Transcript Business Partnerships Team - University of East London

University of East London
Effective Career Planning
The Big Questions!
At the stage you are at today you need to think
about:
 What would you like to do in relation to your
career?
 What careers are particularly suitable in relation
to your interests and aspirations?
 What kinds of skills, knowledge and experience
will you need to succeed in this career?
 How do you plan to acquire these things?
Assessing your Career
Options
“Best” option is to select a career that:
You will enjoy
You will match in terms of skills
requirements, values, personal qualities
Will provide you with ‘ life/work’ balance
Meet any other personal requirements you
have
How can you find out what
you are suited to?
• Personal Analysis: look at what you have done
before
• Computer Aided Guidance
 Adult Directions
 Prospects Planner
• Assess your Career Motivators
• Psychometric Testing/Various Ability & Personality
Tests
• Careers Research
• Gaining Work Experience/Work Shadowing
• Attending Career Fairs and Speaker Events e.g. “A
Day in the Life”
Research is key!
• Identifying occupational options is fine but
you must fully research each option to
identify:
What is involved in the role?
What is required in terms of skills,
knowledge, qualifications?
Will it fulfil salary requirements?
Will it offer opportunities for progression?
Current opportunities?
What Employers Want
• 70% of graduate recruiters do not specify degree
discipline
 A Business Studies degree will open up a wide
range of career options both within business and
other areas
 Most top employers now insisting on a 2:1 grade or
above
 Very keen to see evidence of skill development e.g.
communication, team, problem solving etc..
 Work Experience
 Engagement in useful extra-curricular activities
 Something that makes you stand out…
What Employers Want
• Business awareness/ commercial awareness
- the graduate skill as rated by The
Confederation of British Industry (CBI), that
needs the biggest improvement.
 This is the ability to understand how the
organisation you work for -- or want to work for -fits in to the wider world of business.
 Key to demonstrating this is keeping up to date
with current affairs and relevant industry news
Occupational Websites
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www.careersadvice.directgov.uk/
www.careers-gateway.co.uk/
www.careers-portal.co.uk
www.hobsons.com/
www.learndirect.co.uk/
www.monster.co.uk/
www.prospects.ac.uk/
www.skillset.org/
http://msn.careerbuilder.co.uk
Websites of professional bodies
Assess the Quality of
Careers Information
• Consider how recent the information is. Most careers
information has a shelf life of 1-2 years.
• Authority of the body producing the information. Is the
information official (professional body) or unofficial?
(blogg/web sites).
• Information is effected by the view point of those
providing it. For example the employer’s recruitment
procedure may convey a particular image of the
graduate and its training schedule.
• Is the language appropriate in terms of supporting
equal opportunities.
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The Value of Careers
Information
• Adjustive function
Individuals can over and under estimate their potential
and occupational information can be used to help
individuals readjust their ideas upwards and downwards.
• Motivational Function
Occupational information can stimulate vocational
thinking. An awareness of the occupational world can be
increased encouraging exploration.
• Disruptive Function
The function is concerned with helping individuals
identify work situations/environments which are
compatible with their needs.
Career Planning should be
SMART
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Specific
Measurable
Actions
Realistic
Timebound
In practice …
• How do I get from where I am today into the
career I want?
 What do I need to do?
 What skills/experience do I need to develop?
 What knowledge do I need?
 How can I do these things?
 What barriers are in the way and can I get
around them?
 Who can help me?
Plan Your Degree Timetable
Year 1:
 Spend time assessing career options – use the Careers Service
 Engage in extra-curricular activity. Graduate employers want to see this
 Get work experience -any kind. It will help you develop useful skills
 Put your CV together
Year 2:
 Clarify career choices
 Seek out relevant experience e.g. summer internships/shadowing
Year 3
 Start applying for jobs – most graduate scheme deadlines are in the
Autumn
 Ensure your self marketing tools – CV, letter, application forms are in
good shape
 Sharpen up your interview techniques
 Attend career talks/employer presentations/graduate fairs – both
internally and elsewhere
GET HOLD OF OUR STUDENT ROAD MAP!
Top Tips
• Spend time assessing your career
preferences and options
• Assess your existing skills and experience
• Up date your CV – make it E-friendly
• Identify appropriate learning opportunities
• Assess any financial support available
• Draft a Plan
• Seek Careers Advice!
Careers and Student
Employability Team
• Available Mon to Fri 9-5
• Online support 24/7 including access to
vacancies, career planning software,
psychometric tests, career guides
• Pre-booked guidance appointments
• Programme of workshops, training events,
speaker talks, employer visits
• School based careers support