Making Preparations for Education, Learning, & Work

Click on the heading and you will be taken to that section:

• Get Smaart Digital E-mag out now!
• ON TARGET - your own self assessment tool
• What are learning Levels?
• What types of assessment are there?
• How can I prepare for exams?
• What job?
• Getting to know yourself and how to make yourself employable
• Personal Action Plans
• Preparing a personal statement
• Writing a CV
• Good CVs
• Bad CVs
• Letters - speculative, application and covering
• Examples of letters
• Applying for jobs online
• Preparing for interview
• General websites to help you to get that job
• Financial help, benefits, student loans and sponsorship
• Can I get any help if I need transport?
• How can I find out about income tax, national insurance etc?
• Student Life: year out, money, accommodation, graduate employment
• What can I do if I think that I may not want to go to uni?
• Special issues: disability help and advice
• Why should I volunteer and/or do work experience?
• Setting up your own business
• How can I find out what are some of the most important sites for me to visit to help me to plan?
• What happens if I break the law?
• Where can I get help with issues such as debt, benefits and tax credits, employment and housing?
• Where can I find local sexual health services and information?
• What is the new health text messaging service for young people?

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Use the E-mag to get FREE career advice.

Get Smaart National Features:

• Inbetweeners Article
• Interactive Pages
• Live Links
• How to write a Personal Statement
• Embedded Videos.

The June 2011 edition

• Latest news on X-Factor USA
• Update on London 2012
• Interactive Pages
• Live Links
• Find a job this summer!
• Embedded Videos
• Interactive Request Form
• Gap Years

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Preparing yourself really starts as soon as you are born because all that you do has some influence on the kind of person that you develop into. However, it is not for Connexions to look back as far as that and we just want to point out that, whoever you are and whatever your circumstances, if you have a vision and develop a realistic plan for how you want to be when you are an adult, you will have a much greater chance of being successful and happy.

You could find ON TARGET useful.  It is a type of simple checklist and confidence builder – most of you are on target but doing this can highlight areas where doing some finding out and/or talking to an expert may be very helpful. You can score yourself between one and ten in each section – 10 means no worries, 1 means support from an expert could really help – by putting a cross on the relevant point in each section. The colours show you how you could be thinking about your score in a section.

If you would like some help there is a Get in touch with us form for you to complete if you would like a Connexions team member to contact you.

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When you are getting ready to apply for your first job, preparing for an interview, writing a personal statement or generally exploring your careers options, one of the most important things is finding out what your skills are. 

Have you explored your skills yet?

Skills Explorer is a free new way for you to connect with world-of-work job profile films. Giving you a chance to explore your skills and career options like never before.

Skills Explorer supports classroom, workshop and one-to-one career discussions with tailor-made talking points, learning opportunities and next steps for you, your careers adviser and your teachers alike.

You can share and shape your opinions and experiences of work in six key areas. These individual answers then create a one-page Skills Report offering personal feedback, a shortlist of closely matched job profiles, plus suggestions for next steps with advisers and teachers. (Added 14 November 2011)

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You  could visit Directgov and have a look at the page 'Finding the right career'. When you have done that you can start to make a plan. You could visit the About.com site where you will find help to assess your skills and interests You could visit Directgov for help to assess your skills and interests.

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Sorting out what you would like to do with your life starts with finding out about yourself. Some people will tell you that you can do anything, but actually you know this is not quite true, there all kinds of things to consider.

• Personal awareness is the state of knowing yourself, your feelings, attitudes and values. If you know yourself you should be able to relate better to others because your self esteem and your self confidence will be high.
• Self concept is a part of personal awareness and means the way that we think about ourselves in relation to other people:
• Physical awareness – How attractive/healthy/fit are you? How good are you at sport and physical activity?
• Intellectual awareness – how good at maths and number work are you? How good are you at communication and English? How good are you at scientific thinking? How good are you at art, music and general academic work?
• Emotional awareness – How good are you at guessing what other people are thinking? How good are you at understanding you own feelings? How good are you at getting on with other people including people who are sad and angry? How good are you at making yourself concentrate on work you know you have to do?
• Social awareness – How good are you at your relationships with members of your family? How easy do you find it to mix and make friends with new people? How good and satisfying are your close friendships? How good are your relationships with other students?

