At the University of Bristol, we strive to create meaningful opportunities that prepare students for the future while fostering a positive impact. The Berkeley Square Challenge, a collaborative initiative between the School of Education, Transform Society, and the Careers Service, is a positive example of this in action.
We asked two of our Career Service Student Ambassadors, Rose Gunning (Politics and International Relations) and Kreeshi Shavdia (Mathematics and Physics), what they felt like they got out of achieving the Bristol PLUS Award. Here is what they said…
If all products were the same, how would we choose between them?
A unique selling point – USP – is the attribute that makes a product different from and more attractive than its competitors.
Just as big brands need to hook buyers in with their USPs, job applicants need to find ways to catch the eye of recruiters. So, when applying for jobs, this means showing employers what makes you different, ensuring you stand out from the crowd.
Job descriptions and person specifications outline the skills and qualifications required of an ideal candidate, and in some cases additional ‘desirable’ qualities. However, the jobs market is a competitive place, and many applicants will meet the essential criteria, i.e. many people will be equally qualified to do the job.
This can make the shortlisting process quite difficult – between equally competent candidates, who should get the job? Therefore, as an applicant, you need to be able to offer something extra to differentiate yourself from the others and break that tie. You are aiming to tick all the essential boxes and offer additional benefits too!
Hi, I’m Emily, Volunteer Coordinator at Bristol SU.
Over the past year, the Bristol SU Volunteering Team have been running ‘One-Off Opportunities’.
These are group volunteering opportunities with various organisations across Bristol, that students can take part in on a flexible and ad-hock basis. I love joining in with these sessions, to chat to the fantastic student volunteers and learn why they’ve been some of our most popular opportunities.
During Student Volunteering Week (Monday 10 to Saturday 15 February), we’ll be providing a range of events, talks and workshops to help you find your perfect volunteering role. This includes a number of One-Off Opportunities.
My name is Srishti, and I had the privilege of studying for my MSc in Business Analytics at the University of Bristol from 2023 to 2024. Coming from India, this was not only my first experience studying abroad but also my first time living in a new country. Adjusting to a new environment and culture was initially daunting, but the supportive and nurturing atmosphere at Bristol quickly made it feel like home.
Even before arriving in Bristol, I had secured the role of General Secretary for the Bristol Indian Society, which became a meaningful way for me to stay connected to my roots while building a sense of community in my new home.
Soon after settling in I joined TEDx Society as Co-Lead for Speaker Curation and Development, and I was honoured to serve as the Course Representative for my programme. These roles were more than just titles—they became integral to my experience, allowing me to engage deeply with my peers and contribute to the vibrant campus life.
Bristol is a great place to be if you want a career in television production. It’s renowned for the wildlife and factual programmes made by the BBC and the many independent companies based here, and with its close-knit professional community it’s an excellent alternative to the sometimes cut-throat London scene.
But if you’ve done your research, you’ll know that it’s not easy to get your foot in the door. Competition is fierce, jobs are rarely advertised and everybody wants someone with tons of experience (which you haven’t got because no one will give you a chance).
As a former TV producer, I get a lot of questions from people wanting to break into the TV industry. So here are my top tips to answer that perennial question: as a recent or soon-to-be Bristol graduate, how can you make yourself stand out from the crowd and get a job?
Hi, my name is Ellie, and I’m a PhD student in the Life Sciences Building. I carried out a 4-week SME internship in a social enterprise, Disability.Inc., which is part of a charity called WECIL.
The internship was in the workASSURED team, who aim to remove in-work barriers for Disabled staff by providing recommendations about reasonable adjustments. I initially shadowed meetings with staff, their managers, and their HR contact and I worked with a colleague to write-up the recommendations reports. By the end of the internship, I took on my own case, which definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone, but also showed me how much I’d learnt during my internship.
Hello, I’m Gunjan, studying an MSc in Marketing. I had the incredible opportunity to intern as a marketing and copywriting specialist at PANDEK in Bristol.
My transformative internship experience
This SME internship was a perfect fit for my career aspirations, focusing on marketing strategies and content development that aligned seamlessly with my academic background and personal interests.
Hi, my name’s Helen. While studying for my History MA, I undertook an SME Internship at the Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust.
The Trust is a non-profit charity which maintains the bridge, educating the public on its historical significance. During my internship I worked at the museum and visitor’s centre on the Leigh Woods side of the river.