Read time: 3 minutes

Written by Victoria Abbott, Recruitment & Selection Adviser at UCL Careers.

Volunteers’ Week 2020 took place last week (1 – 7 June), so it’s an opportune time to think about how you might offer your help, particularly in support of those affected by the current situation. As well as contributing to charities and those in need within your wider community, volunteering online is a great way to boost your employability skills and is an excellent source of experience should your summer plans be uncertain. Don’t forget that volunteering online could also improve your mental health and create a sense of social and personal wellbeing. The amount of time you dedicate is completely flexible, plus all you need is an internet connection!

Here’s our pick of the some of the top online volunteering opportunities available to you right now:

1. Zooniverse

Zooniverse is an online platform that enables ‘people powered research.’ Whether you are looking for a career in data-analytics, research or communication; or more broadly across the sciences, humanities or more, the app allows participation in all kinds of research. This is a great opportunity to get involved in more niche sectors as well, with research projects as diverse as classifying galaxies, counting penguins or transcribing manuscripts. Volunteer your time with over 2,077,955 other registered volunteers around the world and add a unique experience to your CV.

2. Amnesty Decoders

Amnesty Decoders volunteers help to research and expose human rights violations. All you need is to use your computer or smartphone to sift through images, information and documents to support those affected. Amnesty activists have helped defend hundreds of thousands of people at risk across the globe, and this experience will also boost your analytical, research and digital skills.

3. Do It

Take a look at Do It, a voluntary community platform, with a variety of volunteering opportunities that can be completed from the safety of your own home, such as telephone befriending, where volunteers offer to make daily calls to vulnerable or isolated individuals during lockdown. As well as providing a valuable service, this is great for boosting your confidence and interpersonal skills.

4. SPEAK – Be a Buddy

If you want to boost your language, translation and mentoring skills, then look no further than the SPEAK – Be a Buddy scheme. As well as learning more about other cultures around the world, you will effectively share your language skills, motivation and passion to assist others to learn a language. This is also a great way to make new friends and connections in these challenging times.

5. Missing Maps

Missing Maps is a collaborative project to provide vital assistance with mapping areas where humanitarian organisations need to provide relief efforts and meet the needs of vulnerable people by providing disaster response activities. Volunteers work remotely to trace satellite imagery, so as well as increasing your geographical, problem solving, and attention to detail skills, you will be literally contributing to activities that save lives on the ground.

6. Be My Eyes

Be My Eyes is a free app that connects blind and low-vision people with sighted volunteers for visual assistance through a live video call. This could involve helping with reading instructions, navigating new surroundings or even reading a recipe. As well as providing a vital social connection, this voluntary scheme will boost your listening and verbal communication skills.

7. The British Museum

The British Museum is just one example of museums, galleries and collections across the globe that are desperate for voluntary assistance, both in person and online. Opportunities vary according to the work of the department and their current needs, but this can be a great foothold into an area that is notoriously difficult to gain work experience in. Departmental volunteers can help online with cataloguing artefacts, retrospective evaluation of exhibitions and contributing to learning programmes.

8. UNV Online

United Nations Volunteering (UNV) online programme is a vital resource supporting United Nations entities and their partners, and is particularly crucial in the current situation. A variety of volunteering projects are available, boosting your key transferable skills across writing and editing, translation, leadership, art and design, project development, technology and advocacy. All meetings and communication takes place online through Skype and email exchange, so there’s no excuse not to get involved.

9. UCL Volunteering Service
   Students’ Union UCL’s Volunteering Service also have a guide for safe volunteering, featuring lots of opportunities for UCL students to get involved whilst observing social distancing requirements. The guide includes details of virtual volunteering and how to stay safe if you’re helping out in person.  If you’re looking for some inspiration, you can also read about the experiences of some UCL students who’ve been volunteering during the current situation.
10. UCL Alumni Volunteer Now

UCL’s Volunteer Now has digital volunteering opportunities designed to help you stay connected, share knowledge and play an active role in supporting UCL’s global alumni community. With current opportunities within Professional Development, Social & Wellbeing and Alumni Online Community Support, you could gain great experience in a range of activities, from blog writing, running online community groups or even being a mentor.

Remember that extra-curricular activities and volunteering experiences are great ways to demonstrate your strengths and skills both in your CV or when answering competency questions at interview, so take some time now to think about how you can demonstrate your skills and experiences. Don’t forget to take the opportunity to book a virtual application advice appointment with the UCL Careers team if you would like some feedback or further assistance with your applications.

Read time: 5 minutes

Written by Nicole Estwick, Careers Consultant at UCL Careers.

Networking in the traditional sense is a concept that can fill some with dread, but there is now more than one way to meet and connect with individuals that share a common interest with you. No longer is it solely about making an approach and sharing small talk in a room full of people, but a large part of networking now also takes place remotely with individuals using a range of platforms to build an online profile in order to connect with recruiters, employers and other professionals.

