Explore & Discover

Role Description

Your day-to-day duties could include:

• supervising a team of care assistants 
• writing care plans 
• monitoring patients’ vital signs, like blood pressure and heart rate 
• completing patient medication records 
• developing and leading activities for service users 
• keeping families up to date about their relative's progress 
• training and mentoring new staff 
• attending team meetings with service managers 
• providing emergency cover

Role Description

1. Entry requirements

There are no set requirements, but some employers may ask for a marketing, business or finance degree.

Other employers will want you to have strong numerical skills and experience in retail, especially an understanding and interest in stock control levels.

The Fashion Retail Academy runs a number of short courses like a 3-day Introduction to Merchandising.

The Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply also has details of procurement and supply qualifications.

Both graduates and non-graduates need to apply for entry-level posts, usually as an allocator, distributor or merchandise administrative assistant. 

Doing a college course in retail operations or fashion retail could help you prepare for this job.

You could also get into the retail industry through an apprenticeship.

Retail Careers and The Retail Appointment has more information on how to become a retail merchandiser.

2. Skills required

You’ll need:

excellent number and data analysis skills, using spreadsheets and computer modelling

good decision-making skills

an understanding of what motivates customers to buy products

confidence when leading negotiations or presenting at board meetings

good interpersonal and communication skills to build useful working relationships

strong leadership skills and ability to influence others

excellent organisational and planning skills with ability to prioritise

3. What you'll do

You’ll use your high levels of product and customer awareness to predict demand. 

You’ll usually specialise in one area like fashion, food or home wares.

Your day-to-day duties might include:

planning product ranges and stock plans with buyers

planning budgets, forecasting sales and profit margins

presenting forecasts to managers

visiting manufacturers with retail buyers to learn about production cycles

negotiating prices and orders with suppliers, and agreeing delivery terms

tracking stock deliveries, making sure goods arrive on time and meet quality standards

setting prices and sales targets for individual stores

helping visual merchandisers to plan store layouts to promote key lines

promoting special offers and marketing initiatives

analysing sales figures and trends

staying aware of how competitors are performing

identifying and sorting out production and supply problems

managing, training and supervising staff

You may be called a product manager in a large retail chain and deal only with one or two product lines. In smaller companies you may be responsible for both buying and merchandising.

4. Salary

Starter: £16,000 to £18,000

Experienced: £22,000 and £25,000

Highly Experienced: £40,000 to £60,000

These figures are a guide.

5. Working hours, patterns and environment

You’ll usually work between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. You may need to work longer at busy times, like during special sales promotions or the opening of a new store.

You’ll be office-based but will also spend time visiting stores or suppliers, which could be in other parts of the UK or overseas. 

A driving licence and vehicle may be useful.

6. Career path and progression

You could be promoted to senior merchandiser and responsible for sales and budgetary control of a multimillion-pound department and managing a team of people. It’s typical to have reached senior merchandiser level within 7 to 8 years.

You could also become a merchandise manager, head of merchandising, merchandising director, retail business analyst or self-employed retail consultant.

Role Description

1. Entry requirements

There are no set requirements to become a personal assistant (PA), but you’ll need proven experience of administrative work.

Employers will usually look for a good standard of general education, including GCSEs in English and maths. A recognised qualification in office skills or administration, or a business-related foundation degree, HND or degree could all help you find a job.

Foreign language qualifications may also be useful if you plan to work in an organisation that deals with overseas visitors and clients. Having extra skills like shorthand and audio typing can also help you get in. 

Temporary work (temping) can be a good way of getting administration experience and can lead to a permanent job.

You could get into this job through an apprenticeship.

2. Skills required

You’ll need:

• excellent organisational and time management skills 
• good written and spoken communication skills 
• accuracy and attention to detail 
• a calm and professional manner 
• excellent computer and administration skills 
• a flexible and adaptable approach to work 
• the ability to use your own initiative 
• tact and discretion, for dealing with confidential information

3. What you'll do

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

• screening telephone calls and handling enquiries 
• organising your manager’s diary and making appointments
• dealing with letters and emails 
• arranging meetings 
• organising and maintaining office systems 
• taking notes at meetings 
• making travel arrangements 
• looking after visitors

Many managers rely heavily on their PA and give them a high level of responsibility, so in some jobs you may have extra tasks like:

1. standing in for the manager in their absence 
2. acting as office manager and supervising other administrative staff 
3. dealing with accounts and budgets 
4. taking on project work, like research or producing reports and presentations

4. Salary

Starter: £18,000 to £25,000

Experienced: £25,000 to £40,000

Highly Experienced: £40,000 to £50,000

These figures are a guide.

