Chambers of Commerce are membership organisations which businesses can join to access services to help them grow and play a part in their local business community.

Members come from a wide range of sectors; financial services, the legal sector, engineering, education, manufacturing, marketing, media, property, and many more.

Whilst Chambers of Commerce exist to help their business members, not students or graduates directly, here’s how you can use them to dramatically increase your job or work experience prospects:

1.Access up-to-date sector information

Chambers typically run committees or forums dedicated to different sectors and regularly publish reports or blog posts. You can find a wealth of detail about sectors you’re interested in, wherever you wish to work in the world. Example reports include Detroit’s automotive industry. Subscribe to Chamber newsletters and social media accounts to keep informed on the latest developments.

2. Develop useful relationships

Chamber networking events present an excellent way to make professional connections.  You can attend many of these as a non-member, and they are often free or low cost. Look for events aimed at students or young professionals, or which are more informal rather than those aimed exclusively at business development. If in doubt about whether you would be welcome, contact the Chamber to ask. Although independent of Bristol Chamber, Bristol Young Professionals offer another way to meet people in the city and they are happy for professionally-minded students to attend their events.

3. Find jobs and internships

Many Chambers advertise positions suitable for students and graduates, either within the Chamber itself or with their members. You can also access the “hidden job market” by approaching members speculatively, ideally having first built a relationship with people working for your target employers. See our sample cover letters and advice on making speculative applications.

TOP TIP for international students or anyone wanting to work abroad

Seek out British Chambers based abroad, or similar business organisations which exist to develop trade between the UK and another country or region. Just a few examples are British Chamber of Commerce in Beijing , the UK India Business Council the UK-ASEAN Business Council, and the British African Business Alliance. In Bristol, the West of England China Bureau offers student membership and hosts a range of fun events where you can forge invaluable professional connections.

Members of these organisations will value your knowledge of the UK, and your knowledge of (or at least interest in) the overseas country.

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!

(more…)