Graduate schemes aren’t for everyone

Graduate schemes have become increasingly popular in recent years, with more and more employers providing such opportunities to graduates wanting to kick-start their career. Indeed, the prospect of a stable, well-paid job, particularly in the current economic climate, is undoubtedly very attractive to recent graduates. Yet while such programmes seem to be custom-made for some, they might not fit others so well.

The Guardian featured an interesting article about the appeal of graduate schemes, despite the huge number of other options available. While it’s important to have a clear focus or strategy when choosing a career, don’t limit yourself to one type of career progression, but instead explore as many options as possible to discover which ones suit you best.

Whether you know exactly what you want to do, or are completely confused about your next career step, QM Careers will be open through the Summer to help.  For advice on your next step and how to get there, drop by our office in Room WG3 in the Queens’ Building or call us on 020 7882 8533 to book an appointment.

Graduates without jobs – what next?

Exams over, excitement of graduation ditto. Diploma in the bag, but no job in prospect? Welcome to the club.  Grad Club.  Aimed at our graduates so they can use our services for 2 years after graduation.

Whether you have a job, but might need help with an application or interview should you decide to apply for something better next year…
or whether you’ve left uni without a clear path in mind and would like assistance moving forward, sign up now. Best of all it’s free for a limited time for QM students – just use the promotional code QM2012UL. See more at www.gradclub.co.uk

One recent graduate confessed to me that when the degree ceremony finished, she hoped that a job would drop into her hands, neatly wrapped in bright red ribbon: wishful thinking that’s all too common. Sorry folks. Reality strikes.  There is no Santa Claus; the Easter Bunny is a myth; opportunities do not materialise at the wave of a wand. Use the JK Rowling approach to your job seeking – try, and if you are rejected, try again and again until you succeed.

This might be a long haul: your mates with jobs secured or in prospect probably applied 6 – 9 months ago.  It could take you the same amount of time to strike graduate gold. So start now.  Last week I bloggeed about job seeking for beginners – tips to get you started or inspire you to consider new ways of finding opportunities.

Meantime, seize a stopgap  – work in a shop, office, café, bar, whatever.  It will give you brass in pocket and time in hand. You are not alone – many graduates temp for a living straight after leaving their course.  Want proof? See our recent blog post about holding out for the perfect job.

If jobs are in short supply or you need relevant experience, volunteer.  In terms of time, this needn’t take more than a day, an evening or an hour a week. In terms of a boost to your morale and your CV, it’s incalculable.

No job now does not mean no job ever.  There’s something with your name on it out there right now.  But it’s not going to come and find you: get up, get out and get searching.

Gill Sharp
Careers Consultant
QM Careers

Panicked about your career

“Scary”: the word heard most often right now as graduates with no job or no firm career ideas confess their concerns…..

Mythbuster #1:  You are not alone

Think that most graduates go into professional level employment as soon as they leave university? Think again. The majority take several months to find their niche.

The road ahead may seem unclear, but the path is well travelled and, if you follow the steps below, well charted.

Step 1: Remuneration

Keeping body and soul together usually means a stop-gap job, possibly humble in character, modest in salary. This is very much the norm for new graduates just finding their feet.  It won’t affect your chances of a professional job and may even enhance these. Need I whisper the words “transferable skills”?

Step 2: Research

Investigate your own preferences, aptitudes and interests: essential if you haven’t decided on a career, insightful if you have.

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/myprospects_planner_login

http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report

This step is your sat nav. Omit it and risk veering off course or hitting a dead end.

Dig deeper still: case studies, links, vacancies, voluntary work, internships, post-grad courses are all present and correct on those same websites.

Mythbuster #2 Graduate employment does not = graduate schemes

Less than 15% of university leavers go into training schemes with major companies. If you set your compass for this type of work, remember there are alternatives if you encounter the choppy waters of competition and the rocks of rejection.

Step 3: Regroup

Use this information to plot your course, either alone or with assistance from QM. Join Gradclub http://www.gradclub.co.uk/ for free or heavily discounted access to the careers service here. Registration costs nothing until New Year.  Use it or lose it.

The future is yours. Daunting yes, dangerous no. It’s your next big adventure.

Gill Sharp
Careers Consultant
QM Careers

Graduate Employment Headlines Can Be Misleading

Headlines going on about 25% of Graduates not being in full time work three years after finishing University could easily make you worried about your employment prospects after leaving Queen Mary.

Fortunately for you, but unfortunately for journalists, is the reality just doesn’t make good headlines. The fact is that a quarter of graduates are not sitting depressed on a sofa watching Jeremy Kyle all day, claiming unemployment benefits. In fact dipping below the headline reveals just 3.2% were “assumed to be unemployed.”