The way that we think about ourselves influences what we do and how we feel. Our view of ourselves is important because it can:

• Motivate us to do things or stop doing things, for example, doing well at school or at sport
• Create a feeling of social confidence or cause us to feel anxious with other people
• Mean that we experience happiness or unhappiness from life experiences
• Help us to lead a successful and enjoyable life, or lead us into trouble and difficulties in coping with life.

Can you change your self concept?

Yes, because our knowledge of ourselves changes as we go through life, as we develop an increasingly detailed awareness of ourselves. We can work towards improving our self image because, although we cannot change what we are born with, we can be supported and influenced by those around us and in the wider world, to make the best of what we have. No-one is a failure unless you allow yourself to be one, whatever the circumstances of your life. You cannot do this by yourself and there are always people who would like to help you, or who know of people who could help you, if you are prepared to identify your difficulties.

Your personal qualities and values are what make you different from other people.

Values are the things you care about and give you a reason for doing things. Personal qualities reflect your values, your approach to life and your relationships with other people. Personal qualities include being considerate, practical, calm, punctual, patient, strong minded, confident, caring, loyal, sociable.

Much of the above can be converted into skills for work:

• Working with others
• Problem solving
• Improving own learning and performance
• Communication
• Application of number
• Information technology

Employability

What is it that will help to make you employable, that is, make someone want to pay you money to work and or trust you to work in the best interests of the organisation?

This can be divided up:

• Your assets: - your knowledge, skills in terms of basic skills (eg numeracy, literacy etc.) or subject and occupation-specific knowledge at different levels (eg from booking keeping skills through to senior accountancy roles).
• Your attitudes and personal attributes - ranging from basic levels of reliability, common sense, attitude to work and integrity; through to those such as problem solving, initiative, self management and commercial awareness.
• Your knowledge of yourself in terms of what you are good at so that you can make the best choices for you, these inter-related skills include career management, job search skills, and approach (ie being adaptable to labour market developments, realistic about labour market opportunities, and willing to change jobs and/or the place that you work).
• Being able to sell yourself: Another key aspect is being able to get a particular job, and centres around the ability to show your good points. This includes: the presentation of CVs etc.; the qualifications you have; interview technique; and work experience/track record such as how often you are late to school or work, how many days you are away from school or work.
• The personal and labour market context: Finally, being truly realistic about what it is possible for you to do (can you really be a world class footballer?, if you like children, could you be a teacher rather than a nursery nurse?). Make a list of the things that are important to you. For example, if the job that you really want means leaving the area, would you mind?

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Personal actions plans are about how you want to get to where you want to be.  This sounds daunting - if you think about buying presents for Christmas or going on a big holiday, it could be a good idea to have a plan of what you need to do so that you have enough money/time/clothes etc. Well, if you expand this to thinking about what you want to do with your life, even if you break it up into small steps, plans help. To find out more:

• You might like to try this site
• The University of Kent's Careers Advice service has some useful tips which apply generally at many levels
• On the Next Step website there is a section on planning your career.

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Writing your personal statement is possibly one of the most important things that you will ever have to do.  This not just because it could be the deciding factor for the uni or job of your choice but preparing it means that you really have to look at who you are and what makes you tick. Here is a link to an excellent BBC programme which looks at how to go about writing one to get into uni. And here is another link to the BBC website with more advice.

These are examples, for ideas only. Ensure your profile says what is special about you. If this is a statement for a CV try to make sure that you have carefully gone through the person specification for the vacancy, if there is one, and explained how you meet the requirements for each point.

