The University of Manchester’s Careers Service provided me with invaluable help and direction during my Master’s programme as an overseas student. This substantially increased my confidence in approaching the local job market!

Careerconnect

I started looking for resources within the institution about employment support because I had always planned to get a job in the region after graduating, and I discovered The University’s of Manchester Career Services! The department can offer you the helpful guidance you require in addition to a variety of job search options. The online login is via the UoM Careerconnect website, and the diversity of features and services accessible piqued my interest the first time I logged in.

CV Pathway and Reviews

The first step in every job hunt is to create the ideal CV. I started with CV Pathway, which featured multiple courses that took me through customising the content of the CV I would require for my job search, as well as CV templates accessible for download, which provided me with a general notion of CVs for the UK’s job market! I was able to schedule a CV review after receiving a Careerset CV score of 70. It’s a one-on-one appointment via Zoom, and the advisor is incredibly patient and detailed, providing me with additional content recommendations such as how to highlight your successes and skills and couple them with positive action verbs to market yourself. As a result, my CV became a valuable tool in my job quest.

Other Features

Having a solid CV has increased my self-confidence, but a job hunt entails more than just submitting a CV. But don’t be concerned! They have all of the necessary career development materials! Careerconnect also offers classes on cover letter writing, interviews and assessment centre preparation, and any other service you may require. The university’s careers department, in my opinion, has been able to advise and assist me every step of the way, so I feel more confident and less bewildered in my job search!

Events Booking

It has also provided me with additional features, such access to various job search materials and allowing me to book various events. For example, as October became the peak month for autumn recruitment in the UK, I registered for job fairs held on campus to meet face-to-face with HR from major companies and also to obtain first-hand job information, which allowed me to target my organisations and make my job application more efficient. At the same time, the campus meeting information for some well-known recruiters was listed on Careerconnect, allowing me to meet with such recruiters for the first time, which equals to acquiring the “fast track” to the recruiters. I was also able to obtain a deeper understanding of the company’s culture and experience the atmosphere’s diversity.

Skills Workshops

Furthermore, Careerconnect allows you to sign up for a range of skills workshops to help you improve your abilities and competitiveness. For example, I attended a networking workshop with LinkedIn, which helped me to have a better understanding of how to use LinkedIn while also expanding my network and exploring other career opportunities!

Today, as my job search advances and I overcome many hurdles and challenges, I want to show my gratitude to The University’s Career Services for assisting me step by step in my job search and giving me important information! This department helped me to make a significant leap in my career journey.

Written by Mingyu, current MSc Environmental Impact Assessment and Management student at The University of Manchester

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