HAPPY NEW YEAR!
2016 will see the Olympics in Brazil, EURO 2016 in France and the election of a new US President. Plus, it’s a leap year, which means there’s a day more to achieve your goals (or stay in bed, depending on your point of view).
But what will 2016 have in store for you? Are you graduating and setting out into the big wide world? Or if you’re continuing your studies, are you looking forward to the summer as a chance to go travelling or get a job to earn some money?
There’s a lot of talk about new year’s resolutions at the moment, but the problem with these is they seem to have a sell-by date that expires by January 31st, so if you do have a big year coming up and your plans are going to potentially affect the rest of your life, they need a bit more thought and dedication than “no Maltesers for a while…”
And, because we care about you having a great year (and a great career), here are some suggestions to get you thinking:
- If you’re graduating this year it’ll potentially be too late to start job hunting in July. Graduate schemes are recruiting at the moment, so if you’ve got a good idea of what kind of career you’re looking for you should be applying now. Grad Diary have a useful calendar of closing dates for grad schemes.
If you’re less sure about your future, Career Development Services can help you. Check out our information about graduate jobs, and come and have a chat with an adviser about your options now, so that you have time to put your plans into action before graduation. - If you’re in the first or second year think about how you want to spend your summer. Be aware that when you come to apply for graduate jobs, how you have spent your time away from Uni could be the key to getting that job. Employability skills are a big deal to employers, so taking part in a Summer Internship, volunteering or getting a part-time or summer job will potentially set you apart from your job seeking rivals.
Remember, it’s much easier to achieve your goals if you know what they are, so try and set some achievable targets for yourself, and be specific. For example, if you’re aiming for a “good grade” is that a 2:1 or a first? If you want a “good job”, which employers do you want to work for?
And don’t forget, we’re here at Career Development Services every weekday with drop in sessions from 10-12 and 1-3 every day for quick queries and CV checks, or bookable appointments with our Employer Services team and Career Advisers for more in-depth careers advice and help.
Have a great year, hopefully we’ll see you soon!