• A friendly and caring young person who enjoys helping other people. Experienced working with elderly patients in a residential home and keen to continue training in this area of work. Used to working both alone, using initiative, and with other employees. Punctual, with an excellent attendance record.
• A well organised and hard working person, with good communication skills and the ability to work effectively as part of a team. Computer literate and familiar with several software packages. Quick to grasp new ideas and used to working under pressure. Flexible regarding working hours and willing to undertake any overtime required.
• An honest and trustworthy young person who enjoys working outdoors, in any weather conditions. Hard working and able to follow instructions, either alone or as part of a team. Familiar with the operation of a wide variety of farm machinery, and can be relied upon at all times.
• An enthusiastic person who is seeking a career in a sales environment. I am used to working with the general public and meeting sales targets, and enjoy working as part of a team. Quick to learn new skills, I am eager to undertake further training and development. I possess an excellent attendance record and am available to work on a weekend.

Positive/action words to use

Consider the following words when you are thinking about your skills and qualities. This will also help you when you are planning your CV or completing an application form. They will help you to make a positive favourable impression.

Achieved                          Efficient                        Processed
Administered                    Engineered                    Productive
Analysed                           Established                    Proficient
Built                                 Expanded                       Profitable
Capable                            Experienced                   Qualified
Component                       Guided                           Repaired
Communicated                  Implemented                  Resourceful
Consistent                        Improved                       Sold
Controlled                         Initiated                        Specialised
Co-ordinated                     Led                               Stable
Created                            Managed                        Successful
Designed                          Monitored                      Supervised
Developed                        Organised                       Trained
Directed                           Participated                    Versatile
Economical                       Positive                          Wide Background

Expanding your list of personal skills

Advising individuals                         Operating equipment
Arranging social events                    Organising people and work
Calculating numerical data                Persuading others
Checking for accuracy                       Planning agendas
Classifying records                           Preparing charts or diagrams
Coaching individuals                         Programming microcomputers
Compiling figures                             Promoting events
Constructing buildings                      Protecting property
Co-ordinating events                        Raising funds
Corresponding with customers          Recording data
Counselling people                           Repairing mechanical equipment
Delegating responsibility                  Reviewing
Dispensing information                    Running meetings
Drafting reports                              Selling products
Editing documents                           Serving the public
Handling customers’ complaints       Setting up demonstrations
Inspecting                                       Speaking in public
Interpreting data                             Supervising staff
Interviewing people                         Teaching
Maintaining records                         Managing staff
Mediating between people               Motivating others

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Helpful Hints for Compiling CV’s

Your CV (Curriculum Vitae) is a document showing the employer your skills, and how much experience you have. DirectGov has a section on building your first CV which you could find useful if you are that stage.  If you would like something more advanced you could use the Next Step CV builder.

How to gather information

1. Hobbies and interests can be very useful as a starting point:

• Do you want to do something you are interested in as a career?
• What skills are you acquiring from your hobbies – do you play in a sports team – do you have any achievements with the team?

2. Skills and Personal Profiles:

• What do you feel are your key strengths
• Why should an employer choose you – what can you offer?
• Have you any particular achievements or positions of responsibility?

3. Education and training:

• Qualifications can be written in full with grades, if known, or you can write ‘awaiting results’
• Work experience – Gather as much information as possible and include even if not relevant to the employment you are looking for because it shows that you are able to make the effort to do this
• Do you have any achievements/awards/prizes?
• Are you a member of any teams?
• Have you participated in any events?

4. Employment:

• What employment have you done in the past – refer to page 5 for help with positive words to use
• Do you have experience from holiday work/casual jobs/paper rounds/baby-sitting, etc? These all provide useful experiences that can be included in your CV
• Have you undertaken any voluntary work?

5. Are you applying for a particular vacancy:

• What does the advert/job description want from the candidates?
• How can you demonstrate these skills?
• Do you know anyone doing a similar job – what do they do?

