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Reflect on your skills - complete a learning journal

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Reflect on your skills - complete a learning journal

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Based on the information you have gathered, complete your learning journal for this month.
Remember to set a SMART target - what do you need to do next?

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Contact your tutor for other topics you would benefit from further resources on.

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The substance of your interview is, of course, key. Your patter, affability and subject knowledge are essential, but arguably your attire will also play a vital role in dictating the final outcome. First impressions are, by definition, instant and it takes seconds for a complete stranger to formulate a positive or negative opinion of you based on your appearance alone.

Knowing what to wear to a job interview is an age-old conundrum. Fashions come and fashions go, but style remains, and, for both formal and informal interviews, there are a few hard and fast rules. There's no room for experimentation in your interview wardrobe, so here's a guide to make sure you choose the winning outfit for the job you're applying for.

The formal interview

You should be aspiring to dress one notch above what you would normally consider suitable for work. And that of course means the job that you're interviewing for. You could hang around the car park at clocking off time to get a clear indication of what people are wearing, but as a general rule of thumb, for both men and women, it's going to be a suit.

Suits never go out of fashion. There's always some rock star or hell-raising actor sporting a two (or three) piece on the front page somewhere. A particular trend of the moment appears to be, what I like to call the shiny suit. These are made of a cloth that looks like it could coat a frying pan and, while it's perfectly acceptable for a wedding or a nightclub, it should not be attempted for a job interview - unless that interview happens to be for a boy band.

Women

You have the choice of trousers or skirt. The rule with a skirt is that the hemline should be no more than one biro length above the knee. You can't go far wrong with black. Black is the new black after all. Navy, brown and, in the summer, a lighter plain colour are also perfectly fine.

Patterns should be avoided. Add a splash of colour with a scarf, but don't get too adventurous with the shoes. Keep heels at a sensible height. Shoes can be the female equivalent of the shiny suit. Going for a plain blouse or one with a simple stripe is the safest option.

Men

Dark, sober colours are always good and cotton wins over linen, even in the summer - linen creases ridiculously easily. Shoes should be brown or black - black with a black, grey or blue suit, brown with a brown or blue suit. Avoid mixing black and brown and always go for leather, not suede.

Similarly, avoid garish patterns on ties that can distract an interviewer. Ideally the tie will complement the whole ensemble, so it should be matched with the shirt as well as the suit. It's always easiest to go with a plain, white shirt and a non-patterned, single-coloured tie. Not one that features Captain America or Homer Simpson. The same applies to your socks and yes, the interviewer will notice.

Business casual

Some companies like to test your ability to interpret fashion etiquette by setting a business casual dress code. For both men and women, casual trousers and blazers can be mixed and matched, ties dispensed with and even shoes can be less formal. But if it seems confusing, just follow these rules:

No jeans. No trainers. No T-shirts. Business casual - the clue's in the title.

In the final analysis, if you look great, you'll feel great and if you feel great, there will be a much higher chance of you storming your interview. Whatever you decide to wear, I would recommend that you start with a fairly safe, uncomplicated canvas and add a splash, but no more, of your own personality with a well-chosen accessory.

If you get the chance to try on your outfit a couple of days in advance, you will be able to get any dry cleaning done and come up with a contingency should something either not fit, or have a rip or hole in it.

And my own personal bug bear - make sure your shoes are polished.
Chris Smith is CEO at MyJobMatcher.com. This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To get more content and advice like this direct to your inbox, sign up for our weekly update and careers ebook. Topics

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Dress to impress: what to wear for a job interview

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The substance of your interview is, of course, key. Your patter, affability and subject knowledge are essential, but arguably your attire will also play a vital role in dictating the final outcome. First impressions are, by definition, instant and it takes seconds for a complete stranger to formulate a positive or negative opinion of you based on your appearance alone.

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With interviews becoming an increasingly popular topic of conversation over the next few weeks, we thought it was high time to get a university's perspective on what they're looking for and how best to prepare for the big day. So up stepped the University of Bristol to offer eight valuable tips:

It's around this time of year that you may have been invited to an interview from one or more of your university choices. Not all courses invite candidates for interviews but they're often required for popular courses where there are large numbers of high quality applicants and/or where the course requires a high degree of 'people skills' for success. The likelihood of an interview being part of the selection process will be reflected in a course's advice on applying, which will be available on the relevant university's website. For example, Bristol's Undergraduate Admissions Statements are available here
Getting invited to interview is a great achievement in itself - it means that the admissions tutors are impressed with your application and are seriously considering making you an offer. If you have been invited for an interview, or you know that one or more of your course choices uses interviews as part of the selection process, here are some tips on what to expect and how to prepare:

1. Remember that the interview is not only the university's opportunity to assess your suitability but also a chance for you to decide if it's the right choice for you. Use the interview day as an opportunity to explore the university and surrounding area - can you picture yourself studying and living there?

