Career Resources
Upgrade your qualifications and skills: get certified
Maximise your chances by taking time to find the right opportunity for you.
The job market is changing at a breakneck pace with new sectors opening up every other day. Almost anything is possible! The rise in short term contracts and the wider availability of education means that more and more people are making career changes.
What can you do to find a suitable career and employer?
Research the career thoroughly: establish the age mix of the industry. For example, in the Advertising or IT industries tend to employ younger workers. You will also find that there are career areas where life experience is a positive selling point, e.g. Counselling and Social Work.
Anticipate obstacles created by some employers. Don't wait for someone to suggest that you may not be able to adapt and change to a new environment, for example, sell the fact that you have had to reorganise your life and family in order to succeed at ongoing education. Counter the suggestions that you can't take orders from those younger than yourself with an examples of how you already have.
Think about your positive selling points: consider ALL of your life experiences, even those which may not appear relevant at first glance such as running a household, being an ongoing education student and any job however insignificant you view it.
Why employers should be interested in you and your study?
Below are a range of skills and attributes that employers have noted as being particularly desirable. Continuing education can provide evidence of these skills as we have shown below. However, remember that you do not need to have been paid for or received a certificate for a skill to count!
Willingness to Learn – Continuing education is a positive selling point; it clearly demonstrates that you are open to new ideas and to exercising your intellect.
Self Reliance - employers need to know that you can be self sufficient, make the best use of your time (organisational skills), use initiative. All these skills are required by those studying. In addition, you can use evidence from the rest of your life; running a youth or sports club, the responsibilities of a being a single parent or deputising for your boss.
Communication skills - this includes written communications (such as letter or report writing) and oral communication (such as contributing to meetings, negotiating deadlines, giving presentations). Study will develop these skills. For example, a well argued essay shows that you can organise information and present it logically. Similarly interpersonal skills are used daily whether you are settling an argument between children, dealing with a difficult customer or negotiating a loan from the bank!
Problem Solving and Analytical skills: Study will be developing these skills and don't overlook your existing experiences on a daily basis. Employers are interested in how you cope with every day life not how you climbed Mount Everest.
It is common for adults to want, and need, to study to develop or change their career. Study can help you acquire new skills and give you an edge over other applicants.
If you want to include studying within your career plan - start by identifying what you want to aim for. This will help you to choose appropriate courses (with us or someone else) and allow you time to gather any necessary experience or contacts which in turn will help you to maximise your chances of success. Part of this research involves finding out what employers are looking for in graduates and how you as an individual match those requirements.
Produce a concise Resume that clearly outlines all of your relevant experience. Try and match your experience to the job requirements, and be prepared to produce more than one CV. If you really want the position then fully research each employer. As a minimum, visit the employer’s website.
If you get an interview you’re half way there so be confident! Be prepared to take along evidence if asked for.
Use positive language in tailored applications and at interviews. As a starting point, never apologise for your age.
Use contacts from previous jobs/friends/family – create your own network. Remember, you have probably met more people in your lifetime than the average graduate.
Identify the skills you developed from your previous work, studies, and general life experience – e.g. teamwork, communication and adaptability.
Stress your ability to hit the ground running - you know all about working for a living.
Demonstrate your experience when making effective business decisions and give examples.
Highlight your time management, organisation and self-motivational skills. You’ve just spent a number of years improving these and these are skills essential for part-time study!
Demonstrate your flexibility and experience of studying and working in mixed age environments.
Convey your reliability, loyalty and confidence to manage change.
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