Vacation work and Internships for Mathematicians

1. Vacation work and Internships for Mathematicians Jeff Riley j.riley@qmul.ac.uk QM Careers and Enterprise Centre

2. What we will cover today • Vacation work – what and why • Different types of relevant work experience • Work experience beyond mathematics • Where to look for vacation work and work experience • What to do next and how QM Careers can help

3. Work Experience can be…. • Paid placement (internships) • Paid holiday work • Unpaid work experience • Unpaid work shadowing • Volunteering • Working/volunteering abroad

4. Vacation Work – Why Bother? Benefits include: • Adds to CV • Develops skills • Provides great examples for application forms • Earns money • Informs your careers choice • May be necessary for entry to further training – MSc Operational Research

6. Careerstagged.co.uk – ‘Aon’

7. Careerstagged.co.uk – ‘Actuary’

10. Key Learning Points • A profession growing – internationally and into new sectors • You need a range of other key skills • What kind of clients you may meet

11. http://www.realworldmagazine.com – search ‘actuary’

13. http://www.actuaries.org.uk/

14. Read the Hymans Robertson case study and list the skills or competencies they need.

15. Pick one skill and consider why they are asking for it. You can use the case study to get you started.

19. Remember opportunities on your door step… • Qrecruit • Q Project • Q Intern • Q Temps • QMSU has range of current volunteering opportunities. http://www.qmsu.org/volunteering//

20. QProjects • Data Analysis Project Leader: A local charity is looking for a Project Leader to assist the Director with breaking down data from consultations with stakeholders, analysing the data and presenting the analysis via a range of channels. Tasks will include: • Identify the value of different forms of data (mostly numerical, but some open ended questions as well) • Identify appropriate ways of presenting different results. • Compile reports exhibiting data. • Convert data from csv and Excel to be meaningful and accessible. • Present the data to the Director and other colleagues in an understandable way.   • This is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in a career data analysis or interpreting the results of social study surveys. This is also a great opportunity to gain a variety of relevant transferable skills at a small and dynamic charity. • This is an example opportunity – register for others by emailing Lindsey Shirah l.shirah@qmul.ac.uk

21. QInternships

22. International Experience • Difficult to get mathematics specific • Great for extending your skills • Challenging is good

23. International ExperienceSome Examples • “By far, one of the best ways to make yourself stand out is to have experience working or volunteering abroad. I am not saying that this will get you the job, but it will definitely get a Human Resource manager to take a second glance at your CV. Having work experience abroad, especially in emerging business markets is a great experience to highlight in a job interview, or simply a good story to share that shows your personality” http://bit.ly/1bxobfg AIESEC and others • “The Collective Sierra Leone is a capacity building organisation that provides a range of opportunities for those who want to build experience in Sierra Leone.  These include a range of three month volunteering opportunities run all year round with partner organisations in the country, including research, microfinance and advocacy; a five day leadership programme and a leadership development internship that has been designed for those who will be applying to, or been accepted onto, the UK’s TeachFirstPrograme.” • Projects / Placement: Sharara was founded in 2001, and has become a well-run, well-structured grassroots NGO. It currently runs a community programme with crèche, micro credit scheme, dispensary, social worker and communal space in a village 14km south of Pondicherry.

24. Barclays Capital Graduate and Internship opportunities Barclays Capital Barclays Capital is the investment banking division of Barclays Bank PLC, offering strategic advisory, financing and risk management solutions to large corporate, government and institutional clients. Employing 25,000 people globally in offices around the world, we have the global reach and distribution power to meet the needs of issuers and investors in all the major financial markets. InternshipsMost of our internships last for 8-10 weeks over the summer, although we do have off-cycle opportunities depending on business need. In all cases, you'll find yourself at the heart of the action. You'll gain real experience in a real role, working on anything from live transactions and marketing projects to research and analysis, according to the business area you join. As well as benefiting from extensive training before and during the programme, you'll have regular opportunities to network with intern colleagues, recent graduates and senior members of the firm.Closing date: Our deadline for full-time applications is 15 November 2011; for internships, 31 December 2011 and for the Spring Programme, 31 January 2012. • We're looking for highly numerate, analytical individuals who have strong English language skills (both written and verbal). Knowledge of more than one European language is an advantage for some roles

25. Some useful vacancy sources for Stats jobs • The Supply Curve - http://www.thesupplycurve.com/statistician-jobs.html • ALLSTAT mailing list - https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=allstat • Datatech - http://www.datatech.org.uk/ • Institute of Clinical Research - http://www.icr-global.org/careers/situations-vacant/ • Government Statistical Service –http://www.ons.gov.uk/jobs/current-vacancies/index.html • Pharmiweb - http://www.pharmiweb.com/

26. Vacation Work Beyond Mathematics • Law • Banking • Professional Services – Accountancy • Management Consultancy • Advertising • Marketing/PR/Public Affairs • Civil Service 70% of graduate jobs open to any discipline

27. Additional Sources of potentially relevant vacancies • Job Alert – www.careers.lon.ac.uk/jobalert temporary/permanent vacancies to students at UoL • jobs.ac.uk - vacancies in further and higher education (therefore particularly useful for university research posts) • vacancies.ac.uk - similar coverage to jobs.ac.uk, but is free to list shorter contracts • jobsunlimited.co.uk - produced by The Guardian • fish4jobs.co.uk • Jobcentre Plus - their database seems to be much more useful these days • Jobsite UK - one of the first multi-sector recruitment sites • Local papers • research assistant and junior research associate posts - advertised in depts • Speculative approach

28. Additional Vacancy Sources

29. Vacancy Source - JobOnline

30. Where to look for general vacation work • Vacation Opportunities Booklet • Recruitment Agencies www.employment4students.co.uk • Careers website www.ucl.ac.uk/careers • www.careers.lon.ac.uk • www.prospects.ac.uk/workbank • www.summerjobs.com – international • National/local press • Contacts – speculative applications

31. Where are your gaps? Use your vacation to fill them! • Business Awareness • Communication Skills • Leadership • Team-working skills • Problem solving • Languages • Numeracy • Computer Literacy

32. Make the most of your vacation work • Before you start, identify what you want to get from it • When you’re there be enthusiastic, take initiative, ask questions and keep your eyes/ears open and CREATE OPPORTUNITIES • Afterwards, keep in touch, reflect on your skills, make note of your experiences

33. How we can help • Focused discussion with Careers Consultant • Careerstagged.co.uk • QRecruit and JobOnline Work experience opportunities • CV/application form/ Covering letter checks • Practice Interviews

34. Where we are • Queen Mary Careers and Enterprise Centre • Queen’s Building – WG 3 near the Octagon • 020 7882 8533 • careers@qmul.ac.uk • Open for Quick Queries Mon-Fri phone or call in early for appointment on following day • See me 1pm-2pm – most Wednesdays, bookable two weeks in advance

35. Make the most of your vacation work • Before you start, identify what you want to get from it • When you’re there be enthusiastic, take initiative, ask questions and keep your eyes/ears open and CREATE OPPORTUNITIES • Afterwards, keep in touch, reflect on your skills, make note of your experiences