the guide to careers 2018 the guide to careers 2018

152 Pages·2017·13.38 MB·English

THE
OXFORD
GUIDE TO CAREERS
2018
INCLUDES:
Alumni advice
Top job tips
CV & interview guide
Sector investigation
and much more
THE
CAREERS
SERVICE
THE OXFORD GUIDE TO CAREERS 2018
Real opportunities. Real purpose.
Real impact.
Glencore is one of the world’s largest globally diversifed natural resource companies and a major
producer and marketer of more than 90 commodities. We employ 160,000 people worldwide.
We’re looking for graduate trainees to join our oil business and become part of our 2018 Global
Trader/Commercial Graduate scheme. The programme ofers you the opportunity to develop
into front line trading or other key commercial roles with Glencore’s oil business.
Our graduates are trusted with individual responsibility from day one in complex and
demanding roles. Working as part of a team is essential as is having the ability to think and
act independently. You must have a keen commercial sense and enjoy the decision making
process of solving logistical challenges and providing practical solutions to complex problems.
At Glencore you can look forward to a rewarding and challenging role, working with some of
the most experienced, capable and accomplished people in the industry.
Take real ownership of your career and you’ll fnd it pays of.
Exceptional graduate salary package
For further details please visit glencoregraduates.com
We will be open to receive applications between 1st August and 27th October 2017
DIVERSIFIED • DEDICATED • DRIVEN
Real opportunities. Real purpose.
INTRODUCTION
Real impact.
Welcome to the most read university Careers Some students talk to us about ideas they think are so
Guide1 in the UK, and maybe the world2. different that they haven’t mentioned them to anyone else,
and others think they can’t approach us as they have no clear
idea yet – we help everyone, whether you have no idea,
The Careers team has tons of experience to support you, are thinking about further study, or want to get in arts or
whether you are: sciences, public sector or private business, staying in Oxford,
] Overwhelmed with choices or working overseas.
] Wondering, ‘What am I going to do with my degree?’ Enjoy your time at Oxford and we look forward to meeting
you at our fairs and events; in your college, department or
] Not getting round to it yet, there’s plenty of time … faculty; or at the Careers Service at 56 Banbury Road – both
while you are here and for the rest of your career.
] Thinking about doing your own thing
] All set! Just planning the fne details …
Our services include:
] 1:1 meetings with a Careers Adviser Jonathan Black
Director of the Careers Service
] Fifteen different Careers Fairs a year
] Employability programmes such as Student Consultancy,
or Insight programmes
] Summer Internship and Micro-Internship programmes 1t hDaot no’vt ejur s6t0 t%ak oe fo sutur dweonrtds faotr Oitx; ftohred i nredfepr eton dtheen tG suuirdve,y a cboomupt a2n0y% H pigohinFtlsie mrso croe ntfhramn s
] Thousands of jobs on CareerConnect the next most popular guide.
2 OK, we don’t know this for certain …
Welcome to your annual Careers Guide. It’s packed with One piece of advice I’ll share with you: don’t rule out
Glencore is one of the world’s largest globally diversifed natural resource companies and a major information for when you are thinking about your future: from anything. Like me, you may well fnd yourself a couple of
producer and marketer of more than 90 commodities. We employ 160,000 people worldwide. handy tips and tricks for applications to specifc guides to years down the line doing something you never imagined
sectors and industries. We hope it will be a useful resource. you’d do but loving your job nonetheless. As President
We’re looking for graduate trainees to join our oil business and become part of our 2018 Global of Oxford SU, I work in a team of six sabbatical offcers to
Trader/Commercial Graduate scheme. The programme ofers you the opportunity to develop Oxford SU and the Careers Service work together to support represent all of our students, campaigning and lobbying
you in developing skills and gaining experience for the
into front line trading or other key commercial roles with Glencore’s oil business. working world. Whether that’s through this Guide, careers the University on key issues to help improve your student
experience. It’s never something I thought I’d end up doing,
Our graduates are trusted with individual responsibility from day one in complex and fairs, various recruitment opportunities, or via your personal but it’s incredibly rewarding to be able to give back to the
interactions with us - we are backing your future! You can
demanding roles. Working as part of a team is essential as is having the ability to think and book an appointment with the Careers Service, or utilise their students and wider community that made my time here so
act independently. You must have a keen commercial sense and enjoy the decision making resources and events, throughout your degree and beyond. enjoyable. We’ve made sure that this Careers Guide has a
process of solving logistical challenges and providing practical solutions to complex problems. The Careers Service remains open for alumni to use at any bit of everything – from consultancy and vocational work, to
design or even self-employment.
