How to land an interview – Bossing It

When competing with many candidates, securing a job interview can feel like a daunting task. In our latest alumni advice roundup, we asked experts Jasper, Parves and David for their top tips on building a strong application.

Jasper Wilkins (BA 2017)

Jasper is a Senior Producer at the BBC, leading digital content creation for flagship shows like Gladiators, The Apprentice, and Eurovision. Previously he has cut film trailers for the BFI and BAFTA, and photographed artists including Stormzy, Slayer, and The 1975. His industry recognition includes being named a Media Week 30 Under 30 winner, Promax Gold winner, and Broadcast Digital award winner.

Showcase your talents

If you’re applying for a creative content role, the first piece of your visual work your potential employer will see is a CV or cover letter. If your CV flows well and is easy to digest, then it’s an early green flag that you have a ‘content brain’. Keep it short and relevant, use a professional email, quantify your achievements, and remember that consistent formatting goes a long way.

As a hiring manager, we also want to see some content that you have produced! This seems obvious, but a huge number of candidates don’t include any work samples in their application and just describe their skills rather than demonstrating them. Instead, consider including a link to a portfolio with project context and the specific roles you held.

Dr Parves Khan (BScEcon 1992)

Parves is the Chief Operating Officer of Hiyacar, a car-sharing technology and service provider. She is also an author and keynote speaker on tech/AI, skills, and inclusive leadership.

After studying Politics at Cardiff University, she went on to complete a PhD at Bristol University in 1996. She then established a career heading up consumer data and insight divisions for organisations across several sectors, including tourism, insurance, tech, and media. Learn more about her work.

Beat the AI algorithm

Do your homework! This means carefully reviewing the job description and making sure your application closely matches the skills and responsibilities of the role. These days, your application could involve just a CV, a CV with a cover letter, answers to a series of competency-based questions, or all of these. Never send a generic CV, cover letter, or answers. With the increasing use of AI algorithm hiring platforms, your application will most likely get screened out right away.

David Jones (BA 1983)

David is Chair of the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and Non-Executive Director at Ofwat. His main areas of specialism are cybersecurity and the economic impact of technology.

David previously acted as Chief Technology Officer for a European airline and large leisure group, and spent a decade as an angel investor, consultant, and mentor to several tech businesses. He was also appointed Non-Executive Director of two large health boards in Wales, responsible for an annual budget of over £1 billion.

Transferable skills are essential

It’s been many years since my degree in Philosophy, and I firmly believe that what I learned during those years is still relevant to my Board work in Governance and Challenge. The competition for jobs (especially post-graduation) is now so intense that transferable skills are becoming applicable almost everywhere. When you throw in the changing nature of employment (ChatGPT, anyone?), the instability is profound.

It’s not so much about showing how your degree is relevant to a specific job, but rather about evidencing your perception, analytical mindset, and creative thinking – and that’s equally possible with a BSc in Chemistry as a BA in History. No matter your background, show you’re smart and get things done. In other words, approach scenarios in your own unique way, and demonstrate your ability to work at pace.

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