Starting your
Career Planning

You may have noticed Prospects publications in your Careers Service or have found our web site www.prospects.ac.uk, but you probably didn’t know that we have a team of Careers Consultants to help guide you through issues such as choosing a career, making effective applications, applying for postgraduate study and considering various occupational areas.
If you’re a final year or a master’s student and you haven’t got a graduate job lined up for this coming autumn, then this column is likely to be of particular interest to you. Don’t worry, if you haven’t done any career planning yet, but now's a good time to get started in the process.
Finding a suitable career is a bit like finding a suitable coat or jacket. You know you’ll need one, and there are many that fit you, but only a few will make you feel good. To get you started, there are four simple steps to help you get a clearer picture of where you might want to be, become a well-informed applicant, and produce a good CV and covering letter that is targeted and appeals to potential employers.

STEP 1: Get clued up
As you’re still on campus, it’s an excellent idea to visit your careers service, familiarise yourself with what's on offer and pick up some of the free brochures and magazines which have all been written for you. Even if you’re planning some time out first, stock up on free literature for later.

STEP 2: Get the picture
Use Prospects Planner, a career guidance computer program which can help you get some ideas for your future, especially if you're unsure about what kind of career you might want at www.prospects.ac.uk/links/Pplanner. The program helps you take stock, work out what you have to offer and what career might suit you. Then make some initial choices.

STEP 3: Finding out
This is all about research, and a little time invested at this step could potentially save you hassle and money, whilst helping you become a confident and well-informed applicant. Find out all about your chosen career area: visit your careers library, look up relevant
professional organisations, and ideally speak with people who're working in these jobs (also known as networking).

STEP 4: Getting there
Once you’re clear about where you want to go, the getting there is quite straight-forward. Produce a targeted CV and a covering letter; make targeted applications; and consider making speculative applications, because most jobs are not advertised at all at graduate entry level. Most of all use your careers service well while you can.