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Long term goals - A long-term goal is something you want to accomplish in the future12. It is usually at least several years away1. Long-term goals are important for a successful career1. They require time and planning1. Long-term goals can be practical, such as saving up money for your kid’s college fund, or abstract, such as leaving a lasting legacy for future generations

Short term goals - Short-term goals are objectives that you can achieve in the near future, typically within weeks or months1234. They are usually accomplished within a year5. Short-term goals are important because they provide a roadmap for achieving success and help you stay focused and motivated1. They are meant to be quick wins that can help you build momentum and bridge the gap between where you are right now and where you want to be in the future2.

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A short term goal of mine would be to swim more and and attend the gym more frequently.

A long term goal of mine would be to be accepted and complete the pilot training program in the RAF and become a full pilot.

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During this meeting we talked about removing obstacles in the way of becoming my dream career, it was helpful as I could then see my clear tasks and goals towards this career.

In the meeting i decided not to go to university and instead focus on my application to the RAF.

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Degree apprenticeships are a type of apprenticeship programme which allows students to earn a full bachelor’s (Level 6) or master’s (Level 7) degree. They combine working for an employer in a professional environment with part-time study at a university, and typically last between three and six years.

Just like other types of apprenticeship, there are no tuition fees and you’ll be paid a wage. This means that you could achieve a full bachelor’s degree without any student debt.

Employers and universities collaborate to shape degree apprenticeships around the needs of the industry. Because of this, you can be sure that everything you’ll learn is directly relevant to a future career in that sector.

Worth knowing: In England and Wales these programmes are known as degree apprenticeships; in Scotland, they are called graduate apprenticeships and, in Northern Ireland, they fall under the higher apprenticeships category. For more information on how apprenticeships are structured in your area, take a look at our guides on England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

What are the entry requirements?

Entry requirements vary depending on the programme and where you live. Below, you’ll find two examples of typical opportunities, but you can find more details on the qualifications you’ll need in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on the relevant country pages.

Example 1: Software Engineer Degree Apprenticeship with BT, Bristol

“You'll need to achieve three A levels at grades AAB, as well as five GCSE's grade 4-9 (C or above) including English Language and Maths."

Example 2: Business Degree Apprenticeship with CGI, Edinburgh

“The preferred requirement is to have or be predicted a minimum of four SQA Highers at Grade BBBB (or equivalent qualification) including Computing or Maths. Please note, we encourage applications if you have not met these grade requirements but have extenuating circumstances. Also, at least six Scottish Nat 5 including Nat 5 English at C and Nat 5 Maths at C (if not taken at Higher)."

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Search for a programme. Unifrog’s Apprenticeships tool allows you to search through thousands of apprenticeship opportunities. Once you have entered the subject areas that interest you, apply the filter ‘Degree apprenticeships’ to see those that will earn you a bachelor’s or master’s qualification.

Apply through the employer. Applications for degree apprenticeships are made directly to the employer, rather than via UCAS. Click the green ‘Apply’ button next to each entry in your Apprenticeships shortlist to be taken through to the employer’s application portal.

Attend an interview. Many employers require one or two rounds of interviews before accepting candidates. Take a look at our guide on how to interview like a boss to get prepared.

Worth knowing: Applications for degree apprenticeships don’t follow the same calendar as applications for traditional degrees; each employer will have its own deadline. Many of the opportunities listed on the Apprenticeships tool might not currently be open for applications, but you can still shortlist your favourites and regularly check the company websites to see when they become live.

How competitive are they?

Launched in the UK in 2015, degree apprenticeships are still fairly new, so there aren’t that many places available. According to the Office for Students, in 2018, there were nearly 750,000 apprentices in England, but only 6,000 of them were working towards Level 6 and 7 qualifications.

This makes applying for degree apprenticeships pretty competitive. However, the good news is that, unlike traditional degrees, you can keep your options open by applying for as many as you like.

How much will I earn?

Degree apprentices receive a salary while they work and study. In the UK, the minimum wage for apprentices under 19 is £5.28 per hour, but if you’re over 19 and have already completed your first year, you’re entitled to the national minimum wage of £10.18.