5. Working hours, patterns and environment

You’ll usually work 37 to 40 hours a week Monday to Friday, possibly with extra hours to meet deadlines. 

You’ll be based in an office, but may travel to go to meetings and other events.

6. Career path and progression

With experience, you could take on more responsibility by moving to a larger company or working for a more senior manager. 

Promotion to management may also be possible.

Role Description

Entry requirements

There are no set requirements but some employers may expect you to have a degree. Relevant subjects include:

advertising
media and communications
digital marketing
journalism
public relations
business management
You could get into this job without a degree if you have the skills and experience in areas like marketing, advertising or PR. 

You can do college courses in social media and business. 

You could also start as an assistant manager and work your way up. 

You’ll usually need some knowledge and experience of social media. To get experience you could:

manage your own social media profiles
volunteer to manage social media for a charitable organisation
ask to get involved in social media sites of the company you already work for
You’ll need excellent IT skills as you’ll be using social media software and tools. You’ll also need knowledge of search engine optimisation (SEO) methods and ‘key’ or ‘searched for’ words to drive more users to your social media site.

Experience of graphic design and digital editing software can help. You can use these skills to make your social media posts better by adding videos, photos and infographics.

You could get into this job through a creative and digital media apprenticeship.

iCould has a video interview with a social media assistant.

Skills required

You’ll need:

an eye for detail and the ability to work accurately
the ability to deal with more than one task at a time
creativity
presentation skills
an analytical approach to data
writing skills

What you'll do

You’ll monitor and upload content to sites like:

Facebook and Twitter
Instagram and Pinterest
YouTube and Vine
Your day-to-day duties may include:

updating social media sites
writing blogs, articles and posts
responding to social media posts and developing discussions
checking online for company mentions and customer feedback
searching for interesting posts, news and articles to attract site visitors
overseeing competitions and campaigns promoting your company
taking part in conferences and group chat relevant to your industry or company
educating other staff on social media use
promoting social media use within your company
developing strategies to increase your audience
using social media tools like Hootsuite, TweetDeck or Buffer to manage multiple sites
using web tracking tools like Google Analytics, Social Report or Bitly

Salary

Starter: £23,000

Experienced: £25,000 to £35,000

Highly Experienced: £75,000 (head social media manager)

These figures are a guide.

Working hours, patterns and environment

You’ll usually work normal office hours, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. You may need to work evenings and weekends when working on a campaign or with deadlines.

If you’re freelance, you may work longer hours depending on the needs of your clients and the amount of work you take on.

You’ll be based in an office and spend a lot of time working on a computer. You may also attend meetings and make presentations about your work to clients or colleagues.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could move into managing social media for larger companies or progress to a senior or head social media manager job.

Role Description

1. Entry requirements

You'll need to be over 18 and hold a full car driving licence.

You can apply for a job as a trainee with a freight company or complete an LGV course with a private training provider. You'll also need a Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC).

You could get into this job through an apprenticeship.

2. Skills required

You'll need:

excellent driving skills and road safety knowledge

the ability to work alone and concentrate for long periods

a polite manner with customers

the ability to complete record sheets and paperwork accurately

3. What you'll do

You'll drive commercial vehicles over 7.5 tonnes, including articulated lorries, tankers, transporters and trailer wagons. You'll work from depots, distribution centres and warehouses, carrying goods all over the UK and overseas.

Apart from driving, your duties may include:

planning delivery schedules and routes with transport managers

supervising or helping to load and unload goods

making sure loads are safely secured

following traffic reports and changing your route if necessary

completing delivery paperwork and log books

You may also deal with basic maintenance, like oil, tyre and brake checks before and after journeys.

4. Salary

Starter: £18,500 to £22,000

Experienced: £23,000 to £28,000

Highly Experienced: £27,000 to £35,000

Overtime may be available.

These figures are a guide.

5. Working hours, patterns and environment

You'll usually work up to 42 hours a week. Overtime may be available but there are strict laws about the amount of hours you can spend driving between rest breaks.

Most of your time would be spent on the road, and you would drive day and night in all weather conditions.

Overnight stays may be necessary.

6. Career path and progression

You could take further training and gain an ADR (Advisory Dangerous Goods by Road) Certificate to drive hazardous goods like toxic chemicals by tanker.

