Advice & Support

How to find an employer

As well as using the Vacancy Matching Service and the Placement Officers at Future Strategies Consulting Ltd (FSC), there are a number of sources to consider when searching for an employer. These include:

Websites – The internet is a fantastic resource when it comes to searching for employment with most employers advertising vacancies through either their own company website or using one of the many websites that specialise in recruitment.

Newspapers – Local and Regional newspapers are a great source for local vacancies, with some newspapers having a weekly supplement dedicated to finding employment or training opportunities. If you cannot find a vacancy listed, you may find details about what an employer would expect for your chosen career.

Connexions – Connexions is a free service available to 13-19 year olds, living in England and wanting advice on how to get to where they want to be in life. The direct.gov website will help you to find a local office and make an appointment to speak to a Connexions Advisor. They will be able to give you lots of information on your chosen career, entry routes, and assist you in finding an employer.

Work Experience – Work experience is an ideal opportunity to build your CV, impress a potential employer and gain experience in the role that you are looking to enter. If you really impress during the work experience, there is always the chance that the employer may ask you to extend your work placement and become an apprentice.

Networking Events and Employment Fairs – Networking Events and Employment Fairs are an ideal opportunity to meet and speak to employers and recruiters. You can use these events to gain advice and guidance on your career, speak to people currently doing the job that you want to do, make contacts, and distribute your CV.

Contacts – Using your existing family and friends may open up opportunities. The more people you let know that you are looking for employment in a particular role or career, the higher the chance will be that someone will know of a vacancy that may be suitable.

How to write a CV

During your search for an employer, building your Curriculum Vitae (CV) is the most important task that you will do. In most cases your CV will be the first impression that the employer has of you. If written correctly your CV could open the door to an interview but, written poorly, is likely to result in being unsuccessful.

Because of this, it is important to get your CV right before you start applying for jobs. It should be structured in such a way that it presents a clear record of your skills and experience, and should include the following:

Personal Details – name, address, contact telephone numbers and email address.

Personal Profile – a brief introduction into who you are, your key skills and attributes, what you are currently doing and why you think your skills will benefit the role you are applying for.

Work Experience – details of any part-time, temporary jobs and any work experience you have gained through school or voluntary work. Summarise the main duties and skills gained (for instance customer service skills, team work, communication). Work experience should be listed in chronological order, starting with the most recent.

Education – list any qualifications you have achieved and the grades you were given, or if you are awaiting exam results, list your predicted grades.

Skills – highlight the skills that you have, how you use those skills, and how they could benefit you in your chosen role.

Interest and Activities – An opportunity to tell the employer a bit about yourself, your hobbies, and any activities you are involved in outside of school.

References – you should include the contact details of at least two referees. These may be a school teacher, a previous employer, or a character reference from an adult who knows you well. Always confirm with the referees that they are happy to provide references before listing them on your CV.

When writing your CV you should:

Type your CV – your CV should be presented in the best possible way and for that reason it should always be typed. If you don’t have access to a computer at home, consider using facilities available at your school, libraries, or local Connexions office.

Be clear and concise – as a rule of thumb try to keep your CV to 2 pages and use a standard font that is easy to read. Employers receive a large number of applications for vacancies and cannot afford time to look at lengthy CVs in great detail.

Be honest – your CV is an opportunity to sell yourself to a prospective employer but make sure it is factual and honest – if you make exaggerations you may be asked about it at interview.

Be accurate – before submitting a CV, proofread it for mistakes or grammatical errors, and check the accuracy of any dates. As an extra precaution ask someone else to double check it for you.

How to write a covering letter

When you submit your CV you should also produce a covering letter. Your covering letter needs to encourage an employer to look at your CV so it should explain why you are applying for the position and what makes you the right person to fill that vacancy.

Your covering letter should:

• Explain how your skills, experience or qualifications make you suitable for the position.
• Outline the main reasons for you wanting to work with that particular employer.
• Explain your understanding of the job and what aspects of the job interests you.
• Make sure that the covering letter is accurate with no spelling or grammatical areas. Your covering letter will usually be reviewed before your CV so it is important that you present a positive first impression.

