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Unsure on future career? Take this career test based on Holland's theory of careers and vocational choice 

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Unsure on future career? Take this career test based on Holland's theory of careers and vocational choice 

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What career best fits your personality? This free career aptitude test can give you insight into your job personality. Based on a characterization of your personality in terms of Holland Code personality types, you will learn what kind of work environments and occupations suit you best. The results of this career test provide you with a list of professions and occupations that fit your career personality.

Choose a career that matches your preferences and you will increase your chances of being successful! Take this career quiz and get your results right now!

Career test instructions

It takes five to ten minutes to complete this free career test. You will see fifteen sets of four pictures that show specific work activities. You must choose only one work activity that appeals to you the most and one that appeals to you the least.

Do not choose a work activity based on the status or money associated with it. Do not make your choice based on gender or race. Just imagine yourself performing the task shown and decide if you would like to doing it or not.

If you like doing the activity, click the on the picture. If you do not like doing the activity, click the on the picture. You must choose a like and dislike for each set.

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Career test - Free online aptitude test - 123test.com

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What career best fits your personality? This free career aptitude test can give you insight into your job personality. Based on a characterization of your personality in terms of Holland Code personality types, you will learn what kind of work environments and occupations suit you best.

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Current job vacancies can be posted within this section. You are free to advertise your own vacancy by pressing the + symbol and adding details and any relevant links.

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Education Jobs For Teachers, Lecturers And Admin Staff

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A specialist recruitment website hosting education jobs for teachers, lecturers, and administration staff looking for employment within a school, college, university, or an alternative learning institution.

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Reed Education is one of the UK's fastest growing education recruitment agencies, providing expertise in primary, secondary, SEN and further education.
Our education recruitment specialists work with the best quality temporary and permanent staff, using their local expertise to help you fill your next position.

We have a database of over 1,000,000 education professionals - including high demand subject specialists in STEM and English - so make us your first call for all your recruitment support.

Quality and compliance is at the core of the Reed Education culture. Our entire safeguarding process adheres to 'Safer Recruitment in Education' regulations and we will work with you to understand the specific compliance requirements of your organisation. We manage your pre-employment screening for you through our own vetting provider, Reed Screening, saving you valuable time and resource.

Contact Reed Education

Having Reed Education look after our recruitment needs means that staff cover is not something we have to worry about - as I always feel as though we are in safe hands. I have no hesitation in recommending Reed Education.
Operations Manager, secondary school

Education recruitment experts

Our education recruitment specialist recruit into the following education providers

Managed Services in Education

As a managed service provider, we offer contingent workforce solutions and a more collaborative approach than ad hoc recruitment, adding value beyond simply filling vacancies. We provide a range of managed service solutions for schools, trusts and local authorities, finding you the right staff quickly whilst saving money in the process.

Find out more about our managed service solutions.

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Company founder and CEO, Stephanie has developed Laughology into the nations most talked about tr...

We have gathered up advice from our expansive network of teachers and education recruitment consu...

Planning lessons can be time consuming and stressful, even for an experienced teacher. We know ev...

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Reed Education is one of the UK's fastest growing education recruitment agencies, providing expertise in primary, secondary, SEN and further education. Our education recruitment specialists work with the best quality temporary and permanent staff, using their local expertise to help you fill your next position.

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Teaching Jobs with Teaching Personnel | Leading Education Recruitment Specialists

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Browse and search for teaching jobs across the UK with Education Recruitment Agency, Teaching Personnel. Register with us now!

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What can we do as teachers to create an environment that promotes good Mental Health? ​Here are my Top 10...

​Welcome to the new look Protocol. After 16 years of faithful service, our pencil topper mascots have been sent to...

​The possibilities in teaching are endless. Learning never ends. But unfortunately the school day ends, as does the actual day...

​Managing your WorkloadOn average, one in three teachers leave the profession within the first five years. This movement of many...

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Your first day anywhere can be nerve racking. Adam shares with us his first day in a Special Education School...

​10 tips for a successful interviewAnxiety can inevitably set in before an interview. Leigh, a consultant from our Leicester office...