2. Interviewers are not there to catch you out or make you nervous - they'll be genuinely interested in you and your potential to succeed on their course. Research as much as you can about the course content, the department and the university to show the interviewers your interest and commitment.

3. Make sure you re-familiarise yourself with your personal statement and prepare for generic questions such as 'why did you apply to this university?' and 'why do you want to study this particular course?'

4. Interviewers are likely to be seeing several candidates so don't expect to spend a long time with them. To make a good impression within a limited time, think about the qualities you have to offer that you feel make you stand out from the competition. If you've done relevant work experience, read widely around your subject or have won awards or accolades, make sure you use the opportunity to highlight this.

5. Practice doing a 'mock interview' with a parent, teacher or careers adviser. The interview situation can seem unnatural and pressurised so to practise talking about yourself and presenting in a confident manner can be really useful.

6. Wear something that is smart but also practical - rehearse sitting down and walking in your outfit to make sure that it remains presentable and comfortable throughout.

7. Read your invitation letter or email carefully to ensure that you know where you need to be and when. You may have been asked to bring a piece of work or other documentation so make sure you have these prepared. Arrive at the interview venue in plenty of time so that you don't feel rushed. This will give you the opportunity to relax and go over some key points before you start.

8. Be yourself and be confident in your potential to succeed in the interview and on your chosen course.

More guidance about interviews at Bristol is available here where you can download a factsheet about interviews and see a video of a mock Medicine interview.
Good luck!
Sian Hughes, Assistant Publications Officer, University of Bristol

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8 tips for preparing for your university interview

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With interviews becoming an increasingly popular topic of conversation over the next few weeks, we thought it was high time to get a university's perspective on what they're looking for and how best to prepare for the big day.

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Watch the video and read through the dos and don'ts for your personal statements.

Ensure that you proof read your statements!

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Personal statement: dos and don'ts [video] - Which?

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University admissions tutors reveal what they do and don't want to see in your personal statement.

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Interview practice. Work with one of your peers, a friend or family member to help you prepare for you interview.

1. Follow the links for sample university interviews. These sites will also allow you to search for your chosen area such as teaching.

2. Now you have some ideas, you should create your own practice questions. Write down at least five questions.

3. Your nominated person should act as the interviewer and ask you the questions. Practice this together. Think about your answers carefully and ask for feedback once you have finished.

4. Do the activity for a second time. This time you should video the  interaction.

5. Watch the video and identify strengths and weaknesses. Consider quality of answers, confidence and body language.

6. Identify targets for improve and practice again!

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Body language, punctuality and preparing questions are keys to success. Read the following information on tips from UCAS

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How it works

It could be an interview or audition, or you might be asked to provide examples of your work - maybe a portfolio or an essay. Finding out more about you is an ideal way for them to see if you'd be a good fit for the course.

If they do send you an invitation, it could either be sent to you directly, or in Track. It's best to contact the uni or college to find out how and where you will receive information about your interview.

Universities and colleges say it can be difficult to change the times and dates of interviews, so if possible, try to go at the suggested time.

If you can't attend at the allotted time, you need to let the university or college know as soon as possible. If you received your interview decision in Track, the option to request a different time will be available. If you received the interview decision in another way, get in touch with the uni/college. When you've agreed a new date, they'll either update the invitation in Track or contact you directly to let you know.

Then after you've attended, they'll tell us when they've made a decision and we'll let you know in Track. Once all decisions are in, you can reply to your offers.

Interview tips

Interviews aren't everyone's favourite thing, but with a bit of preparation you can do well. They'll be looking for enthusiastic students with lots to offer - someone who can work independently and consider new ideas; someone who will thrive, enjoying a varied academic life alongside outside interests.

1. Plan ahead

Check where and when - sort out any travel and accommodation you need - check their website for maps and directions.

