Appointments

During this latest lockdown, we wanted to remind you that the Careers Service is offering remote appointments, so you can still get guidance on anything careers or employability related, including looking for jobs. Careers appointments (including practice interviews) are available by Zoom, phone or email.  

You can book an appointment by emailing careers@stmarys.ac.uk or calling 020 8240 4055. 

We also have a number of helpful resources and information available on our resources on our SIMMSpace pages and via the different sections on this Moodle module. You can access the jobs board by logging onto CareerConnect.

To book a careers appointment:

• Please call us on 0208 240 4055 or email us on careers@stmarys.ac.uk with details of your availability. We will deliver your appointment by Zoom. Please click on the Zoom link 2-3 minutes before your appointment is due to start, to set things up.  

• If you are booking an appointment to have your CV, cover letter, job application form or personal statement reviewed, please send us a Word version of the document, along with the job description or course details, in advance to careers@stmarys.ac.uk. 

• If you are booking a mock interview, please send the job description and your application in advance to careers@stmarys.ac.uk, so we can tailor the interview for the role you have applied to. You can also use our InterviewStream software for practice video interviews (please login with your St Mary’s email).

Please note: we also offer a CV/cover letter/job application/personal statement reviewing service by email (contact careers@stmarys.ac.uk), if you do not have time for a Zoom appointment. 

If you would prefer a phone appointment, please state this in your email at the time of booking (and provide your preferred phone number). 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

We have put together a list of answers to FAQs that we regularly receive in the Careers Service. You can access these here.

All of our resources and further information about the Careers Service are also available on SIMMSpace pages.

Careers advice during the pandemic

We delivered a series of webinars during semester 1 to help you with a range of careers-related topics - from finding a part-time job and strategic job hunting, through to writing effective, CVs, cover letters and application forms and building a strong LinkedIn profile. You can access the recordings of each of these sessions on our Careers Events and Webinars page. 

Jobs and other opportunities

You can also access our CareerConnect Jobs Board at https://careers.stmarys.ac.uk. 

If you have questions about our forthcoming St Mary’s Internship Programme, please email careers@stmarys.ac.uk.

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• Extra achievement on your CV to make you stand out from the crowd in a competitive job market.
• Identify skills that you’re gaining from activities you’re already doing.
• Create better skills examples for your CV to show the impact you’ve made.
• Master the skills that are critical to employers by broadening the range of activities you’re involved in.

Throughout the year we run various career events, including careers fairs,  presentations from employers and alumni, and webinars to support you with various aspects of your career journey.  These are also a great way to meet potential employers and gain an understanding of what it's like to work for that organisation. 

All our semester 2 career events and workshops will be delivered online via virtual platforms until further notice.  

You can also book a careers appointment for support with any of the topics covered below (or anything else careers-related). Please email us at careers@stmarys.ac.uk.  

Finally, you can find recordings of past webinars and other online events towards the bottom of this page.

Are you are looking to find some ideas about job/career options?

Have you thought about a few options and want to know which ones may suit you?

First of all, one of the best things you could do is to book an appointment with one of the Careers Consultants. To book a 1-1 appointment with a careers consultant, please email us on careers@stmarys.ac.uk with details of your availability​.

 If you want to get started on your own, then here are a few ways to approach it. 

A single career for life is rare, so don’t feel that you will be tied to any decisions you make now. See your next step as a chance to develop the skills, experience and contacts that could lead to your next opportunity. 

There are probably a number of different job roles that you would enjoy, so don’t put yourself under pressure to find that one perfect match. Keep an open mind, as you could discover potential jobs roles and employers that you’d not considered before. 

There’s not one correct way to approach career decisions. How far ahead you want to look will depend on your personality. Some people need a defined plan and goal, others are content to take more exploratory steps and see where they lead. Knowing what’s out there 

Find out as much as you can about different career sectors. What skills or qualifications do they look for? What is the working culture like? You can get some basic information about different industries and job roles from websites like 

• www.prospects.ac.uk 
• https://targetjobs.co.uk 

They also provide links to more information, including vacancies. 

Browse job sites such as CareerConnect for vacancies that sound interesting. Look at the details given, and the requirements. Is this kind of job something to explore further? Attending employer events is a great way to ask questions about what it is really like to work in a particular job or organisation. Prepare for them in advance, thinking about what you want to find out and also what you want to say to prospective employers about yourself. 