However, employers can choose to pay more. According to Glassdoor, the average annual salary for a degree apprentice in the UK is £18,083. A Level 7 Accountancy apprentice at ABF Ingredients Ltd earns £481 per week, which works out at £12.83 per hour.

Degree apprenticeships are also completely free, so apprentices will avoid the usual tuition fee debt that comes from a traditional university degree!

What are the benefits?

Earn while you learn. No student loans, no tuition fees and, hopefully, no debt. You’ll be paid a salary by your employer, and the government covers the cost of the training.

Gain a recognised qualification. You’ll complete the apprenticeship with a bachelor’s- or master’s- level qualification, equivalent to taking the traditional university degree route.

Boost your CV. You’ll gain valuable workplace experience that’ll look fantastic on your CV and possibly lead to job opportunities.

Make new contacts. Through your workplace experience, you’ll build up a network of contacts within your chosen sector.

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Missing ‘the university experience’. A degree apprenticeship is great if you’re keen to get started with independent working life. But if you’ve always dreamed of freshers’ week, living in halls, and joining student societies, then it may not be the path for you.

A more hands-on education. Some students might be excited at the thought of getting stuck in with hands-on experience and training. However, if you love exploring your subject in an in-depth, academic way, then a traditional degree might be more suited to you.

A longer route to qualification. Most traditional degrees in the UK take three or four years to complete, whereas some degree apprenticeships can take up to six years to reach qualification. However, for some, this is balanced out by the fact that apprentices earn money and gain work experience while they study.

A lack of options. As degree apprenticeships are only available in vocational subjects that require a high level of academia, the range of subjects on offer is narrower than that of traditional apprenticeships. The main subjects represented are Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, and Engineering, although more programmes are appearing each year.

Case studies

We caught up with some students working towards their degree apprenticeships. Here’s what they had to say:

Ashok Hemmings went straight into a degree apprenticeship in Engineering after Sixth Form, working for Rolls-Royce and studying at Sheffield Hallam University.

“I chose a degree apprenticeship rather than going to university as the whole package seemed a lot better. It gives me real world experience and the same level of education while avoiding fees and being paid a salary. Being an apprentice lets me work with actual engine hardware which is always fascinating, plus I have a huge variety of tasks or roles to do so no day is ever the same!”

Jenny McHale completed her degree apprenticeship in Business Management. She worked for the BBC four days a week and the other day she studied at Pearson College London.

“I have always wanted to work in a creative industry and I wanted to further my management and leadership skills. I didn’t go to uni but have always wanted to do a degree. The combination of working in an exciting industry whilst completing a BA (Hons) in Business Management really appealed to me. My favourite project at the BBC so far has been to take the lead in producing some diversity and inclusion videos.”

Lukas Hughes is doing a Chartered Manager degree apprenticeship at Manchester Metropolitan University and Stateside Foods.

“I became a degree apprentice because I wanted to get work experience while continuing onto higher education. After some research, I found something that I was interested in - a management apprenticeship with a sponsored degree in Business Management. I would have chosen to study this at university, so deciding to go down this route was a no-brainer! I would be gaining four whole years of work experience in a growing business whilst studying for a degree without the tuition fees. As well as that, I’d be working towards additional qualifications.”

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Games artist

What you'll do

Your day-to-day responsibilities will depend on your area of specialism. Games artists often specialise in one of these four areas:

Concept artist – you’ll create the overall look and feel of a game world, together with the first designs of people, creatures, and objects (it’s worth noting that concept artists are also used in other industries, such as film and animation).

3D modelling artist – you’ll use the 2D drawings from a concept artist to build 3D models of characters, weapons, vehicles, furniture, trees, rocks, etc.

Environment artist – you’ll design fantasy landscapes (such as dungeons or wastelands) and realistic landscapes (such as forests and urban streets), in which the game will be played.

Texturing artist – you’ll add realism to 3D models by mapping textures onto the object’s surfaces (including rust on metal, tears in fabric, and scars on skin).

Whichever area you specialise in, you’ll need to follow a brief, work to deadlines, collaborate with other artists, and implement feedback.

