Life after university

I vividly remember my first few moments at the University of Southampton. After my friends from home had dropped me off and left, I was on my own in my new room at Connaught Halls. I took in the view of my surroundings. It was littered with bags and boxes that were beckoning to be unpacked. Despite the seeming urgency of the task, I instead sat down on my bed, bewilderedly thinking inwardly: what in the world do I do now?

Three years on, I have finished my last ever undergraduate exam and found myself in exactly the same situation: sitting bewildered on my bed and thinking the EXACTLY same thing. Here I was again fearing the unknown. But, as I am writing my last ever blog post for Life at Southampton, I realise that boy, are things different.

Maturity

I feel more grown up. I will be making a living soon and this has hit me HARD. When I started at university I thought I was pretty mature but you really don’t know just how much more you can change until you go through exams, coursework, a part-time job and society commitments all at the same time. I remember at one point doing 10 hour retail shifts on both days of a weekend and heading to the library after to write an essay. The fact that this paid off in the end highlighted to me the importance of hard-work and ploughing through in order to reach a goal.

Filipino Society stand at AISEC’s Global Village, part of Union Southampton’s International Culture Week 2016

Sociability

The knowledge alone that I have learnt from my course in Politics and International Relations has measurably increased my confidence. I’d like to think that today I am more comfortable getting to know new people. The 18-year-old me would never approach someone randomly at a social event to say hi. Uni life has taught me that people genuinely like to be talked to first!

If I could change one thing? In first year, I thought that the best way to meet my coursemates and new people was through ‘Dutch courage’. I look back on that now and find that this was certainly not the case. Going to lectures and actually talking to your coursemates is the best way of getting to know them.

Freshers' Week!

Analytical skills

Practical group work certainly helped my analytical skills in a team. I was part of a group which conducted qualitative research for Southampton City Council in Second Year as part of our Research Skills in Politics module (PAIR2004). In addition, a field trip to Brussels wasn’t bad either! Thanks to the Social Sciences department, I was able to take part in a stakeholder trip to the EU institutions. We were able to meet with EU politicians and NGOs and got to know more about what they do.

Politics Brussels Trip

Became independent but closer to my family

Back in first year, I struggled a lot with not seeing my family every day. I soon got used to it – it helped to have my uni friends around all the time. However, I actually found myself getting closer to my mum. We would chat on the phone once a week and ironically enough our conversations were on a much deeper level than what we had when I was living back home.

Professionalism

I can talk to senior staff and not feel scared about doing so. University really develops your employability in this way. The University of Southampton has lots of help and support available to kick start your employability from day one. I went to countless Careers talks and workshops which are invaluable for me in and outside of the work place.

Graduation Day with the family

Of course, not everyone will have the same university experience, but my time at university has taught me that you yourself can shape the outcome of any experience. Life after university hasn’t got a 100 percent happiness guarantee – your outlook will shape the outcome - much like my overall outlook on university life shaped its outcome today!

I can’t stress how much I LOVED university. The best friends that I have made here are the people I know I will keep in touch with for the rest of my life. What will I miss about it? The ability to pop round the best people’s houses and just hanging around, having a cup of tea.

If you have also graduated, cheers to you and good luck on this next step on the ladder of life. If you’re coming back to uni again next year, count yourself lucky and make the most of it! If you’re just starting uni, welcome to this amazing roller-coaster of a ride.

Rylyn Bernardo, signing off one last time.

Graduate job hunt: tips and personal experience

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a graduate in possession of a degree must be in want of a job.

But today’s job market is indeed a tough one. Fortunately, it’s not all bad. There’s a recovery on – the overall employment rate for UK and EU graduates from a full-time first degree after six months was up from 68.5% in 2013 to 70.7% in 2014, and unemployment after six months was down from 9.1% to 7.8%. The recession hit us hard but things are looking up.

Improving your chances

Something I wish I had realised earlier on is that the graduate job hunt starts from the minute university begins. Everything you do has potential to be turned to an advantage in your search. For example, if you want to make your first year count, get involved in societies or perhaps even lead one. Securing a summer internship at the end of your penultimate year is also a way of improving your chances in the successive year. But to improve the results of your hunt considerably, be the early bird by beginning your search as soon as possible!

