Preparing Graduates for Work
65% of children entering primary school will be employed into jobs that don’t exist yet. The job market is changing all of the time, and students need to take personal responsibility for developing the skills and attributes that will make them employable. However, Higher Education institutions and employers also both have roles to play by providing students with the best possible opportunities so that when the time comes for job-hunting, they are armed with not only qualifications but the essential experience.
Universities need to be continuously preparing their pupils for work. It is important that by the time they leave university, students are fully prepared to attend interviews, have practise questions rolling off their tongues and be in the best position possible to secure a job.
Teaching ’employability’
In the UK, a range of universities including Surrey, Leicester and Liverpool John Moores, are taking steps to make their graduates more employable.
They teach students how to get a job, how to dress, how to prepare for an interview and what makes a good CV. More importantly, they help students understand how to operate once they have joined an organisation. There are modules on being an effective colleague, managing people and getting things done.
Practice makes perfect
Practising interview techniques with students is so important too; taking the time with students to discuss the questions that may be asked and how to answer these. This type of coaching and experience at university is imperative and in addition to this, some universities have been able to collaborate with businesses to create partnerships which benefit both the students and individual companies.
Santander operate a ‘universities scheme’ to offer paid student internships which places students and graduates in small and medium enterprises. Another example is the joint working between the British Medical Association and the University of London where the BMA careers services were able to identify skills gaps that the university helped to fill.
If you would like to speak to us about using Video Interviewing as a candidate coaching tool please contact us, we would love to discuss how Shine can help you.