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​I find that a top travel destination is anywhere that pushes you past your boundaries and allows you to simply...

​Juggling Work and Play in a Long-Term PositionBeing in a long-term position certainly has its perks. You know where you're...

As soon as I gained Qualified Teacher Status I was bombarded with recruitment agency requests for me to sign with...

​Supply? It's just babysitting isn't it? Nothing really gets learnt. Right? ​Spending sometimes only a matter of minutes with a...

​Emma gives us her top five tips to make your day in daily supply run as smoothly as possibleLet's face...

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Protocol Education helps over 11,000 of the very best education supply staff from the UK and overseas find work in nurseries, schools and academies in England every year. We offer outstanding development opportunities to our candidates who are also vetted to the most stringent standards within the industry, using the best technology available.

Are you looking to develop a successful career in recruitment? Protocol Education is growing fast and as a result have exciting recruitment consultant and resource consultant opportunities across the business.Working with schools and nurseries; you...

​​Join our team!

Protocol Education is growing and we would love you to join us and play your part in our success story. If you supply the drive and passion to succeed we will provide the opportunity and...

Media Enquiries ​

Press line: 020 7340 1152

Email: ian@gkstrategy.com

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What can we do as teachers to create an environment that promotes good Mental Health? ​Here are my Top 10... ​Welcome to the new look Protocol. After 16 years of faithful service, our pencil topper mascots have been sent to... ​The possibilities in teaching are endless. Learning never ends.

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A simple, streamlined platform for matching supply teachers and teaching assistants with temporary roles in schools. Teachers earn more and schools pay less.

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Reed Health recruits Allied Health Professionals for public and private sector organisations. Our dedicated health recruitment specialists use their market knowledge and local expertise to help you fill your next vacancy.
Reed Health is a proud holder of a Platinum audit score for compliance, proving our commitment to responsible recruitment in the health sector.

Nurse Recruitment

Reed Nurse works with some of the most prestigious hospitals in the UK, offering a seamless registration process for nursing professionals.

Doctor Recruitment

Reed Doctor has specialists in both acute medical doctors and general practitioners, and supports the NHS and private sector organisations across the UK.

Build the perfect nurse CV with our free template

Build the perfect health professionals CV with our free template

Build the perfect doctor CV with our free template

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Reed Health recruits Allied Health Professionals for public and private sector organisations. Our dedicated health recruitment specialists use their market knowledge and local expertise to help you fill your next vacancy. Reed Health is a proud holder of a Platinum audit score for compliance, proving our commitment to responsible recruitment in the health sector.

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Submit your application form and CV to begin your job search today!

Not only do we pride ourselves on the personal relationships we build with all of our candidates who work with us, but we also pride ourselves on the outstanding promise we make that regardless of your age or job, we promise an hourly wage of at least £8.30. Not every temp agency can promise that.

How will Ferguson Recruitment help me get a job?

Whether you're looking for a new job as a bartender, waitress, or as a domiciliary care worker, we will put everything we have into getting you into work as fast as possible. As we only cater for two sectors of the workplace unlike other agencies, we can focus 100% on local clients that are currently hiring and make sure that our candidates are the first ones to be given an opportunity.

If you're looking for a job in the care or hospitality sectors, download our application form below and complete all of its sections. Once completed, please email your application along with your CV to and we will call you to discuss your application within 48 hours. After a brief telephone conversation, we may invite you for an interview to talk over your application in detail and discuss possible job opportunities. If we're all happy and have your permission to contact employers on your behalf, we'll then get back to you once we've found a suitable position. In a lot of cases, we have work ready and waiting for you!

We will never charge you to find you a job. No fees, no charges.

Download and fill out the form below, and send it, with your CV, to . We aim to respond to all applications within 48 hours.

We won't share your application form or CV with anyone until we've been in touch, discussed your application, and have been granted your permission to find you your next job.

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Submit your application form and CV to begin your job search today! Not only do we pride ourselves on the personal relationships we build with all of our candidates who work with us, but we also pride ourselves on the outstanding promise we make that regardless of your age or job, we promise an hourly wage of at least £8.30.