Record relevant activities you've already done on the Activities tool

Working hours and environment

The gaming industry was valued at $162.32 billion in 2020 and is growing rapidly, so games artists with relevant skills and experience are in high demand.

As a games artist, your working hours will depend on whether you work for an employer or as a self-employed freelancer.

If you decide to work for an employer, you’re likely to work full-time, although flexible hours and time off in lieu are often possible.

As a self-employed freelancer, you’ll be able to select clients and projects to suit your availability, although this may mean compromising financial stability. For more information, take a look at our guide How to become self-employed.

Whether you’re self-employed or an employee, you’ll be based in a game developer’s studio or office and work on a computer for long periods of time.

Career path and progression

You’re likely to begin your career with a junior/intern art role, although it’s possible to enter the profession through another role (such as a quality assurance tester).

From there, you’ll receive training on the job and will have the opportunity to shadow other games artists. Some employers also offer in-house training in relevant software packages.

You could then progress into a mid-level games artist role and, after three-to-six years, a senior art role. It can take a minimum of five years’ experience in the industry to become a lead artist with management responsibility.

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creative and artistic skills, including an understanding of form, colour, texture, and light

the ability to use traditional methods (e.g., drawing and painting) and creative software packages (e.g., Photoshop, Blender, 3D Smax, SketchUp and Maya), depending on your specialism

listening and reading skills, to interpret a brief

speaking and writing skills, to explain and pitch ideas

organisation skills, to work to a tight production schedule and meet deadlines

the ability to stay positive, so you can respond well to criticism and adapt your work based on feedback

strong research skills, so you can build characters and worlds within the limitations of the game world

teamwork skills, to collaborate with other artists and other members of the team

Got evidence of these skills? Record your examples on the Skills tool

Entry requirements

There are no set entry requirements. Like many creative roles, your ability to find work will depend on the strength of your portfolio and your experience.

A strong portfolio will showcase your understanding of key design principles (such as form, shape, colour and light theory, texture, composition, and perspective). Although not a requirement, a relevant undergraduate degree, foundation degree, or Level 3 qualification (such as a BTEC diploma) will help you develop these skills and become familiar with creative software packages. Relevant subjects include:

games art / games art production

graphic design / graphics

animation

illustration

fine art

creative digital media production

A network of industry contacts will help you to find clients (if you’re self-employed) and gain professional experience. For advice on building connections, take a look at our guide How to network like a pro.

ScreenSkills has advice on how to build a games art portfolio.

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Make your future employer’s job easy for them and keep your CV organised. Using standard headlines like ‘Education’ or ‘Professional Experience’ will help the reader navigate your CV and it shows that you are capable of organising information effectively - it’s also standard practice in most UK industries, and is the expectation for CVs.

Remember that whether you hand in a paper or digital copy of your CV, employers will see the top-mid sections first. To see what this looks like, save your CV as a PDF and open it on a computer. Whatever you can see without having to scroll needs to hold the most important information - if this section doesn’t present you as a strong candidate, the rest of your CV may not even be read.

Your academic or work related achievements and skills should be at the top, and low priority content (like your personal achievements) should be reserved for the end. Most people tend to order their achievements chronologically, starting with the most recent, but if you have experience really relevant to a role, you can put this at the top.

In general, your CV should include:

Contact information

This is so that employers can get in touch with you. Include an email, telephone number, and city - you don’t need to include your address. If you have a LinkedIn account, you can add this in too, but make sure your profile is up to date!

Skills

You don’t need to list every single skill you can think of, but make sure the ones on the job description are on your list. You might be asked to elaborate on these skills at the interview stage though, so don’t be tempted to add skills that you don’t actually have! You don’t want to get caught out for listing ‘Strong MS Excel skills’ if one of the interview tasks is to create a workbook with complex formulas that you don’t know how to write!

Work history and experience

This section is a log of all your experiences, whether they are paid, voluntary, or part of your studies. You should give an overview of your responsibilities, but don’t write too much - most people know what is required of a shop assistant, summer camp volunteer, etc.

Make sure you add at least 3 key achievements for each experience you list - this will show employers that you don’t just show up to your job, but that you take it seriously and perform well.

