Category: Career profile

Myth: technology careers are just for people with computer science degrees

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Holly Barrett, University of Bristol graduate, studied Chemistry and told us about her experience transitioning into a tech role with PwC.  

Going into my final year, I was none the wiser about what I wanted to do after university – just that I didn’t want to continue with Chemistry, my degree subject. A different challenge in a new area seemed like a more exciting prospect to me. I started applying to graduate schemes more because I thought I should be applying for something rather than because I was interested in the things I was applying for. However, I quickly realised that this wasn’t sustainable. Trying to work out what I wanted to do with limited experience was challenging but ultimately, I decided I wanted to work in tech, because it’s an area that has always interested me and it’s a fast growing, intellectually stimulating industry.

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2017 graduates: what advice would you give 2018 graduates?

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We asked University of Bristol graduates from the class of 2017 how their first year of graduate life has been, what’s been the best thing about University, what they’ve learned, what they wish they’d known, and what advice they would give to the class of 2018?

Here’s what recent grads Hugh, James, Jenny, and Alex had to say:

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UoB Internship Scheme – From an Internship to a Full-Time Job

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Máire Power participated in our UoB Internship Scheme as a marketing intern for the science company, NuNano Ltd. We spoke to Máire and NuNano about their experiences. 

Máire Power

Can you give us a summary of your internship?

‘I spent two months as a marketing intern for the science company, NuNano Ltd, based within the science incubator, Unit DX. NuNano manufacture nanoscale probes for the sensitive measurement technique, atomic force microscopy. I was tasked with designing and creating content such as articles, videos, and social media posts to increase the awareness of their brand.’  (more…)

Faculty of Arts Careers Week 2018 report

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The first three days of the Faculty of Arts Careers Week took place from 26th-28th February. Students heard from over 27 alumni and professionals on their respective careers, as speakers shared their experiences of how they have progressed through their career from graduation, and how to forge a successful career. Tips and advice were given, and students were able to hear about the positives and negatives of a variety of roles and sectors.

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What’s your USP? Marketing yourself with applications

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If all products were the same, how would we choose between them?

A unique selling point – USP – is the attribute that makes a product different from and more attractive than its competitors.

Just as big brands need to hook buyers in with their USPs, job applicants need to find ways to catch the eye of recruiters. So, when applying for jobs, this means showing employers what makes you different, ensuring you stand out from the crowd.

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Now is the time! Hassan Nasir talks about the advantages of achieving the Bristol PLUS Award

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“There is just so much to gain”

Hassan secured a role with Dyson as an Electrical Engineer after graduating in 2016 with first class honours in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and, of course, achieving the Bristol PLUS Award.

Read on to find out how Hassan benefited from completing the Award, and how he feels it helped him secure a job after graduation.

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Starting your career – top tips from three recent graduates

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Our Careers Network is bursting with inspirational stories from our graduates about how they found their first jobs after university. It’s a great place to start researching your career options! In our online library, you will will find tales of adventure, wise words and even a love story…

Tales of the unexpected

Even if you think ahead, sometimes life doesn’t go to plan. This was the case for Raven Swaine, who had planned to go straight into work after graduating, but instead took a year out.

Having left university without securing a graduate position, Raven travelled and volunteered, building up evidence of skills that employers are looking for. She applied speculatively to companies, resulting in a paid placement with First Actuarial – and six weeks later, a permanent job! So when life doesn’t go according to plan, use it as an opportunity to make a new one.

Memoirs of a graduate

It’s never too early to start thinking about your career. Whilst at university, you are surrounded by experts who can help you get to where you want to be when you graduate.

Jennifer Hoare made the most of her time at university by engaging with the Careers Service early. After completing the Bristol PLUS Award, she applied to graduate schemes, using our interview skills workshops and CV writing resources to help her prepare. Her hard work paid off, and she received two job offers through this highly competitive process! If you want to stand out, start now.

