ComputingIT Final Year

1
Computing/IT - Final Year

• Accessing Careers Advice
• Career Skills Programme
• Information Room
• Final Year Strategy
• Sources of Vacancies
• Further Study

? 451 3391
2
Contact Me

• Alan Smith
• Scott Russell Building Room 1.08
• a.smith_3_at_hw.ac.uk
• Ext 3390
• Mon - Thursday 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
• Friday close at 4.00 p.m.

? 451 3391
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Accessing Careers Advice
Class talks seminars
Careers Web Site
Information Room
Drop-in facility
Booked interview
? 451 3391
? 451 3391
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Careers Web Site

• Subject Centre
• www.hw.ac.uk/careers/info/comp/menu.php
• Options with your subject
• Graduate recruitment sites
• Other useful IT related sites
• Employers of HW alumni
• Latest Sector News
• Applications Interviews
• Events and Presentations
• Careers Blog
• Vacancies Jobs Direct

? 451 3391
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Career Planning Programme
Careers Advisory Service
? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
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Careers Information Room
Careers Advisory Service

• Career Planning Computer Aided Guidance
• Occupational Information
• Employer Information
• Further Study
• Working Overseas
• Voluntary Work

? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
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Career Skills Programme
Careers Advisory Service

• Applications and CVs
• Succeed at Interview
• Surviving Assessment Centres
• Verbal, Numerical and Diagrammatic Aptitude Tests

? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
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Employment Opportunities
Careers Advisory Service

• Systems Analyst
• Systems Designer
• Web Designer
• Risk Analyst
• IT Support
• Technical Sales
• Data Management
• Project Manager

• Software Engineer
• Database Administrator
• IS Manager
• Teacher
• Applications Developer
• IT Consultant
• Multimedia Programmer
• Network Engineer

? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
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Any Degree Jobs
Careers Advisory Service

• e.g.
• Social Work
• Health Care
• Law and Enforcement
• Leisure Recreation
• Advertising Marketing
• Buying, Selling Retailing

? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
?careers_at_hw.ac.uk
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2005/6 Sample Destinations
Careers Advisory Service
Business Administrator Mellon Director Redoon
Technologies Graduate Engineer Ingenico Sales
Assistant Phone Zone Sales Assistant Woolworth
s Script Developer Computershare Ltd Software
Developer Pindarset Software Developer SIAS Soft
ware Engineer Analog Devices Software
Engineer MGT plc Software Engineer Redwin
Technology Systems Analyst Logica
CMG Technology Adviser Heriot Watt
University Test Analyst Alcatel BT Test
Engineer Thermal Transfer Trainee Software
Engineer MGT plc
? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
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Sources of Computing/IT Vacancies
Careers Advisory Service

• See www.hw.ac.uk/careers/info/comp/grad-recruit.p
  hp
• e.g.
• www.graduatelink.com
• www.matchtech.com
• http//careers.zdnet.co.uk
• www.insidecareers.co.uk
• www.grb.uk.com

? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
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Other Sources of Vacancies
Careers Advisory Service

• Jobs Direct
• Directories e.g. Prospects Hobsons
• Visiting employers
• Recruitment Fairs
• Professional Journals
• www

? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
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Other Sources of Vacancies
Careers Advisory Service

• Creative Job Searching
• Speculative applications
• Use employer files
• Business directories
• Networking contacts

? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
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Further Study
Careers Advisory Service

• Research based (e.g. PhD / MPhil)
• Taught degree (e.g. MSc)
• Certificate/Diploma (PG Cert/Dip)
• Research courses
• Look into funding situation
• Check closing dates
• Studying abroad - start early!

? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
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Final Year Strategy
Careers Advisory Service

• Autumn Term
• Clarify ideas with a Careers Adviser
• Go to Jobs Direct
• Get hold of employer directories
• Attend Presentations Careers Fairs
• Beware of closing dates!
• Start applying

? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
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Careers Fairs
Careers Advisory Service

• Scottish Graduate Fair 16 17 Oct
• SECC, Glasgow FREE BUS!
• 23 Oct HW Careers Fair JWC II

? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
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Final Year Strategy
Careers Advisory Service

• Autumn Term
• Research Further Study options
• www.prospects.ac.uk
• Check funding situation
• Collect copy of Prospects Funding Guide
• Be aware of early closing dates

? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
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Final Year Strategy
Careers Advisory Service

• Summer Term
• Focus on exams!
• Consult Jobs Direct
• If necessary, get further careers advice before
  you leave

? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
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Required Graduate Skills
Careers Advisory Service

• Top 10
• Commitment and drive
• Motivation and enthusiasm
• Team working
• Oral communication
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Customer focus
• Problem solving
• Managing own learning and career
• Commercial awareness
• Planning and organising

• Most difficult skills to find
• Commercial awareness
• Leadership
• Risk taking / enterprise
• Project management
• Managing own learning

AGR Survey 2006
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2005/6 UG Destinations
Careers Advisory Service
Employed
DLHE Survey 6 months after graduating
Graduate Jobs
66.5
76.3
Further Study
Still Seeking
Other
12.1
12.1
10.3
? 451 3391
? 451 3391
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Your Next Step
Careers Advisory Service

• Clarify your ideas
• Register with Jobs Direct
• Collect employer directories
• Identify potential companies/courses
• Attend presentations
• Update your CV and get it checked
• Watch out for closing dates - apply early

? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers
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Careers Service
Careers Advisory Service

• Any Questions?

? 451 3391
? www.hw.ac.uk/careers