Reach Blog has moved:

http://www.careers.lon.ac.uk/blog/reach

Latest posts:

Ageism 6 April

RSA Internships 29 March

Guardian Film Internships 28 March

Women in the Boardroom 23 March

Shaw Trust – graduate and internship opportunities

Shaw Trust is a national charity which supports disabled and disadvantaged people to prepare for work, find jobs and live more independently.

They believe everyone has the right to work and have campaigned for over 25 years to turn their vision into a reality.

Every year they work with over 75,000 clients who face barriers due to disability, ill health or social circumstance. Thousands of employers and public sector organisations also benefit from their range of services for business.

They are the UK’s largest third sector provider and one of the Government’s lead partners in the delivery of employment programmes for disabled and disadvantaged people.

Althought the main graduate recruitment for 2011is coming to  a close – the Shaw Trust are still brokering opportunities for graduate vacancies and internships with Ernst & Young and KPMG and for training contracts with 2 of the larger law firms – Slaughter & may and K & L Gates.

More information on these schemes and how to apply can be found on the  Shaw Trust website

http:\\www.shaw-trust.org.uk/students_graduates

Law Society Diversity Access Scheme

Talented students facing obstacles to a career in law are invited to apply for the Law Society Diversity Access Scheme (DAS). The application process is designed to recognise promising entrants who also face exceptional social, educational, financial or personal obstacles to qualification.

The Law Society aims to increase the number of awards every year thanks to the continued support of sponsors. Current members of the scheme also received an acknowledgment of their achievements at the 2010 Law Society Excellence Awards.

Law Society president Linda Lee praised the promising students and commended their dedication in following the often difficult career path in law:

‘These are very inspirational and gifted people who have triumphed against the odds to follow their dreams. The Law Society is delighted to be in a position to assist them on their way to life long success. It is important to the Society and the wider profession that becoming a solicitor is open to all those who can meet our high standards irrespective of financial means. The solicitors’ profession is a meritocracy where hard work and talent should be the keys to success.’

Applications: 1 – 31 March 2011 – see  http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/newsandevents/news/view=newsarticle.law?NEWSID=434833 for more details and how to apply.

Shaw Trust – Housing Traineeship Opportunity

The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) is running a unique traineeship scheme in partnership with several major UK housing associations and housing providers. We want to increase the numbers of disabled people working in the housing sector as professionals.

This vacancy is at Redhill and the closing date is 2 September

If you wish to apply please send your CV and a covering letter outlining your interest in housing to sarah.scadding@shaw-trust.org.uk

Alternatively to find out more call Sarah on 07985 509027

Shaw Trust

Gender Equality at Royal Holloway

The Physics Department has been awarded Juno Practitioner status by the Institute of Physics (IOP). The IOP’s Juno Code of Practice seeks to reduce gender inequality among academic staff. Professor John Saunders, Head of Physics said “We rae delighted to receive the Juno Practitioner Award, which demonstrates our equitable working culture in which students and staff, mean and women, can realise their full potential.”

A new centre to improve the well-being of people with learning disabilities through research

The centre is located within the Faculty of Life Sciences at University College London, across the Research Department of Mental Health Sciences and the Research Department of Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology.

The central aim is to conduct high quality, multi-disciplinary research to ensure that health service provision for people with intellectual disabilities actively contributes to their quality of life. Trained researchers and clinicians will combine their research activities with clinical work in the National Health Service. The CHSRID team is made up of professionals from a range of disciplines, with psychiatry and clinical psychology at the core. Close links have been forged with colleagues in the fields of epidemiology, health economics, anthropology, social psychology and voluntary sector organisations. They also work with professionals in a variety of disciplines, including speech & language therapy, nursing, social work and commissioning.

Diversity in Leadership on 25th September in London

QS Leadership Career Forums

Companies include:

• ACCA
• American Express
• Bank of America
• BNP Paribas
• Deloitte
• Ernst & Young
• L’Oreal
• Moore Stephens

Presentations held by:

• ACCA – Interactive Ethics Workshop & Company Presentation
• FSA – Career Paths in the FSA
• Bank of America – Skills for Success: Interview & Application Workshop
• American Express – Company Presentation

Skills workshops run by:

• Silpa Gohil (Saville Consulting) – Psychometric Testing
• Salma Shah (Beyond) – Developing a Successful Personal Brand & Art of Influencing: It’s Not About You it’s About Them
• Pamela Christina (Chris Trainers) – Women Do It Differently & Embrace the Wealth of Diversity
• Diana Hogbin-Mills (Talentmax) – How Smart People Manage Their Careers & Network Your Way to Success

Panel debate include:

• Tamara Singh – Business Manager for Global Equity Markets at Deutsche Bank AG and ACCA Member
• Sebastian Linde – President AIESEC UK Ltd
• Facilitator: Zoya Zaitseva – QS World MBA Tour Global Operations Manager

Networking Session (starting at 6pm)

Diversity Roadshow

FRIDAY 22nd OCTOBER 2010   – LONDON – GRAND CONNAUGHT ROOMS

THURSDAY 28th OCTOBER 2010 – MANCHESTER – ARMITAGE CENTRE

TUESDAY 16th NOVEMBER 2010 – EDINBURGH – DYNAMIC EARTH CENTRE

Find more details about exhibitors, seminars events and how to register here

Some tips for mature job seekers

Extracted from a guardian article – How to work past retirement – to read the whole article

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Need a new job?

Older workers looking for a new job often feel their application is rejected as soon as the recruiting employer sees their age.

John Lees, career coach and author of Career Reboot, says it is true that workers over 50 may find that they are rejected in favour of younger ones, despite supportive legislation. “Even though we’re all working longer, older workers can often face prejudice based on their date of birth. Older workers who receive repeated rejections are often saying the wrong things – failing to talk about recent experience, constantly talking about out-of-date systems or processes, and constantly making reference to their age. Older workers who are successful, are much better at focusing on their strong suits – knowledge, maturity and reliability.”

Again Kelly believes that people who have worked in the public sector may have an even tougher time trying to convince a private-sector employer that they are the right candidates for a job. “It’s a culture shock for people to switch from public to private sector: you will need to take off the blinkers and become deinstitutionalised. It’s not a 35-hour week for example – you don’t go in at 9am and leave at 5pm. You finish when the work is complete.”

Lees suggests the following tips to improve your chances:

• Don’t draw attention to your age by giving emphasis to the year you started working or qualified, or referring to the age of your adult children. But don’t apologise for your age either.

• Avoid out-of-date terminology, and don’t emphasise any organisations that no longer exist.

• Focus your CV on what you have achieved and what you have to offer, not on your age.

• Include an email address. Employers often assume older interviewees are not IT literate. Try to demonstrate an active interest in new technology and new ways of working.

• Remember employers buy experience in many cases. Demonstrate how your know-how and maturity will be a benefit.

• Indicate your flexibility and provide recent evidence of your willingness to learn new skills and procedures. Talk about your interest in the work you are being interviewed for, and show that you have researched around the job.

• Explore the possibilities of mixing and matching different work patterns, including working on contract and on a temporary basis.

• Definitely do not reminisce or voice doubts about the wisdom of the current generation.

Ethnic minorities perceive professions as closed off

Careers in professions including banking, politics, law and journalism are perceived to be closed off to ethnic minorities living and working in Britain, according to a report from Race for Opportunity, Business in the Community’s race diversity campaign.

The report, which surveyed of the attitudes of 1,500 people from all the main ethnic groups living in the UK, including white Britons, reveals that 60% of white respondents saw no barriers to careers in the professions.

See the full report