Tag: Career Planning

Where Can You Find Us

We’re located right at the heart of campus in One Elmwood Student Centre. We host a lot of our development workshops, information sessions and leadership programmes in The Cube, on the 1st floor (just take a right at the top of the first flight of stairs). Meanwhile our bigger events, such as our Spring and Autumn Recruitment Fairs, are held in the Mandela, Whitla and South Dining Halls. We also host pop-up events in the Foyer of One Elmwood throughout the academic year. Stop by our stand and meet our guest employers, or chat to our team about what’s coming up this semester.

On the University website

We have lots of self-help resources on our website. From personality tests to our free work values tests, get online and find out what truly motivates you. You can research careers options by School or sector, get interview and CV tips and get inspired by alumni career advice. You can also browse and book our broad range of events and programmes.

On the MyFuture app

Every Queen’s student has free access to MyFuture, our early career management platform which has its own app. There are loads of free tools in there.

Use it to:

Search and apply for jobs • Discover employers
Access 1-2-1 careers guidance
Book events
Check your CV

Online

You can opt to have an online careers consultation. Just select the online option when you are booking your appointment via MyFuture and you’ll be sent joining details for your online appointment. Alternatively, you can book a 15-minute online appointment with one of the Global Opportunities Team to hear more about study and work abroad opportunities. The drops ins take place every Tuesday and Thursday, 12-1pm.

In person

You can book a 1-2-1 appointment to speak to one of our team in confidence. Our consultations take place in the guidance rooms at the rear of the 1st floor of One Elmwood, opposite the Student Information Point. Book your appointment via MyFuture, then check in for your appointment via the Student Information Point.

In your School

We deliver workshops in your School to help you discover career options relevant to your degree. We also bring employers into your School for bespoke talks and events. Our annual Stock Market Challenge and the Accountancy Business Games are just some of the exciting games and challenges we run in Schools across campus. You’ll also find us on Canvas, the University’s virtual learning platform. Our free Future- Ready Skills Course will help you develop the personal and professional skills that major employers are looking for.

On location

Fancy a tour of top law firms in Belfast? How about a visit to leading public sector and not-for-profit organisations? We organise workplace visits to employers’ offices in Belfast and beyond. We also host challenges off-campus, such as the annual Real-World Challenge: Inside the Prison System, held at Hydebank Wood Young Offenders Centre and Prison.

Tags Advice, Career Planning, consultants, consultations, CVs, Development, future-ready roadmap, Future-Ready Skills, Global Opportunities, jobs, MyFuture, student experience, student success, work experience

Careers programmes

Explore the World

Every year over 900 Queen’s students take the opportunity to go outside Northern Ireland to study or gain work-related experience. Why not be one of them? There are loads of options and we can help you research them – from studying in Europe or Canada to interning on Capitol Hill.

Take advantage of a period of study at an overseas university or an international work placement as part of your degree. Some degrees (especially those with a language element) include a compulsory year abroad. These are generally four-year courses, during which you’ll spend a year either studying at a partner university or on work placement with an employer. Many other degrees offer the option of participating in a study exchange scheme for one or two semesters, usually in your second year. The ‘semester abroad’ option allows you to graduate within the usual three years. There are also lots of summer options available, when a longer period abroad is not possible.

Go Global Fair

Our annual Go Global Week gives you the chance to chat to organisations that can offer you an experience of a lifetime to study, work or volunteer abroad and to hear from other students who have already taken part.

Funding Options

If a semester or year studying abroad is a recognised part of a degree programme, whether compulsory or optional, you should still be entitled to a student loan whilst overseas. Government or University travel bursaries are also available for a range of international programmes, to help with the additional costs of your overseas travel.

Confidence Boost

Whilst overseas, you’ll load up on confidence and independence. What’s more, you’ll be eligible to apply for your period overseas to be considered towards the Queen’s Future-Ready Award (DegreePlus). The Award provides official recognition of your improved employability skills, global and cultural awareness and increased self- confidence and motivation.

