SCF’s Summer Workshop

FUTURE FOCUS

Your career matters to us… so, jointly with our recruitment team, we have created a helpful guide with tips and tricks just for you!

Recruitment websites are super useful! They let you search for jobs based on different criteria like job titles, skills, companies, contract types (more on that later), and even by location. Here are some examples of a generic sites:

Indeed, TotalJobs, CV Library, Monster Jobs, Jobrapido, Jobcentre Plus, and Glassdoor (you will need an account).

Jobs Go Public is great to look at jobs in the public sector, while Local Gov Jobs is best to explore job openings in local authorities.

The following are some specific websites which you may find helpful, which cover not only jobs but training opportunities and more:

Skills for Careers – Young People | Skills for Careers (education.gov.uk)

Berkshire Opportunities – Home | Berkshire Opportunities | Business Support for Berkshire

Apprenticeships Search – Apprenticeship search / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education

Types of jobs, working arrangements and hours

There are various types of work contracts available to cater for different working arrangements and hours. Here are the main types:

1. Permanent Contracts

Permanent contracts are the most common and provide employees with long-term employment. These contracts typically include:

• Full-time work: Usually, this means working 35-40 hours per week.
• Part-time work: Involves working fewer hours than full-time, often specified in the contract.  The salary quoted for a part time role can be confusing!  Make sure you check whether it is the salary for the stated part time hours or if it’s stated as ‘pro rata’, it may be the salary for the equivalent full time hours.

As a permanent employee, you’ll be entitled to benefits such as paid holidays, sick pay, and pension contributions.  You will be protected by employment laws covering redundancy, dismissal, and have other employment rights.

2. Fixed-term Contracts

Fixed-term contracts are for a specific period or will end on a specific date, or until a particular project is completed. As a fixed-term employee, you will generally have the same rights as permanent employees, including holiday entitlement and sick pay.

3. Temporary Contracts

Temporary contracts are often used for short-term or seasonal work and are usually through an agency.  As an agency/temporary worker, you are employed by an agency that would place you in various temporary roles. Agency/temporary workers may have varying entitlements depending on the duration of the contract and the terms agreed upon.

4. Zero-hours/As and when/Bank Contracts

Zero-hours contracts (sometimes referred to as ‘bank’ or ‘as and when’) offer flexibility but no guaranteed hours:

• No guaranteed work: Workers will be offered work only when it’s needed by the company and may have irregular hours, however, workers can also refuse work offered
• Rights: Entitled to annual leave and the National Minimum Wage, but income can be unpredictable

5. Casual Contracts

Casual contracts are for sporadic work without any commitment to regular hours.  They are common in sectors like hospitality and retail. Key aspects are:

• On-call basis: Workers are called in as needed, often at short notice
• Rights: Casual workers may not receive the same benefits as permanent employees but are entitled to basic employment rights such as the National Minimum Wage and paid holidays

6. Freelance/Contractors

Freelancers, or independent contractors, provide services on a self-employed basis:

• Project-based work: Often hired for specific projects with clear deliverables
• Flexibility: Manage own working hours and may work for multiple clients concurrently
• Tax and benefits: As a freelancer/contractor, you are responsible for handling your own taxes and National Insurance contributions and you would not be entitled to employee benefits

7. Apprenticeship Contracts

Apprenticeship contracts combine work with training and education, and you can find all the different apprenticeships on offer from the link above:

• Training and work: As an apprentice, you would split your time between working for an employer and receiving training
• Duration: Apprenticeships can last from one to four years and may not always result in a permanent position so ensure you check that when applying
• Pay and rights: Apprentices are entitled to the National Minimum Wage for apprentices and other employment rights

As well as part time and full time hours, when looking for a suitable role, you may see various working arrangements on offer:

• Office based: Working from a designated work location/office
• Remote work: Working from home or another location outside the office
• Hybrid work: A mix of working from home and working from a designated work location/office
• Flexible hours: Adjusted start and finish times
• Compressed hours: Working full-time hours over fewer days

…and now you’ve found a job you’d love to apply for!

It’s most likely you will be asked to submit an up-to-date CV to apply for a role, possibly along with a cover letter/supporting statement or complete an application form.

There are some websites which offer free CV templates for you to build your own CV, such as the following:

LiveCareer – CV Builder and more career resources (livecareer.co.uk)

CVmaker – 150+ professional CV examples for jobs in the UK for 2024 (cvmaker.uk)

myperfectCV – Perfect CV Builder and more (myperfectcv.co.uk)

Reed – Free CV template | CV Templates & Advice | reed.co.uk

And how to write your CV is just as important to ensure you make a great impression on your potential employers!  Whether you use a template or create your CV from scratch, it’s best to include the following information.  Though be prepared to create a variety of CVs dependent on the role and industry you are applying for:

1. Personal Details

Start with your personal details at the top of the CV:

• Name
• Phone number
• Email address

2. Personal Statement

Write a concise personal statement summarising who you are, your career aims and objectives, and what you can offer your potential employer. 

This only needs to be 2-3 sentences, and ensure it is tailored to the specific job you’re applying for.

3. Professional Experience

List your work experience in reverse chronological order:

• Job title
• Company name
• Location
• Dates of employment

For each role, include a few bullet points highlighting your key responsibilities and achievements.  The key here is to focus on your achievements, using quantifiable results and outcomes, including actual examples.  Use action verbs to describe how you achieved your past results.

4. Education

Detail your educational background, also in reverse chronological order:

• Qualification/course
• Institution
• Location
• Start and end dates

Ensure you include any relevant coursework or awards.

5. Skills

Create a section to showcase your skills relevant to the job:

• Technical skills: Software, tools, and technologies.
• Soft skills: Communication, teamwork, problem-solving.

You should tailor this section to match the job description, so you will need to ensure you retain different versions of your CV to match the roles you are applying for.

6. Hobbies and Interests (Optional)

If relevant, you can include a brief section on hobbies and interests that show additional skills or qualities. Ensure you keep this professional and relevant.

7. References

You can state “References available upon request” rather than listing your referee’s details, however, do make sure your referees are prepared to provide a positive endorsement if/when they are contacted.

Formatting Tips

• Length: Keep your CV to a maximum of one or two pages
• Font and size: Use a professional font (e.g., Arial, Calibri) and size (10-12pt), or as suggested within the template you are choosing to use
• Consistency: Maintain consistent formatting throughout, using bold or italics for headings
• Proofread: Check for spelling and grammatical errors

Tailoring Your CV

As mentioned above, always tailor your CV for each job application:

• Keywords: Include keywords from the job description
• Relevant experience: Highlight your most relevant experience and skills in relation to the role you are applying for

Final Touches

• Professional email: Be mindful of the email address you use, ensuring it is appropriate and preferably professional!
• Clear structure: Ensure your CV is easy to read with clear headings and bullet points
• Honesty: Be truthful about your experience and qualifications