THE OXFORD GUIDE TO CAREERS 2021
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THE OXFORD
GUIDE TO
CAREERS
pp 16–35
Developing your career ideas
pp 36–46
Gaining experience and developing skills
pp 66–143
Sector advice and alumni profiles
CREATE
TODAY.
PREDICT
TOMORROW. WELCOME TO THE
OXFORD GUIDE
O P PORT U N I T E S FO R G R A D UATES I N TH ESE A R EAS:
Quantitative Research
Machine Learning
Infrastructure
Data Analytics
G R A DUATE S A ND INTE R NS
TO CAREERS 2021
Software Engineering Human Resources We hire a significant number
of graduates and interns every I can confidently predict that this year is going to be
year from all levels ranging from quite different for getting a job. Don’t believe everything
undergraduate through to PhD. you read or hear from friends and family; as in every
time of major change or recession, there will be roles and
expanding industries that are keen to recruit you. There
Join Europe’s leading quantitative finance research A PPLY TODAY will be organisations that are winners as well as some
firm and work alongside the brightest minds in that are losers.
gresearch.co.uk/graduates To succeed in this time of change, I’d recommend you
the world to tackle some of the biggest questions
stay adaptable and open to new opportunities. Focus on
in finance. developing your set of transferable skills – like problem
solving, teamwork, business awareness and leadership
We use machine learning, big data, and some of the most – that every employer is seeking when they recruit. You
advanced technology in the world to predict movements can develop your employability skills in our programmes
in financial markets. Develop your skills in a cutting-edge and also in activities across the University and beyond,
environment, surrounded by colleagues who are leaders in their OFFICE Jonathan Black, including college, departments, student societies, sports,
fields. We’re proud to offer a highly competitive compensation Whittington House Director of the Careers Service volunteering, and the creative arts.
and benefits package, plus a dedicated intern social program. London WC1E 7EA
www.careers.ox.ac.uk 1
WELCOME
SOLVE PROBLEMS.
SAVE LIVES.
£45k
STARTING SALARY
NO
EXPERIENCE
REQUIRED
Graduate Software
Developer
Graduate Analyst
We have written this Guide for any and every Oxford • learn about information interviewing with alumni
student: undergraduate or postgraduate, artist or • attend one of the many ‘Introduction to …’ talks
scientist, who each usually have one of three questions:
• Where do I start?
we run
• To gain more skills: Marketing &
• How do I gain more skills to improve my chances • take part in the Oxford Strategy Challenge or The Communications
(especially in this time of change)? Student Consultancy
• Where do I find jobs and internships? • work, as the students above have, in an Oxford-
You’ll find answers to these questions, and many exclusive Micro- or Summer Internship Programme
•
more in this Guide: from ‘How do I write a winning
CV?’ to ‘What does it take to be a solicitor?’ and from
attend Insight into Teaching/Medicine/
Business/Publishing/Academia/Pharma Account Manager
‘How do I get experience in the museum and heritage programmes.
sector?’ to ‘How do I meet a careers adviser for a 1:1 • To find jobs and internships:
appointment?’. • log onto CareerConnect
This Guide is just one of the many free services you • sign up for automatic alerts about new jobs in Commercial Manager
can access from the University Careers Service. Other your industries of choice
services you can use include: • meet the Internship Office to explore our
• To get started: Internship and Micro-Internship programmes
• book a confidential 1:1 (there are over 5,000 a We look forward to meeting you at our fairs and
www.tpp-careers.com
year to choose from) events; in your college, department or faculty; or at the
• visit some careers fairs Careers Service at 56 Banbury Road – both while you
• use our Career Weaver tool are here and for the rest of your career (we offer the
• meet some employers Oxford Careers Service for life).
TPP Careers @TPPCareers
@tpp_careers TPP
2 www.careers.ox.ac.uk
CONTENTS
p 8 p 36
THE CAREERS SERVICE GAINING EXPERIENCE
AND YOUR YEAR AHEAD AND DEVELOPING SKILLS
An overview of the recruitment Core employability skills: what
year at Oxford University and they are and ideas on how to
the range of support available develop them. p 66
THE OXFORD
at the Careers Service.
INDUSTRY SECTOR
Gaining experience and developing skills . ..... 36
BRIEFINGS AND
GUIDE TO
Your Careers Service .............................................. 8 Developing core skills . ........................................ 37
What’s next? What’s first? ................................ 10
Careers term by term ......................................... 12
Joining employability programmes ..................
Seven ways to gain experience ........................
39
42 ALUMNI PROFILES
CAREERS 2021
Careers year by year ........................................... 14 Making the most of the internship office . .... 45
An introduction to a wide
variety of different industries,
The team p 16 p 47 including real-world insights
Content: The Careers Service
and advice from Oxford alumni.
Editor: Julia Sadler DEVELOPING YOUR APPLICATION Academia and higher education ....................... 68
Publishing assistant: Pauline Gümpel
Design and layout: Simon Minter, Nineteenpoint Ltd CAREER IDEAS ESSENTIALS Accountancy and financial services ................. 70
Advertising, marketing and PR ......................... 73
Sales: Aisling Ridge and Eleanor Russell
Arts and heritage ................................................. 76
Marketing: Corina Lacurezeanu
Banking and investment ..................................... 78
Accounts: Soon-Mi Newman
With thanks to: Careers information and advice Advice, guidance and tactics Business and management ................................ 83
Business with purpose ........................................ 86
All Careers Service staff and alumni contributors for everyone – including how for being your best at all stages Charity and social enterprise ............................ 88
Images: Alumni photographs are the subjects’ own
to develop and explore ideas of the application process. Consultancy ........................................................... 91
Education ............................................................... 99
for what to do next, from
Where to find us further study to how to find
Successful applications .......................................
