Damien Harateh, Kent graduate and Software Developer at IBM, shares his advice to final year students on how to make yourself stand out from the crowd in a fast-paced job market.

What did you do whilst studying to develop your employability skills?

“During my studies, I spent an enormous amount of time pursuing several initiatives and engaging in a number of roles. I got heavily involved in student representation and student societies, as well as co-organised a number of conferences. I also held a number of positions at the University, such as being a Residents Support Officer for Keynes College and Employability Representative at Careers and Employability Services. I engaged in those roles not because of the employability skills per se but because I always had a desire to try different things and to develop useful skills. 

You really want to be graduating from the University of Kent with more than just a degree. To put it bluntly, having just a degree is simply not enough. You will be competing with thousands upon thousands of graduates with similar degrees. The way to make yourself stand out from the crowd is by developing valuable skills and squeezing the most out of your time at the University. University of Kent provides a plethora of opportunities – get involved in student societies, become a student representative and make sure to get some work experience. The skills developed as a result will be the pillars to your future success. Do not sleep walk through your degree.”

What are you doing now, and how did your involvement with extra-curricular activities at university help you to secure a graduate job?

“Currently, I am a Software Developer at IBM, with one foot in project management. My undergraduate degree had nothing to do with computer science at all — this is an area I pursued solely in my free time, developing websites on the side, and helping several student societies with their IT side of things. Undoubtedly, having worked on a number of projects besides my degree allowed me to develop a range of very useful skills.

Having recently started managing a team of my own, the skills such as effective communication, leadership skills, and thinking innovatively to solve small and large problems have been very useful to me — I started developing all those skills at the University, and I cannot imagine being able to jump at the project management opportunity at my firm, had I not had those skills and experiences. Nowadays, less and less employers care about what you studied, but care increasingly more about how you present yourself and what defines you as a person. What defines you are the projects you worked on, your hobbies, your accomplishments, among many other things. If you can pinpoint exactly what you learnt from each of the projects you worked on, then you will have much easier time persuading the potential employer that you are the person they are looking for.”

Did you use the Careers and Employability Service whilst at university? If so, how did they help you?

“I started using the Careers and Employability Services (CES) very early during my time at the University. The simple truth is that you do not know what you do not know. Unless you get familiar with the information and the services offered by the CES, you will simply be unaware of the many opportunities out there. CES, apart from providing interview coaching, CV and cover letter feedback, also has a vast amount of incredibly useful information on their website. Therefore, you should make sure you know their website inside out. Your career development starts the day you arrive at the University. It is much easier to navigate your University years when you know the direction you are heading.

Personally, I used CES throughout my whole undergraduate degree. Their website provided me with many useful tips and recommendations, and thanks to their newsletter, I also learnt about many opportunities I would not have heard about otherwise. As a student, this is a service you really need to use to give yourself a head start. Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity. Therefore, make sure you are proactive about your career development from day one.”

What key piece of advice would you give to final year students looking for a graduate job?

“My key piece of advice would be to think about the kind of companies you would like to work for. What industry interests you most? Why does it interest you? Do not look solely at the rankings or the salary. Ask yourself, is this the kind of company I would be happy working at for X number of years? Also ask yourself if you identify with the company’s mission. Reflecting on those questions will dramatically change how you approach job-hunting.

Besides that, you should consult Career and Employability Services about your CV and cover letter. I cannot stress that enough. Imagine being a recruiter, who receives two applications. Both of the applicants have similar degrees and similar accomplishments. Which one of them are you going to pick? The one with a tailored cover letter and a meticulous CV or the one whose CV has not been updated since 6th form? Now, imagine that there are 20 applicants for every position available. The first impression is literally based on those two documents, so do make sure that they are both exemplary.”

-Damien Harateh, Law, Accounting and Finance graduate (2018)

As you approach the end of your final year we are here to support you through the next few months.

Help with your assignments

We have a wide range of resources to help you with your assignments. You an also ask a Liaison Librarian for one-to-one support on either the Canterbury or Medway campus. Online support is available on our Library Research Skills Moodle page, including finding material for your research and managing your references.

