Careers Service Presentation Dr Lorraine Craig Department Careers

Careers Service Presentation Dr Lorraine Craig Department Careers Adviser Frances Mc. Ewen Careers Adviser Careers Advisory Service 48 Prince’s Gardens

Aims Of The Session • What opportunities are open to geologists and where do you find them ? • Making applications – what are employers looking for and what makes a good CV • What next - your plan of action

OPTIONS • Ph. D • MSc research build on interests or new topic • Employment relevant to your discipline indirectly related to your discipline • Year out, temporary work, travel

PG Study • Discuss with your tutors • Think about why you want to continue to study Personal interest, develop research skills ? ? ? • MSc or Ph. D ? • • Check www. findaphd. com Use www. prospects. ac. uk/pgstudy Funding see Prospects web site Research Assistant work www. jobs. ac. uk

EMPLOYERS and VACANCIES • • www. imperial. ac. uk/careers Jobs. Live - for vacancies, careers events www. prospects. ac. uk/myprospects www. targeted. Grad. com www. doctorjob. com www. hobsons. com www. topcareers. net www. insidecareers. co. uk

Employers – who are they ? • PRIVATE SECTOR Multinationals : oil and gas, engineering/ environmental / geological consultancies , utilities mining and extractive industry companies • PUBLIC SECTOR Government, government agencies • NOT FOR PROFIT UN, OECD, VSO, Water. Aid

Where do your find them ? • Geological Society website/ Yearbook • www. acenet. org. uk www. cet 500. com www. energyinst. org. uk www. iom 3. org. uk www. mininglife. com www. the 1. co. uk www. ends. co. uk www. esa. org. uk • Recruitment Consultancies www. working-smart. co. uk www. matchtech. com

What are Employers Looking for ? • • • 38 companies in 7 geoscience sectors were surveyed Drive/ motivation, willingness to learn Oral, written communication Team work Initiative, creativity, problem solving, analytical skills Industry related work Intellectual skills Time management, leadership Cultural skills / international living/ languages

What are Employers Looking for ? • • • Team players Communication skills oral and written Analytical thinking and problem solving skills Interpersonal skills Persuading and influencing skills Assimilating and evaluating information Drive and resilience Pragmatic and committed Want to make a difference International outlook AGR Survey 2006

CV WRITING • Length • Paper • Font 2 pages of A 4 use good quality Arial, Times Roman black ink largest size for your name next size down for key headings next size down for sub-headings/ content • Words and phrases rather than sentences • Rectify to the left hand side • Avoid using “ I” “he”/”she” passive tense

Mind your Language! • Use positive words enthusiastic enterprising responsible • Use positive phrases good working knowledge of set up new system improved organisation of/publicity for actively involved in • Use action words analysed coordinated developed diagnosed evaluated investigated presented persuaded streamlined

Personal Details • Centre your name at the top of your CV • • • Address Phone number Email address Date of Birth ? Nationality Mobile

• Work Permits • College Contact Ilya Eigenbrot International Office, Room 212, Mech. Eng. • www. ukcosa. org. uk • www. workpermits. gov. uk • www. prospects. ac. uk/int

Education • Imperial College London • BSc/MSci Geology/Geology with Geophysics with a Year Abroad • Subjects covered • Fieldwork, Mapping • Projects • Include techniques • Give details of qualifications from school or college in reverse chronological order

Education • Dates Imperial College London BSc/ MSci Geology/Environmental Geoscience Studies include……………. Fieldwork/ Mapping Techniques: GIS Projects:

Employment • Use categories to describe experiences: Environmental, Geological, Energy, Industrial, Commercial, Scientific • Start with the name of the employer and job title in bold • Describe your work duties • Your responsibilities • Your achievements

Geological Experience Dates Z&S GEOscience Geologist Responsibilities: single and multi-well interpretation of petrophysical data specialising in sedimentological and structural analysis of borehole image and dipmeter data. Dates Petroclays Technical Assistant Responsible for preparation of samples and operation of XYZ equipment for petrochemical clients

Skills • Technical Skills GIS, mapping, fieldwork • Computer / IT include examples of specialist and other software, systems, databases, Internet, email • Languages (bilingual: mother tongue Italian and English) • Driving licence

Awards Qualifications • • Include prizes and awards Life saving Duke of Edinburgh awards PADI diving and diving instruction St John’s Ambulance training First Aid Health and Safety / Laboratory Safety

INTERESTS RESPONSIBILITIES and ACHIEVEMENTS • Emphasise team/ group activities, your contribution and successful outcomes • Avoid one word interests e. g. reading, music • Refer to De La Beche activities, Reapp responsibilities • Travel – give information on continents/ countries/ cities visited or lived in – and the benefits • Photography

References • • • Can be supplied on request Two referees Personal Tutor or academic who knows you Employer Someone who knows you through activities outside College

Application Forms • Print off online forms and draft your answers • Keep to the word/ character count by careful editing, using phrases, listing skills/activities • Time limited forms - print off first, then complete • Use the information from your CV to illustrate your answers • Investigate the organisation you are applying to on their web site, in the professional journals, in the business pages of national newspapers/ FT

Application Forms Competency Questions • Please describe your most outstanding non-academic achievement highlighting your approach to any significant difficulties faced in meeting your objective. • Question is testing • how much effort, energy, thought you put into something that is significant to you • What is important to you and why • What to you are the difficulties and what qualities do you demonstrate in tackling them

Competency Questions • Describe the activity you want to use/ give an overview • What resources did you have; how many people involved; what tasks/ responsibilities did people have and how allocated • What happened - problems overcome • What was your contribution • What was the outcome/ result

WHAT NEXT? • Explore the options open to you • Decide which areas of work you want to apply to • Plan which presentations to attend • Find out about employers relevant to your choices from directories, web sites, tutors and others • Make your applications carefully • Prepare for interviews

And Finally! Be successful!