LinkedIn is really useful for finding out what other graduates from your course have gone on to do. Make connections with alumni, ask questions, buy them a coffee and chat about their work. Or is there someone you already know who has an interesting sounding job? What is it about that job which appeals to you? Can you find out more? Twitter can be another valuable tool for building networks, asking questions and keeping up to date with developments in the industry. See our Networking and LinkedIn titles for further information. 

Consider online career matching tools like Prospects Planner: www.prospects.ac.uk/planner. Even if you aren’t convinced by the results, they can be useful for generating ideas and helping you think about why they weren’t right for you. 

Another way to explore careers is to hear from people working in them. Browse case study videos on websites like: www.careerplayer.com/graduate-jobs or https://icould.com. Think about the following questions while you watch. What sparks an interest? What makes you think ‘NO WAY’? Why do you have these responses? Use your research to help you narrow down your options

EXTRA RESOURCES

There are lots of different ways to find a job or get work experience. Planning your job search and using a variety of methods will help increase your chances of success.

Broadly speaking there are three main routes: applying for advertised vacancies, tapping into the ‘hidden’ job market, and getting creative to generate your own ways to get experience

Read our guide to Internships and work experience for more information on the value of work experience.

Once you’ve found a job you’re interested in, visit our section on ‘CVs, cover letters and applications’ for advice on making effective applications. You can also make a careers appointment to get support at any stage of the job hunting process, including applications and interviews.

Also see our 'Careers Advice and Support during the Coronavirus Lockdown' page for advice and tips on job hunting and finding summer work experience during the pandemic.

1. Applying for advertised vacancies

This involves searching and applying for live job vacancies and there are lots of places you can find advertised roles. These often have the benefit of a clear job description (listing the responsibilities of the role) and person specification (outlining the skills, experience and attributes in the ideal candidate).

You should use this information to tailor your application to each different role (see ‘CVs, cover letters and applications’). You can also book a careers appointment for help or feedback on your application.

Places you can look for advertised vacancies include:

• Job boards and online vacancy websites that collate vacancies from many different employers into one place. They include:
• CareerConnect (for part-time jobs, internships, volunteering and graduate roles), including a part-time jobs and current vacancies list
• Graduate Schemes for 2020-2021- a list of Schemes currently recruiting for 2020/21 graduates. 
• Prospects and TargetJobs for graduates roles and internship opportunities
  
• Rate my Placement, Step and StudentLadder for paid internship opportunities
• Save the Student for part-time jobs
• Graduate Jobs and GradBay for graduate roles
• Guardian Jobs  for graduate roles (tip: search by sector, location and £15-20K or £20-25K salary for graduate jobs)
• CharityJob for roles in not-for-profit organisations and Work In Startups for graduate roles and internships in start-up companies
• Also see our ‘Useful job websites’ page for sector-specific job boards.

Tip: Bookmark job sites you like, sign up for email alerts, and check them regularly for updates.

• Employer websites: If there may be specific organisations that you are interested in working for, check their websites regularly for suitable vacancies and keep up to with them through their social media.

• LinkedIn and social media: Online networking platforms can be a good source of job opportunities, as well as a great way to expand your network, build your online profile, and follow industry developments. Follow companies of interest on Twitter and Facebook; register for job alerts on LinkedIn and update your LinkedIn profile to show you have the skills needed for roles you are interested in.

• Jobs on campus: St Mary’s offers a range of paid job and volunteering opportunities on campus, which are a great way to gain experience and work flexibly around your studies. Roles include: Student Ambassadors, coaching and other Sport St Mary’s opportunities, and Global Peer Mentors.  

• Recruitment agencies: These act a bit like a matchmaker between employers with job vacancies and candidates looking for roles. Visit Agency Central for a list of agencies by location and job sector and the REC website for more advice on choosing and using an agency.

2. Tapping into the ‘hidden job market’

“At least 60% of all jobs are found through networking rather than traditional job searching.” The ‘hidden job market, Balance Careers

Not all vacancies are advertised, so it’s worth being open to other ways of finding jobs and letting people around you aware that you are job hunting. Here are some ideas for how:

• Speculative applications: Lots of jobs never even get advertised (e.g. because of the cost of advertising or because some employers prefer referrals). So, if you know which sector you want to work in, do your research to find employers in that area. Make a list of organisations and send them your CV and a cover letter explaining your interest in working for them and how your skills and experience would benefit that particular organisation. This usually works best with small/niche organisations rather than large companies. You could also try reaching out on social media.

