Careers blog written by Hilary Neary, Information Assistant, Careers.

Welcome! You’re new to the University or back at York for another year and it’s the start of Autumn term. There will be lots of things competing for your attention right now and perhaps you think Careers isn’t relevant for you yet, but here are 8 reasons why visiting Careers shouldn’t be too far down your list of priorities.

1. Compare graduate recruiters at a Careers Fair

Up to 50 employers all under one roof. Our careers fairs happen once a year and they provide much more than just an opportunity to pick up some freebies and a brochure. Many of the companies attending the fairs bring staff who are recent graduates and they can give you plenty more insight into the role, company, culture and recruitment process than you could glean from a website or brochure. In addition you have made a contact at the company which may be invaluable if you then decide later on to apply for a role there.

• Technology Fair: Wednesday 14 October
• Graduate Recruitment & Internships Fair: Thursday 15 October
• Law Fair: Wednesday 21 October.

2. Get an insight into a company at an Employer Event

The majority of employer events on campus happen in Autumn term. Many schemes including graduate jobs, placements, internships and even some insight days, have closing dates before Christmas. Even if you feel that Careers isn’t relevant for you right now, it is still worthwhile going to a few events to find out about different career sectors and companies and seeing what appeals or doesn’t appeal to you. The employers who visit can provide a great wealth of information and advice, and really give you an insight into a career sector, what traits are valued and how the recruitment process works within their industry. See our website for a list of events this term.

3. Build up your experience and skills – every bit of experience counts!

So if you have been to a careers fair and a few employer events hopefully now you will have an idea of what types of skills graduate recruiters really value for the roles or industry you are interested in. Careers can help you further develop these skills by helping you identify what you can be doing now to secure the skills that will make you stand out from the crowd. The key is to get involved. Careers runs some really valuable volunteering programmes for York students in the local community, covering a diverse range of interests. You can volunteer for half a day per week in a local school for a term with the York Students in Schools scheme or you can take part in a community volunteering project in fields as varied as conservation, public sector, charity and heritage.

4. Use the Careers website to explore different options

This is a hugely beneficial resource for each stage of your career planning. Use the Get Ideas section to help you research career options based on your degree and your preferences. The Job Sector pages will really give you a feel for particular industries and help you figure out if it is right for you, how you can find out more and what relevant skills you can be developing now at York, to help you stand out from the crowd.

5. Use the Employability Tutorial  

Don’t be put off by the name! This is a really useful tool for documenting all of the great stuff you have been getting involved in and really helps you structure your thinking and identify what skills you have developed through the activities you have been involved in. It will be available to you throughout your time at York so make sure you take a look.

6. Get some workplace experience

Earn some money while you study and you’ll also be developing skills that will stand you in good stead when it comes to applying for a graduate role. Team-working, customer service, problem-solving and time management are just a few of the workplace skills you could be developing while at work. Graduate employers also run internship schemes in the vacation which not only will provide great experience, but many employers recruit directly to graduate roles from students who have completed a vacation scheme with them. Similarly the Student Internship Bureau which is based in Careers, recruit for internships with local employers. On Careers Gateway you will find a list of local part time vacancies as well as internships. The Look for Work section on our website has information on CVs, applications and interviews and there’s further help form our CV Guide and Interview Guide (both available on the VLE).

7. Discuss your options in a careers appointment

We have a team of experienced Careers professionals who are available for appointments every weekday. Don’t be confused by the different types of appointments. Here is a list of types of appointment we offer:

• Careers Advice
• Careers Information
• CV and application reviews
• Practice Interview.

A summary of what you can expect to discuss in each type of appointment can be found on the Get Advice page on our website.

8. Stay Informed

Ensure you keep up to date with Careers news, events and jobs by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, and reading the articles on this news page.