By 
As we approach the end of term, I’m sure many of you are looking forward to the Christmas break. We hope that you will enjoy a much needed rest but also wanted to remind you that the holiday is a great opportunity to boost your employability skills and get your CV ready.
Here are our top employability tips for how to make the most of your Christmas holidays:
Stage 1 students:
Research Insight Weeks for first year students and check the deadlines for those you want to apply for. Insight Weeks can last anything from a few days to two weeks and are a great way to get a feel for an industry and the jobs available for graduates. Many take place in the Easter break.
Stage 2 students:
An internship is a fantastic opportunity to see if you are a good fit for a particular sector but also to gain valuable work experience and develop sought after skills. The majority of internships are for students in their second year (or third year if doing a four year course or going into post graduate study) and take place over the summer. Now is a good time to research what internships are being advertised in your field of interest and start applications. Deadlines will be coming up soon so don’t delay!
Stage 3 students:
Many graduate programmes close in January or February so the Christmas break is the ideal opportunity to work on those applications. Reflect on the skills you have gained during your degree and work experience and highlight them in your application using the STAR technique. You can find some examples of the types of skills you may wish to mention here.
CV help and Interview practice:
- Develop your CV and get advice on how to improve it using CareerSet
- Practice assessment centre tests using Graduates First – log in with your Kent email address to get free access
- Prepare for interviews (including video interviews) online with Shortlist Me
Are you considering postgraduate study? Postgraduate study enhances your specialist knowledge and refines your research skills. Most taught Master’s courses start in September so now is a good time to start researching what you would like to study and find out about the requirements. It’s also good to look into funding support options as well. If you are interested in Research / a PhD, start contacting supervisors in the school that you wish to study in.
More information about Postgraduate study can be found here.
Useful resources to kickstart your job search:
Bond – Jobs in International Development, NGOs and international charities
Bright Network – A comprehensive list of graduate schemes by sector with application deadlines
Graduate Jobs – Graduate jobs, schemes, internships & advice
Indeed – extensive job site and resources
LinkedIn – Build your professional network and search job openings by role or company
Milkround – student and graduate career resource, with a variety of internships, placements, graduate jobs and schemes
Prospects – graduate jobs, postgraduate study, work experience, internships and graduate careers.
Target Jobs – Graduate jobs & employers
University of Kent Careers Service (CES)
University of Kent Careers Service Vacancy Database (Target Connect)