Career Success UK

🎓 Boost Your Employability This Summer
Part 5: Know Your Strengths

I spent almost 10 years in a career that didn’t really play to my natural strengths.

On paper, things were going well. I worked for a couple of fantastic companies, earned promotions and learnt a huge amount.

But parts of the job always felt harder than they seemed to for other people. Conflict…difficult conversations and negotiating under pressure.

For years, I thought I just needed to get better at them, or work harder.

It was only later that I started to understand what my natural strengths actually were much more people focused:

⭐ Building relationships
⭐ Listening
⭐ Supporting other people’s development
⭐ Coaching & mentoring

And suddenly, my path forward became so much easier to work out.

That’s why I think understanding your strengths is so valuable when you’re starting out.

When you know what naturally energises you and what you tend to do well, you can make better choices about degrees, apprenticeships, jobs and careers… rather than simply choosing something because it sounds good on paper.

It doesn’t mean work will always be easy. But finding a career that plays to your strengths can make a huge difference to how much you enjoy it and how well you perform.

If you’re a student or young person unsure about your strengths or career direction, don’t leave it to chance. Understanding yourself now could save you years of heading down the wrong path.

📌 Over the summer, I’m offering a limited number of discounted strengths assessments for students and young people.
If you’d like to find out more, send me a message.

🎓 **Boost Your Employability This Summer**

**Part 4: Give yourself an advantage by looking where other people aren't.**

When most students and graduates start looking for jobs, they head straight to LinkedIn or Indeed.

That's not a bad place to start...

But don't stop there.

Many employers – particularly smaller businesses – don't advertise on the big job boards. They often use specialist websites, universities, professional bodies, industry organisations or simply advertise vacancies on their own websites and social media.

That means some fantastic opportunities never appear where everyone else is searching.

There are two big advantages to looking beyond the major job boards:

✅ You'll often face less competition.
✅ You'll discover opportunities with smaller and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).

I'll keep banging this drum...

**Don't overlook SMEs.**

They may not have the brand recognition of a household name, but they can offer incredible early career opportunities, including:

• More responsibility from day one
• Exposure to different areas of the business
• Greater access to senior leaders
• Faster learning and development
• The chance to make a real impact much earlier in your career

For many people, that's a better place to learn and grow than a large organisation.

So, as part of your job search, be curious about **where** you're looking, not just **what** you're looking for.

Sometimes the best opportunities are the ones that thousands of other applicants never even see.

📌 I've shared some of my favourite specialist job websites in the comments below. They're well worth bookmarking if you're looking for internships, placements, apprenticeships or graduate jobs.

Save this post for your next job search and share it with someone who might find it useful.

**Where have you found the best job opportunities outside of LinkedIn or Indeed? Share your favourite websites in the comments – you might help someone else find their next opportunity.**

Follow me for the next post in my **Boost Your Employability This Summer** series, where I'll share another practical strategy to help students stand out.

🎓 Boost Your Employability This Summer
Part 3: One email could change someone’s mind about you

Most students spend time perfecting their CV and preparing for interviews.

But there's something just as important that often gets overlooked...

The emails you send DURING your job search.

Every interaction helps an employer build a picture of what you'd be like to work with.

Here are two simple ways to make a positive impression:

✅ **Reply promptly**

If you're invited to an interview or offered a job, reply as soon as you reasonably can.

A slow response can leave employers wondering:
• How interested are they?
• Will they be reliable?
• How responsive will they be if they join us?

✅ **Don't disappear after a rejection**

Rejection is disappointing, but don't let it be your last interaction.

I've recently come across two separate examples where candidates who were initially rejected were later offered the job because the first-choice candidate turned it down or changed their mind.

A simple reply like this keeps the relationship positive:

*"Thank you for letting me know. Naturally I'm disappointed, but I really appreciate the opportunity to learn more about your organisation. I enjoyed meeting the team and remain very interested in working with you in the future. If any suitable opportunities arise, I'd be grateful if you would keep me in mind."*

Will every employer come back to you? No.
Could some? Absolutely.

Even if they don't, you've demonstrated maturity, professionalism and good communication - qualities every employer values.

Sometimes it's the little things that make the biggest difference.

📌 Share this post with young people you know looking to launch their careers.

**Have you ever been offered a job after initially being rejected? I'd love to hear your story.**

Follow me for Part 4 of my **Boost Your Employability This Summer** series, where I'll share another practical way students can stand out.

🎓 Boost Your Employability This Summer
A 10-part series helping students make the most of the summer holidays and stand out to future employers.
Part 2: Learn AI skills that employers value

If you only learn one new skill this summer, I’d seriously consider making it AI.

Like it or not, AI is becoming part of many workplaces and is one of the fastest-growing employability skills.

Whether you’re applying for an apprenticeship, studying at university, looking for a placement year or searching for your first graduate job, employers increasingly value people who understand how to use AI effectively.

