Effective Career Planning

University of East London

The Big Questions!

At the stage you are at today you need to think about:

What would you like to do in relation to your career?

What careers are particularly suitable in relation to your interests and aspirations?

What kinds of skills, knowledge and experience will you need to succeed in this career?

How do you plan to acquire these things?

Assessing your Career Options

“Best” option is to select a career that:You will enjoyYou will match in terms of skills

requirements, values, personal qualitiesWill provide you with ‘ life/work’ balanceMeet any other personal requirements you

have

How can you find out what you are suited to?

• Personal Analysis: look at what you have done before

• Computer Aided Guidance Adult Directions Prospects Planner• Assess your Career Motivators• Psychometric Testing/Various Ability & Personality

Tests• Careers Research• Gaining Work Experience/Work Shadowing• Attending Career Fairs and Speaker Events e.g. “A

Day in the Life”

Research is key!

• Identifying occupational options is fine but you must fully research each option to identify:

What is involved in the role?What is required in terms of skills,

knowledge, qualifications?Will it fulfil salary requirements?Will it offer opportunities for progression?Current opportunities?

What Employers Want

• 70% of graduate recruiters do not specify degree discipline

A Business Studies degree will open up a wide range of career options both within business and other areas

Most top employers now insisting on a 2:1 grade or above

Very keen to see evidence of skill development e.g. communication, team, problem solving etc..

Work Experience Engagement in useful extra-curricular activities Something that makes you stand out…

What Employers Want

• Business awareness/ commercial awareness - the graduate skill as rated by The Confederation of British Industry (CBI), that needs the biggest improvement.

This is the ability to understand how the organisation you work for -- or want to work for -- fits in to the wider world of business.

Key to demonstrating this is keeping up to date with current affairs and relevant industry news

Occupational Websites

• www.careersadvice.directgov.uk/• www.careers-gateway.co.uk/• www.careers-portal.co.uk• www.hobsons.com/• www.learndirect.co.uk/• www.monster.co.uk/• www.prospects.ac.uk/• www.skillset.org/• http://msn.careerbuilder.co.uk• Websites of professional bodies

Assess the Quality of Careers Information

• Consider how recent the information is. Most careers information has a shelf life of 1-2 years.

• Authority of the body producing the information. Is the information official (professional body) or unofficial? (blogg/web sites).

• Information is effected by the view point of those providing it. For example the employer’s recruitment procedure may convey a particular image of the graduate and its training schedule.

• Is the language appropriate in terms of supporting equal opportunities.

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The Value of Careers Information

• Adjustive functionIndividuals can over and under estimate their potential and occupational information can be used to help individuals readjust their ideas upwards and downwards.

• Motivational FunctionOccupational information can stimulate vocational thinking. An awareness of the occupational world can be increased encouraging exploration.

• Disruptive FunctionThe function is concerned with helping individuals identify work situations/environments which are compatible with their needs.

Career Planning should be SMART

• Specific

• Measurable

• Actions

• Realistic

• Timebound

In practice …

• How do I get from where I am today into the career I want?

What do I need to do? What skills/experience do I need to develop? What knowledge do I need? How can I do these things? What barriers are in the way and can I get

around them? Who can help me?

Plan Your Degree Timetable

Year 1: Spend time assessing career options – use the Careers Service Engage in extra-curricular activity. Graduate employers want to see this Get work experience -any kind. It will help you develop useful skills Put your CV togetherYear 2: Clarify career choices Seek out relevant experience e.g. summer internships/shadowingYear 3 Start applying for jobs – most graduate scheme deadlines are in the

Autumn Ensure your self marketing tools – CV, letter, application forms are in

good shape Sharpen up your interview techniques Attend career talks/employer presentations/graduate fairs – both

internally and elsewhereGET HOLD OF OUR STUDENT ROAD MAP!

Top Tips

• Spend time assessing your career preferences and options

• Assess your existing skills and experience• Up date your CV – make it E-friendly• Identify appropriate learning opportunities• Assess any financial support available• Draft a Plan• Seek Careers Advice!

Careers and Student Employability Team

• Available Mon to Fri 9-5

• Online support 24/7 including access to vacancies, career planning software, psychometric tests, career guides

• Pre-booked guidance appointments

• Programme of workshops, training events, speaker talks, employer visits

• School based careers support