Oxford

THE YEAR AHEAD
A
“
2016
damilola odimayo
Careers Adviser
Making high quality applications
takes time and good research,
so it’s really important to be
on top of your planning. For
each company you’re applying
to, it’s very important to know
both what their application/
assessment process will be and
when their deadline falls, as
these will vary, even between
firms in the same sector
”
FIRST YEAR UNDERGRADS
GET INVOLVED AND HAVE FUN!
Join student clubs and societies in the University – and if
possible take an active role.
Volunteer with OxHub and local charities in term and in the
vac, a great way of gaining skills, meeting people and making
a difference (p.31).
Support outreach to schools for your College, or take part in a
fundraising event or telethon.
Participate in staff/student liaison committees within your
college or department.
START THINKING
It’s never too soon to start thinking about your post university
plans. Develop some awareness of your career related
preferences and interests with some self-assessment
exercises. See pages 10-15, Developing Your Career Ideas.
Visit The Careers Service‘s website, or use our Resource Centre
at 56 Banbury Road to start researching what you could do
and check out your options
Look for, and apply to, Insight Days, Spring Weeks and Work
Shadowing opportunities in different sectors for inspiration
(pp.31-35). In some firms this is a route to an internship the
following year.
Consider your skills and experiences, and where there are
gaps, plan ahead on how to fill them. Talk to a Careers Adviser
if you need help with your plans or ideas for how to get started.
DEVELOP YOUR CV
Start to assemble your CV or refresh the one you used before
for part-time work at school. See pages 41-43 and our more
extensive guidance at www.careers.ox.ac.uk and information
in our Resource Centre.
Attend one of the Careers Service’s CV Preparation talks.
Think about how you can develop employability skills and
experience. See pages 26-30 for initial ideas on getting started,
and consider joining one of The Careers Service’s employability
programmes.
GAIN SOME EXPERIENCE
Apply for vacation/temporary work to earn money and
gain experience and skills. Every opportunity can provide
meaningful experience: for example, bar and retail work can
enhance your customer focus, team-work skills and insights
into what makes a successful business tick.
Visit the vacancy database on CareerConnect to look for parttime
and vacation opportunities.
Apply for a summer placement on The Oxford University
Internship Programme (OUIP) from January for overseas
internships, and from mid-February for internships in the UK
(p.35).
www.careers.ox.ac.uk 9