What next? workbook

What next?

Looking to life after university Please fill in ‘Your details’, complete the booklet and enclose any suggested preparation materials. Return them to the Careers Service when you are ready to book a convenient appointment time.

Your details Name Student number Address

Telephone Email Current/most recent course Current stage/ year of completion

Preparation materials / notes

(to be completed by the Careers Service)

Referred by

Date

Your appointment (to be completed by the Careers Service) Date

Duration

Time

Adviser

What next?

This booklet is intended to help you to plan your future. It aims to help you: • think about yourself, what you’re good at, what you enjoy and why • start to question what rewards and satisfactions you’ll be looking for in a job • identify the skills you’d like to use in a job • summarise your priorities and any constraints you may need to take into account • start linking the above to possible job roles and/or employment sectors that may interest you

Use this space to record your current thinking Any ideas you have about specific job roles and/or broad employment sectors that interest you:

Any ideas you’ve previously considered but rejected. Please explain why you’ve rejected them:

If you could try any job for a week, what would it be?:

Identifying what is important to you Thinking about your past experience can provide a useful insight into your strengths and what you find interesting. This can then help you to form a clearer picture about what you want from your working life.

Academic experience (knowledge and skills) What have you enjoyed most and why?

What have you learnt about yourself from this? (e.g. which skills have you developed? Which topics do you have a good knowledge of?)

Work experience (e.g. any part-time/full-time work, volunteering, internship etc.)

What work experience do you have?

What have you learnt about yourself?

(e.g. what you enjoy, what motivates you, your strengths etc.)

Your interests How do you choose to use your spare time and what attracts you to these activities?

What have you learnt about yourself?

(e.g. what you enjoy, what motivates you, your strengths etc.)

Building a bigger picture of you Thinking about what you have already written, which interests, skills and strengths do you want to use?

What sort of life do you want?

(Think about what motivates you, your ambitions, personal values etc.)

Could you face any obstacles? (e.g. location, disappointing exam results, health issues etc.)

What jobs would suit you?

Prospects Career Planner is an easy-to-use web-based system which can help you to: • identify what you want out of a job • generate ideas • provide useful and relevant information sources to assist your research Go to www.prospects.ac.uk – ‘Jobs and work experience’ – ‘What jobs would suit me?’

Once you have completed Prospects Career Planner, use your profile to answer these questions:

1)

Did any of the jobs suggested appeal more than others?

2)

Were there any jobs that you’re certain aren’t for you?

3)

Were there any jobs which you were hoping and/or expecting would be suggested, but weren’t?

4)

Identify 3-5 jobs worth further research and use ‘Exploring occupations’ (www.ncl.ac.uk/careers/explore)

Having completed these activities, what can you say about factors that are important in your future career choices? (e.g. your values, interests, what motivates you etc.)

And finally...

Use this space to record ideas you wish to explore further at your meeting with the careers adviser.

Next steps To discuss your next steps with a careers adviser, please take this completed booklet to the Careers Service to make an appointment.

Action planner To be completed during your appointment with a careers adviser.

What would you like to do next?

Careers Service Careers and Enterprise Centre Level 1, King’s Gate Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU Tel: +44 (0) 191 208 7748 Fax: +44 (0) 191 208 7780 Web: www.ncl.ac.uk/careers

When will you do this?