Queen's Careers, Employability and Skills

Hey everyone – I bet, like me, you’ve come across this phrase in job descriptions and elsewhere. But do you know exactly what it means? Do you know it’s something you need to be aware of whenever you get to writing those job applications?

What is commercial awareness?

Having commercial awareness simply means having some understanding of the way a ‘business’ operates, whether you’re a student of business/finance/ management or other areas of work; or even if you’re going for a job unrelated to what you’ve studied. And when I say ‘business’ this can mean your typical corporate employer as well as any other kind – it’s all about looking at a situation with a ‘business head’ on, taking a commercial perspective. You’ll need to be thinking about questions such as what makes a business or organisation successful, and why? How is the company you’re applying for positioned in the market, and what are the implications of its market position?

Employers may well use interviews and assessment centres to suss out your commercial awareness. You might get asked, for example, to evaluate the commercial implications of a particular situation / scenario. One thing is for sure: the further your career progresses the more likely you are to depend on this knowledge in making professional decisions. Developing your commercial awareness will therefore be of importance throughout your career, particularly when you’re fighting for promotion.

How to improve your commercial awareness?

One of the most straightforward ways to improve your commercial awareness is to stay on top of the news. Get into the habit of reading quality papers, news journals or online services, particularly related to your field. Get informed about what the major companies in your sector are up to by checking out their websites. Find out about issues and developments that are influencing these companies and organisations.

You could also think about work experience as a way of gaining commercial awareness. Work experience will provide you with indispensible insights into the commercial prospects, challenges and opportunities facing the companies you work for, regardless of whether you work as a volunteer, part-time or full-time, or just over the summer holidays. Even if your work experience isn’t directly in or related to the field in which you want to eventually develop your career, you’ll still learn a lot just by being in a commercial environment. Make sure to ask plenty of questions when you’re there, and try to get your head around the internal commercial practices of the firm you’re working for. This will allow you, when updating your CV, to say that one thing you gained from your experience was insight into how an organisation works on a day-to-day basis – this is something employers like to see.

You might also find an opportunity to develop commercial awareness by getting involved in extra-curricular activities. Managing societies, organising and promoting events, or dealing with budgets and cost considerations will all help to give you an insight into the sorts of issues that play out for any company.

That said, I’m absolutely positive many of you will have some commercial sense and awareness already. So it might be a case of thinking about what you have learnt, where from, and how you might be able to illustrate all that when writing your next application or updating your CV.

Using your Easter holidays effectively

With the Easter break all but upon us, I’m sure you’re keen on taking some time out over the next few weeks. But don’t forget your career plans entirely: Easter is a really good time to take stock, get away from the daily pressures of classes and reflect a bit on where you’re going generally and where you want to go in the future. It’s also perhaps the best (and last) chance to finalise your plans for this summer – soon enough after Easter you’ll get caught up in preparation for your exams, then suddenly they’ll be over and it’ll be too late to plan anything effective. So yes, do relax and enjoy the break. But keep thinking, reflecting and find the odd moment for a bit of indispensible Google and other research…

Okay, so that’s me for a while – Have a great Easter and I’ll see you all again in May as we will then be fast approaching the Northern Ireland Graduate Recruitment Fair (http://www.nigradfair.org/) which will be taking place on Tuesday 12 June.

Hey everyone, today’s topic will in all likelihood be of relevance throughout your life. No matter how much you dread thinking about it you’ll always have to make applications, write CVs and attend interviews. So why not get a grip on some of the issues as early as possible to help you make the most of your opportunities? This blog will give you a few initial thoughts on what to think about when attending interviews or writing applications and CVs. And of course there’ll be the usual hints of where to go for more information!

CVs and Cover Letters

First things first – submitting a smaller number of really good and well-thought through applications will give you a much better chance of success than submitting ten superficial applications. So if you’ve decided that job, internship or post-graduate course is really worth it, be sure to invest time in the application.

Start by having a close look at the company and at the job description, and work out exactly what they want and expect. Then think about how this might match up to your own skills and experiences, and be sure to highlight these in your cover letter. No-one’s perfect at everything, but do think about what you might do to smooth over any glaring deficiencies – always put a positive spin on things.

When it comes to writing a CV, focus on the sections you think will be decisive for the job you’re applying for and give due space to the most relevant info – talking about your part-time job is all very well but think about how the skills and experience developed in it are transferable to the job you’re applying for. Remember you may need to adapt your CV slightly for each position you apply for.