But where do you start with finding, interacting and building a network of contacts in the field you’re interested in? In this post, we’ll outline the key resources you can use to build your network from the comfort of home.

1. LinkedIn: LinkedIn is perhaps the most well-known platform for connecting with professionals online with a broad range of users across different industries and levels of experience. For students, it can seem a daunting place, however it is valuable tool in optimising career development and networking opportunities.

In terms of where to start, if you have an up to date CV then you can use this as the basis of creating a profile where you can also breakdown the skills and areas you wish to pursue a career in – this is key as recruiters often use LinkedIn to find potential candidates. Once you have a profile, you can start to build connections to grow your network and seek out new contacts. Start small with this by connecting with friends, family, and work colleagues before moving onto connecting with contacts of theirs that might be relevant to you and your career interests by sending a request along with a brief message. From there, if you continue to make connections and develop your profile, your web of contacts will grow, as will the opportunities you are presented with.

2. UCL Alumni Online Community: For those who are looking to make contacts within a smaller pool of people, the UCL Alumni Online Community offers a great opportunity to connect exclusively with former students from UCL who are now working across the world.

Within the platform, you can search for alumni by the course they studied, the department they were in or even by employer so you can identify how many students have gone onto work for a specific company in the online directory. Select alumni within the directory will also be labelled with a ‘Willing to help’ badge whereby they have agreed to support current students with careers advice or in some cases to become a mentor to students who are looking for guidance with their next steps. To use the website, you will need to register before gaining access to the directory to connect with UCL Alumni and start making new contacts.

3. Social Media: Whilst many of us use social media to connect with friends and family, platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram can be particularly useful for making professional connections, especially in areas such as the arts and creative industries where recruitment processes vary in comparison to more traditional sectors.

Where appropriate, consider making a professional profile away from your personal account and use this to follow new contacts and employers, share your work and engage in conversations with others online. You can also use the Direct Messaging (DM) function to send an introductory note to organisations or individuals you are interested in and in some cases this can often be a much more successful way of making contact as opposed to email which may not be reviewed as often.

4. Forums: Although somewhat trickier to source, forums are another useful way to engage in conversation with others who have a similar interest to you. They can also be useful in conducting further research into the trends or challenges that may exist within your chosen industry and allow you to seek out information that may not be as readily accessible on mainstream websites.

Consider starting with the professional body of the sector you are interested in, which often have forum or chat pages where professionals discuss current industry news and issues. In the current climate, some of these bodies are also offering virtual webinars and events which could be another way of sourcing new contacts in your network.

5. Apps: There are apps available for most things on the market at the moment and networking is no exception. One of the apps that has gained popularity in recent years is Shapr, where you can build your profile based on the career fields you are most interested in, your professional goals, and your status as entrepreneur, freelancer, student, etc. A similar app, Debut is aimed directly at students looking to showcase their profile and skills to connect with graduate employers. Whilst these apps do include paid for content, there are also some free features for networking so it’s worth taking the time to try these out and decide what could work best for you.

In trying one, two or even all five of the options listed above, there is the potential to not only progress your career but also build your confidence in networking- a skill which will be essential not only now but in the future too. Watch the CareersLab episode on mastering online networking for further advice or visit our online careers library for helpsheets.

Read time: 3 minutes

Written by Emily Oliphant, Recruitment Selection Adviser at UCL Careers.

The value of practical, in-house internships was summarised well by the then Director of Resourcing at Deloitte in 2018 – “It’s a win-win. Students find out if that career is for them. Companies get early access to talent.”

Given the situation we are in, there has been a requirement for companies to make a shift towards offering virtual internships in order to comply with the social distancing advice from Government. Consequently, the questions that have cropped up most often in relation to virtual internships during my student appointments have been, ‘Are they worth the effort?’ and ‘Surely there are more benefits in waiting and applying for an internship in a practical setting itself, instead of completing an internship from my bedroom?’.

After speaking with a few students who are currently undertaking virtual internships and from looking at the benefits from a recruiter perspective, I will outline 4 reasons why virtual internships are definitely worth your time and what they can offer you during the lockdown period.

1. Flexibility and comfort

Undertaking standard working hours in a typical in-house full-time internship often involves a commute, at a time when you are likely to still be studying or conducting research alongside your internship.  Being able to save time on the commute and embrace the flexible working practices that have been adopted by many companies during this time, you may find it easier to handle the various workloads whilst gaining valuable skills and thereby boosting your CV.

Some students may feel pressured at the prospect of meeting the whole team on their first day of an internship.  However, speaking with a student who had experienced this initial apprehension in past in-house internships, they noted that the introduction procedure is somewhat different in a virtual internship.  Instead, most companies assign a specific manager or supervisor to either individual interns or groups to introduce you to the set up.  This gentle introduction would serve you well if you are particularly anxious about undertaking an internship or if this is your first internship experience.

