Your skills are not simply what you have learned during your studies. They are also the experiences and competencies you’ve gained throughout your life. Your skills, combined with the person you are, make you a valuable candidate for a job – and this is what you need to make clear to prospective employers. Ask yourself the question: What can I offer a workplace?
When you design your CV, write a cover letter, or go for a job interview, it’s important you show how your skills can create value. Remember that not all employers know your degree subject as well as you do – so you’ll need to help them understand why you’re the right person for the job and what you have to offer.
It’s important to be able to put your skills into words – not just for the sake of your future employer, but also for your own. Because it can boost your confidence to get your skills and strengths down on paper. It will make you realise just how many you have! And then you can bring them across in your cover letter and CV.
We have created a tool to help you get an overview of your skills.
It can be a good idea to practise putting your skills into words during your studies. You can do this by making a note of what you’ve learned after each course, project or assignment.
If you need to discuss this with someone, you can book a career guidance session and explore your skills with us.
If you’d like to work in a particular field or profession, consider reaching out to the job market to get some inspiration. Don’t present this as your attempt to get a job, but simply as your desire to learn more about what an employer considers when hiring new members of staff. The world is full of opportunities, so don’t hesitate to take advantage of them. Talk to someone in your network who has a job you think sounds interesting, or send an email to a company or organisation.
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Find out the best person to reach out to – somebody who knows about the profession you’re interested in.
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Contact the person – via LinkedIn, email or phone – and ask for a meeting. Explain why you’d like to meet and what you’d like to get out of the meeting. Make it clear that you’re happy to meet in a location that suits them or to have an online or phone conversation.
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Have a few questions prepared for the meeting. For example: How did you get the position you have today? What do you look for when hiring new members of staff? What does a typical work day look like for you?
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At the meeting, take responsibility for framing the conversation and keeping to the agreed timeframe – 30 minutes is usually a good length of time for this type of meeting.
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After the meeting, write to the person to thank them.
Email to a workplace
Subject line: Do you have time for a chat?
Subject line: Do you have time for a chat?
Dear [Person's name]
I am writing to you because I am very interested in the work you are doing in [specific area]. I would like to work in this area when I graduate, so I am keen to learn more about how you work with [specific area]. Would you have time for a quick meeting? I’d welcome the chance to get an insight into the job and hear any advice you may have on how to get into this line of work.
I can meet at any time that suits you – in-person, online or over the phone – and would appreciate any professional insights you could give me.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Kind regards
[Your name]
[Your contact information]
Email to someone with an interesting job
Subject line: Do you have time for a chat?
Dear [Person's name]
My name is [your name] and I am currently studying [degree]. I am writing to you because I am very interested in working as a/an [what you are considering working as, e.g. copywriter, biologist, divorce lawyer, researcher]. I think it sounds incredibly interesting, and I would like to ask you how you got into this line of work and what the job entails. Do you have time for a quick chat (in-person, online or over the phone) so that I can hear a little about your job and how you got there?
Thank you in advance for your time and help.
Kind regards
[Your name]
[Your contact information]
Email in which you mention your disability
Subject line: Do you have time for a quick chat about [job title/area]?
Dear [Person's name]
My name is [your name] and I am currently studying [degree]. I am writing to you because I am very interested in the work you are doing within [specific area]. This is an area I would like to work in myself when I graduate, so I am trying to learn more about what a career as a/an [job title] might look like.
Since I have [your disability], I am also curious to know how the job is carried out in practice and how it would align with my strengths, skills and support needs. For this reason, I would welcome the opportunity to hear about your experiences working in [area], any requirements there might be, and whether you have any advice on entering this line of work. Then I could work out if it would be a good fit for me. Would you have time for a quick meeting?
I can meet at any time that suits you – in-person, online or over the phone – and would welcome any professional insights you could give me.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Kind regards
[Your name]
[Your contact information]