Equality and diversity in the
48 Energy, sustainability and environment ...... 101
Engineering ......................................................... 105
The Careers Service is offering a full programme of graduate jobs. application process .............................................. 50 Health and social care ...................................... 109
CVs . ......................................................................... 51 International policy and development ......... 111
support and activities online throughout the current
Cover letters ......................................................... 54 Law ....................................................................... 113
pandemic. See www.careers.ox.ac.uk for details.
Five steps for better career planning .............. 17 Application forms for employment Media and journalism ....................................... 120
Ethical networking ............................................... 22 and further study ................................................. 56 National policy and government ................... 123
56 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 6PA
Building your occupational awareness . .......... 25 How to reflect the same experience Publishing ............................................................ 125
Telephone: + 44 (0) 1865 27 46 46
Routes into graduate employment . ................ 28 in a CV, cover letter and application form ..... 57 Science ................................................................. 127
Email: reception@careers.ox.ac.uk
Further study ........................................................ 30 Recruitment tests ................................................ 58 Start-ups and entrepreneurship ................... 131
www.twitter.com/oxfordcareers
Working in different countries . ........................ 32 Assessment centres ............................................ 60 Tech: IT, data, AI and machine learning ....... 134
www.instagram.com/oxfordcareers
Visa options for working in the UK .................. 34 Confident interviews ........................................... 62 Other careers ..................................................... 140
www.youtube.com/user/OxfordCareersService
www.facebook.com/internshipoffice
4 www.careers.ox.ac.uk www.careers.ox.ac.uk 5
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX / CONTRIBUTORS’ INDEX CONTRIBUTORS’ INDEX
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX CONTRIBUTORS’ INDEX
Oxford Careers Service would Oxford Careers Service would Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Patchwork Hub
Martin Dickson .................................................. 115 Beth Kume-Holland ............................................. 89
like to thank all supporters of like to thank all contributors for
this publication. submitting profiles and quotes. Genomics plc REED Specialist Recruitment Limited
Dr Maria C Suciu ............................................... 131 Ann-Marie Jay ...................................................... 84
Ab Initio Software Ltd . .................................... 136 Accenture Government Legal Department Reuters
Dr Lakshmi Manjoosha Adapa ................ 36, 106 Shanice Mahil ..................................................... 116 Yörük Bahçeli ...................................................... 121
Cisco Systems, Inc. ........................................... 136
Compass Lexecon ................................................ 93 Admiral Financial Services Limited GroupM Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
Cornerstone Research ........................................ 93 Sophia . .................................................................... 71 Issah Abdul-Moomin ........................................... 19 Sachin de Stone ................................................. 110
Da Vinci Derivatives .................................... 80, 82 APR LLP Landmark Chambers Schools
Eden McCallum LLP ............................................. 93 Ian McFarlane ........................................................ 71 Joel Semukala ..................................................... 116 Alice Bloom (secondary school) .................... 100
Simon Davies (secondary school) ................ 100
EY-Parthenon Strategy .............................. 93, 96
Arup Law Trainee
Flow Traders .......................................................... 80 Tabitha Kennedy ......................................... 62, 104 Amy Rickwood ............................................ 47, 115 Shell
Heather Winsor ................................................. 129
FTI Consulting, Inc. .............................................. 94
B Lab UK Marshall Wace LLP
G-Research .............................. premium slot, 143 James Ghaffari ...................................................... 87 Dr Eddie Rolls ........................................................ 97 Swire
GSA Capital Partners LLP . ................................. 80 Tom Spearman ...................................................... 84
Bain & Company Monitor Deloitte
Hogan Lovells International LLP .................... 117 Rachael Martin . .................................................... 92 Hal Bigland ............................................................. 92 Teamspirit
INSEAD . ............................................................... 101 Sandy Downs ........................................................ 74
Beamery Museum of the History of Science
Newton Europe Ltd ..................................... 94, 96 Sultan Murad Saidov ........................................ 132 Robyn Haggard ..................................................... 77 Tessella
Nomura Holdings, Inc. ......................................... 80 Dr Francis Newson ..................................... 44, 135
Boult Wade Tennant LLP New Ground Coffee
Optiver . ............................................. 81, 136, 138
Charlotte Martin ............................................... 128 Jonny Walker ......................................................... 87 The Value Engineers
OxWEST .............................................................. 130 Rachel Ballard ................................................ 19, 74
Oxford Alpha Fund ............................................... 81 Brunel University London Osprey Publishing
Dr Joanna Bagniewska....................................... 132 Kyriaki Kyriacou ................................................. 126 University of Oxford
Oxford Guild Business Society Dr Joanna Bagniewska ..................................... 128
....................................................... 81, 96, 117, 137 Corporate Finance Analyst Overseas Development Institute (ODI) Dr Simukai Chigudu ............................................. 69
Tom Johnson . ........................................................ 79 Dr Joseph Feyertag .......................................... 124 Dr Jessica Hedge .................................................. 69
Oxford Hub ............................................................ 90
Oxford Mental Health Network ....................... 90 Cycle.land Oxford Hub Water UK
Agne Milukaite ................................................... 132 Lizzie Shelmerdine ............................................... 89 Dr Alice Carrington-Windo . ........................... 104
Oxford University PGCE .................................. 102
RBB Economics ..................................................... 97 DeepMind Oxford University Press (OUP) Wiener Staatsoper (The Vienna State Opera)
SES S.A. . .............................................................. 141 Dr Markus Wulfmeier ...................................... 106 Naomi Crookston .............................................. 126 Indyana Schneider . .............................................. 77
TPP Ltd ..................................... premium slot, 142 Emilyeverdee.com Pamela Steele Associates LTD UNICEF
TTP plc. ........................................... 107, 108, 130 Emily Everdee . ......................................... 119, 121 Priyanka Raj ........................................................ 112 Janita Bartell ....................................................... 112
Two Sigma Investments, LP ........................... 107 Financial Conduct Authority Primary Care Network Zoopla Property Group
Vantage ................................................................ 117 Sam Banks . ......................................................... 124 Freya Turner . ...................................................... 110 Will Moyle ........................................................... 135
6 www.careers.ox.ac.uk www.careers.ox.ac.uk 7
THE CAREERS SERVICE AND YOUR YEAR AHEAD
Daily Plus…
Advice appointments: Confidential and impartial one- Insight into: Short programmes to help you develop
to-one meetings with a careers adviser held in person at your knowledge and understanding of a specific field,
the Careers Service, on the phone or online, with extra including Insights into Teaching, Medicine, Business,
sessions hosted in departments and colleges. Book in Publishing and Academia.
advance on CareerConnect.
