes across in an application and an interview, and your enthusiasm is likely to land you the position you want.

Don't let figures like this make you shy away from applying for jobs or become run down. Plan ahead, use these tips and really do your research into what an employer is looking for. Remember, there's usually a reason behind a shocking statistic, and the reason usually makes it a lot less shocking.

Student of the Week - Fallon Bates, Climbing Kili

When we talk about work experience, charity work doesn't always necessarily spring to mind. Ok maybe you think of some volunteering, or working in a charity shop, but what about climbing a mountain? Here we hear from Fallon who used her time this Summer to do something a little bit different... 

"I am an undergraduate, just going into my second year of English in Education. This summer I took on the immense challenge of climbing Kilimanjaro for Hope for Children. The trip took place between the 9th and 18th September. However, the real journey began last October, when willing students like myself decided to head over to a general meeting about the climb. Reflecting back on this I honestly don't think any of us knew what we was letting ourselves in for. 

The idea of climbing a mountain was a distant thought at the time, so everyone put all their efforts into raising £2,650 for charity. Charity and fundraising work is something that, although can be very hard at the time, is so self-rewarding when you are reaching goals throughout the year. Not only will it look amazing on my CV or any further education applications but the other transferable skills I have acquired will be useful in all areas of my life. I have learnt that if you want to get something you have to personally interact with individuals, societies and associations. Making phone calls and writing handwritten letters at first seemed very daunting, but the more you put yourself out there, explain to people what you are trying to achieve the more confident I grew. The times when you hear 'Unfortunately we cannot help you in your efforts, but we wish you all the best in your pursuit' at first was so down heartening and put a dampener on any ideas of goal margins. I feel this could be relate-able to how the job market may be when I graduate and have been able to draw on the idea that if one organization or individual rejects you then the only option is to never give up and move on as someone will be there willing to accept you. 

Now getting down to the real deal: CLIMBING KILIMANJARO, Although I could ramble on about the excessive walking, monotony of scenery and the general fatigue that the whole trek brought with it, I will refrain. I'd like to speculate and reveal what I gained from the experience itself. 

From the get go on the first day when we was delayed at the gate for two hours the team spirit was extremely high and we was all eager to begin our trek. I found that there was such a mixture of backgrounds and age ranges in the group that in normal situations may have been hard to interact with, but saying that everyone got on so well and gelled like a family. The climb brings you out of your comfort zone, you have to articulate to people how you are feeling, any anxieties you may have and generally socialise to keep yourself motivated. No matter where you ended up in the climb: right at the front, leading the group, huddled up in the middle, or even staggering at the back there was always a friendly face to talk to. With these sort of expeditions you just have to put yourself out there and go for it. As you can imagine everyone has habits, saying and turns of phrase that they use which when with constantly can become annoying. The trek really works on your patience and tolerance of individuals and a group as a whole. The team inspired me with their overall positive attitude from waking up til going to bed every day, 

The main aim of each day was to make it to a new camp, and each camp was completely different to the last. The only common denominator in place was the dreaded pit loos. Considering our group was highly dominated by females any sort of class and glamour had to be tossed aside for six days. I'm actually glad to express that the foulest memory of the whole trip was the toilet facilities. The little things whilst you are away really make you appreciate what we have in modern society. By actually experiencing first hand what the porters and guides use on a regular basis gives you more insight and not only a realisation of their culture but other cultures from around the globe which aren't as up to date as that in the United Kingdom. At camp we always had high energy food prepared for us, where loss of appetite and stomach bugs were often passing through groups, the determination of all team members to finish our food was strong. Setting up our space within tents took a lot of organising, delegating of areas for each person and creating space for people to manoeuvre comfortably within the night. 

In my opinion, the trip was definitely not about physical strength (although it did help), it was more to do with the stamina of the mind. Every day, hour, minute and second you had to keep yourself going. It helped me to set personal goals independently. Too often in the past I have allowed others to just set me tasks to do and I try my hardest to complete them. The approach I took was that the only person that you can rely on to get you to the place you want to be is yourself. Although the group really encouraged me, and working on my own was a struggle, whenever I got past a phase I felt so much more proud of what I had accomplished. 

Overall, this amazing opportunity which was given to us from the University if York by RAG has changed my life completely. I am so grateful for the people I have met along the way (trekkers, guides, porters and travelling companions alike). The stimulation of the climb for allowing me to realise that I can actually determine my own path and any outcome I want in my life, I really don't have to blag everything on a whim and prayer. I definitely know that all these skills, methods and approaches I took to getting up and down the mountain safely, all in the aid of charity will be something I can take with me on my journey of life. Although, they will all be really important and essential to my career path I feel the main aspect of the trip that has really changed me is how much I have grown as an individual." 

