5 Top Tips for writing a CV and getting a job interview
School leavers and job seekers have been urged by the UK’s leading careers specialist not to send generic CVs when they apply for vacancies. Richard McMunn, founder of the award-winning How2become.com business, says CVs should be tailored to specific roles to significantly increase the chances of being invited for interview. Richard, whose company has helped thousands of people get into their dream profession over the last 10 years through career guides and training courses, was speaking as school leavers across the country prepare to seek out their first full time job. Competition for job vacancies is also likely to be increased in the coming months with the economic uncertainty caused by the recent Brexit vote for the UK leaving the EU. Richard McMunn, founder of How2become.com Richard said: “From my experience, a massive 95% of job seekers create one single CV and then send that same one off to a swathe of different prospective employers. “These generic CVs don’t stand out from the others and, with so many applications now being made for vacancies, it is no surprise that the people who send them are not shortlisted for interview. “My advice is to put that little bit of extra effort in to make sure your CV exactly matches the skills and qualities required for the role you are applying for.” As the author of more than 100 career guides, with many becoming best-sellers, and the presenter of a wide range of job-specific courses, Richard is in a good position to advise job-seekers on how best to apply for work. These are his 5 top tips for writing a CV and securing a job interview: • 1 Carefully read the job description, as well as the key skills and qualities required in the role – use a highlighter pen to pick out the important elements of the job • 2 Create a CV which is concise, easy to read and free from waffle, ideally on no more than two sheets. • 3 Begin your CV with an introductory statement about you, your experiences and what you have to offer in this particular post – this will tell the employer you are serious about the job and not a serial job applicant. • 4 Insert keywords and phrases from the job description – the employer will pick up on these straight away and it will help them decide that you should be short-listed for interview. • 5 Repeat this exercise for every vacancy you apply for, sending a new job-specific CV rather than the same ‘one size fits all’ generic one. Free careers guidance resources are available on the how2become.com website on building a CV and the key interview skills via these online links: www.how2become.com/resources/ultimate-guide-to-building-a-cv/ www.how2become.com/resources/interview-skills/
CSG On Campus To Handle Hazardous Laboratory Waste
CSG is a leading and award winning force within the waste management sector founded in 1934 operating from 27sites stretching from Southampton to Middlesbrough. CSG’s Chemical Specialists division is a market leader in providing waste management solutions to schools, universities, research centres, government departments and pharmaceutical chemical manufacturers. The University of Leeds has handed Fareham-based waste managers CSG a two-year contract to remove and treat all hazardous chemical waste from the university’s laboratory complex. CSG chemists will visit the university campus four times a year to list, label and pack the waste taken from faculties and services across the campus. It will be transported to CSG’s hazardous waste facility at Cadishead near Manchester where it will be treated in readiness for disposal or reuse. The Cadishead site is one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in the UK and has been developed to handle some of industry’s most hazardous by-products including waste from many of the North West’s leading chemical companies. The company recently launched a campaign encouraging facilities producing chemical waste – much of it toxic, flammable and corrosive – to detox their laboratories on a regular basis. CSG operates a mobile facility specialising in the collection and transport of packaged hazardous waste which can often present a high risk to waste producers and requires special handling. Its clients include schools and universities, research centres, government departments and pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers. Our mobile technical team specialises in the collection and transport of packaged hazardous waste. These often present a high risk to waste producers and require special handling. Our dedicated fleet of vans, ADR drivers and trained chemists are equipped to collect anything from a single bottle up to a drumload. Our site staff are experienced and competent in handling difficult wastes. Typical waste streams and services included: • Aerosol recycling • Asbestos • Battery recycling • Clinical and pharmaceutical waste • Empty paint tins • Laboratory chemical recycling • Laboratory test kits recycled • Light bulb and fluorescent tube recycling • Oily rags recycling • Solvent recovery • WEEE recycling • Chemical relocations – transfer of chemicals from one site to another • Chemical handling and segregation training Technical and legislative advice is just a phone call away. If you require further information or wish to receive a competitive quote, contact CSG today on 0800 011 66 00 or email us chemicalspecialists@csg.co.uk. For further information please visit our website www.csg.co.uk.
Ofsted head criticises ‘one size fits all’ education system
Ofsted head, Sir Michael Wilshaw has criticised the ‘one size fits all’ secondary education system, which he said is letting down students. The chief inspector of schools believes the lack of high-calibre vocational training for those who don’t choose the university route is one of the reasons for the UK’s record on youth unemployment. He says the ‘one size fits all’ system lets down less academic pupils and the education system in England, as it stands, does not offer enough opportunities for those who do not succeed at GCSEs to set them up for the world of work. In his address on Monday to the CentreForum education thinktank, Sir Michael Wilshaw is expected to call for a more “inclusive” approach to education. Michael Mercieca, CEO of Young Enterprise said: “I welcome Sir Michael Wilshaw’s argument that the ‘one size fits all’ education system doesn’t benefit all young people. “Less academic young people should not be left behind, and we agree that education provision for children who do not get C grades or above at GCSE, or who don’t want to pursue an academic path, needs improving. “A strong academic curriculum is important, but we also need to think outside of academia and consider those key skills which all young people need to develop for when they do enter the world of work, such as resilience, confidence and communication. Surveys carried out by organisations such as the CBI and Pearson, and the British Chambers of Commerce have found that businesses place a strong emphasis on the key skills young people have. “These skills are even more important for those who don’t have a strong academic record, as they complement academic learning and can improve results later on if developed from a young age.”