Make sure you include the following:

• Personal Details: Full name, address (inc. email), home/mobile telephone number and date of birth.
• Education: List your qualifications and education history in an easy-to-read format, with the most recent at the top.
• Work Experience: Include any jobs you have held for the past few years, including part time employment, voluntary work and unpaid work experience.
• Major Achievements: This should be a list of things that you have achieved during your school or work career, such as winning any awards (for sports or academic performance, say).
• Other Experience: List any computing and secretarial skills you might have, as well as any foreign languages and a driving licence.
• Interests/Hobbies: A chance to show who you are. List your interests, hobbies and any sports you play, including positions of responsibility held like a team captain.
• Referees: You would give the name, address and contact details. Usually 2 are required and they should people who know you well and will be able to say good things about you, such as your tutor or a teacher, or your doctor (although you may be charged for this). You should not use members of your family. You should always ask the person if they would mind and tell them a bit about the vacancy so that they tailor their comments to fit the job.

Top Three CV Blunders

1. Badly organised information; lay everything out clearly and neatly.
2. Too much information. Your CV should as short as you can make it.
3. Mistakes and poor grammar. If you can’t spell-check your own CV, then it’s unlikely you’ll do it in a job. Give it to a parent/carer or teacher to double check.

Here are some websites:

• You may find the Directgov website useful
• You could find Next Step a useful because you can find out about how to write a CV and use the CV builder
• The University of Kent has a very useful section on how to write a successful CV as well as a mass of other information.

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In the attached document are examples of two well constructed and informative CVs which you could look at to help you decide how to plan your own CV.

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This links to the examples of good CVs above.  These are the same CVs but they have been written with many mistakes.  If you were to send an employer your CV with any mistakes like the ones in this document you would probably not be considered for a job.  The employer would probably think that if you could not be bothered to make sure that you had not made mistakes in this important document, you probably would do the same thing in your work.

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General hints:

• Find out the name of the person to write to and address the letter to them – the letter will stand out more than if it was addressed Dear Sir/Madam
• Set out the letter correctly – way to start/end it, etc
• Try to keep to one side of A4 – hand-written or preferably word-processed
• Summarise skills and experience – don’t leave the employer to work out information – they often won’t do
• If you say you are enclosing a CV, don’t forget to send it!

Speculative Letters - are used to send with a CV when you are writing to ask if there are any jobs at a place where you would like to work

• Try to find out as much information as possible about the company
• Try to match your skills and experiences to the type of job you are looking for

Covering Letters – When you send in a job application, you will normally be asked to send in a covering letter to accompany it. You want to make a really good impression so that the person reading it thinks ‘We really want to talk to him/her. It looks and sounds as if they could be just what we are looking for’. Try to relate information to the advert/job description if they are available.

A good covering letter will make an application stand out and can lead to an invitation to an interview. A bad covering letter will most likely result in the recruiter discarding an application form before they look at the CV. Here is a simple exercise called The Bad Covering Letter. See if you can spot the 10 reasons why this covering letter would end up on the rejected pile.

Application Letters – are used when applying for a job asking for ‘Applications in writing’

• Say where the vacancy was advertised and the post you are applying for
• Try to relate information to the advert/job description if they are available.

Top Tips

You should use the letter to:

• Sell yourself
• Explain why you are suitable for the role
• Describe how the information in your CV is relevant to the job that you’re applying for.

When you’re writing the letter, you should:

• Keep it to a maximum of one side of A4 paper
• Always use a computer to write it, unless the job advert asks for a handwritten letter
• Include the job title or reference number of the job you’re applying for
• Get someone else to check it for spelling mistakes before you send it off; don’t rely on a computer spell check, as these can often be unreliable.

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Coming soon

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Many employers are now advertising their vacancies online, and ask you to apply online. They will often tell you whether or not have been successful by email. In some cases, this is now the only way that some employers fill their vacancies.

