Careers Workshop for Sociology Undergraduates

Viki ChinnLSE Careers

Today’s session

• Getting your CV into the YES pile• The four key ingredients of cover letters• Where to look for jobs and internships• Using creative techniques to track down jobs

and internships• What NOT to do!

CV and covering letter: key principles

Layout: easy on the eye

Content: relevant & specific

Language: concise & positive

CV content in a nutshell

• Personal details• Education/Awards• Work experience• Extra-curricular• Additional skills• Referees

The sought-after profile !

• Consistently good academic performance• Awards, achievements• Some work experience• Extra-curricular activities• Voluntary/community work• People who can communicate, analyse

information, problem-solve, work with others and learn on an ongoing basis

Assistant Qualitative researcher

As a Sociologist you can demonstrate:•Educated to degree level•Ability to work in a team•Ability to manage projects and work independently•Research experience•Understanding of main qualitative research techniques

CV Quiz

1) A CV should never be more than one page?2) Do you need to state your marital status or gender on your CV?3) Should you should always give your personal tutor as your

referee?4) To stand a realistic chance of success you need to send out at

least 100 CVs?5) The average time a recruiter spends looking at a CV is…

a. Less than 30 secondsb. 1 minutec. 2 minutes

What NOT to do!

• Overapply!• Overapply!!• Overapply!!!

• Subscribe to the LSE panic!

• It’s all about research, motivation, and balance!

Covering letter – ICME!

• Introduction – who you are, what you want• Competence – what you will bring to job, why

you• Motivation – why you want job, organisation• Ending – upbeat• Faithfully, sincerely• Grammar, spelling, appropriate language

Before I talk about how to find internships….

• Not the be all and end all-think creatively and relevant to year group.

LSE Careers will only advertise internship opportunities that comply with national minimum wage legislation. We ensure that they are: with a charity, voluntary organisation, associated fund raising body or statutory body, or voluntary and pass the 'worker test' as described in the NUS and

UCU advice on internships"• Working for an MP could be considered to fall under the statutory body heading as MPs are

paid by the House of Commons Commission, Working for an MP could also be considered as working for the Party which as a charity would be exempt. However many MPs are now not risking this as despite the possible exemptions it makes for a bad news story.

• LSE Internships are for a maximum of 15 hours per week and are considered voluntary.

Finding a job or internship

• Where are the best places to look for jobs and internships?

• What creative techniques can you use to track down jobs and internships?

Where Are All The Jobs ?

Adverts

Agencies / Head hunters

Contacts

Internal moves & promotions

Networking – what is it?

• Good networking is making the most of the people you meet to your mutual advantage

• Networking is using connections with others intelligently

• It offers both support and a resource to help you achieve your goals

From “Brilliant Networking; Steven D’Souza

Don’t forget

• Professional bodies• Specialist associations• Attend talks and

networking events• Speculative approaches• On-line networks

Why use it?Facebook for Business: Your Online CV

• Build a professional presence online• Connect in a meaningful way with alumni and

other “warm” contacts• Research companies and career paths• Explore opportunities with organisations who

don’t recruit on campus• Learn professional networking etiquette

QUESTIONS?