Written by Annie
We interviewed Annie, a Masters student from the school of CAE, to see what steps she is taking to secure her future job position. Questions asked included: have her career plans changed, what are her concerns about her future and how she is being pro-active during this uncertain time.
With the current circumstances its difficult to get yourself into a frame of mind to think about the future, to encourage yourself to be proactive and to plan your time to utilise it efficiently. I have been trying to manage my master’s workload and apply for graduate jobs and sometimes it’s so hard to find the motivation.
1) What are YOUR concerns about YOUR future?
Being a graduate, this year is terrifying, in a world of uncertainty it is proving difficult to find jobs within the sector I want to work in. I have applied for a lot of jobs during lock down and I have had some interviews to over teams and zoom, it is difficult to keep motivated especially when you are unsure of what your next plan is after university. For the time being I am trying to take it day by day and not worry too much as I know with the current climate it is just trial and error with the application progress at the moment.
2) Have YOU changed YOUR plans?
I thought that by now I would have everything figured out, of what I wanted to do and which jobs I would want to apply for. However, I am lacking in industry experience and have had a few setbacks and job rejections. I am trying to be resilient and positive and have realised that I don’t need to apply for my dream job straight away but learn from feedback and aim to ease myself into the world of full time work first.
3) What are YOU pro-actively doing now?
Being pro-active is difficult and all I can say so far is that I am trying and that’s the best I can do. Some days I have no motivation to do anything apart from the basics of showering and eating however I have found that giving myself one day on and one day off working has helped (except when I have deadlines and cannot take this relaxed approach). I keep checking my emails, I ask as many questions as I can to my course tutors if I don’t understand something and I actively look for graduate jobs each day. I have also been undertaking online courses to try and improve my employability and skillset in certain software and also topics that I want to gain more knowledge on.
4)What are YOUR top tips for YOUR fellow graduates?
1. Try to not worry things! I know it is difficult to think where am I going to move to? Will I get a job in this sector? Will I get the grades I want? But unfortunately, at the moment everything is uncertain, and everyone is in the same boat.
2. Be patient – I know it’s difficult, but most job applications and processes are on hold due to our current circumstances, but progress is always made in steady stages. There are lots of new job opportunities posted (especially on LinkedIn) everyday
3. Look after yourself – Try if you can to plan your assignments and give yourself enough time, but do not burn yourself out if your mind needs rest – then give it some rest and make sure you leave some time to look after you.
4. Positivity – I know its hard to be positive when many of the final year events have been cancelled and it feels like the last goodbye to your friends may not happen. I know the university is trying to arrange things for graduates of 2020, I know it might not be the same however being positive and persevering is the key to managing your time and planning your future.
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