REBLOGGED: 13 Steps to Getting Your First Graduate Job

With so many graduates and soon-to-be graduates on the scene it is more important than ever to be prepared for a battle in the job market in order win over potential future employers. We have gathered a range of hints and tips in an effort to help equip you and to give you the best possible chance of finding your ideal job.

1. Use your personality to further your career
There are many blogs and articles that cover what behaviours recruiters look for in future leaders, however Donna Miller takes that idea further to explore personal branding techniques. Pick up some important personal branding tips here.

2. Boost your Job Prospect While You’re At University
Make the most of your time at university and use all the resources that the university has to offer. From voluntary work, to joining a society, to a part time job, or even organising charity events, make sure that you keep yourself busy throughout your time at university with activities that employers will value. Give your career prospects a boost by taking on some non-academic activities while at uni.

3. Don’t let social media shatter your job prospects
All students and graduates in guilty of the odd ‘Facebook stalking’ but if you think recruiters and employees don’t do the same you would be very wrong. Maybe you should think twice before you send that next Tweet. Pick up some tips on how not to pop your career options.

4. Could Twitter be your latest job searching tool?
‘Having a Twitter account is all well and good but can it highlight jobs and recruiters that are local to you?’ You betcha’ it can.  How can you turn down a tool that lets you search for jobs and directly link you to the recruiter in charge? Pick up some basic Twitter tips here.

5. Cracking careers fairs
What is the best strategy for making a great impression at a career fair? Career Fairs are a tricky battlefield. There hundreds of opponents in the room all trying to get the attention of the recruiters. This fantastic article itemises the tactics you should use to win over company representatives and also notes the innovative ideas you think may work in fact why they will repel the recruiter. Read here on how to take on the careers fairs and come out victorious.

6. Networking is a great way to build up your professional contact list
Networking can seem like a daunting task but networking events can be a fantastic way to undercover some upcoming graduate roles. The problem is, very few people know to act in these situations. All too often you’ll meet a person who is all too eager to sell themselves and forgets to create influencing conversations. Discover the 5 ways to start getting connecting. Read the 5 ways to start networking conversations article here.

7. What do hiring managers look for in your cover letter?
It goes without saying that a great cover letter will always grab the attention of a recruiter. ‘The best cover letters are customized for each and every unique job and company. This can be time consuming but is a super successful technique for getting your cover letter read and into the interview pile.’ Discover 4 easy tips to making your cover letter stand out.

8. Yes, your email address really DOES count
It may seem like a minor detail but the wording in your email address is very important. You might have spent a great deal of time customising and refining your cover letter, but yourself in the recruiter’s shoes, would you invite a candidate to interview with an email address of partyanimal123@hotmail.org? Take a tip from Regina Van Bukleo on email address best practices.

9. Be great at interviews
Some say there is a real art to performing well in an interview. This short guide from Ashley Hever is complete with a variety of hints and tips and also covers what questions you should ask the recruiter at the end of an interview. Check out Ashley’s how to be great at interviews guide.

10. Act the part: role play-style interviews
Role play style interviews are becoming ever increasingly popular as a method to show how easily you can ‘act on your feet’ and to prove you have the right skills to perform the job role. This insightful blog entry from Leeds University tells the tale of Sophie, a recent graduate who was placed in a role play scenario, however fell into deep water when she realised she hadn’t done enough research into the role and started to wonder why she had even applied. Learn how to prepare yourself for a role play style interview here.

11. Surviving competency and strengths-based interviews
‘This type of interview is by far the most common and is all about your skills. The key to success here is being confident about three key areas: you, the company to which you are applying and the wider sector in which you want to work.’ Prepare and Practice for the most common of strength based interviews.

12. Prepare yourself for an assessment centre
Picture the scene: you have just been invited to the assessment centre for your dream job and so you start searching Google, high and low for anything that you can find to prepare you for the day. The problem is, when preparing for assessment centres that there is a very real danger of over preparation. Don’t forget, the whole idea of assessment centres is for the recruiter to see how well you work with the rest of the group to achieve a common goal. But what about on the day itself? Fear not! Read our comprehensive guide on how to be great at assessment centres, and you’ll be in with a fighting chance.