More young people experience mental health problems than asthma
Jonny Benjamin, the man who created the phenomenal #FindMike campaign, launches a new mental health workshop ThinkWell focused on educating the next generation in wellbeing and mental health. Jonny’s search for ‘Mike’, the man who stopped him taking his own life on the same date in 2008 (14th January), reached millions of people around the globe and created one of the biggest mental health campaigns in history. Not only starting a debate around mental health and suicide but also working on breaking down the stigma surrounding it. His aim is to empower and encourage young people to discuss and look after their mental wellbeing and simultaneously challenge the stereotypes and stigma associated with it. “Mental health is one of the last taboos in our society. I know first hand the prejudices and stereotypes that surround it. I’m determined to change this for younger people and get people talking about mental health. It’s something we all need to engage in” says Jonny, who’s experienced mental health problems since he was ten years old. “I never had any mental health education at school. I didn’t even know what mental health was whilst growing up. If I had had a workshop such as ThinkWell come to my school I think I would have sought help sooner and felt able to talk about what was happening. Instead I suffered in silence, leading to an eventual breakdown after becoming psychotic and ultimately taking me to the point of wanting to end my life. I hope to try and stop other young people from going through what I did by ensuring every pupil has mental health education, just as they do physical education. I believe that it should be a compulsory part of the curriculum.” Mental health workshops are safe & supportive The workshop ThinkWell will be launched nationwide and delivers a dynamic 100-minute session delivered direct to young people by both a highly trained workshop leader and a qualified therapist. It has been designed to provide a safe and supportive environment to talk about mental health, demystify many of the stigmas – and silence – around this issue and, very importantly, provide information and signposting for young people. The dynamic workshop uses exclusive film footage, from Jonny’s recent Channel 4 documentary The Stranger on the Bridge, as well as discussion and kinaesthetic activities to empower young people to talk about mental health and reach out for help if they need it. “Just as our bodies can get ill or break, so can our minds. And just as we can get treatment to be become physically healthy again or learn to live well with physical difficulties so can we do the same with our mental health. So why do we teach children how to look after themselves physically and when to ask for help if feeling unwell, but don’t do the same when it comes to their mental health and wellbeing? Engaging children and young people in the debate ThinkWell is a necessary project that should be available to all children and young people. As Jonny Benjamin shows, it is possible to return from significant mental health difficulties and live well. By sharing his story and engaging children and young people in the important debate around their and others’ mental health, Jonny and the Pixel Learning team are doing so much to empower and educate our upcoming generation and make the stigma and taboo of mental ill health a thing of the past.” Says Professor Tanya Byron, Clinical Psychologist specialising in working with children and adolescents. Delivered in tailored packages for KS3, KS4 and KS5 the workshop creates a safe environment for young people to engage in the topic and breaks down the taboos surrounding it. “We want ThinkWell to act as an early intervention- empowering young people to talk about mental health before they reach a point of a crisis. Encouraging young people to talk about their feelings is crucial in breaking down the stigma around mental health for the next generation” says Hannah Knight, Education Director at Pixel Learning, the organisation launching ThinkWell. ThinkWell Workshop: www.pixellearning.org ThinkWell is for all young people aged 13+ across the UK. We have different versions of ThinkWell to suit the age, ability and setting of young people. There are KS3, KS4 and KS5 versions for young people in school. We have a ThinkWell version for young people in youth groups, colleges, PRUs and other out-of-school settings. ThinkWell is also differentiated for the abilities of young people with stretch and challenge extension activities and simplified versions of tasks. We cater for young people with SEN and ESOL requirements. ThinkWell is designed to be inclusive and is suitable for all young people aged 13+. We send a trained Workshop Leader and a qualified therapist to work with young people. The Workshop Leader runs ThinkWell which involves exclusive film footage, discussion and kinaesthetic activities to reflect the different stages of Jonny’s journey. In an adjacent room, the qualified therapist runs ThinkWell Space for young people who are affected by the content of the ThinkWell workshop and may want to talk about their thoughts and feelings in a safe space. The ThinkWell therapist offers emotional support, mental health first aid and signposting to young people who visit the ThinkWell Space. We provide a full report of safeguarding concerns and action plans to the designated contact at the end of ThinkWell. The aim of ThinkWell is to provide a safe and supportive environment to talk about mental health, demystify many of the stigmas – and silence – around this issue and, very importantly, provide information and signposting for young people. ThinkWell has 4 key messages: Everyone has mental health and mental health issues are common Talking about mental health issues is essential Reaching out for help is a positive step and lots of different types of help is available Recovery is possible and achievable ThinkWell is run by Pixel Learning. Pixel Learning is a unique collaboration between film and education. Our aim is to use film to inspire empathy in young people empowering them to