Tip: Always try to write to a named contact (do your research on the organisation’s website or LinkedIn) and follow-up with a phone call if you haven’t heard back after a couple of weeks.

• Make the most of your contacts: Let your contacts know that you are looking for work and what type of job you want. They may be able to help you arrange relevant work experience and/or put you in touch with other useful people in your sector of interest. For example, if you have had a part-time retail job, investigate whether there are work-shadowing opportunities in their head office (e.g. in finance, legal, marketing, HR, etc).

• Networking and events:  Attending events (e.g. talks, jobs fairs, and networking activities) is a great way to increase your contacts, gain insights that will help your job search, and build your commercial awareness. Ask people about their job, what is happening in their industry, where and how they recruit, and what they look for. Try and get contact details and follow-up afterwards with an email, following them on social media, or connecting on LinkedIn.

Tip: Feel nervous networking? Doing some research about who will be at the event and preparing questions or conversation starters beforehand can help. Be curious – people like talking about themselves, so a couple of good questions can get the conversation flowing! Make a careers appointment to get ideas, practice, and boost your confidence. For more tips, see this guide to student networking.

• The St Mary's 'Traineeships (internship) in Europe with ERASMUS+' scheme provides an opportunity for you to internationalise your CV with a structured work placement (from 2-12 months) in Europe over the summer or for up to 12 months after you graduate. To apply, fill out the Study and Work Abroad application by 1 March. Then you need to research and find a work placement and fill out some additional paperwork to receive a stipend of 470-540 Euros a month toward your living expenses. Visit the Study & Work Abroad module for more details.

3. Get creative to generate your own ways to get experience

If you have gaps in your skill set for the job you want, lack relevant experience, or just want to try out something different, then you could get creative to generate your own opportunities. Possibilities include:

• Do a work placement module: Check whether your degree course offers the option to a work placement module (either as part of your programme or via the Centre for Workplace Learning). Ask your tutor or Programme Director, or come and visit the Centre for Workplace Learning in the hut next to the Dol.cHe Vita.   

• Complete some virtual work experience: following the rise in remote working during the Coronavirus pandemic, some organisations have responded by offering virtual work experience schemes. 

• Join or set up a student club or society: This is a great way to meet new people, develop new skills and take on additional responsibilities (e.g. if you’re interested in events management, organise an event! If marketing is your thing, help promote the society and its activities). Visit the St Mary’s SU website for details of existing clubs and societies and information on how to set up your own if nothing takes your fancy.

• Work shadowing: This is a great way to get a deep insight into a particular role or organisation and make new contacts in that area. Plus, it’s often an easier ask than work experience as it requires less organisation from the person you shadow.

• Do a short course or summer school: There are lots of free online courses available that enable you to learn new knowledge or skills, often for free. Or you might attend a workshop or summer school, which is  a great way to meet new people and develop your skills. For example, websites like FutureLearn and Coursera offer a wide range of free online courses.

• Start your own project, enter competitions, build your portfolio: Depending on your career of interest, it may be helpful to create examples of your own work. For example, if you’re interested in writing, could you create your own blog (or contribute to someone else’s, like an organisation or student club/society) or write your own screen play? If you like filming, could you create or edit something to help build your portfolio? Could you collaborate with students from other programmes to bring your work to life? Also think about how you might share your work – e.g. through your own website, LinkedIn, social media or by entering competitions.

• Volunteer: This can be a good way to get a taster of a particular job or experience as well as gain valuable experience, meet new people and do something rewarding. Not everyone has the financial freedom to volunteer, so this may be something to consider alongside a part-time job. If you are giving up your time for free, make sure you are also getting something worthwhile out of it (e.g. relevant experience to boost your CV). Visit websites like www.do-it.org to search different types of opportunities by location.

• Use your part-time job to get relevant experience: If you work in a large organisation (e.g. in retail or a chain of restaurants), could you shadow or speak to someone in head office who does a role you’re interested in, such as HR, marketing, legal or finance? If you work in a small shop, café or bar, could you do something to support their marketing or social media (or whatever area it is that interests you)?

• Work for yourself! You might set up your own business or social enterprise or do some freelancing: Increasing numbers of students and graduates (and not just business students!) are considering or have started working for themselves. Visit our ‘Starting your own business’ page for advice and information.

For more information and ideas, see our 10 more ways to get work experience guide or make a careers appointment to speak to one of our Careers Consultants.