I started applying at the start of November. This might not seem too late since most deadlines are around the end of December/ beginning of January, but some of these positions are first come first served. What’s the more, the earlier you apply the more positions you can apply for.

Refresh your GCSE Maths skills

Most graduate job applications require you to take verbal and numerical tests. I bet you thought you’d never have to work out the percentage of apples in Bob’s fruit basket again! Well, you thought wrong. The numerical tests I’ve completed so far have challenged my grasp on basic percentages, ratios, multiplications and division. This isn’t so bad, however it’s been a while since I last did GCSE Maths. Oh well, time to dig out the old textbooks I say! The verbal tests normally require you to understand a large chunk of writing. Both aren’t so bad – unless you’re pressed for time. Despite this, practice is key. There are plenty of practice quizzes online to help.

Getting Connected 

So which avenues are available and what facilities are there to support you in this crusade? Well there is a surprising amount of very useful information and support provided by the University and further afield.

The Careers and Employability team.

If you are looking for more inspiration to kickstart your graduate job hunt, or want to know how the market works, then the University’s Career workshop on the graduate job search is for you. The interactive workshop will help you discover your job hunting preferences, find out how to structure your research and begin to create an effective action plan. The dates are listed on the events calendar so make it a habit to monitor it daily.

Get LinkedIn.

A good tip is to put a link to your LinkedIn profile on the header of your CV or on any cover letters you write. Doing so allows employers to paint a better picture of you. You cease from being just another resume and employers get a chance to view you as a real person. You would be naïve to think employers aren’t using social media to find out more about you, so why not use social media to your advantage? Again, the Careers team holds workshops on how to make an excellent LinkedIn profile.


Join Careers Sites. 

For example, TARGETjobs offers a Careers Report Tool that offers an assessment of your capabilities through simple behavioural questionnaires.

Check Emails.

Don’t miss out on the buzz as some great opportunities can be found if time is taken to sift through the hay!

Student Forums.

Extremely helpful advice from those who were once in your position, I would definitely recommend you check these out if you need first hand comments on applications from students themselves. The Student Room is an excellent example.

What else can I do after graduation?

Get a Masters Degree. 

Still not ready to enter the big wide world of working life? Then why not think about further education to further specialise and attain another degree? Although it may be beyond your financial constraints, there are ways to get extra funding. The University of Southampton, for example, offers bursaries, scholarships and studentships to the most talented students. The University also has industry partnerships who offer sponsorship opportunities in some subject areas.

What’s more, once you’ve secured a place on a Masters course, you can defer it and work for a year. This way you can earn enough money to help finance tuition and living costs whilst gaining work experience at the same time.

This is just my experience so far. I’m sure everyone else’s is unique so if you’ve got time, why not comment your tips below?

Good luck on the job search!

Rylyn

Finding part-time work in Southampton

Freshers’ Week (or fortnight!) has sadly come to an end and the reality of another year at Southampton is dawning. For many this is the time to get serious about studying and sorting out your life here. For some, it also means looking for a job.

I have worked since I was 16 and I have always loved having a part-time job and earning my own money. When I first came to university working was a necessity, not an option. My student loan didn’t even cover my rent, let alone living expenses and I hate asking my parents for money, so that meant finding work.

In first year I had absolutely no idea how to apply for jobs, although I had worked since I was 16, I came from a small town where the two jobs I had were discovered through word of mouth, and needed no experience. So…where to look, what to apply for, how many hours could I afford to work a week, what did I need to be earning to survive, and what even was minimum wage for 18 year olds?!

SUSU 

I have never worked for SUSU but after walking round campus it’s obvious how many students they employ. From the SUSU Shop to The Bridge, SUSU could be a perfect way to fit employment in with your studies, especially since it works with term-time dates and around your timetable too.

Friends love the fact that SUSU will fit your hours around your timetable

Bars and Clubs

 

My first port of call in first year was Gumtree. Although admittedly not a great site for finding serious work, it’s actually pretty good for finding part time work, particularly in bars and clubs.

