You are not alone! It can often feel that everyone around you knows what career they want, and how to get it. We can tell you - that’s not true. Many people are in the same boat (even if people are reluctant to admit it in public). Sometimes people tell us they avoid accessing careers support because they believe it’s only for people who know what they want to do. This couldn’t be further from the truth. If you’re looking for career ideas - you have come to the right place!
Sometimes people feel that their career choices are limited by the subject they’ve studied. Did you know that 75% of graduate employers don’t specify a degree subject? They are interested in your transferable skills, work experience, and life experience. Maybe you studied Bioscience - there’s nothing stopping you from pursuing careers as diverse as Law, Marketing, or the Civil Service. If you’re a Historian - those same careers are open to you, too.
Many people who are not sure what they want to do make the error of concentrating on the job - “What job can I do?” or “What jobs are out there?”. In reality, the most important first step is to have a clear idea of who you are and what you want (and future employers will want to know these things, too).
Maybe you’re interested in a lot of things, and find it hard to choose. Perhaps you’re not sure exactly what captivates you or what your strengths are. Here at the Careers Service - in the nicest possible way - we don’t care what you do. We want to support you in finding a satisfying and fulfilling career that’s meaningful to you. The Careers Service and your Employability Advisers are here to support you through every step of your career planning process with e-learning resources, events, workshops, and 1:1 appointments.
How we can help
To get started, we’ve pulled together some tools to help you identify your strengths and preferences, and start exploring options. These will help you develop some career ideas and move them forward. Remember that this is a process, and support is available throughout your time at uni and after you graduate, too.
Research yourself
Find some inspiration
Come to one of our Spotlight Events or other careers sessions
Explore your ideas further using the Prospects Planner, which gives you ideas about possible career options based on your interests. (NB: you will be asked to register, but Prospects is a free service dedicated to UK university students and graduates).
What next?
Talk it through
Don't forget you can always book an appointment to speak to an adviser to get more support with your career planning.