So what are the rest of them doing?*

• 6.5% of graduates are doing further study such as a PhD.
• 7.9% were working part time (this could be for any number of reasons, such as family commitments).
• 5.8% were doing a combination of work and study
• 3% were unavailable for work (some due to disability, but more commonly because they are backpacking round the world)0.5% were volunteering and working unpaid

*From the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

I admit that for the 3.2% it is not good news. But it is a much better figure then 25%.

If you are in any doubt about whether there are jobs out there for Queen Mary students and Graduates, just look at our jobs website. There are  opportunities out there.. .

Things are tough but perhaps not as bleak as the journalists would have you think.

Vinny Potter
Careers Consultant

Improve your job hunting technique

The recent UK economic growth figures announced last week fell short of the official growth target however the Chancellor insisted that more jobs are being created.  This may leave you feeling uncertain as you search for graduate vacancies.  An important way to make you feel more confident in your job search is to reflect on how you are searching for jobs.  Here are some questions to begin with.

Have you come to QM Careers for initial direction for your job search – what are your career options and a shortlist of good websites to use?

Do you know how to use these websites, for example why would you go to a professional body’s website to look for jobs besides its vacancies page?

Do you know that not every vacancy is advertised and the ways to discover these hidden jobs?

These questions are some of the prompts from a New Scientist blog about job searching however these techniques also apply to students and graduates who are not looking for a science career so do have a read.

QM Careers is open throughout the summer, if you are a current student please bring along your student ID, if you are a recent graduate you must be a GradClub member to use Careers – currently we have a promotion to sign up to GradClub for FREE.

Leaving QM? But not the Careers Service!

The majority of students coming to the Careers Service at the moment are final year students graduating this year. For those of you who are graduating this year, read carefully…!

Are you unsure what you want to do next? Will you need to get your CV and Application form checked over the summer?  Thinking of post-grad study? The Careers Service is here to help you with all this and more…HOWEVER, once you have graduated and you student ID card has expired, you can only use the Careers Service if you are a member of GradClub.

Usually being a member of GradClub costs £25, however Queen Mary has subsidised it completely which means you can use the Careers Service FREE of charge even once you graduate – but you must be a member.

What you need to do is:

1. Visit the GradClub website www.gradclub.co.uk
2. Enter in your details with the promotional code QM2011UL
3. Check your given email to activate your account
4. log into the GradClub website to print off your GradClub card
5. visit us at the Careers Service with your GradClub card and a passport size photo of you to get your GradClub card authorised

The promotional code is valid for a limited time only so make sure you sign up now.

The London Graduate Fair – Next week

Graduating this year? Or thinking about what to do after graduating? If so, then the annual London Graduate Fair may just be what you’re looking for…

If you haven’t been to the London Graduate Fair before and are not sure what to expect, here are a few key points you may find helpful:

‘Graduate Fair’ summarises what the event actually is -  a fair aimed for graduates or prospective graduates giving them a chance to explore their options, meet recruiters  and find out what step to take next.

With over 80 of the top employers attending, it is the perfect opportunity to talk to employers and find out what they are really looking for. As well as this, it’s an opportunity to explore what else they have to offer and gain a better insight into the company. With the wide array of employers attending, ranging from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and HSBC, to Abercrombie & Fitch, Apple retail, Royal Air Force and BUNAC to name a few, there is something for every Graduate. For those who are unsure of what industry to go into, this range of employers provides a brilliant opportunity to explore the various sectors.

Have a look at the list of exhibitors attending and take  a look at their websites. This will help you when deciding who you want to see and what it is you want to find out,  so that you can prepare which questions to ask.  Read our blog post ‘Attending events and conferences is good for your career’ for more tips on how to make the most of the fair and how to make t

Throughout the two days the fair holds various workshops and presentations such as talks on different career subjects, company presentations and CV and Application form talks. For a detailed timetable visit this link: http://www.londongradfair.co.uk/summer/VISITORS/PRESENTATIONSPROGRAMME.aspx

For more information about the London Graduate Fair 2011 visit http://www.londongradfair.co.uk/summer/Home.aspx and book your place now!

Student Stories: What it is like studying for a masters

Will  you be starting a masters course next academic year,  or are you thinking about making an application? A couple of months ago, one of our student bloggers wrote about how she chose her Masters.  Read on to find out what further study was really like.

How its going…

The first day (induction) felt really strange because I was back at uni just like I was in the past years but only this time…my friends weren’t there! However in some way I preferred not knowing anyone because when I saw new faces- that’s when it felt more like a new chapter or fresh start which made things more exciting!