Make sure your application is clear in style and easy to read. You might want to consider varying your style a little and avoiding a CV that’s just an endless list of things – if you were an employer would you want to read a list of modules, qualifications, jobs and so on, or something a bit more interesting?? Watch out for spelling mistakes, especially regarding the name of the company or of staff. Oh, and be sure to get someone to proof read your applications, cover letters and CVs. When you work on documents like these for a long time, all the time you spend with the details can blind you to glaring problems elsewhere. Careers, Employability and Skills at Queen’s can offer you guidance on this – make sure to check it out.

Interviews

Before attending an interview, spend some time thinking about some practical things, like how you’ll get there and how long it’ll take you. Make sure to give yourself some to spare in case something unforeseen happens and so you’ve some time to relax once you get there.

It sounds obvious, but take some time getting your appearance right. And first impressions count, so be sure to smile when you walk in (even if you’re nervous!). Try to be conscious of your body language – keeping eye contact (not too much!) with your interviewers can make you come across confident and sincere.

I know, that’s a lot to think about when you’re probably most worried about delivering smart answers to the questions they throw at you! To help with this, it makes sense to look back at your application and the job description to work out in which areas you think you might have to work hardest to convince them. Think about how you might deal with it in an interview if you’re challenged on these points.

It never hurts to anticipate difficult questions, and to prepare some answers to them in advance. You might also think about some typical interview questions and how you’ll answer them. Questions such as “Why do you want this job?” “What makes you particularly suitable?” “Where do you see yourself in 5 years time” and “Describe a time when you…(eg showed initiative or worked in a team)” are often asked, so be ready for them! That said there’s a balance – you want to come across as a thoughtful, reflective human being, not a robot, so don’t work out your answers to the last detail and over-rehearse them or it’ll show; it might also make you inflexible if the question is worded slightly differently! Try using the STAR approach to structure your answers – it helps to keep things clear and straightforward:

S ituation

T ask

A ction

R esult

See the online Queen’s Careers Guide at the website for more details. As ever, there’s lots more information on how to put together a winning application and perform well at interview on the Careers website, specifically under Careers Videos. Here you’ll find streamed videos on aspects of the recruitment and selection process that you can access through your Queen’s Online account. You can also look at the The Careers Guide, specifically the sections on applications, interviews and assessment centres.The Graduate Prospects www.prospects.ac.uk and Gradireland www.gradireland.com websites are also useful resources.

Well, that’s me for today! Bet you’re looking forward to your next application already Be sure to join me again next week.

Hey everyone, the further you progress in your studies and the closer you get to those final exams the more focused you’re likely to get While it might be pretty tempting to put off the hard work you need to invest in your long-term future (all those applications forms/CVs, all those interviews…) until you graduate its quite a risky strategy. For one thing, it might mean you miss out on a lot of opportunities, and if you do that, you might find yourself hanging around for a lot longer than you’d bargained for after graduation trying to get organised and get yourself into a job, training or post-graduate course.

While of course I don’t want to suggest you don’t work hard towards your final exams, it’s really important to remember why you started university in the first place – as the first step towards that particular dream profession or life you’re after. While good grades are brilliant and mark a real personal achievement, if we’re talking strictly Careers here, then they’re but one aspect useful for your future in terms of achieving your long-term goals.

So, now is the time to start thinking about what should come after graduation – it’s not too late; not all the jobs have gone! In fact, there will be the annual Northern Ireland Graduate Recruitment Fair on Tuesday 12 June at Jordanstown, co-ordinated by Careers, Employability and Careers at Queen’s and the Career Development Centre at University of Ulster. Make this a date for your diary.

Whatever you have in mind – or even if you’re torn between different ideas – do something about them now! That might mean writing applications, or it might just mean thinking them through properly. I promise you, it’ll be worth it! Apart from anything else, it can be great motivation to know you’ve got something waiting for you after graduation. And even if not all your grades turn out the way you wanted them to, it probably won’t hit you as hard if you’re able to see beyond University.

As always, if you need any help to get heading in the right direction, why not get in touch with a Careers Adviser? To make an appointment either drop into the Student Guidance Centre or call 028 9097 2727.

Hey everyone, well, spring’s finally on the way, the temperature’s picking up and there’s even a few patches of blue sky beginning to appear here and there in the Belfast grey. I’m sure you’re all looking for summer to finally get here – yep, no studies, no stress. Then again, I’m sure lots of you also have to work to get some money either to finance holidays or your studies, and as you’ll be another semester closer to finishing university you’re probably also thinking more and more about your long-term future.