So my advice to young people is to stand out by showing employers something they really value: a growth mindset.

Spend a few hours learning how to use AI well. Lots of people know the basics, not many have advanced their knowledge beyond basic prompting.

Learning AI isn’t about letting technology do the work for you. It’s about learning how to work better with technology and enhancing (not replacing) your thinking.

Knowing how to ask better questions, analyse information, generate ideas, solve problems and work more efficiently will become an increasingly valuable skill in almost every profession.

The great news is there are lots of free, high-quality courses that you can complete in just a few hours. And many have assessments and provide certificates that you can add to your LinkedIn profile and CV.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Anthropic (Claude)
- Claude 101 (1 hour) – Learn the fundamentals.
- AI Fluency: Framework & Foundations (3 hours).
- Intro to Cowork (2 hours) – Learn how to collaborate effectively with Claude.
🔗 https://anthropic.skilljar.com/

OpenAI Academy (ChatGPT)
- AI Foundations (70 minutes).
- Applied AI Foundations (80 minutes).
- Agents & Workflows (90 minutes).
🔗 https://academy.openai.com/home

Microsoft 365 Applied Skills
Explore practical AI learning including:
- Generate reports with AI research agents
- Get started developing agents in Microsoft Foundry
- Optimise business processes with Microsoft 365 Copilot
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/browse/

One final thought… Don’t just collect certificates. Use what you learn so you have examples to use in application forms and at interview stages.

Employers are far more interested in hearing:
“I used AI to research companies before interviews.”
“I used AI to help me plan a project.”
“I built a simple workflow that saved me time in this way...”

Real examples of using AI thoughtfully will always be more powerful than a list of completed courses.

📌 Save this post to come back to & ♻️ share with anyone who is job hunting at the moment.

Follow me for Part 3 of my ‘Boost Your Employability This Summer’ series, where I’ll be sharing another practical way students can stand out before September.

Anthropic Courses Learn to build with Claude through Anthropic's comprehensive courses and training programs.

Boost Your Employability This Summer
Part 1: Virtual Work Experience

I have two sons. One has just finished his GCSEs. The other is home from university for the summer. And if I’m honest… the thought of 3-4 months with very little structure makes me wince a little.

Don’t get me wrong… they absolutely deserve a break after working hard. But I also know that summer can be a golden opportunity to build skills, gain experience and boost employability before September arrives.

A part-time job, work experience and volunteering are all brilliant ways to do that - if they can find those opportunities.

But let’s talk about virtual work experience opportunities.

Many employers now offer free online programmes that help young people:
✅ Explore different careers
✅ Develop workplace skills
✅ Experience real business scenarios
✅ Earn certificates to add to their CV and LinkedIn profile

Here are five websites I regularly recommend to students and parents:

1. Springpod
Try a career or university course before you apply. Complete immersive virtual work experience, gain practical skills and earn certificates recognised by many employers.
🔗 https://lnkd.in/eUGyfpjD

2. Forage
Complete virtual job simulations created by leading employers to explore different careers, build practical skills and strengthen your CV.
🔗 https://lnkd.in/eE_-6RTD

3. Uptree
A free professional network for 14–21 year olds offering work experience, apprenticeships and employer events.
🔗 https://lnkd.in/eAbcwbEF

4. Futures For All
Search hundreds of in-person and virtual work experience opportunities across a wide range of industries.
🔗 https://lnkd.in/euqxtPVh

5. Young Professionals
Employer events, apprenticeships and work experience opportunities to help students prepare for the world of work.
🔗 https://lnkd.in/ebhP4RVN

Will virtual work experience replace spending a week in a real workplace? No.
But for many young people - especially those under 18, where finding work experience can be challenging - it’s an excellent way to demonstrate curiosity, initiative and commitment.

And that’s exactly what employers like to see.

📌 Save this post so you can come back to these websites over the summer.

Follow me to catch the remaining posts in this series, where I’ll be sharing practical ways students can build their skills, experience and confidence before applying for apprenticeships, university placements and graduate jobs.

If you know a parent, teacher or student who’d find this useful, please share it with them.

If your son or daughter is considering an apprenticeship, here’s the first question I think you should ask…

=> Does an apprenticeship actually exist for the career they’re interested in?

It sounds obvious, but many families skip this step and spend time searching for opportunities that may not even exist.

A great place to start is the Skills England website, where you can explore apprenticeship standards across hundreds of occupations and see whether an apprenticeship pathway exists for a particular career.
https://skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships

But here’s the important bit…

Just because an apprenticeship standard exists doesn’t mean employers are actively recruiting for it.

Some career paths have thousands of apprenticeship vacancies every year. Others may only have a handful across the whole country.

That’s why a successful apprenticeship search is about more than scrolling job boards. It’s about having a strategy.

