On Wednesday I was honoured to present to 47 students at the University of East Anglia on ‘Working in Marketing and Digital Media’. Whilst some were undertaking marketing or PR courses, a number were just interested in what the sector had to offer. But, what astounded me the most, was the number of questions afterwards about how to write a good CV and how to make sure theirs gets read. Core questions asked included:
– Does it matter that I’m not doing a marketing degree?
– I’m doing Politics and PR, how do I evidence my skills?
– I’m currently an admin assistant, but I want to get a job in photography. Will my current job title put people off?
At MTM, we are always looking for new talent and the best people we have employed have come to us when we are not advertising. The CV’s that stand out are those that show the individual has a life outside of school/work, is enthusiastic about whatever they do, and are prepared to use their initiative to solve problems. This also allows for a much more interesting interview process, and therefore a better understanding of the capabilities of the individual.
In my experience, candidates who attended independent schools have a wider range of interests beyond school, making them a more rounded individual. This should be celebrated and should be aspired too, rather than the constant clamour for ever higher academic attainment. What is the end game? What do we want our young people to be? How do we get there? Let’s start preparing our young people for careers throughout their education.