August 19, 2017, by Laura

First Year, No Fear: How You Can Start To Think About Your Career

By Laura Sage, BA Hons English (2017)

When I was in my first year, lots of my friends were of the mindset that there were three or more long years ahead of them, and with all the settling in, getting to grips with their course, and making friends, their career could take a back seat.

However, I didn’t – and it paid off. By second year, I had secured two internships, written 18 blog posts about showers, and my CV was filling up with experience.

Here’s how I did it.

1. I joined a society

One of the most useful things I did in my first year was getting elected to a society committee. When I went to apply for my first internship, I had so much experience to talk about. Be it planning events, marketing or networking. These experiences proved valuable in interviews as I could answer questions with solid examples.

2. I visited the Careers and Employability Service

The Careers and Employability Service offers lots of invaluable services. From CV reviews to skills workshops and one-to-ones.

Getting your CV polished can be the difference between not getting called in for an interview, and landing that interview. It’s easy to get an appointment and you can get one-on-one help with whatever query you have.

3. I went along to a Spotlight On

Some of my favourite events are Spotlight Ons because you hear first-hand from people who already work in different industries, and you get the chance to speak to them at the end. Read my review of last year’s Spotlight On Working with Words.

4. I bagged some part-time work

Doing a bit of work experience alongside your degree is a great way to gain experience in your first year. I found some great low-commitment gigs through Unitemps – and earned a bit of cash along the way.

Are you in your first year? Take a look at our first year career timetable or have a flick through the 2018 Careers Handbook to get a flavour for how you can get involved.

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