Second Year Psychology

What are your plans for the future after completing your studies at Exeter?

After graduating, I would like to work for Google and in the foreseeable future start my own company in business coaching/consulting.

How has the Career Zone helped you with your employability and future career planning?

I have had several appointments with Kate in a range of topics such as preparing for my mock interviews and general career advice when I had a lack of clarity in which direction I would like to head in. These meetings have been very helpful as they have increased my awareness into what I would like to do after graduation, and the skills I need to improve to get to my desired destination.

Are there any other employability activities (in addition to your studies!) that you think have helped you to further develop your skills and future career ideas/plans?

My part time role in Marketing for a company called ActionCOACH has further developed the skills I wanted to improve, for example written and verbal communication skills along with paying strong attention to detail.

Are there any particular barriers or challenges that you are either facing or have overcome in realising your future career plans and aspirations?

The main barrier I faced in the past was self-sabotage – I had beliefs that I had to have A LOT of experience to get a place at the Internships I applied for. While some experience is usually required, it is your passion and keenness to make a difference in the company that matters the most.

What advice would you give to other students to help them with their career planning?

I would personally book onto an appointment with the Career Zone to help you discover some of your interests regarding your future career aspirations and take some valid online assessment which will also help you discover what you value in a workplace (ask Career Zone about this).

Second Year Law 

What are your plans for the future after completing your studies at Exeter?

I see myself completing the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE) in order to be qualified to work as a society in an International commercial law firm in London.

How has the Career Zone helped you with your employability and future career planning?

The Career Zone provided me with many opportunities that exposed me to the world of commercial law for example, recommending me to be a participant in the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship. This scheme allowed to access support such as a one-week work-experience at Freshfield and it was extremely useful because it allowed me to see the work undertaken in an international commercial law firm. This made me realise that commercial law is the field that I want to work in. Gaining this interest was possible because of the support I was provided with by the Career Zone.

Are there any other employability activities (in addition to your studies!) that you think have helped you to further develop your skills and future career ideas/plans?

The one-to-one interview with partners across different law firms exposed me to the assessment centre style exercises that I must expect when applying for graduate roles at commercial law firms. Being able to be interviewed by a partner or a consultant allowed me to understand more about the firm’s area of specialisation and their objectives. This was especially useful as I was able to use it in my application to demonstrate my interest to the firm.

Are there any particular barriers or challenges that you are either facing or have overcome in realising your future career plans and aspirations?

I was able to overcome the barrier of having no connection or network to any of the law firms in the UK however, through the supported provided by the Career Zone, I am now in a position where I understand the firms that I want to apply to and can show my interest to the firm in a unique way that would make me stand-out.

What advice would you give to other students to help them with their career planning?

Start preparing early because most firms start ‘scouting’ for their trainees from first year at university. Research thoroughly for different opportunities provided by the firm that you want to apply to and start drafting those applications.

Any additional comments/reflections?

If you are in first year, I would highly recommend you to search for first year schemes. This is as I am aware many firms offer first year schemes, and this is a good opportunity as at the end of the programme, firms tend to assess those who participates for vacation scheme and potentially training contracts.

‌English and Drama Graduate (2020)  

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What are your plans for the future?

I plan to pursue opportunities in marketing, management and social enterprise. I am eager to learn more about how to leverage creative solutions in the business of ethical and sustainable goods, as well as empowering people to upskill and thrive.

Are there any particular barriers or challenges that you are either facing or have overcome in realising your future career plans and aspirations?

As a mixed-race, working-class and care-experienced woman, I felt like an impostor during my University experience and as I developed professionally. I soon realised I had to perform 10x better than my more advantaged peers to achieve the same successes, and this made me feel isolated during society activities and in the student community. I was once told I was “lucky” for being selected for my exclusive internship, and although I am grateful to have had the experience, I found this patronising, as the odds are stacked against me and people who share my struggles. I have therefore been learning to tell myself that I deserve these opportunities just as much as anyone else, and I’m still working on it!

How has the Career Zone helped you with your employability and future career planning?

The Career Zone had brilliant schemes and resources which helped me to excel. Firstly, as a student from a low-income background, I was offered a free 1:1 consultation after taking the MBTI Preference Test to help me think about my working style and improve my self-awareness. I also received £250 from the Employability Fund to go towards rent during one of my internships, as well as funding from the Access 2 Internships Programme during my time as a social media assistant at Exeter Cathedral’s Library & Archives. I also thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the Grand Challenges programme, in which my group and I won the “Best Student Group” Award. We continued this project via the Students as Partners Scheme.

