Find a job

Before you even begin looking for jobs, here are some helpful tips to bear in mind to make sure your hunt is successful and you stay motivated.

Be active

If you are serious about getting a job, either full time or part time, you need to actively look for one – unfortunately one won’t come looking for you! Set aside some time each day to search for jobs. Most sites will add to their vacancies daily, so be sure to keep checking as you don’t want to miss out on any opportunities.

Also, be aware that some organisations close vacancies once they receive a certain amount of applications, so if you don’t want to miss out, make sure you don’t put off applying until the last minute otherwise you might be disappointed.

Be organised

If you are applying for lots of jobs, it might be a good idea to keep track of which jobs and places you have sent applications to, such as in the form of a job search diary, which can come in really handy. This way you will be able to see which positions you have applied to already and when, and if you need to chase any applications up.

Be positive

Don’t give up! Job searches can be quite daunting sometimes, especially if you don’t hear back from employers or receive rejections. It is important not to take rejections personally; a lot of vacancies receive a huge volume of applications and employers have to whittle it down. It could also be that you don’t currently have the skills and experience for the job, but there’s nothing to stop you from applying in the future when you do have the necessary criteria. Also, your current skills may be more suited to a different role, so don’t dwell on the rejection too much.

It is also important to stay motivated in your job hunting, therefore, try celebrate any successes you have in your search, be it writing a good application or being invited to an interview!

Teamwork

It is essential that you know how to work as part of a team. This means communicating effectively with your colleagues, co-operating with each other, knowing your own roles and responsibilities and how they fit into the team’s overall goals and working with everyone to achieve them. A good team player also gives and takes constructive suggestions and listens to and supports others. Good team leaders can also impress an employer – those who are able to use their initiative, be proactive, are motivated and are eager to improve themselves.

Time management and organisation

You need to be able to manage your time well to ensure all your tasks are completed on time. This means being organised, knowing what needs finishing when and being able to prioritise tasks to evaluate which is the most important to complete first and which are less urgent. A lot of the time, you will be working on several different things at once, so being able to manage your time effectively is essential.

Communication

Communication is a key skill required for any job. As part of your role, you will often need to interact with a variety of different people, including colleagues, and members of the public of all ages and backgrounds. You will also need to interact with them in a variety of different ways, such as in face-to-face conversations, emails and telephone calls. Therefore, it is important that you are able to listen to and understand what others are saying, and be able to articulate your own points effectively and in a non-aggressive manner. You will also often need to be able to communicate with people for varying purposes, which might involve handling conflict or providing effective customer service.

Working under pressure

Everyone has to work under pressure at some point in their job, and healthcare employers are looking for people who can remain calm and focused despite being in a busy environment. It is important to not let the pressure get to you, so you are able to concentrate on getting the work done quickly, without letting it affect the quality of the work.

Flexibility

Many job roles are varied and require you to carry out different types of work or focus on several projects simultaneously. In jobs like this, it is a huge benefit if you are able to work outside of your comfort zone and try something you haven’t done before. Employers are looking for positive people with a ‘can-do’ attitude.

Responsibility

In your job, you will have your own roles and responsibilities. Employers are looking for people who will be dedicated to carrying out their work and who take pride in it. They also want people to be able to accept responsibility for any mistakes they make. Remember, everyone makes mistakes but employers will respect those who admit to them and are able to learn from them.

Commitment

Employers are looking for people who are enthusiastic and commited to their work.  It is important that you show employers you are reliable and are someone they can depend on to carry out the work under little supervision.
 

Don’t just apply because you like the look of the job title/organisation/salary

Read through the job description fully. Think about if you would like to have this role and if so, do you have the skills and experience to carry out this role successfully? If you do, pick out the most important aspects of the job description and person specification and write in your application how you meet these and how you would demonstrate them in the role.

Identify the job criteria

Throughout the selection process you are looking to provide evidence of the skills and experience the employer is looking for. You will usually find these in the job description, but you may also have gathered additional information about what is important to the employer by attending careers events or through your own research or contacts.

Choose examples from your life

Having made a list of the criteria for the job, you should then jot down examples that demonstrate you have the skills or experience they are looking for.

