Questions students might ask

Careers appointments are available for current University of Worcester students and recent graduates. Sign up for a careers appointment on myCareer. 

Careers appointments are released 9am daily a week in advance. Please keep checking as more will become available on a daily basis.

Appointments can be either in person or online. Face to face appointments are held at the circular table within the careers area at the back of firstpoint. Online appointments will be through Teams.

Send a query on myCareer if you have any questions about your careers appointment.

Each semester, the Careers & Employability team run a series of careers and employability workshops and events. These can be either in person or online. 

Typical regular workshops include, but are not limited to: 

  • Career Planning 
  • CVs 
  • Job Interviews  
  • Finding Graduate Work  
  • LinkedIn for Beginners  
  • Part-time Jobs 
  • Postgraduate Study  

There are also additional workshops, employer events & conferences throughout the year. Book your place on a workshop or event on myCareer. 

If you are not sure about what you want to do when you leave university, don't worry, you are not alone! There are things you can do to help with your decision:

Extra-curricular activities can give you the edge when applying for graduate jobs. However, we recognise that during the pandemic many of these activities have been curtailed and it has been hard for people to find volunteering and placements. In addition to this some students have a lot of commitments and responsibilities outside of their studies whereas others want to focus entirely on their studies to achieve their desired grades. 

If either of these scenario’s sound like you, you may wish to consider taking some time out for volunteering, work experience or a graduate internship after you have finished your studies to help you demonstrate to employers that you have the skills and competencies that they are looking for. You could also consider bite-size virtual internships, or free online courses to develop your skills and boost your CV. 

It is worth noting that some employers offering Graduate Training Schemes will consider applicants with no relevant work experience. 

Volunteering opportunities: 

Work experience & internships: 

Free online short courses:

If you have a career goal in mind but are not sure what you need to get there and where to find the job vacancies the following sites will help.  

Information about many of the careers popular with UW students, as well as the Quick Guide to Career Planning can be seen on the Resources page.

Research what jobs involve, the skills, experience and qualifications required & where to find vacancies:  

Gain tips and advice by joining groups or searching for people already working within your chosen field on LinkedIn.

Explore professional association careers sections on Total Professions.

Further information & advice:  

  • Pick up the Quick Guide to Career Planning from firstpoint or find it online
  • Attend a Career Planning workshop
  • Book to speak to a Careers Adviser 

Creating a business involves a lot of hard work.  You will need to do a lot of research and have a great idea/product/service, and confidence and perseverance. 

The EnRich programme provides 12 hours of employability skills and knowledge, and is free of charge. 

In addition, Worcestershire County Council offers resources, information and support through Enterprising Worcestershire.

For advice on how to develop your entrepreneurial skills & useful resources: 

To research the advantages, disadvantages, skills required, types of business structures, how to start a business, freelancing and writing successful business plans: 

Many students are unsure whether to continue onto further study.  It is important to research carefully and think about the financial implications, and whether postgraduate study will enhance your chances of finding work. You may have the option of studying full or part time and so could develop relevant work experience and skills at the same time. 

Pick up the Quick Guide to Postgraduate Study from firstpoint or find it online

To help you decide whether postgraduate study is right for you go to:

To explore the different types of postgraduate courses available, go to: 

For information on funding postgraduate study: 

Further information & advice:  

  • Attend a Further Study workshop
  • Book to speak to a Careers Adviser 

For information about visas, language requirements and where to look for internships and graduate and temporary jobs abroad: 

If you are interested in studying a semester or your third year abroad visit the International Experience webpages.

For information on options for studying postgraduate courses abroad, the types of courses you can study and funding: 

As well as giving you some money, part time work can also provide you with a valuable opportunity to gain experience, develop your skills and gather evidence that you can use for your CV, applications, and interviews. However, do give careful consideration to the number of hours you can work and try to plan ahead so you are not overloaded at busy times such as assessment deadlines. 

Jobs on campus can more offer flexibility and can be a good way to meet other students and feel part of the wider student community. However, all job roles are different so do read the job description carefully. 

If you are an international student, check your passport or BRP to ensure you are not exceeding your permitted hours. 

Search for local jobs on myCareer. Filter on ‘part time’ under ‘Opportunity Type’  

Further information & advice:  

  • Pick up the Quick Guide to Finding Part-time work from firstpoint or find it online
  • Attend a Looking for Part-time Work workshop
  • Book to speak to a Careers Adviser 

Many Graduate Training Schemes start taking applications in late summer/early autumn and have closing dates in November/December to start the following summer although some recruit all year round. 

Smaller companies and public sector related organisations will recruit as and when vacancies become available. You can generally start to apply for these 3 or 4 months before you plan to be available for work. 

For more information, pick up the Quick Guide to Finding a Graduate Job work from firstpoint or find it online.

Search for local & national graduate jobs & internships on myCareer & at the following links: 

Some recruitment agencies offer graduate opportunities. To find ones specialising in your chosen profession, job sector, and region go to: 

Further information & advice:  

  • Attend a Looking for Graduate Work workshop
  • Book to speak to a Careers Adviser 

For information and advice for disabled jobseekers, including organisations who support disabled graduates to find work, finding vacancies, disclosing a disability, and reasonable adjustments in the workplace, see the Job Hunting Guide for Disabled Students.

Further information & advice:  

  • Book to speak to a Careers Adviser 

Work experience and/or voluntary work can help you decide whether a job is right for you and is viewed favourably by employers as you can demonstrate a commitment to that area of work and skills gained whilst there.   

