You will find a Careers Service on nearly every university campus. It is made up of a team of people with a wide knowledge of the work environment who are dedicated to helping their students and offering guidance which gives the students the best chance in fulfilling their career aspirations. Careers Services usually have their own building on the university campus but are also available online. An account can usually be created on the website, allowing the student to search for vacancies and receive email alerts on relevant jobs. The Careers Services provide a welcoming atmosphere, offering drop-in sessions or appointments where a member of the team can help explore the student’s options or problems. Other services also include:
CV Checking:
Most Careers Services are there to help build student and graduate CVs. A good CV is vital when applying for jobs or internships; it gives the employer their first impression of you as a candidate and essentially decides whether you are suitable for an interview. Careers Services will offer one to one appointments where advice on how to improve it and make it more effective will be given, before sending it off for a job application. Many other useful resources will be available on their website such as templates.
Practice Interviews:
Interviews are an extremely daunting prospect of applying for a job and employers will, almost always, require you to participate in one. The Careers Service on campus is there to help you know what to expect from different formats of interviews, such as one to ones, video, panel and telephone interviews. In some universities, they will create mock interview situations for the students, where a Careers Consultant will take the form of an interviewer and role play with the student. The questions asked will be based on your application and desired job role and then constructive feedback will be given on your performance at the end, ultimately shaping and enhancing the way students will act in future interview situations.
Recommended Events / Employer Activity on Campus:
The Careers Service are dedicated in keeping the students up to date on campus and will always let them know about new events or valuable skill sessions through email or newsletters. In addition to this, specialist careers fairs are very common on university campuses, which are held by hundreds of organizations, mainly because they want to recruit bright young graduates and let them know about different opportunities. Employer activity on campus is very common and usually they will give talks or guest lectures, allowing students to partake in Q&A sessions. These events will allow students to meet and interact with employers informally, enabling the student to feel more comfortable in asking for advice.
Destinations for Previous Graduates:
Many students may think that once they graduate from university they are left to face the unnerving world of work on their own and will be cut off from the helpful resources provided. However, this is a common misconception! Majority of Careers Services allows graduates to use their services for up to three years after graduation. Many will also urge graduates to participate in the DLHE (Destination of Leavers from Higher Education). This survey is particularly beneficial to new graduates, as it determines what past graduates are doing six months after graduation. The names of employers and job roles are provided for past graduates, giving an insight on the different routes you can take with your chosen degree.
