Mrs. Visram on How to Make Yourself Employable

With National Careers Week in full swing, the Careers Department has been facilitating a range of talks, to encourage students to be curious about their early career and encourage them to take action when it comes to exploring future career possibilities.  

Throughout the week, we have heard from a diverse array of professionals about a different number of pathways and experiences that have led them to where they are today, from parent David Lonsdale talking about his years in private equity, to Annie Bicknell sharing a varied career path that took her from public relations, to mental health service, to teaching in state primary and SEND schools before moving full time into the arts.   

While the journey to a fulfilling career can be relatively fluid and one that can continue throughout a person's lifetime, in today's rapidly evolving job market something we know for sure is that staying competitive is a must. Employers are increasingly seeking candidates with a blend of soft skills, practical experience, and a standout CV.  

This week Mrs Visram, Alleyn’s Head of Careers enjoyed being part of a conversation entitled “How to make yourself employable” on an episode of UCAS Hub Live.  

Mrs Visram herself embodies what is known as a “portfolio career” - a career which includes different job titles and roles across various sectors. Invited to contribute to the episode as a careers coach and content creator, through her own Your Career and Future business – it is also her experience in her role at Alleyn’s and as a freelance careers consultant at the London School of Economics (LSE) which allowed her to contribute from that range of experience.  

Live and direct from UCAS HQ in Cheltenham, Mrs. Visram spoke to Laura Hawkins about employability skills including soft and transferable skills, the basics of job applications including CVs, cover letters, LinkedIn, and recognising what makes candidates stand out positively.   

Mrs. Visram sat alongside Dan Nicholls, the Early Career Development Manager at GE Aviation, to unpack these topics. They shared invaluable insights and practical advice to empower pupils in navigating their career paths. 

Three key takeaways the episode were;  

- Engage in your career development nice and early: Work experience, volunteering, work shadowing, leadership roles, building your personal brand – these are all valuable for building your self-confidence and your employability skills. Some of the terminology used in the Alleyn’s careers programme - “careers curiosity” and “careers exploration” were mentioned 

- In applying for opportunities, it is essential to go beyond the minimum. Personalise CVs and cover letters and take the time to truly research the organisation – including via socials (always bearing in mind online safeguarding considerations) as this can be a great way of finding out what is current with any organisation 

- Your only guarantee of not securing an opportunity is not to apply – so go for it! 

Students can access the full talk and Mrs. Visram’s insights, by logging onto their UCAS Hub. The UCAS Hub isn’t just for upper school students, it’s a medium which teenagers of any age can access to help them explore career possibilities. Maybe you can share the talk with your families and friends too, as we know careers are a lifelong journey.