Hannah Betts – Spotlight Award
Hannah completed the Spotlight Award in 2025. She will graduate in 2026 with a BSc (Hons) Neuroscience.
What made you want to complete the Award?
I applied for the Spotlight Award because I wanted to gain relevant skills and experience in career applications. Applying for jobs and internships can be daunting, but receiving feedback on my application material prior to submitting them made me feel significantly more prepared and confident. This award is an unparalleled opportunity for students to refine and expand upon my skills in interviews, CV and Cover letter writing, and assessment centres.
How did you find the application process for the Award and what did you learn from it?
I found the application process very straightforward, and the Careers Centre communicated with me throughout with updates and answers to my questions. Further, they provided ratings of my CV and cover letter, which were very helpful in identifying key weak points that needed improvement. This was supplemented with in-person feedback in the assessment center from independent interviews. Altogether, I could directly draw experiences and feedback from the Spotlight Award to improve my application materials and gain confidence in assessment centres. Since the award, I’ve submitted many internship applications and have been invited to
four interviews! I feel more confident in my interview abilities due to the experiences I had and the skills I developed in this award.
Tell us how you found the employer led assessment centre
I found the employer-led assessment center with Accenture very helpful as it felt like an actual assessment center but without the stress of being in the running for a prospective job. Without this pressure, I could focus significantly on developing my professional skills. I enjoyed working alongside other candidates from various degree programs to demonstrate teamwork, problem-solving, and planning skills. The interviewers and staff provided feedback at the moment, so I knew exactly where I could perform more strongly in future assessment centres.
Any words of advice for fellow peers who is considering or unsure about the Award?
I advise anyone considering applying for this award not to brush off this opportunity! It is an excellent way to practice skills essential to career applications, even if you are unsuccessful in proceeding to the final award. The award feels like an authentic application but with the feedback that is generally lacked by the standard rejection email following an unsuccessful job application. This award provided so many opportunities to network, learn about the job application process, expand upon professional skills, and refine your CV and cover letter. It will leave you feeling more confident and prepared!