• Online CV course: a detailed, 20 minute, interactive online module on how to write a great CV 
• How to write a CV: information and tips on writing an effective CV, with tailored examples included
• Cover letters and personal statements: for guidance on how to write a cover letter (including an example) as well as completing the personal statement on a job application form
• CVs and cover letters from the Ultimate Career Guide: more tips, advice and example CVs and cover letters. This guide also has ideas for identify and describing examples of your skills
• Completing job application forms: detailed information on how to impress an employer on a job application form
• Common application errors: a list of some common mistakes candidates make when applying for jobs, and how you can avoid them!
• How to Write a Killer CV - a recording of our webinar from 6th October 2020. 
• Writing Strong Cover Letters and Applications - a recording of our webinar from 8th October 2020.
  

• Attend a Mock Interview. Contact us for more details and to book a session. 
  
• Book an ap​pointment​ ​with a Careers Consultant to discuss interview techniques​​
  

Interview Practice

'Interview Success' eLearning Course

St Mary’s Careers has partnered with eCareersGrad to provide access to this modular, video-based, interactive Interviews tool.

Course includes:

• 30+ high quality candidate-led video answers highlighting what good looks like (and doesn’t) for popular sectors such as Consulting, Banking, Finance, Law, Policy and the Public Sector
• Videos include accompanying recruiter commentary and written answer transcripts
• 10+ recruiter answer scoring guides and illustrated answer structures for dealing with introductory, motivation, competency, strength-based (and weakness), scenario and other common questions
• Spotlight on mastering 1-way video interviews, candidate testimonies, interactive exercises, multiple choice ‘knowledge-checkers’ and more.

Register here using your st marys email address –  https://ecareersgrad.co.uk/university-partners/st-marys/

As well as offering you advice for interview prep and mock interviews via a remote appointment with a Careers Consultant, you can also practice interviewing by signing up to InterviewStream – our online software that gives you free access to an excellent range of resources, allowing you to: 

• Practice whenever, wherever – using a MAC, PC, Android or IOS device.
• See and hear yourself online – record, review, retry… practice at your own pace. 
• Watch, assess and share interviews – review your video responses and share interviews via email. 
• Choose from 7000+ questions – or select a predefined question set designed for you.

Interview Stream simulates the pre-recorded (or 'asynchronous') video interviews that some employers use as part of their recruitment process.  InterviewStream is an online platform that allows students to practice for asynchronous video interviews. Asynchronous interviews are those where you are sent a link that takes you to a platform where you are presented with questions in text or video and then given a set period of time to answer a question, recorded by your webcam. The recruiter then reviews the recorded videos at their leisure.

You can register yourself to use InterviewStream by visiting InterviewStream and clicking register for a new account. Ensure you select St Mary's University as your Institution. If you are invited for a face-to-face interview with an employer, then we'd recommend you also book a practice interview with the Careers Service. 

Psychometric Testing​

​​Psychometric tests are a method used by some recruiters to assess your suitability for the role. They involve answering a series of questions online within a certain time limit and are generally used by larger employers who receive large numbers of applications. They could also be one of the tasks at an assessment centre. Knowing what to expect and how to prepare is a useful way to improve your test performance.​

St Mary's Students can access a number of practice tests on Graduates First, an online resource that offers free Psychometric and Aptitude tests, as well as helpful tips, solutions and advice. 

You can access Graduates First by setting up an account with your St Mary’s email address.

Personality Testing

Personality tests are used to identify who you are and why you do things the way you do. The most well known type of personality testing is Myers Briggs Type Indic​ator (MBTI). If you complete an online personality test, we would encourage you to come into the Careers Service and talk over your results with a Careers Consultant. The next stage will be to consider what you like doing and which particular career paths you may want to take. 

In addition to MBTI, there are lots of free online personality tests which you can access, such as www.16personalities.com. If you need any further information on completing a personality test, please contact the Careers Service. 

Please visit this page for updates on our 2020/21 programme, which will launch soon! 

You can also follow us on social media to keep up-to-date with our Internship Programme and other opportunities available to you. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

You can also browse for other opportunities on our Careers Connect Jobs Board. 

**We recommend that you book a careers appointment to get your application reviewed before you apply for vacancies. You can book an appointment by email, phone, or video chat by emailing careers@stmarys.ac.uk with details of your availability.** 

Why should you do apply for an internship through the St Mary's Internship Programme?

