Having trouble getting to QM Careers this summer?

Are you an EU/international student or GradClub member who has gone home for the summer?
Or are you a student or GradClub member who lives outside of London?

We realise that it may be hard for some of you to visit Careers for face-to-face appointments over the summer.  So for the next few weeks we will be trialling short appointments with Careers Advisers using Skype.  Short appointments last for 20 minutes and are available Monday to Thursday.

Skype is a free service to make internet calls.  You can create an account online. You will need to have webcam, microphone and audio facilities.

Telephone +44 (0)20 7882 8533 or email us at careers@qmul.ac.uk to book an appointment, with the following information:

• Student ID or GradClub number
• First name
• Last name
• Department
• Course
• Year
• Email address
• Contact phone number
• International status
• Details of how you would like Careers to help you.

It’s that simple!  We look forward to Skyping with you soon.

Confused?

5 steps to the job you want

On the evening of Thursday 9 June in Ground from 5.30pm – 7.30pm we’ll be hosting our annual Confused? event for finalists. Past students – once in your shoes! – will offer an insight into their career experiences and how they managed to work out their next steps after QM.

The event will help you to:

• Work out which jobs suit you
• Come up with career ideas
• Use networking effectively
• Get valuable experience
• Invent your own career
• Find hidden vacancies

The QM Careers team will also be on hand all evening to provide you with information, advice and contacts to help you decide what to do next.

To book your place, please visit QM Careers, Room WG3 of the Queens’ Building, with a £10 deposit which will be returned to you on your arrival at the event.

Your first step to working in TV?

Don’t want to be stuck in an office? Think you’d prefer filming to filing?

Sometimes being stuck in an office everyday can be really dull. Imagine having that dream job where you get to work, whilst meeting celebrities and people from your favourite TV shows. Wouldn’t that be amazing!

The Network offers an opportunity to see just how exciting working in TV really is. This thrilling opportunity is the chance for you to  go to Edinburgh this August and attend four days of FREE masterclasses, workshops and career advice sessions to help you start a career in TV. Interested? Then apply for The Network.

The applications will be closing on the 15^thApril 2011 so don’t miss out on this fantastic prospect.

For more information visit: www.mgeitf.co.uk/thenetwork

For top tips on a career in TV, from CV tips to getting your foot in the door, download a fantastic PDF ‘On Success On TV’ produced by the Network and the BBC Academy.

Fulfill your passion for fashion

Starting a fashion career on your own can be quite challenging so why not start by working with the professionals. ‘Access 2 fashion’ is looking for 30 individuals who are looking for a career in fashion and you could be one of the lucky ones. The evening will consist of asking questions you have about entering specific fields, presentation of the opportunities in which you could apply for and end with an informal reception where students will get the opportunity to network with these industry professionals.

To make it even more exciting the famous hosts that will be presenting this event will be from the National Magazine Company, Home of Cosmopolitan and more. So if you’re a budding fashion journalist, a stylist, an aspiring designer, make-up artist, or photographer then this could be the perfect opportunity for you to demonstrate your tremendous skills and burst into the fashion industry.

This event will take place on the 22^nd February 2011 from 5.30-8.00pm

To take part please email: events@elevationnetwork.org with your Cover letter and CV by 11^th Feb 2011 to tell us why you should be selected for this exclusive event!

Law Careers November Update

Interested in a career in law? Although this year’s QM Law Fair has already taken place, there are still excellent opportunities to meet with Law Firms both on and off campus.

Our on campus law sessions continue in November and include Interview Skills, Commercial Awareness and a Recruiter in Residence afternoon all led by top employers.  These are excellent opportunities to find out more about the recruitment process directly from firms themselves, as well as pick up tips and advice on interviews and applications. Discover too how you can make the most of your transferable skills, which a former QM Law student highlights the importance of in another one of our blog posts.

At the Careers In Law panel on Tuesday 23 November you will hear from Lawyers in different practice areas from City Law Firms Freshfields, Trower & Hamlins and the Government Legal Service.  This is open to law students in any year, as well as to non-law students who are considering applying for training contracts and vacation schemes.

For all events, to guarantee your place register at Careers WG3 Queens’ Building with a £10 deposit (which is returned to you on your arrival at the event).