With experience, you could train to become an LGV instructor, freight transport planner or move into management.

Role Description

Agronomists have a wide range of work, but their role is best summed up as a “crop doctor.” They are concerned with the health and well-being of crops used for food production, fuel, and land reclamation. Agronomists conduct experiments to develop the best methods for increasing the quality and production of crops. Based on their experiments, agronomists work with farmers to help them grow the best possible crops, such as corn, cotton, soybeans, and wheat. They have an extensive knowledge of chemistry, biology, economics, earth science, ecology, and genetics. 

An agronomist spends time in the lab going over crop data that has been collected to find out how to improve the next generation. They have to think critically and solve problems concerning the planting, harvesting, and cultivation of crops. They also develop methods for protecting the crops from weeds, pests, and harsh climates. After they have written up their research, an agronomist will make presentations and speeches about their findings and present their ideas to farmers who can use the information for their own harvests. An agronomist also spends a lot of time traveling and meeting with farmers, working with them to improve crop efficiency and looking at any problems the farmer may be experiencing. 

There are a variety of roles an agronomist can specialize in: 

Research
Research in agronomy includes crop productivity, genetic engineering, and conservation practises. Research agronomists often work in labs but also perform large amounts of field work. Almost all research agronomists have a master’s or doctorate degree in agronomy or a related field. 

Crop Production and Management
These types of agronomists most often work with field crops. They manage crop planting and harvesting, and implement more efficient farming practises. This role may also include the management of recreational areas, like golf courses and sports fields. This job usually involves a lot of time working outdoors. 

Sustainable Development
Agronomists in this field work with all kinds of agricultural projects, ranging from large high-tech farms to smaller individual farms in developing nations. Whatever the size, this kind of agronomist is concerned with helping farmers develop and implement practises that ensure operations remain economically and environmentally viable for the future. 

Soil and Water Conservation
Agronomists involved in this field are often scientists and engineers. They might implement practises to improve water quality, manage runoff, and control erosion. Depending on the job, conservation agronomists may spend time outdoors, in an office, or both.

Role Description

Skills required

You'll need:

• excellent communication skills with people at all levels
• the ability to understand and interpret complex language
• research and analysis skills
• strong ability with figures and IT
• the ability to manage your time, prioritise and delegate work to others

 What you'll do

You could work in different areas, including:

Private practice

• providing legal services like conveyancing, probate, civil and family law, litigation, personal injury and criminal law
• advising businesses and corporate clients in areas like contract law, tax, employment law and company sales and mergers
• advising on insurance, patents, shipping, banking, the media or entertainment

Commerce and industry

• providing in-house legal advice for companies 
• Local and central government
• providing advice in areas like education, planning and social services
• advising government ministers
• prosecuting people who break rules

Court services

• working for the Crown Prosecution Service
• advising the police on prosecutions
• advising magistrates in local courts
• Law centres, charities and the armed forces
• advising the not-for-profit sector

Depending on your role, you may be:

• advising and representing clients in court
• instructing barristers or advocates to act for clients
• drafting confidential letters and contracts
• researching legal records and case law
• attending meetings and negotiations
• managing finances and preparing papers for court
• using plain English to explaining complex legal matters to clients
• keeping up to date with changes in the law

Role Description

1. Entry requirements

There are no set requirements, but a good standard of general education is important, including GCSEs in maths and English. Computer skills will also be useful for using online sales systems and scanners.
 
You could get into this job through an apprenticeship.

2. Skills required

You’ll need:

good timekeeping skills

the ability to work quickly and accurately

a well organised approach

3. What you'll do

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

selecting items to match the customer’s order sheet

using voice-activated picking machines and scanners

requesting freshly made items from in-house departments like bakeries

checking product quality

choosing suitable replacements where stock has sold out

packing items ready for despatch

updating customer records on computer systems

helping customers if working in-store

4. Salary

Starter: £14,000 to £17,000

Experienced: £18,000 to £20,000

Highly Experienced: £23,000

You may receive higher pay for night shifts or meeting targets.

5. Working hours, patterns and environment

You’ll usually work up to 40 hours a week on shifts, which may include weekends and nights.

You’ll be based in a warehouse, distribution centre or larger retail store. The job can be physically demanding and you could work in cool temperatures, for example in chiller rooms.

You’ll need your own transport to get to work when shifts fall outside normal public transport hours.

6. Career path and progression

With experience, you could become a shift supervisor then move into section or warehouse management. 

You could also become a delivery driver if you work for a supermarket.