Tags Advice, Career Planning, consultants, consultations, CVs, Development, future-ready roadmap, Future-Ready Skills, Global Opportunities, jobs, MyFuture, student experience, student success, work experience

Careers programmes

Our Events and Programmes

Post author By Joseph Curran
Post date 5 September 2023
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We make employability an essential part of the student experience at Queen’s. Our events and programmes are designed to encourage you to try new things, meet new people and build relevant skills and experience, both at home and overseas. Here are just some of the highlights for the year ahead.

Fairs on Campus

Our Autumn and Spring Fairs are an opportunity for employers to showcase their graduate roles, internships, placement and work experience opportunities to Queen’s students.

Webinars and workshops

Our Future-Ready Skills Bitesize programme will help you understand the skills employers are looking for and identify any gaps. Delivered online, these sessions cover everything from dealing with imposter syndrome to communication skills. Our live workshops in The Cube include Selling your Transferable Skills and Finding Your Purpose. You can also access the Future-Ready Skills Course through Canvas, the University’s virtual learning platform. The course will help you develop the personal and professional skills that will support you both at Queen’s and beyond.

Future-Ready Skills for Leaders

Our hugely popular leadership programme Future-Ready Skills for Leaders, is a three-day event of business games and challenges designed to develop teamwork, management, leadership and presentation skills held in semester 2 in One Elmwood.

Future Ready Skills for Leaders: Go Global

This global leadership programme brings together students from across the University to work on projects and develop skills that enable them to become change- makers. The project work is enhanced by a visit to an international city to meet with alumni and other professionals working in a range of companies. Last year, students travelled to Boston.

Future-Ready Skills for International Students

Our international student employability programme is designed to help you discover how to build your personal brand, craft an effective CV and cover letter for the UK job market and learn all about the nuances and etiquette of the UK workplace – including how to ace that all-important interview!

Spotlight on… Industry

Our Spotlight On… City tours include visits to local and global law firms based in Belfast, as well as an opportunity to tour local public sector and not-for-profit organisations. We’ll also be hosting key players from the creative industries during a panel event in The Cube.

Real-World Experience

We offer access to valuable and impactful work experience through work shadowing and internships. During our Real-World projects, you’ll deliver a short sharp project with a participating employer, while our funded summer internships offer the chance to gain valuable experience and earn a salary. Work shadowing is a great way to try a career on for size to see if it fits.

Real-World Challenges

Covering topics including overhauling the justice system and tackling climate change, our Real-World Challenge series gives you the opportunity to tackle a real-world problem, then persuade the experts, while developing key employability skills in the process. Meanwhile, our Stock Market Challenge offers the chance to simulate the excitement of the trading room floor right here on campus.

Global Opportunities

You’ll find out about the wealth of work and study abroad opportunities open to you at Go Global Week, culminating in the annual Go Global Fair. We also host a series of information sessions throughout the academic year.

Go Global, Work Local

Our Working Globally From NI internship programme allows you to build up experience with an international company from right here in Belfast.

Widening Participation Mentoring Programme

Our Widening Participation Mentoring programme is designed to help talented university students from underrepresented groups succeed in their early careers.

She Leads

Our She Leads Programme for Women is an opportunity for aspiring future women leaders to discover their unique strengths, values and behaviours and develop their sense of agency as they learn to assert themselves, improve their communication style and limit self-doubt.

For event listings, visit here

Tags Advice, Career Planning, consultants, consultations, CVs, Development, future-ready roadmap, Future-Ready Skills, Global Opportunities, jobs, MyFuture, student experience, student success, work experience

Careers programmes

Match with the Right Opportunities

Post author By Joseph Curran
Post date 5 September 2023
No Comments on Match with the Right Opportunities

MyFuture is your early career network and career management platform accessed via desktop or via the Symplicity app. It makes it easier for you to find the right jobs and work experience opportunities.

Log in with your QUB email Every student at Queen’s can log on to the platform for free using their Queen’s email address and password, and you can continue to enjoy access for up to two years after graduation.

Search and find opportunities

There are currently over 2,000 employers active on the platform. Thanks to Al and smart technology, the system will match you with opportunities based on your previous searches and QSIS data so the most relevant events and jobs will appear in your searches.