Off campus,  Law Firms are running open days in November and December. Keep an eye on the websites of the firms that you’re interested in to find out when these are and how to book your place.  BLP who recently came to QM to run a skills session, have one coming up in December, check their website for more information.

Eversheds have started using webinars as a way of getting in touch with prospective candidates. On the 17th of November at 4pm, they will be hosting a webinar: “How a career in law can open doors to other professions”.
Their HR Director will be hosting the session, taking you on the journey he took through the legal and finance industries and the key skills he learnt along the way. For further information, and for details of other online events see their website.

Other useful online resources include podcasts by Lawcareers.net,  where you can listen to advice from Law Firms and trainees on securing training contracts. Lawyer2be provide useful tips on how to approach applications and handle open days.

Getting Creative – opportunities for film, media & creative arts

QM Careers went to Futurising – the  fair for the creative industries.  See below for some opportunities we found out about available for you to network, gain experience and build your CV:

Film

• Four Corners www.fourcornersfilm.co.uk – practical training for film production and photography including work placements
• No.w.here www.no-w-here.org.uk – film labs and resources for wannabee film makers

Visual Art/Design/Illustration

• Jotta www.jotta.com – group exhibitions and collaboration across art and design
• Creative Match www.creativematch.com/students – publish your portfolio and enter competitions
• Florence Trust Studios www.florencetrust.org – visual artists’ studios, mentoring and bursaries

Freelancing

• Skillsonline – www.skillsonlinegroup.com/courses/gofreelance – 60 min online training course about going freelance

All art forms

• Ideas Tap www.ideastap.com – funding, resources, competitions and a community of other creatives for you to tap into
• Live UnLtd www.LiveUnLtd.com – apply for £2000 of project funding to set up your own project to help others, from a Martial Arts project to FoodCycling.
• Creative Careers www.careers-creative-living-co.uk – web tool designed to help you plan your creative career, from writing a CV to figuring out what to do next
• Creative Talent www.arts.ac.uk/student/careers – internships, job opportunities

Websites we like: discover risk

http://discoverrisk.co.uk/ is a great new careers website that gives an insight in to the world of insurance.  If you have thought about working in finance and would like to broaden your options, or you like the idea of working with risk, visit the website to find out more.

In the ‘About You’ section you can build a version of yourself, looking at your skills and interests, which it then matches against different jobs that you might be suited to. You could find that there are jobs available that you had never heard of or thought about before.

Roles in this industry can be diverse and include underwriting, risk management, loss adjusting, business development and much more – so you might just find that there is something that you are interested in. The website also looks at employers, case studies and lots of other useful information in a fun and friendly way.

Thinking about working for a charity?

Introducing Careers in Charities is a one day course taking place this Wednesday (3rd March) at Senate House.  It is a fantastic opportunity to hear from professionals currently working in the industry, giving their top tips and advice on how to build a career in the UK charity sector.

Speakers include:
The Big Lottery Fund
Save the Children
Cancer Research UK
National Trust
The Wellcome Trust
Royal National Institute for the Blind

For further information and to register please see http://www.careers.lon.ac.uk/output/page118.asp?id=625.
There is a £21 fee for current QM students and Gradclub members to attend.

Why do a PhD?

A PhD – to do or not to do?

If you are thinking about doing a PhD, download our presentation Why do a PhD? to find out:

• What is a PhD
• What to expect from a PhD
• The pros and cons of pursuing a PhD
• How to choose a PhD
• Where to look for one
• Where to find more information

If you would like further information about PhDs, feedback on an application, or information on funding, contact QM Careers for an appointment on 020 7882 8533.

Become the ACCA Undergraduate of the Year and win £1000

What does ‘Accountants for Business’ mean to you? If you can answer in up to 1000 words and would like the chance to win £1000 – read on.

What ACCA are looking for in your answer:

- an understanding of the roles of accountants

- the issues businesses face in the current climate

- the ways in which accountants can add value

- the issues that ACCA are supporting

Email your answer to studentpromotions@accaglobal.com before the closing date  at midnight 26th February 2010.  Remember to include your full name, post and email address, contact telephone number; details of your undergraduate degree and University attended. Winners will be announced on 31st March 2010.

1st Prize – £1000
2nd Prize – £500
3rd Prize – £250

For further information and to read the terms and conditions, go to: www.accaglobal.com/graduates/competition