Volunteering opportunities: 

Work experience & internships: 

Networking might be daunting but it can be a crucial way of securing a graduate job as it is thought that up to 70% of new jobs are not advertised.  Networking can also help you to understand how a company works, opportunities within the organisation and what particular job roles involve.   

Start with your fellow students, lecturers, family, friends and employers then start to broaden your network by attending careers events and job fairs.  Even if the person you speak to doesn’t have a vacancy it is important to make a good impression as they may recommend you to someone else.   

The following links offer advice on how to network face to face with employers:  

You can also grow your network using social networking sites.  LinkedIn is a professional networking site where you can talk to people in roles/companies that you would like to get into and gain advice from discussion groups.   

For advice about networking via LinkedIn: 

Further information & advice:  

  • Attend a LinkedIn workshop
  • Book to speak to a Careers Adviser 

CVs offer an excellent opportunity to persuade an employer that you have the skills, qualities and experiences which closely match their criteria and make them want to find out more.  

There is no such thing as a perfect CV and what is right for one purpose will not be for another. The most productive CVs are up to date, targeted and clearly show you have researched the job or company and understood their needs. 

Initially an employer is likely to spend no more than 30 seconds scanning your CV looking for the right messages and clues so it needs to be clear, concise, and easy to read with relevant and positive examples to back up your claims.  

You can start by using the CV Builder to create and assess your CV. 

Once you have drafted a CV, see how it matches the criteria in our checklist.

For general CV advice and example CVs: 

Further information & advice:  

  • Attend a CV workshop
  • Book to speak to a Careers Adviser 

Employers use application forms to select candidates to interview and also to exclude them from the process. The employer will be looking for evidence that you have the competencies and skills required.  

Although a daunting process the questions within the application form and the criteria within the person specification will give you clues and help to structure your thinking.  

Before you start, take a look at the advice in these links: 

Once you have drafted an application, see how it matches the criteria in our checklist.

Further information & advice:  

  • Book to speak to a Careers Adviser 

When to apply

Some institutions set specific application deadlines for their postgraduate courses whilst others accept applications throughout the year.  However, for some courses there is intense competition & institutions accept applications on a first come, first served basis. 

It is advisable to apply as early as possible in the autumn term for entry the following September, particularly if you need to secure funding or accommodation. 

Postgraduate teaching courses normally start accepting applications from mid-October for entry the following year. 

How to apply

The majority of postgraduate course applications are made via each university’s own online application system (although a small number of universities use the UCAS Postgraduate search tool & application process).  

Postgraduate teaching applications for PGCE, School Direct and SCITT courses are made via GOV.UK.

If you are applying for postgraduate study at UW as a current student, you may be able to apply directly via your SOLE page. For further information contact admissions@worc.ac.uk 

You will usually be asked to submit a personal statement as part of your application. Always check each university’s guidelines & course requirements so you can tailor your personal statement.  See below for links to checklists to guide you what to include: 

Further information & advice:  

  • Pick up the Quick Guide to CVs & applications from firstpoint or find it online
  • Attend a postgraduate study workshop
  • Book to speak to a Careers Adviser 

Psychometric tests can help you identify your interests, skills, attributes and personality type which can help you decide which careers and environments may suit you. 

Psychometric tests, (particularly aptitude tests), are used by many graduate employers as part of their recruitment process. These are generally online and held towards the beginning of the process. It is important to practice these to help improve your performance.  

For advice on psychometric tests: 

Further information & advice:  

  • Attend a Psychometric Tests workshop
  • Book to speak to a Careers Adviser 

If you really think that your course is not for you and have talked it over with course leaders and your PAT, Careers & Employability can help you explore other options. These might include another course at the university or elsewhere, or a job or apprenticeship.  

For general advice:

Further information & advice:  

  • Book to speak to a Careers Adviser 

Congratulations on securing an interview! The employer now wants to meet the person behind the application, to see the impact you could make, to understand more about your skills, attributes, motivations and to see how they hold up against those required to successfully carry out and develop the role. 

It’s also about people who need to work together and become long term colleagues, so they will be looking at how you might fit the team, the department and the company culture. 

Performing well at interview is down to preparation, planning and practice.   

Firstly, pick up the Quick Guide to Interviews & Assessment Centres from firstpoint or find it online

Then practice your online interview skills through Shortlist.me. This gives you the opportunity to practice your answers to questions and assess your own performance.

For advice, info and example questions see : 

To find out what questions graduates were asked at interviews visit Glassdoor.

Further information & advice:  

  • Attend an Interviews workshop
  • Book to speak to a Careers Adviser 

As you come to the end of your studies, life will be changing in many ways. You may be returning home  and many of you will very likely be job hunting, or about to start a new graduate job. You may well have been so busy studying and juggling deadlines and just trying to cope over these years of uncertainty that you haven’t had time to think about how things will be in the summer and beyond. It is quite normal to feel a little lost at this time, particularly if you are also changing living arrangements and leaving friends behind. 

  • Take a look at the Leavers' Toolkit to check out the practical steps you will need to take as well as resources to help you prepare for your new life. 
  • Remember, you can continue to use Careers & Employability for help with career planning and applications for as long as you like after university. Appointments are available online, so it doesn’t matter if you have left Worcester by then. 
  • Re-register with myCareer and update your preferences to be sure you receive the content that is relevant to you 
  • Keep in touch! Stay connect with friends and course mates. Check out whether your course has a LinkedIn page, and register as a University of Worcester alumni.  
  • Do respond to the Graduate Outcomes survey which will be sent to you 15 months after you leave. This is really important to the university, as we like to know how you are getting on! 

Further information & advice: