Career Choicesand Job Search

for Finalists

Helen Gorman & Karen FieldCareers & Employability Advisers

In this session we will cover:Career choice:• Knowing yourself• Knowing your

labour marketJob search:• Identifying

vacancy sources• Targeting your CV

and applicationsHow we can help

Career choice - where to start?

Understanding who you are

Researching options &

labour marketMaking choices

and taking action

Gaining experience

Know what you can offer:skills, interests, values, personality and strengths

Know what you are looking for:types of activity, level of reward, part time or full time, trying something out, graduate scheme, people you want to work with …

Try a careers self assessment – Prospects Planner OR Profiling for Success:www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/careerchoices/interests/

Understanding who you are

Researching your options

Matching yourself to career options.www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/careerchoices/interests

What can you do with your degree? www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/careerchoices/yourdegreewww.prospects.ac.uk

What other options are open to you?www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/careerchoices/researchingcareers

What do graduates do?www.sussex.ad.uk/careers/whatourgraduatesdowww.hecsu.ac.uk/current_projects_what_do_graduates_do.htm

Finding out about different job roleshttps://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/LMIMapswww.prospects.ac.uk/sectors.htm

Knowing your labour market

Where our graduates workLinkedIn data: top 10

Making choicesBring together your research to help you define:• what you are looking for• what you have to offer employers• what options are open to you

This will help you:• create targeted CV and job applications• make more focused job searches

You may want to talk this through with a Careers Advisor.www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/aboutus/advice

Job searchingBe organised:• establish a routine• tidy up your online presence• keep records of what you’ve

applied for and when so you can follow up

• keep copies of applications, you’ll need them to prepare for interviews

• research organisations carefully, to help target your applications and for interview preparation

Vacancy sourcesBe focused - don’t just google

• CareerHub is a good starting point: https://careerhub.sussex.ac.uk/

• For specialist vacancy sources, use the sector guides on the Sussex Uni website: www.sussex.ac.uk/careers

• Graduate career websites and directories: Prospects, Milkround, Targetjobs

• Newspapers – eg. Guardian (national), Argus (local)• Agencies – see Sector guides for local Brighton agencies on

the Sussex Uni website: www.sussex.ac.uk/careers• Want to go overseas?

www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/careerchoices/international

Current vacancies on CareerHubCommunications Internship – ChampollionIf you’re clued up on current affairs and passionate about politics, we have a fantastic opportunity to intern with one of the UK’s most highly respected communications agencies. Deadline: 14 June.

Graduate Programme 2016: Financial Advisory - Forensic – KPMGKPMG is looking to appoint a number of Graduates under their Financial Advisory - Forensic Graduate Programme 2016 in Reading. Deadline: 24 June.

General Engineering and Support Technicians MI6The Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) are currently looking to hire graduates to work as Engineering and Support Technicians. Deadline: 27 June.

Language Assistant ApprenticeThe British School of Brussels offers the opportunity to work in a large, vibrant languages department alongside experienced colleagues from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. Deadline: 13 June.

Creative job searchingMake speculative job applications:• there are benefits in being

proactive• identify employers you want to

work for• network online and in person • join LinkedIn to create a

professional online network

Targeting your CV and applications• Who is your audience?• What are they looking for?

Look at the job description and person specification.

• Show that you have the skills they are looking for - use the STAR approach:

S SituationT TaskA ActionR Result

• Use key words from the person specification.

Use examples from all your experiences: work, volunteering, societies, interests…

Careers and Employability Centre support:• For 3 years after you graduate• Short interview with a careers adviser: Mon – Fri from 10 am ‘til 5pm, Weds ‘til 7pm• Vacancies – part time, work experience,

internships, graduate jobs: www.sussex.ac.uk/careers

How we can help you