Last night saw three members of the Contract Scotland team speak at the Institution of Civil Engineers ‘How do I get a job?’ event for graduates at the CCA in Glasgow.
Professional Recruitment Manager, Steven Murray highlights the importance of a good covering letter.
Recruitment Consultant, Jennifer Sancroft had the following to say about the event:
“The event was well attended with around 35 attendees including 2nd, 3rd and 4th-year students as well as a few more experienced Engineers, some of whom have work experience abroad but are struggling to find a role within the UK industry. The venue, the CCA in Glasgow was ideal for this event with its architectural and engineering significance which provided a great, informal space for the attendees to meet and discuss their future careers.
The presentation focused on the importance of preparing your CV and adapting it to ensure you are demonstrating the right experience for each role you apply to. The impact of a good covering letter was another main topic, helping students to identify the correct layout and content to ensure they are highlighting why they are suitable for each role, what they would bring to the company and what their future aims are and aligning these with the needs of the company and the skills required for each role.
Many of the students were very unsure of the direction they wanted to take, e.g. working for a contractor or consultancy or what the differences were in terms of ways of working and the skills required for each specialism. Several had brought along CVs which they were keen to have reviewed and to talk through with me, Steven and Jamie. The students showed themselves to be bright and very keen, taking a proactive approach to securing student placements and graduate roles but highlighted their lack of experience in getting the work and life skills they already possess at this early stage of their career. Most of the students’ CVs significantly undersold their experience simply through lack of knowledge in terms of preparing and presenting their CV.
Following excellent feedback from this event, it is hoped we will be able to run a workshop early next year to help students and graduates hone their interview skills and techniques.”
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For more information please contact steven.murray@contractscotland.co.uk or call 01786 446651.