How to complete an application form

Some employers prefer to use application forms rather than CVs as it allows them to obtain more focused or specific responses, and makes it easier to compare each applicant with their requirements.

When completing an application form always:

• Read the job description and person specification first as these provide an outline of what the employer is looking for.
• Take a photocopy or additional print of the application form in case you make a mistake.
• Read the whole application form before you start to complete it.
• Use a black pen and make sure that your handwriting is clear and can be easily read.
• Plan out your answers or key aspects of each question relating them to your skills and experience.
• Answer every question. If a question doesn’t apply, write ‘Not Applicable’ or ‘N/A’ to show that you have read the question and not left it blank by mistake.
• Check your responses for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, and to make sure that each question has been fully answered.
• Keep a copy of the completed application form because, if you do get an interview, this will give you a chance to review the application and your responses prior to the interview.

How to prepare yourself for interviews

An interview is all that stands between you and a job, so it is really important that you fully prepare yourself before the interview. As part of your preparation you should consider:

Review your CV or application form – you have been invited to the interview on the basis of this so it is very likely that the interviewer will want to talk about and explore what you have written.

Make sure that you have all of your Record of Achievements, certificates and references.

In advance, confirm with the employer that you will be attending the interview on the set date and time and, if you need directions or advice on finding the interview location, ask!

Read the invite to the interview thoroughly – is there anything that you need to do or take? Are there any tests to complete? Make sure that you are fully aware of the interview process so that you can prepare, but also allow enough time for the interview.

Research the employer and what the position or apprenticeship involves.

If you are unfamiliar with the interview location and how to get there, have a test run the day before to make sure you can get there on time. Punctuality is very important for an interviewer, so try to arrive 5-10 minutes early.

Decide what you are going to wear, and make sure that it’s clean and ironed. It is important that you look smart and presentable.

Think about possible questions that you might be asked during your interview, and how would you answer them. Try to provide an explanation with examples, rather than a brief response.

Think about possible questions that you might want to ask them – is there anything about the position you might want to know, training you may receive, development and progression opportunities etc.

Make sure you rest the night before the interview. Interviews may be daunting but, by getting a good night’s sleep, you should be able to concentrate on the interview and sell yourself well.

If you would like to have a practice interview, contact your Connexions Advisor as they offer sessions on interview techniques and practice.

During an interview

Your interview is your big chance to really impress the employer and make them want you in their business. Essentially it is your opportunity to sell yourself. During your interview:

Be polite and courteous to the interviewer, shaking their hand and saying “Nice to meet you” is a great way to greet your interviewer when they introduce themselves to you.

Body language can give different messages to the interview. By sitting back, slouched or arms folded can present an image of not being interested or negative. During the interview sit upright and maintain eye contact with the interviewer. Occasionally leaning forward whilst they are speaking can also show interest.

Do not let nerves get the better of you – interviews can be daunting, and your interviewer should be experienced enough to settle you. If you feel nervous, take deep breaths or a sip of water, and take time before you answer each question.

Be positive and enthusiastic in your responses as this will show your interviewer that you are interested in the role, motivated, and that you have a good attitude.

Close the interview as you opened it, be polite and courteous by shaking their hand and saying, “Thank you for your time, I’ll look forward to hearing from you”.

What opportunities are available once you complete your Apprenticeship?

As an apprentice, not only will you earn on average £100,000 or more during your career, but you will also be given a huge amount of opportunities, experience and responsibility early on in your career.

An Apprenticeship provides you with an ideal stepping stone into a career by giving you the opportunity to gain vocational skills, knowledge, experience and three nationally recognised qualifications.

This provides a fantastic foundation for you to gain more in-depth knowledge and progress onto an Advanced Apprenticeship or a Higher Education qualification, for instance a Higher National Diploma, Foundation Degree or even a Degree.

FSC has a number of partnerships with regional colleges and, as part of these partnerships, we can help you progress onto Higher Education by giving you access to a range of student and career advisory services to make sure that you get all the information you need to make the right choice in your next career step.