13. Survive your first day
You have finally bagged your first job, congratulations! All you have left to do now is make sure you survive your first day in your new job. Everybody wants their first day to be perfect, but they seldom are. To give yourself the best possible chance of making a great first impression make sure you read through our tips on how to make the most of your first day.


Written by Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Music Helps Propel the UK’s Creative Industries to a Record-Breaking Performance

"New figures published today [13th January 2015] by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport reveal that the UK’s Creative Industries, including our world-beating music sector, were worth £76.9 billion to the UK economy in 2013 – that’s £8.8m per hour, or £146,000 every single minute. The Creative Industries are growing faster than any other sector of the economy and now account for 5.6% of all UK jobs." says the BPI. Read the full article here.

REBLOGGED: How to Write a Cold Email That Will You Land You a Job

Anyone who’s worked with me knows I’m big fan of the cold email. When applying for a job, I actually believe your application isn’t complete until you’ve sent one.

What is a cold email?

Well, in my definition, it’s reaching out by email to someone you do not know. Since The Prepary is all about the job search, we’re talking about using cold emails to express interest in a certain company or job. Note that I consider a second-degree connection to someone—or a person you’ve gotten an introduction to—more of a “warm email.”

When is it most effective to send one?

Some people will say it’s very effective to send cold emails just to network, ask someone for coffee, or find out how to get into a certain company. I don’t feel this way.

Keeping in mind that the person you’re emailing is a complete stranger and doesn’t owe you anything at all, I recommend using cold emails in a very specific way: To express interest in a job that you are both passionate about and qualified for.

So what makes a great cold email? There are really three main components that I find important.

1. You’re offering something to the recipient versus asking for something

For me, this is the most important point. When’s the last time you went out of your way to help a complete stranger get a job? My guess is that it doesn’t happen often. No one is going to hand you an interview because you happened to email. They’re a lot more likely to help you out if there’s something in it for them.

What’s in it for them you might ask? Well, say you’re cold-emailing about a public relations assistant job. Let’s assume you’re either reaching out to a recruiter at the company or someone on the public relations team. If that public relations assistant role is posted online and open, it means they’re trying to fill it. Filling a job is hard work—it’s difficult to find great candidates who are also a good match for the work environment and team culture.

If you’re qualified for that public relations assistant job, know a ton about the company, and are dying to work there, you reaching out is helping them solve the problem of needing to fill that job.

As long as there’s something in it for them, you’re already on the right track to making your cold email effective.

So what’s in it for them? An amazing candidate is essentially showing up at their doorstep! Of course, there are also other things that you can “bring to the table.” Perhaps you can offer feedback on a product or knowledge in a certain area, or you’re volunteering to help on a project.

2. It’s personalized and thoughtful

Copying and pasting the same exact cover letter and changing the company name isn’t going to work, and the same thing applies to cold emails. An impersonal and hasty cold email isn’t going to be effective.

A great cold email is personalized. With today’s resources, even if someone is a complete stranger, they’ll likely still have an online presence. Understanding their work history via LinkedIn, reading a blog post they wrote, or finding some other way to relate to them will help your outreach.

People like to know that if they’re taking the time to read something, you actually took some time to write it. So make sure you come across as thoughtful and not “mass-email-y”—a term I just made up.

3. It’s respectful and not entitled

You may want to check out this related post that covers the basic etiquette of reaching out cold. The most important piece of etiquette is to not make it sound like the recipient owes you anything or that you’re entitled to their time or help in any way.

There’s nothing worse than someone demanding to meet with you or coming across as arrogant. I don’t even know you, remember? So that’s the first way to get me to the delete button.

In closing…

Cold emails are a great way to get your resume seen and considered—take a look at this success story. You won’t get a response every time, but it sure will save you from the resume black hole.

Written by The Prepary
27th August 2013
Levo League

"Creative industries worth to UK economy reaches record high" says Music Week

Interesting article on Music Week about the value of Creative Industries within the UK, an area that is definitely growing and thriving at the moment.

Read the full article here

REBLOGGED: 5 Easy Ways You Can Improve Your LinkedIn Profile

January is a time to reflect on the last year's achievements and recharge ready to tackle challenges to come. It’s also the time to start thinking about the year ahead, and where you'd like to see yourself this time next year.