Can you kill all these birds with one stone? Of course! How about looking out for a job or internship that will give you plenty of work experience and networking opportunities as well as bringing in some money? There are still opportunities available for summer work experience – internships, seasonal jobs, such as working on summer activity schemes for children, other temporary jobs or taking a placement abroad through a programme and combining working and travelling. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for why not try some speculative applications for work experience using a CV?

Finding ideas

As ever you’ll find lots of opportunities at the Careers website, especially in the work experience section of the Vacancy Database, and also by registering for the Queen’s Jobshop. Keep an eye on the vacancy pages of local newspapers as well as Job Centres.

If you’re looking for opportunities abroad, check out some work and travel organisers such as BUNAC or USIT. It’s also really worth keeping an eye on the websites of big international companies you might have been in touch with at the Work Experience Fair last month or at a previous Career Fairs, as they may still have work experience opportunities here or outside N Ireland. If you got contact details from a recruiter you talked to at a fair or event, you should also think about approaching them to follow up your interest.

Check out the summer schemes run by Belfast City Council, which offer students opportunities to get involved as employees or volunteers and take place in different centres across Belfast.

And don’t forget to use those networks! Let your friends and relatives know you’re looking for summer opportunities. And if you’ve completed a placement in a company before and you want to build on that, why not get in touch with them? It never hurts to ask!

What to do next

Well, I’m sure you’d ideally like to avoid stacking shelves in your local supermarket while your friends are doing something much more exciting. Take some time now to explore the possibilities so you’re not forced into taking the first job when things get tough after university. The earlier you start, the more opportunities you’ll have and the easier it’ll be to balance your job with other activities, family, holidays with friends and so on.

That said, your summer also has one very essential purpose for your career – it recharges your batteries for your next, possibly final year at Queen’s and will give you the energy you’ll need to get through your assessments. So be active and do something – but don’t forget to relax too!

I hope this has given you a few ideas to get you started. See you next week!

Hey everyone, at the end of last year I wrote a general blog about postgraduate study. But here I want to just say a few words to encourage early research and planning if you’re thinking of this option, especially if you’re thinking of doing it outside Northern Ireland. So if the end of your degree is still a way off, what sort of things might you be thinking about already with regards to further study?

Is it for me?

Well, if you can think of nothing other than getting done with University as soon as possible, then maybe not…studying isn’t for everyone. But for many of you, postgraduate study might just be the perfect next step, not just in terms of getting a valuable qualification but also for giving you breathing space and the opportunity to work out where you want your career to go.

That said, studying as long as possible isn’t always the best career move. Postgraduate qualifications aren’t necessary for many careers. In such cases work experience or a graduate job might be better options. The ‘Types of Jobs’ section of Graduate Prospects www.prospects.ac.uk and the ‘Jobs With Your Degree’ section of Gradireland www.gradireland.com are a very useful way to check entry requirements for loads of different careers – dip in and see what you can find out.

But with other careers, a postgraduate course may be a requirement or, if you’re intent on one day reaching that top rung of the career ladder, you might well need to start out with a Masters Degree, or PhD, or get one en route. And even when they’re not a prerequisite, they might help you to stand out from the crowd. Last week we discussed networking, and postgraduate study can be a good opportunity to network with others who’ll be working in your field, particularly as classes tend to be smaller and you’ll have more contact with lecturers and academic staff.

But if you’re unsure whether postgraduate studies will help you, check out the above websites or look at job adverts targeted at graduates in your field: they might give you an idea of what employers expect. You can also discuss this with a Careers Adviser through the drop-in service at the Student Guidance Centre, or make an appointment with the Adviser linked to your subject area. Call into the Student Guidance Centre or phone 028 9097 2727.

The advantages of forward planning…

If you’re in your penultimate year (or even before that), starting to think about your postgraduate study options now might bring you some real advantages. For example, I’m in my second year of my Politics course, and I found out recently that if I want to get into politics (in Germany) it’d be really advantageous – if not essential – to get a postgraduate qualification.

Also, if you are interested in studying abroad – maybe in the USA, Australia or closer to home in Europe – you need to start early. From my experience, applying to study in a different country always takes longer than you think it will, and of course, preparing for moving and all the little details that go with it can be complicated. So make sure you get a head start. Starting the process of researching courses and universities in other countries and making contact with them needs to be started ideally in your penultimate year. The ‘Country Profiles’ section at Graduate Prospects has information on lots of different countries around the world, and each profile includes information on postgraduate study. Organisations such as the Fulbright Commission www.fulbright.co.uk which specialises in information about the USA are also a great source of info.

