CHOOSING A CAREER

www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm

Natalie SmithCareers Adviser

Agenda

• What is a career?

• Factors affecting career choice

• Practical ways to help you make decisions

• Support from the Careers and Employability Service (CES)

What is a career?• Not necessarily a linear sequence of events.

• Career choice is not an event or occasion, it is a process.

• It is a combination of stages in your life.

• It could contain great variety.

• It is affected by the global labour market.

• No career is perfect!

Sometimes you need to COMPROMISE!

Case Study

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Why is choosing a career so difficult?

ALL JOBS

which match your goals, needs & values

& require your skills, qualities & qualifications

in the desired location

where there are prospects for the future

Jobs directly related to subject

What subject did they study at university?

                   

Chris Martin – Ancient World Studies

Harrison Ford - Philosophy

J.K.Rowling – French and Classics

Rowan Atkinson – Electrical Engineering

Jobs that are not directly related to your subject

Many employers value the skills you have gained more that the subject

•Communication

•Team work

•IT

•Research

•Analysis

•Writing

•Ability to work under pressure

So Many Options!

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Advertising

Human Resources

Publishing

Accountant

Police Officer

Journalism

Solicitor

Retail Management

Lego Sculptor

Dog Yoga Teacher

Presidential Poison Taster

Teacher

Where do I start?!

Activity

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In pairs do a mind map of all of the factors that could affect your career choice e.g.

•Your interests

•Work hours 3 minutes

2 alternative starting points

• Start from yourself and work out

• Start from your opportunities and work back

• Or, combine the two!

How can you identify your skills and what you would enjoy in a job?

• Work experience

• Study

• Extra-curricular activities

• Careers Employability Award

• Career questionnaires

Career Questionnaires

• http://www.prospects.ac.uk/myprospects_planner_login.htm

• http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report

• http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/explorer.htm

Researching Careers - Websites

• www.prospects.ac.uk

• https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

• www.kent.ac.uk/ces

Researching Careers – Work Experience

• Vacation/part-time work

• Internships

• Insight days

• Work shadowing

• Networking

• Kent Alumni Careers Network

Researching Careers – Ideas from Previous Graduates

Find out what people from your course have done:

•www.kent.ac.uk/ces

•Search: ‘graduate destinations’

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Researching Careers – Checking Vacancies

• www.prospects.ac.uk

• www.milkround.com

• www.targetjobs.co.uk

• www.kent.ac.uk/ces

• Graduate directories

• Careers and Employability Fairs

Researching Careers – Social Media

• www.linkedin.com

• www.facebook.com

• www.twitter.com

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So much information!

How can you keep track of your research?

•MyFolio

•Kent Union Employability Toolkit

•Your own careers notebook/mindmap

What should I do when I’ve made a decision?

• Test it out e.g. work experience.

• Remember the slide on factors to consider.

• Think of the pros and cons.

• Find out how you get into that career area.

• Apply!

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What if I’m still stuck?

• Time out

• Make the most of opportunities

How can the CES help? • ‘Choosing a Career’ booklet

• Free careers literature

• Reference files & books

• IT facilities

• Talks and presentations

• Quick query drop-in sessions/careers guidance interviews

• www.kent.ac.uk/ces

• www.facebook.com/ukmemployability

• www.twitter.com/ukmemploy

Some tips on choosing a career

• Take time over your choice

• Be realistic

• Do the research

• Make your own decision

• Use the Careers and Employability Service

• Start NOW!

CHOOSING A CAREER

www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm

Natalie SmithCareers Adviser