Yesterday, someone asked me "what is careers advice all about and what do you do?" Got me thinking, we often assume our students know what we do and how we can help them, but I imagine the reality may be quite different. So, I thought it would be good to write a blog post about what we do and bust some myths!
Myth # 1: In order to see a careers adviser, I should have some idea of what I want to do.
Let me ask you this, do you go to your GP armed with a diagnosis and full treatment plan? Yet for some reason there is a myth that in order to see a careers adviser you need to have a clear idea about your future. You'll be surprised to know, a vast majority of our clients aren't sure of what they want to do. We can really empathise with how you must be feeling, I was in that exact same situation when I was at Uni. So, please don't hesitate and book a 1:1 appointment. We can help you clarify your thinking, suggest career ideas to explore and crucially give you a starting point so you feel more in control of your future.
Myth # 2: Careers advice was useless in school
I know as a profession we have an image problem and almost every month there is something in the press about how school and HE careers support isn't effective and that we are out of touch. The reality is we spend a huge amount of time visiting employers to learn about their recruitment practices and we actively research different sectors so that we are up-to-date with developments and opportunities. So, please don't let past experience colour your view, give us a go and decide for yourself.
Myth # 3: All they do is check your CV
I hold my hand up, we do look at a hell of a lot of CV's and application forms. But we also offer practice interviews, have tons of jobs on MyFuture, organise events, careers fairs and keep track of what Bath graduates do upon graduation. That's not all, we have an impressive information library with resources on further study, funding, taking a gap year and working abroad.
Finally and most importantly, we are totally focused on supporting you:
- We will listen and help you explore your motivations, interests, values and how they fit in with your future career choice.
- We will support you in identifying your skills and gaps.
- We will support you to understand the labour market, interpret market information and point you to other helpful resources.
- We will guide you in creating a job hunting strategy.
- We will support you with all aspects of your career from finding a job to applying for further study.
- We will give you space to talk about your fears, concerns and anxieties in confidence.
And along the way, we will have a giggle with you too!
Responses