Next steps

If you’re considering postgraduate study you should start to think about:

What kind of course am I interested in?

There are probably parts of your degree you enjoy most, or feel most comfortable with (ideally they’re the same thing!). So keep a look out for corresponding postgraduate courses. Don’t forget though that a non-vocational Masters or Diploma won’t necessarily improve your job prospects. On the other hand, if you’re feeling disillusioned with your current course, postgraduate study might be the perfect opportunity to do something slightly different.

Which are the leading universities in my field?

The world doesn’t begin and end at Queen’s! As well as considering what QUB has to offer it’s worth giving some thought to applying to other universities because:

1. They may offer courses which are a closer match with your interests
2. Their courses may be the best ones in that particular field in terms of teaching, research and reputation
3. Greater potential for networking, from which you can benefit afterwards. They may also have good contacts with industry leaders – just the sort of people you need to be talking with.

When should I apply?

Check out the relevant postgraduate pages on the Queen’s site, and at other universities. Some vocational courses have early closing dates, such as PGCEs, while others are later.

Oh, and one last thing. There is of course an elephant in the room – I haven’t said a word about funding so far. Well, it’s certainly a thorny issue. But here’s perhaps not the best place to go into that again – if you’re worried about money take a look at the Blog from November for some thoughts on this.

So, whatever you’re thinking, and whichever stage you’re currently at in your university career, now is the perfect time to start thinking about how you can make the most of all those opportunities!

See you all next week!

So I’ll bet my last pound most of you regularly use Facebook, Twitter and/or other social networking sites to communicate with friends, share pictures and news about events. But have you thought about how social networking sites might help with your career? Today’s blog is all about giving you a few insights into what social media might mean for your career…

Here’s a truism: whatever you do in life, you’ll probably need to network. You’re unlikely to be able to manage without it in graduate-level employment. It’s a vital skill for being successful in working with other people, whether colleagues, peers or customers – or all three – so that’ll be most jobs, then! However, it can also be a crucial skill when you’re busy searching for work, or placements and work experience generally.

At Queen’s we’re busy meeting people all the time, mostly those who study similar subjects and who may well go on to work in relevant fields. Social networking sites can be helpful in seeing how their career evolves and might thus throw open possibilities for you to network or get help in finding suitable jobs or work experience. Don’t forget you are also meeting others, such as employers and work experience providers at careers fairs, presentations etc or even those you meet when doing internships or part-time jobs, and these can also become part of your network and support your career later on.

It’s also worth incorporating social networks into your career research and jobsearching.. Many businesses have their own Twitter account and a dedicated page on Facebook through which they communicate vacancies or information and possibilities about graduate schemes. You might also get a lot of useful information by joining interest groups or taking part in online chats related to your field.

If you’re currently only using private social networking sites, try looking for some that are specifically directed at professional networking, such as LinkedIn, which can be really helpful in maintaining networks with people you were at uni with, as well as others; also for checking out people working in areas you are interested in. And of course, don’t forget the Queen’s Careers, Employability and Skills Service has its own page on Twitter and Facebook, which gives you a good place to start and an easy way to keep up to date with careers events and activities.

And now the obligatory warning, which I’m sure you’ve all heard before: employers can use Facebook too – so you might want to think twice before making all those embarrassing drinking pictures publically accessible!Now, of course you might think you have the right to do whatever you want with your free time, and really why should your future employer care? Well, maybe…but is it worth the risk? Employers can and do use the Internet to research candidates – maybe now’s a good time to Google yourself and see what comes up.

In general it’s worth thinking about this aspect, as well as all the positive benefits of social media for developing your career. After all, most social networking sites give you a lot of control about what information should be accessible to others and I would definitely encourage you to explore these possibilities and make a conscious decision on whether or not your social networking accounts should appear on Google, how to separate private and professional contacts, whether (and which!!) pictures should be visible and to who, whether to make your comments accessible, or your private information (on hobbies, relationships…) A lot of sites will also give you the possibility to post the sort of information you might find on a CV, which is worth thinking about.

Right, well, I don’t know about you, but I’m off to create myself a LinkedIn profile – hope this gave you something to think about, and I’ll look forward to you joining me again next week!

Hey everyone, I hope you all enjoyed the Work Experience Fair last week and got loads of ideas out of it! Today we’re going to talk about how you can find out about the events and workshop sessions offered by Careers, Employability and Skills at Queen’s. We’re also going to look ahead to some of the events coming up over the next few weeks.

