Learning At Work Week – Day 5: Career Development

Today we’re looking at tools to assist you in your career development.

Over the course of our working lives, many of us will find ourselves looking for a new job or seeking a promotion. This page contains a number of sites that can help. If you need help with these or any other aspect of your learning journey, please contact your branch Union Learning Rep.

Careers Services

England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales all have their own careers advice websites. Each offers a range of free and impartial information, advice and guidance to help you with your decisions about careers, courses and work. They will help you to learn more about the careers that interest you, discover your strengths and skills, and find the right courses and training.

• England – National Careers Service
• Northern Ireland – NI Direct Careers Online Support
• Scotland – My World Of Work
• Wales – Careers Wales

Writing A CV

Many employers will ask you to write a CV to accompany your application. The following video was produced by Guardian Jobs offering advice on how to write a CV that will showcase your abilities and skills.

They also provide a template CV that you can download here.

Applications & Interviews

The University of Sheffield has also developed two courses to assist you if you are looking for a new job. You can access these free on Futurelearn. (There is a paid subscription if you want to have longterm access to the course – but the free subscription will give you enough time to complete the course.)

• How To Succeed At Writing Applications This course covers; Understanding yourself and your skills, Analysing job adverts, Researching the organisation, Positive writing and making an impression, Create a personal brand, Using jobs boards and recruitment agencies, Dealing with gaps in your application, Creating an effective CV, Developing a professional online profile, Writing an impressive covering letter, Outstanding application forms, Brilliant personal statements. It takes approximately 9 hrs.
• How To Succeed At Interviews This course covers; Preparation and planning for interview, Interview nerves, Researching an organisation, Skills that employers look for, Anticipating interview questions, Dealing with gaps in your application, Analysing a sample job descriptions, Creating a positive impression, Typical interview questions, Questions to ask an employer, Telephone and video interviews. It takes approximately 9 hrs.

Good luck!

The CWU has a network of Union Learning Reps available to support you on your learning journey. Contact your branch for more details. If your branch doesn’t have one, why not consider applying to be one yourself?