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"I registered and was greeted by Ashley Petch, who took me through the process and made me feel welcome. Ashley was professional and supportive, his approach made me think positively about working for Tradewind."

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Teaching Jobs: Permanent and Supply I Tradewind Recruitment

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Tradewind Recruitment are one of the UK's leading supply Teaching agencies. With offices in Bristol, Birmingham, Essex, Hull, Lancashire, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield and St Albans - view our teaching jobs and apply today.

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LinkedIn Job Search: Find UK Jobs, Internships, Jobs Near Me

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64% of job seekers get hired through a referral. Use LinkedIn Jobs to boost your chances of getting hired through people you know.

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Are you still unsure about the skills needed to undertake or successfully obtain a position in your desired sector/ career? Take a look at the job descriptions here ↓ and identify your next steps and create an action plan to work towards achieving the required skills and qualifications; whilst seeking to clarify if the position matches your own needs.

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Interested in postgraduate study? Explore course provider profiles, open days and further study advice on targetjobs

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Are you a patient, supportive person? Does the opportunity to help young people fulfill their potential interest you? Then Teaching Assistant jobs (TA jobs) are ideal for you!

Teaching assistants support learning activities across all key stages, and in all different types of schools across the UK. As a Teaching Assistant you may work with students with special educational needs (SEN). These a students with learning o physical disabilities, or with other special needs. You may work with individual students or with groups of children. You may also undertake other duties to free up a teacher's time. Teaching Assistant positions are often varied, and always rewarding! Supply Desk will find teaching assistant jobs you'll love.

You don't need a formal qualification to be a teaching assistant, but you do need to be non-judgemental and patient. You will be interested in education, and passionate about making a positive difference in the lives of young people. At Supply Desk, we look for Teaching Assistants who can build rapport, motivate, and inspire, and who work well in a range of team environments. Previous experience in working with children (such as tutoring, sports coaching, childcare and youth work) is highly regarded.
Register Now

Daily Rate

Fareham

Permanent

SEN Teacher Required ASAP - Fareham Supply Desk are working alongside a fantastic SEN...

£10,001-£20,000

Bridge Trafford

Permanent

KS1 TEACHING ASSISTANT REQUIRED PRIMARY SCHOOL IN TRAFFORD M33 Are you a passionate and...

Daily Rate

Worthing

Permanent

Teaching Assistant - Full Time - Secondary - Worthing Supply Desk are currently seeking...

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Teaching assistants support learning activities across all key stages, and in all different types of schools across the UK. As a Teaching Assistant you may work with students with special educational needs (SEN). These a students with learning o physical disabilities, or with other special needs.

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Preparing for a teaching assistant job interview is the same as applying for jobs in other fields, but there are certain questions and scenarios that will come up that you should be prepared for. In addition, the interviewer will most likely invite you to ask any questions that you have about the school and teaching assistant position.

Due to the trusted position of a teaching assistant, this is a great opportunity to show your dedication to the student's well-being by asking questions that are focused on them.

This article will share some tried-and-true job interview preparation tips, plus a more in-depth look at the teaching assistant job interview questions and information that you will need to prepare for your big day.

Be prepared

Research the school that you have applied to and try to find out any information that will help your interview prospects. Does the school have any special programs or initiatives that you can bring up? Perhaps they have a unit for children living with disabilities, or the school is well-known for their sport or music program.

By casually mentioning something about the school in your answers, you will show that you take the job seriously and have researched the position. In addition, it will give you a chance to praise the school. Everyone likes to get positive feedback so use it to your advantage.

Sell Yourself

The interviewer will have a list of candidates to meet, and you need to stand out to make an impression. Don't leave anything to chance; prepare a mental list of your strengths and relevant experience and make sure to bring these points up during the answering phase of the interview.

Be Confident

Be confident and friendly without being overwhelming. It's easy to talk too much when faced with a case of nerves, but try to step back and present a calm demeanour. It's a good idea to get into the habit of nodding thoughtfully after hearing the teaching assistant job interview questions and formulating your answer before speaking.

Bring Relevant Documents

In addition to the regular job interview documents, such as a resume and copies of education credentials, a teaching assistant applicant will benefit from taking a selection of photos from previous work experience.