Recruiter in residence and mock
Weekly interviews
Newsletter: The easiest way to keep up to date
during term, our newsletter hits your inbox each Meet employers one-on-one to learn about their sector
week with details of upcoming events and or organisation, get advice on your CV and applications
opportunities. or have a practice interview. Times and topics advertised
THE CAREERS
on CareerConnect.
Talks and workshops: We host talks on specific career
options and run skills workshops frequently, many with
invited external speakers. Most are open to all students, The Careers Service and
SERVICE AND
with several tailored to master’s students, DPhil students
or research staff.
COVID-19
In 2020, we are delivering all our usual workshops,
YOUR YEAR AHEAD
Termly programmes and appointments from a safe distance.
We are offering careers advice sessions on the phone
TOSCA: Work in a team to help local organisations solve and online; we are negotiating remote-working
real business problems and develop your employability internships with employers; and we are delivering our
skills: includes consultancy training. talks, workshops and insight programmes virtually. We
are staying up to date with the latest employer news
Skills sessions: Workshops and presentations on a so that we can pass useful information on to students
The Careers Service provides support and impartial specific topic, such as psychometric tests or interviews, and alumni via our website and weekly newsletter. All
led by an employer or a careers adviser. All advertised on bookable on CareerConnect in the usual way.
advice on any careers-related topic. Use this Guide to CareerConnect.
get started, and see our website for in-depth guidance:
Micro-internships: Two- to five-day voluntary, full-
www.careers.ox.ac.uk time work placements with a host organisation, run in CareerConnect
9th week every term.
www.careers.ox.ac.uk/careerconnect
56 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 6PA
Kellogg College
Annually Accessed with your Oxford Single Sign-on,
CareerConnect is the password-protected area
The Careers Service is offering a Career fairs: Meet employers and alumni to learn of the Careers Service website that provides
about and explore some of the options available. dedicated services enabling you to:
full programme of support and Starting early in Michaelmas term, we run at least • Book appointments.
activities online throughout the eight sector fairs. • Browse our calendar of events.
Wycliffe Hall • Book your place on workshops and employer-
current pandemic. Opportunities: Nearly 10,000 vacancy and led events.
internship positions are advertised every year on • Search our extensive database of job vacancies
Jericho CareerConnect. and internships.
See www.careers.ox.ac.uk • Access additional resources to which we
The Summer Internship Programme: Hundreds of subscribe on your behalf, including practice tests.
for details. University
Parks
work experience opportunities in many sectors and … and much more!
countries exclusively for Oxford students.
8 www.careers.ox.ac.uk www.careers.ox.ac.uk 9
THE CAREERS SERVICE AND YOUR YEAR AHEAD THE CAREERS SERVICE AND YOUR YEAR AHEAD
What’s Career readiness grid
next? 1 Make a start Plot your
progress!
Focused exclusively
What’s
Whether your next move is to explore a little and try on my degree
something new, or to reflect on your personal preferences
and start planning, the important thing is to make a start.
• Where I have a clear focus
1 2
Attend a career fair or company events.
first? • Use career planning tools to generate ideas and a and how that I am working
focus. Unsure do I start towards I have
• Get involved with a student society. what I a clear
•
3 4
Sign up for some workshops. want focus
The pointers opposite (for students in Quadrants 2 to do or goal
Take a breath, find your bearings and 3) indicate more specifically what’s needed to move I have ideas but I am well organised and
‘down’ and ‘right’ on the Career Readiness Grid. I’m not sure what’s clear about
and think about what would Remember, it’s never too late to start, and the right for me my next steps
most help you move forward. Careers Service is here to support you all the way.
Most students will explore career options, including
Exploring interests
I have a focus but I’m and developing skills
2
further study, alongside their studies. This Guide is for
everyone considering what to do at the end of their
current course, and will help students who have a clear
not sure…
focus to sharpen their career objectives and add polish
I enjoy lots of different Organised and clear about
3 4
to their applications. It summarises our guidance and …how to show companies I am a strong candidate,
signposts further resources to explore options, make …if it is truly right for me.
decisions and work purposefully towards a successful
things: how can I choose next steps
future. Whether your focus is a logical next step from your between them?
Consider the following questions about your possible degree, or comes from career planning (or even a If you have placed yourself in this bottom right quadrant
next steps and mark where you currently stand on the hunch), getting some experience will help you both to be (you may already be applying and interviewing),
grid on the opposite page. a stronger candidate and understand better why a role, Oxford students often have potential to succeed in reflecting on how you developed your focus, examining
• How clear are your ideas? organisation or further study option is right for you. many different roles and fields and, yes, it can be difficult any assumptions and aligning your choices to your core
• How well do you understand your core interests and The most powerful way to find out if you enjoy to choose! motivations can:
motivations? something is to try it. See the guidance on Gaining If you are already exploring options and taking on • reinforce decisions made;
• And, do you have sufficient understanding and Experience and Developing Skills for advice and ideas different roles to build skills and experiences, see the • strengthen applications, by improving the evidence
experience to make a sound decision? about opportunities to ‘learn by doing’. Consider: section on Developing Your Career Ideas for guidance you present of your skills and interests;
• Taking on a similar role in your extracurricular and tools such as Career Weaver to help you identify • help identify viable alternatives.
activities (e.g., for a student society). your pattern of interests and motivations. Reflect on Additional support can still be helpful, especially
• Doing an internship or volunteering. your experiences and try to identify any themes that are if your early applications aren’t working as you’d like.
