by Gundega, Student Careers Coach
As a mature student returning to the job market after more than a decade, making applications again was really out of my comfort zone, but it resulted in securing my role as a Student Careers Coach.
I learnt a lot through applying for this role that I’d like to share with you, as your Careers & Enterprise tip of the month.
It isn’t an obvious place to start an application, but I found the personality tests in the Career Toolkit significantly increased my confidence with applications and interviews. They provided insight into my core strengths and helped me understand my working style, fostering self-awareness. Crucially, the results encouraged me to emphasise skills I may have overlooked, such as adaptability, problem-solving, and empathetic communication—qualities essential in a support-based role like a Student Careers Coach.
For people at any stage of their career, I cannot emphasise enough the importance of a good CV. Having a clear understanding of my strengths and preferences was a game-changer, as I built a CV that was suitable for my specific goals and ambitions.
The CV-building tool and CV examples on Toolkit were good starting points. Then I used the step-by-step guide to highlight my achievements, transferable skills and to showcase my unique experience as assets that will undoubtedly appeal to employers. The Career Toolkit transformed what initially felt like a daunting task into an opportunity for growth and self-reflection.
Don’t take any shortcuts, and don’t expect it to be quick and easy. Instead take your time creating a CV for the ‘wonderful you’, the person you’d employ yourself!