Category: Graduate jobs

Overcoming imposter syndrome during your graduate job search

Posted on by Careers Service

Hi there, I’m Caitlin, a recent graduate and a Careers Support and Graduate Engagement Intern. As I navigate my own career journey, I’ve come to realise that self-doubt can be a common experience especially when stepping into something new. One of the most challenging aspects of this is imposter syndrome – that nagging feeling that you don’t truly deserve your success, or that you’re not as capable as others might think.

If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re certainly not alone. Research reveals an estimated 70% of people have experienced some form of imposter syndrome in their lives, including highly successful individuals. The positive news is that there are practical strategies available to help you manage these feelings and approach your job search with renewed confidence. 

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So you want to get into wildlife TV?

Posted on by Careers Service

Guest post by Liz Bell

Bristol is a great place to be if you want a career in television production. It’s renowned for the wildlife and factual programmes made by the BBC and the many independent companies based here, and with its close-knit professional community it’s an excellent alternative to the sometimes cut-throat London scene.

But if you’ve done your research, you’ll know that it’s not easy to get your foot in the door. Competition is fierce, jobs are rarely advertised and everybody wants someone with tons of experience (which you haven’t got because no one will give you a chance).

As a former TV producer, I get a lot of questions from people wanting to break into the TV industry. So here are my top tips to answer that perennial question: as a recent or soon-to-be Bristol graduate, how can you make yourself stand out from the crowd and get a job?

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Explore the Expansive Futures careers series

Posted on by Careers Service

Are you interested in hearing from professionals who have built interesting and fulfilling careers in arts, humanities and social sciences?

Do you want to know how the arts, humanities, and social sciences develop crucial skills that allow you to thrive in the modern world?

If so, the Expansive Futures series is just what you need!

What is the Expansive Futures series? 

The series takes place between 11 February and 18 March and consists of 14 events to help you explore the career options available to you with a degree in arts, humanities and social sciences.

These events will give you an opportunity to hear from expert professionals on career opportunities and pathways in particular fields of work. No matter what year you are in or how much you thought about your next steps, the Expansive Futures series will have something for you.

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Think outside the scheme

Posted on by Careers Service

Perhaps you are a final-year or postgraduate student struggling to secure an interview or progress your application for a graduate scheme. Are you feeling demoralised by rejections and overwhelmed by the demands these applications make on your time?

Think outside the box image

We know that graduate scheme roles are highly competitive, and there is an expectation for students to meet application deadlines while also managing academic demands, this can all lead to a great deal of stress and disappointment.

Reliable information also shows that most graduates do not secure a Graduate Scheme offer. Instead, they often find immediate hire positions both in small and large organisations.

Before we explore the range of graduate roles, let’s debunk some myths about Graduate Schemes. These roles are only a minority of graduate vacancies, not everyone is offered one, and they do not suit everyone.

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Wellbeing in the workplace

Posted on by Careers Service

The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day is ‘mental health at work’.

We spend much of our adult lives working, so it’s important that we choose workplaces and careers which don’t contribute to or create mental health problems.

An important part of looking after your mental health whilst at work is to make sure you are supporting your wellbeing. 

We have compiled a list of things to keep in mind when searching for a workplace that will support good mental health, and how to look after your wellbeing once you are in a job:

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Top tips for our Get Hired careers fair

Posted on by Careers Service
An employer talking to a student at a careers fair

Our Get Hired careers fair is happening on Wednesday 1 May, 12:30 pm to 4 pm, at Bristol Beacon

It’s a great opportunity to network with employers of all sizes across a variety of sectors, with lots of other activities going on on the day.

To find out more, and book your place, visit the event on mycareer.

If you are disabled, neurodivergent or have a long-term physical or mental health condition, we are here to make Get Hired as accessible as we can for you. Complete this form by Thursday 18 April and we can build a support package for you. Watch our Accessibility Arrangements at Careers Fairs video to learn about arrangements we can put in place to help you access the fair.

To help you make the most of the day, we have pulled together our top tips on how to prepare for the fair…

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Looking beyond the arts and sciences divide with interdisciplinary work

Posted on by Careers Service

Elena graduated from Bristol in 2022 with a degree in English Literature and is now a Communications Consultant at Bright Carbon.

We caught up with Elena about looking beyond the arts and sciences divide with interdisciplinary work.

“It can feel as though there‘s a massive gap between an arts career and a science career, and once you pick a side, you’re stranded there.

The popularity of Sylvia Plath’s fig tree analogy shows just how many people feel like the choices they make close off all other potential futures. I definitely felt this when I was choosing my degree.

There was a sense of finality – that this was my specialism and other routes were now closed. After a lot of back and forth and deliberation, I chose ‘arts’ and studied Art Foundation and then English Literature at University – and I thought that was the end of that for other subjects.

“But, once I started my job search, I realised pretty quickly that the door to other disciplines never really closes.”

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Being LGBTQIA+ in the workplace

Posted on by Careers Service

As part of LGBT+ History Month, the Careers Service hosted a panel event exploring what it’s like in the workplace for LGBTQIA+ individuals.

The event connected current students with speakers from the LGBTQIA+ community who work in a variety of different sectors, allowing those who attended a chance to hear stories and advice, and ask questions.

Our panel included –

Photos of the panel. From left to right, Cassie, Jo, Mateusz, Yiran and Raeesa.
  • Cassie Agbehenu (she/her or they/them) – Director of Impact and Influence, Bristol Students’ Union
  • Dr Jo Hartland (they/them) – Senior Lecturer, Bristol Medical School
  • Mateusz Lipinski (he/him) – Business Analyst, Deloitte
  • Yiran Liu (she/her) – Audit Associate, Deloitte
  • Raeesa Rajmohamed (she/her) – Barrister, Academic Writer and Human Rights Implementation Centre Advisor

Here are their key tips for LGBTQIA+ people to thrive in the workplace.

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Top Tips for international students pursuing careers in the UK

Posted on by Careers Service

In November, we held an ‘International Alumni Careers’ panel for international students seeking to find graduate jobs and to pursue careers in the UK.

We caught up with our five panellists to hear their top tips:

Anukriti Panda, MSc Public Health

Anukriti came to study at the University of Bristol from India and is now a Senior Clinical Research Practitioner at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London. Her advice to international students trying to find work in the UK is:

“Firstly, networking! Network with your friends, with your academic advisors, and most importantly with your alumni. We are all available on LinkedIn, just connect with us and then we can share our email addresses.”

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Developing career resilience as a graduate – how can you develop this increasingly important attribute?

Posted on by Careers Service

Resilience is becoming an increasingly crucial attribute in the job market. Whether you’ve just started your career or are navigating the job application process, building career resilience is an essential skill that can set you apart from the competition and contribute to your long-term success.

In this blog post, we will explore the meaning and importance of career resilience, and most importantly, how you can develop and strengthen this valuable trait, both as you apply for jobs, and navigate workplace challenges.

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