SussexPlus: What the Employers Say…
We’ve had some great feedback from graduate employers about SussexPlus! Here’s what they had to say…
“We are interested in talented students applying to us with strong academics but just as important are your employability skills – including impact, drive, flexibility, curiosity, integrity and commercial awareness. We have core competencies that we look for and it is not just the degree you can offer but also ideas and enthusiasm you can bring. Applicants who stand out are those who have done research and are well-prepared. We are interested in your potential to develop. As a leading employer of graduates, we recognises the important role played by the SussexPlus initiative at the University of Sussex in producing high-calibre, motivated individuals who are ready to enter the world of professional services.”
- PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
“Our business is all about online. When we look for new staff, we’re particularly interested in their practical skills and how they can apply these to our work. The online portfolio is tangible evidence of their interest and ability for working in digital media. It’s an innovative way for prospective new team members to show their mettle and it shows us they already probably talk the same language as us.”
- Kineo (E-learning Solutions)
Geography Student Needed!
The Careers & Employability Centre are looking for a Geography student to help us with a producing a short 2-3 minute ‘screencast’ video in which you’ll talk students through the process of creating a webfolio.
You don’t have to have created your webfolio yet (in fact, it’s better if you are just starting out with SussexPlus), you just need to have registered with SussexPlus already – which you all have! We’ll even reward you with a retail voucher of your choice for taking part.
If you’re interested, email sussexplus@sussex.ac.uk with your full name and year of study.
New SussexPlus Handouts!
Feeling like you need a bit more help with SussexPlus? Not sure what an asset is or how to use them to build your webfolio?
Here are the latest handouts from the SussexPlus Team at the Careers & Employability Centre to help you get started and understand the technical basics of SussexPlus:
Help Sheet 1: Getting Started with SussexPlus
Help Sheet 2: Technical Basics
Completed your webfolio? Not sure what to do next? Here’s how to submit your webfolio to the Careers & Employability Centre and claim your SussexPlus certfificate:
Help Sheet 3: How do I claim my SussexPlus certificate
If we still haven’t managed to answer your questions, drop us an email at sussexplus@sussex.ac.uk
Now that so many of you have registered with SussexPlus, the SussexPlus Team at the Careers & Employability Centre would like to know a little bit more about how you’re getting on so that we can make sure we’re giving you all the support you need to make your SussexPlus webfolio a success.
We’d greatly appreciate you taking a minute or two to complete this short survey – then we’ll enter you into our prize draw to win a £30 retail voucher of your choice!
NB: Only University of Sussex students are eligible to complete this survey and enter the prize draw.
If you have any further questions about SussexPlus or need some help with your webfolio, email the SussexPlus Team at: sussexplus@sussex.ac.uk or call into the Careers & Employability Centre, Falmer House.
Come along and chat to the SussexPlus Team about getting started with SussexPlus, how to start creating your webfolio, what makes a great webfolio and how to claim your SussexPlus certificate (and maybe even win a £20 retail voucher of your choice)…
Can’t make it, but have a question for us? Email the SussexPlus Team at sussexplus@sussex.ac.uk
Stand out from the crowd: claim your SussexPlus certificate NOW!
Now’s the time to submit your Webfolio to us here at the Careers & Employability Centre and claim your SussexPlus Certificate for 2010!
Webfolio submissions are open NOW until 28th April 2010.
Find out more about SussexPlus and get help with your webfolio…
- Book a one-to-one with a Careers Adviser by giving us a ring on 01273 678429 from 10am on the day you want to come in.
- Come to our ‘Webfolio Drop-in Wednesdays’ between 1-3pm from 3rd February until 28th April 2010
**EACH WEEK £20 vouchers will be given to the two best Webfolios submitted**
For full details on how to stand out from the crowd and claim your SussexPlus certificate now, have a look at our latest handout:
How do I stand out from the crowd and claim my SussexPlus Certificate
If you’re feeling a bit stuck, you can find links to example webfolios here.
Check our blog regularly for up-to-date information about SussexPlus.
For direct help and support, drop us an email to: sussexplus@sussex.ac.uk
Good luck!
How to get the most from Careers & Employability Centre events
The events that we organise for you here at the Careers & Employability Centre are a fantastic way to gather information about different career areas, further study and the skills you’ll need to develop for the future. This can then be recorded within your SussexPlus webfolio to help you reflect on your personal and professional development and formulate plans for your future.
Activity Asset
Using the Activity Asset in SussexPlus (pictured left), you can record your reasons for attending an event, what you gained from attending, the impact the event had on you as well as any further reflections. You can then use this record to demonstrate your skills in a CV or application forms.