Be ready for questions - some about your application, as well as your chance to ask about the course and the uni/college.

Know your stuff - show you know the latest in your subject area, and keep up to date with the news - they might ask to hear your views.

Practice - have mock interviews with a teacher or adviser - cover why you chose that course and what you enjoy most about your current studies.

Sleep well!

2. The interview

Dress smartly - you might not need a suit, but smart trousers/skirt and a shirt/blouse will show you're taking it seriously.

Get there early - have their phone number handy so you can let them know just in case you're delayed.

Good body language - don't slouch, yawn or fold your arms - stay calm and alert, sit up straight and make eye contact.

Don't worry if you don't understand - ask them to repeat or rephrase the question, make a good guess, or relate it to something you know better.

Expect the unexpected - they might do a surprise test to see how you react under pressure - just do your best.

Ask them questions too - this shows enthusiasm and gives you chance to get answers you haven't found yet.

3. Afterwards

Make notes - if you have more interviews coming up, it might be handy preparation to write down the questions and answers you've already had.

Reflect on how you did - decide what worked well and think of new answers for areas you want to improve in.

Then sit back and wait - once we've heard from the university or college, we'll let you know in Track if they're making you an offer.

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It could be an interview or audition, or you might be asked to provide examples of your work - maybe a portfolio or an essay. Finding out more about you is an ideal way for them to see if you'd be a good fit for the course.

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Many of the courses that you are applying for require you to sit Numeracy and Literacy tests.

Use the link to the BCU website to take you to some sample questions.

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Sample Numeracy and Literacy Test - School of Nursing and Midwifery | Birmingham City University

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Birmingham City University is a modern university with around 22,500 students from 80 countries. The University has strong links with industry and the professions and an established track-record of providing quality higher education and professionally relevant research.

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Nursing

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There are many different questions you may be asked at your nursing university interview, so we've provided a comprehensive list of those commonly asked by nursing admissions tutors at UK universities.

As well as the example questions below, you can find further help in our University Interviews Guide.

Background & motivation

1. Tell us about yourself.

2. Talk us through your personal statement.

3. Why do you want to be a Adult/Child/Mental Health nurse?

4. What have you done to prepare yourself for a career in Nursing?

5. What strengths do you have that will help you deal with all the work involved?

6. Why do you want to be a nurse, rather than another profession that is caring or intellectually challenging, such as a doctor or surgeon?

7. What do you think a nurse does, apart from treat patients?

8. What branch of nursing interests you most and why?

9. What are you looking forward to most about becoming a nurse?

10. What contribution do you hope to make to the field of nursing?

11. How do you think nursing differs from other health professions?

12. What element of healthcare attracts you to nursing?

13. If you were to become a nurse, how would you like your patients to describe you and why?

14. How do you know whether you really do want to become a nurse?

15. Do you have any life experiences that you think may help your career in nursing?

16. What skills do you have to become a nurse?

17. What qualities do you think make a good nurse?

18. Discuss a time when you had to convey an important message to someone - describe how you did this and what the end result was.

19. How do you cope with stress?

20. How do you manage your time?

Knowledge

1. What do you know about the Nursing and Midwifery Council?

2. What is the role of a Children's Nurse?

3. What is the role of an Adult Nurse?

4. What is the most demanding aspect of the study programme, and how would you overcome this?

5. What can you tell me about the Nursing Code of Practice?

6. If you had £1 million to spend on healthcare, what would you spend it on and why?

7. Where does Nursing take place?

8. What do you know about current Nursing issues in the media?

9. What challenges affect Nursing in the UK?

10. What does confidentiality mean and why is it important?

11. What do you know about consent?

12. What might a typical day on a ward involve for a Nurse?

Empathy & patient care

1. Give an example of a situation where you have supported a friend in a difficult social circumstance. What issues did they face and how did you help them?

2. What does the word empathy mean to you. How do you differentiate empathy from sympathy?

3. Is it right for nurses to 'feel for their patients'?

4. How do nurses sometimes react negatively to stress?

5. A friend has asked your advice on how to tell her parents that she intends to drop out of university and go off travelling. How you respond?

6. How would you cope with the death of a patient?

Teamwork & communication

1. What is teamwork and why is it important in Nursing?

2. Why is communication vital in Nursing?

3. Give us an example of when you worked as part of a team?

4. Can you think of a team situation where your communication skills have been essential? Tell us more about the situation and how you contributed.

