The University of Sheffield Careers Services' "Commercial Awareness" statement:
"There is no one definition of 'commercial awareness' ... however, in essence, it means understanding the business you are applying to, your role within it and the environment in which it operates. You also must have an understanding of current affairs and how this might affect the organisation, and other organisations in that sector, too." (p.1)
Key databases:
Key resources:
Key resources:
Most charities' annual reports, accounts and governance policies will be publicly available via their websites.
See this example from Oxfam:
Key newspaper resources:
"I develop my commercial awareness skills everyday by reading the Financial Times and The Economist... I don't just read them as if I'm reading a novel or a book... I usually start with the Business or Finance section then I flip over to the Technology section and then the Politics pages to get an idea of the political economy and environment. With the Financial Times I also read the market data and the Lex Review which gives an overview of what's happening in the day."
Baiju Shah
Economics and Finance Student, University of Sheffield
Know the primary purpose of your target employer. Know what forces are changing the industry you want to work in. Know (and show) that, even on a bad day, you really, really want to be doing what you'll be doing
Stephen Isherwood
Chief Executive at Institute of Student Employers
library@sheffield.ac.uk 
0114 222 7200 
01952 783022