Free Tools

You can access loads of free tools via MyFuture including:

VMock, our free automated CV Checker
Student Circus, a platform for international students seeking work in the UK
GoinGlobal, a platform offering 16 million worldwide internship and job postings
Practice Psychometric Tests
Mock interviews

Tags Advice, Career Planning, consultants, consultations, CVs, Development, future-ready roadmap, Future-Ready Skills, Global Opportunities, jobs, MyFuture, student experience, student success, work experience

advice Career planning consultants consultations

Meet our Career Consultants: Carmel Colton

Post author By Joseph Curran
Post date 7 August 2023
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Careers Consultant Carmel speaking with a student

Carmel Colton

My name is Carmel and I’m a Career Consultant working within the Careers, Employability and Skills team here at Queen’s.

A Career Consultant provides impartial and confidential career information, advice and guidance

We do this through 30 minute one-to-one career consultations.

These can be done either online or face-to-face in the new One Elmwood Student Centre.

There is a Career Consultant aligned to each school in the university, so you’ll often see us out and about in your classes,

supporting the delivery of careers and employability within the curriculum.

The career consultation is perhaps very different from what you have previously experienced within the school system, as you take a more active role in the process.

You will be able to consider your next step and put a plan in place to move forward.

There are many benefits to engaging with a Career Consultant, regardless if you know

exactly what you want to do, have absolutely no idea what you want to do, or maybe somewhere in between.

Making a career decision can often be overwhelming and confusing.

The best part of my job is that every day is different.

It aligns with my personal values of helping and supporting others

and making a positive contribution to those around me.

The worst part of my job is seeing students that are overwhelmed and anxious about their career prospects, while the best part is supporting those students to recognise their own potential, to build their confidence and to reach their aspirations.

Tags Career Planning, consultants

Career Options Career planning Mock Interviews

17 Typical (and normal!) Frustrations for University Students who are career planning

Post author By Joseph Curran
Post date 15 March 2023
No Comments on 17 Typical (and normal!) Frustrations for University Students who are career planning

Sometimes in university it can feel like graduation is coming faster than you anticipated and worries about your post-university future are seemingly always on the rise. This can lead to undue stress during university.

But never fear, the QUB careers service is here!

Here are 18 typical frustrations that university students encounter and how the QUB careers service are here to help dispel your worries.

Uncertainty about career goals and interests

Book a 1-2-1 consultation and we’ll help you narrow down your career options based on your skills and interests.

2. Difficulty in finding internships or job opportunities related to their field of study

You can search and find internships relevant to your course in MyFuture

3. Balancing academic workload and career planning activities

We offer events and programmes throughout the year, including during the Easter break so you have as much chance as possible to build your CV.

4. Lack of relevant work experience or skills

Our events and programmes are designed to help you build relevant skills and experience at Queen’s.

5. Financial constraints in pursuing career development opportunities

We offer a number of funded internship opportunities that give you the chance to earn while you learn.

6. Pressure from family or peers to pursue a certain career path

We’ll help you figure out the career that you are most suited to, not what others think you should do.

7. Feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of career options available

We’ll help you narrow down your career options to those most suited to your skills and interests.

8. Fear of making the wrong career choice

Our work shadowing and internship opportunities allow you to try and career on for size to see if it fits.

9. Limited networking opportunities with professionals in their desired field

We host a number of employer events to allow you to build your network.

10. Difficulty in creating a strong resume or cover letter

Book a 1-2-1 appointment for a CV check.

11. Lack of knowledge about industry trends and job market demands

Our Careers support is informed by the latest industry knowledge and job market trends.

12. Difficulty in obtaining informational interviews with professionals in their desired field

We can connect you with industry professionals and give you an insight into professional life in key sectors.

13. Feeling unprepared for job interviews or assessment centres

Book a 1-2-1 appointment to prep for a job interview or assessment centre.

14. Difficulty in balancing career planning with extracurricular activities or personal commitments

You are developing employability skills and personal qualities through those extracurricular activities. We offer flexibility of online or in-person consultations to help you verbalise the skills you’ve been building up.

15. Lack of motivation or direction in pursuing career goals

Early career planning is about building skills, meeting new people and having fun. Our events and programmes can help you.

16. Feeling discouraged by the job search process

We can help you focus your job search by skills and interests.

17. Difficulty in transitioning from student life to the workforce

We will help prepare you for the world of work by developing your workplace skills while at Uni through our Future Ready Skills Course. Internships can further prepare you for the transition to working life.

You can check out upcoming events here, or book 1-2-1 careers consultations here

Tags Career Planning, Careers Service, consultations

Applications Career planning Careers programmes CVs Future-Ready Skills international students interview interview tips Interviews Mock Interviews Skills

Top Takeaway from the Future-Ready Skills Sessions for International Students

Post author By Joseph Curran
Post date 15 March 2023
No Comments on Top Takeaway from the Future-Ready Skills Sessions for International Students

University students jumping in the air celebrating

In our series of four sessions for international students running in both semester one and again in semester two, students discovered how to build their personal brand, craft an effective CV and cover letter for the UK job market and learn all about the nuances and etiquette of the UK workplace – including how to ace that all-important interview!

The final session brought all these skills together in the Assessment Centre Bootcamp.

Missed out? Here is the top takeaway from each session!

Session 1

Key takeaways from Session 1 – UK Recruitment Process

– Get organised, know your application deadlines

– Sell your skillset as an International Student

– Do something outside your degree

– 100% of session respondents are planning to book further CES sessions!

Session 2

Key takeaways from Session 2 – CV’s

– Format matters, make your info easy to find

– If you don’t write it, employers can’t read it

– Change your CV for every job application

– Use VMock for written CV feedback

Session 3

Key takeaways from Session 3 – Interviews

– Know the company and the industry

– Use the STAR technique

– Show you would be a good fit for their team

– Book a mock interview with a Careers Consultant

Session 4

Key takeaways from Session 4 – Mock Assessment Centre

– Keep to time

– Don’t forget to listen

– Put your phone away

Missed this event? Check out other upcoming events here

Tags Career Planning, CVs, Future-Ready Skills, international students, interviews, mock interviews

Employer Engagement Employer events Employer Insight Employers Gradfest2021 student success Student success stories

Five Tips for Building a Career Around Your Passion

Post author By Aoife Stuart-Madge
Post date 22 July 2021
No Comments on Five Tips for Building a Career Around Your Passion

Natasha Sayee, Head of External Communications at SONI Ltd, the electricity system operator for Northern Ireland on how she harnessed her passion to drive her career.

Natasha Sayee, Queen’s Law graduate and Communications lead at SONI LTd.

Don’t rule anything out

When I was at Queen’s, if you told me I’d end up as a senior manager at a utility company, I really don’t think I would have believed you. I have a love of geography and environment and of nature. And I was a young Greenpeace activist. But I also had a love of debating, of the stage and of public speaking and was involved in local radio from I was about 16. . I wanted to be on TV. And I wanted to move in to reporting using my investigative nature, my passion for public speaking and my love of current affairs to become a reporter. And that’s what I did. I completed a Law degree. Then I moved to England where I did a post grad in Broadcast Journalism, worked my way through the BBC, until I was the most senior general reporter in the Belfast newsroom, and acting Ireland correspondent. And I worked on every story imaginable from the MTV Europe awards coming to Belfast to the unfortunate economic downturn and from elections to crime. I was at the top of my game, but it wasn’t exciting anymore. It wasn’t a challenge. And so I stepped into business, I haven’t looked back, I lead a team of amazing PR, Media Communications and engagement specialists doing the most challenging work I’ve ever done. What’s amazing about this role is that it’s a complete blend of everything I’m good at and interested in, so people, current affairs, and with that focus that we have on climate change. Well, I just come full circle in terms of my love for the environment and sustainability, which I really care about.