Samples of art & craft activities, work sheets and other teaching aids are quite acceptable to bring to a teaching assistant interview. Along with clear answers to the teaching assistant interview questions, a portfolio of work samples will make your application really stand out.

Teaching Demo

Be aware that some schools will ask you to do a teaching demo as part of the application process. The demo may involve real students or staff members. While being a little nerve-wracking, a teaching demo is a fantastic way to show your skills in a real teaching environment.

From experience, some schools may ask you to give a demo straight away after a successful interview, so try to have a basic 15 minute class ready to go at any time.

Teaching Assistant Based Questions

There are other more in-depth guides on this site to the teaching assistant interview questions that you will encounter at the job interview. Basically speaking, the interviewer will need to find out your experience and skills relating to a teaching assistant role.
This will require you to follow a basic S.T.A.R formula to deliver the best answer.
S - Situation. Describe the place and time where you encountered the problem outlined in the interview question.

T - Task. Speak about the task that you had to complete.

A - Action. Outline the steps taken to resolve the problem.

R - Result. Tell the interviewer about the outcome to your problem solving.

A great teaching assistant is always prepared, flexible and creative. Bring these skills to your job interview and show the interviewer that you are focused on the students and dedicated to the industry.

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How to prepare for your Teaching Assistant Interview

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Preparing for a teaching assistant job interview is the same as applying for jobs in other fields, but there are certain questions and scenarios that will come up that you should be prepared for. In addition, the interviewer will most likely invite you to ask any questions that you have about the school and teaching assistant position.

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What can I do with a early childhood studies degree? | Prospects.ac.uk

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Take a look at what jobs, internships and courses you can do with a degree in early childhood studies.

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by Amber Rolfe
Writing a CV can be a stressful task, especially if you're starting from scratch...
And although there's no one-size-fits-all solution for the perfect CV, it should always be clearly formatted and short enough for a recruiter to scan quickly - and most importantly - tailored to the role you're applying for.

Not sure where to start? Here are some basic rules on how to write a CV:

What information should I include on my CV?

CVs should never be completely formulaic, but there are a few things they should always contain:

1. Personal details:

It may sound obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people forget to include their name, email, contact phone number and address. To avoid any awkward moments, make sure these are clearly presented at the top of your CV. 'Curriculum Vitae' is an unnecessary title - your name is not.

2. Personal statement

As it's the first thing that's shown on your CV, a personal statement is an essential part of standing out from the crowd. It explains who you are, what you're offering, and what you're looking for. Aim to prove why you're suitable in one short and succinct paragraph.

3. Work experience:

This section should include all of your relevant work experience, listed with the most recent first. Include your job title, the name of the organisation, time in post, and your key responsibilities.

4. Achievements:

This is your chance to show how your previous experience has given you the skills needed to make you a suitable candidate. List all of your relevant skills and achievements (backing them up with examples), and make it clear how you would apply these to the new role.

5. Education:

Your educational experience and achievements should be listed here, along with dates, the type of qualification and/or the grade you achieved - although the specific parts of education that you include in your CV will depend on your individual situation. For example, if you have more educational achievements than work experience, placing an emphasis on this section is a good idea.

6. Hobbies and interests:

You don't always need to include hobbies and interests in your CV, but mentioning relevant ones could back up your skills and help you to stand out from the crowd - not to mention give you something to talk about at an interview. Just don't say you enjoy socialising with friends just for the sake of including something. If it's not going to add value, leave it out.

Any extra information, such as reasons for a career change or reasons for gaps in career history should also be included as required.
Free CV template CV examples and samples
What words should I include in my CV?

Figuring out what words to use on your CV can be tough - especially when you're trying to fit a lot of skills and experience into a short document.

Appropriate keywords for your CV could include:

In addition to using the right words, you should also back up your attributes up with genuine accomplishments. Not only will you stand out from others with identical skills, you'll also be able to prove your suitability more effectively.

After all, anyone can say they're hard-working - but not everyone can prove it.
What words should I use on my CV?
What should I leave out?

