Happy February and LGBT History Month, I hope you have all settled back into university nicely and you are coping well with all the work due in this term - I really don’t envy you at all! (However, if it does get a little too much don’t forget the Students’ Union Advice Centre is here to help.)

It’s coming to that time of year when you’ll all be wondering panicking about life after university and so we have been working closely with the Careers Service to ensure you have the best chance of getting a graduate job or whatever it is you want to do - the opportunities really are endless.

The University Careers Service have listed several key contacts when it comes to employment and the work it is doing towards ensuring equal opportunities for all, irrelevant of any defining characteristics. 

Their site acts as an introduction to its services and by no means includes all the good work the University does to ensure equality for all students. The list includes the Students’ Union Advice Centre, Stonewall and its ‘Gay by Degree campaign’ plus many more.

This is the first massive step, of many, towards the University becoming an equality and diversity champion we can all be proud of, and demonstrates how when the Students’ Union and the University work together we can achieve wonders for our much loved students.

And it is yet another way the Students’ Union has acted on what is important to you. You said, we did!

And here’s a little message from the Careers Service: “We want all University of Huddersfield students and graduates to succeed, and the only way of achieving this is to ensure our students understand their rights.

"The Equality Act 2010 legally protects you from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society. It says that the following characteristics are covered and in employment you should not be discriminated against if you belong to one or more of these protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race (including ethnic or national origins, colour or nationality), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex and sexual orientation."

So what does that mean for you when writing your CV?

"Actually there’s a lot of information that you needn’t include on a CV. In fact, and partly because of the Equality Act, there are plenty of facts that employers don’t want you to share with them.

"Take the following list with a hefty pinch of salt and remember that in general in the UK this is abided to, however when looking for employment abroad it may not be the same case:

• Weight, religion, marital status, sexuality and nationality: they are nobody’s business but your own. As is your gender.

• Date of birth: employers don’t need to know your age as it has no bearing on your ability to do a job.

• Photo: keep away from CV selfies! In the UK it’s not professional to have your picture gazing out at the top of your CV. Outside of acting and modelling your appearance has nothing to do with an application.

• Don’t list hobbies unless they have a bearing on the job... However do list things like your Students’ Union activities!  For example: I organised two annual fund raising events that raised over five thousand pounds for the Huddersfield Hospice."

• Avoid unprofessional email addresses: fluffy, funny, sexy, sport related. They’re all a bit school-childish so avoid them. Instead go to a free email hosting site such as Google mail and create a new, work only account. Think DavidSmith567@ rather than DavvoLovesMUFC@.

• Information about your family: your commitments to your family shouldn’t be anywhere on your CV. They have no bearing on your ability to do a job.

• General health: employers can’t ask about your sickness until a job offer has been made – so don’t volunteer it.

• The title ‘CV’: employers know what CVs look like so a title / abbreviation isn’t required.

Lastly don’t forget that you can contact us in person for confidential, professional, impartial careers guidance and information."