• Participating in the Careers Service’s employability important to you: Attend workshops, company events and chat with a
programmes. • Why do you choose to do these activities? careers adviser to hone your approach and consider
• Work-shadowing or short-term work experience • Which skills do you use? what plan B and plan C might look like.
(e.g., a micro-internship). • What do you enjoy doing most and why?
Use career fairs and company-led events to talk with • How important to you are the people, relationships
alumni and others working in specific fields to test any and outcomes?
assumptions, deepen your understanding and extend Once you understand what kind of work and More information
your thinking. When combined with experience you may outcomes offer you intrinsic satisfaction, further www.careerweaver.ox.ac.uk
identify additional ideas to develop into your plan B and research through the web and ‘in person’ into industries, www.careers.ox.ac.uk/i-am-exploring-ideas
plan C as a back-up to your primary focus. roles and organisations will help you to create focus and www.careers.ox.ac.uk/i-have-some-ideas
If you have doubts or questions, book an make decisions. www.careers.ox.ac.uk/i-am-deciding-on-a-plan
appointment with a careers adviser on CareerConnect If you are struggling to narrow your focus, a confidential www.careers.ox.ac.uk/i-have-a-clear-plan
for an unbiased conversation. chat with a careers adviser can help you gain clarity.
10 www.careers.ox.ac.uk www.careers.ox.ac.uk 11
THE CAREERS SERVICE AND YOUR YEAR AHEAD THE CAREERS SERVICE AND YOUR YEAR AHEAD
Careers
• Understand the application processes for different
Michaelmas term firms and be sure to note and hit any deadlines. Hilary term
• Beware! Some sectors close as early as the end of
term
October (notably banking and investment, the Civil
Michaelmas term is the time to talk to firms that interest Service Fast Stream and management consultancy) Finalists and graduating master’s students who have
you. In fact, we run eight of our annual career fairs in and some have ‘rolling recruitment’, filling vacancies made good applications should expect January and
weeks 1 to 3, and this term will account for almost 75% as and when students apply. February to be busy with interviews. Continue to target
by term
of all the company presentations and company visits Other firms will open applications during this term and new graduate programmes and seek advertised positions
coordinated by the Careers Service in the whole year. into Hilary term. Monitor careers sites, set email alerts – you may also find attractive internships to apply for.
At our career fairs and company presentations you and follow target companies on social media to make Similarly, those targeting further study should continue
can meet: sure you hear first about new opportunities. to make applications to courses and funding bodies.
• Recent alumni working in areas you might be Plan enough time to make high quality applications: CVs, Hilary Term is also a key time to start seeking
interested in – people who were in your shoes not so cover letters and application forms take time to complete internship and summer opportunities. The advice above
Graduate recruitment runs long ago. well and should be tailored for each and every application. about applying for full-time positions all holds true
year-round and there are • Recruiters who can tell you more about the firm, Read our advice on crafting good applications in this here. Some firms that recruit graduates only open their
graduate roles and training, and the recruitment later section of the Guide. summer internship places to penultimate-year students,
always new positions being process. Be ready for the recruitment process to move quickly and these can lead to full-time offers for interns that do
• Senior managers and business leaders (many will once you have applied. Online testing, interviews and well. But also look out for other opportunities including
advertised. However, many also be Oxford alumni) who can provide a wider assessment centres can all follow within a few weeks, our own Summer Internship Programme, which offers
of the biggest recruiters perspective on the organisation and graduate career
trajectories.
and offers may be made before Christmas.
Consider booking a one-to-one discussion with a careers
all Oxford students exclusive internship opportunities,
many of them in sectors where internships can be hard
link their cycles to the Use the Events Calendar on CareerConnect to adviser and find relevant workshops and skills sessions to find, or overseas.
find company presentations and to book advertised on our Events Calendar on CareerConnect. Keep abreast of the skills sessions, workshops and
academic year, with places on relevant workshops and seminars offered at the Careers Service via the Events
full-time positions HT20 skills sessions offered through the Considering further study? Calendar on CareerConnect.
18 Careers Service. Research possibilities now to understand application
for finalists processes and funding options.
advertised from Finalists and one-year • Popular courses can fill quickly, so consider applying early.
Trinity term
master’s students • Research deadlines to apply for grants and bursaries too.
late summer, Number of Read more about bursaries and grants in our further
Employer Events at TT20 Full-time jobs and study article here. Be sure to keep on track academically and invest enough
for entry the Oxford 2019–20 42 graduate schemes time to do yourself justice in finals or any exams that
following year. MT19
Applications will already More than one year to completion you have.
have opened during the The big graduate schemes form only a small
Every year, hundreds of 148 summer at most large Internships, spring weeks and insight days proportion of the graduate employment market and
organisations visit Oxford graduate recruiters. If you Organisations with substantial graduate recruitment the number of vacancies offered every month through
specifically to meet you – to have not already started, finalists programmes are increasingly interested in meeting CareerConnect remains
start a conversation. However, our and one-year master’s students penultimate-year students, freshers and second fairly constant through the
academic terms are NOT created equally. should move quickly to: years on a four-year course. Use careers fairs to ask year, so there are always
about internships and ‘taster programmes’, and when new opportunities. However,
applications will be opening. keep an eye open as some
Virtual careers fairs Some companies now start to accept applications graduate schemes re-open
The following fairs will be run on our virtual platform • Law Fair: Wednesday 21 October for internships and insight days towards the end of this term to fill any remaining
and will be open from midday to 6.00 pm. See our • Careers in Computing Fair: Monday 26 October Michaelmas, with many more opening in the new year. places. You can also apply to
website and CareerConnect for details. • Jobs for Mathematicians Fair: Wednesday 28 The recruitment processes often mirror those for full- firms that have year-round
October time positions because success in the internship can lead rolling recruitment.
