So you've made the decision that once you leave Strathclyde you'd like to take up employment. Searching and applying for jobs can be a stressful time but you can make the whole process a lot easier for yourself with good preparation.
The Careers Service offers invaluable support to Strathclyde students on all aspects of career planning, searching, and applying for jobs.
Read our tips below and in the links provided to make sure you're ready to kickstart the career that is right for you!
Choosing your career
Do you have a vague idea of the sector you are interested in? Maybe you know the specific career, or maybe you don't have a clue at this stage. Whatever the case, it's worth putting in some serious thought and research now.
The Careers Service's Choosing Your Career webpage is a really good place to start. It's also a good idea to speak to academic staff or colleagues on your course. What kind of work do graduates in your field tend to go for? Do they have any career planning advice?
Applying for jobs
It isn't just about finding the career for you, it's about actually getting the job. For that, you need to put in a strong application, have a great CV, and say the right things at interviews. If that all sounds a bit daunting, don't worry. There's plenty of support to help you develop job application skills. Not only does the Careers Service offer online advice on writing CVs and application forms, they'll even check it over for you.
Careers support for students with disabilities or specific learning needs
The move from education into work can be challenging. As well as all of the Careers support offered by the University of Strathclyde, students with disabilities can access additional help to ease that transition. EmployAbility is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to assisting students and graduates with disabilities. They offer free advice and guidance throughout the recruitment process and beyond.
Also, the Careers Service have a dedicated Careers Adviser for disabled students whose role is to support students with a disability.
Careers support for mature students
Mature students can sometimes undersell themselves and feel that their experiences are not valuable to employers. This, quite frankly, is rubbish! Those life skills are what set you apart. It is important that you develop the skills to demonstrate the benefits of your maturity, however. The Careers Service have a tailored job application guide for mature students which can help you with this.