Category: Final years

Bristol Connects: How one click of a button solved all my job hunting and career fears

Posted on by Careers Service

Hi, I’m Avellina, a recent Biology graduate from Bristol and I’m here to tell you how in my final year all my worries about job hunting, choosing the wrong career and job applications vanished and it’s all thanks to Bristol Connects.

With graduation looming, all the responsibilities and changes that were coming up weighed heavily on my back. For the first time in 17 years, my life wouldn’t be structured by exams, lectures and academic calendars. Instead, my life would diverge into an entirely new, unique path as I pursued my first job.

Amongst the excitement, fear and the uncertainty for what lay ahead, one thought routinely replayed in my head: How am I going to achieve my dream career?

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Founder’s keepers – advice from a working start-up

Posted on by Careers Service

The New Enterprise Competition 2023 has come to an end. We caught up with finalist Ben Wainwright who comes loaded with lived experience from the world of start up.

Tell us about yourself and what sparked your interest in entrepreneurship.

Remap founder Ben Wainwright.

My name is Ben Wainwright and I am a co-founder and CTO of Remap Mental Fitness.

At Remap, we teach working professionals and global brands how to train their mind to improve how they think, feel and perform.

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Further Study: Finding, Researching and Considering Your Options

Posted on by Careers Service

One of the benefits of postgraduate study is that it offers a high level of specialisation. While this is great, the amount of choice available can make it a little tricky to narrow down your options. Keep reading to learn about the different types of postgraduate study, how to research courses, and what to consider when narrowing down your options.

Remember, you don’t need to jump straight in to further study! Taking time out can benefit both your career and your wellbeing. You can use this time to reflect on what you enjoy on a day-to-day basis and on a larger scale, which can clarify what you want from your career. You can hear more about this from the perspective of a graduate in our blog post: ‘Graduate stories: Deferring my biology Master’s to stay in Bristol‘.

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Top tips for neurodivergent job seekers

Posted on by Careers Service

As a student or graduate with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, or another type of learning disability, navigating the job market can feel daunting.

Yet neurodiverse candidates can bring a unique set of talents. These can include creativity, enthusiasm, innovation, “hyperfocus”, and the ability to build in-depth knowledge.

So, what steps can you take to find out more and maximise your chances of success in the job market?

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Are you considering a PhD?

Posted on by Careers Service

With most PhDs spanning 3 to 4 years, it is not a decision to take lightly.

For some students, their passion for research and a specific academic discipline is such that a PhD is an obvious choice as part of their career planning, however, for others it is just one possible option, prompting further questions.

Having an insight into what life is like as a post-graduate researcher is a crucial first step. Without any doubt, you will need to love learning, have a hunger for research, and be a self-starter happy to work for long periods independently. Advice from vitae.ac.uk is to be ‘really clear on your motivations for doing a doctorate, and that it [will be] a positive career step.’

Kayleigh Crouch is a Career Peer Support Adviser with the Careers Service, currently a PGR at the University of Bristol, and has shared her insights on what it’s like to be a doctoral researcher here:

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How to get into Finance: Top Tips

Posted on by Careers Service

Finance careers include key areas of banking, financial accounting, financial planning, insurance, investments, pensions, real estate, sustainability and fintech.  You could find yourself in a multinational corporation, a small or medium sized business or enterprise (SME), or even a microbusiness or start-up enterprise.

Some recent University of Bristol graduates have gone into graduate roles in this sector as Financial Analysts, Tax Associates, Financial Planners, Risk Analysts, Financial Consultants and Investment Bankers, to name a few.

As a taster, here we draw together some top tips from our careers panel event on ‘How to get into Finance’ for Social Science and Law students on 25 October 2022. (more…)

Is a graduate scheme right for me? Pros, cons, and FAQs.

Posted on by Careers Service

To grad scheme, or not to grad scheme; a question many of us have asked. Differing from graduate jobs, graduate schemes are training programmes run by large companies, offering a body of graduates a firm foothold in an industry. Keep reading to see if a grad scheme is suited to you and get application tips.

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Bright Network Internship Experience UK: A First-Hand Account

Posted on by Careers Service

The Bright Network Internship Experience is a free virtual internship which is open to everyone over the age of 18. 

Photo by Georgie Cobbs on Unsplash.

The scheme provides school leavers, current university students, and recent graduates with a valuable insight into one of 8 key sectors of the UK job market, giving participants the opportunity to connect with and learn from a range of leading employers. 

Handily, there are an unlimited number of online places available on each of the 8 different internship paths available, and since every experience is fully online, they can be completed from anywhere in the world. 

Whichever pathway you choose, your experience can be completed either as a three-day ‘live’ course, or in an ‘on demand’ format, which you can complete at your own pace. This means it’s really easy to fit the experience around your other commitments over the summer.  

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