2. Challenge yourself

I am really passionate about what I do. And if it’s challenging, then I bring my best every day. If ever it forces me to drive hard, then it is something I will stick with. And if you’re like me with a fire in you, with that drive, harness that passion, hook it into your career, and keep moving until it feels right and you will succeed. A Law degree from Queens has provided me with a really solid platform to allow me to make all of these jumps and leaps. It says to an employer that you’re informed, you’re considerate, you’re investigative, you’re confident and analytical. You could be a judge, it could be a barrister or a solicitor, an in-house solicitor, or you could become a reporter, or you can become a business leader… with a Law degree from Queen’s, really the world is at your feet.

3. Don’t be blinded by passion

I think at times my passion has blinded me, particularly perhaps when I was at the BBC, where I would have gone through walls to succeed without perhaps taking on board others or their feelings or collateral damage, really. And you can really only get so far on the steam of your own passion. To be truly successful, you need to take that passion, use it to motivate others, collaborate with them, understand what makes them tick. And then think about how you can combine all that fire together to achieve. All that’s possible. Passion is a great thing to have. It’s a warrior’s traits, but create your battalion. Don’t do it on your own, network and make those friends for life. I mean, my best friends are my family. I met them at Law school at Queen’s, they’re my units; they’re my power source. I just couldn’t imagine life without them.

4. Be a team player

You know, people with passion are warriors, we’re fierce, we’re strong. But I’ve learned that that can be intimidating. And that can lead to isolation. So don’t do a solo run, find your squad, find your network, your Battalion, you’ll achieve so much more together. And it will be a much better experience for you. You need to be empathetic as well. What issues are your colleagues dealing with at home? How can you support them? You know, really, relationships are the absolute cornerstone of good business, taking time to get to know those you’re working with. If someone doesn’t sound right in the phone, you’ll know that they there’s something wrong or if someone is on a video call, but maybe isn’t making as much of a contribution as they would normally. Well what’s going on, you know, you need to find that out and try to help that’s really important.

5. Give your passion context in an interview

If you’re interviewing for a role, display your passion proudly, and it will shine through, but make sure you back it up. And that means giving examples of how you’ve put your passion into play, to go the extra mile, whether that’s being top of your class in your subject, whether that’s volunteering, coaching others or taking on extra training. And try to keep a lid on your passion during an interview. What I find throughout my whole career, and it continues to this day, is that nerves and passion can be a really dangerous combination. So it can go one of two ways. You can appear arrogant and overconfident, , or you can get jittery, and you can end up waffling. So breathe, prepare, prepare again. And when you get into that room, whether you’re presenting or you’re sat in front of an interview panel, plant yourself, like a big oak tree, you know, really sink your feet into the floor, like you’re growing roots, and take some time to blossom. Channel that passion that you have to keep focused on what’s important and look after yourself and others. Passion is an exceptional standout quality. But it is like magic. And you have to challenge it and control it and make it work for you.

You can stream Natasha’s recent talk on the Gradfest2-21 site here:

https://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/graduate-support/UpcomingLiveStreams/

Tags Career Planning, communication, employer advice, Employer engagement, employers, Gradfest2021, Law, Leadership, passion, soni LTD, student success

Career Options Career planning Careers programmes Digital publications Graduate success prospects Publications

6 Paths to Take After Graduation

Post author By Aoife Stuart-Madge
Post date 6 January 2021
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*Contemplating the road less travelled: student blogger Maeve McDermott*

‘What now?’ is a question many of us will be asking ourselves this summer following graduation. Three+ years of lectures, tutorials, assignments, deadlines and structure that a post-graduation world doesn’t offer. Whilst this can be daunting and the post-graduation fear is real, it’s important to remember that there is no one right next step – there are a multitude of routes you can take after you finish your degree, and Prospects Student Career Guide 2020/21 takes you through just some of the options available.

Graduate scheme

Perhaps the most conventional route, a graduate scheme job or ‘professional level’/’high skilled’ job is a structured scheme whereby employers target graduates’ skills and experience and are normally available to those achieving a 2:1 or above. These schemes are run by many leading UK employers across all industries and often last 1-2 years, with many graduates offered a permanent role following this initial period. It’s worth doing your research if you have a specific company in mind – look at their website and social media channels to familiarise yourself with their work culture and values. Recruitment processes and timelines for graduate schemes vary from company to company so be sure to be aware of these well in advance.