Our Employability Officer Anna gives here monthly tips for all students, by stage and subject, looking at how lockdown is changing the job market and how you can use this time to boost your CV.
I am sure that you for many of you the continued uncertainty around placements, graduates roles and of course, your studies is proving trying. However, the ways that you manage and utilise the current situation will serve as excellent examples of how you have developed resilience in dealing with the challenges of lockdown.
Hopefully you are undertaking your stage appropriate employability planning and know where you are planning on going as soon as normality resumes.
Foundation stage
Use this time to reflect on the last year and the skills that you have developed and the experiences that you have drawn these from. What have you learned about yourself and your interests within your subject?
Stage one
Think about placements for the end of stage two. There will be a placement information session coming up so keep an eye on your inboxes for the invites. Make sure that your CV and cover letter skills are up to date. Practice some psychometric tests on the Careers Service website, that way when you get one as part of an application it will be no surprise to you. Many chemistry opportunities open early so stay on the ball and keep looking.
Stage two
Gradcracker and Indeed are still advertising a few opportunities so keep applying! There are opportunities coming up and some employers have adapted very well with regard to staff safety and distancing at work. Do not assume that everything has ground to a halt.
Stage three, Finalists
This year is worrying for students emerging into a labour market that has been rocked by rapid change and continues to be in flux into the foreseeable future.
Make sure that you are as able as you possibly can be to move with changes. Do this by monitoring the situations of employers and sectors of interest to you. Are they continuing to recruit? If so, how many positions are they advertising? Do you have active examples of the skills required in your CVs and applications? Forewarned is forearmed and will enable you to react to change.
Remember that you can use the services of the Careers and Employability Centre for three years after you graduate. You will need to request a graduate log -in attached to your personal email address but all of the services and resources will be open to you.
Gradcracker is still advertising year in industry and shorter, 6 month placements, for students of Chemistry such as this technology role at CGI and there are graduate roles too! Many opportunities are now in high level business and finance but this is usual for this time of year. Again, I emphasize that for Chemistry, things open early and move quickly so start looking ahead.
Resources and events
Chemistry
Make sure that you are in contact with the RSC, their pages are packed with resources, information and events online! You can also sign up to receive the free, Chemistry World newsletter to keep abreast of developments in and applications of chemistry. Brilliant fr generating career and further study interests and ideas!
Forensic Science
The Chartered Society of Forensics Scientists (CFSF) is providing a number of online webinars, go online to look for subjects of interest, publications and other news.
Physics, ASSA
SEPnet – We have three students undertaking summer internships virtually this year,. These are paid roles in education outreach, space science in industry and coding. Next year I want to see more applications from students in their second and third stage (of four year programmes). These are excellent opportunities for development and to gain experience.
The IoP is holding a number of subject specific webinars covering a wide range topics. For those of you considering the RSci and RSciTech tech routes there is an online Workshop on the RSci and RSciTech application process taking place on June the 10th.
Dyson is currently advertising a 12 month Project Management Placement aimed at Physics students of all variants, and you can apply online through Gradcracker