When it comes to your CV, there are certain words and phrases you should try to avoid - and they mostly consist of overused clichés.

Not only could using them risk mildly irritating the person in charge of hiring, you could also end up blending into a sea of similar candidates.

Although all recruiters will have their own pet peeves, here are just a few of the worst CV words:

Excellent communication skills

Goal driven

Flexible

Motivated

Multi-tasker

Independent

Detail oriented

Self-motivated

Obviously, exceptions can be made if any of the above were included in the job description as an essential skill - but using examples to back them up is still crucial.
Five lines that are killing your CV What not to do on your CV
How should I present my CV?

Your CV is the first thing an employer will see when hiring for a vacancy, and how it looks at first glance will be the reason they decide to read it in more detail. Even if your skills match the role perfectly, a messy and confusing CV probably won't even get a second look.

To ensure you're painting yourself (and your skills) in the best light, you should always:

Keep it short and succinct - two sides of A4 will almost always suffice.

Choose a clear, professional font to ensure that your CV can be easily read (leave Comic Sans and Word Art back in the 1990s where they belong)

Lay it out in a logical order, with sufficient spacing and clear section headings (e.g. Work experience, Education)

Order your experience and education in reverse chronological order to highlight your most recent experience and achievements

Check your grammar and spelling thoroughly

CV layout dos and don'ts Common grammar mistakes to avoid on your CV
Final thoughts

Once you've put together your CV - don't assume it's finished.

Every job is different and tailoring your CV accordingly is vital to standing out. Edit it in line with the job description whenever you make an application, and you'll be able to ensure it matches the specifications every time.

Highlight that you're the right match for the job by outlining:

The specific skills you have to offer the employer

Relevant accomplishments and achievements

The work and educational experience you have in their field

Personal qualities that will make you right for the role

An understanding of the job requirements

Free CV review
Need more CV advice?

It takes an employer just seven seconds to save or reject a job applicant's CV. This means creating a succinct CV is absolutely vital if you want to land that all-important interview.

To find out how to make your CV stand out from the crowd, buy James Reed's new book: The 7 Second CV: How to Land the Interview .
Still searching for your perfect position? View all available jobs now

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Writing a CV can be stressful, especially if you're starting from scratch. Not sure where to start? Here are our tips on how to write a CV.

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Action planning will help you to focus your ideas and decide what steps you need to take to achieve your goals and turn them into a plan, rather than a dream.

An action plan is a statement of what you want to achieve over a given period of time. The online Vitae Researcher Development Framework Professional Development Planner enables you to identify the areas you want to develop further. Use the following tips to get the most out of your action plan.

Review where you are now

Self-reflection features in sub-domain B1 of the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF) . Thorough knowledge of your current abilities is the starting point of any action plan. The language in the phases for the RDF descriptors will help you assess your strengths in each area. Which phase best describes your abilities and which ones do you aspire to?

Find evidence

The more specific you can be, the better. Can you qualify or quantify? Can you compare to where you were previously or to your peers? Take care to be neither too harsh nor too optimistic. Talk to others to get their views about your strengths and capabilities. Evidence does not have to relate to your research but can be gathered from other aspects of your life.

Choose the career direction(s) you may wish to pursue

The Vitae Researcher Development Framework is not limited to planning a career in academia. What skills might you need to develop to allow you to succeed the career of your choice? Our lenses on the RDF have been developed to focus on specific areas such as teaching or enterprise. Consider how your skills and experiences will enhance your prospects of success in various career areas by finding out what is needed.

What do you need to get there?

To move from one phase to the next you could attend courses, gain experience and confidence or seek out informal development opportunities. Prioritise development on those areas which are most relevant to the career(s) you have identified. The level of detail in your action plan is a personal preference, but put some thought into it.

Make your action plan SMART

The acronym 'SMART' stands for:

Specific - break your goals down to actual discrete actions you can undertake and outcomes that can be evidenced

Measurable - you need to be able to say whether or not you have completed what you commit to. Therefore avoid thinking in terms of 'some', 'many', etc.

