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.