Explore
Advice and resources for students looking to explore their career options
If you are in the explore phase of career planning, you are likely to be in the early stages of thinking about your career. Alternatively, you may have changed your direction and need to explore new options.
You may already have some ideas or you may not have any ideas at all. Sometimes finding a place to start can feel overwhelming, but don’t worry because we are here to help. Whether you are a first year or a final year student, we have everything you need to help you explore what you want from a career, what is important to you and what options are out there.
Once you have some ideas about your career direction, you can use our resources to plan how to get there and compete for opportunities.
Get to know yourself
Most people want to find a career that is personally rewarding. This is important because each of us will spend, on average, over 90,000 hours at work during our lifetime!
The starting point for career fulfilment is to get to know yourself. What are your interests, passions, values, strengths and talents? With this understanding, you can then explore career options that align with your personality and skills.
Career assessments for self-awareness
Get to know yourself by taking our careers assessments. Most of the following assessments take around 5 – 10 minutes and provide you with a personal feedback report.
To get more from your results, you are welcome to bring them to a guidance appointment where you can discuss them with one of our professionally qualified Careers Consultants.
Get to know career options
Exploring options within career sectors and industries can broaden your awareness of the opportunities available to you. The resources below will help you research career sectors, job roles and what it is like to work in them.
Where could your degree subject take you?
Programmes and Events
Our Careers Service offers a range of employability-related activities to help you to explore your future career ideas and options. These are all advertised on myCareer and we strongly recommend you sign up for alerts so you don’t miss out!
Attend webinars and events
Whether you’re looking for career ideas, insights into a sector or tips on your applications careers, employers or business webinars and talks are just a click away.
The likes of ‘Who Am I and Why Does It Matter?’, ‘Cream or Jam First: Making Sound Decisions For Your Future’, are designed and delivered by our Careers Consultants to help you think about your future career options. You can find and book all webinars and events on myCareer.
Gaining experience
Undertaking some work-related experience can be a great way of exploring a career idea and whether it is a good fit for your skills and personality. In addition, you will develop key transferable skills that will enhance your employability when you graduate. Don’t forget that extra-curricular activities like clubs and societies are also good ways of gaining experience and getting to know yourself.
Getting help with career exploration
Talk to an adviser
Exploring career options can feel confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. Talking to one of our trained advisers can help you make sense of what you want and what options are out there.
Our helpdesk is open to all careers related enquiries Monday to Friday, which is ideal for quick queries or discussions about how we could support you on your journey. If you are not on campus you can speak to our helpdesk virtually via phone 01752 587456 or email careers@plymouth.ac.uk
If you would like some information and advice regarding your future career, you can book a 20-minute advice and application appointment with one of our advisers or a 30-minute guidance appointment with one of our qualified Careers Consultants.
All our appointments can be delivered either face-to-face, via Zoom or telephone. If you have any concerns or questions please do not hesitate to contact us directly on 01752 587456 or email careers@plymouth.ac.uk.
Mentoring
We have a number of mentoring programmes that provide students with a personal mentor. Our mentors come from a variety of career sectors and can help you explore your career options, raise your aspirations and confidence.
What else can I do?
If you are a first year undergraduate or a foundation degree student, access our careers support for first year students .
A number of students set up their own businesses after they have graduated – discover your suitability for self-employment
Websites you may find useful
The value of work experience and placements
As well as giving you industry-specific experience, undertaking work experience or a placement year helps you develop key transferable skills that enhance your employability prospects on graduation.
"Our placement students have gone back to university and told us that the things they’ve have learnt on placement has really helped them in their final year, especially in their final year project. They’ve been able to use the technologies we have taught them."
"I am in my final year of the BSc (Hons) Events Management degree and therefore thinking about my career options after I graduate. The Careers Service has helped me to identify my strengths and weaknesses, and what I value, as well as my key skills and my personal goals. This has enabled me to narrow down some of the career paths I could follow and I am now looking to pursue a career in Marketing. I would highly recommend accessing the digital resources and career assessment tools on myCareer, as they really help to match your skills to different careers and pathways."
– Emily Dewell, BSc (Hons) Events Management
