Category: Networking

What if your first job didn’t have to be the perfect job?

Posted on by Careers Service

The graduate market is increasingly competitive, so getting that grad scheme is becoming more difficult. 

However, grad schemes aren’t the only route into graduate employment and it’s OK if your career doesn’t have the most conventional beginning, middle, or end.

At the start of October, five Bristol alumni joined Bristol Connects Live: Squiggly Careers Alumni Panel event, to prove that their ‘squiggly’ career paths have been just as valuable, if not more so, to their personal and professional development than a traditional, linear path.

From starting a career with Teach First to now working for Amazon; an English degree to a Senior Data Scientist at Deliveroo; or even a History degree to Editor for the Financial Times, these alumni shared their career journeys to prove that your first job won’t necessarily be your forever job.

Panellists included:

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SME Internship Scheme: Finding an SME Internship at a careers fair – Windō

Posted on by Careers Service

Last academic year, final year Engineering Mathematics student Patrick approached Windō at the Get Hired careers fair, and as a result was able to secure an SME Internship with them. 

We caught up with Oli, founder and CEO of Windō, and Patrick to hear about how a chat at a careers fair led to a connection…and an internship!

Windō 

Windō is a free platform for students to easily access, digest and compare the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) progress and plans that companies are making to drive positive change across sustainability, diversity, equality and inclusion, and employee wellbeing.

A photo of Oli talking to a student at the Get Hired fair.

“Hi, I’m Oli, CEO at Windō.

We were invited as a Sustainability Partner to have a stall at Get Hired in the Spring. It’s always a great opportunity to demonstrate our platform to students and meet the very people we built Windō for.

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Graduate stories: Working in software development at Ghyston as a Bristol graduate

Posted on by Careers Service

Meet Bristol graduate Izzie who now works at Bristol-based, independent software company Ghyston, as a Software Developer.  

We caught up with Izzie to hear all about her journey from Chemistry student at the University of Bristol to where she is now: 

A photo of Izzie laughing in a group at a desk, as a colleague holds up a construction made of multi coloured plastic blocks.
Izzie, (centre) at a Ghyston training day.

“It’s a pretty well-worn path. Primary school, secondary school, A-levels, university, but what next?  

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Access arrangements at careers fairs.

Posted on by Careers Service

Our annual 2-day careers fair, the Employer Showcase, is back, bringing brilliant opportunities to network and foster connections with potential employers.

The event runs on Wednesday 11 October and Thursday 12 October from 12:30 pm to 4 pm at Bristol Beacon, providing the chance to discover a whole range of work experience, internships, and graduate roles from employers of all backgrounds.

  • The Careers Service will be located on the Lower Ground Floor of the venue and will be available to answer any questions that you might have about the showcase.
  • There will be the opportunity to receive bespoke advice from our Careers Advisers, as well as the chance to get a professional headshot taken for your LinkedIn profile – please register using this form to express your interest: LinkedIn Headshot Registration Form
Two members of the Careers Service, both female, smiling underneath a signpost that reads "Register here"

Our careers fairs are for everyone, so if you:

  • Suffer from a long-term physical or mental disability
  • Are neurodivergent (including but not limited to Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dysgraphia, and Dyscalculia)
  • Have any access requirements to be fulfilled
  • Are apprehensive about any aspects of the event

We are here to help make the day as easy as possible for you.

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Prepare for the fair!  

Posted on by Careers Service

With our two-day careers fair, the Employer Showcase, fast approaching, here are some of our top tips to help you prepare for the day.    

The Employer Showcase is happening on Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 October, from 12:30 p.m. to 4 pm at Bristol Beacon, Trenchard Street. If you haven’t already, make sure you book your place on mycareer.  

First and foremost, the Career Fair Plus app will be your best friend for navigating the Employer Showcase and making the most of your time there.  The app offers an interactive floorplan, resources to research ahead of time, and filters to view your employers of interest to guide you through your experience.  