At Glencore you can look forward to a rewarding and challenging role, working with some of point in their career.
the most experienced, capable and accomplished people in the industry. Oxford SU and the Careers Service offer lots of opportunities. So enjoy and make use of this guide, keep in touch for more
events, and feel free to contact us with any questions or
Getting involved in the SU as part of our campaigns,
Take real ownership of your career and you’ll fnd it pays of. internships, through student media, as an offcer or by concerns you have through the years.
working on our community outreach projects, is an incredible
Exceptional graduate salary package experience. It will not only help you to develop transferable
skills for a wide range of careers, but provides chances to
meet new people and can be a lot of fun.
For further details please visit glencoregraduates.com
If you’re interested, you can check out oxfordsu.org or head
We will be open to receive applications between 1st August and 27th October 2017 over to CareerConnect on p.4.
KATE COLE
DIVERSIFIED • DEDICATED • DRIVEN President,
Oxford University Students' Union
www.careers.ox.ac.uk 1
2018
B
A
DEVELOPING YOUR CAREER IDEAS
Careers information and advice for
THE YEAR AHEAD everyone - including how to develop and
explore ideas for what to do next, from
An overview of the recruitment year at Oxford further study to how to fnd graduate jobs.
University and the range of support available
at The Careers Service. 12 FIVE STEPS FOR BETTER CAREER PLANNING
18 ETHICAL NETWORKING
4 YOUR CAREERS SERVICE 21 BUILDING YOUR OCCUPATIONAL AWARENESS
6 WHAT’S NEXT? WHAT’S FIRST? 24 ROUTES INTO GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT
8 CAREERS TERM BY TERM 26 FURTHER STUDY
27 WORKING IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
29 VISA OPTIONS FOR WORKING IN THE UK

WHERE TO FIND US CONTRIBUTORS
Content: Publishing Assistant:
www.careers.ox.ac.uk The Careers Service Rosanna Mills.
Address: 56 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 6PA and Oxford SU. With thanks to:
Telephone: + 44 (0) 1865 27 46 46 Project Lead: Mark McHugh, all Careers
Polly Metcalfe. Service staff and alumni
Email:
C
GAINING EXPERIENCE +
DEVELOPING SKILLS
Core employability skills: what they are,
E
and ideas on how to develop them.
30 GAINING EXPERIENCE + DEVELOPING SKILLS
31 CORE SKILLS
33 EMPLOYABILITY PROGRAMMES
35 IDEAS ON GAINING EXPERIENCE INDUSTRY SECTOR BRIEFINGS
39 THE INTERNSHIP OFFICE
An introduction to a wide variety of
different industries. including real-world
insights and advice from Oxford alumni.
56 ACADEMIA + HIGHER EDUCATION
58 ACCOUNTANCY + FINANCIAL SERVICES
61 ADVERTISING, MARKETING + PR
65 ARTS + HERITAGE
67 BANKING + INVESTMENT
D 72 CHARITY + SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
78 COMPUTING + IT
85 CONSULTANCY
96 EDUCATION
101 ENERGY + ENVIRONMENT
APPLICATION ESSENTIALS 104 ENGINEERING
107 HEALTH + SOCIAL CARE
Advice, guidance and tactics for being 110 INTERNATIONAL POLICY + DEVELOPMENT
your best at all stages of the application 113 LAW
process. 125 MEDIA + JOURNALISM
129 NATIONAL POLICY + GOVERNMENT
40 APPLICATION ESSENTIALS 131 PUBLISHING
42 EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY IN THE 134 RETAIL
APPLICATION PROCESS 136 SCIENCE
43 CVs 139 START-UPS, SPIN-OUTS + ENTREPRENEURSHIP
46 COVER LETTERS 143 OTHER CAREERS
49 APPLICATION FORMS FOR EMPLOYMENT
AND FURTHER STUDY
50 PSYCHOMETRIC TESTS
51 ASSESSMENT CENTRES
53 CONFIDENT INTERVIEWS
www.careers.ox.ac.uk 3
A
THE YEAR AHEAD
YOUR CAREERS SERVICE
The Careers Service provides support and impartial advice on any
THE careers-related topic – from career planning and researching further
CAREERS study to developing your skills, fnding opportunities and making strong
SERVICE applications. Use this Guide to get started, and see our website for in-depth
guidance: www.careers.ox.ac.uk
DAILY
CAREERCONNECT ADVICE APPOINTMENTS: Confdential and impartial one-
www.careers.ox.ac.uk/careerconnect to-one meetings with a Careers Adviser held at The Careers
Service, with extra sessions hosted in departments and
colleges. Book in advance on CareerConnect.
