1. University of Glasgow Careers at the
Mr. Stephen Shilton, Careers Adviser
University Careers Service

2. Contents Graduate labour market
How will GU help its students/graduates?
How the Careers Service will help

3. Glasgow Graduates 2006 – 2011 (%)
Year
Entered
Employment
Further
Study
Employment & Study
Not
Available
Seeking
2006 60 24 6 4
2007 59 7
2008 63 20
2009 23 8
2010 58 27 3
2011 22 2 5 3

4. GU v UK 2011 UK GU a In employment 63% b Further study 16% c
Employment and study 8% d
Not available for employment, study or training 4% e
Seeking employment, study or training 9%
55%
26%
10% 3% 6%
Due to rounding, sum may not be exactly 100%

5. Graduate Labour Market
60%
Class of degree important
Huge range of opportunities
A degree is not enough!
Get involved!

6. Employers’ Top 25 Attributes
Analytical ability
Flexibility
Initiative
Can summarise key issues
Logical argument
Adaptability (intellectual)
Numeracy
Adaptability (organisational)
Can cope with pressure/stress
Time management
Rapid conceptualisation of issues
Enquiry and research skills
Self-confidence
Willingness to learn
Commitment
Dependability/reliability
Self-motivation
Team work
Communication skills (oral)
Co-operation
Communication skills (written)
Drive/energy
Self-management
Desire to achieve
Problem-solving

7. Graduate Attributes Subject Specialists Investigative Independent &
Critical Thinkers
Effective
Communicators
Resourceful &
Responsible
Confident
Experienced
Collaborators
Ethically &
Socially Aware
Reflective
Learners
Adaptable

8. Researching & Writing Essays
Subject Specialist
Effective written communication
Critical thinking

9. Part-time job Effective Communication – oral
Ethically & socially aware
Adaptable

10. GU – Employability Strategy
Helps students realise they are developing skills
Gives opportunities to develop them
Helps students’ Career Planning
Helps students to articulate!
Here at GU we want you not just to gain your degree, but to become “employable” too. So how can GU help you with this?
CS is working with academic departments to make sure that courses make students more aware of the skills they’re developing as they go. Whether your degree is Law or Philosophy, we want you to be aware of the skills you’re gaining and their undoubted relevance to the world of work.
GU is expanding the opportunities for summer placements, and internships both here and abroad – for example we have a team of staff in CS whose main aim is to obtain placements in companies for students, and have well over 100 local companies offering summer placements.
Effective Career planning begins early – not after the final exams!
We’re encouraging students to undertake personal development planning, so that they can gain confidence from being aware of how they’re benefiting from University Life in its entirety, and actually plan how they’re going to develop. There are great web based tools to help you do just that.
For example, using summer holidays wisely, in order to gain experiences relevant to any career aims – however vague.
Articulate: Students also need to be able to explain to employers via CV/AF/at interview, that they have what they’re looking for. Hopefully these activities will help here, and CS will help you with CV/interviews not just for graduate jobs, but for your first summer job, or part-time work. 10

11. Get Involved! During studies Work experience Voluntary work
Join clubs and
societies
Develop your interests

12. Work Experience
“Nearly 2/3 recruiters warn: graduates who have had no work experience at all are unlikely to be successful during the selection process and have little or no chance of receiving a job offer for their organisations’ graduate programmes.”
High Fliers Report 2011
Highfliers survey is published each year with reports in the broadsheets – this year 17,851 final year students were interviewed across the UK – gives a good picture of graduate recruitment in the UK…
Demonstrates how important any work experience as a student is….
As I mentioned earlier, your degree discipline isn’t necessarily the most important factor in determining your career choice…
Let’s illustrate this by looking at what some graduates from Glasgow have gone on to do…

13. Business Analyst with Melville Craig
Celtic Studies
Business Analyst with Melville Craig
We’ll now look at what a few previous graduates were doing 6 months after graduating – see if you can guess!
What has Celtic Studies got to do with Business analysis?
Research, drawing conclusions etc

14. European Civilisation
Production Manager with J & J Hastie Bakers
I didn’t know that bakery industry is a measure of a society’s civilisation – then again…!
Again, employer interested in the person – not just the degree.

15. Aeronautical Engineering
Actuary with Hymans Robertson
Rigorous mathematical content of this degree, proves useful in a job where mathematical ability is crucial.
However, teamwork, interpersonal skills and communication skills also important, and this person must have convinced this employer that they had these too!

16. Politics / Sociology Journalist with Beirut Daily Star
Of course lots of graduates do find employment more obviously related to their degree – lots move overseas too! 16

17. Sociology Tax Inspector with Inland Revenue
Sociologists have to be numerate if they’re to be effective in analysing research findings.
This obviously satisfied this popular employer… Tried to avoid helping them recruit but to no avail!! 17

18. English Literature / Film and TV
Production Assistant with IWC Media
IWC – based in Glasgow 18

19. Applied Maths / Statistics
Careers Adviser
Even a mathematician can have good interpersonal skills! 19

20. Applied Maths / Statistics
Investment Analyst with Royal Bank of Scotland
But of course, lots of them use their maths in their job. 20

21. Aeronautical Engineering
Pilot with EasyJet
It can happen – but not very often! 21

22. Physiology and Sports Science
Assistant Sports Scientist with Hamilton Academical FC
It can happen – but not very often! 22

23. Ecological Consultant with Envirocentre
Zoology
It can happen – but not very often!
Ecological Consultant with Envirocentre 23

24. Social Worker with TACT, Ayrshire
Zoology
Social Worker with TACT, Ayrshire

25. Careers Service Help: Years 1-3
On-line Vacancy Service for term-time and summer work.
‘Prospects Career Planner’, a computerised guidance system.
Appointments to see a Careers Adviser.
Employer events – eg Internship Fair.

26. Careers Service Help: Year 4
Still unsure? Meet with a Careers Adviser.
Attend Seminars on CVs, interviews, etc.
Meet Employers at their presentations on campus.
Attend The Spring Graduate Fair in Scotland 26

27. Questions?
Please feel free to ask any questions regarding the careers service.