University of Manchester Careers Blog

We don’t all know exactly what we want to do with our futures. Even some of the Careers Service staff still aren’t entirely sure themselves! In fact, most people have an average of three different careers during their lifetime, so it’s not unusual to be uncertain about what to do after you graduate.

What you can be certain about is that the Careers Service is here to assist you no matter where you are on your path to employment, even if you have yet to take your first step. So here are just a few ways you can start to take advantage of our wide range of services:

• Book an appointment with one of our Careers Consultants – Even if you’re clueless about the future, our consultants can offer insights into career options and give sage advice on steps to take towards finding or getting that first job after graduation. If you don’t fancy a formal appointment, you’ll be able to find them out and about on campus throughout the semester.

• Browse through the range of resources on the University Careers website – There you’ll find useful guides to different job sectors, writing CVs and cover letters, and preparing for interviews and assessment centres. Everything on there is designed to guide you through the different stages on the path to a job (and career) you’ll love.

• Explore what you like and what you don’t by getting some work experience – The best way to figure out what you want to do is by trying new things and seeing what works for you and what doesn’t. You can find hundreds of internships, volunteering and placement opportunities on CareersLink, and there’s advice on finding (and funding!) work experience on our website. If you’re in the penultimate year of your degree, keep an eye out for the Summer Experience Internships programme launching in February, whilst those of you graduating in 2016 and eager to stay in Manchester might be interested in the Manchester Graduate Programme opening in April.