• It's PAID! You will get £10.75 per hour
• Makes you more competitive in the graduate jobs market
• Great way to further develop your skills and knowledge
• Gain an understanding of a particular job or industry
• Helps you to gain an insight into how organisations operate and the challenges they face
• Provides you with networking opportunities
• Allows you to consider other roles you may not have previously thought of...

Thinking about teacher training?

For info on Teaching, including the different ways to train, bursaries and finance, the application process etc, see the government's 'Get into Teaching' website or download the Target Jobs Guide to Teaching.

You can also book an appointment with a Careers Consultant for further guidance on anything from making an informed decision about whether teaching is right for you, to the different teacher training routes; when, where and how to apply; writing a strong personal statement; and fees and funding (or anything else you may be wondering about). You can also get feedback on your applications or book a practice interview. To make an appointment, please email us on careers@stmarys.ac.uk with details of your availability. 

Applying for a Masters?

Read our Postgraduate Study handout which gives some initial advice and information on how to apply, and how to choose the right course and where to look for information on fees and funding. 

Masters courses can be expensive and aren't necessary for all career paths, so it is worth checking that doing a Masters is the right thing for you, and if so, that you choose the right one. 

The Prospects and Find a Masters websites have useful and comprehensive sections on some of things to think about when considering Masters study, choosing a course, as well as advice on fees and funding. They also have a database of courses from across the UK (and beyond) than you can search. UCAS also has useful guidance on choosing a postgraduate degree. 

Considering a PhD?

A PhD, or Doctorate of Philosophy, is the highest level of degree a student can achieve, demonstrating that they've made a meaningful new contribution to their chosen field. It's also a significant commitment - full-time PhDs typically last three or four years (whilst part-time PhDs can last six or seven). 

PhD students independently conduct original and significant research in a specific field or subject, before producing a publication-worthy thesis of typically 60,000-90,000 words.

Take a look at our Postgraduate Study handout for a basic introduction to PhDs, check out 'To PhD or not to PhD?' guide to help you make an informed decision, and read our Applying for PhD resource for more details about applying. You can also find useful and comprehensive information on the Prospects and Find a PhD websites. 

Other types of further study

• Postgraduate certificates and diplomas: these qualifications are at the same level of study as Masters degrees, but they're shorter and you don't have to write a dissertation. So they may suit you if you're interested in further study but you don't have time for a full Masters, and/or would prefer not to do a full dissertation.

• Professional qualifications: vocational training courses that relate to a specific industry or career path (e.g. becoming a Solicitor or a Chartered Accountant). Some can be taken directly after graduating, while others are aimed at professionals with several years of experience who wish to develop their career further.

• MBA courses: these are typically aimed at high-achieving graduates who want to forge a successful business career and already have some management experience. They can often lead to new job opportunities, promotion or an improved salary.

• Conversion courses: Conversion courses are intensive postgraduate programmes that enable you to pursue a career that your undergraduate degree hasn't prepared you for. They're usually vocational and can last anywhere between a few months and several years, depending on the qualification and whether you choose fast-track, full-time or part-time study. to help you switch career path. There are available in a range of areas including medicine, law, IT, psychology and social work.

If you are having trouble, then arrange an appointment. Our appointments are confidential and impartial, so we won't be discussing anything with your lecturers or employers without your permission. And we won't push you into any particular decision. Our Careers Consultants are independent of the University and will give you guidance and advice without pushing our own agenda.

Common issues - Leaving your course

Have a read through the document below, as it includes a lot of useful information. There are a few key things.

1. Speak to all the relevant people. This includes: someone from your course (Course director or personal tutor), The student finance team (to sort out any financial implications and to give you advice on money), A Careers Consultant (who can give you advice about if this might be the right decision and options for what to do next). Once you decide to formally leave and have spoken to the right people about the decision and the timing, you can then speak to registry, who will remove you formally from the course.

2. Talk to people soon. If you have recently started your course, then you may be able to transfer to another course, but only if you get this sorted quickly. Speaking to people quickly may also impact your student finance.

3. Consider whether the reason for leaving your course is due to a temporary issue that may resolve, or if it is something that you can get some support for. Hardship funds may be available from student funding, and learning development lecturers may be able to support you with your studies. Come and talk through your options with a Careers Consultant in confidence.

For information and useful links and resources, have a look at our Enterprise Information

In addition to this, Save the Student have a useful guide to freelancing as as student, which you can access here.  

