University of Manchester Careers Blog

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

Future Fortnight is two weeks of career events for final year students and recent graduates of all degree levels and courses. It will take place between Monday, 13 June and Friday, 24 June 2022. There will be a mix of online and in person events, so whether you are still in Manchester or you have moved away, you can still access the programme.

By attending Future Fortnight, you will have the opportunity to:

1. Meet employers

Some of the events in Future Fortnight have employer panels, where you will hear from representatives from different organisations and be able to ask them your questions. You will be able to meet employers at:

• Creative and Cultural Manchester: Meet the Professionals,
• Tech Careers for Non-Tech Grads,
• and Tech Careers for STEM Grads.

By attending these events, you will have the opportunity to network with employers in a sector that interests you and learn more about careers in that sector. You will also find out about opportunities in different organisations and get tips for applying.

2. Meet alumni

During Future Fortnight, you will also be able to hear from and network with alumni. There will be alumni panels at:

• Manchester Graduate Talent: Where Can MGT Take You?,
• PhDs – Finding and Applying for Them,
• Surviving and Thriving in Your Graduate Job
• and Thinking about a Master’s? Everything You Need to Know.

 At these events, you will have chance to talk to a range of alumni about their experiences of different courses, jobs and sectors and they will share their advice and tips for your applications and career decisions.

3. Boost your skills

Future Fortnight is a great way to boost your skills. Skills Employers Want (and How to Get Them) will help you understand the skills you will see on graduate job descriptions and some of the ways you can develop them for your CV and applications. You can apply this knowledge to the skills you learn about in other sessions too!

Building Self-Awareness: Exploring your Personality Type and Learning Style is designed to help you understand your strengths and personality; this will help you to understand what you are good at and how to make stronger applications.

Finally, Prepare for the Fair: Networking with Confidence will help you make the most of The Grad Fair, by helping you to develop your networking skills. You will also be able to learn about relevant skills and experiences in other Future Fortnight events as well.

4. Find jobs and opportunities

If you are looking for a job for after graduation, or you are a graduate looking for a new role, Future Fortnight has lots of events designed to help you find opportunities, such as:

• Where Are All the Grad Jobs? Fact vs Fiction
• Manchester Graduate Talent: Where Can MGT Take You?
• and Finding Hidden Jobs and Making Speculative Applications.

These events will help you in your job search, both in Manchester and worldwide, introduce you to Manchester Graduate Talent – the university’s graduate internship scheme – and help you find jobs that are not openly advertised. You will also learn the truth about the current graduate labour market and get tips for your job search.

5. Make career plans

Whether you want to find a graduate job, are looking for further study, or you feel nervous about entering the workplace, Future Fortnight has something to help! If you feel unsure about what to do after university, Can’t Decide on a Career? Maybe You Don’t Have to … can help you learn about different career pathways and how to plan what you would like to do next. If you have a health condition, you might have concerns that affect your career plans. Career Planning with a Disability or Health Concern will help you learn about your rights when applying for jobs, how to disclose your condition or disability, and the Equality Act. 

If you are considering further study, Future Fortnight can also help you with your study plans. Thinking about a Master’s? Everything You Need to Know and PhDs – Finding and Applying for Them will help you consider the different factors involved in choosing a Master’s or PhD course.

So, whatever your graduate plans are, Future Fortnight has something to help you! You can see the entire Future Fortnight programme, find more information about each event and see how to register on the Careers Service website. Don’t forget, there is also The Grad Fair on campus on Tuesday, 14 June, where you can meet a wide range of graduate employers and ask them your questions.