Look after yourself

Browse our Wellbeing and Self-Help reading list or check out the accompanying book displays in the Library. Need some time out? The Templeman Library’s Chill Out Zone provides a quiet space to relax and take a break from studying. If you’re on the Medway campus pop along to one of their wellbeing events.

Exam-time study support

During exam time, you’ll find additional study spaces and silent study areas plus bookable individual study rooms in the Templeman Library. Study in the way you want to by choosing a study space to suit you. The Templeman Library is open 24/7 and the Drill Hall Library 24 hours, five days per week until June!

Study and work smarter! Check out our Productivity Tools, to help you manage your time, take notes and stay focussed plus more.

Help with getting a job

Have a look at our Careers and Employability reading list to find books to help you with career choices and preparing for applications and interviews. Sign up for a one-hour workshop on using online business resources to stand out in the job market.

After you graduate

Don’t want to miss out on the great resources when you graduate? You can join the Library as an alumni member.

View more events on these webpages.

It won’t come as a surprise to anyone that final year is by far the most stressful and important year of your studies at Kent; a dissertation here, a 4000 word essay there, and pretty soon you can find yourself forced to cut back on the things you loved doing in your first few years. But do you have to? Spoilers, the answer is no.

The pressure to perform in your final year is no joke, but with some good time management you can 100% make time for the other activities you did in your earlier years. It might not be to the same extent as before but you’ll still have the opportunity to escape your studies and be a part of something, whether that be a Kent Union network, Student Rep, committee member, or if your timetable is looking especially lenient, all of the above.

You definitely don’t want to look back on your third year after you graduate wishing you’d made more of it; that you’d been a part of that sports team you’ve been looking at since first year, or joined that society committee you’re passionate about. Studies are important and your degree will set the tone for your future employment, but I would argue that the skills you learn as a rep or committee member or any other volunteering role at Kent will be just as important to a potential employer as a First Class degree.

-Ethan Basso, Undergraduate Sciences Faculty Rep

Just because you’ve finished your studies, you don’t leave Kent behind. There are lots of ways to play your part in the Kent community. You are one of over 183,000 Kent alumni worldwide – so why not make the most of the fantastic opportunities that being part of this network provides?

Most importantly, make sure that you don’t miss out on any opportunities by ensuring that we have got your correct contact details. By giving us your up-to-date details when you register for your graduation – and keeping them updated – we will be able to send you information about upcoming events, share the latest alumni news, and make sure you don’t miss a thing. We’re only ever an email away – get in touch via alumni@kent.ac.uk if you think we can help. And follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

As you take your first steps into a new career, Kent is here to provide you with help and support to guide you along your chosen path. You can use the Careers and Employability Services for three years after graduating.

Every year we host a wide range of events, from campus-based lectures and reunions across Europe to formal and informal alumni events and get-togethers around the world, including online events which we’ve introduced recently. In the last 12 months alone, we’ve hosted alumni activities in Malaysia, the United States, France, Belgium, Italy, Canada, Greece, India and China, as well as in Canterbury, Medway and London.

We have alumni groups and chapters all over the world, with formal associations in North America, Asia, Europe and Africa. Find out if there is a group near you on our website – where you’ll also find links to social media groups associated with them. If there isn’t a group near you and you’d like to start one, get in touch, and we’ll help you find alumni in your area!

We hope you have enjoyed your time at Kent and that your university experience opens up new opportunities for your future. Please keep in touch!

And if you plan to return to study, come back to Kent and receive a 10% discount on tuition fees for the first year of a full-time course.

Tim Farrow-House
Acting Director of Development

After doing my undergraduate degree in History at Kent, I went straight into an MA beginning in September 2015. I would love to say I had a burning ambition to go further into academia, but I wasn’t sure of anything. In fact, I chose to do an MA mostly because of that – having no clue what came next! 

I had no real idea of my dream job, I felt I wasn’t done yet and I panicked quite a bit. A year of further study seemed like the solution. Modules were running that seemed better tailored to my interests than my undergraduate ones. I could keep learning and it served as a procrastination to entering the real world. My family joked I wanted to be a student forever, and it actually came true.  

I’m not ashamed of those being my reasons for carrying on to PhD study. It brought me to my PhD which I’m almost finished with and it’s given me a dream. 