Aspirational - consider including actions in your action plan that you may not other undertake in any case (although there is value in thinking about what skills you gain from everything you do)

Realistic - be careful not to give yourself too many, or too difficult, actions to do in the time available: don't set yourself up to fail

Time limited - Put deadlines to your actions and set up reminders for yourself.

Review

Review your progress against your action plan regularly and go through the cycle again.

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Create an action plan for your career development - quick tips

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Action planning will help you to focus your ideas and decide what steps you need to take to achieve your goals and turn them into a plan, rather than a dream. An action plan is a statement of what you want to achieve over a given period of time.

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Building an effective personal career plan is critical to developing your career as it helps you identify your goals and put the actions you'll need to take on a timeline. Therefore, it's important for all professionals to take the time to work on their personal career planning and build a career development action plan that will guide them through their professional lives.

If you are not sure about how to build a career plan, the first step is to understand what your goals are as they will serve as your compass. Since your career plan needs to be as comprehensive as possible, it's important to include as much information as possible. For example, if your aspirations include starting your own business or becoming a CEO, and you also hope to go back to university and gain a postgraduate degree, it's essential that you fit all your aspirations into your career development action plan.
Life Values
As our careers do not run independently from our lives, you should also consider how creating a career plan fits in with your lifestyle. Start by thinking about your life values and what matters to you. As work takes up one-third of our day (or more), consider the impact your career decisions will have on your life and think carefully about what you require from a job.
Skills and Interests
It's also important to take into consideration your interests in terms of skills and knowledge. Understanding the personal qualities you're interested in will go a long way in ensuring that your professional experience is meaningful to you. Make a list of everything you enjoy doing at work, what you think you'd enjoy doing if you were given the opportunity and match them to jobs you'd like to do.

Step 2: Assess Your Current Situation

Making sure that your goals are realistic will help ensure creating an effective career plan, so after you've figured out what your targets are take a step back and consider what your present situation is. You are likely to find that some of your targets are impossible to achieve, or that you at least have a very long way to go before you get within grasp of your career objectives.
Current Skillset
It's important to take into consideration your current skillset. If your current skillset does not reflect your ultimate goal, do not lose momentum as you can gain those skills while you grow professionally. Start by testing your current expertise against your aims and make a list of every skill you need to gain to reach your target.
Weaknesses
Apart from your skills, you should also evaluate your weaknesses. As this process will not be very pleasant, you might want to consider identifying your weaknesses as areas you have to work on, rather than areas in which you are lacking. Don't label your 'bad organisational skills' as bad, rather list them as 'organisational skills that need improvement'.

Constructive self-criticism will help you set more realistic targets so don't shy away from admitting that there are things that you simply can't do.

Step 3: Explore Your Opportunities

After you've identified your goals and you've tested them against your current situation, you ought to start researching what you can do to reach those targets. Maybe you have to go back to university for example, or maybe you should sign up for an online class. It's important to understand if there's more than one route that will get you to your destination and if there is try to understand which route is more likely to get you to your target faster and more efficiently.
Consider Other Issues
As you are exploring your opportunities, you'll realise that there's more to consider than you initially thought. Signing up for an online class after work, for example, might interfere with your lifestyle, while you might also need to pick up a second job to pay for university tuition. It's important to figure out what issues might come up and fit them into your plan.
Ask for Help
If you are not sure what the next step to take is, consider asking for help. Your company's HR department might be able to help you. They usually deal with such matters confidentially so if you feel that they are trustworthy pay them a visit. Career services will also be able to help you, and you can even hire a professional career coach to help you build an effective career plan. You might also want to consider talking to experts in your industry as they might have a few tips to share. Linkedin connections might come in handy as well, so don't be afraid to reach out.

Step 4: Take Action

After you have researched available opportunities and have made up your mind, all that's left is to put your plan into action. Think about how you are going to move forward and try to get any support available that will help you enact your career plan. For example, what should you do to get the training your job offers? Is there someone you could talk to? What are the final steps that will help you develop your plan? These are all questions which you need to constantly ask yourself to ensure you are on the right track.

To facilitate the process divide your actions into three parts:

Critical components are areas that require extra attention. You might find that having an MBA is essential to achieve your ultimate goal.

