So, What is a Situational Judgement Test (SJT)? Situational Judgement Tests (or SJTs) are a popular form of assessment used by employers to assess behavioural competencies to help determine if an individual is suitable for a role. Situational Judgement Tests can either be ‘traditional’ or they can be more interactive, perhaps even in a game-based format. An increasing number of employers are using a “storyline” approach which presents a ‘day-in-the-life’ experience such as Jaguar Land Rover, many even with Verbal and Numerical type questions too. Regardless of their format, all SJTs will look for evidence of a small group of … Read More
Disability and the Workplace – Things to Consider
Career planning, job-hunting and all that comes with it can be difficult (especially in these crazy Coronavirus times!), and having a disability can make that feel all the more difficult. But it doesn’t have to be! I hope that this post can help you think about some of the things you might want to consider in terms of disability and the workplace, whether that be part-time work during your studies, a placement role, or a graduate role. Sell yourself, disability and all! As students, we have heard over and over and about the importance of ‘selling ourselves’ to potential employers … Read More
Staying positive during the job search
When you’re looking for jobs, it can be hard not to feel frustrated and demotivated, especially if you feel like you’re getting nowhere fast. However, having a positive mindset is crucial to being successful in your job search. That’s why we’ve pulled together these handy tips which will have you feeling focused and on top of things in no time. We hope they’re helpful! Create a daily routine Job searching can often feel like a job in itself, so it’s important to set some boundaries so it doesn’t consume all of your time. Creating a schedule will help you feel … Read More
Mistakes I made: Libby Jones
A big realisation I made during my placement year was understanding the benefit of seeing mistakes as learning experiences rather than letting myself get disheartened by them. Now I’m starting to apply for graduate roles, I’ve realised the value of the lessons I learned in the application process and how they will help me with my future job hunting. In hindsight, the way I began my placement search was the first mistake I made. I put myself under a great deal of pressure to just find any placement because I was so panicked that I would go into third year … Read More
Graduate in focus: Sheena Desai
Full name: Sheena DesaiDegree title: BSc Business and SociologyYear of graduation: 2020 Organisation name: Aviva InvestorsJob title: Real Assets Graduate Can you tell us a bit about your placement experience? I completed my placement year at Agilent Technologies where I was based in their Manchester office. Agilent is a multi-billion-pound company and a leader in analytical instruments and software. I was placed in the business operations department providing first and second level support for internal tools enabling numerous business functions. I was also undertaking tasks such as training users on tools, launching SharePoint sites, and creating various weekly reports for … Read More
How to write a successful CV
Whatever kind of role you’re applying for – whether that’s a part-time job, volunteering role, placement, internship or graduate job – a great CV is essential. We’ve pulled together some tips to help you write a CV that’s sure to stand out to employers for all the right reasons. Checklist of what to include Before you get stuck into writing your CV, it’s a good idea to plan out the structure of it so you can make sure you cover all the key information an employer will want to know. Take a look at this handy checklist of what to … Read More
Why you should do a virtual internship
Work experience is always a great thing to have on your CV. But did you know there are ways to get it without leaving the house? This is where the virtual internship comes in. The good news is that an increasing number of employers are offering these in response to the global pandemic, so now’s the perfect time to try one out! Need more convincing? Let us run you through some of the benefits of virtual internships. What are virtual internships? Before we get stuck in, let’s just make it clear what virtual internships are. Basically, they’re very similar to … Read More
Why and how to practise online job assessments
Do you have a dream company in mind? Both small and large organisations will require you to complete Online Job Assessments as part of their application process. These vary from ‘traditional’, though extremely common, aptitude tests to ‘modern’ styles of assessment, such as Game-Based Assessments now used by 10% of employers, and Video Interviews. As the area of online job assessments has become a staple for employers when recruiting, so too has the amount of preparation required by candidates to meet the company’s requirements. It is now essential more than ever to get familiar with the types of Assessments you … Read More
Where to find virtual internships
Due to the current situation with coronavirus, traditional in-person work experience opportunities are no longer an option for many of you. However, the good news is that virtual internships have been growing in popularity and an increasing number of organisations are now offering them. So, we thought we’d lend you a helping hand by rounding up some of the best places to look for virtual internships – you’ll be racking up a whole load of skills and experiences to add to your CV in no time. Forage Forage offers free work experience programmes which are open to UK and international … Read More
Getting the most out of Aston Futures
Now, we might be biased, but we think Aston Futures is pretty fantastic. It’s super helpful whatever year you’re in, so if you’re not already, it’s time to get up close and personal with it! So, what exactly is Aston Futures? Aston Futures is an online platform that’s run by Careers+Placements. It allows you to do all sorts of things, including: Search and apply for opportunities – whether that be internships, placements, graduate jobs, part-time work or volunteering roles. Whatever stage you’re at, we hope you’ll be able to find something that suits your needs (Also, some of the roles … Read More