Are there any other employability activities (in addition to your studies!) that you think have helped you to further develop your skills and future career ideas/plans?

If you are a student that grew up in a poor household, you’re one of the first in your family to go to University, or you went to a state school where only a few of your classmates went to University, sign up to UpReach. UpReach have tailored programmes of support to help you gain knowledge and connections about top graduate employers that you might be interested in. UpReach made the most unlikely of career options accessible to me through Insight Days, video forums and an exclusive internship with Unilever, one of their partner employers. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the support I got from UpReach massively broadened my horizons and I would thoroughly recommend the programme to any who is eligible.

I have also won multiple awards during my time at University, including the UpReach SSMA “Creative Industries Award” at the House of Lords in 2019, and the “Community Champion Award” at the 2020 Virtual Associate Awards Ceremony. As the President of UpReach Society, myself and the team also won the “Best Society Event” at the 2020 Students’ Guild Awards for running a speaker-panel that amplified the voices of student-parents, refugees, estranged and care-experienced students. Sometimes having an award or accreditation that recognises your work can really help boost your CV!

What advice would you give to other students to help them with their career planning?

One thing I learnt is that confidence comes with experience. It’s been two years since I failed my first assessment centre, and since then I have been rejected for multiple jobs. The more experiences you have, the less frightening they are. With practice, you’ll feel comfortable enough to be bold and let your brilliance shine through.

My most valuable piece of advice would be to look for support and ask for help when you are stuck. When I went into care, I thought I had to do everything by myself, but it’s okay to not know where you’re going and how you’ll get there. That’s what the Career Zone, your lecturers, and organisations are here to help you with! Make the most of what they have to offer, you won’t regret it.

Second Year Psychology Student

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What are your plans for the future? 

I hope to pursue a career as a Clinical Psychologist after completing a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, and to support and empower individuals with mental health difficulties.

To fulfil this, I aim to apply for roles within the field of psychology after graduation, such as an Assistant Psychologist, Clinical Associate Psychologist, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, or as an Educational Mental Health Practitioner to build up both my clinical skills and research expertise.

In the long-term, my goal is to support people from ethnic minorities who may have experienced greater difficulties due to racism, discrimination, and a lack of culturally sensitive professionals which may be preventing these individuals from seeking treatment. Unfortunately, a quarter of people from ethnic minorities do not feel comfortable to share their mental health issues because they believe that others will not understand, and I hope to combat this barrier by providing a culturally sensitive safe space to listen to their experiences with compassion, empathy, and a lived understanding.  

How has the Career Zone helped you with your employability and future career planning?

The Career Zone has helped with my employability and future career planning. For example, I completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality test, which highlighted the strengths of my personality and potential areas I need to work on. The test helped me to recognise that I am a hard-working, empathetic individual which suited my future career path of clinical psychology, whilst importantly identifying the need to ensure that my devotion to my career does not tip the scales of a healthy work-life balance.

In addition, I have received great one-to-one support from specific staff members in the Career Zone, who helped explore the various professions possible within psychology, as well as practical steps to enhancing my employability portfolio. The staff members I had the pleasure to work with, specifically supported students from widening participation backgrounds, which was extremely useful to consider the added practical considerations as an independent student.

Furthermore, the career support from the Psychology Department was quite helpful, as they hosted various networking events to learn from the current professionals and alumni who are working in psychology. This developed my networking abilities and understanding the specific application process for the various professions within clinical psychology. There were also several internships advertised by the Psychology department.

More recently, I have applied for the Access to Internship (A2I), which is a programme for widening participation students, to gain relevant paid work experience in an internship of my own choosing, whilst overcomes the financial barriers widening participants students may face. I hope to do my internship with a clinical psychologist, working on current psychological therapies adapted for religious minorities as well as running my pilot study for my future research into ethnic minority experiences of mental health.

Are there any other employability activities (in addition to your studies!) that you think have helped you to further develop your skills and future career ideas/plans?

I would say to attend the optional seminars hosted by the Psychology department to develop career awareness. They also advertise job opportunities, such as working with special educational needs children and young people, which is an incredibly rewarding employment opportunity I am involved in.

By attending the optional talks, I was able to network and join several research projects in developing new therapies which has increased my enthusiasm for clinical research.