2. Technology and adaptability

With the advancement of technology playing a huge part in how companies were operating even before the lockdown, being at the forefront of the technological change and being able to witness how companies are now dealing with these unique circumstances could prepare you well for a shift in standard working practices.  Key commentators are beginning to question whether some companies will introduce remote working as a more common option or even default position, such as the estate agency company Purple Bricks for example.

The Big Four companies that many graduates find so attractive have had a long-standing positive approach to working from home, even in junior positions.  A student who has undertaken a virtual internship with an app-developing company also explained that the use of remote technology has been very useful for learning new software and technical skills.  Using the screen share option on video calls allowed her to receive one-to-one visual learning sessions that may not have been so in an office environment.

Having had the experience of working remotely and using a plethora of software to do so will provide you with experience and a skillset that could serve you well in a role that offers this benefit in the future!

3. Develop skills in a professional setting

Working remotely offers you the opportunity to develop key skills, that perhaps a practical setting may not be able to offer as easily.  Organisation, self-motivation, adaptability and independent working skills are critical in making sure that you are dealing with your responsibilities efficiently – especially in a virtual capacity.

Many competency-based applications these days require you to outline examples of when you have demonstrated adaptability, worked effectively in a team and when you have succeeded independently.  The application of a strong example of working independently in a professional setting (rather than academic) is something that is less common in student applications as junior/graduate roles rarely involve a great deal of independent duties due to experience levels.  A virtual internship would be a great way of demonstrating that your independent working skills have been developed, beyond the remit of your studies.

4. Commitment and resilience

Not everyone is going to apply for virtual internships.  Some people may consider waiting until in-house opportunities are available will be the best use of their time. Therefore, as a recruiter, to see that a student has undertaken a virtual internship will inevitably boost your credibility when you are explaining your commitment to your chosen career path. It will demonstrate that even in the challenging times, you were prepared to develop your skills and garner knowledge in an industry you want to achieve in.

So, my advice?  Get stuck in!  If you discover there’s a virtual internship available, giving you an opportunity to explore an industry you’re considering pursuing a career in, I advise you apply and try to get the most out of it!

Next steps

If you have an application in mind and want further advice, please do book an online one-to-one application advice appointment (via Microsoft Teams) through the UCL Careers website to talk through your application, CV and/or cover letter.

Read time: 5 minutes

Written by Lee Pike, Careers Consultant at UCL Careers.

If a prospective employer is checking you online, think about what they might find.  Have you ever been embarrassed by a social media post you wrote or regretted a photo you were tagged in? The good news is you can, and should, control what recruiters see.

There are approximately 45 million users of social media in the UK in 2020, which equates to approximately two thirds of the population.  Regularly engaging with others is generally seen as positive by employers. It shows you’re tech savvy but also gives prospective employers a more rounded picture of who you are.

With increased recruitment costs averaging £3,400 per person, many prospective employers are using social media to proactively undertake targeted recruitment, predominantly using LinkedIn.  But scarily, many employers are also using someone’s online presence to vet prospective candidates (as well as existing employees!).  Therefore, it’s important to ensure your digital footprint leaves a lasting positive impression.

Thankfully, what you project online is within your control and the way to do this is relatively straight-forward – it’s just realising it’s necessary in the first place. Once you start to manage your digital self, you can make sure that you are presenting a professional but also personal persona.

Steps to managing your online presence

1. Search for yourself.

The simplest way to start is to use a search engine on yourself (and if you don’t see anything, try searching ‘name + UCL’).  It’s important to not only look at the initial page/subsequent pages of results, but also at the images and videos.

Does what you find worry you?  Put yourself into the shoes of a recruiter – does it worry you now?  Is there anything you wouldn’t want your parents to see?!

Conversely, you may prefer not to have an online presence or your search has zero results. Think to yourself – what might a recruiter think if they see no online presence?  Could it be interpreted to mean you have something to hide? As such, is having no online presence a positive thing?  How might you have an online presence that is positive for a recruiter to see?

Understanding what others can (or cannot) see about you means managing your professional and personal presence is made easier.

If you see something you don’t like or is no longer true for you, can you remove it?  If you see something which someone else posted, ask them to take it down (or contact the owner/administrator if they don’t).

2. Limit who can see what.

An easy way to limit what others can see is to check your privacy settings. You might decide to limit your ‘fun’ online media so only friends, connections or approved followers can see it, making it invisible to the general public.  Anything negative should be made private (or better deleted).

You might be connected to, and hence associated with, something that is sending out negative or unprofessional points of view.  Remember you can leave certain people/organisations/groups and remove any followers you feel might be detrimental to your online persona.

Untag yourself from photos and avoid any bad language, ill-advised comments or jokes.  Remember, there is no distinction between what you say in real life and what is said online.

