University of Manchester Careers Blog

It may be August but sure enough that remaining time will fly by. Are you ready for the challenges of the year ahead?

Going into your second  or pre-final year?

Everyone talks about internships,  looking for one, applying, interviews & assessment centres, getting one / not getting one. The joy, the despair!

Internships are just another name for work experience. This term is often used by the big graduate recruiters and often heralds panic that if you don’t get one you won’t be able to do a graduate scheme.

NOT TRUE…. some facts

1. Yes some companies use a summer internship to cherry pick candidates to fast track to their graduate scheme.
2. Not all graduate recruiters even have an internship scheme.
3. Many students will intern in one company but do a graduate scheme in a different one. It’s a great way to try things out.
4. Not all graduates who go onto graduate schemes do a formal “internship” many do other summer work experience.
5. It’s not all about what you do in your summer. Recruiters want well rounded individuals so there are opportunities to evidence your skills through  volunteering, societies, sports and casual jobs.

Going into your final year?

See above but insert the word graduate scheme LOL!  No really it’s true.

Most graduates don’t do “a graduate scheme” it’s only a small part of the graduate job market.

1. There are plenty of options for graduates in what you might call non corporates.  Public sector, not for profit and small and medium size businesses of all types and  creative industries etc.
2. The big graduate recruiters really want good candidates so they will be highly visible. But don’t let it put you off either applying for them or looking for the quieter companies who might silently and without any fuss slip a vacancy into CareersLink for you to find.
3. You CAN get work experience after you graduate too – consider MGP.
4. We have a range of options to help you look for whatever job you want to do next.
5. YOU WANT TO STUDY SOME MORE.  Cool! we can help with that too 🙂

How to prepare

1. Enjoy the rest of your summer and make the most of whatever is going on.  Make sure you make a note of activities where you have been challenged or learned a new skill, it will come in handy believe me.
2. Start looking on CareersLink now some internships and graduate schemes are open for summer 2017.
3. No clue what you want to do yet? That’s ok – you don’t have to make decisions for life, is there anything you would like to try our find out more about?

If all this worries you just come and see us or chat to us online