Looking for an accounting qualification to add to your CV?

If you are interested in finance, this extra qualification from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) could be worth considering.

ACCA-X Certificate in Financial and Management Accounting  - open to students from all years and disciplines.

This online course allows students with no accounting background to gain a certificate to add to their CV.

This course could increase your confidence in basic accounting techniques. This can be great if you’d like to try out accounting, are looking into roles where a basic understanding is needed or you are thinking of setting up your own business. Many employers would appreciate a candidate who has an understanding of accounting techniques.

The ACCA-X Certificate in Financial and Management Accounting includes:

•           10 week course with 3 hours online tuition per week

•           £139 including 2 online exams and ACCA registration

•           Online learning and exams

•           Learn and take the test anywhere

•           Manageable segments

•           Add a new qualification to your CV

•           Ideal foundation knowledge in accountancy and finance for a first job

For more information and to register your interest, visit:

www.acca-x.com/summer

Registration closes on 4 July 2016.

Have you got a LinkedIn profile that's worth looking at?

LinkedIn has been in the news this week, owing to the deal announced by Microsoft that it will buy the professional networking site for $26.2bn. That's an awful lot of money to pay for the career details of 433 million LinkedIn members.  Are you one of them?  If not, here's a brief guide to how to set up your LinkedIn profile:

1. Choose a photo that creates a professional impression. 
2. Headline - this is the first piece of information anyone will read about you so make it interesting and eye-catching
3. Customise the URL that LinkedIn gives you to make it more personal.  Click the edit button and revise
4. Summary - This should contain 150-200 words outlining your career goals and achievements. You can also add links to blogs and videos here as well.
5. Experience - Use this section for any paid work or legal work experience
6. Voluntary experience and causes - any volunteering you may have done
7. Education - give details of your degree subject and where you studied.
8. Skills and endorsements - add skills that define your professional role, experiences and contributions.
9. You can also add any languages you speak.

There is some really useful information to help you develop your profile on the LinkedIn website - https://students.linkedin.com/uk  

More and more employers are advertising jobs on LinkedIn so get started with your profile today!

Training contract deadlines are looming - don't leave it until the last minute

As mentioned in my last blog post of 1 June, we are now entering the final stages of training contract recruitment in the larger commercial firms for 2018.

If you wish to apply for a training contract in these firms, remembering that these organisations are likely to pay your LPC fees, now is the time to start deciding who to apply for.

31 July has traditionally been the most popular closing date for these commercial law firms, but since the revision of the Voluntary Code for Recruitment of Trainee Solicitors last year, various dates throughout June and July appear more frequently in the list of deadlines on Lawcareers.net 

My advice would be to check  the closing date list once you have drawn up a list of firms to apply to, just to make sure you don't miss a deadline by assuming it's the end of July. 
Target Jobs Law also publishes a list of closing dates.

If you're interested in applying for the Government Legal Service applications open on 1 July and close on 29 July. They will pay LPC or BPTC fees provided you haven't already started the course.

Remember that training contract applications can't be dashed off at the last minute, if you want to make a good impression.  It's essential to start early and take your time.  I would always suggest quality of applications over quantity every time.

Here, at Careers and Employability, at the University of Chester, we are only too happy to check applications from Chester students, whether it's a CV and covering letter or a form. 

As a Chester graduate, you can continue to use our services free of charge for 3 years after graduation. Please get in touch with us - careers@chester.ac.uk

How to write a good covering letter for a training contract application

Now that application deadlines are drawing near (make sure you don't miss a closing date by checking the list on Lawcareers.net) it might be timely to concentrate on the covering letter.

A covering letter is a very important part of your training contract application.  If written well, it could clinch that invitation to interview.  Here are some hints and tips on how to write a winning letter.

• Keep to a maximum of one side of A4.  
• Paragraphs should be clearly laid out.
• Use a font that is easy to read, such as Arial.
• Try to write in a direct and simple way. You will save space and get your message over more easily.

Structure

• Always write to a named person rather than ‘Sir/Madam’ if at all possible. 
• Use their title and surname only, eg Dear Mrs Smith

First paragraph

• Use this to set the scene. 
• Clarify what you are applying or looking for, when for and what you’re currently doing.  
• For example, ‘I am writing to you in response to your advert for a trainee solicitor to start in September 2018. I am currently a final year LLB student at the University of Chester.’ 
• You could also add a reason for your interest in the vacancy, eg previous time spent in a similar firm, relevant options during your degree, 
•  Mention you are enclosing your CV.

Second paragraph

• Address why you are applying to the firm.
• Think about its size, location and areas of specialisation. 
• Then widen this out to anything special or unique about the employer (eg six seats rather than four) and your wider career aims.  
• You need to demonstrate that you have researched the employer and area of work and that you have a good feel for what they are about. 
• Make links to any experience that has helped you come to your decision and avoid vague generalisations such as ‘top class training programme’ or ‘international reputation’.

Third paragraph

• This is where you need to convince the employer that you are right for them and for the role. If you are responding to an advertised position, address each of the selection criteria. 
• Don’t expect the reader to turn to your CV to evidence this; lay it out for them to read. 
•  If you don’t have much relevant experience, explain why you think you could make a contribution, e.g. team player, fast learner, good people skills. 
•  Refer to points on your CV that you want the reader to note without repeating too much information. 

Fourth paragraph

• This is for any other relevant information such as mitigating circumstances for poor academic results, or details of extra qualifications that are relevant to the job, e.g. languages, LLM.

Final paragraph

• Use this space to sign off and indicate your availability for interview. 
• Use ‘Yours sincerely’ where you have written to a named individual and ‘Yours faithfully’ if you have had to use ‘Sir/Madam’.