SERVICES Careers Guidance appointments ‘Answers to Frequently Asked Questions’ What are Careers Guidance Appointments? Careers Guidance Appointments are an opportunity for you to speak with the Careers Adviser on a one to one basis. Appointments are approximately forty-five minutes long and are available throughout the academic year, including vacation periods. The appointments are designed to help you with in-depth issues such as: • Exploring your career ideas and life plans. • Generating career ideas if you do not know what you would like to do after your course. • Reviewing your current position if you are unhappy with your present choice of course or career. • Help with job searching, when you may be feeling that you are getting nowhere fast. All advice is impartial, non-judgemental and confidential. Appointments are conducted on a one to one basis to maintain confidentiality, and focus on the individual needs. Please do try to book your appointment as soon as you feel that you need one. This may be during the first year* of your studies or later. If necessary, students may be seen more than once by a Careers Adviser. Appointments are available to all current students and to BG graduates for up to two years after graduation. How do I book a Careers Guidance Appointment? To book an appointment, please complete a One to One Appointment Form available from the Student Resource Centre in Hardy or email bgfutures@bishopg.ac.uk. An appropriate appointment slot will then be set up for you. If you require an urgent appointment, please indicate this on your form and we will do our best to arrange for you to be seen as soon as possible. Please inform the Careers Adviser if, for any reason you are unable to attend your appointment so that your time slot can be offered to someone else. Where are the Careers Guidance Appointments held? Appointments will be held in one of the appointment rooms, next to the Student Resources Centre in the Hardy Building. The setting is a comfortable and confidential room, with good ground floor access for wheelchair users. *Please note that unless it is urgent first years are asked not to book an appointment in the autumn term, due to high demand from second and third year students at this time. Also, first year students are unable to obtain Employability Points for attending an appointment in their first year.
How do I prepare for a Careers Guidance Appointment? It is important to think before your appointment, why you are requesting one and what you hope to achieve from it. It may be useful for you to come with a list of items or questions that you require assistance with. Some students also attend with an up to date copy of their CV. What happens after a Careers Guidance Appointment? Depending on the type of Appointment you have had, your Careers Adviser will usually give you a ‘Summary of Guidance’. This document summarises what was discussed during the appointment, and lists what action you need to take in order to move on with your career decisions. A follow-up appointment may be booked for you, if required, and a new appointment card issued. Your Careers Adviser may also undertake some research on topics that you have enquired about. The Careers Adviser will feed this back to you during your follow up appointment, or send out the information to you in the post, in a Careers Information Pack. In certain circumstances the Careers Adviser may consider that a referral to another agency is appropriate, and if you agree, a referral will be made for you. Who will I see for my Careers Guidance Appointment? Eve Stuart, Careers and Employability Manager BSc (Hons), PGCE, DipCG Eve has over twenty years’ experience in Careers Guidance. She had worked with a wide range of clients in schools, colleges, and in the work place. Eve is a graduate, a qualified Teacher and she holds the Postgraduate Diploma in Careers Guidance. Allison Lawrence, Head of Careers, Employability and Enterprise BEd (Hons) DipCG MCMI Allison qualified as a Careers Adviser 20 years ago and has held various Management roles within Careers Services. This has included managing guidance services to adults, Connexions Teams and services to employers. Mark Bowen, Enterprise Development Manager
(MSc, FCMI) Mark specialises in business advice, but is also a qualified career adviser. A great deal of his work has involved assessing and analysing business ideas or businesses themselves and providing advice and support to help them achieve their objectives.
BG Futures: Careers, Employability and Enterprise operate in accordance with the University Diversity and Equality Policies. If you require this document in an alternative format, for example in large print, please email us at bgfutures@bishopg.ac.uk For more information go to the BG Futures module on Blackboard