3. Create a positive digital impression.

The great thing is, you can control what people see and there are many ways to do this.  Here is just selection you can try:

• As it says on their website, ‘LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network on the internet.’ Don’t miss out. Use LinkedIn for your professional online presence.
• Use a professional looking head & shoulders profile picture – people with a profile pic on LinkedIn are 14 times more likely to get clicked on.
• Be selective about who you follow. Think about that positive message you want to convey and remember, this is a professional network platform, not a social network platform, so don’t simply follow friends.
• You can try creating an online portfolio such as starting a blog, creating your own website, or design an infographic about your interests and experiences. These can demonstrate your digital and content producing skills.
• Engage positively in discussions, forums and debates. By taking part you’re expanding your presence and making others more aware of you. You’re also leaving behind positive digital footprint impressions.

Next steps

Why not set aside some time within the next week or so to start this process.  Search for yourself and see what you do (or do not) find.  Think about the results in terms of a recruiter and think – does this represent me in a good way? If not, what actions do I need to take to improve things?

Remember – you are in control of your own online presence. You only have one attempt at making a good first impression – make it count!

Read time: 3 minutes

Written by Nicole Estwick, Careers Consultant at UCL Careers.

We have all experienced setbacks, in one way or another, during our lifetime where things may have not quite gone to plan. The world of work is no different and in the current situation we find ourselves in, many individuals who are looking to gain work experience as part of their career planning or secure their first full time role after graduation face a number of challenges ahead. What is key though, both in the current landscape and in your future career, is building a level of resilience to ensure you can keep moving forward in spite of challenging circumstances.

Resilience, in its simplest form, can be defined as the capacity to recover and adapt to new and difficult situations and it is a skill that is highly regarded by employers across a range of sectors. But for many, perseverance in the face of adversity is easier said than done.

So how do you keep going with your job hunt at a time where vacancies have been impacted, competition for roles may have increased and employers are making changes to their recruitment processes?

The answer is in the 3 A’s: Acceptance, Adaptability and Action

1. Acceptance

Although a large part of resilience is focused on the ability to move on, another aspect of the skill is accepting the reality of a situation and keeping a sense of perspective.

In the context of your career, speaking to friends, family and even connections made through LinkedIn can often be great source of support and give you a fresh perspective in helping you to see that highs and lows are often part of the job search and you are just one of many who may have to make a few attempts before making headway into your preferred career.

What is important in accepting setbacks is seeing it as part of the bigger picture which in this case is an unprecedented situation, reflecting on what you can learn- whether that’s through sourcing employer feedback or reviewing past applications and using this to grow and move forward with your job search.

2. Adaptability

A key part of resilience is also the ability to be flexible and adapt to changes that are happening around you.

In practical terms, if your current job search isn’t producing the results you hoped for, you may want to consider changing your approach, much like employers who are changing some of their processes based on the current situation.

This could be as simple as applying for a broader range of roles within the company or sector you are interested in, based on increased demand for certain types of roles over others during this period.

Additionally, you could also look to adapt how you are searching for vacancies. For example, if you have solely been applying for advertised jobs, consider proactively sourcing contacts, sending speculative applications where appropriate or putting yourself forward for volunteering especially as many organisations are seeking extra support at this time.

In being flexible and taking on a range of approaches in your job hunt, this could open up new opportunities that you may have not come across before.

3. Action

Finally, a key part of resilience is the ability to take action to move forward and in the context of careers there are a range of things you can do to increase your chances of success in your job hunt.

A good place to start with this is by making a plan of action whereby you can set yourself some clear, manageable goals, such as completing a certain number of applications a week to have a sense of direction and focus- which can be a great help at a time where things may seem overwhelming.

Your actions also do not have to be solely based on making applications, but you can also look to invest in your personal as well as professional development. Why not focus some of your time on upskilling yourself in areas you would like to improve on or gain a broader range of skills by volunteering? Both of these can be used to strengthen future applications you make too.

Lastly, it’s important to remain positive and celebrate successes no matter how small during your job hunt as this will drive you to keep going despite the bumps you may face along the road. Take the time to remind yourself of some of your achievements to date as a reminder of how you can reach the goals you set for yourself and will do so again in the future.

Although job searches will vary from individual to individual, resilience will no doubt be required at some point in everyone’s career- what is and will remain key though is ensuring that if you fall down, you can dust yourself off and get back up again whatever the circumstances may be.

To find out more about the importance of resilience visit the UCL Careers’ Skill Hub page.

Estimated read-time: 2 minutes

Written by Victoria Abbott, Recruitment Selection Adviser at UCL Careers.

In this post we’ll look at the significance of remaining technology literate (or tech savvy) during these challenging times, with a focus on available communication and collaboration platforms, security measures and also importantly, relaxation time!

What do we mean by becoming ‘technology literate?’