Our work lives play a big part in that crystal-balling, and whether you’re looking to change jobs, move into a new industry or win a promotion in your current role, there’s a few things you might want to consider…

1. Reflect and reassess
Think about what you’ve achieved, where you’re headed and look back over your LinkedIn profile. To start with, make sure it’s complete and up-to-date, includes a good headline and summary and has an appropriately professional image (perhaps save ‘those’ Christmas party ones for other social networks!)
Hot tip: LinkedIn profiles are eleven times more likely to be viewed if they have a photo.

2. If you achieved it, own it…
A LinkedIn survey found that 1 in 3 women shy away from talking about their achievements, and more than half revealed that they’ve missed out on promotions as a result. Make sure you’re shouting about your important achievements on LinkedIn and include all your skills on your profile. Remember, you’ve only got 5-10 seconds to impress.
Hot tip: You can now add media to your profile so it looks more like a portfolio. Give it a go, a few clicks and you’ll have a snazzy looking profile that will stand out from the crowd.

3. …but don’t overdo it
Your profile should give prospective employers, clients and other connections an accurate snapshot of your ‘professional brand’ so lead with your best achievements, keep things snappy and try not to exaggerate.
Hot tip: Unless it’s appropriate to your industry, you should avoid speaking in the third person.

4. New Year’s Resolutions
By the 31st January, our resolutions have often fallen by the wayside. Why not make yours a bit more achievable this year? It just takes 9 minutes a day developing your network on LinkedIn to make a real difference. Or, how about resolving to connect with one new business contact on LinkedIn every day? Remember, you’ll already have a wealth of connections to draw on in your friends, family, ex-colleagues and acquaintances.
Hot tip: A network of only 50 connections can have a great impact on your career; this is when you begin feeling the ‘network effect’.

5. Get involved
Most importantly, don’t let your profile do all the talking for you. Once you’ve given it a good polish, it’s time to interact. Join groups and give your opinion on things you find interesting, such as news or articles.
Hot tip: A few simple ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ will quickly show your connections the things that matter to you.


Written by Darain Faraz
LinkedIn
13th January 2015
Marie Clare

Norwich Sound + Vision

So I've just spent the best part of 3 days in a freezing cold church surrounded by the smell of beer...all in a days work I tell you. I've been involved with Norwich Sound + Vision for the first time and spent 3 days working as a Registration Assistant - one of the best ways to get to meet the delegates.

Unfortunately the church had no heating but I was supplied with plenty of cups of tea (that's what we like) and sweets/chocolate to keep me going. Registration was held in the same venue as the craft beer festival so there was a constant stream of people in and out to try and warm the place up and some live music in the evening as well. As the conference was being held in Norwich I couldn't really stay and watch any of the bands performing so it was good to be able to see those playing in the beer festival.

At the end of the day it's all good experience - and good fun! - as well as being another event to add to my ever growing list and CV!

REBLOGGED: Was I BORN to be an Event Manager or am I just a control freak?

I read a blog today that suggested that the best Event Managers are born to be event managers and come with ten key traits or qualities that have them stand out from those around them that are simply ok. Apparently if I have these ten key traits I'm literally born to do the job I do and I will be amazing at it. Most people that meet me and haven’t attended an event I've run just assume I'm a control freak!

What do you think? Do I tick all the boxes?… Take a look at the list – I've added my own comments in italics.

1. Great Interpersonal Skills

You have to work with a team and other people in order to ensure the event is a success. So you should have the ability to tell and listen without any issues.

Developing interpersonal skills is a necessity, but some people are born with these skills. Such people are able to manage their team or communicate effectively and it is these people who often make great event managers.

TICK!…I was brought up in pubs! Not in a skanky way like a child whose parents spend all their dole money in the local – my parents managed pubs so you couldn’t be shy or timid, you had be sociable and give as good as you got to the cheeky punters! That’s where my social skills came in, I learnt to take the mickey out of myself as well as other too – but in a friendly way.

2. Flexibility

Nothing is fixed when organizing events. Things can change at a drop of a hat. Hence, an event manager should be flexible to take these changes in stride and work accordingly. You need to be ready to face any sort of situation and be able to think on your feet.

TICK! I’ve worked some ridiculous hours, but when you own an event and are recognised as that organiser to the attendees you really don’t mind putting that effort in. It all adds to your CV, recommendations and referral capabilities.