Education

Give details of your formal qualifications, including the place in which you studied. But don’t feel the need to share your grades if you aren’t comfortable; writing ‘5 GCSEs including English and Maths’ is fine.

Other achievements

This is the place to write about anything else that makes you a well-rounded candidate. Think about: awards and competitions you have won both in and out of school; courses you have completed online or in person; certificates you have been awarded or worked towards; and examples of where you have excelled in your hobbies.

References

A referee can be anyone who has known you for 6 months or longer and isn’t a friend or family member. You could use your teachers, heads of year, extra curricular leaders, or previous managers. Make sure you have permission from your chosen referees before you put them forward to write a reference for you.

You don’t need to provide the names and contact details of references at this point. You can write 'References available on request' at the end of your CV which shows that you know responsible people who will vouch for you. Once you've sent your CV to employers, they can ask you to pass them the contact details of your referees.

Your CV should not include:

Your age

Your employer is not allowed to ask your age unless it directly affects your job, for example, checking that you are old enough to work in a bar. It’s usually best to leave this out to avoid any chances of age discrimination.

A photo

Generally photos are not included on CVs. There might be times when you do include one but this will normally be clearly stated and is most common for jobs like acting or modelling. If you are asked to send a photo, make sure you look professional and the lighting and background is clear. Do not send any photos that make you feel uncomfortable.

2. Be professional

Even if you’re applying to a chilled out start-up, remember that you’re trying to convince an employer that you will be an asset to their organisation. Avoid using stylised fonts, pictures, or colours, and keep your language professional.

Unifrog’s CV builder will help you format your CV professionally, but if you are working offline, keep your font plain (use Arial or something similar) and at size 10-12, with headings no larger than size 12. You can use boxes or lines to break up the text, but keep everything simple and clear, with lots of white space so the page doesn’t look too crowded.

You also need to be aware of things like your email address; something like masterflamez@hotmail.com, for example, is not going to make you seem very professional! Create a new email address for your applications if you need to - you can use this for work, applying to university or apprenticeships, and more so it’s worth having. If you’re not sure what to use, try firstname.surname@domainname.com.

If you’re sending a digital version of the document, make sure the name of the saved file is professional and has your name somewhere in it - for example, CV_firstname_surname_year.

3. Tailor the CV to the job

Creating your CV sometimes seems like such a mammoth task that once it’s over, you just want to switch off and move on. Be wary of sending out the same CV to every organisation you apply to though - you need to show how you meet the needs of each role you apply to. You don't have to rewrite the whole thing, but you should adapt the details so they're relevant - if your CV seems too generic then it gives the impression that you’re lazy or uninterested in the job.

Work out what the job entails and the key skills required. This information is normally available in the advertisement or job description. Consider your experiences, achievements, skills, and even hobbies to see how you can use them to demonstrate that you match each core or essential requirement. Again, you don’t have to re-write your CV; you could move your most relevant skills to the top of the list, move more relevant experience higher up, edit your achievements so they’re more suitable to the role, etc.

Unifrog’s Skills tool helps you record examples of your skills which you can then pull through into the CV builder, making tailoring your CV much easier.

On that note, you should add any new skills or experiences after every new career development or notable achievement in your job. This way, when you come to apply for a job, you’ll have everything you need rather than desperately trying to remember a distant work experience placement, or exactly what you achieved in a work project months ago!

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This is your chance to be proud of your achievements and everything you have done, so don’t be afraid to use assertive and positive language like ‘developed’, ‘organised’, ‘was responsible for’, or ‘achieved’, and remember to claim your achievements as your own, using ‘I’ rather than ‘we’.

And write about your achievements, not your roles and responsibilities: you're showcasing what a great employee you are, not writing job descriptions for your previous roles!

Remember though that a good CV is clear, concise and makes all the necessary points without waffling. You don't need to give pages and pages of details; you can use bullet points to streamline information. If an employer is interested, they will ask for further explanation at an interview. Keep your CV to two sides of A4 maximum and be brutal in your editing.

5. Check, check, and check again

Your teachers tell you to proofread for a reason! Don’t underestimate the importance of spelling and grammar. It will appear that you don’t care about the job if your CV is full of sloppy errors, and it also undermines lots of the skills you have highlighted - especially written communication!