5. Tell us about a group activity you have organised. What went well and what went badly? What did you learn from it?

6. What have you learned about yourself and successful team-working?

7. Who do you think will be the most important people you will work with as a nurse?

8. Describe a time when you had to lead a team of people?

9. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being in a team? Do you believe teams need leaders?

10. What do you think of nurses taking on tasks previously done by doctors?

11. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of nurses replacing doctors as the first contact person in primary care?

12. Do you think humour can help a team? Give an example.

Ethics

1. What do you think about parents smoking in front of their children?

2. What do you think about a disabled couple having a child?

3. Is it better to give health care or aid to impoverished countries?

4. Do you think nurses should ever go on strike?

5. Do you think we should find out more about patients' views of their nurses, their illness or their treatments? How would you set about this?

6. What do you think are the major sorts of problems facing a person with a long-term health problem, such as difficulty breathing?

7. What are the differences between length of life and quality of life?

8. Is there a moral case against drug companies becoming as large and powerful as the market allows them to be?

9. What are the arguments for and against the decriminalisation of drugs such as cocaine?

10. Should alternative or complimentary medicine be funded by the NHS, and why?

11. Should the NHS fund the treatment of self-inflicted diseases?

12. With the growing problems of overpopulation should the NHS fund IVF treatment?

13. How do you think nurses should treat injury or illness due to self-harm, smoking or excess alcohol consumption?

14. What is your feeling about euthanasia?

15. What do you think about the use of animals for testing new drugs?

16. How do you respond and what do you feel when you see a beggar in the street?

17. Do you think that Class A drugs should be legalised?

18. Would being religious, and therefore potentially having a more positive view to death, be detrimental in your role as a nurse?

19. A man refuses treatment for a potentially life-threatening condition. What are the ethical issues involved?

20. What would you do if you discovered a patient had been given a double dosage?

Career plans & your future

1. Do you have any career aspirations?

2. How will university benefit your future?

3. Where do you see yourself in 10 years' time?

4. If you had to take a gap year, what would you do?

Further information

For more tips and advice on university interviews, please see:

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Nursing University Interview Questions | Studential.com

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There are many different questions you may be asked at your nursing university interview, so we’ve provided a comprehensive list of those commonly asked by nursing admissions tutors at UK universities. As well as the example questions below, you can find further help in our University Interviews Gui…

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Social Work

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There are many different questions you may be asked at your Social Work university interview, so we've provided a comprehensive list of those commonly asked by nursing admissions tutors at UK universities.

As well as the example questions below, you can find further help in our University Interviews Guide.

Background & motivation

1. Tell us about yourself.

2. Talk us through your personal statement.

3. Why do you want to be a Social Work?

4. What have you done to prepare yourself for a career in Social Work?

5. What strengths do you have that will help you deal with all the work involved?

6. What do you think a social worker does?

7. What interests you most about social work and why?

8. What are you looking forward to most about becoming a social worker?

9. How do you think social work differs from other health professions?

10. If you were to become a social worker, how would you like people to describe you and why?

11. How do you know whether you really do want to become a social worker?

12. Do you have any life experiences that you think may help your career in social work?

13. What skills do you have to become a social worker?

14. What qualities do you think make a good social worker?

15. Discuss a time when you had to convey an important message to someone - describe how you did this and what the end result was.

16. How do you cope with stress?

17. How do you manage your time?

Knowledge & work experience

1. What is the role of a social worker?

2. What is the most demanding aspect of the study programme, and how would you overcome this?

3. Where does social work take place?

4. What other professionals in health and social care might you work with as a social worker?

5. What do you know about current welfare issues in the media?

6. Do you want to specialise in helping families and children, or vulnerable adults?

7. What might a typical day involve for a social worker?

8. What can you tell us about the NHS Values?

9. What problems might you deal with as a social worker?

10. What might your strategies include?

11. What are the benefits of social workers?

12. What is advocacy?

13. What is the cycle of disadvantage?

14. What is empowerment?

15. Tell us about your work experience - what did you learn from it and what did you enjoy?

16. Were there any aspects of your work experience you didn't like?

17. Give us an example of when you had to adapt your communication skills?

18. Explain the pros and cons of being a social worker?

19. What is discriminiation and can you provide an example of this?

20. What would a service user expect from you as a social worker?

Communication & leadership skills

1. Why is communication vital in social work?

2. Give us an example of when you worked as part of a team?

3. Can you think of a team situation where your communication skills have been essential? Tell us more about the situation and how you contributed.

