James Lee has some tips on how you can enhance your career prospects and build your CV…
Having been there, done that and got the (Undergraduate) Degree, I feel suitably qualified to highlight the importance of not just developing yourself academically while at University, but also taking advantage of the extra-curricular opportunities too.
With competition for jobs continuing to get tougher, it’s really important to do as much as you can to increase your “employability” (it’s become a bit of a buzz word). Nowadays, recruiters are not just looking at what you have achieved academically, but also what you’ve done around this.
At BU, you’ll have access to the “Professional and personal development framework” which will not only support your academic performance but also help with developing yourself as an individual. The framework allows postgraduate students to think about where they are now and where they want to go and then plan how to move towards that ultimate goal. In addition to highlighting areas of individual development, the framework will also help you to recognise your strengths; you’ll find out how to use these to boost job applications and support interviews.There’s a huge range of extra-curricular activities available at BU and they can all help you progress towards your career goals. For me, it was the University Rowing Team which I was involved in during my 4 years at undergraduate level and have rejoined since coming back to BU. I was involved in running the club, which helped me develop skills in budgeting, marketing, time management and planning. I also coached the senior women which as well as developing my coaching skills made me much better at people management! All of the skills that I picked up through working with the club can and have been applied to my career.Whether it’s the rowing team or any of the other sports through SportBU or clubs and societies offered by SUBU, you’ll develop personal and transferable skills that are bound to impress potential employers. SUBU, the Students’ Union at Bournemouth University, offers over 100 Clubs and Societies which are there not just to develop new skills and enhance your “employability” (there it is again!), but also for having fun!
The more you can do to “add value” to your degree, the more employable you will be and the Framework offered by the Graduate School at BU is the ideal tool to help you achieve this.
So, what are you waiting for?