Accessed with your Oxford Single Sign-on,
CareerConnect is the password-protected area of The
Careers Service website which provides dedicated
services enabling you to: WEEKLY
] Book appointments. E-NEWSLETTER: The easiest way to keep up to date during
term, our newsletter hits your in-box each week with details of
] Browse our Calendar of events. up-coming events and opportunities.
] Book your place on workshops and employer led
events. TALKS AND WORKSHOPS: We host talks on specifc career
options and run skills workshops frequently, many with invited
] Search our extensive database of job vacancies and external speakers. Most are open to all students, with some
internships. tailored to Masters students, DPhil students or Research Staff.
] Access additional resources that we subscribe to on
your behalf, including practice tests.
] …. and much more!
4 www.careers.ox.ac.uk
THE YEAR AHEAD A
TERMLY
THE STUDENT CONSULTANCY: Work in a team to help
local organisations solve real business problems and
develop your employability skills: includes consultancy
training. See p.33. Matthias Beestermöller,
CAREER LOUNGES: A group discussion on a specifc issue Christ Church, 2011-2013,
led by a Careers Adviser. Times and topics are advertised MPhil Economics
on CareerConnect.
MICRO-INTERNSHIPS: Two to fve day voluntary, full-time
work placements with host a organisation, run in 9th week
every term.
ItaM owp yfpa fnlniyrcdt sate to tdpi uof.i eten wcse eho raof jftlo atbwydsp v qewicu oheafi cl wipthyeo .yr uTsolohdunu bw sIe, a a ftnomhtra imant nsiettd’ est hawbedeh tfaotertfs rtmt y tsopat ess po fw joabs
This I did through talking to my network: friends and
family, acquaintances, people that studied my subject a
ANNUALLY few years above me, others from my College etc. This is
CAREER FAIRS: Meet employers and alumni to learn about how I learnt about the executive assistantship at Allianz:
and explore some of the options available. Starting early in a structured program training their future management.
Michaelmas, we run up to 15 major events. See details on p.8. Allianz is, of course, a huge insurer. I thought it really
ftted me: It was challenging, I would continually be
OPPORTUNITIES: Nearly 10,000 vacancy and internship
required to learn a tremendous amount in a short period
positions are advertised every year on CareerConnect.
of time, it was an industry at the brink of the digital
THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME: Hundreds of work revolution, a big and impressive corporation, and in the
experience opportunities in many sectors and countries city I wanted to continue living in.
exclusively for Oxford students. See p.39.
The fnal step then was my application. This is where
the Oxford Careers Service helped me (their service
is open to Alumni!). I visited the Careers Service in
PLUS. person and picked up lots of booklets and material
] INSIGHT INTO: Short programmes to help you develop on applications in general and my industry. They also
your knowledge and understanding of a specifc feld, advised me on the other services available: Via the
including Insights into Teaching, Medicine, Business and Oxford Careers Network, I could contact an Oxford
Academia. See p.34. Alumni at Allianz. Furthermore, I had skype sessions with
Career Advisors; their advice was invaluable. They helped
] THE SPRINGBOARD PROGRAMME: Holistic development
me apply my CV and cover letter to the job posting.
workshops for female students, created with the founders
This was also tremendously valuable for the interview
of an award-winning programme for professionals.
as it gave me more clarity on how I could ft the criteria
See p.33.
that they were looking for. Before my interview, I also
] RECRUITER IN RESIDENCE AND MOCK INTERVIEWS: talked to a careers adviser about what to expect and
Meet employers one-on-one to learn about their sector or how to prepare. It was great, because talking to these
organisation, get advice on your CV and applications or professionals helped me improve my application to the
have a practice interview. Times and topics advertised on point that I felt relaxed and prepared when it came to the
CareerConnect. actual interview.
] BUSINESS MENTORING: Individual support to help I secured the job - thanks to the Oxford Careers Service!
students develop better commercial skills, especially My fnal key advice to future applicants: Don’t be shy to
valuable for anyone interested in exploring how to start ask for help. “The squeaky wheel gets the oil”.
their own business or social enterprise. See p.33.
www.careers.ox.ac.uk 5
A THE YEAR AHEAD
WHAT’S NEXT? WHAT’S FIRST?