Ask one teacher, friend, or family member to check it for you, and read it aloud to check it’s all correct.

Be aware that lots of organisations in the UK require you to fill in an application form as well as - or sometimes instead of - requesting a copy of your CV. Make sure you proofread your answers to these questions too, and try to avoid copying and pasting chunks of your CV on to the form if they ask for both - they will be able to spot that you’ve done this!

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You only have 4,000 characters (that’s spaces and punctuation included) to make a great impression on an admissions team, so you need to be economical with your words. There are two ways of tackling this: keep everything concise, and have a clear structure to avoid veering off on a tangent.

To keep everything concise, you should:

simplify complicated phrasing

avoid exaggerated phrases like ‘I am fascinated by/ passionate about’ etc. (more on this later!)

avoid unnecessary intensifiers like ‘really’, ‘very’, and ‘always’

use acronyms for lengthy titles of well known qualifications or awards like the EPQ

use surnames only when referencing well known authors, speakers, etc. except where there are two people in the same field with the same surname, like the Rosettis

check for accidental double spaces.

Examples:

Instead of: From a young age, I personally have always been a really keen and enthusiastic scientist, who has really thrived in all scientific subjects. Marie Curie - who discovered radium and polonium - has always inspired me to keep searching for the truth which is something I plan to continue doing at university.

We’re going to cover a lot of the issues with this example later on, but in terms of concision, there are unnecessary intensifiers (‘really keen’) and explanations (who Marie Curie is), extra wording (‘I personally’), and vague phrasing that doesn’t show very much at all (‘something I plan to continue'). This student also hasn’t shown that they are a keen scientist - you should make your interest in the subject so obvious by using lots of examples, that you don’t need to tell the admissions team.

Try: I am a keen scientist who enjoys using experimental techniques to solve problems. In Chemistry, I recently investigated the rate of reaction between magnesium and sulphuric acid…

This doesn’t include everything from the original, but it shows an admissions tutor how the student is a keen scientist and launches straight into an example which will further demonstrate their suitability for the course. It is also only 177 characters compared to the first example with a massive 304!

Your structure will also help with your word count, and will make your statement simple to follow - admissions staff have to read thousands of Personal Statements, so make their job easy for them!

Unifrog’s Personal Statement tool provides you with a template structure, allowing you to organise your points into three sections:

Section 1: why do you want to study this subject? (up to 1,200 characters)

You should use lots of detail and specific examples in this section.

Section 2: what have you done in the past that makes you particularly suitable to study the subject? (up to 2,400 characters)

You can discuss any course related work or voluntary experience here.

Section 3: what else have you done that would contribute to the university community (up to 400 characters)

You do not need to go into lots of detail here- keep it brief.

Once you have a basic outline, the rest of the editing and drafting process should be fairly straightforward - just select your best examples for each section and carefully edit the language to keep it concise and academically focused.

2. Keep your focus

Your structure should help you with this, but there are some other key things to remember to include and to avoid to make the most out of your statement.

The majority (80-90%) of a UK Personal Statement should concentrate on how you will make a great student in your chosen subject with lots of detailed examples. To keep the focus, ask yourself ‘does this explain why I am a good applicant?’ at the end of each example or description. Each point in Sections 1 and 2 should provide evidence that you have the right skills, experience, or attitude for learning for this particular subject. If the point or example doesn’t show this, it needs to go even if you spent a long time writing it! Be ruthless in your editing!

In thinking about which examples to use, there are two key things to remember: firstly, this is about your academic skill and ability, so hold on to your extra curricular activities to the end, even if your chosen university has the best hockey team in the league and you want to join it! Secondly, you are applying to study, not for the job that comes after studying so unless you’re applying for a vocational degree (medicine, architecture, etc.), you shouldn’t mention your future career goals; your admissions tutor wants to know you’ll be a great student, not a great museum curator or social worker.

You should focus your examples on your academic ability and interest and how that makes you a suitable candidate for the course. You can even pick out key general topics that you have an interest in and are looking forward to studying (e.g. sustainable building design in an architecture application), but avoid mentioning specific university courses or modules by name (e.g. Games and Virtual Reality at Glasgow School of Art), as you are sending this to all your chosen universities and this may limit your chances at those you don’t mention.

