So you’ve decided to achieve your Bristol PLUS Award? Well done! This is a great experience that will set you up for your future as a graduate.
Hi, I’m Olivia and I also completed the Bristol PLUS Award in the second year of my Politics and International Relations degree. I’m now a graduate and using my Bristol PLUS Award to help me make a good impression with potential employers. Each step of the PLUS process helps you develop in a personal and professional way. This is something you will be thankful for when you graduate and are ready to enter the world of work!
The skills sessions are a great chance to practice being in a professional environment and how to act around employers. The sessions don’t just have to be a tick-box exercise on the way to getting your Award. In fact, if you learn how to make the most out of them they could open the door to future career opportunities. They can be a gateway from student to professional, if you want them to be.
Here are some of my top tips for how to ace a PLUS Skills Session:
Arrive Early
It might sound silly, but I always turn up to things like this 10 minutes early! Not only does it mean that you can introduce yourself to people before the session starts (including the employer) but also it gives you some extra time just in case anything goes wrong so that you’re not late.
You probably know this already but showing up late is not a great first impression, so if you want to stay in the employer’s good books it’s always smart to plan your time effectively. It’s the little things that can go a long way. This includes letting someone know if you can’t make it so that if you want to attend another session in the future you haven’t already made a bad impression.
Show Commitment and Dedication
Trust me, I know student life can be hectic. But make sure that if you are signing up for a skills session you can fully commit to the time frame. Remember – your attendance will not count for your PLUS Award if you leave the skills session early. The sessions involve group work, so you don’t want to let your team down by not sticking around til the end.
In the real-world, leaving a meeting or workshop early might make people think that you are rude or uncommitted. Nobody wants that. So pick a session that you know you can make and stay for the duration. If you show that you are dedicated through active listening and participation, even better! Chances are the employer running the session will remember this.
Use Active Listening – and Get to Know the People Around You
If you’ve got there slightly early, hopefully you’ve made a friend. This will help break the ice for any group activities during the session. During presentations, the best thing you can do is actively listen. There are always things you can learn from your peers. This makes it more likely that they will be engaged when it’s your turn to speak. Everyone wants to feel like they’re being listened to instead of people whispering in the back.
In the professional world, presentations are a big part of many roles, both giving them and listening to them. This is a great skill to show future employers that you have been able to practice. I’ve definitely experienced employers valuing this kind of confidence and attentiveness as an important trait.
So, when you’re listening to another group presenting, keep your laptop closed and don’t be tempted to get distracted. Show them you are listening and be supportive, and you should expect the same when it’s your turn!
I hope you found some of these tips useful and will use them in your upcoming skills session. The Bristol PLUS Award was such a great experience that I continue to talk about with employers to this day. If you make the most of every aspect of the Award it will undoubtedly help you in opening up future career opportunities and make you feel like you belong in any professional environment.
Inspired to Achieve the Bristol PLUS Award?
- Find out more about the Award here
- Register now and start logging your evidence on the Award pathway