Take a breath, fnd your bearings and think about what would help you most to move forwards.
Most students will explore career options, including further As suggested by the Cheshire Cat, without considering your
study, alongside their studies. This Guide is for everyone destination it is diffcult to establish a purposeful direction of
considering what to do at the end of their current course, travel. Consider the following questions about your possible
and will help students who have a clear focus to sharpen next steps and mark where you currently stand on the grid on
their career objectives and add polish to their applications. the next page.
It summarises our guidance and signposts further resources
to explore options, make decisions and work purposefully ] How clear are your ideas?
towards a successful future. ] How well do you understand your core interests and
motivations?
] And, do you have suffcient understanding and experience
to make a sound decision?

“Would you tell me, please, which CAREER READINESS GRID
way I ought to go from here?”
QUADRANT 1: MAKE A START
Whether your next move is to explore a little and try
something new, or to refect on your personal preferences and
“That depends a start planning, the important thing is to make a start.
good deal on where ] Attend a career fair or company events.
you want to get to,” ] Use career planning tools to generate ideas and a focus.
] Get involved with a student society.
said the cat. ] Sign up for some workshops.
The pointers below (for students in Quadrants 2 and 3)
indicate more specifcally what’s needed to move ‘down’ and
‘right’ on the Career Readiness Grid.
Remember, it’s never too late to start, and the careers advisory
“I don’t much care where – “. team is here to support you all the way.

QUADRANT 2: I HAVE A FOCUS
BUT I’M NOT SURE …
“Then it doesn’t matter
… how to show companies I am a strong candidate
which way you go.” … if it is truly right for me
Whether your focus is a logical next step from your degree, or
comes from career planning (or even a hunch), getting some
experience will help you both to be a stronger candidate and
Alice talking to the Cheshire Cat, understand better why a role, company or further study option
from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. is right for you.
6 www.careers.ox.ac.uk
THE YEAR AHEAD A
CAREER READINESS GRID
oF cused excul siveyl on ym derg ee.
Plot your
progress!
I have a cel ar
hW ere and focus that I a m
ho w do I start. ow rik n g toaw rds.
Unsure 1 2 I have
hw at I a cel ar
aw nt to focus or
do. og a.l
I have ideas ub t I a m ew l
'I m not sure hw at's 3 4 orag nised and
rihg t for em . cel ar aob ut ym
next stesp .
Exolp rin g interests and deveol ip n g sik sl .
The most powerful way to fnd out if you enjoy something is to motivations. Refect on your experiences and try to identify
try it. See Section C: Gaining Experience and Developing Skills any themes that are important to you:
(pp.30-39) for advice and ideas about opportunities to ‘learn
by doing’. Consider: ] Why do you choose to do these activities?
] Taking on a similar role in your extracurricular activities (eg, ] Which skills do you use?
for a student society). ] What do you enjoy doing most and why?
] Doing an internship or volunteering. ] How important to you are the people, relationships and
] Participating in our employability programmes. outcomes?
] Work-shadowing or short-term work experience (eg, a Once you understand what kind of work and outcomes offer
micro-internship). you intrinsic satisfaction, further research through the web and
‘in person’ into industries, roles and organisations will help you
Use career fairs and company led events to talk with alumni to create focus and make decisions.
and others working in specifc felds to test any assumptions,
deepen your understanding and extend your thinking. When If you are struggling to narrow your focus, a confdential chat
combined with experience you may identify additional ideas with a Careers Adviser can help you gain clarity.
to develop into your Plan B and Plan C as a complement to
your primary focus. QUADRANT 4: ORGANISED AND CLEAR
If you have doubts or questions, see a Careers Adviser for an ABOUT NEXT STEPS
unbiased conversation. If you have placed yourself in this bottom right quadrant – you
may already be applying and interviewing - refecting on how
you developed your focus, examining any assumptions and
QUADRANT 3: I ENJOY LOTS OF aligning your choices to your core motivations can:
DIFFERENT THINGS - HOW CAN I ] Reinforce decisions made.
CHOOSE BETWEEN THEM? ] Strengthen applications, by improving the evidence you
present of your skills and interests.
Oxford students often have potential to succeed in many
different roles and felds and, yes, it can be diffcult to choose. ] Help identify viable alternatives.