Fallon is exactly right in what she has said in terms of this isn't just about something to put on a CV but this has helped her grow as an individual. Doing something like this really does build your determination for life in general. However, some of you may still ask, well why would an employer care? Putting in an application that you have climbed a mountain for the benefit of others is something that will definitely make you stand out from the crowd. If you imagine an employer sifting through a pile of similar CVs, the person who has that extra something will be the one going through to the next stage. It will also provide a fantastic talking point between you and the employer. But before you even get to that part it shows a level of independence, organisation and determination that a graduate who hasn't made the same effort as you will struggle to demonstrate. 

Opportunities such as this are available through Universities but also independently and through external organisations. 

"The Internship" - A quick guide to your treatment on an internship

The recent death of Moritz Erhardt during his internship at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, ( a big player in the finance game for those of you that don't know), has raised many questions amongst employers, legal experts and students alike. Just how far can you push an intern? 

Moritz Erhardt was a student, a highly promising student at that, hailing from Germany he was undertaking an internship which (pro rata) paid £45,000 a year. Unbelievable isn't it? You're right I didn't know internships paid that much either. But at what personal cost does this internship come? 

Current reports suggest that Moritz suffered from epilepsy and the late nights he endured at work may have triggered a seizure which killed him.

 The late nights we speak of here may be as a result of something in the industry known as "the magic roundabout". This is when a taxi picks you up from work early in the morning after working through the night, and waits outside your house while you shower and get changed to return to work. I would have thought that this would be a secret in the industry, though it seems this isn't the case. A friend of mine who attended only an insight day into the financial sector said they were told about the magic roundabout by someone running the insight day, possibly as a hint towards the hours expected of them if they were to pursue this kind of career. 


Before we go any further, I feel it is important to note that this is not a blog to deter you from an internship, but one that will from this point explain to you what you should expect and how to deal with any problems you have. 

1) You can leave

Yes, the money is attractive, but if you feel you are being worn down to a point where you're not enjoying yourself anymore, have a word with someone. If you don't feel it can be someone at work, try a family member. Listen to their concerns. You're only an intern so I don't think the option of opting out of the working time directive will have been presented to you yet.. (this is the piece of legislation which says you should work no more than 48 hours a week), so if you're doing more than that or being pushed too hard, look up your rights. 

2) You should be getting paid

Some companies argue that an internship is like work experience. No it is not. They are right in that for work experience you don't need to be paid. But if you are doing the job of a permanent employee, i.e. performing the same tasks, you need to be paid. This should also be above or equal to the national minimum wage for your age group which you can find on the www.gov.uk website. 

Source: www.brightfutures.co.uk

To show how seriously the government take this you could read this article on Chris Jarvis who sued Sony for £4600 for not paying him even though they said he was a volunteer... http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/unpaid-intern-who-sued-sony-awarded-4600-8794347.html  

3) Talk to your University 

Most people who complete an internship will tell you it was one of the most worthwhile things they have ever done. It doesn't have to be with a fancy sounding company and you might not get paid the world but you will gain fantastic experience and really grow as a person. If you do get the chance to complete an internship, you could talk to someone at the Careers Service at your university, who may even be able to talk to the employer themselves to keep track on you while you do it or just offer you some advice.

4) You have most of the same rights as other employees.. 

Ok so you might not be entitled to build up holidays and the rest of it, but remember you can't be discriminated against and you can't be forced to doing tasks you feel do not relate to your role in the company (like the hoovering - unless you're on a cleaning internship). If you feel like something is not quite right, speak to the Human Resources department at the company and let them know your concerns. They should point you in the right direction. 

Don't feel you have to see an internship through if you feel it will be of detriment to your health. But do remember, as mentioned earlier, hundreds if not thousands of students every year are treated perfectly well on an internship and are catapulted into the career of their dreams, or at least gain the work experience to put them ahead of other students in a job application process. Don't miss out and follow the advice in this blog; the real value of an internship will be seen in upcoming and previous 'Student of the Week' posts. 

Student of the week - Lucy Dillamore, Illustration Student

In the creative industry it is well known it can be difficult to get your foot in the door. The fact much of the work you do will be freelance shows an importance regarding networking that is not always present in other job markets. Here one student explains how she is gaining a vast wealth of experience before she graduates to help her once that time comes, and with illustrating books and websites alike, she is gaining some great links along the way... 

