Postgraduate courses are highly intense and full of assessments but thinking about employment and future career is a parallel process going on in a lot of students’ heads. Career Services at The University of Manchester provides a variety of services that can be accessed for free and help you progress with your career prospects, CV or any other question related to this.

Which career pathway to take?

If you feel puzzled and not sure which direction to go for, you can access a range of online resources and questionnaires which will help you identify your core values and future vision of your career. This may give you an idea of an industry and a type of jobs you could explore.

Industry specific information

If you have an idea of an occupation or a sector of your interest, there is a lot of information about how to approach employers in a specific industry or job and what skills and experiences to take into consideration during your studies. You can also do a short job trial or practise your interview skills which helped me a lot in preparation.

Finding a job and experience

There are several ways to find a job, not solely using Indeed.com. On the Careers website, you have a lot of strategies to look for job advertisements on national and professional body jobsites as well as LinkedIn and social media. They can help you find not only widely advertised jobs but also hidden ones. The opportunities are endless! You can also book a 1-to-1 appointment to build your LinkedIn profile which helps to network with employers more efficiently.

Get your CV and Cover Letter / Personal statement ready

Once you have job advertisement you want to apply for, the CV is your everything! In the CV Pathway, you will be guided step by step to choose the right type of CV and cover letter, include active language and cover key skills. If a good CV shows your professional background and skills, a strong cover letter will express your interest in the job and will be your selling point. Once you have completed the pathways, you will be able to access 1-to-1 appointments to review your CV and get final feedback with one of the application advisors from the Careers Services.

Drop-in Sessions

If pre-booked appointments have not been accessible, I have used drop-in sessions at the Careers Centre in the Atrium, Uni Place to discuss any urgent concerns about my application process. In case you have a question, you can always ask a question via Career Connect website or via email. The team aims to respond on the same day, so you can get help as soon as possible!

Employability Fairs and Workshops

I found employability fairs to be especially useful. You can talk to multiple employers, see their working environment and network with professionals. This might give you a grasp of expectations for your CV and skills that employers look for in graduates. I also recommend keeping an eye on different workshops which ease developing employability skills and boost your potential.

Picking and choosing from a variety of Career Services services and opportunities might help you prepare for a smooth and less stressful entering graduate employment world. Good luck!

Written by Marieta, current MEd Psychology of Education student at The University of Manchester

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