Making Choices: An Introduction to Career

Planning

Career Development CentreUniversity of Ulster

Aim:

To provide an introduction to career planning

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the session you will: Understand the process of career decision making Undertake some self-assessment Be aware of your values and their importance in

career decision making Gain an overview of the opportunities available post

graduation Identify major influences and trends in the graduate

labour market

Employability

“A set of skills, knowledge and personal attributes that make an individual more likely to secure and be successful in their chosen occupation(s) to the benefits of themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy”

Employability

“To be employed is to be at risk.To be employable is to be secure”

Throughout your working life you need to be flexible, understand your capabilities and sell

them to employers.

Employability – the hard facts A university degree is not enough to make you

employable You need a range of skills that you can articulate to

employers There are more students obtaining degrees than

there are “graduate” jobs It is still worthwhile obtaining a degree. Without it you

are not even on the starting blocks. http://gradnav.ulster.ac.uk/units/unit-s028.shtml

The Career Planning Process

Self assessmentWhere am I now?

Opportunity assessmentWhere do I want to be?

Taking actionHow do I get There?

Self Assessment Important to find job satisfaction by matching

personality, skills, interests and values to the occupation chosen.

Employers think hard about “fit” between an individual and the company.

Understanding yourself is an important step towards presenting yourself well through applications and at interview.

Self assessment

“It is essential that you make an appropriate choice-it’s difficult to succeed in a job to which you aren’t suited or committed”

( PricewaterhouseCoopers)

“This is no place for timid people who fold under pressure”

(Civil Service Fast Stream)

Values

“Those elements in your life you find personally important”

Core beliefs against which you measure your choices whether consciously or not.

Your values can help you understand where you might find a role in society and are often a strong motivator for work

http://gradnav.ulster.ac.uk/units/unit-v006.shtml

What Do Young People Want From a Job?

Meaningful work (84%) Job security (82%) Having time for personal or family activities (79%) A company that displays corporate responsibility

(72%) Showing social and environmental responsibility

(58%) Able to earn lots of money (50%) Able to wear casual clothes (27%)

(The Guardian)

Company Values

Look at the emphasis placed on how they:

Care for their customers Treat their employees Achieve and distribute their profits Develop and grow their business Demonstrate social responsibilityhttp://gradnav.ulster.ac.uk/units/unit-ce030.shtml

What Do Graduates Do?

Higher degree-research/taught Vocational course- teaching/social work Training programme Employment Stop-gap job Voluntary work Time out

The Field of Employment Jobs directly related to your degree

Jobs indirectly related to your degree

Jobs open to any graduate

Jobs Open to Any Graduate Accountancy Administration Banking Civil Service Computing/IT Human Resource Management

Employment Options Linear Progression- continuing in your subject area Changing Emphasis- using your skills in a different

area Taking a New Direction- retraining or using your skills

in an area unrelated to your degree

http://gradnav.ulster.ac.uk/units/unit-ce010.shtml

The Graduate Labour Market Impact of globalisation and new technologies Demand for a flexible and mobile workforce Growth of service industries and decline of

manufacturing Importance of SMEs Expansion of higher education Increased competition in job market Decline of graduate recruitment programmes

What is a Graduate Job? Traditional established professions Modern graduate jobs-newer professions New graduate jobs-occupations now requiring a

degree Niche graduate jobs-specialist areas where the

majority of employees do not have degrees Non-graduate jobs

Starting Your Career Planning Begin with yourself-your interests, abilities, skills

and ambitions. Consider your values Research your options Be aware of the labour market Set realistic goals Start your planning early in your university career