University life can nurture many crucial employability skills, such as time management, communication and flexible working. These will support you in finding a part-time job to run alongside your studies - or, when the time comes, in taking steps on your chosen career ladder.
If you want to get ahead, understanding what employers are looking for can help prepare students for life after university, and will teach you to transfer those valuable skills into the wider world.
There’s no shortage of resources for students to build their skills at UEA. Our Student Careers Service, CareerCentral, is a go-to source for one-to-one support from our dedicated team, helping you build up your employability skills while you study, alongside planning your opportunities beyond university.
What skills do employers look for?
Most employers will have a list of personal qualities to look out for when hiring for a job, but there are lots of skills that many workplaces will share an interest in targeting.
Think of these skills in three separate groups: core skills, attributes and awareness. Each plays a particular role in your suitability for a job:
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Core skills – proficiency in areas that are fundamental to the role e.g., time management
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Attributes– how you approach a job or specific task e.g., with strong interpersonal skills
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Awareness – demonstrating an understanding of external factors e.g., industry trends
80% of employers in the UK struggled to hire throughout 2023, so it’s absolutely essential that you home in on what organisations are looking for. When targeting a specific career path, you’ll need to focus on gaining relevant experience, building a wider knowledge of the specific industry, and writing a stand-out application. Our CareerCentral team can help you with every step of the process, from finding relevant opportunities to building a strong CV. Remember, each job application you complete needs to be tailored to the specific role you’re applying for.
Key employability skills include:
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Communication
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Teamwork and leadership
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Problem solving
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Self-management and professionalism
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Digital skills and IT
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Applied numeracy and technical proficiency
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Commercial awareness
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Career management
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Innovation and enterprise
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Citizenship and stewardship
How to build your employability skills
Some skills you might develop naturally during your studies, but there are also many more opportunities at university to gain an edge and strengthen your CV.
Our dedicated careers service should be your first stop when it comes to building your employability skills. Available for students and recent graduates, CareerCentral can support you throughout your entire job-hunting process. Search for internships, volunteering work or part-time roles via our tailored job board or get support in finding your dream work experience to kickstart your chosen career.
If you’re not sure what direction you want to take once your studies are over, CareerCentral’s guidance appointments are designed to build your confidence in the careers world, helping you forge your own future.
As soon as possible before opportunity-seeking, first consider what areas you need to work on.
Create a checklist of the skills most commonly associated with your career path, and mark yourself honestly against how well you’re meeting them. If you’re struggling with public speaking or confidence, for example, now is the time to identify it. CareerCentral has a wealth of resources available to help you self-reflect, building up your professional skillset as a result.
There’s no greater testament to your value as a potential employee than showing experience. A part-time job on your CV is incredibly valuable: this is a great opportunity to hone transferable skills that employers look for, whilst bringing in some extra cash, too. Particularly if your part-time role or internship is in your industry of choice, summer or graduate internships can help you develop core skills for your future career path.
Getting a job or work experience also shows determination and initiative. It demonstrates to an employer that you’ve put in the effort to expand your skillset, particularly during your studies.
Our CareerCentral service is a great way to find student jobs, work experience and internships, and its completely free for current students and recent graduates. We also offer workshops to help you hone essential careers skills, focusing on a range of subjects including using LinkedIn, writing a great CV, and finding your ideal job.
Consider applying for some extra-curricular activities alongside your course. Being part of a university society is one way to showcase your interest in a career or industry, and the time commitment can fit more naturally into a student’s schedule, compared to an external club.
Extra-curricular activities also offer plenty of opportunities to develop your teamwork skills and build up your assertiveness.
The UEA Award is a great way to build your transferable skills and put those extra-curricular activities to good use. Complete Bronze, Silver and Gold levels by giving presentations, getting involved in societies and volunteering programmes and finding relevant internships. Alongside giving you the opportunity to self-reflect and hone your employability skills, your achievements will be recognised with a certificate from the university.
A great way to help with your career plans is to get support from our mentors. Made up of alumni, external professionals and entrepreneurs, they can provide invaluable support to help you with your chosen career and offer industry insight. These opportunities are available throughout your time as a student, from one-off conversations to six-month mentee relationships.
Many employers span the globe with their businesses, so it can pay off to demonstrate a willingness to travel and familiarity with different locations.
Spending a semester or a year studying abroad shows fantastic enthusiasm and determination, and is an effective way to give your CV that extra something.
For the budding entrepreneurs among us, starting your own business can be a glowing mark on your resume.
Our Student Enterprise team can help you get an idea up and running, with potential investments reaching as high as £50,000.
Existing students and recent graduates are all welcome to get involved, be it through our workshops or funding programmes.
Our student stories
Students from across the UEA family have stories to tell of their personal development. See how they strengthened their employability skills and broadened their horizons for the future.
“When I first started, I was nervous about presenting and talking to different people...but being on the course and presenting in front of the class built my confidence.”
“Having a job where I had to talk to to strangers every day really helped me with my confidence and learning how to talk to the public...a lot of that experience of working in the UEA services set me up to be able to feel confident enough to do that.”
“I always go to CareerCentral when I need help with a job application. They’ve helped me fix my CV, they’ve taught me how to write a good cover letter. I’ve also done a few mock interviews which were really helpful because I would not have known how to do an interview.”
There are many ways to develop your job and employability skills as a student at UEA. Maintaining a budget is another opportunity to strengthen your self-management skills and our detailed guide can help you plan your finances step-by-step.