To revise or not to revise, that is the question!??

Christmas is fast approaching and many students have gone home for the Christmas break. However, reading many people’s Facebook status’s they still have revision and assignments looming in January. Whoever decided to put exams and deadlines at the beginning of January?! Well…I have three exams and an assignment due in January so here is my plan for success:

* Decide which subjects you are least good at: some students may go for the ‘bury your head in the sand approach,’ or ‘I find this subject hard so I am going to leave it until last.’ This is not the approach to have. I rank my subjects dependent on how hard I find them and how much I have to learn. For me this would go: IFRS for SMEs, Corporate Tax and then Advanced Management Accounting. Once you have done this you can create a revision timetable.

* Create a revision timetable: I print off a simple timetable from the internet. I then put in revision timetable slots of an hour for each subject. My tips here would be thinking realistically what else you having going on the day and whether there is time to do revision. Also, I never do more than one hour at a time or more than two hours a day as research has shown any more and it is just pointless!

* Give yourself plenty of breaks: After I have revised for an hour I have a break. Plus I also give myself ‘days off’ to spend with family. So, I will definitely not be revising the 24th/25th/26th of December!

* Have a reward system: To enhance motivation, I also bribe myself with a reward. For example, doing my nails or watching a Disney movie (yes, I am a very sad person but you can never beat a Disney day!).

* Revise with friends: If all other options fail, I revise with my friend. This is very helpful as we can be each other’s procrastination police! Also, a friend may be better at certain elements of the subject than you so you can help each other.

These tips have worked for me and to prove it I have received two ‘Academic Excellence Scholarships’ from the University of Worcester.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year : D

Here is a little video about revising that made me laugh. It is so true!

Youth Employment Magazine

Have you heard about the HEAR?

Students have many possible responses to this ranging from ‘sort of’ to ‘I have no idea!’ So, what does HEAR stand for I hear you cry…The Higher Education Achievement Report. But what does this mean?

Students graduating in November 2013 were the first students to be able to use the HEAR to demonstrate their extra-curricular activities. This meant that their degree transcript did not only show their degree classification, but also activities that were endorsed by the university to boost employability. These activities include: The Worcester Award, StAR accreditation, V50 award and above, university prizes and awards, scholarships, and the university mentor programme level 2.

So what are the benefits of the HEAR?

* To provide a comprehensive record of your university achievements, to accompany the degree certificate you will receive when you complete your course.* To recognise your extra-curricular achievements and record more detailed information about your academic activities.* To help you to identify and articulate your individual skills.* To provide you with evidence of your university learning, to help you showcase your individual strengths and experiences to employers and others.

The HEAR is not intended to replace your CV when applying for roles; however, it can be used to write you CV and an electronic copy can be sent to employers. It is a good way for employers to verify your claims in your CV!


To find out more information visit: http://www.worc.ac.uk/careers/1610.htm



The Higher Education Achievement Report Introduction from The Higher Education Academy on Vimeo.

Bright Futures Magazine

Open publication - Free publishing

Are you university league tables the be all and end all? What you should really know!

"I have applied to Warwick University as it has moved from fourth to third in the league table for my accountancy course", said a college student when I was working as a student ambassador. But should ranking really be the only factor considered when choosing a university? And can you get a great job even if you didn't go to a top university?

It's easy to see why students place so much emphasis on rankings. With stretched recruitment budgets and such a competitive graduate job market top recruiters primarily target these universities. The Highflyers Report 2013 shows that students from the top ten universities have the highest earning potential and are the most likely to gain a graduate position in a top company. I attend the University of Worcester, which is currently ranked 107th; however, it is fast moving up the league tables. Most students do not realise that league tables are based on numerous factors but are grounded on the amount of research the university does. I based my university decision on how much the university focused on employability. When I started university I knew that I would have to compete with students from ‘top’ universities, so I made sure I had the opportunity to build up skills. Regardless of what university you're at, getting a job is the main aim of attending university. You can do this by boosting your employability. Getting a job is about being able to demonstrate that you have the relevant skills that match the company's needs. The UW graduate employability figures are extremely high, with 92.3% of students gaining employment or continued studying. So, should you only look at league tables, or look towards universities that factor employability and skills building high on their agenda? I know which one I would choose. I degree is not enough and it is important that all students can demonstrate an understanding on the ‘skills need’ and here is how:

It's important to get to know the company you're applying to and to understand the skills they value. The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Service (AGCAS) shows the top five skills all employers are looking for are: commercial awareness, teamwork, communication skills, flexibility and integrity. Pushing yourself towards situations and experiences that will develop these skills is important. University is not just about studying; extra-curricular activities are necessary to demonstrate relevant skills. While at university I have got involved with as many projects as I can in order to make myself employable The Worcester Bright Futures Society organises networking and employability events with top companies; I am a committee member, which means I not only attend the events, but help set them up. Organising an event improved my time management and communication skills and being part of the society has enabled me to meet people in companies and learn more about the recruitment process. I have learnt that although top grades are important, your first job will probably come from networking. I would advise other students, whether you're at a low ranking university or not, to work hard on making networks.

Another way to develop skills is through charity work. I work with a charity called Mentor Link and have helped students improve their behaviour through arts and crafts. Volunteering is a good way to demonstrate that you are a "well-rounded individual". It's an excellent way to gain insight into a chosen career as well as developing skills.

If you get involved with extracurricular activities, you might also be eligible for employability awards that can show a company your dedication. At my university I attained the Worcester Award for my extracurricular work. Your university might have a similar employability award, and it's a way to highlight your strengths. Other students have used the award as a talking point at interviews and have attained jobs with companies such as Microsoft and Blackberry.

Once you have built up your experiences, be it through networking, volunteering or other extracurricular activities, you need to make sure you put all of this across in your job application. A good way to do this is by using the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Describe the situation, talk about the task, and say what you did and then what affect that had. Recruiters have limited time and do not want to read pages of waffle. STAR is a way to effectively and concisely put forward the skills gained from an experience. This method could be used in your CV but also when answering competency-based interview questions.

If you are determined, and work on building employable skills, then you should be just as employable as a student form a higher ranking university.

My advice would be to attend a university that you want to attend and not to be restricted and worried about league tables. I have had a great time at university, and have built up employable skills through my extracurricular work. Your focus should be on how the university will help you boost your employability, not just to get a degree.