Firstly, if you’re a penultimate year student, you’ll have hopefully received your e-shot from your school by now, highlighting career events and info relevant to you. Make sure to keep hold of it as it will remind you of events and useful links that are particularly relevant for you. It’ll be helpful for planning ahead and making life bit less stressful later in the semester.

As always, you can also find this information and a whole lot more on the Careers website. You’ll need to register first though in order to get access to everything (its dead easy to do this), but once you’ve done that you’ll be able to find job vacancies, placements, check out events and so on. You’ll also be able to use the Careers Events Calendar to search and register for particular types of events, or create your own careers calendar by adding reminders. As I’m prone to getting dates muddled up, I always keep an eye on the Careers this Week page, which gives you a handy summary of all the events taking place in the week ahead.

If you read last week’s blog I talked there about a few upcoming events, like Skills for Success workshops and DegreePlus introduction sessions. But take a moment to check out the Calendar – you’ll see there is much more happening then that.

For example, there are some big events taking place a bit later in the semester which are definitely worth keeping in mind – these are great opportunities to meet employers, talk to them about what the work and organisation is like and how to stand a chance in the recruitment and selection process. These events are aimed at a range of disciplines and levels so check them out:

Engineering and Physical Sciences Symposium

11am-2pm, Monday 12^th March 2012 in the Ashby Foyer

Life Science, Agri-Food and Environmental Event

12pm–3pm, Wednesday 21^st March 2012 in the Great Hall

Accountancy Mini-Fair

11am-1pm Tuesday 6 March

These will be going ‘live’ on the Events Calendar very soon and more details about which employers and organisations will be attending will be available soon. So, get your diaries out and start planning! I hope you found this week’s blog helpful and will join me again next week when we are looking at social media and its applications to careers.

Hey everyone, today’s blog is all about participating in extra-curricular activities so as to give yourself that ‘certain something’ in order to catch the eye of potential future employers. The idea is quite simple. If you were an employer looking at 100+ graduate CVs and job applications, what would you be looking for? What sort of things in an application would make you definitely remember an applicant?

At the moment PwC in Northern Ireland are recruiting for their Technology Consulting graduate programme. They tell us:

“PwC in Northern Ireland is an integral and important part of our UK Consulting business.  We’ve established a Technology Centre of Excellence that will deliver specific business solutions for our global clients and we have outstanding opportunities for graduates. To find out more and apply now go to  http://www.pwc.com/uk/en/careers/student/index.jhtml”

The closing date for the above opportunities is Friday 24 February, so don’t delay applying if interested. The thing is – what are you going to say in your application about your skills and experience to get their attention?

Of course, developing employability skills isn’t the only reason for getting involved in extra-curricular activities. The other side is that gaining experience outside your studies can help you to find out what you’re interested in and passionate about. It’ll also give you confidence in working environments beyond University and will enable you to put what you’ve learnt during your studies into practice. Oh, and it might be fun as well!

Work experience

One of the most straightforward ways to get your foot in the door of your future career is to get some work experience in an area or company of your interest. Even if you’ve no idea what you want to do later on, work experience can help you find out and give you a whole load of transferable skills. There are many ways to get work experience, from year-long and summer placements, to part-time work or voluntary positions.

If that sounds of interest to you, be sure to come along to the Queen’s Work Experience Fair on Wednesday 8th February, in the Whitla Hall from 11am to 3pm. There you’ll find information about loads of opportunities to choose from.

Clubs and Societies

In addition to work experience, being involved in and around Queen’s in clubs, societies and student committees is valuable experience, and will give you a great opportunity to develop those transferable teamwork and leadership skills. It also shows potential employers that you’re an engaged and rounded person. So, if the recent Refreshers’ Fair gave you some ideas, now’s definitely the time to follow them up.

Workshops

Don’t forget to keep up-to-date with the Careers Service’s workshops and training opportunities to improve your skills and employability. There are a number of Skills for Success workshops coming up:

Time Management, delivered by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Thursday 9^th February, 4-6pm, Conference Room 1, Student Guidance Centre

Assessment Centres/Group Behaviour, delivered by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Thursday 16^th February, 4-6pm, Conference Room 1, Student Guidance Centre

Interview Skills, delivered by Citi, Tuesday 21^st February, 4-6pm, Conference Room 1, Student Guidance Centre

Sign up at www.qub.ac.uk/careers Events Calendar

DegreePlus Award

And finally remember you can easily get any extra-curricular activities accredited through DegreePlus. Why not go along to one of the upcoming DegreePlus introduction sessions. There you’ll be able to register as well as find out all about how it works. These are held regularly with the next one on:

Thursday 9^th February, 1-2pm, in Conference Room 1, Student Guidance Centre

Right, so I’ll look forward to seeing all of you at the Work Experience Fair on the 8^th where I hope we’ll all be much inspired. Join me again next week ….

