A job now

upcoming graduate job fairs around the country

anything@ajobnow.co.uk (ajobnow.co.uk) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:04:00 +0000

Leeds Met University Mini Careers Fair Leeds 29/7/2008 29/7/2008
2008 Careers Fair University of Stirling, Stirling 2/10/2008 2/10/2008
General Recruitment Fair University of Warwick 6/10/2008 7/10/2008
Careers Fair 2008 Edinburgh 7/10/2008 8/10/2008
'Ideas 4 Careers' - Autumn Careers Information Fair 2008 Cardiff 8/10/2008 8/10/2008
Graduate Management & Finance Fair St Andrews 10/10/2008 10/10/2008
Autumn Fair University Of Ulster, Jordanstown 13/10/2008 14/10/2008
The University of Leeds Autum Careers Fair University of Leeds, Parkinson Court 13/10/2008 14/10/2008
Investment Bank & Management Consultancy Evening Bristol 13/10/2008 13/10/2008
Autumn Recruitment Fair (Two day event, second day 15 Oct 08) Bristol 14/10/2008 14/10/2008
City and Finance Fair University of Warwick 14/10/2008 14/10/2008
School of Oriental & African Studies Graduate Opportunities fair 2008 London 14/10/2008 14/10/2008
The Scottish Graduate Fair SECC, Glasgow 14/10/2008 15/10/2008
Autumn Recruitment Fair (Two day event, first day 14 Oct 08) Bristol 15/10/2008 15/10/2008
Liverpool Fairs: Graduate Careers Festival 2008 St George's Hall, Liverpool 15/10/2008 15/10/2008
Napier University Careers Fair Edinburgh 16/10/2008 16/10/2008
UCL Investment Banking Fair London 16/10/2008 16/10/2008
Careers Fair Limerick 16/10/2008 16/10/2008
UCL Engineering Fair London 20/10/2008 20/10/2008
Newcastle JobFest Newcastle upon Tyne 20/10/2008 20/10/2008
Finance Fair University of York 21/10/2008 21/10/2008
Administration, Finance & Management Fair Queen's University Belfast 21/10/2008 21/10/2008
Information Fair 2008 Durham 21/10/2008 22/10/2008
Engineering, Science & IT Fair Queen's University Belfast 22/10/2008 22/10/2008
University of Birmingham Autumn Fair Birmingham 22/10/2008 22/10/2008
The Science, Engineering & Technology Fair Manchester 22/10/2008 22/10/2008
The Finance, Business & Management Fair Manchester 23/10/2008 23/10/2008
UCL IT and Technology Fair London 23/10/2008 23/10/2008
Recruitment Fair Norwich 23/10/2008 23/10/2008
UCL Finance and Economics Fair London 27/10/2008 27/10/2008
Law Fair University of York 28/10/2008 28/10/2008
Careers Fair Hull 28/10/2008 28/10/2008
Careers & Placements Fair 2008 Bournemouth 28/10/2008 28/10/2008
Autumn Recruitment Fair Palmer Building, Whiteknights Campus, Reading 29/10/2008 29/10/2008
Institute of Physics Careers Fair New Connaught Rooms, London 29/10/2008 29/10/2008
Sussex University GradFair Brighton 29/10/2008 29/10/2008
Engineering & IT Recruitment Fair Bristol 29/10/2008 29/10/2008
UCL Graduate Schemes Fair London 30/10/2008 30/10/2008
International Fair University of Warwick 30/10/2008 30/10/2008
National Graduate Recruitment Exhibition in Birmingham NEC, Birmingham 31/10/2008 1/11/2008
The Yorkshire Autumn Graduate Recruitment Fair Sheffield 4/11/2008 5/11/2008
Science, Engineering & Technology Fair University of York 4/11/2008 4/11/2008
Engineering & Technology University of Warwick 4/11/2008 4/11/2008
Law Fair Queen's University Belfast 5/11/2008 5/11/2008
Leicestershire Student and Graduate Fair 2008 (LSGF) Leicester 5/11/2008 5/11/2008
Leicestershire Student & Graduate Fair 2008 Leicester 5/11/2008 5/11/2008
Main Careers Fair Plymouth 5/11/2008 5/11/2008
Careers Fair University of Kent, Canterbury 6/11/2008 6/11/2008
University of Brighton Careers Fair Brighton 6/11/2008 6/11/2008
University of Teesside Careers Information Fair Middlesbrough 7/11/2008 7/11/2008
gradFairZ.com National Graduate Recruitment Fair Purely online -accessible anywhere 10/11/2008 19/11/2008
Brunel University Autumn Careers Fair Uxbridge 10/11/2008 11/11/2008
University of Bristol Law Fair Bristol 12/11/2008 12/11/2008
The Graduate Recruitment Fair Northampton 12/11/2008 12/11/2008
Meet Your Future 08 Tremough Campus , Penryn , Cornwall. 12/11/2008 14/11/2008
Careers Fair Hatfield 12/11/2008 12/11/2008
Graduate Opportunities Fair Worcester 13/11/2008 13/11/2008
Careers Fair 2008 Hendon 14/11/2008 14/11/2008
Law Fair University of Warwick 18/11/2008 18/11/2008
Autumn Graduate Opportunities Fair, GO 08 Preston 20/11/2008 20/11/2008
UCL Law Fair London 24/11/2008 25/11/2008
Graduate Recruitment Fair Portsmouth 26/11/2008 26/11/2008
International Recruitment Fair City University London 27/11/2008 28/11/2008
Careers with a Conscience Fair Sheffield Hallam Union - The HUBS, Sheffield 4/12/2008 4/12/2008
Careers Fair - School of the Built Environment Limerick Institute of Technology, Moylish Campus 22/1/2009 22/1/2009
Careers Fair - Schools of Business & Humanities and Science, Engineering & IT Limerick Institute of Technology, Moylish Campus 27/1/2009 27/1/2009
Graduate Recruitment Fair University of Winchester 12/2/2009 12/2/2009
Management Finance & Business Fair Leicester 25/2/2009 25/2/2009
Spring into Jobs Fair Sheffield 29/4/2009 29/4/2009
Graduate Recruitment Fair Bath 2/6/2009 2/6/2009
Liverpool Fairs: Graduate Recruitment Festival 2009 St George's Hall, Liverpool 2/6/2009 2/6/2009
Newcastle Graduate Recruitment Fair Newcastle upon Tyne 8/6/2009 8/6/2009
The Graduate Recruitment Fair @ Manchester Manchester 17/6/2009 18/6/2009
Liverpool Fairs: Graduate Careers Festival 2009 St George's Hall, Liverpool 14/10/2009 14/10/2009