Examples:

Instead of: The process of writing an EPQ taught me many skills that will be invaluable to me at university and in my future career as a Project Manager.

This is such a vague example - we have no idea what the EPQ was about or what specific skills this applicant built. The example also hasn’t been linked to the course that the student is applying for, but they have mentioned their future career goals, making this seem more important to the student than the actual studying bit!

Try: Through writing my EPQ on ‘Sustainability in the UK’, I developed my research skills and the ability to break down complex, interconnected policies and processes. These skills will be essential throughout my degree in architecture where I will need to be able to research widely and become familiar with policies on specific areas like sustainable building design.

In this example, the student has identified and evidenced two specific skills that they have related directly to their chosen subject. This example also answers the question, ‘does this explain why I am a good applicant?’

Please note that this example isn’t complete. We would recommend giving more information and picking out some key parts of the EPQ the student found particularly interesting, what they learned, and how this relates to their chosen subject.

3. Sell yourself

This can be a tough one! The thought of having to write about our best qualities fills some people with absolute dread, but you do have great skills and attributes and your university admissions team wants to hear about them! The trick here is to be confident without coming across as arrogant or overconfident: be proud of yourself, but don’t show off.

Try the following exercise:

Start off by making a list of all the useful experiences you have had, the things you have done that you are most proud of, and any awards or certificates you have ever achieved, or competitions you have won (if you have been using Unifrog’s Activities tool, check here before you start your list to give you some ideas).

Next to each example, make a note of the relevant skills and relevant subject knowledge you've gained.

Finally, mark out the examples that are relevant to your chosen subject or to going to university in general; these are the examples you are going to use to demonstrate how fantastic you are to your admissions team.

When you write each example, avoid arrogant and sweeping statements such as ‘I have a vast array of skills’, which only shows your admissions team that you’re not quite sure what the value of that activity was! Instead, describe how specific skills have been put into practice to give real evidence of your ability.

Examples:

Instead of: My class organised a geology day for younger pupils at my school demonstrating our teamwork and organisation skills.

This uses collective language (‘our...skills’), and doesn’t show the applicant’s involvement in the event, so the admissions tutor won’t find it relevant.

Try: My class organised a geology day for younger pupils at my school. My job was to research speakers and activities. I was also part of the marketing team where I made posters with the team, spoke in assemblies about the event, and encouraged as many students as possible to join.

This shows the students’ involvement, highlighting exactly what they did and how this contributed to the overall event, ‘selling’ the applicant by showing the value of their involvement.

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Obviously, the reason you’re applying for your chosen subject is because you love it; unfortunately, telling an admissions team that you love engineering, or dentistry, or childhood studies isn’t enough to make them want to give you an offer.

Instead of telling them about your passion, show them by choosing 1-2 specific examples of things you’ve done outside of the classroom to demonstrate that you enjoy the subject so much, you want to spend your own time exploring it further. This will impress the team reading your application for 2 reasons: firstly, the admissions staff have often devoted their entire careers to studying this particular subject, so they like to see a similar commitment in the applicant; secondly, they want to admit students whose enjoyment of the subject will motivate them to work hard.

So, what examples could you use?

Reading: read widely and deeply to explore your subject more fully. ‘Reading’ also includes watching and listening, and Unifrog can actually help you with this!

Use the Geek Out sections in the Subjects library to find suggested films, talks, podcasts, articles, and books related to your chosen subject.

Use the Read, Watch, Listen tool to explore more widely - find films, podcasts, books, poems, and more that you can filter by a range of categories including genre, vibe, and interest.

Writing: write a personal blog, an article, an extra essay, or a project.

Experiencing: go to lectures, museums, galleries, and planetariums.

Getting involved: organise work experience, take part in competitions outside of school, create a society/club, or join a summer school.

Helping others: teach younger children at school or as a tutor, or volunteer at a youth centre, local place of worship, or in a care home to share your knowledge.

Creating: make a short film, start a podcast, or put on an event at school.