Recently, I have recently been accepted as an UpReach Associate, which is a programme that offer long-term individualised career support, such as writing an effective CV, role-playing mock interviews, and practicing employment assessments.

Are there any particular barriers or challenges that you are either facing or have overcome in realising your future career plans and aspirations? 

Yes, there are a several barriers that I must be mindful of in relation to my future aspirations, such as being an independent student from a South Asian background.

Fortunately, through the support of the Guild staff, such as Claire Botham, and the Career Zone staff, such as Kate Foster, I have been able to access opportunities to overcome or manage these barriers.

An incredibly helpful way of managing the lack of diversity barrier within clinical psychology was joining a mentoring scheme for aspiring clinical psychologists from racially minoritized backgrounds. This helped validate and consider ways to overcome these additional barriers, and seeing a range of diverse clinical psychologists helped me believe it was possible for me too. 

What advice would you give to other students to help them with their career planning?

My advice to others would be to start early, and try not to wait until your third year. This gives you plenty of time to make the most of the career opportunities that are available to you. It also means that post-graduation, you might be panicking less because you have slowly and consistently worked on your career profile to build your confidence in joining employment after university.

In addition, I would say to apply to as many opportunities as you can, such as becoming an UpReach Associate for tailored career advice, or internships like Access to Internship (A2I), or mentoring schemes like Ask an Alum. This is especially useful if you are a widening participation student, and to make the most of the opportunities available to you so that you feel confident and competent when you finish your studies to fulfil the careers you hope for.

Even though they send so many emails, try to read the emails the Career Zone send, or you might just miss a great opportunity.

If you have not yet done so, sign up to Handshake. They advertise a host of helpful career events such as Careers in Psychology talks and advertise a variety of internship opportunities for a range of disciplines. If you do apply for internships, be mindful that it is competitive process but that you can bolster your chances by getting support through the Career Zone, and the more times you try, the more likely your next application could be a success, so keep trying your best.

Any additional comments/reflections?

I would repeat the advice my lecturer gave me, which is to be shameless. Researchers and employers love when you show an interest and genuine enthusiasm for their work, and if you are shameless and ask for the opportunities you want, the worst that can happen is they say no, but the best that can happen is you get yourself a unique opportunity because you were brave enough to ask. So, be shameless and good luck!

Second Year PhD Part time – Education

What are your plans for the future after completing your studies at Exeter?

I hope to work at a university, teaching and undertaking research. I am also interested in working in professional services within this sector, supporting other students. My passions are equality and inclusion and I hope to work in these fields.

Are there any particular barriers or challenges that you are either facing or have overcome in realising your future career plans and aspirations?

I have always found interviews very challenging. I have issues with working memory due to dyslexia and anxiety and often interview questions can be long winded and multi-faceted and I lose track of everything I want to say. I have recently started advocating for myself in interviews and asking interviewers to give me time after each question to make some very quick notes so I can make sure I have hit all the points I want to make in each answer. I even had one experience where when I explained my needs prior to interview (it’s always best to make these sorts of requests in advance) and the interviewer made the decision to send all the interview questions to all the candidates in advance, so everyone had the chance to prepare- I thought that was an amazing example of someone recognising that the person who is best in the interview scenario is not necessarily the best person for the job.

How has the Career Zone helped you with your employability and future career planning?

I am currently taking part in an internship through the Career Zone. I am working on a project called Employability Monsters which seeks to work with widening participation students to help them with the barriers they face in employability.

Taking part in this internship has been a great opportunity for me to develop my skills and knowledge working in research. Working on research projects beyond my own PhD not only builds my CV but also allows me to experience and practice using different methodologies which I could adopt in the future.  This project has also given me an insight into other professional services, and possible career paths, available in the HE sector.

Are there any other employability activities (in addition to your studies!) that you think have helped you to further develop your skills and future career ideas/plans?

My career goals have shifted and changed over the years, but I have always found work experience to be a great way to shape my thinking and decision making with regards to my career. When you enter a work-place not only do you get a real feel for the everyday reality of a job but it also may open up new ideas and opportunities for your career that you previously haven’t considered. If that work experience can be paid (and it should be if you are doing more than observing!) then you also have the opportunity to support yourself in the present while planning for the future.

What advice would you give to other students to help them with their career planning?

My advice to other students is to take advantage of all the opportunities available to you at university. That might be resources and activities available from the Career Zone, but equally it might be taking a leadership role in a university society or taking part in opportunities in your department such as attending lectures or conferences that are not a requirement for your degree.