When it comes to facing situations – our “Steele” family motto is based around not getting stressed out, when I’d tell my Dad that something went wrong in the past he would say “Nobody died though did they?”. This puts everything into context and in the grand scheme of things, death is always the worst case scenario – everything else is fixable and if you focus on the fix, you’re set – the blame can come later if you’re that way inclined but I'm not, you learnt from your mistakes and cock-ups.

3. Energetic

Events are extremely demanding and if you want to host a successful one, you should be full of energy and passion. Do you love to deal with every challenges with zest and passion? If so, you are born an event manager without a doubt!

TICK! I enjoy what I do, it might annoy me sometimes but I manage an event with a smile on my face – I know what it’s like to feel stressed and I don’t want people in my team feeling like that during a live event, everyone should enjoy working on it so if I’ve got a smile and I'm cracking jokes at the same time as pulling an event off, everyone else remains calm and trusts that I'm in control

4. Creative and Innovative

To be a successful event manager, you need to do things differently. This requires innovation and creativity. If you are the kind of person who always thinks out-of-the-box, you are destined to be a successful event manager. This means that problems and challenges are not an issue for you, as you have an innate ability to resolve them creatively.

This is a hard one, it’s not easy to think outside of the box when the client or your boss still thinks that event ideas from the 90s are current because they haven’t done them before! Thinking outside of the box is different in each business – a bake sale could be creative for one business, whereas taking staff to a local cinema to communicate an update on the business is the same for another. 

Understanding what is creative, innovative and out of the box for each client is what’s important as if you go too far out for them you’ll scare them off because they won’t be able to visualise what you’re offering. I’ve developed new ideas for a number of events that have improved the experience for the attendee – that’s what’s important,

5. Keen Eye for Details

It is the small things that matter. Do you always delve into things and look at minute details and try to get everything right? Your keen sense of observation will prevent small things from blowing up and turning into big issues. Attention to detail allows you to ensure that everything is properly organized and in place for the event.

CHECK! Theming is a great example of having an eye for detail – I went to a showcase event once at a venue and they had themed the event to Vegas. I knew exactly what I was going to get and could tick it all off again now… Showgirls entrance, table centres with tall feathers an Elvis Impersonator and some cardboard banner type things – it was crap! To truly theme a room you should be thinking about lighting, flooring, table dressing, your surrounds, the catering, the entertainment – you need a large visual impact, you’re supposed to feel like you are in a specific era, location, city etc. I hate themed events – they’re rarely what they should be because the costs are allocated incorrectly.

6. Good Time Management Skills

Your multitasking abilities are an indication that you are tailor-made to be an event manager. You have the ability to prioritize things at work and this allows you to be more productive and achieve more within a limited time period.

CHECK! Nuff said.

7. Passionate and Enthusiastic

This is an inherent quality and people are often born with this quality. It is only then they can excel in their chosen line of work. As a successful event manager, you have to have passion and this is what allows you to be productive and overcome obstacles that you face while organizing events.

CHECK! I don’t think you could handle event management without passion, enthusiasm and drive within the industry!

8. Leadership Skills

Leaders are born and not made. This is an old saying and it is true for event managers as well. You have an innate quality for leading people and this is what shows that you were born to be an event manager. Your outstanding leadership skills help guide your team towards the end goal and that is why your events are a roaring success.

CHECK: I lead by example, if you make a mistake – learn from it, if you don’t learn from it then ill be having a word. The same rules apply – so long as nobody has died we can fix any mistake together. No question is a stupid question and if you’re a grafter we’ll get along fine. I’ve developed admin assistants up to Event Coordinators in two companies now, taking them from data entry to small event management and even AV scripting.

9. Superior Organizational Skills

Everything in an event has to be seamlessly choreographed, so that each step of the event goes off smoothly. However, organizational skills can be learned, but mastering them is difficult if you are not born with them. So with your superior and exceptional organizational skills, one can easily say that you were born to be an event manager.

CHECK! I’m organised with my work, less so at home – but that’s because I allow myself to be lazy at home!

10. Tech Savvy

Event management has changed tremendously with the availability of technology, so you should be well-versed in using it. Today, event managers have access to a wide range of event management software, such as event ticketing software, venue management software and more that makes their work easier.

CHECK! There’s loads of tech out there now, I’m aware of a lot of it but some of it is duplicated. When looking for tech I'd always advise going for recommendations and asking around initially – you don’t need to be trained in high detail on everything that’s out there, you don’t have the time!

