Job Application Resources and Career Planning
This part of the Employability Hub focuses on key guidance in searching for jobs, completing applications and resources helping you create CV's, preparing for interviews and using AI.
You can navigate to relevant sections using the contents below:
Job Application Resources
Where to apply for career opportunities?
Here we list some of the common places you could look and apply for career opportunities such as, internships, placements, part-time work and full time work.
You can also check out the University's Job Hunting Toolkit.
University Career Services
University of York provides career services website for job listings, internships, and career fairs. Find more information regarding where to find job opportunities on the University's Finding Jobs page.
You could also attend workshops and networking events hosted by the career services.
2. Job Portals
Websites like LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and Handshake offer job and internship listings which you can filter through by type and location.
Top Tip!: Look through opportunities on these platforms frequently so that you wouldn't miss any important deadline and apply to opportunities that suit you.
3. Company Websites
Visit the careers section of companies you’re interested in. Most companies post internships and job openings directly on their websites. Look for sections such as "Careers," "Jobs," or "Opportunities".
4. Professional Associations
Joining professional associations related to your field of study. You could also look for research centres for your field. They often have job boards and career resources which would be useful for your career plans. Examples include IEEE for engineering and AMA for marketing.
Top Tip!: It would be helpful to keep an eye on these boards as applications here might be less competitive than those on LinkedIn and Handshake.
5. Networking
Utilize your personal and professional network. Inform professors, family, friends, and alumni about your job search. Make your search known. This could help you in surprising ways and help you track down less marketed opportunities
Attending industry conferences and seminars would also be a great way to expand your professional network.
Top Tip!: The University also provides access to mentoring from our Alumni's. See more on the University's York Profiles and Mentors page.
How to Apply
Online Applications
Online applications are submitted through job portals, company websites, and university career services platforms.
It would usually require you to submit a CV and cover letter as well as to fill in some profile information in.
Top Tip!: Always ensure your CV and cover letter are tailored to each application.
Email Applications
Some positions may require you to send your application via email. Include a concise email body and attach your CV and cover letter. Make sure that you follow the application instructions carefully.
Top Tip!: Here's a few email application templates that you could use. (email template links)
Career Fairs:
Attend career fairs organized by your university or industry organizations. Prepare your CV and practice your elevator pitch. A self introductory elevator pitch should be short and concise. The goal of the pitch would be to highlight who you are and capture the interest of the conversation.
Collect business cards and follow up with recruiters after the fair.
Recruitment Agencies:
Sign up with recruitment agencies that specialize in placing students and recent graduates. These agencies can help match you with suitable job openings and internships.
Career Planning Guide
Career Exploration and Self-awareness
Here we list some of the tools and tests you could utilise to better understand your skills to identify careers that could be of interest to you.
Psychometric Tests
Many employers use psychometric tests as part of the recruitment to measure specific abilities. At our University, the Careers and Placements have partnered with AssessmentDay and Team Focus to provide a broader bank of practice tests exclusive to York students.
More information can also be found on the University of York's Psychometric Tests page.
York Strengths Program
This award winning program, unique to our university helps students understand their strengths - the things that they are good at and love.
Find out more about what's available on the York Strengths pages.
3. Self-awareness
Knowing your own skills and experience will help you choose a career that is right for you. Below are some career self-awareness resource.
Team Focus is an online questionnaire that helps you understand your personality preferences, learning styles and resilience. After completing the questions you will receive an emailed report with insights that may be useful as you consider the type of work that would suit you.
Additional personality questionnaires freely available online that you could try are 16SPQ questionnaire, Synthetic Aperture Personality Assessment, IPIP Big 5 Factor Markers and Prospects Career Planner.
4. Events
You could also talk to professionals working in areas that interest you. Many events are run on campus where you will get the chance to chat to people about their jobs and organiaations (eg Careers in... events, fairs and presentations or workshops). More information can be found about university career events on this page.
CV Help
CV Types and Templates
Different industries have different CV format preferences. Below are some examples that could guide you to make your own CV tailored to the job you are applying to.
Basic Template:
Design: Simple and clean, using standard fonts and minimal formatting.
Best for: Traditional industries like finance, law, and administration.
Features: Clear sections, bullet points for easy readability, consistent formatting
Example of an Investment Banking CV
Creative Template:
Design: Highly visual with custom graphics, fonts, and colors.
Best for: Design, marketing, and media industries.
Features: Includes a portfolio section, visually distinct sections, and creative use of typography.
Example of a Television Industry CV
See more on the University's career page and to check out more good CV examples.
Reviewing your CV
Upload your CV and a job description to CareerSet to gather tailored advice on how to improve the CV based on the specific job description.
If you have particular concerns about your CV or questions that CareerSet can't help with. You could request written feedback via Handshake or speak to the Careers and Placement Department about your CV in the daily careers drop-in or in an appointment. Check out their Talk to us page for more information.
Interview Types
One-to-One Interviews: Conducted with either a Human Resources representative or the potential line manager for the role you're applying for.
Panel Interviews: Involve multiple interviewers, typically 3-4, who take turns asking questions.
Top tip!: These can be daunting, but it's important to remember to address all panel members, but focus on the one asking the question.
Group Interviews: Multiple candidates are interviewed together to assess teamwork, interaction, and leadership skills.
Phone Interviews: Often used early in recruitment processes, sometimes by agencies. Successful candidates are usually invited to a face-to-face interview.
