Now that exam season is over and with graduation fast approaching, I’ve been spending more of my time on the lookout for job opportunities. To get back into the job hunt, I’ve been making use of the many resources available to students via the LSE Careers portal. In this post, I’ll be sharing five LSE Careers video recordings that I’ve found particularly useful, with topics ranging from preparing for remote interviews to staying motivated while looking for jobs during a pandemic.

1. Job hunting in uncertain times: tactics to keep going and get there

Like many students, I’ve found that staying motivated on the job hunt during a pandemic can be challenging! In this session, Rachel Power and Kirsty Whitelock from LSE Careers address some of the common questions students have about job searching in uncertain times, such as where to find job opportunities and what to do if your applications so far haven’t been successful. For me, it was reassuring to learn that many employers understand the difficulties that students are facing, and that it is important to ensure you are prioritising your wellbeing over your job search.

2. How to write an effective CV

Watching this session, I was surprised to learn just how little time an average recruiter spends looking at your CV before deciding on your application! This means that, though it may be tempting to send off the same CV to every employer, tailoring your CV to each position you apply for is much more likely to land you an interview. In this session, Kathryn Saunders provides some useful tips to help you ensure that your CV speaks to the role you are after, with examples of how to do this effectively. Kathryn also talks about the growing use of CV algorithms in the recruitment process and what you can do to prepare for these. Even for seasoned CV writers, there may be a few things you can learn from this recording.

3. How to write cover letters

In this session, Barnaby Mollett and Catherine Reynolds from LSE Careers explain what it means to write an effective cover letter. Cover letters are all about making the case for why there is a good match between you and the position you are applying to, in a way that is more targeted and precise than what is on your CV. Here, too, tailoring is key. As Barnaby explains, if you were to remove the name of the employer from your cover letter and it were to read as though it could be about one of their competitors, it probably hasn’t been made specific enough! What I found particularly useful about this session was learning how to use the pyramid structure to explain your motivation for the role in three simple, memorable steps – I’ll certainly be making using of this in the weeks to come.

4. Interviewing remotely

So your CV and cover letter have been successful and you’ve scored an interview – now what? Though we may – finally! – be beginning to emerge from the pandemic, it is likely that interviews will remain online for the time being. With this in mind, I used this session to help prepare myself for remote interviews and the unique challenges they bring. The session covers the types of question you are likely to encounter during an interview, how to make use of the STAR (Situation, Task, Actions, Result) technique in your answers, and what employers are looking to find out about you from an interview. It also covers preparing for aspects unique to remote interviews, including creating the right environment to conduct your interview in.

5. Telling the story of your master’s

If you’re a master’s student like me, it can be hard to know how to go about explaining your postgraduate experience to others – whether that’s prospective employers, academics, or even friends and family. In one of the most unique sessions I’ve watched so far, script editor and friend of LSE Toby Rushton uses his background in TV and film to help you tell the story of your degree. Using the structure of a three-act film, Toby shares tips on talking about your dissertation in a way that makes it memorable for your audience. Though aimed at postgraduates, undergraduates can definitely learn from the techniques described in this session, too.

Discover more careers resources on the LSE Careers portal.