University of Manchester Careers Blog

Written by Samantha Oates-Miller, Careers Insights and Graduate Support Assistant at the Careers Service.

As you approach the end of your degree, you might be starting to think about what you are going to do next. Whether you want to find a job, are looking at further study, or have no idea, the Careers Service is here to help. Try some of these actions over the next few months to help you get career ready before you graduate.

1. Sign up for CareerConnect alerts

Alerts on CareerConnect are a great way to find out about new events and opportunities:

Event alerts – Event alerts let you know about the careers events that are coming up in the following few weeks, including workshops, employer and alumni panels or conferences. By signing up for alerts, you can ensure you don’t miss out! Some of our upcoming events for final years include:

• The What, Where and How of Graduate Jobs – Wednesday, 13 April 12-1pm. Register now.
• Future Fortnight 2022 – a programme of activities to help you get career ready – Monday, 13 – Friday, 24 June. Registrations coming soon.

Vacancy alerts – Weekly vacancy alerts are a good way to keep up to date with available opportunities. Set alerts for the sectors that interest you, even if you are not actively looking for a graduate job. If you do see a job advert that interests you, you will have plenty of time to apply. You can also use the job descriptions to discover the skills you will need for different roles.

2. Register for Manchester Graduate Talent 2022

Manchester Graduate Talent (MGT) is the university’s graduate job scheme. It helps source paid graduate-level jobs for University of Manchester students graduating in 2022 in a range of organisations based in Greater Manchester, including start-ups, multi-national organisations, and the University.

If you are interested in working in Manchester after your degree, join the MGT 22 Facebook group and sign up for the MGT vacancy bulletin to find out about new roles as they are advertised, and get tips for your applications.

3. Join the Graduate Careers LinkedIn Group

Join our Graduate Careers group on LinkedIn to start networking with other final year students and graduates from the University of Manchester. As well as connecting with other students and graduates, the group is a place where you can learn about relevant careers events, opportunities and support services. You can also share careers tips and gain employability advice from other members.

4. Explore the Essential Actions for December-May

The Careers Service website has essential steps to help you prepare for when you finish your degree. Explore the December-May essential actions to find out how to plan your next steps, boost your skills and expand your network in the next few months before you finish your degree.

Whether you are looking for graduate jobs or postgraduate study, want to build your network or need some careers support, explore the December-May essential actions to get advice.

5. Book a careers guidance appointment

If you want some advice about your next steps or feel uncertain about what you want to do after you finish your degree, a careers guidance appointment can help. Talk to a career consultant about topics such as: career options with your degree, evaluating your skills, looking for work or thinking about postgraduate study. They will help you feel supported for your next steps and advise you on actions you can take this semester to boost your career.

6. Make use of university resources

Some of the university resources are only available while you are a student, so make use of them while you can. This includes the volunteering hub for a wide range of volunteering activities; Students’ Union for societies and campaigns; and the counselling service, student services and student support for support and advice. So whether you need advice, want to boost your CV with volunteering, or want to be part of the student voice, now is the time to do it.

7. Learn from the Graduate Outcomes survey

The Graduate Outcomes Survey is the largest annual social survey in the UK. It captures the perspectives and status of graduates 15 months after they complete their university course.

When you receive the survey, make sure to complete it. It helps the University improve and promote its courses, helps the government and policy-makers understand the graduate labour market, and helps current students make careers decisions, based on yours.

You can learn about different careers from the survey data. Have a look at the survey results to find out more about the kinds of jobs graduates go into, their average salaries and their reflections on their courses. You can also find out more about the survey here.

Remember that the Careers Service is here to help you; feel free to get in touch if you need support. Don’t forget that you can also continue to use the Careers Service for up to two years after you finish your degree. Look at our graduate pages for more information.