During my first year I worked in the coatroom of a local club. It meant getting to work for 10pm and leaving at 2/3am (if we were lucky), every Friday and Saturday. For the night owls amongst you this might sound ideal, but for me it was pure torture. It wiped out my entire weekend as I spent most of Saturday and Sunday in bed recovering from the late night, but I stuck at it, made friends amongst the staff and the pay kept me going. There are plenty of clubs and bars in the city to choose from if this seems like your kind of thing!

Restaurants

 

After finishing first year I decided that I wanted to stay in Southampton for the summer and find a job in the city, as I was unlikely to be able to find work back home. I headed out into the nearby high streets with my CV and a determined attitude. I spent one day handing out my CV and by the end of the day I had 3 job offers in various restaurants. For the next two years I was a waitress, working 20-25 hours a week (mainly at weekends), earned more than enough money to keep myself going and fortunately had a boss that understood that university came first.

I’d recommend handing in your CV by hand, and aim to go in the morning (10-11:30) or in the middle of the afternoon (3-3:30) on a weekday, not a weekend. You want to go when they are the quietest and the manager is most likely to be available. Don’t just hand your CV to a member of staff and then wander away - ask to talk to the manager, engage them in a conversation, show them that you are comfortable talking to strangers and are a friendly and approachable person. If you are not friendly and approachable, and don’t like strangers, then a job in the service industry isn’t for you.

Another important tip is to make you CV as short as possible, and avoid phrases like “I give 110%”, because it doesn’t read well. The CVs that stood out to us were the ones that fitted onto one page but still showed the key aspects of your personality and your achievements. Most restaurants (particularly chain restaurants) have their own training program and so don’t require previous experience. Don’t be afraid to go in and show them that you are capable of doing the job.

Tutoring

When I graduated from my undergraduate degree I no longer wanted to work at the restaurant - instead I wanted something that was more flexible where I could set my own hours, so I set up a profile for free on a website that connects tutors with potential tutees. I now have two regular students and have had more offers that I had to turn down due to a lack of time. Perhaps more suitable for postgraduate students (a certain level of expertise is required) than undergraduates, tutoring is actually super fun and a whole new set of skills. Plus the pay is fabulous; you set your own wage so you can expect to be earning £15-30 an hour, depending on your level of skill.

I love being able to set homework and write quizzes

 

Consultancy

For those interested in research, the University of Southampton has hundreds of active research projects which hire interns and consultants all year round, not just over the summer. Ask your lecturers and keep an ear out for what’s going on in your department. I currently work as a consultant for a Microsoft project run through ECS Partners and again, it lets me set my own wage and my own hours, and working from home is a treat compared to walking around a restaurant all day.

There are also opportunities at the University's Temp Bank, and as a student ambassador too.

Right, that was a pretty comprehensive summary, and in reality there are so many jobs out there that you really don’t have to settle for something you aren’t comfortable with. While some people love working in bars and clubs (and there enough of those jobs out there), really think about whether or not it’s for you before committing yourself to it. Most importantly, make sure that your boss is aware that University needs to come first, and they can’t expect you to just cover someone’s shift if it’s at a time that you have specified you can’t work.

In my experience, finding a job has never been too difficult and as Southampton has a huge student population, many employers are used to hiring students and are understanding about them going home for the Easter break and working around their University timetable.

Happy job hunting!

Emma

Life beyond Southampton – graduate job hunting tips

Final Year students will know that it’s not only university work that fills their thoughts, but also the prospect of job hunting and preparing for interviews.

I, of course, was one of those students this year and after a lengthy application process I am pleased to say that I have managed to secure myself a graduate role! It’s a three year training post working with a hospital’s Medical Physics department, which will result in (another) Masters qualification at the end. It is a great feeling to have found something in my favourite field and it means I have been able to fully focus on this exam season.

However, although the applications occur in your final year, the job hunting process starts much earlier than that. Throughout your University degree you will undoubtedly be introduced to a wide range of different career choices, whether that be through modules taken, careers fairs attended, chance emails received or the University’s excellent Career Destinations portal.

I first discovered my graduate role during a Medical Physics lecture in Second Year, but it wasn’t until I received an email about a series of Open Days for the programme that I began to research the position. I took the opportunity to attend one of the Open Days (even though it was in Wales!) and asked as many questions as I could, which really helped me to conclude that this programme was definitely for me.

