Summary of successful Employability workshops for Graduates and Post Graduates run by two work psychologists, out of Cardiff University UK.

1. E mployability Skills for Graduates and Post-
Graduates
• 200 students between 2010 - 2012
• 3 day bootcamps
• Well over half of attendees got jobs soon after
• Designed and delivered by Manjula Bray and Philippa Davies as
consultants to Cardiff University, UK
• Funded by HEFCW

2. What We Attended To…
"If we get the mindset right, it is more likely to lead to skills
being developed as a consequence
I think of mindset as a lens through which you see the world -
and that lens can be adjusted."
James Reed, Chairman of Reed International from survey of 800 employers. Times
Higher Education supplement, Sept 2010

3. Aims Were: Feedback Said:
• Market yourself effectively • ‘you’ve given us hope again’
• Identify your personal preferences, • ‘I’m much more confident’
strengths and skills • ‘feel I’m not alone anymore –
• Implement research strategies to and I’m alright’
anticipate the needs of employers • ‘much better cv’
• Explore to the ‘hidden’ employment • ‘can handle any interview now’
market • ‘scales have fallen from my
• Consider self employment eyes regarding networking’
• Understand the key skills that • ‘much more definite idea of who
employers want I’m selling’
• Evidence and sell your unique
qualities
• Produce effective CVs and
application forms
•
(i n t e r e s t i n g
Create a realistic plan for your
continuing search for employment d i ffer en ces
h e r e !)

4. Programme
• Day 1: Know Yourself: Psychometrics
• Day 2: Recommend Yourself : Performance, presentation
and networking
• Day 3: Team Work and Entrepreneurship

5. Day I: Psychometrics
Jung-Type Indicator: to help identify strengths (or Myers-Briggs.
www.jungtype.com)
Schein Career Anchors: to help the ‘don’t knows’ get focussed (
www.careeranchorsonline.com)
Belbin Team Roles: to help find language to describe team
contribution (www.belbin.com)

6. Day 1: Strength Conversion
Content - shape cv items & strengths into AAAs:
• Assignment ( what situation was )
• Action ( what you did)
• Achievement ( what resulted – as quantified as possible)
With aim of brain having mental carousel of these during job
search

7. Day 2: Recommend Yourself
• Presentation
• Organization
• Evidence

8. Day 2: Your Offer
• What have been your life’s defining moments?
• What gives you a buzz?
• What does that convert to in what you offer people?
• Can you get this down to a short intent, like a Google
tagline?

9. Day 2: N etworking
Who can help?
Who works?
Who gossips and where
are they?
Where would you like
to be?

10. Day 2: Stealth N etworking
• 3 targets to action
• Locate yourself right
(hangout where people you
would like to work with go)
• Ask them for informal
advice
• Show what you do well
online

11. Day 2: Bootcamp Your Answers
Give Assignment/Action/Achievement answers for
• You as team player
• You as problem – solver
• You as ace learner

12. H ow Do You L ook?
• Reassuring? Comfortable
body language, eye
contact, open expression
• Enthusiastic? Responsive,
lively, reactive
• Like someone they’d like to
see most mornings?

13. H ow Do You Sound?
Breathe low
Pause
Warm up your face muscles
beforehand
Have energy, enthusiasm and
purpose in delivery

14. Does Your E vidence H ave
• Vividness and clarity? Does it tap into the zeitgeist?
(what employers believe they need currently)

15. Day 3: Team Playing
• Team invent new product/service with assessment criteria
of:
2. Task engagement
3. Can do attitude
4. Communication
5. Organization
• Feedback given individually on a ‘theme to take forward…’
basis

16. Day 3: Motivation
• Locus of control: to what extent do you believe you have
self-efficacy? That you can make things happen…
• Guest speakers on motivation and entrepreneurship

17. Follow-Up
• Ning and facebook groups started by some grads and post-
grads
• Very visible increase in social networking from some
participants : linked-in groups and twitter especially

18. Day 3: Resources
• Worksheets
• E-book
• You tube video
• Free resource at www.mrsmotivator.com from Philippa
Davies and www.selectif.co.uk from Manjula Bray
• Any queries please contact mrsmotiv@gmail.com