DO's & Donts of a job interview

anything@ajobnow.co.uk (ajobnow.co.uk) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:55:00 +0000

DO's
DO create a good first impression.
DO prepare in advance
DO sell yourself.
DO rehearse
DONTS
DO NOT go into the interview under the impression that the job is already yours.
DO NOT portray yourself negatively.

The key to an impressive CV

anything@ajobnow.co.uk (ajobnow.co.uk) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:53:00 +0000

DO present your CV in a logical order. Begin with your name, contact details (including mobile phone and email) and a current profile. Then list your relevant experience and skills in chronological order, starting with the most recent.
DO present yourself in a positive light. Stress your achievements and skills. Your challenge is to get your key messages across to your reader quickly.
DO say it with stats. Quantifying your statements with examples and figures adds credibility and will help your CV stand out.
DO use action words. Vicky Green of recruitment consultancy Bilingual People said: "Companies crave action verbs such as delivered, operated, consolidated, administered, evaluated and negotiated." This will help add punch to your writing and stimulate the reader's interest.
DO check your CV through after you have finished writing it, or, better still, ask someone else who you can trust to check it. Mistakes look unprofessional.
DON'T lie and avoid exaggerating. You must be able to support anything you put in your CV at interview. A lie that is found out will not only lose you the application, but could damage your future chances with other employers.
DON'T put your age at the top of the CV. You could be immediately ruled out (although there is legislation in the pipeline to prevent this, employers will inevitably have an ideal age range for candidates in mind). If you include it, put it at the end with your other personal details and interests so the recipient has to read your CV first.
DON'T include anything that could portray you negatively. You may have had several temporary jobs, which suggests you move around a lot. Any gaps in your career should be explained. Sacha Knights of Invicta Staff Agency said: "There are many reasons for career gaps - people travel for instance - but you must explain this on your CV." Don't leave the employer guessing.
DON'T include references at CV stage. An employer will ask for them if they are interested in offering you the position. However, it is worth having potential referees in mind.
DON'T include any salary demands as this can limit your potential. If it is too high an employer will be put off, if it is low you may limit what you could negotiate if offered the job. Have a range in mind to discuss at interview.

Rember these vital points for a good CV

anything@ajobnow.co.uk (ajobnow.co.uk) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:50:00 +0000

Less is more: Restrict your CV to two pages and that doesn't mean reducing the type size to make it fit! Be brief, but also clear and to the point. Tempt your reader to find out more about you.

Simplicity: Create your CV on a computer using a clear, businesslike font (Arial and Times New Roman are the most widely-used) and print it on quality white or cream paper. Avoid using graphics.