• Oxford University Careers Fair (for all to an offer for a full-time position the following year. The Careers Service
sectors): Tuesday 13 October In 2019, we ran the Ox and Start-ups Fair in First years and second years on a four-year continues to offer workshops
• Finance Fair: Wednesday 14 October Hilary term and the Graduate Jobs and Internship programme should note that places for taster days and careers advisers continue
• Management Consultancy Fair: Thursday 15 Opportunities in Trinity term. Dates for 2021 yet to and spring weeks are limited and can fill in less than with confidential one-to-one
October be confirmed. a week. Be sure to sign up for alerts if you intend to discussions during Trinity and
• Science, Engineering and Technology Fair: apply: the prize not only includes first-hand experience the long vacation, on Skype,
Monday 19 October of the organisation but quite often a fast-track to paid telephone or virtual platforms
internships the following year. such as Microsoft Teams.
12 www.careers.ox.ac.uk www.careers.ox.ac.uk 13
THE CAREERS SERVICE AND YOUR YEAR AHEAD THE CAREERS SERVICE AND YOUR YEAR AHEAD
advertised from January onwards as part of the the Developing Your Career Ideas section.
Careers
Careers Service Summer Internship Programme. • Visit the Careers Service website to start
researching what you could do and check out your
Talk to people and network options.
• Find out about their jobs, their companies and • Talk to a careers adviser if you need help with your
year
the sector at the many careers fairs and company plans or ideas for how to get started.
presentations held in Oxford or virtually. Most people
remember what it is like being in your position and Start to develop your skills
• Review the skills you can evidence already. Consider
by year
want to help.
• Use LinkedIn to contact alumni whose work interests where and how you can develop these further, and
you. which new skills you might develop.
• Get advice and tips from final-year students. Ask • Review your ideas by following the guidance in the
about their summer internships and for introductions Gaining Experience and Developing Skills section.
to their colleagues to learn more. • Support your college or department with their
• Plan how to make the most of your summer vacation, outreach programmes.
• Consider participating in our skills programmes and and make speculative applications to find work • Get involved with an Oxford SU campaign or a charity
Finalists and one-year Insight programmes if you haven’t already done so. experience with organisations of interest that don’t fundraising event.
masters’ • Apply to our own Summer Internship Programme offer formal internships. • Volunteer with Oxford Hub and local charities in
from January onwards. term-time and during the vacation – a great way
Considering further study? of gaining skills, meeting people and making a
Develop your plan and extend your research Network and build your visibility • Talk with tutors, supervisors and research students in difference.
• It is never too late to start thinking about your • Meet contacts and alumni at events and reach out to your field. • Participate in staff/student liaison committees within
career. Make a commitment to make a start and them. • Ask about working as a research assistant during your college or department.
give yourself the best chance of success. Turn to the • Use LinkedIn and social media as research tools, to vacations. • Refresh your old CV; attend a CV workshop.
Developing Your Career Ideas section and make follow targeted companies and make yourself easier
plans to talk to a careers adviser. to find. Build your skills and experience Gain some experience
• If you already have clear goals, or even fuzzy ideas, • Attend the cringe-free networking workshop run • Get elected to a position in a society, common room • Look for, and apply to, insight days, spring weeks and
research online and meet employers at fairs and at by the Careers Service each term, bookable on or club and make a difference by organising an event, work-shadowing opportunities in different sectors
company presentations. See the Events Calendar on CareerConnect. running the show or starting something new – all will for inspiration. Places are limited and application
CareerConnect for dates and to book your place. • For some sectors – such as creative careers, develop your skills and add value to your applications. windows can close within days, so register for
• Research options of further study and apply early to journalism, publishing, charities – networking and • Sign up for workshops and skills sessions at the notifications and be ready to apply as early as
popular programmes. speculative approaches can be important to uncover Careers Service or join one of our employability October.
opportunities: thinking six months ahead is key. programmes. • Apply for vacation work to earn money and gain
Make applications and prepare for • Try out different ideas, perhaps via our micro- experience and skills. Every opportunity can provide
interviews internships, work-shadowing or work experience. meaningful experience: bar and retail work can
• Understand your motivations, your strengths and be Volunteer with local charities or through the Oxford develop your customer focus, teamwork skills and
ready to support your applications with evidence as Hub. insights into what makes a successful business.
discussed in the Application Essentials guidance. Penultimate year • Visit the vacancy database
• Find the workshops you need on our Events on CareerConnect to look
Calendar on CareerConnect. for part-time and vacation
• Polish your application skills and seek advice from a Start to focus on what you might do after More than two years from opportunities.
careers adviser if you want a second opinion on your graduating
completion • Apply for a summer
CV, cover letters or application form. • Review your career preferences and interests, or start placement on the Summer
• Submit applications for both your plans A and B (and your self-assessment. The Developing Your Career Internship Programme
plan C …) in parallel. Ideas section will help. Follow the advice to finalists Get involved and enjoy Oxford from January for
• Be ready for online tests and interviews, some of above – the same rules apply! • Join and get involved in societies, clubs and a social overseas internships, and
these happen straight after you have submitted your • Plan, research and develop your CV – attend relevant life alongside your studies. from mid-February for
application. workshops organised by the Careers Service. internships in the UK.
