Tag: Career options

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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Graduate stories: my reflections on stumbling into the Civil Service Fast Stream

Posted on by Careers Service

My name is Tom, and I work as a strategy officer in the government’s Ministry of Justice, as part of the Civil Service Fast stream. Here I am, outside the Victoria rooms in August 2023, graduating with a degree in chemistry.

This day was marked with smiles in the pictures, but a heavy heart. I was sad to be leaving behind my university years and making the step into the world of work.

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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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Alumni insights: top tips for landing your first graduate job

Posted on by Careers Service
Two diagrams comparing graduate career paths. The first, titled "What people think a graduate career looks like," shows a straight path: Internship → Graduate job → Senior role → Manager → Executive. The second, titled "What a graduate career can also look like," shows a non-linear path with branches: Graduation → Temp work → Internal job opportunity → Redundancy, Internship and freelance work → Headhunted → Career change → Career break (travel) → Self-employed full-time.

Event overview and panellists 

Transitioning from university to securing your first graduate job is an exciting yet sometimes daunting experience. Alumni recently spoke at a panel event, sharing their career journeys, job market tips, and practical advice.

Each panellist offered unique insights, discussed common challenges, and answered participant questions. This blog summarises some key advice to help you land your first graduate job and kickstart your career. 

The panel featured alumni from various sectors: 

  • Emma Ansell, Campaigns Executive at The Quarto Group, English Literature 
  • Paige Taylor, Programme Manager at GAIN (Girls Are Investors), Theatre and Performance 
  • Samantha Belcher-Tyson, Technology Product Manager at Morrisons, Experimental Psychology 
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Which employer is right for me?

Posted on by Careers Service

You’ve been working hard for years, and now, during your studies at university, you’re facing one of the biggest decisions of your life, choosing a career

Whether you’re looking for insight days, internships, placements, or a full-time role, the competition is fierce. When it feels like everyone is chasing the same opportunities, standing out comes down to your values.

Your principles and purpose can set you apart, even when many other candidates have similar qualifications.

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How Student Circus saves you time in your global job search

Posted on by Careers Service

We know there are lots of competing demands on international students’ time that can make your job search difficult.

The Careers Service has partnered with job portal Student Circus to help. Here’s how to make the best use of this platform, which is completely free to our students and alumni.  

Quickly find pre-filtered UK sponsored jobs 

Student Circus lists jobs across a range of sectors which employers are willing and able to sponsor under the Skilled Worker route. So rather than contacting HR to check if sponsorship is provided, you can focus your energy on writing high-quality applications.  

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Davitt Jones Bould Law: Undergraduate placements and assessment centre advice 

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Davitt Jones Bould, the largest specialist real estate law firm in the UK, have opened their Undergraduate Placement applications. They have written for us about their placement opportunities and provided some application advice too. 

Davitt Jones Bould logo.

The placement is truly like no other as we deliberately don’t put you through a structured programme. Instead, you will be working in line with the real-time demands of the business, giving you experience of what running a business is really like.

You will work directly with a talented team of Davitt Jones Bould people, including colleagues in the Business Services Centre, lawyers based all over the UK and Davitt Jones Bould’s leadership team. You will be given responsibility straightaway for a wide range of tasks – some will play to your strengths, and some will challenge you to learn new skills.

You will be provided with dedicated on the job mentoring and training, as well as access to Davitt Jones Bould’s wider training programmes and courses. 

Find out more about undergraduate placements and apply here.

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Graduate Stories: Working as a graduate hardware engineer at Ocado Technology

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Hi, I’m Louise, I graduated from the University of Bristol in 2022 and I now work at Ocado Technology as a Graduate Hardware Engineer.

A photo of Louise in her graduation robes.

My university experience

In 2018 I began studying for an integrated master’s degree in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. The first three years of my degree were transformative in building my confidence and passion for engineering.

One of the best extra-curricular activities I did during my time at university was being a Course Representative as this helped me to get to know both my cohort and my lecturers. During my second year I also completed the Bristol PLUS Award, a programme organised by the Careers Service. The best thing I gained from this programme was learning how to articulate the value I had gained from my extra curricular experiences in my CV and in job interviews.

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