Apparently … If you possess these qualities, it is an indication that you were born to be an event manager. These qualities mean you are tailor-made for this great profession. So, jump into event management with enthusiasm and you’ll soon carve a place for yourself in the industry.

So am I born to be an Event Manager? Are you?

Written by Amanda Morris

Events Director, JustWatchEvents

7th March 2014

JustWatchAmanda blog

Jack the Ripper Unmasked Using DNA?

The Mail Online have today announced the unmasking of the identity of Jack the Ripper...

"WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Jack the Ripper unmasked: How amateur sleuth used DNA breakthrough to identify Britain's most notorious criminal 126 years after string of terrible murders"

I'm sceptical about this bit of news but there's too many connections for me to ignore it. I've studied Jack the Ripper for GCSE History and it was one of my favourite topics to cover - bit grim I know, but I love a good murder mystery. Secondly, the shawl from which the DNA has been extracted was bought at auction in my hometown of Bury St Edmunds and then the DNA extractions were carried out by a senior lecturer from my own uni - LJMU - so I definitely couldn't ignore a story like this.

I don't know whether it can ever be conclusive, the identity of Jack, but the outcome of this investigation is certainly plausible. Aaron Kosminski was named as one of Scotland Yard's top 3 suspects in 1888 but after 126 years, is it possible to be able to rely on DNA? I think more investigations of cases 100+ years old would need to be conducted in order to prove the accuracy of this one.

It's an interesting article to read and obviously an investigation that's quite close to home for me (geography wise in more ways than one) but I'll remain undecided as to whether I believe the outcome or not for the time being.

Manufacturers are Struggling to Keep Up with the Resurgence in Vinyl Records

That was the headline from The Independent this week - good news in my view. It may not be so good for the manufacturers and the ageing machines that the records are being pumped through, but it is definitely good news in terms of the resurgence of vinyl. Check out the full article here.

REBLOGGED: Running an Event on a Shoestring

Whether you’re looking to show off your expertise, launch a new product or build your connections, a well-organised event is a great way to reinforce or convey your brand message. And it doesn’t have to cost the earth.

First things first

Whatever your budget, your priority has to be making your attendees happy. This means getting to the core of why they’re coming, and what you can do to help them get the most out of the event. On a smaller budget, you might only be able to do one thing really well, but if you’ve taken the time to understand your audience, you’ll be in a great position to give them just what they want.

Alongside booking your venue, arranging refreshments, and lining up speakers, you need to get the word about your event out there. Although you might not be able to do lots on a tighter budget, it’s all about maximising impact. If you know what is and isn’t working, you can save yourself plenty of money and plan much more effectively for the future.

Let’s get digital

Digital marketing can be measured every step of the way. Not only that, it’s relatively cheap and can give you much greater exposure than some of the more traditional channels.

We’d recommend social media as a great outreach tool, blogging to help build authority and thought leadership, and email to communicate regularly with those who’ve confirmed their attendance. Services like Eventbrite can make it easier for people to find and register for your events on mobile and online, as well as helping you manage the process.

Going live

Depending on the nature of your business and the tightness of your budget, you might call on family, friends or other volunteers on the day. College students looking for some valuable work experience can also be a good bet. Always try to negotiate the best possible deal with your venue, and consider finding a sponsor to increase your budget.

Think about things you can do for yourself rather than paying suppliers to do them, but do consider the impact on your time – is it worth it? Remember that it’s better to do fewer things well than too many things not quite so well, so concentrate on the basics (the essential facilities, working technology and so on) and those reasons for coming that you identified early on. It might be tempting to cut corners when you’re on a limited budget, but it could be more damaging financially in the long run.

What’s next?

There are lots of great, and cost-effective, ways to follow up with your attendees – essential for building event loyalty. Why not encourage them to share photos and key moments using the event’s hashtag, or bring out your highlights in a post-event blog? A ‘thanks for joining us’ email is a good way of staying in touch, and a post-event survey shows your attendees that you’re interested to hear about – and learn from – their experiences. And why not use your post-event comms to build interest in next year’s event – you have a readymade audience, after all!

Eventbrite is an online ticketing company that makes it easier for people to create events of any size and budget.


Written by Marino Fresch
Head of Marketing, Eventbrite
12th August 2014
The MOO Blog