• Attend the relevant careers fairs. Get into your Start thinking • Start to build your
It’s not too late to develop your skills and job-market research and look for application • It’s never too soon to start thinking about your post- network, and to learn
experience deadlines – be aware of deadlines as early as October university plans. about sectors and
• Continue to be fully involved in student life through for consulting, banking and the Civil Service among • Develop some awareness of your career-related organisations.
societies, volunteering and extra-curricular others. preferences and interests with some self-assessment
activities. • Apply for summer internships, including those exercises, such as Career Weaver and other tools in
14 www.careers.ox.ac.uk www.careers.ox.ac.uk 15
DEVELOPING YOUR CAREER IDEAS
Five steps for better
career planning
Take time to understand what you enjoy most and what helps you
succeed. Combine these insights with research into your preferred
options to make decisions and take action.
1 What you do and what you like best… Your strengths and skills are also important, and you
Use Oxford’s new Career Weaver tool to explore what can enhance existing skills and learn new ones. Use the
interests and motivates you most. list of eight core employability skills on this page to
Reflect on past experiences that have given you a consider what you are good at and what you really enjoy
sense of enjoyment, achievement or real satisfaction. doing. Think about your range of skills:
Re-examine what determined your choice of subject and • Where have you developed and used them?
which elements of your current studies most engage you. • How do you like to use and apply them both in your
Examine your extra-curricular activities for insight by studies and extra-curricular activities?
asking yourself: See Generating Career Ideas at www.careers.ox.ac.
•
DEVELOPING
What appealed to you when you chose a specific uk/generating-career-ideas to learn more about using
activity? Career Weaver and a variety of additional tools and ideas
• What has given you most satisfaction? you can use, including:
• What have you learned or gained from your extra- • Psychometric tools based on short questionnaires,
YOUR CAREER
curricular activities? including Prospects Career Planner
• What are your reasons for continuing with it? Or, • Reference books at the Careers Service, including
perhaps, for stopping? Build Your Own Rainbow, Where Am I Going And Can
Link these questions to the prompts in the table I Have A Map?, and What Color Is Your Parachute?
IDEAS
on the next page to begin to better understand your • Book an appointment with a careers adviser to
personal pattern of career interests and motivations. discuss any questions you have and for advice on
how to interpret and apply the insights gained.
What is your personal Core employability skills
pattern? The next chapter defines the ‘transferable’ employability
Our new Career Weaver tool skills listed below and reviews many options to practise
With hundreds of possible directions, many students will help you go much further in and develop them.
find it hard to decide what they want to do after thinking about the kind of role, • Business awareness
culture and rewards you would value most in your • Communication
graduating, and may even find the process quite future work. It provides a rich variety of short • Creativity
exercises to stimulate and structure your thinking • Initiative
daunting. and helps you to identify and describe: • Leadership
• What you love. • Planning
• What you are good at. • Self-management
• Why you do what you choose to do. • Teamwork
This chapter can help you make a start and get you Use your SSO to open your personal account In addition to these core employability skills, some
at www.careerweaver.ox.ac.uk and begin to jobs require specific skills such as languages, computing
thinking about how to identify careers that might explore, define and explain your most important and IT, or even specific laboratory skills.
appeal to you, and how to choose between them. drivers and best examples.
16 www.careers.ox.ac.uk www.careers.ox.ac.uk 17DEVELOPING YOUR CAREER IDEAS DEVELOPING YOUR CAREER IDEAS
Style of work Nice to have Important Essential
2 Exploring possible occupations and • Who are you working with, and how?
creating your ‘long list’ • What does an ideal working day/week look like?
As an Oxford graduate from any discipline it is possible Each time you find an idea of interest to you, consider
Analytical (researching and investigating, numerical work)
to work in many industries. In the UK, the majority of the specific skills and attributes typically required
Collaborative style of working graduate roles do not require a specific degree and for that role and how strongly these match your
many organisations seek to attract a diverse pool of preferences. Also, look for related or adjacent fields to
Creativity and generating ideas candidates. This opens a world of possibilities and increase the options you are considering.
creates choices for you.
Enterprise and business Start to build your ‘long list’ of possibilities, 3 Researching your options
considering both the industry sector(s) and the kinds of Researching industries, individual organisations, and
Managing and leading people roles you might be interested in: remember, similar roles roles helps you make better choices. It also lays the
can often be found across different sectors; whether it’s foundation for successful applications because it
Social and caring roles design work, financial management, planning, managing helps you:
or communicating. • To be clear that you’d be happy doing the job!
Solving problems It might be important for you to use the knowledge • To signal why you are motivated to do the job with
gained from your degree, or find a related role where you that specific organisation.
Supporting and advising people
can still draw on that knowledge. Alternatively, you may • To impress recruiters with insightful questions and an
Theoretical and conceptual (working with ideas) choose to apply the transferable skills that you have in a awareness of issues or trends that may affect their
totally new area. market.
Working with defined processes Ideas and tactics to build your long list include:
• reviewing roles suggested by an online career- Research: get first-hand experience
Working with technology planning tool. First-hand experience allows you to explore whether you
• exploring what others with your degree have chosen have the ability and interest to perform well in a role. You
to do: also learn more about the organisation, its people and
Motivations Nice to have Important Essential • Review the Graduate Outcome Survey on the working culture, which helps you evaluate whether you
careers website. are likely to enjoy working there.
Altruism or benefiting society • www.prospects.ac.uk has pages on ‘What can I The next chapter provides a fuller overview of the
do with my degree?’. options available, which include not only internships
Challenge • Examine the careers of 200,000+ Oxford and work experience but also a variety of shorter
alumni via the University of Oxford page on opportunities to visit organisations. These programmes
Connection (belonging and friendship) LinkedIn. can help you to:
• browsing jobs boards, including CareerConnect – • Learn about an industry and a role, and the
Empowerment (autonomy) what catches your eye? organisation and its culture.
