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* _ * Yeah, we might be rocking a credit crunch but that’s no reason why you shouldn’t get the career of your dreams. It may be tough, but Fix is here* to make sure you stand out from the crowd with clued up career advice.

* Our university lives, - three years of

chillaxing and tallying up an almighty level of debt pretty much all courtesy to TopShop and double Jaegers. The last thing on our minds are career concerns, but the reality is in this tricky economic climate it is more important than ever to assess your options in both choosing a career and in enhancing your employability.

The good news..

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- The approximate starting salary for those of us with a degree is around £20k. - Individuals who have completed a degree course are 90% more likely be employed - think about it, completing 3 years of solid study (if not more) proves your dedication. 15

Ultimately, it’s mega important to weigh up your options. But we know how busy you are, with that dissertation and eyeing up those new shoes, so we’ve rounded up a few ideas of where to go next for you.

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* _ Some options available for * Post Graduates: -Work Experience / Internships

Though often unpaid, experiences like these are priceless; you can get the low down on possible careers and gain work experience (which looks fab on your C.V.), improve skills university has provided you with and potentially bag a job at the end of it all. Graduate Talent Pool allows graduates to search and apply for internships and experience within several major U.K. companies, who post vacancies on the site.

- Starting a Business This may sound a little crazy but many universities offer their graduates help and various services to help their ideas blossom. Another great service designed for you guys is Flying Start, a service run by the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship which offers support for students up to five years after their graduation. You can sign up for free workshops, entrepreneur programmes, speak with other graduate entrepreneurs for advice and gain access to information about grants and funding.

- Graduate career fairs Career fairs are an excellent place to explore jobs in the areas that interest you. They are a vital step to take in widening your opportunities and scope of careers in seeing what exactly is out there. Some fairs have job recruitment opportunities within them meaning not only do you get a cheeky day out, but the chance to come home with a brand-spanking new career as well! Prospects.ac.uk provide lists of fairs taking place across the country at both graduate and post graduate level.

- Graduate Job searches Prospects.ac.uk offers a service which allows you to search different areas of work across different areas of the country you specify. It also offers a list of all companies which offer post graduation positions, so take a look and see if any tickle your fancy. The world is your oyster!

Your careers

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- Postgraduate study In some cases post-graduate study may increase your likelihood in getting employed in a specific sector. It can also make you stand out against competitors in applying for positions. If this interests you shop around for a course which entices you; some unis offer discounts and sponsorship to help with costs. It’s also a good idea to have a look at financial options your bank offer; certain career paths quality for a £25,000 interest free overdraft, others for low APR loans. The council also offer sponsorship and funding options, for example the Arts and Humanities Research Council are currently holding a competition offering awards to those studying in this field.

Unsure what to do next?

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No worries, sometimes it just helps to sit down and talk it out with someone. Prospects.ac.uk offer career consultants to help you with C.V. issues, covering letters and provide advice and coaching to help you sail from education to employment, along with a Prospect Planner which allows you to assess what kind of career would suit you best. There are hundreds of options available to you; don’t panic. Take a gap year, gather some life experiences, take up volunteering etc. By trial and error you’ll something you enjoy, and passion is a massive key to success. BBC Radio1 Switch suggest the key to figuring out your ideal career stems from a little something called ‘transferrable skills’; your passion for sweet talking may lead to a career in public relations or your amazing nights out may lead onto a career in party planning and events management. Whatever you shine at, there’s an opportunity out there for you. Even if you take a career in the complete opposite direction to what you set out to study, a degree is a degree, and ladies, this puts us in an excellent position in the job market. Hurrah!

Useful websites: - prospects.ac.uk - direct.gov.uk - graduatetalentpool.direct.gov.uk - flyingstartonline.com

speaks to some savvy students looking to hit the big time...

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