Planning for the Future-Careers Adviser

Hey guys! So as you know I'm in my final year at university which means that I need to start thinking about what I want to do in the future, something that I'm sure everyone is terrified to do.

A girl I work with turned to me the other day and asked "Don't you think it's insane that they expect us to know what we want to be at 17?"

No!!

 

The truth is that whilst it is seems crazy that you have to pick a higher education course to dedicate the next 4 years of your life to, the fact of the matter is that that course can make you qualified for a vast number of jobs. A few weeks ago I bit the bullet and visited my careers adviser and it is incredible how many jobs my university course allows me to apply for.

 

The bottom line is that whilst you may not know exactly what job you want to go into, you aren't limited on options.

 

To those of you who are reading this and thinking "Hmmm, maybe I'll book an appointment with my careers adviser tomorrow..." DO IT! Infact I have a few reasons for you to take that first step.

 

1. I had no idea what I wanted to do or what areas of work I wanted to go into but I had a very good idea of what areas of my course I enjoyed, and which ones I hated. Before you go to see your adviser make a list of the parts of your course you like and don't like, this will help narrow down your options and will ensure that you end up going for a job that you will actually love doing.

 

2. The careers adviser will have multiple books and leaflets on the many jobs out there (job profiles) and will be able to show you these and discuss what jobs will be best suited to your areas of interest and course.

 

 

On my first meeting I told my adviser I had no idea where to even begin in regards to what I wanted to do after university, my only helping hand was that I knew I liked Production Management and the Design Process as well as other similar classes to this. I also knew that when my mentor came to do a talk at my university (before she was my mentor) her job sounded absolutely perfect.

 In the end it turned out that I had a much better idea of what I wanted to be than I knew I had (if that makes sense) and that the job I was describing was a Garment Technologist. I had no idea what on earth that job was until my adviser gave me a job profile on Garment Technologists and hey presto! Hiya Dream job!!

 

Another fantastic reason to go to your careers adviser is that they will be able to help you with your CV, cover letter and the one at my university will even do a mock interview with you and discuss the type of questions you are likely to be faced with.

 

My CV now flows much better and I'm ready to get a cover letter typed out that makes me sound the best I possibly can to a potential employer.

 

I think the best piece of advice I can give to anyone in my position (4th year student, graduation looming, prospects of leaving home and being all independent are totally reliant on you getting a cracking first job) is to get started as soon as possible. You can never be too prepared for that first step. Its all good getting your degree but it's what you use it for after all the celebrations are over that's important.

 

I've got a list somewhere of a whole bunch of job seeking sites for graduates that I'll post on here in the future and In the next few weeks I'll do a post on what my CV is laid out like to help those of you who want to make yours look as good as possible!

 

Much love guys!