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Fresher to Finalist
2012 - 2015 These dates are intended as a rough guide through your time at University, assuming you start as a fresher in 2012 and will graduate in 2015 ready to look for graduate jobs. -
STRATEGIES AND ACTION POINTS TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE THAT GRADUATE JOB
You probably feel a little overwhelmed just now. It used to be that you only had to get a good degree to get a job, now it all seems just so much more complicated! It is your choice how quickly you get moving to obtain that graduate job – university life, should of course be fun! But the more you invest in your future, the greater the return in your pocket, such as getting that car or house and most importantly graduate jobs. -
Key Facts
• up to nine out of ten jobs created over the next decade will be in the professional sectors
• graduates typically earn over £160,000 more during their lifetime than non-graduates
• the wages of graduates are typically 60% higher than non-graduates. This article provides some pointers to enable you to get ahead of the game. The earlier you think about managing your career, the easier getting that job becomes! -
Freshers Week - socialise, settle in & join societies
Join everything you are mildly interested in and give it a go. You never know what you might enjoy. The more people you meet the larger social network you build up and you never know who will come in useful in the future. Networking is a key skill in employment so all that partying may pay off! -
Visit your Careers Service
Visit your careers service to see how they run and what sort of things they offer. Many students underestimate the amount of help and opportunities that are actually available here and miss out on some great stuff. Use Prospects planner to doscover your interests & look for talks and workshops that extend your study skills. There may be opportunities to study abroad or business focused competitions. -
Have fun - start developing your CV
Work experience, voluntary work and involvement in student societies and clubs can gain you valuable skills for employers. Always choose activities you like, but never forget how these activities will look on your CV. For example, being the treasurer of a university society shows key financial management skills. For many careers, volunteering or extra-curricular activities are a prerequisite. Experiences in areas such as journalism, teaching and event management can easily be obtained on campus. -
Choose 2nd year options wisely
Check if any of your options will be particularly relevant to career-based skills in the future, -
Summer Work Experience
Use university holidays and any spare time you have well. Look to see if you can get part time jobs or volunteering work in an area you might be interested in as a career. Contact local community and voluntary organisations to get yourself involved in a number of voluntary projects. Investigate opportunities with your university careers service or look at websites such as www.do-it.org.uk and http://vinspired.com. Some summer placements will be advertised before Christmas! -
Work Experience
Keep it coming... -
Prepare for application & selection for graduate jobs
January - December : Start researching and selecting graduate jobs you might be interested in applying for as deadlines start around Christmas -
Start Applying for a job!
June 2014 - July 2015: Start submitting applications for graduate jobs. See our Graduate Job Advice section for loads of great tips & tricks for CV, cover letter & interview techniques. -
Summer Internship / work exp placement
These may or may not be paid and usually last up to around 3 months to slot into your holiday time. They give you a great insight into the working environment and as well creating a great impression on the employer and your CV, is also vital in telling you whether the career path will be right for you. -
Final chance for Work Experience
If your workload isn't too heavy this is a final opportunity to get some work experience before you graduate. -
Interviews Begin
January-September - The Interview processes begin. Good Luck! -
Heads down, Work Hard!
All that work experience will be great but you don't want to waste all that time and money coming out with a grade you don't deserve. Spend easter studying hard and do yourself justice. -
Results Day
Well done! Now get celebrating! -
Graduation
Time to wack out the silly hats & practice your 'professional' smile -
START YOUR GRADUATE JOB!
Congratulations. You can finally step out into the first rung of your career ladder and start earning. Bet you'll always miss the student discount though...