Short-term components address minor goals which are only there because they are meant to help you achieve your bigger targets.

Long-term components refer to your end-goals and can only be addressed after you've reached all of your short-term goals.

It's important for your plan to be well-thought out as any gaps could hinder your chances of achieving your targets.

Step 5: Assign a Timeline and Milestones

Building a personal career plan is no easy feat, but that does not mean that you should put it aside as soon as you've finished it. It's important to keep it somewhere where you can see it and get inspired on a daily basis.
Timeline
To make your career plan more effective you should also put all of your targets and action steps on a timeline. If your ultimate goal is to start your own business, you need to set a time-frame for yourself. Consider how long it will take you to gain the necessary skills, raise the money you need etc. and fit these steps into your framework. The more your career objectives are put in a logical sequence, the more chances you'll have to follow through.
Milestones
Apart from scheduling specific times to review and update your personal career plan, it's important to recognise which achievements can be considered as milestones. If gaining a postgraduate degree will help pivot your professional life, then graduating from university should be regarded as a milestone. It's also important to celebrate your milestones as this will help incentive you to push forward.

Building an effective personal career plan will help guide you through career-related decisions, so you need to take the time and put in the effort that is required.

Do you know how to build a career plan? Have you already gone through this process? Share them with us in the comment section below.

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5 Steps to Building Your Personal Career Plan

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Building an effective personal career plan is critical to developing your career as it helps you identify your goals and put the actions you'll need to take on a timeline. Therefore, it's important for all professionals to take the time to work on their personal career planning and build a career development action plan that will guide them through their professional lives.

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Tom Pinder (2018) suggests that you consider aspects for before, during and after the event… 

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Tom Pinder (2018) suggests that you consider aspects for before, during and after the event… 

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Before

•Check who will be at the event

•Identify what talks will be

•List some questions to ask (such as entry requirements for specific programmes and funding
During

•Ask the questions

•Speak to other visitors

•Ask for contact details for the university (such as programme leaders if you require extra information)

Keep an open mind
After

•Post event identify the university's that you are most interested in and start your application.

•Attend a postgraduate event at the university, if you attended a postgraduate fair, as it will allow you to see the facilities on offer.

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What is a personal statement?

A Ucas personal statement is a short reflective essay you write about why you're the perfect candidate for the university course/s you're applying to.

It's a key part of your Ucas application, alongside your predicted or achieved A-level grades (or equivalent) etc. It's read by admissions tutors at the universities you apply to, who'll decide whether to offer you a place or not.

Your personal statement should demonstrate how and why you're a fitting candidate for their course - and the institution as a whole - through:

your passion for the subject or field, including specific areas or topics you're interested in;

how you've made an effort to engage with your subject already;

what you've learned or how it's developed your understanding of your area so far;

what you want to do in the future.

Most importantly, you need to link this back to the course.

It's important to note that you only write one personal statement, which is seen by all the universities you apply to. We cover writing a statement for multiple courses, below.

Why is your personal statement important?

Unlike your grades or admissions test scores - which many other candidates may also have - your personal statement is the main way you can distinguish yourself from the rest of the pack (so you're not just another Ucas number).

After all, three As at A-level - while impressive - doesn't tell someone about your long standing passion for your subject, perspective-changing work placements, long-term goals etc.

Plus, your personal statement is written in your own words.

Your statement can form the basis of an interview if you're invited to one; so you can use your statement to get an admissions tutor excited about meeting you, as well as shape what you might talk about.

Admissions tutors you speak to in Clearing - should you go through this - can see your personal statement too, and may ask about what you write here. In fact, we recommend re-reading your statement prior to results day, to refresh your memory about what you wrote.

How do I write a personal statement?

You'll likely go through a few drafts before you get the final version you submit. So don't expect to thrash it out in a weekend.

Check when your school wants your statement finished by, and work backwards from there. This will give you enough time to ask others for their feedback.

Start with your subject

It's pretty much impossible to start your personal statement without a degree subject in mind. It would be like applying to an unknown job by simply stating your general strengths - these won't necessarily be relevant.