You can demonstrate these by using examples from your academic life and extracurricular activities: tutorials, team projects, work experience, part-time jobs, fieldwork, dissertations, sport, music and clubs you’ve been involved in. Try to find examples from a range of activities.

• Give specific examples and evidence – don’t generalise.
• Think of evidence that you can quantify: how much, how many, how often.
• Vary your use of examples, and draw from different areas of your life.
• Don’t undersell Saturday jobs or part-time, holiday jobs. Recruiters often tell us at the Careers Service that they like to read about these experiences as they can demonstrate many skills. You don’t have to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to be impressive!
• Draw on your most recent, relevant experiences and achievements wherever possible.

Fill out each section carefully

Don’t rush your application! Take your time reading through all the information fully and think about your answers. Make sure you answer relevantly in each section they ask you to.

Read through your application before submitting it

Once you have completed your application form, it’s important to read back over it. Check you have included all the necessary information and that what you have written makes sense. Check your spelling and grammar as the employer will want to see that you have good written communication. It might also be a good idea to get someone to read your application for you, such as a friend or family member, as they might spot mistakes or areas you have missed that you hadn’t originally seen.

Deadlines

Have a look at when the application deadline is. Some organisations might have a fixed deadline, whereas others might specify that they close the applications when they have reached a certain number of applicants. Make sure you don’t miss out!

Provide good supporting information

The main part of the application form is usually the supporting information section. This is where the employers look to see what skills you have and how you can bring them to this role. Look at the job description and person specification, then show how you meet them and what you can bring to the role. Don’t just say you are good at something or have a certain skill, back it up with real examples of when you demonstrated it, such as during school, work experience, a past job or through hobbies.

If you haven’t got one of the requirements they are asking for, say how you would tackle this in the role, to show you are willing to learn and that you have thought about how you would handle a new situation.

Match the essential requirements

Employers often specify which are the essential skills or experiences they are looking for in applicants, such as ‘At least one year’s experience in a customer service role’, as well as the desirable skills. Try and match the essential requirements as closely as possible, as this is what they will assess your application against. It’s important to note, if you can’t match most of the essential requirements, the chances are you probably aren’t suitable for the role!

An interview is your chance to give a good account of yourself, and show potential employers why you are suitable for the job.

Preparation is key! Here are some handy tips that can help you feel more prepared and ready for your interview:

• Check in advance where the interview will be held, and then work out how to get there and arrive with plenty of time to spare. Remember, some interview venues, such as hospitals and universities, can be large and busy places – make sure you know exactly where you need to be for your interview.
• Remember the interview panel is on your side. You have been invited to the interview because they liked your application form and want to know more about you.
• Listen carefully to the questions they ask, and answer them as clearly as you can. Look at the STAR method below to help you practice structuring your respones.
• Be prepared to demonstrate your understanding of the organisation’s values and how you would apply them in your everyday work.
• Don’t rush your answers, instead think about how to respond before giving your answer. If there is something in the question you don’t understand, ask for clarification.
• Prepare in advance any questions you might want to ask the panel and take full advantage of the opportunity to ask these questions at the end of your interview.

STAR Interview Technique

What is the STAR method?

This is a nice easy way of remembering everything you need to include in your responses during an interview and making sure you don’t leave out any important bits.

The STAR method helps candidates walk through their stories in a logical, clear manner.

• Situation: Set the scene and give the necessary details of your example
• Task: Describe what your responsibility was in that situation
• Action: Explain exactly what steps you took to address it
• Result: Share what outcomes your actions achieved

Example of using the STAR method

Example Question: Tell me about a time you had to complete a task within a tight deadline. Describe the situation, and explain how you handled it.

• Answer: While I typically like to plan out my work in stages and complete it piece by piece, I can also achieve high-quality work results under tight deadlines. Once, at a former company, an employee left days before the imminent deadline of one of his projects. I was asked to assume responsibility for it, with only a few days to learn about and complete the project. I created a task force and delegated work, and we all completed the assignment with a day to spare. In fact, I believe I thrive when working under tight deadlines.