Careers Help after Graduation

Well, that’s it - your time at uni has ended and you might even have finished the celebrations by now! What’s next? First of all, I think you should give yourself a great big self-congratulatory pat on the back.
Whatever you have achieved, it has taken a lot of time and effort, and you should be proud of yourselves.
Some of you may know exactly what you are going to be doing in the near future, but if not, you’re certainly not alone, and help is available. It doesn’t matter whether you have no idea about what you want to do, have some idea, but aren’t quite sure how to go about it, or even just know what you don’t want to do, there are sources of help.
To begin with, you might want to do some research yourself, into your interests and motivations, and into possible opportunities. You could try doing Prospects Planner, a careers software programme that tries to match your skills and interests to jobs, and then researching any ideas using the occupational information.
You will find that this includes details of entry routes, and suggestions of where to find vacancies, as well as job information.
You could contact your university Careers Service if you live nearby. If not, they may be able to help by telephone, or via email. If you’ve moved away/back home, your nearest University Careers Service may be able to help. It’s possible that they will see you but charge a fee, although many are free.
Provided you are an EU citizen, you can also get free advice online from Careers Consultants. This doesn’t involve making appointments, and you will get a personal and in-depth response to your query within a few days. You can also have your CV checked and talk to other graduates online.
Who else can help? If you have friends who are very successful at getting interviews, and you find it more difficult, you could ask them to have a look at an application form or CV. Equally, if you know anyone who works in recruitment, they can give valuable advice.
Once you have some idea of the sort of role you might be interested in, it can help to try and talk to those already in that role. You can approach organisations direct, and don't forget the Graduate Fairs where you can meet employers.
So, the best of luck for the future, and if you need help, ask for it!