When I work with young people, we often explore questions like:
✔️ Does an apprenticeship exist for this career?
✔️ Which employers are likely to offer it?
✔️ When do they typically recruit?
✔️ Are there similar roles or alternative routes worth considering?

Unlike UCAS, apprenticeships don’t follow one central application process or deadline, which can make them feel confusing and overwhelming for families navigating them for the first time.

The good news? With the right research and preparation, they can be an incredible route into a fulfilling career.

If you’re supporting a young person who’s considering the apprenticeship route and don’t know where to start, I’d encourage you to begin with that one simple question:
“Does an apprenticeship actually exist for the career they want to pursue?”

🌐 www.careersuccess.org.uk

☀️ Summer Job Ideas for Teenagers & Young Adults

One of the best things I ever did as a teenager was get a summer job.

My first paid job was serving food and drinks at Goodwood Racecourse during the school holidays. It wasn’t glamorous, but it taught me so much about responsibility, customer service, teamwork, hard work and dealing with all sorts of people.

Looking back, those lessons were just as valuable as anything I learned in a classroom.

As a career coach, one of the biggest mistakes I see young people make is waiting for the “perfect” opportunity before gaining experience.

The reality is that employers don’t expect teenagers to have lots of experience. They simply want evidence that they can turn up on time, work hard, communicate well and be reliable.

That’s why any experience is better than no experience.

With the long summer holidays approaching, I’ve put together a list of 50 ways young people can gain experience, earn some money and build their confidence.

A few tips I’d share with any young person looking for work this summer:
✅ Don’t delay. Opportunities can appear and disappear quickly.
✅ Be responsive. Return calls and messages promptly.
✅ Be flexible. Employers value people who muck in and help where needed.
✅ Don’t be too fussy. Every role teaches something useful.
✅ Tell your network. Many opportunities are filled through word of mouth before they’re ever advertised.

It’s also worth thinking strategically. Some roles, such as refereeing and lifeguarding, are often in short supply. Investing in the right qualification can make it much easier to find paid work.

Their first job may not be their dream job, but it could be the first step towards it.

♻️ Parents, grandparents, teachers and anyone with teenagers in their lives: feel free to save and share this list.

Yesterday I was talking to someone about my coaching business and they asked me a really good question:

“Do you feel you know enough about all the different career paths to help people with career direction?”

And the honest answer is… no.

I can’t possibly know the ins and outs of every industry or career path — especially ones that are completely different from my own journey and experience.

That’s exactly why I invested in becoming a Morrisby accredited coach.

Morrisby profiling helps young people explore career paths based on their aptitudes, personality, interests and educational background — not just random suggestions or “what sounds good”.

There are over 600 careers loaded into the system, alongside detailed information about career pathways, qualifications, future opportunities and even “day in the life” videos to help bring different jobs to life.

For a lot of teenagers, choosing A-levels, university courses, apprenticeships or career directions can feel overwhelming. And for parents, it can be hard knowing how best to guide them.

The Morrisby profile gives a much clearer starting point and opens up career ideas they may never have considered before.

I then debrief the profile with them so we can properly explore:
✔ Careers that play to their strengths
✔ Different pathways into those careers
✔ Future opportunities and progression
✔ What might suit them as an individual

It’s not about telling someone what job they “should” do.

It’s about helping them make more informed and confident decisions about their future.

If you’d like to explore how Morrisby could help your teenage child with career direction and future decisions, feel free to get in touch.

This week I’ve been helping an 18-year-old prepare for interviews for some paid work experience over the summer holidays. One of the opportunities they’re applying for is ad hoc event work.

Part of our prep has focused on those short (and surprisingly tricky!) screening interviews where you have to make a strong first impression very quickly.

One thing many young people don’t expect in these interviews is Situational Judgement Questions.

“What would you do if…?” questions.

These questions are designed to see how you handle real workplace situations and pressure.

And honestly? Employers are usually looking for very simple but important things:

✅ Common sense
✅ Problem-solving
✅ Adaptability
✅ Staying calm under pressure
✅ Good communication

My advice is always the same: Pause. Think it through.

Don’t rush to fill the silence with the first thing that comes into your head.

Instead, think about the behaviours the employer wants to see and try to demonstrate those clearly in your answer.

For example:
=> “What would you do if someone had a medical emergency in a long queue?”

A strong answer would focus on staying calm, escalating the situation quickly to a first aider or supervisor, reassuring people nearby and helping with practical things where appropriate — without trying to handle something beyond your level of training.

Or:
=> “What if you were booked for ticket scanning but were suddenly asked to help run food and drinks because of staff shortages?”

A good answer shows flexibility, teamwork and willingness to help where needed. Event work changes quickly and employers want people who can adapt positively.

The biggest mistake people make?

Giving rushed, vague or unstructured answers because they panic.

Remember: hiring managers are not looking for perfection.

They’re looking for young people who can stay calm, think clearly and approach problems with a positive, solution-focused mindset.