University of Manchester Careers Blog

Often when we speak to graduates they say they would treat going to University more like a job if they could have a do over!

You arrive at university for the first time, its crazy, exciting and scary and no-one is around to tell you what to do and when! (Amazing – complete freedom! Or is it?)

Your ideas of what to expect may be hazy and no one is telling you what is expected of you (beyond attending a few classes), so how do you know if you are getting it right? What is the expected outcome other than a degree?

So here it is … Your University job description

A successful candidate will have a passion for learning and a clear understanding of their goals and how to achieve them. They will not only achieve a good degree but also benefit the academic and local community during their studies through engagement with extracurricular activities and work experience.

Role description

• Attend lectures and seminars as required by academic schools.
• Participate in opportunities to work in groups and present to peers.
• Engage with and help to improve your local community through volunteering where available.
• Ensure fees are paid, top up funds using available part-time or vacation jobs and internships.
• Improve the student experience and your own through participating in societies.
• Gain a range of employability skills via extracurricular and work related experiences.
• Engage with peers and academic staff to contribute to and give feedback on the academic experience.
• Identify opportunities to explore career options.
• Use ICT and social networking tools to own advantage.
• Identify and promote personal brand.

Person specification

• Enthusiastic about gaining skills and open to new experiences.
• Inquisitive – must be prepared to seek out and research opportunities as they arise.
• Communicative – must be willing and able to network with stakeholders at all levels, employers, academics & peers.
• Resilient – must be prepared to learn from experiences and able to adjust behaviours and attitudes accordingly.
• Self-starter – must be able to motivate self and others under pressure.
• Able to work to tight deadlines and able to multitask in an ever changing environment.

Knowledge & experience

• Good understanding of self and motivating factors.
• Understanding of skills gained through education and extracurricular activities.
• Thorough research in the areas of career aspiration using traditional and new media and personal connections.
• Previous learning experiences including A-levels or equivalent, as required by individual degree or graduate programme.

So now you know some of the expectations, are you ready to meet them?