Hi everyone,

Welcome back! I hope you really enjoyed your Christmas break and that the last few weeks of stressing about exam have not used up all your energy. My last exam has just finished and to be honest, I feel ready for my next holiday!

Right, so this week lectures start again – why not grab a few moments now to do some thinking about your future beyond university and maybe put together some plans about what to work on over the course of this semester. Don’t forget, the best place to start is by keeping an eye on the Careers website for job vacancies, events, information sessions and a whole lot more.

If you’re like me in your second year, the semester ahead will be an important stepping stone. You don’t have to worry yet about job applications and such, but you really are in a good place to think about a few things, such as:

What do you like most within your field of study?

How can you specialise more in that direction?

In what businesses or professions could you work with these skills?

What about looking for part-time work, a work placement or a summer job in a relevant company?

What kind of skills would make you particularly employable there?

What does Careers, Employability and Skills at Queen’s offer that would improve these skills?

To help you get moving on these questions, penultimate year undergrads will soon get an e-shot from Careers on events of particular interest to students in their school – look out for this. Otherwise, I hope you’ll stay with me over the course of this semester to keep up-to-date with all the career opportunities.

The next topic will be a look at volunteering and extra-curricular activity to build skills/experience.

Hi everybody, the teaching period for this semester is nearly over, so this is a good moment to look back on the last three months and reflect on all you’ve accomplished (or not…)

Some of you might have fulfilled all your plans and achieved what you set out to do. Some of you might not have got around to making any plans in the first place. I felt particularly enthusiastic and motivated at the start of the semester, thinking about all the things I wanted to do, from improving my CV to getting some work experience. But university life always tends to go fast – time passed by quickly, and between studying and friends, career issues got somehow put on the back burner. (Memo to self: must look at careers next semester!) Still, no matter what category you consider yourself to be in, there are some things that are worth taking a moment to think about.

Have you managed your time effectively between studying, career planning, part-time work and free time? If you find all this hard to juggle why not take a look at some of these useful time management tips? Making time for careers and improving your employability is important, no matter what stage you’re at, otherwise you could arrive at the end of your studies with no idea what to do next. If you are a Level 2 student, now is a good time to start to discuss your reflections and plans for career development during Level 2/3 with your Personal Tutor. Don’t forget the key message is always ‘the one thing you can’t afford to do is do nothing’.

How are your applications going? Do you still need help? If so, it’s worth going over your application with a Career Adviser.

If you’re still in the mood to do something before the Christmas break, there’s still more time than you think. The Lunchtime Career workshops will continue to the end of the semester:

Interview Skills 1^st, 7^th and 13^th December

CVs 30^th November, 6^th and 12^th December

Applications 29^th November, 5^th and 15^th December

Attitude tests 28^th November, 8^th and 14^th December

There are also various employer and programme presentations, such as the Infosys presentation aimed at engineering and computer science students at 5-6pm, Monday 28^th November 2011 or the Washington Ireland Programme information session for all years, all disciplines at 5.30-6.30pm, Tuesday 6 December. To find out more about these and many others just visit the Events Calendar at the Careers website for more information.

And if you’re just starting off, I especially recommend the Careers for the Clueless course, which is due to take place Friday 9^th December, 9am to 6pm in the Student Guidance Centre. There is a fee of ₤20 but its well worth it, as it includes refreshments alongside many tips that’ll leave you feeling a whole lot more reassured going into your Christmas break.

And, of course there are lots of career opportunities, activities and events waiting for you next semester, such as:

Work Experience Fair on Wednesday 8 February 2012 in the Whitla hall

Insight into Management course Monday 2 – Wednesday 4 April 2012

More Careers for the Clueless courses – details to be confirmed

Why not also give more thought to internationalising your time at Queen’s through work or study overseas. Check out Add an International Dimension to Your Queen’s Experience

I’ll be back at the start of next semester to keep you up to date with all the things Careers. So, join me again to make sure you don’t miss out on anything! Until then I wish you a very relaxing Christmas break and a Happy New Year – hopefully without too much work. Have a good one!