There were many reasons why I chose to stay at Kent for my MA. Canterbury was a city that felt like home and I wanted to stay living here. In terms of the staff, I had developed good relationships with them and received a great quality of teaching and dissertation supervision. I had an idea of my research interests, but I wanted to find out more – I didn’t quite feel like a historian yet.  

If I had to give advice to a UG student considering PG life, I’d say go for it! I justified it to myself as most people have a degree these days; a PG one is a way to stand out. But when you’re doing your Masters, make sure you get involved in PG specific events and things that are going on in your school. Know what career you’d like to get to at the end, and consider employability and work experience to enhance your CV with that goal in mind. You’re only here for a year for a Masters, so it all seems like a lot, but know your limits and ensure self-care is on your radar. And most of all, enjoy it. 

–Ellis Spicer, Research Postgraduate, School of History 

It may be cliché to say, but everyone should treasure their memories of University. While the workload may at times seem insurmountable and each essay title not too dissimilar to the next, there is always someone who can help.

Having moved beyond my undergraduate course at the University of Kent, I can say without a doubt it was the support that saw me through. Through the guiding hand of my seminar leaders, I met a seemingly innumerable number of deadlines with confidence. The range of experiences on my course broadened my horizons and have helped me to become a more focused individual.

When the threat of the occasional close deadline appeared, the Support and Wellbeing department saw me through. Their mentoring offered me a relaxed environment where I could talk through my issues.  When buses failed to appear yet again or there was another inter-club scandal, someone in the University would always be there to comfort me.

The experiences I have had and the friends I have made during my time at Kent have changed me for the better. University has helped build my confidence and I am excited for whatever comes next.

-Angus Nisbet, English and American Literature MA

Encouraging good mental health has always been something I have been passionate about, having suffered from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, anxiety and depression for the majority of my life. Coming to university, I found that my illnesses were exacerbated at first, as having to completely adjust to a new life can be stressful for anyone. Through a lot of trial and error, I have found ways to cope with my mental health and all the stress that comes with being mentally ill. Hopefully some of my experiences will help other people during their time at uni too.

I was privileged to have joined UKC Student Minds and be the President of the society for the past two years. Working alongside and forming friendships with other students who have had similar experiences to me was fantastic for not only normalising my experience but allowing me to develop a strong support system that has uplifted me throughout my time at Kent. As a society, we have pioneered important conversations around mental health, expanded our reach and created a safe space for mentally ill students in Kent to find support and assurance. Joining a society like ours is fantastic for creating these support systems for yourself, but any society where bonding and friendship is encouraged will be hugely beneficial to your mental health; humans are not solitary creatures, and we thrive with one another.

One of the most important things I had to learn on my mental health journey was the art of self-care. A lot of people think that it’s all bath bombs and face masks, and whilst I do love nothing better than wearing a sheet mask and watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians, there is a lot more to it than that. Self-care is doing the ‘boring’ things, like cleaning your room or brushing your teeth. It’s practising CBT techniques like Socratic thinking and thought journaling. It’s allowing yourself the opportunity to cry. Your feelings and emotions are valid and acknowledging them and allowing yourself to feel them is essential to nourishing your soul and furthering the healing process.

Seeking help is never something to be ashamed of or avoided. It is undeniable that access to mental health services is getting increasingly difficult, and the cost of these services can perturb people from utilising them. However, there are a lot of free services that you can access, especially during your time at uni. I have been very lucky to have accessed the therapy services at University during my time at Kent; I had an assessment with the Wellbeing Centre, who then organised twelve free sessions for me. In my second year I went through a charity called ThinkAction, who helped me address my OCD and the behaviours behind it. I made the decision to begin medication and consulted with my doctor about whether or not it was the right thing for me. I utilised online services like BigWhiteWall, where you can anonymously talk with your peers and develop an online support system.

Everyone’s mental health journey is different. We all cope in different ways, experience things in different ways. But as long as you form your support system, share your thoughts and feelings, and take the time to give yourself the love and care that you deserve, things will become more manageable. You’re never alone, I promise.

-Ellen Dean, English and American Literature and Creative Writing