Financial reward
• thinking about careers related to your interests and • Develop transferable skills and a track record that
extra-curricular activities. provides evidence of your ability and motivation.
• dreaming a little and envisioning your future in an • Secure an offer to the next stage:
Fun
ideal world… • Insight programmes may provide a fast track on
Influence • What are you doing? What skills are you using? to an organisation’s internship programme.
• What happens? What results do you deliver? • Leading employers report that nearly a third
Job security • Where are you working – an office/outside/at of their graduate intake will have undertaken
home? work experience with them before they are
“
Learning and personal growth hired, and this rises to more than two-thirds in
some sectors.
Personal recognition It’s OK not to know what to do and it’s
OK to take your time to find it. If you Research: other methods
Positioning (for the next career move) find something you really want and truly believe Read widely to research the industries and organisations
you’re suited to then you have a much better you are targeting. Start with the following ideas:
Prestige or status
chance of getting the job and of enjoying it. • Read our industry sector introductions in this
Guide.
Progression (scope for rapid advancement)
• Over 40 in-depth sector briefings on our website:
Rachel Ballard, Music, www.careers.ox.ac.uk/sectors-occupations –
Responsibility (for delivery or people or things)
New College, 2016 dig deeper using the resources listed in these.
Variety • Company websites, particularly their career pages,
Read Rachel’s full profile often provide lots of information, including:
18 www.careers.ox.ac.uk www.careers.ox.ac.uk 19DEVELOPING YOUR CAREER IDEAS DEVELOPING YOUR CAREER IDEAS
additional factors to the grid, or use an alternative
approach. The Careers Service advice on How to Make Researching employers’ diversity and
a Career Decision provides further details on the inclusion policies
‘decision-making grid’ and three other decision-making It is often difficult to know
strategies: the D.E.C.I.D.E.S. model, Force-field Analysis, whether an employer is
and Visualisation. genuine about recruiting
At this stage, you do not need to narrow your choice applicants from diverse
to a single option. In fact, we recommend you work in backgrounds and not just
parallel on your ‘plan B’ (and perhaps ‘plan C’) in case ‘ticking a box’. There are
your first choice does not work out. For every option several indicators that will help you to decide
you follow, though, allow yourself enough time to whether a recruiter is truly proactive. If you are
undertake sufficient research and to make high quality interested in specific recruiters, research their
applications. diversity and inclusion policy and practice, talk with
their representatives at careers fairs and question
Example of a decision-making grid them as to what their organisation does to recruit
and retain staff from diverse backgrounds.
Decision Indicators of the strength of their commitment
Weighting Option X Option Y Option Z
factor to recruiting from diverse backgrounds can include:
Staying in
• They are a ‘Disability Confident’ employer. Look
• Profiles from recent graduates. • Attend company presentations and events to meet Oxford
2 2×2 = 4 2×2 = 4 2×1 = 2 out for the government-endorsed logo below
• Information about their graduate programmes. senior managers, alumni and recruiters. on their promotional material and vacancy
• Tips and practice materials for the recruitment • Talk informally with family, alumni, and others to Creative
3 3×1 = 3 3×0 = 0 3×1 = 3 adverts. This means the employer has made a
processes. understand their careers and what their organisations job commitment to employing disabled people.
• Professional bodies’ websites. are really like: Learning: • They are accredited as a ‘Mindful Employer’,
• Free resources at the Careers Service: • Talk to friends and finalists returning from quality of 3 3×1 = 3 3×1 = 3 3×2 = 6 indicating that they are extremely supportive
• Podcasts of relevant panel discussions. internships or work placements. training of employees with mental health issues.
• ‘Our Resources’ sections of our online guidance • Use LinkedIn to find alumni you might approach
Total 10 7 11
• They have diversity networks and buddy
outlining books and periodicals in the Careers directly. schemes, such as Gender Balance Network and
Service Resource Centre. • Join relevant societies to find like-minded students Carers Schemes.
• Search for GoinGlobal (country guides) and and more events – many with employers. Weighting of criterion: • They partner with and provide internships for
practise psychometric tests on our website. • Speak to a careers adviser who has a particular 3 = important, 2 = quite important, 1 = less important. people from under-represented backgrounds
• Join relevant LinkedIn groups to keep up to date with interest in that sector. through organisations such as SEO (Sponsors
current topics in the sector. Criterion satisfied in this occupation/role: for Educational Opportunity), EmployAbility,
• Use your Single Sign-On and Bodleian Library 4 Narrowing down your options 2 = almost ideal, 1 = quite good, 0 = not met at all. The Windsor Fellowship, and Rare Recruitment.
membership for free subscriptions to The Financial For many people, career planning is an ongoing process, • They score highly on indicators such as the
Times, The Economist and plenty of leading revisited and revised as they gain experience, learn and 5 Moving forward from your decisions Stonewall Workplace Equality Index due to
newspapers and industry journals. grow. The choices you make now are just the first steps; Allow plenty of time for this and in particular: their work ethos and practices.
changing career direction in the years after graduation is • Plan ahead and attend events listed on our Events There is more advice on equality and diversity
Research: talk to people quite common. Calendar on CareerConnect. These include: in the application process on p.50.
To go beyond the information on an organisation’s However, it is important to engage. Make a decision • Career fairs.