4. Tell us about a group activity you have organised. What went well and what went badly? What did you learn from it?

5. What have you learned about yourself and successful team-working?

6. Who do you think will be the most important people you will work with as a social worker?

7. Describe a time when you had to lead a team of people?

8. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being in a team? Do you believe teams need leaders?

9. Do you think humour can help a team? Give an example.

Career plans & your future

1. Do you have any career aspirations?

2. How will university benefit your future?

3. Where do you see yourself in 10 years' time?

4. If you had to take a gap year, what would you do?

Further information

For more tips and advice on university interviews, please see:

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Social Work University Interview Questions | Studential.com

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There are many different questions you may be asked at your Social Work university interview, so we’ve provided a comprehensive list of those commonly asked by nursing admissions tutors at UK universities. As well as the example questions below, you can find further help in our University Interviews…

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Watch the following video for tips on university interviews at BCU

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The NHS treats more than 1 million patients every 36 hours. But on rare occasions, things can go wrong.

Patient safety is about working to prevent errors in healthcare that can cause harm to patients.

Harm in this context means injury, suffering, disability or death.

The errors that occur in healthcare are rarely the fault of individuals, but are usually the result of problems with the systems they work in.

Regardless, NHS patients should be treated in a safe environment and be protected from avoidable harm.

Patients should be treated in clean surroundings, with a minimal risk of infection. The equipment used should be in good working order and used in the correct way.

Medicines should be given on time and in the correct doses. Tests, investigations and treatments provided to patients should be appropriate for their condition, with procedures performed correctly and in a timely and effective way.

Care should be delivered in a co-ordinated way by competent healthcare staff who work in an effective team. This includes communicating patients' needs effectively.

Note: some treatments or drugs are expected to cause harm, such as chemotherapies or certain drug therapies. Rare allergic reactions, for example, are "expected" in the sense that they will happen to a very small number of patients - we just can't predict which ones. Those cases are not considered patient safety issues.

How is patient safety checked?

Patient safety improvement is about tackling the causes of errors in care that can come from problematic working environments or insufficient training and support for staff.

Healthcare organisations such as hospitals are complex organisations. Most hospitals have many excellent departments, wards and staff. But even those with the very best reputations will still demonstrate problems in patient safety in some areas.

This is why the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection teams visit hospitals regularly. The judgements of CQC inspections are the most authoritative view of the safety of healthcare in the NHS.

Learn more about CQC hospital inspections.

The NHS also has a national patient safety team whose job is to collect information about what can go wrong in the NHS, learn more about why things go wrong, and then use this understanding to support the NHS to become safer.

For information, visit the Patient Safety hub on the NHS England website.

Patient safety data on NHS Choices

On this website, you can compare information related to patient safety in hospitals. Simply use the Services near you facility and enter a postcode. On the results page, select "safety" from the dropdown menu.

Hospitals are ranked in relation to:

Their CQC rating

Their management of infection control and cleanliness

Their assessment of patients for blood clots

Their responsiveness to national patient safety alerts

Whether their staff would recommend them

Some hospitals do not have data for every indicator, shown as n/a (data not available). This can be because:

The hospital is not required to report on a particular indicator

The data isn't yet available

The hospital has not submitted data for this indicator

You can click on a hospital name and find out more about their patient safety. You can find more information about each safety indicator by clicking on the "i" information icon at the top of each indicator category.

My NHS data for better services

In addition to the data available on NHS Choices, you will find more patient safety data on the My NHS website.

How to raise concerns

If you are worried about the care provided to you or a loved one, you should raise concerns with the hospital first. Speak to staff on the ward or to your consultant. You may also get advice from the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) at the hospital.

If you don't know who is responsible for your care, or you do not want to raise concerns with that person, you can contact your local clinical commissioning group (CCG) using the NHS complaints procedure. CCGs commission secondary care services such as hospital services and mental health services.

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About patient safety - About the NHS in England - NHS Choices

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The NHS treats more than 1 million patients every 36 hours. But on rare occasions, things can go wrong. Patient safety is about working to prevent errors in healthcare that can cause harm to patients. Harm in this context means injury, suffering, disability or death.