University of Manchester Careers Blog

Some graduate schemes may already be live but many will come online in September as will many internship opportunities for prefinal years.  (Thats why it’s so busy in Careers at that time of year)

So what can you do now to get ready?

Do you know what type of roles you want to apply for and in what types of organisation?

It’s great to have a few options but if you really haven’t considered this it’s time to do so now. You will need focus to help you filter out all the jobs that are not for you or you will quickly become disheartened – too much choice can be a bad thing too!

No idea?  Its time to:

• Think about options that are right for you
• Explore jobs and sectors

Already on track?

Start investigating what skills and attributes are generally needed for the roles you are interested in.

• Look at the vacancy details on the employers website or in CareersLink if they are live.
• Vacancy not out yet look at generic profiles here to give you an idea.

Get your CV into shape.

Not all jobs will require a CV but many do, so get yours fit for purpose,

All CVs need to be tailored for the job you are applying for, it’s really a one use document.
BUT you can get it into the right ballpark so that it will be easier to tweak later.

• Start by checking its in the right format (2 pages for most UK jobs)
• Make sure it’s up to date with your most recent experience or education included.
• Look at vacancies or the generic profiles above, what skills are employers looking for in this role? You will find that real employers may have different requirements & priorities that will need to be addressed when you make your actual applications, but you can start making sure that you are presenting your experience to highlight the right types of skills.For example: You may have worked in a shop or bar and have cash handling experience, but is this relevant to this job?  Maybe they would be more interested in communication or teamwork instead?

Is your LinkedIn & social media profile ready for inspection?

Yes they really do have a good old dig around. So…

• Clean up your act. Check your facebook page isn’t too shameful
• Create or update your LinkedIn profile – make sure it highlights the skills required for the roles you want. If you have a definite focus on a particular industry or role say so.

Do you know where to look for vacancies?

1. Obviously you can look on an employers website if you know who you want to work for. You may even be able to sign up to be alerted when schemes go live.
2. Use your careers account – CareersLink. Employers big, small, UK and international want University of Manchester students and graduates so dont miss out. You can set up vacancy alerts here too.
3. Check around to find out where the vacancies for the type of work you want are advertised.
4. Will the employer be coming on campus or to a fair? Watch out for these (from mid Sept onwards) it’s a really good way to get tips to improve your application or look at new employers.
5. Are you sure opportunities will be advertised? Sometimes you need to get creative in your jobsearch.

Got any questions just ask….