This means your ability to use current technology to find, create and communicate information, both correctly and efficiently.

Why is this so important for me right now?

With the current situation affecting students across the globe, it has become increasingly important for you to remain tech savvy, both to aid with your studies and to remain competitive in the workplace. Communicating with fellow students and colleagues, as well as friends and family is also highly important for maintaining relationships with the outside world, whilst promoting good mental health. Many employers are working to adapt placements, internships and work experience opportunities from physical to virtual environments, so it’s a good idea to make sure you are comfortable with the current online platforms and conferencing services available.

What technology is available to me?

Various platforms for communicating and collaborating whilst working and studying remotely are available, and several have risen to prominence during the current situation. These include Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google Meet.

• Microsoft Teams is a platform that combines a chat function, video meetings and the ability to share and store files. Don’t forget that as a UCL student, you automatically have access to this software.
• Zoom is a cloud-based video conferencing service, enabling virtual meetings with remote or international colleagues and clients.
• Google Meet uses your browser to share video, desktop and presentations with teammates in real-time.

Don’t forget that all of the above platforms allow both video and audio-only or both, plus chat and instant messaging functions. Until you are ready to go ‘live’ on camera with employers, you can choose the audio-only option or make use of the chat function. As well as the above options, online platforms also offer the ability to collaborate in ‘breakout rooms,’ contribute work, videos and slides with screen sharing and draw, type and add stickers to your shared content.

What about recent security concerns surrounding some virtual platforms?

Recent news stories focusing on ‘Zoombombing,’ where trolls attempted to interrupt a Zoom meeting, directed software providers to tighten up their online security, with all platforms freely sharing the following useful security tips for users:

• Leave plenty of time to download your software in advance. You don’t want to be rushing and turn up late, even to a ‘virtual’ meeting.
• Face your fear. If you are unsure about technology or don’t like using computers, make an effort to learn more about it. Many sites offer free online courses to build your knowledge and understanding.
• Always ensure your device is compatible before downloading any new technology, and ensure you load all application updates as soon as they become available to maintain robust security.
• Use a virus-checking software application on laptops and PCs – many are available for free or as part of your broadband package.
• Avoid common scams via automated calls and malicious websites, and double-check before clicking on suspicious links in emails or text messages if you do not trust the source.
• Ensure virtual meetings are created with passwords, proper registration and ‘waiting-room’ protocols to create a secure and productive environment.

How can I use technology to relax?

You may be finding the current situation challenging, so it is very important to remember to take a break from studying or job hunting. Other applications such as Houseparty, Facebook and Instagram are available for communicating with friends in a more informal or relaxed setting. LinkedIn is also useful for building networks with employers, academics or groups that interest you. Various mindfulness and wellbeing apps are also available to download, with basic packages often offered for free to students.

Remember that technology is here to help you, open up opportunities and make life easier – as are your friendly UCL Careers team!

Whether you’re exploring options, writing applications or want support preparing for live or recorded video interviews, our range of different appointment types will give you tailored one-to-one support. Although our office is closed, our virtual doors are still open and we’re running as many appointments as ever, via Microsoft Teams.

Read time: 3 minutes

Written by Glyn Jones, Careers Consultant at UCL Careers.

Given the current situation, you may find yourself in a position where you’re unable to conduct a laboratory based project or placement as initially intended. It may be disappointing to miss out on this opportunity but there are some options that will still provide you with experiences that will help with your future job hunt within the science sector.

1. Gain virtual lab experience

You might not be able to work on your pipetting in person but there are programmes out there that enable you to experience a virtual laboratory experience. Companies such as Labster offer hundreds of different lab based simulations, providing an introduction as well as detailed explanation of experimental laboratory techniques. The simulations offer 3D virtual images and storytelling illustrations, links to further information and built-in tests so you can check your level of understanding.

Alternatively, there are other companies that offer virtual experiences on preparing and analysing the results of laboratory experiments such as Learning Science. You can find upcoming free training webinars, which anyone can sign up to attend from the Francis Crick Institute. These cover some basic laboratory techniques that may be of interest.

Familiarising yourself with these processes, even if in a virtual environment, will equip you with valuable experiences for  when the time comes that we are safely able to return to working in laboratories. Unfortunately not all these services are accessible to individuals, with group / course licenses required to access some of these resources. If you are not able to access these at the moment there are plenty of other ways to upskill at this time.

2. Conduct your own desk research

An integral first step of conducting your own research is knowing what is already being done in the field. By carrying out your own desk research you’ll be able to demonstrate your understanding of a topic outside the core academic content. The easiest way of conducting this desk research is through looking at the latest publications on this subject. Websites such as PubMed, ResearchGate and UCL IRIS enable you to find out the latest research in a given field.