To make sure you keep up with the latest vacancies, you will need to:

• Find ways of having access to the internet
• Have your own email address
• Know how to find vacancies and fill in applications online

Here is some advice:

Finding Internet access – if you have access to the internet at home, then it’s easy. If not, here are a few suggestions:

• Connexions Centres have free access for work-related activities and public libraries also offer some free access time
• Your local college, village hall or community centre may also have access
• Internet café’s – there will be a charge here
• You may have friends or relatives who are happy to let you use their computer to go online.

You can find your nearest UK online at www.ufi.com/ukol or by phoning 0800 77 1234

Getting an email address – to set up a personal email address, try the search engines (for example, Google or Yahoo) as many offer a free email account. Or, put ‘free email address’ into a search engine and look through the results. Follow the instructions to set up a free address.

Using the internet to find Job Boards – once you’ve found your internet access, your next step is to find the types of jobs you’re looking for. Jobs are usually advertised on ‘Job Boards’ which are like electronic newspapers.

 Generally there are three types of Job Boards:

• ‘Niche’ Job Boards are dedicated to particular professions or industries
• General Job Boards advertise all types of vacancies
• Local Job Boards advertise all types of jobs in the area they cover.

To find the right Job Board, use a search engine (e.g. Google or Yahoo or use the links on this site). Try putting in ‘Job Boards’ or ‘Jobs in retail’ and so on, until you find the Job Boards most suited to you. If you are using your own computer, you can save the Job Boards in your favourites.

Applying online – There are two main ways to apply online:

• By filling in an application form online. Fill in the details in the same way as you would with a normal application form. Make sure you check you have filled in all the information the form asks for and that the information is correct before you select ‘send’ to send the form to the employer. If possible, print off a copy of the completed form, or save it to your documents
• By emailing your CV. Some employers will ask you to send your CV by email. You will need to have saved your CV so you can attach it to the email. You may also want to include a covering letter.

Checking responses to your applications – employers may choose to reply to your application by email, so make sure you check your email regularly.

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Well, you have done it! Your application form/CV was clear and had no mistakes, you showed that you met the person specification for the job in your letter of application and now they think that you may be the person who will be best for the job. 

This is potentially scary because you are going to have to persuade them that you are more suitable than all the other interviewees. Don't get the idea that you can 'wing it' because you know you are really good.  Now is the time to do some serious research so that you can feel confident when you walk through that door.  

Here are a few tips which apply at whatever level job you are going for:

Do:

• Your homework by researching the company so that you can show off a bit of insider knowledge at the interview
• Rehearse the interview. Compile a list of questions you might get asked, prepare some good answers, and get a parent/carer to give you a good practice grilling
• Dress to impress. First impressions count. Pick a clean, smart outfit that you’re comfortable in. Polish your shoes, brush your hair, guys shave; girls take it easy on the cleavage and don’t plaster on the make-up
• Know where you’re going. Call the company reception and make sure you’ve got detailed directions to get there. Double check about parking and also the name of the person you’re meant to be meeting. Get there 15 minutes early.  If it helps, have a trial run
• Try to appear confident. Even if you’re a bag of nerves, go into the interview with an air of confidence and self-assurance. Smile at your interviewer, look them directly in the eye and act as relaxed as you can under the circumstances
• Sell yourself. This is the opportunity you’ll get to tell the company why you should have the job. Don’t be shy about singing your own praises and highlight your strengths and abilities
• Ask questions. You’ll come across as being super-keen if you’ve thought of some questions to ask the interviewer at the end. Ask what your responsibilities would be, what opportunities for progression there are within the company and what the company’s plans for the future are.

Don’t:

• Be late
• Keep your mobile switched on. A screeching Nokia will destroy any impression they had of you as a mature professional
• Lie. It will come back to bite you.