Relevance: You don't have much space so omit irrelevant information. For example, the longer you have been in employment the less important your school education becomes. Consider whether you actually need to include all of your academic qualifications - only include the ones which will improve your chances of getting the job.

Layout: The appearance of your CV is vital. Use wide margins, bold text for headings and bullet points for your achievements. Do not underestimate the value of white space. Too much text clutters a CV and makes it a daunting read

CV writting tips

anything@ajobnow.co.uk (ajobnow.co.uk) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:47:00 +0000

Cards on the table time. There is no universally approved structure to a CV, and certainly no RIGHT way to write one. It is a personal document that is meant to be a reflection of your strengths, skills and experience.

However, it is important to realise that your CV is a marketing document designed to sell yourself to the employer and secure an interview.

CVs should always be written with the reader, your potential employer, in mind. At this stage you don't know exactly what the employer is looking for beyond what the job advert said. If you spend your time trying to second guess what the employer wants you could lose both the focus of the CV and the chance of an interview.

It is important to present your CV simply, but also to make it interesting and easy to read because the reader will probably have hundreds to go through and will save time by scanning them.

Remember these important points

anything@ajobnow.co.uk (ajobnow.co.uk) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:45:00 +0000

Quality counts: To make your covering letter look as impressive as possible, print it on quality white or cream A4 paper. Use the same type of paper for your covering letter as you use for your CV. Don't staple your CV to your covering letter. Either leave them unattached or use a paper clip. To avoid folding your letter you can use an A4-size window envelope (obviously making sure that the address is visible in the window.)

Follow up: If your application fails it could pay dividends to write a brief follow-up letter asking for some feedback. It will help you with future applications. And there is always the chance that the employer will have second thoughts and decide to offer you an interview. At the very least you show your interest in the job and the company and your name will spring to mind if similar positions become available.

CV covering letter tips

anything@ajobnow.co.uk (ajobnow.co.uk) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:42:00 +0000

Covering Letters
You should send a covering letter with every CV, whether responding to an advertised position, or a speculative application. You should also send a covering letter with an application form.

A covering letter is a more personal document than your CV. Its purpose is to persuade an employer to read your CV, so don't underestimate its importance. A good covering letter, accompanied with a great CV, will give you an excellent chance of securing an interview.

Below are some tips that will help you write an impressive covering letter.

DO create your covering letter on a computer using a clear, businesslike font such as Arial or Times New Roman. Only handwrite it if the employer specifically asks you to and, if you do, make sure your writing is legible.
DO address your covering letter to a named individual. This will often be found on a job advertisement, but if it isn't ring and ask the personnel department of the company. A letter that is addressed to a specific person is automatically more persuasive than one beginning: "Dear Sir/Madam".
DO explain fully why you want the job. It is your challenge to convince the employer you are the right candidate. Stress how your skills and experience match the job description, using the terms of a job advertisement if you wish, and back up any statements you make with proof.
DO research the company . In these days of Internet technology it is easy to brief yourself. It will impress an employer if you show you know something about the company that isn't mentioned in the job advertisement, but don't just quote their promotional literature back at them. Be prepared to expand on statements at interview.
DO use positive language. Confirm that you have enclosed your CV, detail when you would be available for interview to start work, and always close with a positive statement such as "I look forward to hearing from you" or "Do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information". Make it sound like you expect to secure an interview.
DON'T make your letter too long. Restrict it to one side of A4, shorter if possible. Include enough information to express exactly why you want the job and how you match the job requirements, but no more. Well-considered brevity is impressive. Jo Caswell, of Crown Personnel, in Ashford, said: "I've seen covering letters in the past that are full sides of A4 covered in text, which you really don't want to read. Be quite punchy - give the reader a taster of you."
DON'T simply reiterate your CV. The aim is to make the employer read your CV, so include any facts that may be relevant but are not included in your CV. If you do repeat anything in your CV, try and expand upon it or write it in a different way so it doesn't look like you are quoting.
DON'T make mistakes. Check your letter through carefully or, better still, ask someone else to check it, and amend incorrect spelling, punctuation and grammar. Errors make you look unprofessional and careless--not an image you want to convey.
DON'T go into your private life and leisure pursuits in your covering letter. This is a work-related letter explaining why you are right for a particular job and a long list of hobbies and pastimes will create the wrong impression.
DON'T make any salary demands unless specifically asked to do so. Remember you are trying to show the employer that you are a good potential employee. If you are asked to include salary requests try not to limit yourself by going too high or too low. Have an acceptable salary range in mind to discuss at interview should the topic arise.