Video Interviews: Increasingly common and come in two main types:
Automated Video Interviews: Conducted via webcam at your convenience, with pre-set questions. Prepare as for a face-to-face interview, considering your background and attire.
Live Video Interviews: Treated like in-person interviews, requiring proper preparation and dress. Ensure familiarity with the software and test your equipment beforehand.
Casual Interviews: Informal discussions about a job role that should be treated with the same seriousness as formal interviews. Prepare thoroughly and dress appropriately.
Second Interviews: More rigorous and in-depth, often involving senior managers or partners. Second interviews might also form part of an assessment centre.
Preparing for an Interview
The Job Role
Review your strengths in relation to the job and revisit your application, CV, and cover letter. Refresh your examples that demonstrate your fit for the role and think of additional examples. Practice answering questions using the CAR (Context, Action, Result) or STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) models. Be prepared for technical questions if applicable.
Events
Don't have an interview yet but want some practice? You can attend on-campus events to gain insights into employer expectations and recruitment processes. Participate in Careers Fairs (Semester 1), Assessment Centre events (Semesters 1 and 2), and employer-led skills sessions and presentations. Check the events pages and Handshake for updates.
Resources
Utilize resources such as Prospects, PwC’s e-learn Employability Hub, and Bain & Company for interview advice and case study tips. Research employers using their websites, or independent sites such as Glassdoor and Student Room .
Consider using AI tools for summarizing information or generating sample questions, but verify the content. Practice with Shortlist.Me for mock video interviews. Book a careers advice appointment or a mock interview for personalized guidance (see Talk to Us pages on the University website).
Practicalities
Secured an interview? Confirm your attendance and plan your travel to arrive early, allowing time to relax and engage with reception staff. Prepare your interview outfit the night before, dressing smartly but comfortably. Bring a file with your CV, job advertisement, and relevant documents. Also ensure you have something to eat beforehand to maintain your energy levels.
On the day tips!
Arrive early to ensure you have plenty of time.
Make sure your phone is set to silent.
Pay attention to your body language: sit up straight but comfortably to avoid fidgeting, look attentive and interested, and make eye contact. In panel interviews, focus on the person asking the question but include others occasionally.
Listen carefully to the interviewer and be mindful of your responses.
If you don’t understand a question, ask for clarification. It’s also okay to take a moment to think before answering.
Avoid giving one-word answers, but don’t talk excessively. Ensure your responses are relevant, concise, and to the point.
Use concrete examples from your experiences to illustrate your skills and knowledge, employing the CAR or STAR models.
Stay positive. Avoid making negative statements about yourself or others and refrain from diminishing your experiences.
Do not criticize previous employers, as it may concern the interviewer about potential future comments about their organisation.
Avoid using abbreviations that the employer may not recognize.
Sell yourself! Don't be afraid to talk about your strengths, and showcase why you are the best person for the job. You're not 'boasting' or being 'vain' by talking about yourself highly.
Assessment Centres
Assessment centres allow employers to evaluate candidates' skills, competencies, and characteristics through various activities. Using consistent assessment criteria for all activities ensures a fair and reliable process. This method offers a better opportunity to showcase your potential compared to a single interview and provides insight into the organisations culture and job roles.
For more information regarding assessment centres and how to prepare, check out the university careers page.
If you would like to request reasonable adjustments in the recruitment process do check out the career support page for disabled students.
Use of AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a valuable tool in your career preparation, but you need to understand that employers opinions on AI is varied, so whilst we will include how you can effectively utilise AI to enhance your employability, remember to make an informed opinion on using AI.
Things to consider before using AI:
Use of AI in job applications is prohibited by some companies, and if you use AI it might be flagged and your application is rejected.
AI can be unreliable, it might use incorrect sources or references, or use terminology that you wouldn't usually use which might be noticed at interview.
Unless edited, the information given out by AI is often formatted and structured similarly, which makes it harder to set you apart from others using the same tools.
Because of this, we'd never recommend you to copy and paste text straight from Chat GPT or Gemini across into an application form. However, if you are willing to make edits and review to make the content produced by AI more authentic, then here are some effective ways to utilise AI to enhance your employability:
Overcoming Writer's Block: AI can quickly generate a draft, helping you avoid the daunting blank page. This can serve as a starting point for your CV, cover letter, application, or presentation.
Experience Descriptions: AI tools can provide prompts for how to describe your experience. These suggestions can be adapted to fit your unique background and the specific requirements of the job.
Interview Preparation: Using AI, you can generate interview questions based on a job description. This allows you to practice your responses and improve your interview performance.
Text Summarisation: AI can provide concise summaries of lengthy texts, such as company policies, job descriptions, and articles. This helps you quickly grasp essential information without having to read through extensive documents.
Assistive Technology: AI can support students with disabilities by providing tools that make the career preparation process more accessible and manageable.
Vocabulary Generation: AI can generate relevant vocabulary and phrases, which can be especially useful for international students who may need help with language nuances.
More information regarding Employer Attitudes, data security and additional resources regarding AI utilization can be found on the Using AI as an applicant page.
Offers and Rejections
It's likely as you begin searching for graduate roles, that you'll experience the highs and lows of job hunting, which might include rejections.
The Careers department have put some guidance together on dealing with these highs and lows, from handling a job offer whilst awaiting the outcome of other interviews, choosing from multiple job offers and how to deal with rejections.
You can review the information on the Unsuccessful applications and handling job offers pages.
For additional support, you can check out these University of York guidance pages:
Applications: CVs, cover letters, application forms
Recruitment processes: psychometric tests, assessment centres, interviews