“
website, talk to people – lots of people – about what rather than ‘drift’ into a career or further study simply • Company presentations.
they do, what they like and don’t like, and ask for their because it seems within reach. To weigh up the ‘pros and • Skills workshops and training sessions.
advice. cons’ of different choices, analyse your options • Ensure you receive the Careers Service’s weekly You might be tired of hearing it, but
Read the guidance on how to find and network with and listen to your intuitions, with the aim of newsletter. you’ve probably got more free time
people who are able to share their experiences and offer identifying which roles best match up with your key • Save searches on CareerConnect to receive job alerts. on your hands now than you ever will. Use it
relevant advice and insights into the roles that interest criteria. • Check application deadlines for your top choices and wisely! Start figuring out what you like and
you most. One option is to build a ‘decision-making grid’, where begin to plan your applications. dislike (just as helpful), and to start building the
During term time, particularly in Michaelmas you weight the relative importance of your key criteria • Bookmark target firms’ careers pages, set up email foundations that will give you the best shot of
term, take advantage of the many chances to meet and score each career option independently. In the alerts for vacancy notices, and follow them on
landing that dream role.
and talk with company representatives – check the worked example (below), it seems that option Y is least LinkedIn and social media.
Careers Service Events Calendar on CareerConnect. attractive – and could be discarded – but it might be • Continue to research your target organisations and
• Attend the careers fairs and our industry panel worth pursuing both options X and Z as attractive choices. roles. Issah Abdul-Moomin, PPE,
events to hear from and meet recent graduates and To distinguish between options X and Z more fully, • Check your own online presence, particularly your Lady Margaret Hall, 2014
recruiters. it may be necessary to do further research or add visibility on social media.
20 www.careers.ox.ac.uk www.careers.ox.ac.uk 21DEVELOPING YOUR CAREER IDEAS DEVELOPING YOUR CAREER IDEAS
Ethical Networking 1 2
The phrase ‘It’s who you know, not what you know’ makes us 3
a little uncomfortable as we put more emphasis on widening
participation, diversity and inclusion.
4
Surely we want to live in a world where people are how they may be helped’ Maurice McCartney,
hired based on a diligent and transparent process which entrepreneur in residence, Oxford Careers Service.
considers: • ‘Networking is about conversation and generosity,’ add
• Formal qualifications. Dr Rachel Bray and Dr Steve Joy, researcher careers Who could I network with?
• Size and scope of relevant achievements that prove advisers of Oxford and Cambridge respectively. • Oxford alumni:
skills and strengths. • ‘You can make more friends in two months by • Your tutors and your college alumni office
• Sector and organisation knowledge that proves becoming interested in other people than you can in may be able to give tips on who to contact.
enthusiasm and fit with the role. two years by trying to get other people interested • Use LinkedIn and My Oxford Network:
So what are the ethical reasons for networking? in you,’ says Dale Carnegie, author of How to Win myoxfordnetwork.com.
• •
5
To become aware of opportunities: it is said that 60% Friends and Influence People. Contacts of people you know (ask friends,
of jobs are never advertised (‘the hidden job market’) Viewed through this lens, networking is a way of life, relatives, tutors for introductions).
e.g., a start-up with no time nor HR department. the goal is to build and maintain a ‘network of reciprocal • People you have worked with, or contacted on
• To understand what really goes on inside assistance’. So it is best to think of networking as going behalf of a society or committee.
organisations so that you choose the right out and making new friends. The only thing to get used • People you research online and then approach
opportunities to apply for. to is that this very normal human process is preceded by speculatively.
• •
6
To uncover the language and terminology of the some planning and preparation so that you can find out Fellow students, in college and in your
organisation so that you can make your achievements more about new organisations. department, will know people and have
sound as relevant as possible and talk like an insider experience that might tie in to your goals.
to establish fit and enthusiasm. How do I approach people?
Beyond the objectives of ethical networking, we The key to effective networking is research. Always
need to approach the subject with emotional prepare in advance; when you are going to meet someone,
intelligence, people do not like being sold-to or taken- look them up on LinkedIn, so you can talk their language. Discovering your network Platforms for networking
advantage-of: Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook, • My Oxford Network: A networking platform
• ‘As you walk into a room to network: don’t prepare gets very embarrassed when women ask her to mentor 1 Read (auto)biographies of sector leaders. just for Oxonians.
to sell yourself, prepare to understand people and them: ‘While asking a stranger to be a mentor rarely, if • LinkedIn: The biggest professional social
“
ever, works, approaching a stranger with a pointed, well 2 Engage with the latest stories from the sector in network, with powerful search tools.
thought-out inquiry can yield results. Focus on how to mainstream media. • Twitter: Use the search facility to find people
Students ask me what it takes to be manage a business not on how to manage a career’. When who mention their employment or university in
successful and there are many factors. Bill Gates was a teenager he read ‘tons of biographies and 3 Research the sector on Google, so you never ask their profile.
But most important is to go out into the world autobiographies’ of technologists and business people a question that is answered on the website; look • Facebook: Post a message to your personal
and make lots of friends and no enemies. It is to create a foundation on which to build his commercial at competitors. contacts letting them know what you are most
never worth winning an argument and losing awareness (so he could start Microsoft at 19 years old). interested in and asking for recommendations
a friend. Bake cakes, buy beers, socialise at Also, tailor your elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is 4 Research people who work in the sector on LinkedIn. for people to contact.
lunchtime. The more you can turn your tutor or
three sentences: • Industry websites: Many employer websites
1. Who am I? – tailor it to resonate with who they are 5 Talk to junior sector workers and note the include ‘about us’ or ‘staff team’ pages where
supervisor or other senior people into sponsors
looking for. language and technical terms they use as they you can learn more about who works there
who support you and push you forward for
2. What do I want? – tailor it to resonate with what talk about their job. (sometimes there is also an email address).
things, the more successful you will be.
they are offering. • ResearchGate: A social networking site for
3. A question – to start a conversation, research it, 6 Network with sector leaders or interview them scientists and researchers to share papers, ask
Dr Mike Moss, Careers Adviser make it engaging and demonstrate the depth of when you understand the job inside out and how and answer questions, and find collaborators.
knowledge you already have. to talk about it like an insider.
22 www.careers.ox.ac.uk www.careers.ox.ac.uk 23You can also read
