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.
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.
Several exciting networking events are coming up within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences and the Faculty of Science and Engineering – see mycareer events to book on.
These will allow you to network with professionals working in industries linked to your degrees.
However, some words will always strike fear into hearts – and ‘networking’ is one of them. Speaking to professional people you’ve never met before can be intimidating – particularly with lots of other students and staff around.
So, what is networking, why do we do it, and how can you make the most of it?
Hi, my name is Max. I graduated in 2023 with a Physics BSc. The SME Internship Scheme gave me the opportunity to source a 4-week internship at a small/medium company I found interesting.
In December 2023, I interned with The Education Company as a data analyst. The Education Company provide insights to the education industry – my role was to see how Python could be integrated into their analytical techniques.
This month, we had 91 Ways on campus to run a City Challenge with us.
City Challenges are a programme of events providing students with the opportunity to engage with charities and social enterprises and support worthwhile organisations whilst developing skills to improve employability. By taking part in a City Challenge students gain experience in group working, problem solving, public speaking and presentation, innovative thinking, and community engagement.
91 Ways are a community-focused social enterprise based in Bristol, inspired by the city’s 91 spoken languages. They believe in the power of food to connect people and aim to create a more inclusive and resilient city.
With their tenth anniversary just around the corner, 91 Ways were in the midst of planning a full year program. This centred around using food to connect young people from different communities and equip them with the knowledge and skills to choose, cook and enjoy more nutritious food; but they needed help!
Working in groups, the students had a morning with the organisation to come up with solutions to the following Challenges:
How do we get young people to engage in projects about healthier food choices/implement changes?
How do we get young people interested in learning about and cooking their own food?
The groups took it in turns to present their ideas to Hannah and Jen from 91 Ways. Here are some of the suggestions that have been taken forward in their planning for next year:
Detailing the money-saving aspect of home cooking by creating a dashboard that shows cost savings compared to buying meals at the supermarket, meal kits and takeaway.
Why gut health is important for well-being via social media short videos.
Quick multi-cultural cooking classes held in local community spaces/the University/schools.
Educational cooking tips via TikTok.
Making it fun to cook with engaging presenters and experts or if in a local community, someone that is inspiring to that audience.
Here’s what Hannah from 91 Ways had to say about how the event went.
Jen and Hannah from 91 Ways join us for the City Challenge.
“We got to receive input from from a demographic that we will be working with in the coming years and they gave very interesting and informative presentations which have allowed us to think in a different way whilst planning our upcoming program.
Hearing directly from the age group we will be serving was invaluable, especially in such a setting…. the students gave up their time to be there and took the questions really seriously, coming up with answers we would never have thought of and allowing us a new perspective.”
Information for organisations:
Organisations can find more information about City Challenges, Bristol PLUS, and other ways to get involved on the Careers Service website.
Students, get involved!
You can find out more about City Challenges for this term and other ways we can help you stand out to employers on the Careers Service website. Make sure you are signed up to the YourCareer newsletter to hear about upcoming events.
An interview with Chris Baker, the founder of No Ordinary Moments, on his experience of the SME Internship Scheme and why he made his intern a co-founder of his company.
How did No Ordinary Moments start?
As a former college athlete in North Carolina, I’ve always been intrigued by sports performance and nutrition.
The idea for No Ordinary Moments first came to me when I was an intern working 15-hour days in Silicon Valley, drinking 5 plus coffees a day.
I believed my coffee habit enhanced my energy, focus, and productivity. However, I didn’t understand why I often felt anxious, jittery, overwhelmed, and lacked energy.
My caffeine dependency was amplifying my internal struggles, so I embarked on a journey to create my own drink.