Start-up St Mary's

Start-up St Mary's is a 9 week programme starting at the end of January 2020. 

The programme is for any students or alumni within two years of graduating wanting to learn more about business start-ups or how to get a business idea of the ground.

Perhaps you've thought about becoming self-employed, or would simply like to develop an entrepreneurial mind-set.

The programme will be sponsored by Santander Universities and there is the opportunity of pitching for funding of up to £5000 for your business idea.

Further details on the programme can be found here.

A calendar of events for the programme can be found here. 

To apply, click here.

If you have any additional questions about the programme please email careers@stmarys.ac.uk or call 0208 240 4055.

#StartUpStMarys #investinyourfuture

Building a Start-Up Business - L6 CWL Module

This Centre for Workplace Learning module runs in Semster 1 each year and is designed specifically for students who have a viable business idea that they would like to realise its potential in the marketplace. Students will have access to specially selected business mentors and successful start-up business entrepreneurs. They will have the opportunity to draw upon their experience and advice which will ultimately help them create a business plan and present their idea to a panel of experts. 

This is a selective module and students need to complete an application form and have an interview. Selection is now open for 2019/20.

• Career Planning for PhDs
• 20-21 Options for PhDs

Welcome! Here you will find out what Be SMART is all about, how it works, and what you need to know to apply. 

General Information

About Be SMART:

Here at St Mary's we are committed to nurturing students in order to help them realise their fullest potential both during their time here and when they leave University. We work hard to ensure that students are prepared with the resources and skills they need in order to be competitive graduates who thrive in the labour market, with long rewarding careers.

We have put together Be SMART as a way of supporting our students to access and understand the fundamental assets crucial to future success. The programme was launched in October 2019 and to date 30 students have successfully completed the programme.

Be SMART offers you – the student – an opportunity to access and participate in career enhancing initiatives that will help you stand out from the competition and potentially step into and succeed in your chosen career/whatever venture you might turn your hands to when you graduate. 

You can find out more about the programme from one of our former participants in the video below:

Be SMART is comprised of three parts. The ideal is that you undertake all three parts, but you can do part one in isolation or just parts two and three. See eligibility section for requirements. 

The Three Initiatives:

Eligibility:

• Be SMART is an exciting initiative open to students who identify as either Black, Asian, or an ethnic minority.
  
• Be SMART is open to UK students only. 
  
• You will be expected to complete evaluation surveys over the course of the programme, which will help us monitor your progress and the effectiveness of the programme. 
  

Application process: 

• There will be a online application form (and possibly a face-to-face interview, depending on the number of applications recieved). 
  
• Applications open Tuesday 13th October 2020 and close Monday 9th November 2020 at 11.30pm (we may extend this deadline to accomodate student demand - please check back here for updates regarding this)
• For more information, you can attend online information sessions with one of our team to find out more and discuss any questions you may have about the programme. 
• Click here to access the application form.

Learn more about the different elements of the Be SMART Programme:

Part One: Mentoring

You will have the opportunity to be mentored by professionals from a diverse list of private and public sectors, ranging from SMEs (Small Medium Enterprises) and large companies/corporations. 

Once you have been signed up, you will complete an induction and a professional ettiquette workshop to prepare you for your mentoring journey; after which you will be assigned a mentor according to your interests and preferences. You will then meet with them twice a month over a period of 3 months.

You will gain: 

• One-to-one support and advice from a successful person in business. 
• Valuable knowledge and experience of the world of work. 
• A certificate confirming your completion of the programme, which you can add to your CV and professional portfolio.
  

Key information:

There are up to 25 places available on the mentoring scheme, so make sure you register your interest early. Your progress throughout the mentoring stage will be continually assessed over the 3 month period. Students that fully commit to the mentoring scheme stand a higher chance of being accepted onto the Leadership Programme and being allowed to undertake an internship.

Welcome! Here you will find out what Employability Confident is all about, how it works, and what you need to know to apply.

General Information

About Employability Confident:

Here at St Mary's we are committed to nurturing students in order to help them realise their fullest potential both during their time here and when they leave University. We work hard to ensure that students are prepared with the resources and skills they need in order to be competitive graduates who thrive in the labour market, with long rewarding careers.

We have put together Employability Confident as a way of supporting our students to access and understand the fundamental assets crucial to future success. 