You may find the following sites useful:

• Level 7 is a step-by-step film guide to interview techniques - helping you, if you are a school leaver, to prepare for the world of work.It is presented in a fun wayyou and pick up essential advice along the way.
• The University of Kent has a very good careers section including How to answer 150 common questions asked at graduate interviews plus practice interviews for different jobs. It also has a section on I want to work in...... for example I Want to Work In ... the Heritage Sector which may give you some good general background and links
• Guardian careers with some top interview techniques
• Interview tips from Prospects
• Visit About.com for information about interviews

Good luck!

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• You may find Careers Yorkshire and Humber useful
• You may find Directgov useful.
• You could get some tips from the Prospects website, which although this is for graduates, gives you some very useful information.
• Jobcoach: five steps to help you find your first job

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Thinking of going to uni in 2012?

Student Finance England is opening the 2012/13 Student Finance England service for new and continuing students on 14 December 2011. You can apply online

The Student Room and Student Finance England have teamed up to create this hub to give you all the information you need about funding your time at university.

Whether you're a new student, already on your course or just thinking about higher education, this hub is your best source of information and guidance about grants, loans and bursaries.

• Read articles and profiles about the cost of uni and what finance you can get
• Use the student finance calculator to see how much you might get
• Watch our myth-busting video to find out more about what's available to you.

The general position with processing applications and other hints and tips are updated regularly on Student Finance England's Facebook and Twitter pages - SFE "tweets".

Also,each university has a section on their website which explains the support that you can get and how to manage your money etc. The University of York has a particularly clear section.

Further information:

• Students below the age of 19 on full- and part-time courses at publicly-funded colleges and school sixth forms are not charged course fees
• Students aged 19-25 taking their first, full Level 3 qualification do not have to pay tuition fees
• If you are aged 16+ and in financial hardship, to help with the cost of your learning you can apply for Discretionary Learner Support Funds. These funds are administered by individual colleges and sixth forms and are based on an individual student's needs and circumstances. Assistance can include help with any course-related costs including materials, equipment, field trips, childcare and travel. You should get advice from your student support/welfare officer.

If you are aged 16-19 and need help with the cost of transport to and from your school sixth form or college, your local authority may be able to help Local Contacts Transport - telephone: 0845 3452153 in writing: student support Room 31 Education Office Ainsty Road Harrogate HG1 4XU. You can visit this site, or visit this site.

To see an outline of all the help that is available to you, you can visit the Money page in gimi or you can go straight to the Money page in DirectGov.

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Turn2us exists to help people access the money available to them - through benefits, grants and other financial help.

Thefree, accessible website -Turn2us - has been designed to helpyou find appropriate sources of financial support, quickly and easily, based onyour particular needs and circumstances.

Features include:

• A Benefits Checker that helps people ensure that they are receiving all the welfare benefits they are entitled to
• A Grants Search section containing the details of hundreds of grant-giving charities (national, regional and local) that may be able to provide financial support and other services
• A confidential ‘My Turn2us' account that can be used to make online enquiries and applications to grant-giving charities
• Information and interactive tools covering a wide range of subjects on welfare benefits, grants and managing money.

You may need to ask someone to help you to use this site as there is so much information and searching using the best criteria can be difficult.

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• Visit your Connexions library or local youth support Centre for books and other resources about university life
• You can also find out what it's like at university by looking at these films.
• Go along to university open days, there are usually student ambassadors on hand to talk to. Also there is usually information on the university website
• You can also check out the following websites:-
  • Yougo
  • The unofficial-guides

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You may find the following sites useful:

• Skill: the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities - this is a charity promoting opportunities for young people and adults with any kind of impairment in post-16 education, training and employment 
• The English Federation for Disability Sport has lots of information
• The Independant Living Funds on DirectGov has information about financial support for disabled people and advancing standards of independent living 
• If you want to find out about going to college visit the National Specialist Colleges website
• The Mencap website offers advice about transition which your parents/carers could find useful in order to help you
• You will find many useful links here.

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You should find all the help that you need in the About Work section.

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