What Work Nottinghamshire for Young People 2015/16 | Page 19

Information and guidance for young people aged 13-19

Problem solving

By the time you’re 38 you could
have had 10 different jobs. That’s
why you’ll need a good set of
transferable skills!

Explain how you would identify a problem and how you would solve
it. You could come up with different ways of tackling it and who else
you would need to involve. If you can think of something you’ve
had to tackle that was difficult then show that you’re not afraid of a
challenge.

Business and
customer awareness

Dealing with the public involves a range of skills and qualities. Show
that you understand the need to communicate well and can remain
calm in difficult situations.

The benefits of work experience!

Employers really value work experience - you’re more likely to get a job if
you’ve had some experience of a working environment. Universities also
look for people who can show that they have some work experience when
applying. You can learn new skills and understand why they are
important by spending time in a workplace. But another real
benefit is that you get the opportunity to see if a type of work is
going to suit you. It might just set you on the right path!

To find out more
about your skills
and how to brush
up on them try the
skills health check tools on
the National Careers Service
website (search for ‘national
careers service’ online)

“It was an opportunity to experience day to day office life
being an administration assistant, attending meetings,
inputting data and writing reports. Work experience
helped me prepare for work life and also mature as a
person. It helped me understand there is more than just
a computer in an office but different departments which
help contribute to make an office work.”
Kiran

17