Employability Confident offers you – the student – an opportunity to access and participate in career enhancing initiatives that will help you stand out from the competition and potentially step into and succeed in your chosen career/whatever venture you might turn your hands to when you graduate. 

Employability Confident is comprised of three parts. The idea is that you undertake all three parts, but you can do part one in isolation OR just parts two and three. See eligibility section for requirements. 

The Three Initiatives:

Eligibility:

• Employability Confident is an exciting initiative open to any student with a disability, specific learning difference, or long-term health condition.
  
• Employability Confident is open to UK students only. 
  
• You will be expected to complete evaluation surveys over the course of the programme, which will help us monitor your progress and the effectiveness of the programme. 
  

Application process: 

• Applications for the 2020-21 programme have now closed. 

Learn more about the different elements of the Employability Confident Programme:

Part One: Mentoring

You will have the opportunity to be mentored by professionals from a diverse list of private and public sectors, ranging from SMEs (Small Medium Enterprises) and large companies/corporations. 

Once you have been signed up, you will complete an induction and a professional ettiquette workshop to prepare you for your mentoring journey; after which you will be assigned a mentor according to your interests and preferences. You will then meet with them twice a month over a period of 3 months.

You will gain: 

• One-to-one support and advice from a successful person in business. 
• Valuable knowledge and experience of the world of work. 
• A certificate confirming your completion of the programme, which you can add to your CV and professional portfolio.
  

Key information:

There are up to 25 places available on the mentoring scheme, so make sure you register your interest early. Your progress throughout the mentoring stage will be continually assessed over the 3 month period. Students that fully commit to the mentoring scheme stand a higher chance of being accepted onto the Leadership Programme and being allowed to undertake an internship.

Michelle Rudolf

Michelle is the business owner of Infinite Recruitment, a Berlin based consultancy offering specialist recruitment solutions to the electrical engineering and IT industry in Germany. Michelle works with a number of high profile companies, offering permanent jobs throughout Germany. She graduated from St Mary's University, with a bachelor's degree in Professional & Creative Writing in 2013. After university Michelle worked for three years for a London & Berlin based recruitment firm, learning the recruitment business from scratch.

Kevin Amponsah

Kevin is a Philanthropy Officer at The Childrens Society, and Founder of the BAME Network in the charity. Kevin started as a Philanthropy Officer in March 2020 and has successfully created and developed the mid value giving programme. Prior to this, Kevin was a Supporter Care Coordinator in the charity.

Conal Baxter

Conal graduated from St Mary’s with a BA (Hons) English with History in 2017. Following this, he served a term as Student Union President for one year. He then worked for the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Parliamentary Assistant for an MLA in Northern Ireland. While working in this role, Conal completed an MA in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice at the Senator George Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice at Queen’s University, Belfast. His current role is Policy and Research Officer for the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. Outside of work, Conal have been heavily involved in activism and the voluntary sector.

Melissa Kizito

Melissa is currently a legal assistant in the Civil Liberties Department at the law firm, Hodge Jones & Allen, whilst also studying on the LPC at Westminster Law School.

In addition, Melissa runs a non – profit organisation named Article 10, which seeks to whistle-blow on hidden issues that the mainstream government doesn’t broadcast for us to see. It focuses on politics and human rights violations not only nationally but internationally.

Melissa graduated from St Marys University in English and Philosophy with a 2:1 degree. Recently, she graduated from Law School, where she completed the Law Conversion Course (GDL) with a Distinction. In the future, Melissa aspires to become an international human rights lawyer working in the UN.

Maria Bourke

Maria is a History and Humanities Teacher in a South West London secondary school for boys. After graduating from St Mary’s University with a BA in History, Maria decided to dip her toe into the field of education as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. The experience from both her degree and this role confirmed her chosen career choice, and Maria returned to St Mary’s to complete a PGCE in Secondary History.

The week will include a mixture of specialist panel sessions run by the different programme areas in SAHPS, a range of careers skills webinars to get you ready for the graduate labour market, and an Employer Fair where you'll get to find out about current vacancies, graduate roles, internships, volunteering and more!

This is a great opportunity to hear about the different career paths graduates have followed, get tips and advice from professionals, alumni and careers staff and start planning for your future steps. 

Students from all year groups are welcome to attend. Please join us if you can!

Please contact careers@stmarys.ac.uk or call 0208 240 4055 if you have any questions. 

(More info coming soon!)

ALL sessions are ONLINE and OPEN TO ALL.