Career’s Fairs are not just great for advice and ideas – they’re a great place to bag yourself some goodies too! 

However, even after I found a profession that I was interested in, I still made sure I kept my eyes open to other potential opportunities.

One of things I actively did was to attend all of the careers talks hosted by the University’s Physics Society, which included presentations about teaching, engineering and radiation detection roles amongst others. Alongside this I always tried to attend the many Careers Fairs that take place on campus, as well as scouring through the many online resources the University has, aware that the more exposure I receive to the world of employment, the better my chances would be of securing a job come my Final Year.

Once I had found several different ideas (including medical physics, journalism, teaching and radiation protection) I then went about trying to get experience in the relevant fields. This included securing a medical physics work experience placement last summer, where I worked at Royal Berkshire Hospital for two weeks within the various Medical Physics departments, in addition to attending even more talks and trips and of course securing this blogging role!

My advice is that there’s no such thing as bad experience, so grab every opportunity you can! 

My work experience at the Royal Berkshire Hospital proved invaluable! 

I believe that work experience is invaluable, as not only is it great for the CV, but it lets you find out if it really is the career you want. It can sometimes take a while to find somewhere willing to take you on, but if you keep persevering and stay motivated, you will find that there are plenty of people and businesses who are more than happy to help you!

My final piece of advice is how to go about applying for jobs. I always make a personalised CV for each job, only putting down the most relevant experience, as employers aren’t going to spend the time searching through pages of information for your one key bullet point! The same goes for covering letters – keep it simple and concise and emphasise your most impressive points.

However, the most important points to remember when applying for jobs are to make sure you utilise the University’s many resources to the maximum and to maintain a positive attitude throughout!

Happy job hunting!

James

The career pathway

This week the Career and Placements Fair took place in Garden Court on Highfield campus, which is one of the many different career-based activities that the University of Southampton’s Career Destinations puts on. Unfortunately I couldn’t spend much time there, since a double lecture and two hours of project work with my partner coincided with the majority of the fair’s opening time!

Despite this, I have still been thinking a lot about my future after I graduate in the summer. Regular readers will know that my interests lie in the field of Medical Physics, in addition to educational jobs and, of course, writing-based careers! Although I do have a firm direction in mind, it’s always good to still be looking, as there are many different types of jobs that you’re not aware of.
 
I attended another Careers Fair in February, which was aimed purely at Engineering and Computer Science jobs, which of course have a huge overlap with Physics. This is especially true for me because I have taken two computer coding courses and last semester I also took a sustainable energy engineering module. Although a lot of the jobs involved technical computer science knowledge, there were still a good number of businesses on display that both appealed to my interests and aligned with my skill sets. There was even one business that used similar Physics that underlies Medical Physics, but for a completely different use!

The other advantage of a careers fair – the goodies! 

In fact I’ve found this to be true for a number of different industries. In early February, the Physics Society (Physoc) held a talk from a local company called Symetrica, who are an offshoot from the University’s Physics department. They work in the field of radiation detection, producing detectors for ports and other high-security locations that range from small handheld devices to giant portals used for scanning trucks. The interesting part of their work is that these detectors use the same core Physics that a hospital’s PET scanner makes use of!

After the talk, which outlined the Physics principles behind their work and their growth and development since leaving their original home on Highfield campus, attendees were offered the chance to go on a tour of their premises two weeks later. I signed up straight away as I was keen to see more of their work and I was also interested to see what a Physics in industry looks like – I’ve always had images of mad scientists in cluttered warehouses!

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you want to look at it, there were no mad scientists in sight and their workshop areas were meticulously tidy too! The tour took about two hours, during which they showed us their products and production methods, whilst explaining more about the theory behind how the detectors worked. The company was very impressive, but more importantly they showed me that were are many different avenues into careers related to and involving the concepts behind Medical Physics.

Finally, I attended a teacher training course open evening at the University one evening last week. There currently seems to be a giant demand for Physics – and general science - teachers, and after having conversations with some of the University staff and teachers from local schools, this particular career avenue definitely remains an option for me.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve learned that there are so many different careers out there and, more importantly, that there are many different ways of getting into a particular field – something I hadn’t really considered before and something I would definitely recommend investigating yourself when you start looking for you career pathway.

James