Top tip: There are different employers attending each of the days, so we recommend coming along on both days to get the most out of it.  

Once you’ve downloaded the app and got a feel for what to expect at the event, here’s what you can do to get the most value out of the two days:  

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Bristol Connects: How one click of a button solved all my job hunting and career fears

Posted on by Careers Service

Hi, I’m Avellina, a recent Biology graduate from Bristol and I’m here to tell you how in my final year all my worries about job hunting, choosing the wrong career and job applications vanished and it’s all thanks to Bristol Connects.

With graduation looming, all the responsibilities and changes that were coming up weighed heavily on my back. For the first time in 17 years, my life wouldn’t be structured by exams, lectures and academic calendars. Instead, my life would diverge into an entirely new, unique path as I pursued my first job.

Amongst the excitement, fear and the uncertainty for what lay ahead, one thought routinely replayed in my head: How am I going to achieve my dream career?

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Founder’s keepers – advice from a working start-up

Posted on by Careers Service

The New Enterprise Competition 2023 has come to an end. We caught up with finalist Ben Wainwright who comes loaded with lived experience from the world of start up.

Tell us about yourself and what sparked your interest in entrepreneurship.

Remap founder Ben Wainwright.

My name is Ben Wainwright and I am a co-founder and CTO of Remap Mental Fitness.

At Remap, we teach working professionals and global brands how to train their mind to improve how they think, feel and perform.

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Bring your whole self to work: LGBTQIA+ careers support and advice

Posted on by Careers Service

At the Careers Service, we understand that your identity is an integral part of your career journey and want to help you navigate any challenge you may face.  

We actively promote diversity and inclusion and aim to provide a safe space for LGBTQIA+ students to seek guidance. We can help you find inclusive employers, with applications and support you with bringing your whole self to work.

Our Support for LGBTQIA+ students page, includes further information about support available both within and outside of the University.

We offer support on how to develop high-quality CVs, cover letters and applications, prepare for interviews, apply for further study and more.     

An Adviser and student in the Careers Service reviewing a CV together.

You can contact us on Live Chat, check out our events, book an appointment, or drop in from Monday to Friday, 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm during vacation periods, and 10 am to 4.30 pm during term time.

Researching LGBTQIA+ inclusive employers 

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Post-Get Hired checklist: make the most of your connections.

Posted on by Careers Service

Bristol Beacon’s Get Hired event on Wednesday 3 May brought together more than 750 students with 40 employers from a range of industries, offering immediate job vacancies, graduate roles, and internships.

Fair sponsors, Outlook Energy, talking to students at the Get Hired careers fair.

But attending the fair is only the first step – what you do next can determine your success in building your network, finding a mentor, or landing your dream job.

The employers at Get Hired were impressed by the quality of students they met, and as we know Bristol students are the 4th most targeted by top graduate employers, so it’s important to capitalize on that positive impression and keep the momentum going.

Here are some tips to help you maximise your post-fair experience.

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Top tips for getting into the arts sector

Posted on by Careers Service

The arts sector offers an incredible range of exciting and diverse career options. However, navigating it and figuring out how to get onto your chosen career path can be unclear.

The creative industries don’t tend to mass recruit so you might have to think a bit differently about how you find and approach opportunities.  

A paintbrush covered in red paint surrounding by a circular splatter pattern on a white background.

Understanding what kinds of experience and qualifications you need in order to pursue your desired career is an important first step.

Many industries expect to see a portfolio or are looking for specialist skills. Our sector guides are a great place to start when looking to kick-start a career in the arts.

These helpful guides have tailored information and advice about industries such as the performing arts, digital media, and heritage.

Finding work opportunities

Finding opportunities in the arts can be more difficult than in STEM. Less opportunities are widely advertised in the arts industries, particularly in very competitive sectors such as film and television.

Making speculative applications is therefore a great way to target your energies towards the companies and the roles that you would like. Even if your application is not successful, speculative applications can be a great way to get on a company’s radar and make connections which may help you in the future.  

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