Final Year Criminology and Sociology

What are your plans for the future after completing your studies at Exeter?

Apply for a job directly to the organisation.

Are there any particular barriers or challenges that you are either facing or have overcome in realising your future career plans and aspirations?

My main barrier has been having to juggle motherhood with pursuing higher education. With my daughter’s health issues, I usually have to dedicate a considerable amount of time caring for her when she’s not at school. My future dream job (HM Customs) will mean having to travel around the country; and might be challenging with caring responsibilities.

How has the Career Zone helped you with your employability and future career planning?

• 1:1 career advice
• Attending the following sessions:
  • “Finding and applying for jobs as a mature student session
  • Creating a successful CV
  • Writing an effective cover letter
• Keeping me informed about the current internship vacancies.
• Career Expert Scheme

Are there any other employability activities (in addition to your studies!) that you think have helped you to further develop your skills and future career ideas/plans?

Participating in the ”Employability Monsters” research project to help the Career Zone understand barriers and challenges of students from underrepresented groups and support needed to overcome them.

What advice would you give to other students to help them with their career planning?

First to seek career advice, and Career Zone support is the best place to go before beginning to plan.

Third Year MMathematics with proficiency in Spanish 

What are your plans for the future after completing your studies at Exeter?

I am thinking about further study, such as a PhD or working in the investments or charity industry.

Are there any particular barriers or challenges that you are either facing or have overcome in realising your future career plans and aspirations?

Having been a recipient of free school meals and support from various sources, such as the Career Zone, I have seen first-hand that providing support to students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds allows them to flourish and surpass all expectations, just like I have done. I am forever grateful for the help I have received throughout my childhood and am very enthusiastic to support individuals who are currently in a similar position to the one that I once was. This led me to start my own community interest company called U.LIST, which is the hub of opportunities to socially mobilise young people. U.LIST bridges the gap between young people and the opportunities available to them, through a family network of U.LIST members, podcasts, a catalogue of social mobility organisations and so much more. If you would like to find out more, please feel free to drop me a message!

How has the Career Zone helped you with your employability and future career planning?

Initially, I wanted to study Fine Art at university but changed my mind at the last minute to Mathematics because I really enjoyed it. This meant that when I came to university, I had no real idea of the jobs that where available to me with a Mathematics degree. However, through attending Career Zone employer talks and being open to new opportunities that are continually posted on their online platform I was able to find out more about different professions.

You can receive tailored support from the Career Zone in the form of 1-to-1 appointments, highlighting how personal the service is. Additionally, they can signpost you to other useful services that students may be eligible for. For example, the Career Zone informed me of a social mobility charity called upReach, which has been so valuable to me and I am so grateful!

The Career Zone has been instrumental in developing both my personal and employability skills, in addition to preparing me for my future career after university. Alongside this, the Career Zone has allowed me to meet other like-minded individuals and have insightful conversations with my peers about topics that truly matter.

Attending lots of Career Zone webinars and workshops throughout the first lockdown was really lovely. Not only was it super helpful, but it was really nice to see some smiling faces and have a positive discussion despite the current climate. I leave every Career Zone event feeling both proud and productive, and also with a range of achievable action points that I can focus my energy on to become even more successful in my career journey.

Additionally, the fact that all University of Exeter students have access to the Career Zone and their facilities for life is really amazing. It’s so reassuring to know that you are not alone and that the staff are here to help you even beyond your graduation.

Are there any other employability activities (in addition to your studies!) that you think have helped you to further develop your skills and future career ideas/plans?

Not only has the Career Zone helped me develop as a person but has also facilitated ways in which I can support my peer. For example, I have joined as a mentor in the Peer Mentor Scheme run by the Career Zone, where I am able to use my skillset to support other students and widen the participation in higher education.

Over the past year I have completed both the Exeter Award and the Exeter Leaders Award run by the Career Zone. These are both employability achievement awards that help you to reflect and set goals for your self-development. They are a great place to start for students who want to get more involved with the university, local community and the professional world- I highly recommend them!

 What advice would you give to other students to help them with their career planning?

My advice to other students regarding career planning would be to be excited to fulfil opportunities for yourself- and if you can’t find any opportunities for some reason, create them! Additionally, I would advise students to remain as positive as they can in all situations and to try and encourage a positive mind-set for the peers around you too.

Any additional comments/reflections?

I love the Career Zone! Thank you so much for all your help so far, I am excited for the future!