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'I don’t know what to do’ is probably one of our most frequently asked questions by students. Making such an important choice can be daunting and there are a number ways in which Careers can support you and help you to think about what the first or next step might be. 

Starting to find out a bit more about yourself and what opportunities are available can really help you make that first step in career planning – but remember, what you do after leaving university is just your initial step and not something you will be stuck doing for the rest of your working life (unless you want to!).

If you are currently unsure about what you want to do or you don’t know how to get started, we would strongly encourage you to book an appointment with one of our Careers Consultants who can help you take that first step.

The following links can also be useful starting points when exploring your options:

What can I do with my degree?
Understanding your options
Information on Job Sectors
Job Profiles by Sector

The foundations of successful career planning are built on self-awareness. This involves looking at your skills and competencies and understanding your values, interests and personality to find a best fit career for you.

You may be tempted to rush straight in to applying for opportunities even if you are not too sure what to do, especially if you see friends and course mates applying for jobs. Although this may seem like a good way to catch up, understanding what you have to offer an employer and why you are interested in a certain career can help you to make an effective application. A quality, tailored application is always better than submitting similar/the same application in bulk. 

To help you think about what you have to offer, try reflecting on your degree and any previous experience whilst taking the following questions into consideration: 

What am I interested in? Understanding what drives you… What do you like/dislike about your degree? What did you enjoy/not enjoy about any previous experience? What are your hobbies? What wouldn’t you like?

What am I good at? Understanding your strengths… What skills do you enjoy using? That kind of tasks energise you? What have others praised you on? What relevant experience (studies, work, volunteering, extra-curricular) do you have? What am I less confident/skilled in?

What motivates me? Understanding what is important to you… What is simply ‘nice to have’ for a career and what is a ‘must have/need’? You might want to consider: company values, location, responsibility, salary, stability, variety, work environment, work/life balance, working hours etc.

There are a number of online tests and questionnaires that can help you get to know yourself better:

Career Planner

Graduates First (Work Personality Questionnaire)

Job Match

Review your strengths

Career interests

Careers Anchors questionnaire

Before you can make a decision about what you want to apply to, you will need to find out exactly what options you have available. There are many possibilities open to graduates, probably more than you realise at first, and sometimes, the hardest task will be deciding how to choose from the many options available to you.

You may already have a preconceived idea of what a certain area might be like but don’t make a decision on this basis without further research. You don’t want to rule out options unnecessarily, and you might be surprised at what some areas have to offer. By discovering what is out there, you can make an informed choice and consider some new ideas as well as those you had thought of. The most popular choice for new graduates is applying for a job and a large proportion of graduate level jobs are open to people of any degree, so don’t feel constrained by what you have studied. This is however not your only option and there are plenty more for you to explore on the 'Options to explore' webpage.

Once you’ve found opportunities and/or postgraduate courses that you want to apply for it’s time to start writing your applications. 

Our top tips would be that you should always research what is involved in the applications process and it is a good idea to save a copy of the job description and your application (especially if you are applying to more than one role!). Each application should be tailored and a quality application is always better than submitting the same one to multiple places. Use our extensive applications and interviews resources to help guide you through the process. 

Before you submit your application or attend an interview, why not come and see us in Careers where we can give you tailored feedback on your CV, your covering letter, your personal statement, your interview technique and much more…Book your appointment on MyJobsOnline.

Responding to offers and either accepting or rejecting a job can be a tricky process, as can dealing with rejection.  
Receiving multiple offers sounds like the perfect scenario but it might not be as straightforward as you think as you might need to take lots of things into consideration to work out what opportunity suits you best.  

If you need any support with this process, or wish to talk through feedback that you have received, please do book an appointment and come in and see us.  

We are here to help you navigate life after graduation. Alumni Careers Support is available for an additional 2 years after your course ends. Whether you’re unsure where to begin, you’re struggling to get your foot on the career ladder or you’re preparing for an upcoming interview, we’re waiting to hear from you. 

Create an Alumni MyJobsOnline account so you can: 

- Book a 1:1 appointment with one of our Careers Consultants, 

- Register to attend one of our Careers and employer-led events including a bespoke summer programme 

- Browse vacancies advertised to our students and graduates. 

Join our UoR Careers Alumni Network on LinkedIn to connect with fellow Alumni, sharing advice and opportunities.