Once you’ve carried out desk research, collating this information and presenting it in a clear way can be a way of showing your understanding. Depending on the communication skills you want to develop you may wish to present your findings in the form of a literature review, an essential skill for anybody conducting research. Alternatively, you may wish to focus more on developing your science communication skills and present the information you’ve acquired in the form of a scientific blog. This could be for an established blog such as UCL’s Kinesis Magazine, UCL Pi or you could even set up your own.

Whichever way you decide to present your information you’ll be able to find guides on how to produce these online, for example ‘How to write a literature review’ on Scribbr, Science journal’s article on ‘How to keep up with scientific literature’ or this post by Nature on ‘Why science blogging still matters’.

3. Upskill using online courses

Although wet laboratory projects will currently be on hold, dry lab research and data analysis may still be a viable option for you from your own home. Given the current circumstances, many education providers are offering free courses, making this a perfect time to upskill and learn some new techniques. Our previous blog post on 10 Free Digital Resources to Upskill Yourself from Home highlights some of these providers.

Whether you’re interested in learning how to code, conduct data analysis or learning a new programming language such as Python, education providers Code Academy, Google Digital Garage and Springboard offer courses on these topics.

Alternatively if learning about antibiotic resistance, environmental sustainability or the fundamentals of immunology is of more interest to you, be sure to take a look at websites such as Future Learn, Coursera, Alison and edx to view the full range of courses they have on offer.

Being proactive and learning new skills or gaining knowledge about a new area of science is a great way of showing your passion for science as well as demonstrating your innovation.

4. Keep up to date with the latest scientific talks

An alternative way of gaining expertise on a particular topic is to engage with talks and webinars that are being delivered on the topic. A number of organisations may be running such webinars, which are a great way of engaging with new scientific content. Even if live events have already taken place, recordings are often made available afterwards. Scientific journals such as New Scientist, Nature Research and Science all offer such webinars, as well as institutions such as Imperial College London, Inside Scientific and the Academy of Medical Sciences YouTube channel.

It’s also worth looking into the scientific talks and resources from learned societies. These may focus on a particular area of science, such as the British Society for Immunology’s recent webinar series on Covid-19, the British Ecology Society’s Ecology Live series of webinars or the Physiological Societies webinar programme to enhance your career. These are just a selection of some of the resources we’ve found, but be sure to search further and make the most of any online resources that suit your interests.

5. Grow your network

Finally, you may wish to enhance your scientific network and reach out to those working in the field that interests you. Platforms such as LinkedIn and UCL’s Online Alumni Community are great ways of contacting those working in your field of interest. Through reaching out and having conversations with these individuals, you’ll gain insights into the work they do, have a source of relevant advice and grow your network. This can prove invaluable at a later date when it comes to job hunting.

This is a selection of some ideas for proactive projects you could be pursuing from home, however it is not an exhaustive list. Hopefully this provides some inspiration for you if your laboratory placement has not gone ahead as planned. UCL Careers is still open and delivering our services online, so be sure to get in touch or book an appointment if we can be of any further assistance.

Read time: 4 minutes

Written by Glyn Jones, Careers Consultant at UCL Careers.

A lot has changed in the UK over the past few weeks and these changes have brought about challenging times for businesses, with staff being furloughed and whole industries needing to adapt to change fast. In this blog post, I’ll be focusing on the skills and qualities that employees have had to demonstrate in these challenging times and what we can learn from them in order to enhance your own employability.

I’ll be concentrating on three key skills that the workforce has been exercising during this time and highlighting how these will be useful for future employers in any given circumstances.

Adaptability

In the past few weeks everyone has had to adapt to the current situation and the challenges that it brings. Many businesses have altered their usual processes and get used to a new way of doing things. This might be developing new ways of offering services or ensuring that staff are supported to be able to work remotely. Staff responding swiftly and demonstrating flexibility to evolving circumstances mean that organisations have been able to continue to offer services and, essentially, continue operating.

Adaptability is a skill that’s always in demand; organisations seek out candidates who demonstrate agility in order to work outside their comfort zone. This could be using new technology, familiarising yourself with new topics or simply showing a willingness to try out new processes. Consistently performing at a high level despite changes to the environment you’re working in will make you a valuable employee. To be able to convey this, be sure to have strong examples of times you’ve shown adaptability and flexibility in your work.

Read our Skill Hub page on Adaptability for more ideas about how you can develop and evidence this skill. You can also watch this video for top tips on adaptability from recent graduate, Chenil.

Communication

With a dramatic increase in remote working, communication has become essential for organisations in ensuring their entire workforce is on the same page and up to date with what’s happening across the company. Employees no longer have the option of popping to someone’s desk to ask a quick question, or getting everyone in the same room. Regular catch ups or newsletters may now be part of a normal day and organisations have had to think about how they keep stakeholders informed about what’s going on and how they can access services. Frequency, pitch, length, granularity, tone are some important considerations when delivering these key communications. By taking time to think about the target audience and tailoring messages accordingly, organisations are able to send coherent, informative communications.