I was surprised to see that the staff members and lecturers for masters are mostly different from the ones I had during my undergraduate years. Another thing I was not expecting was that most of my classmates were quite a bit older than me and most had worked or done postgraduate studies before. Also to my surprise, the majority of students (about 90% I’d say) are either International or European nonUKstudents. All of this was completely different to what I was expecting and what I was used to as an undergrad.  It’s interesting how I wanted to stay at QM to avoid change however thinking about it now…there has been immense change from my undergrad years to now even though I am at the same university studying in the same department! Small things like the conversations I have with my peers and how my day is structured is now completely different!

Strangely I had expected to have a similar social life to what I did in my previous years as a student…this was definitely not the case at all! I was surprised by the number of students that just attend lectures then go back home or to the library and that is it. The lack of social interaction could be because of the workload or that most of the students are older and settled so do not see the point of socialising with their peers, either way I was not prepared for this and honestly, I didn’t like it!

I do however love the course I am studying. I find most modules very interesting and I really enjoy the way in which there is a lot more application of what we learn to the ‘real world’ and world of work. I find that the lecturers are more engaging and the lectures are more interactive which is helpful given the huge workload!

In conclusion I am glad I chose to do my masters now because at the end of the year- I know I have finally completed my educational years! Knowing this I think will also help me move on and focus better on the next step I need to take. If you are thinking of postgraduate study and are unsure, I would suggest that you speak to a postgraduate student to find out about their experience and know what it is really like.

Important note for students graduating from QM this year

We hope your exams went well, and wish you all the very best for the future.

Whatever your plans, and before you leave Queen Mary, please be aware of the following (and tell your friends!):

Important Survey

Early in 2012, we will need to get in touch to find out what you  have gone on to do, whether that’s a job, further training, work   experience or travel. The UK government requires all university  departments to conduct this destination survey.

Results affect department rankings, and also (anonymously) inform future students about what they can do with a QM degree.

Please help us locate you later on by taking a minute now to update your contact details.

Then please complete the survey when we call and email you in Jan/Feb 2012. This is really very important to us, even if the job you are in at the time is not where you planto end up.

Continuing To Use QM Careers After You Graduate

If you would like feedback on your CV, a practice job interview, help finding vacancies or deciding what to do next, Queen Mary Careers offers appointments all summer (Queens’ Building,  WG3).

You can continue to use these services for free until July 2013 by joining the QM Careers  GradClub and entering promotional code   QM2011UL.

Keep In Touch With QM – Become A Careers Ambassador

If you’ve secured a job or career path and would like to share your experiences with current students in the future, we would love to hear from you.

Please get in touch via careers@qmul.ac.uk about becoming a Careers Ambassador for QM.

Many thanks – and enjoy your summer!

Emily Huns

Head of Service
QM Careers

Make the most of your summer

Graduate employers are advising students to use summer to gain work experience.  Summer is a time to relax after all those exams and deadlines but it is also a great chance to have more time to reflect on your career plans.

An internship is a great way to gain work experience, make links with employers and get a better idea about what you want to do.  However if you do not have an internship lined up it is not the end of the world!  Here are some summer alternatives.

Build up your industry knowledge

Keep up to date with what is going on in different industries by reading news on their websites or industry journals.  Some newspaper broadsheets feature a different industry supplement each day of the working week.  You can read these for free in the university library and local public libraries.

You can attend industry courses and events.  Keep an eye on QM Careers Events Calendar and the adverts in the above publications.

Mentioning that you put yourself out there for events and to meet people can distinguish you from other applications you make in the future and also make yourself known to potential employers.  Being aware of what is going on in the working world can provide good ideas for when you are invited to ask interviewers a question at the end of the interview.

Get an insight into careers that interest you

After reading some job descriptions you could look into getting a practical insight into the work place.  You can ‘work shadow’ an employee in a relevant organisation for a few days.  You would spend time with the person to understand the work activities and practices involved in the role.

You can approach employers using your personal contacts or networking.  Some organisations offer career insight days during the spring and summer holidays but if not use the organisation’s website to find an appropriate departmental contact or call the HR department to ask for one.  You would then write to the organisation with a CV and application letter.  Remember you can book an appointment with Careers to go through it with an adviser.

Doing this shows initiative and can improve your CV by showing familiarity with the specific work place.

Practise, practise your skills

If you cannot arrange work shadowing in your preferred career areas you can still enhance your skills.  You can identify skills favoured in your preferred industry or more general workplace like negotiating with others, project management, problem-solving.

A part-time job shows that you have a responsible attitude to work, search for vacancies on JobOnline.  Volunteering can offer you valuable and challenging projects to work on and you can have a lot of fun whilst doing it, get some ideas from PROVIDE.  Entering competitions allows you to work on tasks set by employers, put together a proposal and make a tangible achievement.  Even if you don’t win you are showing a proactive and genuine interest.

It is a good idea to try to set and achieve a career-related goal during each of your summer breaks whilst at university.  So which ever year you are in, yes finalists too, visit Careers (WG3, Queens’ Building) to get started.