Top tips for making the most of the University of Bristol Law Fair

It was great to see so many of you at our recent Employer Showcase, and hope you enjoyed the opportunity to network with potential employers. Our next big careers event will be the University of Bristol Law Fair.

Join us at the Wills Memorial Building on Thursday 2 November from 12:30 pm until 3 pm to engage with 41 law firms seeking Bristol graduates. The event even includes employer-led talks from leading firms, so come along to find out exactly what top law firms are looking for.

Two students talk in the Wills Memorial building

This is the perfect opportunity for those of you interested in law to explore a career in the legal sector.

If you’re studying law, considering a conversion Masters, or simply wish to explore your options, make sure you don’t miss out.

Attending the fair is only the first step…

It’s essential to keep things moving after the fair and stay in touch with your contacts. Take a look at these quick tips in order to maximise your pre-fair and post-fair experience:

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How the PLUS Award ignited my career journey: A humanities and arts student’s perspective

Are you a humanities or arts student without a clear idea of your career path?  

I was in this position 2 years ago. Although I still haven’t gotten it all figured out, the Bristol PLUS Award was a huge help in kick-starting my career.  

Let me talk you through how I went from not having a clue what I wanted to do, to having a great job in a sector I love – all thanks to the PLUS Award. 


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Bring your whole self to work: LGBTQIA+ careers support and advice

At the Careers Service, we understand that your identity is an integral part of your career journey and want to help you navigate any challenge you may face.  

We actively promote diversity and inclusion and aim to provide a safe space for LGBTQIA+ students to seek guidance. We can help you find inclusive employers, with applications and support you with bringing your whole self to work.

Our Support for LGBTQIA+ students page, includes further information about support available both within and outside of the University.

We offer support on how to develop high-quality CVs, cover letters and applications, prepare for interviews, apply for further study and more.     

An Adviser and student in the Careers Service reviewing a CV together.

You can contact us on Live Chat, check out our events, book an appointment, or drop in from Monday to Friday, 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm during vacation periods, and 10 am to 4.30 pm during term time.

Researching LGBTQIA+ inclusive employers 

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Top tips for getting into the arts sector

The arts sector offers an incredible range of exciting and diverse career options. However, navigating it and figuring out how to get onto your chosen career path can be unclear.

The creative industries don’t tend to mass recruit so you might have to think a bit differently about how you find and approach opportunities.  

A paintbrush covered in red paint surrounding by a circular splatter pattern on a white background.

Understanding what kinds of experience and qualifications you need in order to pursue your desired career is an important first step.

Many industries expect to see a portfolio or are looking for specialist skills. Our sector guides are a great place to start when looking to kick-start a career in the arts.

These helpful guides have tailored information and advice about industries such as the performing arts, digital media, and heritage.


Finding work opportunities

Finding opportunities in the arts can be more difficult than in STEM. Less opportunities are widely advertised in the arts industries, particularly in very competitive sectors such as film and television.

Making speculative applications is therefore a great way to target your energies towards the companies and the roles that you would like. Even if your application is not successful, speculative applications can be a great way to get on a company’s radar and make connections which may help you in the future.  

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Reignite your job search in the New Year

For some, the New Year may have brought renewed energy to accomplishing personal career goals in 2023. Read on to find out practical steps to support a successful graduate job search. Our tips will help you prioritise tasks to make the most of the time you have available.

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Get Hired! In-person careers fairs are BACK!

Cressida, year 2 Law (MA), has been working as a Career Peer Support Assistant at the Careers Service since September 2021. She has worked predominantly with the Employer Engagement Team, which build relationships with employers and create networking and job hunting opportunities for you through careers fairs, skills sessions, and much more.  

“It’s been two long years of virtual events, but, kick off your slippers (let’s face it, they’ve seen better days), rummage through the depths of your wardrobe for something other than pyjama bottoms, and step into the light! Our flagship careers event is back; it’s in person, and with over 70 employers from a variety of sectors, it’s all designed for you to Get Hired!” (more…)

Want a job in the UK? 6 tips for international students

Picture of Zubair Khan
Zubair Khan, Year 2 Accounting and Finance (BSc)

We recently held a panel event of international alumni working in the UK attended by:

  • Natalie Ng has a Master’s in Accounting, Finance, and Management and is now an Equity Rewards Advisory Tax Associate at Grant Thornton
  • Tony Zhang has an MEng in Computer Science and is an Agile Business Analyst at HSBC
  • Fei Jin has an MA in Film and Television and is a video photographer and editor at New Silk Route
  • Emelyn Shu Fang Tan has a degree in Law and is a Student Inclusion Intern at the University of Bristol

 

“Getting a job in the UK can seem daunting to international students. However, all you need to do to find your dream job in the UK is make an extra effort to stand out to employers”

Here are Zubair’s top take aways from the event: (more…)

City Challenges: Students Provide Solutions to Real-life Problems

 

The City Challenges are an exclusive programme of events which provides you with the opportunity to engage with Bristol’s charity sector, gain informal work experience, and develop your skills through working on real life challenges posed by local community organisations. 

The first City Challenge involved piloting a problem-solving session focusing on reducing HIV stigma within the medical community, which was supported by the Brigstowe charity and the Careers Service Community Engagement team. 

A total of 10 students took part, developing their teamwork, communication, and decision-making skills to create presentations in which they gave details of how Brigstowe could approach raising awareness in the medical community of unfair and untrue beliefs around people living with HIV.  

This City Challenge allowed students to explore their interest in community outreach as well as learn about how they can be aware of and actively combat their own biases around their attitudes to people who are living with HIV. They explored issues such as how General Practitioners and students can destigmatise their work when dealing with people living with HIV. Brigstowe will now be able to use these ideas for possible future funding bids, marketing campaigns and training sessions. 

The next City Challenge will be based ask the question ‘How can we encourage male university students to talk about their mental health?’ and students will be working with Talk Club and the Community Engagement team. This challenge will be eligible for the Bristol PLUS Award and held on Wednesday 27 October from 11.30am to 5pm and you can sign up on myopportunities. 

Graduate stories: Hannah Altendorff – Mental Health Social Worker with Think Ahead

Transform Society is a network of social change programmes (Teach First, Police Now, Unlocked, Think Ahead, NGDP and Frontline) that together, are working to develop the public service leaders of the future. By partnering with  Transform Society, the University of Bristol is showing a commitment to helping increase the number and diversity of high-calibre graduates taking up roles on community impact programmes.

Hannah Altendorff studied Sociology and Social Policy at Bristol, graduating in 2008, and then went on to do a master’s degree in Human Rights at the University of Sussex. She is now a Mental Health Social worker with Think Ahead.

We caught up with Hannah to hear about what she has been up to…

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5 Careers Service resources you will wish you’d known about sooner!

I am Sammi and I am the Student Marketing and Comms Assistant at the Careers Service alongside doing my master’s in International Security. Working at Careers has opened my eyes to the amazing support on offer to students, so I thought I would share with you the five Careers resources, that I wish I had known about sooner, to help you get ahead of the game.

A picture Of Sammi Ciardi, writer of the article
Sammi Ciardi

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