Love story

Craig Simpson met his employer, Newton Europe, for the first time at a careers fair and knew they were right for him. He moved fast, and within a month had a role with them!

To find the right employer for you, Craig advises that you do your research. He started by following our top tips for researching employers. He also attended our careers fairs, using this fantastic face-to-face opportunity to ask company representatives more about what it’s like to work for their organisation. True love could be just a conversation away!

How we can help

Recent graduate Brooke Theis told us that she learned not be afraid to start talking to people about what she wanted, because people want to help. That’s us!

We understand that no two stories are the same, so can help you with your research and questions. If you haven’t already, visit the Careers Service today!

Thinking about life after graduation? Our graduates can help!

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Have you ever wondered what University of Bristol students go on to do after they leave university? Are you looking for inspiration? Take a look at our Case Studies – real life accounts providing a fascinating insight into the world of graduate employment. In our profiles, Philip details his experiences as a graduate trainee at The Guardian, Ciara describes her role as a Consultant at EY, Elinam talks about entering further study, and Gowrishanker outlines his experiences of setting up his own business.

Hear from the graduates themselves about how having a degree from Bristol helped them to get where they are now. Did they start out with a clear career path in mind? Was the degree subject helpful in getting the job? Did they decide to pursue further study to improve their chances of finding the right job? How are they practising and developing the knowledge and skills they acquired whilst studying? How did a degree from the University of Bristol help to open doors to the career they were looking for?

Perhaps you feel as though you no longer want to follow the path that your degree naturally leads you to? Many of our case studies show how there are various alternative career paths out there where the skills and experience you have gained from studying for your degree can be put to good use: Greg, a Mechanical Engineering graduate who works as a Patent Attorney, Hannah, the Experimental Psychology graduate working as a Business Consultant for IBM, and Rosie, a Politics graduate working in the charity sector.  

All of our graduates give excellent hints and tips for students that are exploring their career options – start thinking about your next steps early, make use of the careers service, never stop learning and “Network! Network! Network!”

Join our Careers Network to access more case studies and get in touch with Bristol alumni.

Interview with Kate Blythe, Editorial and Content Director at Matchesfashion.com

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For all those aspiring to work in the Fashion Industry or to go into Journalism, Kate Blythe from Matches Fashion has kindly taken part in an interview which will be a very useful read!

Why did you decide to work in the fashion industry, and how did it start?

I always wanted to be a fashion journalist from the age of 10 or 11. I collected American and British Vogue magazines for years and fell in love with the beautiful images and inspirational features.  From that age onwards I had my heart set on a  fashion journalism career and so I focused on English literature and Language as my speciality. I took English, Psychology and History A Levels and then I went to Leeds University to study an English degree. Before university, however, I set up work experience at my local paper and then went to IPC to intern at various magazines such as 19 magazine and Just 17. As a post-graduate, I went to Time Out magazine in London where I worked for 6 months as a freelance writer, and from there I went to ELLE magazine where I worked for 4 years as fashion features writer before moving into the digital world after that.

What does a typical day for you look like at Matchesfashion.com?

I start work around 8.30am and have 30 minutes before the team arrive to get through my emails and answer any queries. I sign off, approve and commission all content across mens and womens digital and print titles so my day is a constant stream of questions from my team and proofs to sign off. I also oversee all video content, along with marketing emails, social media and all fashion. I can be approving a fashion rail full of clothes for a cover shoot one minute, then sitting in the executive team meetings discussing forward planning the next. It’s non-stop and very varied, which is why I love my job! I leave work at 6pm to get home to my three children before bedtime which is also when the US markets are up and so I then deal with talent agents regarding celebrity cover stories and shoots.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?
The highlight of my career has been building a world class team here at Matchesfashion.com and rebranding all of the website and content in a short space of time. It has been an exciting 18 months and the best is yet to come.

