AI generated applications – should you, or shouldn’t you?

Recent research* shows that 17% of students are already using generative AI tools to assist with writing documents such as CVs and cover letters for applications. By the time you read this, that figure will no doubt be higher. 

It’s hard to avoid the news and frenzy around tools such as ChatGPT that can make light work of even complex tasks. Where we have our limitations in terms of knowledge and resources, AI can instantly draw on comprehensive expertise from millions of data points to help us reduce time spent on admin-intensive work. 

So, whether you feel overwhelmed with multiple applications or just find it difficult to produce the right words, it’s understandable that taking a shortcut can be appealing. 

However, assist should be the key word here.  

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Welcome to your new-look mycareer!

You may have noticed that mycareer has had a bit of a glow-up! Rest assured it is still packed with all the events, opportunities and information it had before. 

We thought we’d give you some top tips for getting the most out of it:  

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Tailor your profile

When you first log in, you’ll be asked to set up your profile which will take you under 3 minutes (we know, we have timed ourselves doing it!)  This will ensure that you get the most relevant advice and opportunities for you. 

 

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The Career Discovery Feed

Find articles from us here at the Careers Service, as well as other specialists. Personalise your feed by favouriting resources as you go and build your own library.

 

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Get your CV ready pathway

We have lots of pathways for you to discover. This super useful pathway will help you learn to write a winning CV in 3 easy steps. Once you’ve completed it, talk to us on Live Chat and we can book you an appointment to have your new CV reviewed by a Careers Advisor. 

 

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Search opportunities

We have a HUGE range of jobs, work experience and opportunities for you to explore. You can use filters to target your search to find exactly what you want; whether it’s a part-time role to fit around your studies, volunteering, a summer internship, or immediate start graduate vacancies, we’ve got you covered!   

Take a look!

Watch our 3-minute video to walk you through the new features 

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So, what are you waiting for? Head to mycareer now, set up your profile and start exploring! 

 

 

Tackling Gaps On Your CV

Worried your CV is looking a bit bare? Or wondering how to explain a period when you weren’t working or studying? We’ve collected some of our top tips on tackling gaps on your CV, so you can feel confident whatever you’re applying for.  

Filling gaps

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5 tips for applying for Insight Schemes & Summer Internships

Zubair Khan, Year 2 Accounting and Finance (BSc), has been working as a Career Peer Support Assistant at the Careers Service. Zubair has worked predominantly with the Employer Engagement Team, which build relationships with employers and create networking and job hunting opportunities for you through careers fairs, skills sessions, and much more.

1. Get applications in on time 

Nowadays, most companies tend to check applications on a rolling or a first-come-first-served basis. Hence, once they receive their target number of applications, there is a high chance that they would close their application portal which might stop you from even before the deadline. The last thing you want to do is to get miss out on applying to your dream company solely because you were a bit too late!

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2. Triple check your submitted application 

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CPSA case study: Bouncing back from rejections

Yun Wen Soh, Final year LLB Student and Career Peer Support Assistant

Thank you for your application for [job name] at [company].

However, after careful consideration we regret to inform you that you have not been successful…”

Emails like this are almost inevitable during your job search. Despite knowing that “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, receiving rejections can feel crushing.

 

 

Here are some practical tips to get out of the rejection rut … (more…)

Jobs are on the up! – Lets talk Labour Market Information

We’re not going to pretend that times aren’t challenging. We all know that COVID has hit the economy and jobs market hard.  

Labour Market Information (LMI) is a useful tool to help understand current recruitment trends across different sectors and we think it’s about time you heard some positive news…

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5 things current LMI data is saying: (more…)

Before You Go: 5 things to do before you leave for the summer

The days are getting longer and warmer, summer is around the corner and some of you will even be saying goodbye to the University of Bristol. Whether you’re leaving for good, or coming back again in the Autumn, there are several things you could do before the summer to help you get where you want to be.

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  1. Plan your career

If you don’t have any clear idea what you want to do after university, then let us help you to get the foundations in place, so that you can begin to identify the options of most interest. If this sounds a little daunting, don’t despair – our ‘Confused about your future career?’ workshops explain everything and provide you with friendly support from our careers experts. (more…)

Top 10 tips for writing your CV

1. Tailoring. This is not just for cover letters, every CV should be tailored to the job and organisation you’re applying for. Do this by reading through the job description and person specification and matching everything you say to what they want. Don’t have a job description? You can find an example on prospects.ac.uk.

2. Length. Your CV should be 1 or 2 full pages. No half pages: fill each page. Finance and management consultancy usually expect 1 page, however, this depends on the company so worth checking directly with them.

 

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