‘My name is Lucy Dillamore and I’m a Ba(Hons) Illustration student about to start my third year at Norwich University of the Arts (NUA). Ultimately I’d love to graduate and go into freelance illustration and further education, ideally taking an MA in Illustration.

Realistically, this is hard to achieve. Over the summer I’ve been taking on as many extra projects outside of uni as possible in order to build up my portfolio and develop my practice in preparation for final year.

I’ve been working on a number of small commissions with the aim to push myself out of my comfort zones and trying working methods that I’m not used to. For example, something that I really needed to work on was digital illustration. Through getting in touch with an old friend and small business owner I created some imagery for a local pet shop’s website. This allowed me to get comfortable with computer software that I wouldn’t usually use and even learn the basics of html which I’m sure will be useful in the future, as well as adding this to my portfolio.

With all of the commissions I’ve done I’ve developed a working practice for myself and learnt more about pricing work, time scales and gained confidence in myself as an illustrator. When graduating next year I won’t be completely new to the whole process of self promotion and free lancing and will have a variety of examples in my portfolio to show future clients.

Through constant internet searching and many emails being sent out to various people and companies over the summer, I’ve sought out commissions, contributed to projects raising money for charity and gained a small internship with a collective in London which I discovered through twitter.

I would say the internship was the most useful experience for me, not just because I saw first-hand what life as part of an illustration collective was like, or that I’ll have a ‘purely Illustration – based’ internship to talk about in my cv, but mainly for the people I met, contacts I made and the advice I gained from it.

I met fellow student interns all in various years of study and from across the country as well as members of the collective who had had a variety of experiences in the past to share. With the interns we discussed problems we’ve all faced in our degrees, how we found out about the work experience and how we go across finding out about internships and gaining commissions which, as many agreed was as simple as searching through sites such as twitter and Instagram and following as many design orientated as possible to spot opportunities! The main advice and something else we agreed on was simply persistence in seeking work experience and opportunities: I had been searching for internships since October and was successful at last in July!

The contacts I’ve made from this, interns and members of the collective included will be a reliable source of advice for me and will provide news of other internships in the future.’

Here we can see the importance of getting yourself out there, sending speculative emails is good, but the more you send showing a genuine interest, the more connections you make and the less speculative those later emails become. Although you might not feel this post applies to you this idea really is applicable in any field. Do try and contact people and you will be surprised how far you get. Also do not fall at the first hurdle thinking 'oh they didn't reply so I'm giving up'.. Someone will reply so persevere and you will get there. 

if you would like to look at some more of Lucy's work please see the following links: 

http://lucydillamore.com  

http://lucydillamore.com/tag/reflective-journal/ 

"When I interview you I want it to be like Blind Date"

In my time I have had many CVs sent to me, but it was not until I started receiving applications for a student-led consultancy scheme that I started to see something completely new to me.. Photos.

So, why would you put your photo on a CV?

In many countries a photograph attached to or built in to your CV is a customary feature.

For some jobs your employer may need to know what you look like, i.e. model, sales person, working at Hollister, and this practice may again be the custom, (though this isn't something I have come across before), but should you be putting a photo on your CV or not?

Unless you know you are going into an industry where looks are the be all and end all, I would recommend strongly avoiding this. Employers should not be looking to employ you based on your looks but your ability, and even at a basic level this is just a waste of perfectly good paper you could be writing more info about how great you are on.

I asked some employers what they thought and this is what they had to say:



"When I interview you I want it to be like Blind Date. You should get invited to interview because I like what I've read about you, and it isn't a thing we see a lot on CVs and so I would question why that person has included a photo. Really I just want to ask you questions and I will pick you based on a scoring system based on those responses". - Public Sector employer



Source: primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk



"I would take that photo off and throw it in the bin. That just has employment tribunal written all over it. Imagine if I employed a really good looking person, that's not a reason for someone to get a job and if anyone found out that was the reason why I could be in serious trouble. For employers it opens up all kinds of doors into discrimination. AVOID" - Private Sector employer

This may be something you've never even thought about, I know I certainly never had. But it raises an important point, you need to research firstly and most importantly, the country your CV is going to. Present to an employer what they expect and avoid having your hard efforts overlooked or thrown in the bin. Secondly, research

your sector, it may be normal for you to attach a photo, or it may be normal for you to attach an example of your work. Speak to people and seek advice, remember every CV you send out should be different, tailored to that employer, that extra five minutes could really get you places.