What do you enjoy the most about working in fashion?
I love all aspects of fashion – from the incredible talent of the designers behind the collection, to the beautiful product that is created to the editorial stories we pull together from the collections we stock.  It is fast moving, exciting and inspiring.

What made you choose English as your degree, and what was your best experience whilst at Uni?
I have always been passionate about writing and would love writing essays at school and sixth form college. There is something about story telling that is very exciting to me and so there was really no other degree that I would have considered, other than fashion journalism. University was wonderful and I loved meeting great friends, learning new skills and knowing that I was preparing myself for a future in journalism. I couldn’t wait to get started!

Do you have any advice for students on how to stay creative and keep coming up with new ideas?
Read as much as possible – the news, websites, blogs, fashion commentary, magazines. Arm yourself with information and never think that you know it all. I am learning new skills every day and that triggers ideas in my mind for new ideas. Never plagiarise, always be original and stick to your passions rather than follow the pack. Then you will have the potential to be hugely successful!

Do you have any motivational words for students aspiring to make it in this very competitive industry?
Take on as much work experience as possible and when you are in a company doing a placement or internship, throw yourself into the role and make yourself indispensable. That is what I did and two months later I was offered a full time job. Never say no, always say yes to whatever task is given to you and your positive attitude and can-do nature will go a long way in impressing the right people.

What key skills do you need to get into fashion?
Great personal taste, passion for the subject you are working on and digital knowledge. Nowhere is purely print these days, so digital skills are a necessity for being a future fashion leader.

If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice whilst you were a student, what would it be?
I used to have to read a whole pile of books every week yet I never allowed myself enough time to really enjoy them. I would have told my younger self to enjoy the time I had and to absorb the literature I was reading, rather than racing through it all. I never have any time these days to read a good book, so that was my perfect opportunity.

Career profile: IT Consultancy

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A University of Bristol graduate talks about their experience of IT consultancy: 

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It’s a fact that Computer Science students in general enjoy excellent job prospects after graduating, with University of Bristol graduates being particularly sought after in the industry. All modern businesses require staff who understand how to fully exploit technology. In fact, many businesses will pay a handsome sum to anyone who can prove that they have the skills to unlock potential in their organisation using technology. So why is it that so many Computer Science students choose to apply for ‘safe’ graduate jobs (a.k.a. coding and development) instead of exploring all the different opportunities out there?

 I graduated from the University of Bristol seven years ago. Unlike many of my peers, I was not looking forward to the prospect of sitting in a dark room cutting code all day. Instead, I opted for a career in IT consultancy. Consultancy firms essentially get paid by other organisations to take on their most difficult projects as they have the expertise to resource and deliver the most challenging IT programmes. As a consultant working for one of these firms, I am kept constantly on my toes. Engagements tend to be short, meaning the next challenge is always just around the corner, and I rarely wake up knowing what my day is going to be like or where in the country I am going to be working tomorrow.

After graduating and accepting a junior role in a large consultancy firm, I spent nearly four years as a consultant analyst working for the British intelligence services. Although the work I did is classified, I can say that working on the most complex projects these organisations had was both challenging and rewarding. More recently I have been able to adapt my skills to work in the private sector, where I have helped around forty different companies across a variety of sectors. I mention this to illustrate the sheer diversity of jobs out there for Computer Science graduates.

The one thing I have learnt in this time is that there is a desperate lack of graduates applying for the more niche, highly skilled technical roles that companies need, and an overwhelming abundance of graduate coders. I believe this is purely down to Computer Science graduates undervaluing their skill sets and focussing on what they believe they can do best – coding. However, the harsh reality is that coding is often done better, faster and more cheaply by teams of offshore developers. Outsourcing has changed the landscape of jobs available to Computer Science graduates and it’s time to adapt!

 UoB Graduate

 The University of Bristol Careers Service adds:

Our ‘My degree…where next’ pages offer an introduction to the many different options available to you with a Computer Science degree.  It is useful to consider the destinations of previous Computer Science graduates, and read other case studies.