Clear, tailored and concise communication is a valuable skill to any organisation. Employers value workers who can effectively work with others, deliver key messages and ensure everyone is fully informed. Whether this be communication with other staff members or stakeholders, the ability to clearly communicate enables businesses to save time and ensures maximum productivity. Any employer will be grateful for a clear communicator who tailors messages to audiences, so be sure to have examples of times you’ve demonstrated these skills ready for future applications.

Read our Skill Hub page on Written and Verbal Communication for more ideas about how you can develop and evidence this skill.

Problem Solving

The ability for an organisation to overcome the current challenges they’re facing has ultimately come from their staff’s problem solving capabilities. Through coming up with solutions, businesses have been able to use this opportunity to foster innovation. Although some challenges may be too great to overcome, having the mentality to look for alternatives and come up with solutions are key qualities businesses are looking for in employees.

The ability to look at a problem and apply knowledge to come up with a solution is invaluable. It enables businesses to overcome difficult circumstances and secures innovation at the company, ensuring they remain at the forefront of their given industry. Don’t feel that you need to come up with a ground-breaking solution; employers are likely to value enthusiasm, working methodically and a can-do attitude. They’re after innovative thinkers, who focus on coming up with creative solutions instead of dwelling on problems. Think about times you’ve faced challenges in your own work and how you showed innovation to come up with solutions to these problems and be ready to talk about these in your applications.

Read our Skill Hub page on Problem Solving Skills for more ideas about how you can develop and evidence this skill.

For ideas on how you could gain these skills and demonstrate them in your applications you can book a one-to-one appointments with a UCL Careers Adviser, take a look at the UCL Careers Skills Hub and be sure to keep an eye on upcoming blog posts for further ideas of what you could be doing.

Read time: 5 minutes

Written by Emily Oliphant, Recruitment Selection Adviser at UCL Careers.

Before I dive in, I would like to take the opportunity to say that, amidst the strangest and most unpredictable times we have possibly ever known, UCL Careers is still running on full steam!  Although the challenges we are currently facing could hopefully be temporary and we look forward to the regular rhythm of the graduate recruitment market resuming in the not so distant future, there has been a drop in roles available (read our recent update on vacancies and job opportunities in light of Covid-19 for more information), which in turn could see the application process becoming even more competitive than before. To make sure you’re maximising your chances I thought I’d introduce you to my background and knowledge within the recruitment sector and share my key tips for helping your CV stand out!

Having started out in professional services recruitment over three years ago and joining UCL Careers in September 2019, I can confidently say that I’ve seen a fair few CVs in my time!

If there’s one thing that all graduates are aware of, it’s how competitive the graduate job market really is.  There were times that even I was surprised at how many applications I would receive in the first 24 hours of the job being posted online!  Therefore, there was only one key element that I had to apply when I was shortlisting candidates – SPEED.

Every recruiter works differently, but in my experience I can say with conviction that when I was faced with shortlisting 5 candidates out of a possible 200, I spent no longer than 15 seconds looking at a CV before I decided to either keep on reading or whether the candidate was rejected.  15 seconds.

‘How can that be!?’ I hear you ask, ‘I spent days putting that together!’.  The only way you’ll appreciate why recruiters are so brutal with their shortlisting techniques is by putting yourself in their shoes.

The standard number of jobs a Recruitment Consultant works on at once ranges, depending on the industries and departments they are servicing and types of roles they are recruiting for.  Personally, I ordinarily had around 20 roles to fill at any one time.  That means you have 20 HR/Recruitment Managers chasing you for a shortlist until you send one over.  Imagine you have 100 applications for each role to sift through…. That’s 2000 CVs to read right there.  And remember, this is only one element of a recruiter’s role!  As the CV mountain is climbing to Everest heights in your inbox, you have to manage reading all of them in between calling and meeting all of the HR Managers with updates and holding both phone and face-to-face interviews with all of the selected candidates.  Therefore, on an especially busy day, dedicating 15 seconds per CV could actually end up being decidedly generous.

So, in order to make yourself stand out you have to try to think like a recruiter.  To help you get started, think about the MAD SEA* of CVs recruiters are dealing with and try to apply these six key points when writing your own….

(*A slightly desperate attempt at a memorable anagram …!)

1. MIRRORING

• One of the easiest ways to catch a recruiter’s eye is to mirror the job description the recruiters have supplied you with.
• For example, if it’s a Graduate Programme you’re applying for make sure your Education section is the first section on your CV, that way you’re ticking off their first box immediately.
• If they are asking for specific skills in the qualifications section, make sure you are mentioning as many of them as you can throughout your experience. Mirror their language too – some larger companies are now using software that will be set up to recognise language matches between CVs and job descriptions so don’t be afraid to use exactly the same words they have.

