The Careers and Employability Service are happy to support external organisations with engaging with and recruiting our talented students and graduates. The graduate market can be competitive, and so we have compiled some information and resources that may assist you as an employer in effectively recruiting from the University of Westminster.
Writing your job advert
The way you write your job advertisement plays a key role in attracting the best candidates. Our Engage system makes creating your advert easy by providing clear sections for the information needed. Here’s how you can make the most of your job posting:
Imagine yourself as the student you want to recruit – what would make you want to read about this position – and apply?
- Be accurate in the job title; simplicity is key. Use terms that student job seekers will be familiar with
- Use the opportunity summary to describe the position comprehensively including its opportunities and responsibilities, provide a brief overview of your company and what it is like to work there, and to clearly explain the skills and experience needed from an applicant
- Use short paragraphs and present information in bullet-pointed lists
- Provide clear salary details; a lack of information in this area can deter an applicant
- Keep application details simple, with straightforward instructions
- Unlike general recruitment websites, on Westminster Engage, your audience is specifically students and recent graduates – take the opportunity to tailor your offer to this audience
Recruiting for inclusivity
The University of Westminster has a rich and diverse student body, with over 73% of students from London boroughs, 58% from BAME backgrounds and 54% the first in their family to go to university. We ask all external organisations to consider the inclusivity of their recruitment practices, from marketing and attending careers events and the application process through to interviews and onboarding. This article from Prospects Luminate provides some useful information on recruiting for inclusivity.
You may also want to consider the following:
- Representation – our students tell us how much they value seeing diverse employer representatives at events
- Timing – please consider whether your suggested event date may inadvertently disadvantage candidates who have faith obligations during the day or who are observing religious holidays. Please also view full list of our term dates.
- Reasonable adjustments - it is important to offer a student or graduate the opportunity to disclose a disability at all stages of the recruitment process and to request reasonable adjustments
- Digital accessibility – if you have marketing materials, presentation handouts or slides, these should all be checked for digital accessibility to ensure all can access these
- Physical accessibility – if you are hosting an event outside of our campuses, please ensure you select a location and facilities that are accessible to all
Guidance for small to medium sized enterprises
Larger organisations often employ staff members whose sole focus is recruiting graduates, so we want to provide you with some tips to help you stand out alongside large employers. We have produced a guide which aims to support smaller organisations to recruit students and graduates from our university. It is based on research which looked into students’ employer preferences, including answers to questions like what makes a successful job advert.
Recruiting international students and graduates
The University of Westminster is proud to welcome students from all over the world. Our dedicated international students can offer your organisation their resilience, commitment, language skills and a global perspective.
Many students on a visa in the UK can work up to 20 hours per week whilst studying. Most can also undertake a full-time work placement is this is an integral part of their course and officially approved by the University prior to commencement.
After graduation, graduates can now apply for a Graduate Visa. This does not require employer sponsorship and allows the graduate to remain in the UK for two years after graduating or three years for PhD graduates. The graduate applies for and pays for this visa, and employers do not need a Home Office sponsor licence to hire someone with a Graduate Visa. The ability to hire someone under this route is also not subject to any minimum skill level or salary threshold. This means it has never been easier to tap into our pool of international talent.
Good practice for work experience employers
Offering accessible, inclusive and structured work experience to students allows the recruitment of a diversified intake and access to the best talent available, for immediate vacancies and the future talent pipeline. We have created a Good Practice in Work Experience guide for recruiters with some suggestions on providing a valuable experience for both the student and the employer alike.
Employer partners guidance
This document outlines the University of Westminster’s approach to working with external partners on its employability events and programmes and recruiting student and graduates.