Don’t forget to record your thoughts on everything you explore using the Activities tool so you don’t forget what you learnt or found interesting! Your thoughts on what you read or did are key to your examples and will demonstrate both your independence and the love of your subject at the same time! Make sure you are honest about what you have read, researched, or taken part in: your admissions team will be able to verify a lot of what you have written through the reference from your teachers, so it will be clear if things don’t quite match up. And, if you are invited to an interview, it is more than likely that you will be asked about your independent reading and will be blatantly obvious if you have stretched the truth!

Examples:

Instead of: I’ve always loved reading novels across a range of genres. I read in my spare time and I can’t wait to study more of them in my English Literature degree.

This is too vague so doesn’t convincingly evidence the applicant’s passion for English literature. There are no examples of the type of novels or authors this student enjoys reading, and it’s not clear that they read beyond the novels set in the English lessons. As a general point, always avoid phrases like ‘I’ve always loved…’ - they’re rarely true and very overused! Again, showing your love is more important than saying you love a subject.

Try: I greatly enjoyed reading ‘Money: A Suicide Note’ by Martin Amis as part of my English coursework. I was particularly interested by Amis’ use of the excess-driven protagonist John Self to explore the darker side of individualism. After I handed in my coursework, I was eager to explore contrasting presentations of consumerism further in Amis’ work, as well as that of other contemporary authors, such as Chuck Palahniuk and Bret Easton Ellis. I read X which contrasted with my thoughts on Amis’ work as...

This convincingly evidences the applicant’s love for their subject by highlighting a specific interest- in this case, the presentation of consumerism in contemporary literature. It also shows that the candidate has thought about how their example (Money: A Suicide Note) connects with other key themes in their subject, and how this has sparked in interest in other novels and authors. The candidate is also comparing their in class studies with their wider reading, demonstrating a natural curiosity in the subject.

5. Stand out (for the right reasons)

Standing out in your Personal Statement doesn’t mean adding in jokes, writing it like a piece of creative writing, or sharing bizarre anecdotes. It means standing out as a strong academic individual through your experiences and unique interest in one particular aspect of the course. Convey your academic personality by discussing wider reading and independent research, and the impact this has had on your decision to study the subject.

This can often come in the form of an anecdote or unusual reason for your initial interest in the subject, but avoid shoehorning anecdotes or experiences into your writing for the sake of it - it’s more important to sound sincere than to sound unusual.

Another great way of standing out is avoiding clichés. Using famous quotes - for example - to start you off is a sure fire way of turning an admissions team off your application before they’ve even had a chance to read about you. Even if you’ve found an unusual quote that you think no one has ever used before, it’s very likely that the admissions team have seen it amongst the thousands of applications they’ve read over the years. Even more importantly, using inspirational quotes often suggests a lack of inspiration. It’s better to use your own words than someone else’s.

You should also avoid clichéd phrasing like ‘from a young age’, ‘interesting’, ‘passion’ and ‘team player’ as this lacks real substance. Equally, steer clear from those ‘lightbulb’ moments when everything suddenly became clear and you knew you wanted to study mechanical engineering - not only is it highly unlikely that one moment decided your whole life for you, but your decision to study a subject at university should be carefully considered across all your experiences and interests.

Examples:

Instead of: I have wanted to study liberal arts and sciences from a young age ever since I visited the Science Museum with my primary school.

‘From a young age’ should definitely be avoided - it is clichéd and shows the admissions tutor that your decision isn’t based on anything recent or carefully considered. We also have a ‘lightbulb’ moment in the form of visiting a museum - this might have sparked an interest in a subject area, but it’s super unlikely that the decision to study liberal arts at university was made by the primary school you!

Try: Studying liberal arts will further develop my interest in how the worlds of arts and science are interlinked and feed off of each other. When studying Da Vinci in art, I began exploring human proportions and how our perception of these can be affected by artistic principles like lights and shadow...

This example feels more honest than the previous one. It also focuses on a long term, mature reason for choosing the subject considering the academic skills that the student enjoys and wants to develop.

6. Check your work

After each major edit, take a break, proofread it, and then proofread it again - unfortunately, even a small spelling or punctuation mistake can overshadow a brilliantly-crafted sentence, and you don’t want your hard work to lose its impact!