It's easier with a few courses in mind. While you can pull together a rough draft while still researching specific courses, it can help to have a solid idea of your five Ucas choices (or at least most of them).

See what they have in common (eg modules, key skills required, modes of assessment) and highlight these in your statement.
Read our full guide to choosing a university course.
Make it personal

The key word is 'personal': this doesn't mean pouring your heart out or emotionally blackmailing an admissions tutor.

And while you can ask a friend for their advice or look at statement templates, what works for someone else won't necessarily work for you.

Remember, any statements that show signs of plagiarism will be flagged by Ucas' system and will hurt your chances of applying.

Oxbridge vs non-Oxbridge

Personal statements for Oxford and Cambridge tend to be more focused on academics, serving as a platform for you to discuss your understanding and thoughts on material that you've been exposed to.
Check out our full guide to applying to Oxbridge.
What do I write in my personal statement?

Below is a rough solid six-point plan from The Student Room to start you off:

1. Introduction

Why you want to study this course or subject at university. Remember, your personal statement is seen by all your Ucas choices; so don't make references to a specific institution.

2. Academics

Specifically subjects you've studied that are relevant to the course/subject you're applying to, including specific topics or work.

This section should make up the majority of your personal statement - around 75% according to some careers experts - but this might vary depending on where/what you're applying to (eg Oxbridge) and what else you have to talk about.

For instance, a law or medicine applicant may want to invest more time talking about relevant experience they've accumulated.

3 Interest in your subject beyond the classroom

This could be through books or journals you've read, events you've been to, podcasts you've listened to etc. Don't just make a long list though; pick one or two key examples and focus on these.

Don't be afraid to be critical either; critical analysis is a key skill at degree-level study.

You may want to combine this with the next section.

4. Relevant work experience (paid or unpaid)

Like the section above, it's quality over quantity. Pick out one or two key experiences or placements, talking about what you did and what you took away from these.

Did anything surprise you? Did it convince you to pursue a certain area or career (or did it even put you off one)? Read the course description for all the courses you're applying to, and pick out the skills or qualities that pop up frequently (then show how you've demonstrated these).

5. Hobbies and interests

This section should be brief, sticking to the most relevant ones only. These could be extracurricular activities that demonstrate key transferable skills that aren't necessarily tied to your subject.

For instance, being captain of a sports team shows you can work with others, communicate clearly, lead and motivate others, etc - all of these are impressive to an admissions tutor, regardless of subject.

Remember, that you're writing to an official institution in an academic context; keep in mind how someone with no prior knowledge of your interests, might perceive them.

An older academic may not quite appreciate your Taylor Swift fandom in the same way as your friends. Plus, what does this say about what you bring to the table?

6. Conclusion

This should reiterate the key points you've already made, giving your statement a satisfying sense of closure.

If you have an idea of your future ambitions (eg postgraduate study, career paths), explain how studying this course will help you fulfil these.

Alternatively, you may talk about your broader goals for university, or areas you're looking forward to studying.

Keep the above in mind as you plot out, draft and re-draft your statement.

What can you leave out of your personal statement?

You don't have a whole lot of space in your statement; so think twice about including these (or simply cut them entirely):

Cliche phrases: things like 'Since I've been a child' and the P-word (aka 'passion') can find themselves in your personal statement all too easily - and everyone else's, too. Be original!

Famous quotes: admissions tutors want to see what you think, not Nelson Mandela or Maya Angelou (and not over the course of reading a hundred statements). Unless it's a lesser-known quote that illustrates your point, try not to use them (or at least, don't kick your statement off with them).

Complicated vocabulary: if you can say something in five simple words rather than ten, do that. You don't want to risk looking silly and using a word the wrong way, nor making your statement a mission to read.

Humour: your statement is a formal essay with a lot riding on it, and you want to show that you're taking your Ucas application seriously. Humour is really subjective and easy to get wrong - it's best to just steer clear.

Personal statement FAQ

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How to write a Ucas personal statement - Which?

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A Ucas personal statement is a short reflective essay you write about why you're the perfect candidate for the university course/s you're applying to. It's a key part of your Ucas application, alongside your predicted or achieved A-level grades (or equivalent) etc.

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