At each event, we’re going to be handing out short forms for you to fill in, so that you can easily record information to transfer to your webfolio later. All events that would be useful for you to include in your SussexPlus webfolio are marked on our events listing.
If you have any further questions about how to incorporate Careers & Employability Centre events into your webfolio, you can email us at sussexplus@sussex.ac.uk
What is SussexPlus Workshadowing?
Workshadowing gives you the chance to spend a day with someone in a career area that interests you - giving you the chance to find out what that job is really like, see it done and talk to someone who does it. It can also help you to decide which career area you want to seek more work experience in.
Each year, we receive a number of offers of workshadowing – many from Sussex alumni who are in contact with the Development and Alumni Relations Office. These offers are drawn from a broad range of career areas and most are based in Sussex or in London. Last year’s programme included placements at: Unicef, IBM, Royal Opera House, Ogilvy & Mather, Herbert Smith, BBC, Save the Children Fund, Cancer Research, the House of Commons and KPMG.
The Workshadowing programme takes place in the Spring term. If you want to arrange your own, download our guide to setting up your own workshadowing.
How do I take part?
- Clarify your career ideas. Take a look at How to Choose a Career. You could also come to a short interview drop-in session (every weekday 12-4pm and Wednesdays 5-7pm during term time) to generate some ideas
- Look at the list of workshadow opportunities available. You can apply for a maximum of 2 workshadow opportunities, but must complete a separate application form for each one
- Familiarise yourself thoroughly with the type of work undertaken by your potential workguide by looking at www.prospects.ac.uk. It is also useful to research the employer or organisation by looking at their website
- Apply! Instructions on how to apply will be on each workshadowing advert
- Download the application form
- Please note: workshadowing placements are open to 2nd year and penultimate year undergraduates ONLY
What are the criteria?
Hopefully we will be able to offer you the workshadow opportunity of your choice. However, in some cases there are more applicants than opportunities. In this instance we will allocate the workshadowing place by considering the following:
- whether you have demonstrated a genuine interest in the career area chosen
- whether you have undertaken some research into this area of work
- how this opportunity will progress your career planning
It is important that you consider these criteria when completing your workshadowing application form.
What happens then?
If we are able to offer you a workshadowing opportunity you will be invited to attend a workshadow ‘Briefing Session’ in the Spring term – you must attend one of these to collect the details of your workguide and instructions for workshadowing.
Then it’s down to you to contact your work guide and arrange a mutually convenient day. Workshadowing is, in principal, for one day only and is expected to take place by the end of the Spring term or during the Easter vacation. Please be flexible and courteous when approaching your workguide – you are representing the university.
Through workshadowing, you have the chance to gain:
- A real insight into a career that interests you – and the routes into it
- The opportunity to see a job as it really is
- At least one useful contact
For full details of workshadowing, go to: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/workshadowing.php
**The deadline for applications is 3rd February 2010**
If you need any help with your SussexPlus webfolio, just email the SussexPlus Team at: sussexplus@sussex.ac.uk
SussexPlus is now open to Postgraduates
Great news for postgrads!
SussexPlus is inviting a limited number of postgraduate students onto the 2009/10 pilot with immediate effect.
The conditions for postgraduate entry to SussexPlus are:
- You agree to complete and submit a SussexPlus Webfolio during the Spring Term 2010 with help and support from the Careers & Employability Centre
- You would be willing to offer a couple of hours to mentor and support undergraduates to complete webfolios with training from the Careers & Employability Centre (you can then use this as evidence within your own webfolio)
If you are interested in taking part, please email sussexplus@sussex.ac.uk to arrange for your account to be created. We will then send instructions for login and getting started.
Please note: We will be allocating places to postgraduates on a strictly first come first served basis.
For technical help and up-to-date information about SussexPlus, keep an eye on this blog.
If you have any further questions or need any help with your webfolio, just email sussexplus@sussex.ac.uk or drop in to the Careers & Employability Centre.
Schools & Colleges Programme: Teach First Presentation
Hello to all on the Schools & Colleges Programme!
Here are the slides from the excellent session on Communication & Mentoring Skills by Teach First on Wednesday 9th December:
Teach First: Communicating With Young People
If you want a Teach First brochure there should be some more available in the Careers & Employability Information Centre, or click here to access the online version.
You may also want to have a look at this blog written by Lily Eastwood from The Times, a Teach First graduate, about her first year of teaching.
If you have any further questions or need any help with your SussexPlus webfolio, email the SussexPlus team on sussexplus@sussex.ac.uk
