Marketing Yourself to Employers: Assessing Your Skills

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Marketing Yourself to EmployersAssessing Your
Skills Abilities
Mathematics Eva Chan UNSW Careers and
Employment
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Who is more competitive?
Graduate A Distinction average Member of Maths
Students Society Confident about his abilities
Not good at interacting with others
Graduate B High Credit average Event Organiser of
Maths Students Society Uni volunteer, shop
assistance Excellent communication skills
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What do employers look for?
Work Experience
Can you do the job? Will you do the job? Will you
fit in?
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Employability Skills for the Future

• Technical Skills
• E.g. Statistical knowledge, research skills,
  multivariate analysis techniques
• Transferable Skills
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Problem Solving
• Initiative and enterprise
• Planning / organising
• Self-management
• Learning
• Technology

• Personal Attributes
• Loyalty
• Commitment
• Honesty / Integrity
• Enthusiasm
• Reliability
• Personal Presentation
• Commonsense
• Positive self esteem
• Sense of humour
• Balanced attitude to work / home life
• Ability to deal with pressure
• Motivation
• Adaptability

DEST, ANTA March 2002
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• Market Research Data Analyst (ACNielsen)
• Critical to success in this role will be
• A proactive accountable disposition
• Excellent written verbal communicator skills
• The ability to work effectively under pressure
• The ability to juggle multiple tasks prioritise
  effectively
• A degree level statistics qualification
• A minimum of 3 yrs relevant practical market
  research exp
• Advanced SPSS
• Ideally advanced / solid SAS skills
• Familiarity with Excel
• A numerate, problem solving mind
• Good understanding of univariate statistics (eg
  hypothesis testing, confidence intervals
  standard errors)
• Solid knowledge of multivariate analysis
  techniques (eg regression, factor
  correspondence analysis)
• Experience designing analysing trade-off
  research (eg conjoint choice modelling
  studies, would also be a distinct advantage)

Statistics Jobs in Australia NZ www.statsci.org/
jobs
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The Graduate Selection Process

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So. HOW do you get the job that you want?
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Step 1 Know Yourself

• Before looking for a job consider your
• Skills and abilities
• Interests
• Needs and priorities
• Values
• Experience and qualifications
• www.myfuture.edu.au

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http//graduates.ubs.com
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Develop and Prove Your Skills

• Achieve (or show improvements)
• Be involved and have fun
• O-week and Yellow Shirts
• 250 clubs societies
• University competition e.g. HEWSO, Sunswift
• UNSW Sports Association
• Community Services
• Get work experience casual, volunteer, vacation
  / internship

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How Jobs Relate to Skills Development
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Develop and Prove Your Skills (Contd)

• Achieve (or show improvements)
• Be involved and have fun
• Get work experience casual, volunteer or
  vacation
• Be involved with your profession
• Build a portfolio

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Step 2 Explore your options

• Get to Know Your Labour Market
• What type of work are you looking for?
• Who are appropriate employers in your field?
• What is happening in your industry?
• How do they normally recruit new staff?
• requires some research

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Where do I start researching?

• Information about occupations and industries
• www.myfuture.edu.au
• www.gradlink.edu.au graduate salary
  destination
• www.careers.unsw.edu.au Graduate Destination
  Survey
• Read newspaper, magazines, professional
  newsletters and journals
• Articles concerning developments in various
  industries
• Careers sections with news on employment trends
• News regarding particular employers
• Articles focussing on non-traditional occupations
  / career paths

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Where do I start researching? (Contd)

• Analysis what employers are looking for by
• Analysing selection criteria on Job Ads
• Speaking to employers in person at Careers Expo,
  Employer Information Session, Guest Presenters
  Workshop
• Conducting informational interview
• Visit the websites of Professional Associations
• e.g. The Australian Mathematical Society
• Career related Information and resources
• Networking Opportunities e.g. conferences, PD
  events, Careers Fair
• Corporate / Individual Members

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Steps to Success

• Start early
• Organise your search and keep the information
• Match your options with your interest, skills
  attributes
• Test drive it if possible!!
• Be flexible

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Getting There What Will Your Path Look Like?
Getting there in a career, in reality is often
not linear
Lecturer
Lecturer
Apply for Senior Lecturer Role Gain research
grant Become Lecturer Submit PhD thesis Apply for
Lectureship Attend conferences and
colloquia Awarded Postgrad scholarship Part time
tutor Enrol in a Phd Complete honours
Decide to return to academia
Temporary stint in pharmaceutical company-sales
Receive Grant rejection, keep applying
Change universities
Student
Travel overseas
it may be more like this
Getting there from here
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• ?

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Level 2, East Wing, Quadrangle Building. Ph
9385 5429
www.careers.unsw.edu.au