Once you’ve completed your Personal Statement, have it checked by one key reader, and possibly a second to act as a subject expert. Careful not to ask too many people - you don’t want conflicting feedback.

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This sword was relativity simple to make, using references from the Cyberpunk2077 katanas i created a futuristic looking sword and colour pallet whilst still staying loyal to the original shape, i then wanted to add some gradient colours on both the sharp part of the blade as well as matching on the cover to create a neat and interesting look.

As this was a simple shape i only needed 1 sketch before going over it with final lines and colour.

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This knife is my favourite asset i have created as i like the clean design whilst still giving it lots of character. The colour scheme is based off of one of my favourite fictional futuristic characters. (see: Kieth Kogane)

The preliminary sketch was based off of a knife already in game that was modified and adjusted into something i liked, i then used the procreate light brush to add the glow on the edge of the blade.

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To create this asset i took inspiration from the game cyberpunk as well as from outside sources such as pintrest, i wanted to create an outfit that was different to those already in the game as whilst still fitting into the grunge neon theme. i based the theme around toxic waste as shown by the colours and hat with the goo like veil.

I created this asset by first sketching out a basic model underneath to put my outfit on, then doing 2 beginning sketches before finally going to line my drawing, then going back and using colours i thought worked well together to create a dynamic and interesting looking outfit, before using a shading method called cell shading to show off things like shadow and creasing.

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in the creation of this asset I used references from the game Valorant for the basic shape of the gun, i then looked at guns from my chosen game to add the smaller details as well as the colour, i started off with a sketch underneath, before i went over it again in tidier lines before going in with colour and then finally shading.

this asset was created used procreate.

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Link

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I would really like to work as a concept artist for somewhere like projekt red as i enjoy the style of games they make. I want to work as a concept artist as i enjoy digital painting as well as character design so working in something that involves  things i like doing. I already have skills in digital art and painting as its something i like to do at home. I want to work in Projekt Red or Rockstar specifically as I loved both of rockstars Red Dead Redemption games as well as projekt reds cyberpunk2077and the vast worlds they create for them, including red dead revolver which is a lesser known cowboy game made early before the first red dead game.

However i do need to improve  my realism painting skills so that i can create realistic characters if its required of me as well as refining the skills that i already have. If i was to continue into a higher education i would think about joining the Manchester university for digital arts as they have a specialised building for all things digital art including games design, set design, and media design.

For my target audience I will be choosing 18+ as I plan to include quite dark and mature themes in my game as well as some slight gore that fits within the theme of my game. I have chosen this audience as i think it will b e suitable to include everyone in this age group that may be interested in my game as it covers quite a few genres.

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SWOT analysis helps someone to plan and reflect on their career by clearly planning out their strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats.

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Competitive Salary
Expanded Holiday salary
cycle to work scheme
mental health and wellbeing support
private healthcare
relocation assistance

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As well as being able to work with plenty of talented people on exciting projects, we also have a number of benefits to improve the quality of life at the studio and at home!

Job Vacancies

If you think Firesprite sounds like the right place for you, then check out our available opportunities!

If you don't see something that matches your skills, shoot us an email with your CV and any applicable portfolio material to jobs@firesprite.com. Our door is always open for superstars!

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video games development studio liverpool

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video games development studio north west

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video games development studio north west uk

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video games development studio north west england

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video games development studio north west england uk

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Work with talented people on amazing projects!

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We are seeking a skilled and experienced Game Designer to join our dynamic and growing team. As a GDD Specialist, you will play a key role in our game development process, ensuring clear documentation and effective communication across teams.

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dogs
skills development
paid time off
gym
healthcare
freedom to express
relocation assistance
good vibes
space

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cd projekt red spontaneous application (art) cdpr-approved remote locations / office-first

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Job Description: Haven't found any adequate position? Drop your CV and portfolio for the future :)

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working in a team
skills development
paid time off
support of a team

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Character Artist (Mid / Senior) / Rockstar North (Art) - Rockstar Games

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At Rockstar Games, we create world-class entertainment experiences. A career at Rockstar Games is about being part of a team working on some of the most creatively rewarding and ambitious projects to be found in any entertainment medium. You would be...