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The capability to respond to pressure and recover from setbacks and difficult situations by demonstrating and working towards new goals.
Explore your understanding
During your studies and in a work environment, you might receive some constructive criticism or face a difficult situation. Being resilient means being able to adapt to these circumstances and use them to improve yourself and the work that you are doing and have the motivation to keep going.
Employers are looking to see that you can conquer problems, take on new challenges and bounce back when things do not go as planned. Remaining focused, reacting calmly, being proactive and making progress despite possible obstacles are all qualities that can support with building resilience and drive.
Developing resilience and drive can support you with being able to cope with challenging situations. It can also help you reach peak performance and enhance satisfaction, both in your personal and professional life. Motivation, ambition and drive are qualities that employers are looking for during the recruitment process – so ensure you are able to demonstrate these.
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Find and develop your skill
Where can you improve your resilience skills at UCL?
Learn more about resilience with employers
Attend a skills session delivered by employers to learn more about resilience as well as career drive. You can attend a Skills workshop or take part in a 1:1 practice interview session to speak to employers on how you can evidence this during an interview.
Use LinkedIn Learning to grow your skillset
LinkedIn Learning has a huge range of video courses supporting learning in software, creative and business skills – all free to UCL staff and currently enrolled students.
Develop resilience by travelling
Take part in an event to learn more about the global opportunities available both short term and longer term as part of your degree.
UCL Go Abroad programmes encompass an enriching selection of worldwide opportunities tailored to support UCL students to perform at their full potential and further develop their resilience skills. Attend an event to learn more about the global opportunities available both short term and longer term as part of your degree.
Widening Participation
Become a student ambassador with the UCL Widening Participation Office. Develop your skills in resilience and drive by working on projects specifically with school students from under-represented groups, and managing the challenges of this, alongside other UCL students from a wide range of courses and backgrounds.
Join a club or society
Demonstrate your drive for professional development or your commitment to a particular interest by taking on a role in a club or society – maybe even a leadership role. The Students Union also offer a variety of skills sessions such as ‘Courage and Resilience’ as well as ‘Taking the Initiative’.
Students' Union UCL skills sessions
UCL’s Volunteering Services Unit partners with more than 400 local charities to promote their volunteering opportunities. Use the Volunteering Service’s skills explorer to find volunteering opportunities where you can develop new skills and build on existing ones. It’s a great tool to use in conjunction with your wider career planning.
Search volunteering opportunities
Developing your resilience and drive capabilities as a Researcher
Access courses related to resilience and drive such as 'Managing Your Career Change Emotions' and 'Exploring Careers Beyond Academia' to further develop skills within this area. The UCL Doc Skills Programme is open to all postgraduate research students at UCL.
UCL Doctoral Skills Development Programme
You will also be able to browse the scheduled events for researchers and those for doctoral students. Research students can also access courses mapped to the Researcher Development Framework (RDF) and one-to-one advice, practice interviews and workshops tailored to researchers.
Prepare your examples
Ask yourself:
Can you think about a time where you have had to deal with a change in circumstances? Can you talk through the process and describe the outcome?
Describe a university situation when you needed to manage multiple priorities. What strategies were you able to put into place to manage your time?
Tell me about a time when you suggested a change. How did you put this forward? What was the result?
Next Steps:
Want more support on how to structure your answer on resilience and drive as part of an interview?
How to demonstrate your skills in an interview
Here you can find out more about how to structure your answer and demonstrate your skills along with many more resources that will help you prepare.
If you have written a draft application for any type of opportunity, our team can provide personalised and practical tips and advice to help you better understand how recruiters will shortlist your application, and how you can best demonstrate your motivation and your most relevant skills / experience.