University of Manchester Careers Blog

Written by Jenny Sloan, Careers Consultant for Graduate Transitions at The Careers Service

Congratulations on completing your degree from The University of Manchester!

My name is Jenny, and I’m one of the Careers Consultants here at the University’s Careers Service. It’s my role to support graduates as they take their next steps after university.

Whether you finished your course on campus, remotely or a mixture of both, we are so proud of you. It’s a massive achievement to complete your degree any year, but particularly given the challenges you’ve faced during the pandemic.

Graduating from your degree in 2021 means that you have the resilience, determination, and adaptability that lots of graduate employers are looking for.

While your time at The University of Manchester has come to an end, the Careers Service is still here for you! Graduates can access all our resources and support services online now, and for two years from the end of your course.

So no matter what you studied, where you are now or where you want to be, have a look at the ways the Careers Service can support you as a graduate. If you want personalised careers delivered straight to your email, complete our What Now survey, open throughout August, and we will be in touch to help you get started.

• CareerConnect
• Careers guidance
• Help with finding graduate jobs
• Support with applying for further study or research
• Support for international graduates
• Support for PhD graduates
• Applications and interviews

CareerConnect

CareerConnect is our online careers platform where you can book appointments, register for events, and search for opportunities across the world.

As a summer 2021 graduate, you can continue to access CareerConnect using the ‘Student sign in’ option with your student email address. If you receive a ‘permission denied’ error message after entering your details, don’t worry. At this point you will be able to register a new password for your CareerConnect account using the ‘Graduate sign in and registration’ option, as explained here. You will be able to access your free, graduate CareerConnect account for two years after your course completion date. Please note: you cannot apply for a graduate account while your student account is still active.

Careers guidance

Whether you know exactly what you want to do (but just need some support getting there), or you’re still not sure, you can book a careers guidance appointment to get one-to-one support from a Careers Consultant.

You can do this by logging into CareerConnect > selecting ‘Book’ > ‘Appointments’ > select your appointment type > choose a time and date that suits you > click ‘Book’. You will receive an email confirmation of your appointment details, including joining instructions.

Appointments are usually 30 minutes (or 60 minutes if you have a health condition or disability) and are on Zoom. Our team of dedicated Careers Consultants would delighted to help you explore your options and plan your next steps.

Help with finding graduate jobs

As well as using CareerConnect to search for opportunities, all graduates have access to all the resources on the Careers Service website for two years, including specific industry information and help with finding graduate jobs and gaining experience.

Check out our job search strategies pages for more information on networking, using LinkedIn and tapping into the hidden job market. For more information about career options, planning and finding opportunities, check our the Careers Service’s Youtube channel for recordings of careers workshop, alumni insight panels and employer networking events.

Remember, you can find out more about the kinds of work you may be interested in by thinking about your transferable skills and gaining more experience by completing online courses or virtual work experience, or by volunteering (including online volunteering).

Support with applying for further study or research

If you’re considering Master’s study, have a look at Considering Postgraduate Study – Taught Programmes to help you get started. We also have support on applications for further study and postgraduate study outside of the UK.

We also have lots of specific advice for master’s students and graduates on our Taught Postgraduate Careers pages, as well as several How To… Guides covering a range of topics from a postgraduate perspective, such as how to explore your strengths, find advertised and unadvertised jobs and get through interviews and assessments as a postgrad.

If you are thinking about pursuing a PhD, start by asking yourself 4 key questions.  Your next port-of-call should be our PhD study and funding pages. Here you will find lots of resources to help you explore PhD pathways, considerations for research and applications. You may also wish to have a look at our guide to academic careers as part of your research.  Finally, we have specific advice on writing a research proposal and PhD applications and you can book a practice interview for PhD interviews.

Support for international graduates

Alongside your full package of graduate careers support, the Careers Service website has specific support for working in the UK after study as an international graduate and finding graduate level roles outside of the UK. We often run specific events for international and EU students and graduates, including alumni panels, employer events and careers fairs.

You can connect with other international alumni via our international professional and alumni networks and use Passport Career to explore opportunities across the world.

We also have a lot of useful advice on our blog around finding a graduate job in the UK as an international graduate, useful job search portals for jobs in the UK and abroad, CV and application advice for EU and international applicants, and employability tips from international professionals.

Support for PhD graduates

On top of your graduate careers support, the Careers Service offers a range of online resources specifically for postgraduate research students and graduates, from help with building the foundations of your career to information on academic and non-academic career choices for postgraduate researchers.

For tips on how to navigate the job market for postgraduate researchers, our current job seeking webinars for postgraduates are all online, with the latest updates coming up in the autumn. Remember to check CareerConnect for specific events for postgraduate researchers and graduates.

Applications and interviews

Have a look at our application and interview advice section for online support on applications, LinkedIn, psychometric tests, assessment centres, and much more. For one-to-one application advice, book a 20 minute application review meeting on CareerConnect with one of our Application Advisors.

You can also benefit from free access to CareerSet as a recent graduate, where you can get instant feedback on your CV and Cover Letter 24/7, wherever you are.

If you have an interview, congratulations! Check out our interview practice and preparation pages for more support, take a free practice video interview using ShortList.Me, or book a 30 minute interview simulation via CareerConnect.

A final note

So, although you have now graduated, your university journey is far from over. For more information on the careers support available to you as a graduate, have a look at our graduate careers pages. Make sure to follow the Careers Service on social media for regular updates, too!

Another important part of your higher education journey is the Graduate Outcomes survey, which is the largest annual social survey in the UK. The survey aims to capture the activities and perspectives of all graduates 15 months after they finish their studies. Taking part in the survey will give you the chance to give us feedback on your course, have your say about what graduate success means to you and even influence Higher Education policy in the UK. For more information, have a look at our Graduate Outcomes pages.

We hope you enjoy your virtual graduation celebrations and wish you the best of luck with your future. Remember, we’re here for you now, and for the next two years for you finish your course. We regularly run graduate careers events, like our upcoming Graduate Careers Q&A on Tuesday, 10 August, 11am-12pm noon (UK time). Join in to get all your careers questions answered.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us via the ‘Queries’ button on CareerConnect, via our live webchat or email us on graduatecareers@manchester.ac.uk.