Apr
Career Destinations: Make the most of it before it’s too late
For many final year students, as the end of semester two approaches, this dreaded question is rearing its ugly head more frequently by the day: “So what are you going to do after university?”. If, like almost everybody, you give a long-winded answer about how you will probably just fall into a job, and if not you’ll go travelling around the world for a few years, you need to stop kidding yourself.
Career Destinations is the service run by the University which helps guide students in a search for jobs, and develop employability skills. Here are our four top tips to prepare yourself for that all important career hunt.
Get your CV nailed – A good CV can be half the battle in getting a job. If an employer likes the look of you by what’s written down, you’re more likely to get invited for an interview. Keep it to two sides of A4 and avoid including any superfluous information. Regular CV clinics are run by Career Destinations, where they will go through what you have written down and constructively advise you on how it can be improved.
Practise your interviews – If you’re expecting to waltz into your first interview and land your dream job, having not done any preparation, you’re deluded. Not only is individual preparation necessary for interviews, but general practise can be hugely beneficial in boosting your confidence and thinking about what the employer wants. The interviews skills workshops delivered by Career Destinations aim to successfully prepare students on how to perform well in an interview.
Verbal reasoning & numeracy tests – Anyone who has applied for a graduate scheme will tell you that these tests are rather horrific. They are ridiculous challenges, set to make your life difficult and to ensure you are unsuccessful in progressing further after slaving away on an application for hours… or at least that’s what it feels like. Make sure you prepare yourself as best as possible for these tests by taking a variety of free versions online. Most employers will offer a free trial of the test beforehand, so use this to understand how you are being tested and what you need to practise. Career Destinations can offer further advice on best practise for these tests.
Work experience – Remember work experience? That thing you were forced to do in school? Well it can actually be quite useful. Spend some time looking at the companies you want to work for, and finding out if they offer work experience. Performing well while on work experience can sometimes be the best way of proving your capabilities and making you an irresistible employee. Career Destinations can help you with this too, in suggesting placements relevant to you.
You can book onto Career Destinations sessions through the events calendar. However, the best thing you can do is head on down there and talk to them yourself. Open on weekdays, Career Destinations can be found in the Student Services Centre (Building 37) on the Highfield Campus.
Words: Howell Davies
Tags: Career Destinations Make, confidence, Highfield Campus, Words Howell Davies