OXFORD

CORE SKILLS
GAINING EXPERIENCE + DEVELOPING SKILLS
C
SELF-MANAGEMENT
Recruiters will want evidence that you can manage your
own time, are flexible, resilient, and can improve yourself
based on feedback. You can demonstrate this by:
] Doing any extra-curricular activities or part-time work
in addition to your degree. This will signal to employers
that you can balance various responsibilities and
workloads.
] Up-skilling yourself. Why not take a course at the
Oxford Language Centre, or a free computing course
at IT services during term?
] Setting yourself personal goals that require training to
complete, such as running a half marathon.
] Participating in an organised charity challenge, such
as the RAG jailbreak or ‘Three Peaks Challenge’.
TEAM WORK
Organisations want to know that you can work in a
group to achieve something tangible. There are many
ways to develop team work skills, including:
] Joining a sports team. There are dozens of studentrun
sports clubs, and many more for individual
colleges. See www.sport.ox.ac.uk for inspiration.
] Getting involved in a choir, orchestra or band – or
helping to produce a play.
] Contributing to the decision-making of your Common
Room committee, or a student society.
] Choosing to do group project work, if the option is
offered on your course.
] Joining The Student Consultancy, or student led
initiatives for consultancy work in a group, like OxAid
or the Microfinance Initiative.
] Completing a Duke of Edinburgh award.
] Campaigning with OUSU. Campaigns promote many
good causes, from mental health to racial equality.
] Becoming part of the student team that runs Oxford
Hub.
COMMUNICATION
Employers want to see that you have good interpersonal
skills, and can communicate verbally and in writing – to
explain, analyse and persuade. You can display these
skills by:
] Persuading guest speakers to attend a society event
you are helping to organise.
] Securing corporate sponsorship for a club or
encouraging alumni to donate as part of a college
telethon campaign.
] Representing an external organisation as their Oxford
brand ambassador.
] Work experience in a customer service role.
] Writing a regular blog on something that interests you.
] Contributing articles or reviews to student publications
or contributing to Oxide Radio.
] Creating publicity materials for a charity.
] Debating at the Oxford Union or the Oxford
International Debating Society.
] Volunteering to tutor local school children.
] Creating YouTube presentations or doing your own
podcasts on something of interest to you.
] Volunteering to help with outreach and access events:
assisting at Oxford open days, or visiting schools to
encourage students to apply to Oxford.
Daisy Bland
Lincoln College, Medieval and
Modern Languages, 2008
Charityworks Programme
Manager, Vanilla
“Workplace skills are different to
‘getting-a-degree-from Oxford
‘skills. You’re bright, sure, but you also need to
be professional, practical, independent, positive,
approachable and have common sense.”
(See Daisy's career profile on p.80)
ORGANISATION & PLANNING
Employers will want to see evidence that you can organize people and resources to achieve objectives and work to a
deadline. Outside managing your studies, ideas of how you can develop this include:
] Organising a ball, bop, conference or campaign.
] Co-ordinating your Common Room’s annual elections.
] Organising a group or event to raise money for charity.
] Organising an away-day for a society, or an interuniversity
match for a sports club.
] Editing a student publication, such as a newspaper,
website or yearbook.
www.careers.ox.ac.uk 31