If you are already exploring options and taking on different Additional support can still be helpful, especially if your early
roles to build skills and experiences, see Section B: applications aren’t working as you’d like. Attend workshops,
Developing Your Career Ideas (pp.12-29) for guidance company events and chat with a Careers Adviser to hone your
and tools to help you identify your pattern of interests and approach and consider what Plan B and Plan C might look like.
www.careers.ox.ac.uk 7
A THE YEAR AHEAD
CAREERS TERM BY TERM
Graduate recruitment runs year-round and there are always new positions being advertised.
However, many of the biggest recruiters link their cycles to the academic year, with full-time
positions for fnalists advertised from late summer, for entry the following year.
Every year, literally hundreds of organisations visit Oxford Considering Further Study?
specifcally to meet with you - to start a conversation. Research possibilities now to understand application processes
However, our academic terms are NOT created equal. and the options for funding.
] Popular courses can fll quickly, so consider applying early.
MICHAELMAS TERM ] Research deadlines to apply for grants and bursaries too.
Michaelmas term is the time to talk to frms that interest you. For fuller advice, see pp.26-27.
In fact, we run nine of or annual Career Fairs in weeks 1 to 4 of
Michaelmas Term, and this term will account for almost 75% of MORE THAN 1 YEAR TO COMPLETION:
all the company presentations and company visits coordinated Internships, Springweeks and Insights Days
by the Careers Service in the whole year.
Organisations with substantial graduate recruitment
At our Career Fairs and Company Presentations you can meet: programmes are increasingly interested in meeting
] Recent alumni working in areas you might be interested in, penultimate year students, freshers and 2nd years on a
people who were in your shoes not so long ago. 4-year course. Use any career fair to ask about the internship
and ‘taster programmes’ that you can apply to, and when
] Recruiters who can tell you more about the frm, graduate applications will be opening. Also, be sure to attend our
roles and training, and the recruitment process. Internship Fair in 4th Week of Michaelmas Term.
] Senior managers and business leaders (many will also be Some companies now start to accept applications for
Oxford alumni) who can provide a wider perspective on the internships and insight days towards the end of Michaelmas,
organisation and graduate career trajectories. with many more opening in the New Year. The recruitment
processes often mirror those for full-time positions because
Use the Events Calendar on CareerConnect to fnd Company success in the internship can lead to an offer for a full-time
presentations and to book places on relevant workshops and position the following year.
skills sessions offered through the Careers Service.
First years and 2nd years on a 4-year programme should
FINALISTS AND 1 YEAR MASTERS STUDENTS: note that places for taster days and Springweeks are limited
Full-time Jobs and Graduate Schemes: and can fll in less than a week. Be sure to sign up for alerts
Applications will already have opened during the summer at
most large graduate recruiters. If you have not already started,
fnalists and 1-year Masters students should move quickly to:
CAREERS FAIRS
] Understand the application processes for different frms
and be sure to note and hit any deadlines.
Oxford Careers Fair (for all sectors)
] Beware! Some sectors close as early as the end of 1st Week Saturday 14th October 2017
October (notably Banking & Investment and Management
Consultancy) and some have “rolling recruitment”, flling Finance Fair
vacancies as and when students apply. 2nd Week Tuesday 17th October 2017
Management Consultancy Fair
Other frms will open applications during this term and into 2nd Week Wednesday 18th October 2017
Hilary. For your target companies, monitor careers sites, set
email alerts and follow them on social media to make sure you Careers in Computing
hear frst about new opportunities. 3rd Week Tuesday 24th October 2017
Arts, Media & Marketing Event
Plan enough time to make high quality applications: CVs, 3rd Week Thursday 26th October 2017
cover letter and application forms take time to complete well
and should be tailored for each and every application. Science, Engineering & Technology Fair
See pp.40-55 for advice on Successful Applications. 3rd Week Saturday 28th October 2017
Teaching & Education Fair
Be ready for the recruitment process to move quickly once 4th Week Tuesday 31st October 2017
you have applied. Online testing, interviews and assessment
centres can all follow within a few weeks, and offers may be Internship Fair
made before Christmas. 4th Week Wednesday 1st November 2017
Law Fair
Consider booking a 1-to-1 discussion with a Careers Adviser 4th Week Saturday 4th November 2017
and fnd relevant workshops and skill sessions advertised on
our Events Calendar on CareerConnect. Jobs for Mathematicians
7th Week Tuesday 21st November 2017
8 www.careers.ox.ac.uk