2. ACCESSIBLE

• Make your CV accessible by keeping your layout simple and professional.
• There are numerous templates available but I would advise sticking to black and white and to avoid the use of columns and boxes. A confusing layout can make it harder for a recruiter to find what they are looking for quickly!
• Don’t be afraid that by doing this that your CV won’t stand out. The content should speak for itself if you’ve mirrored their person specification on the job description.

3. DIGESTABLE

• You only want to be highlighting relevant details to the recruiter, not telling them your full life story – keep to a maximum of 2 pages.
• Use bullet points and avoid heavy, long paragraphs. These will ultimately not be digested in 15 seconds and valuable information could be missed!

4. STATISTICS

• Tangible statistics are always good on a CV as it displays measurable success.
• For example, instead of stating ‘I effectively increased the social media following’, it would be much for effective if you could be precise and write something like, ‘I increased the social media following by 25% in the first month’.

5. EVIDENCE

• NEVER state you have a skill without providing an example.
• A list of bullet pointed skills such as ‘teamwork’, ‘communication’, ‘organisation’ is essentially useless as anyone could have it on their CV.
• Transferable skills are massively important to highlight though, so I recommend starting each bullet point with a key skill and then providing an example which displays you have put the skill into action. Example below –
• Relationship building: built strong working relationships with three team members to present two group projects as part of my Business Management module

6. ACCURACY

• This goes from highlighting correct dates for education and work experiences (months AND years, please!) to making sure you have attention to detail.
• I can’t remember how many times I’ve seen ‘Excellent attention to detail’ stated on a CV to find the bullet points aren’t aligned, different sized fonts have been used and a handful of spelling errors. These kinds of errors immediately damage your credibility – so check, check and check again!

Hopefully, this short blog has given you a snapshot into how you can lift your CV to new heights and break that 15 second barrier!

Next steps:

• For further help and advice please visit the UCL Careers Essentials page that offers example CVs in the key resources tab.
• Watch the CareersLab episode, ‘8 Steps to a Spectacular CV‘
• You can also book online one-to-one application advice appointments (via Microsoft Teams) through the UCL Careers website to talk through your specific applications.

Read time: 2 minutes

Written by Susanne Stoddart, Recruitment and Selection Advice Manager at UCL Careers.

Recap

In our April Employer Insights blog post we highlighted the current uncertainty across the graduate labour market due to Covid-19. However, we also showed that some organisations are adapting through remote working and have confirmed their intentions to continue recruiting. Opportunities are still being advertised and we encourage you to keep monitoring vacancy sites such as the myUCLCareers jobs board. Over the 7-day period from April 27^th to May 3^rd, a total of 162 vacancies (including summer internships and graduate roles) were posted on this jobs board alone.

Variance in Vacancy Numbers

As highlighted in a series of blog posts by graduate labour market expert Charlie Bull, vacancies are down but significant variance in the situation is emerging depending on a range of factors. These factors include organisation size (smaller organisations are more likely to be in survival mode with recruitment set at low priority) and opportunity type (internship and placement opportunities are expected to be more impacted than graduate roles). In terms of location, analysis of vacancy posting numbers on website Indeed indicates that the UK jobs market has been badly affected (with only New Zealand and Australia seeing steeper vacancy falls). However, within the UK, there has been an unequal impact and London has consistently registered the smallest decline.

Sector Specific Changes

Vitally, different sectors are also experiencing the impact of Covid-19 on their business activities differently, and this is reflected in their current vacancy posting numbers. Indeed’s weekly analysis of UK vacancy posting numbers, through to April 24^th, (linked above), shows a 53% drop compared to this time last year. Unsurprisingly, sectors such as hospitality and tourism, customer service and beauty and wellbeing, where business activity has significantly reduced, if not ceased, show the largest decline in job postings. These findings suggest that the lower-skilled, non-graduate jobs market has been hit the hardest by Covid-19.

At the other end of the scale, healthcare jobs have seen the smallest decline. When LinkedIn analysed their UK vacancies stats up to mid-April they actually found that healthcare vacancies had increased compared to the same period last year. They also found that vacancies within software and IT services were down from last year far less than the average decline (19% compared to an average decline of 39%). This is perhaps as a result of these sectors’ ability to more readily transition their workforces to remote working.

What Next?

Although Covid-19 has had an impact on the graduate labour market, the data suggests that sectors with a greater focus on non-graduate level employment are most significantly affected.

1. Opportunities are still being advertised and remember that you can book a one-to-one appointment with us to gain feedback on your application draft or to explore your next steps.
2. You may also find it helpful to have a look at our frequently asked careers questions in relation to the Covid-19 outbreak, or check out our CareersLab Covid-19 Q&A video.
3. For further ideas on taking positive steps at this time, why not take a look at our recent blog posts providing tips and advice on how you can upskill from home and how you can continue to move forward with your career planning.