7.1 Careers and employability

Here in HaSS, we know how important it is for students to build a diverse portfolio of experiences. Your time at Exeter provides opportunity to develop skills, attributes, and strengths to prepare you for the world of work. Whatever stage you are at in your career thinking, our dedicated Career Zone team are here to help.

Whether you are deciding on your future, planning to get more experience, applying for a job or preparing for an interview, we are here to support you. Our information and events are categorised into the phases ‘Decide’, ‘Plan’, and ‘Compete’ to help you to get the right information at the right time to suit your career planning. Explore our support on the Career Zone website.

Unique to Exeter, Create your Future is a personal and professional development programme for 1^st year students, giving you the opportunity to think about what you want from your future after University, and the practical steps to get there.

Handshake

Handshake is the Career Zone’s career development platform. Through Handshake, you can discover a range of opportunities such as careers fairs, employer events, plus workshops and one-to-one appointments. Handshake helps you find opportunities and makes it easier for you to apply. Activate your account now!

Work experience

Career Zone provides lots of help for you to secure work experience through an internship or work placement, during or after your studies. Internships can be on campus or with local employers and can form part of a module or be completed on an extra-curricular basis. We work hard to support you finding an internship and can arrange internships for you through our Professional Pathways programme. Find information on internships and work placements, and our Access to Internships (A2I) programme, which provides support and funding to help Exeter students arrange paid internships in the UK. Internships can be on campus or with local employers and can be part of a module or completed on an extra-curricular basis.

Internships provide:

• Paid employment opportunities reserved for UoE students and graduates.
• Responsibilities where you can support or lead a project, process or people.
• An opportunity to apply and develop your skills, knowledge and experience.
• Training and support from understanding employers.
• Valuable experience to aid your career development.

Career guidance

My Career Zone Digital

My Career Zone Digital is an online resource designed to inform you about career opportunities and develop your employability. If you’re a student or graduate of the University of Exeter, you can use My Career Zone to access sector reports, use career development online programmes, practice your interview technique using the interview simulation I360, use CV and cover letter builders and much more! You will be able to log in to this resource once you have enrolled on your degree programme.

Career Mentor Scheme

Career Mentor Scheme is a popular employability scheme which matches experienced professionals with a mentee (as a current student, recent graduate or GBP), to meet monthly for sector insights and one to one career advice and guidance over a six-month period.

Ask An Alum - get help from University of Exeter Alumni

Ask an Alum is a simple and reliable way for you to receive custom careers advice via email from over 700 alumni. You can speak with up to 2 alumni at a time, undertaking a variety of job roles from a huge range of organisations, sectors, and countries - you don't need to have a set career in mind, just a desire to gather more information and gain insight into the careers you are considering. You can ask almost any type of careers related question and you can apply as many times as you like during term time. It's a short-term connection, so there is no long term commitment, objectives, training or preparation needed to participate. 

Exeter Award

The Exeter Award will help you stand out from the crowd and give you the confidence to shout about the experiences you’ve had at university. It is an extra and co-curricular employability achievement award for current undergraduate and taught postgraduate students. It is for current undergraduate and postgraduate students and is delivered in partnership with the Students’ Union in Penryn. 

Completing the Award will help you make the most of your professional experience. You’ll receive training in valuable professional skills, develop vital workplace experience and learn how to optimise your CVs and application forms. Students who complete the Exeter Award are more likely to be in a graduate level job six months after graduating (Destination of Leavers of Higher Education data).

It’s also worth being aware that some of the modules available to you under our modularity rules may also enhance your employability, such as languages, teaching experience or doing a short placement in an industry of your choice, so please bear this in mind when making your module choices!

Exclusively for Humanities Postgraduates there is also Your Masters, What Next? This online course supports you in making decisions about what to do after your Masters.

The course will help you: 

• Identify your key work values (the ‘boxes’ a job needs to tick for you to be happy doing) 
• Recognise the skills and strengths you want to use in a job 
• Refine your career ideas to create a clearer focus 
• Research possible careers options and find ways to get more insight and experience 
• Create a strong CV which showcases your skills and experience 

There are also resources and a unique range of programmes aimed at international students such as China Career Ready and India Career Ready, and a full range of additional employability schemes and events through the Career Zone.