8 Ways to Boost Your Career Prospects While at University

As tempting as it is to just chill with friends during your well-deserved summer break, or catch up on your favorite program on Netflix, volunteering is one sure-fire way of demonstrating not just your commitment to a cause, but your excellent time management skills too.

Whether it’s relevant or not to the career path you wish to pursue after graduating, having volunteering experience on your CV is a big tick when it comes to prospective employers.

Mentoring schemes, such as the one available at City, are a great way to get to know the ins and outs of working life from somebody who has actually been there and done that. Through the scheme, students get paired up with working professionals who can help them prepare for the job market and give an insight into the industry.

Don’t forget, your classmates are also your class colleagues. You work alongside one another on a weekly (if not daily) basis and when it comes to going your separate ways after graduation, you’ll do well to stay in touch.

Your professors and lecturers are also an excellent source for networking, so be sure to take advantage of their knowledge and contacts. They’re also great when it comes to references – who knows you better than them, anyway?

Career fairs provide an excellent opportunity to meet potential employers face-to-face. Remember, first impressions count, so dress smart and come prepared with questions you’d like to ask.

Is there a certain company you want to speak with? Or are you taking the ‘window shopping’ approach and simply going with whatever catches your eye? Having a clear objective can help make fairs less daunting and ensure you stay focused and don’t get distracted by the number of companies in attendance.

City’s Industry Insight Program offers students the chance to meet with external employers from an array of industries and sectors. This link with employers can be the ideal opportunity to build useful contacts, as well as get to know the industry you’re interested in on a deeper level.

Whatever your interests – whether you’re a football fanatic, have a passion for theater, or love to write – getting involved with a society or club on campus can benefit you in more ways than you may realize.

And if you’ve had a more active role within the club and sat on the committee, this is an added bonus that can most definitely be used to your advantage when it comes to applying for jobs.

Plus, it won’t even feel like an effort if you’re doing something you enjoy anyway.

More often than not, the first thing a recruiter or employer is going to see when you’ve applied to a job is your CV. Now, they’re not expecting 10 years’ professional experience, 20 volunteering roles, and six languages to take center stage on your CV, but what they will be expecting is for you to be able to illustrate what steps you’ve taken to highlight your credentials and experiences and show that you’re an attractive hire. A well-structured, clearly ordered CV that pushes relevant experience to the forefront will help to do this.

Established in 1894, City, University of London is a global university committed to academic excellence with a focus on business and the professions.

City’s wide-ranging portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees have been developed by outstanding academics who possess an in-depth understanding of the job market and with the input of employers and leading figures in industry. Many courses are designed to meet particular sector standards, with a significant number accredited by professional bodies.

Based in the heart of London, studying at City means benefiting from its proximity and links to leading financial, legal, media and healthcare institutions, as well as being perfectly positioned to make the most out of internship or work placement opportunities.