Career Zone Podcast

Work Abroad for Modern Languages - FAQs

In this episode, Bryanna, an Employability and Placements Adviser, speaks with Penny a final year Modern Language student who completed a Work Abroad year last year in Barcelona, Spain.  Penny shares her personal experiences from her year abroad in Spain and answers a few of the most frequently asked questions we receive about this module.

Using Challenges to Your Advantage

Rachel Sloan, Employability and Career Consultant explores how you can use challenges in your life to your advantage on applications and at interviews. All of us have been through tough times, maybe a goal or achievement you had your heart set on did not happen or your plans were disrupted by a factor outside of your control. Rachel explores how the skills and attributes you may have developed can make you a stronger candidate when applying for jobs.  

  

This episode was devised by Dawn Lees, written by Laura Lawrence and recorded by Rachel Sloan.  

Links: 

• Link to CV, Cover Letter and Application Forms sessions on Handshake 
• Help with CVs, Cover Letters and Application Forms: 
• You can book a 1-1 advice appointment with an Employability and Placements Adviser by contacting Career Zone online, by phone or in person. 

The Meaning of Success: In conversation with Erica Sosna, Founder and Creator of ‘The Career Equation’ and CEO of Career Matters

In this week’s episode, David Pritchard, Employability and Career Consultant is joined by Erica Sosna, CEO of Career Matters to discuss ‘The Career Equation’. Erica and David discuss the notion of graduate success and what this actually means in today’s world.

 

Find out more about the Career Equation.

What it actually means to be a freelancer

Mair George is a freelance portfolio worker, and in this episode of the Career Zone podcast, she discusses the realities of working on a freelance basis, the importance of building professional relationships and shares the human only skills you’ll need to thrive as a freelancer. Mair explains the importance of having a growth mindset and how entrepreneurial thinking has helped her in her career.  

Links:  

• You can book a Careers Guidance one-to-one appointments if you’re thinking about working freelance or building a portfolio or entrepreneurial career. Ask to book an 'Entrepreneurs Guidance appointment' at the Career Zone. 

• Find out more about Freelance work and how the Career Zone can support you here - https://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/careers/research/sector/self-employment/  

Should you do something you are passionate about or something you are good at?

In this week’s episode, Rachel Sloan, Employability and Career Consultant, explores whether you should go into something you are passionate about or something you are good at. Rachel explains what we mean regarding passion and skills and shares the questions you should ask yourself when making a decision of which to follow. 

  

Links: 

You can book a 1-1 guidance appointment with an Employability and Career Consultant by contacting Career Zone online, by phone or in person. 

Listen to another episode: Why understanding your strengths is so important - an employer's perspective.

    

This episode was devised by Dawn Lees, written by Laura Lawrence and recorded by Rachel Sloan

Why understanding your strengths is so important – an employer’s perspective.

When we use our strengths, we are more productive, perform better, and are more engaged in our work. By identifying our strengths, we can identify opportunities that require those attributes and that will give us greatest pleasure and satisfaction. We also impress employers who like to understand what makes us give our best. Listen to Employability and Career Consultant Fiona Hartley talking to recruiters across a range of sectors about their approaches to recruitment focussing on the importance of strengths.

Further Career Zone website resources

Help with self-awareness | Career Zone | University of Exeter

https://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/careers/research/helpwith/helpwithinterviews/

Other resources

Learn about strengths and how you can discover yours by watching this video.

Attend the popular termly in-person workshop Discover your strengths and why it is essential to career planning.

Listen to another Recruiter Perspectives: In conversation with Hannah Salton, Career Coach

 

My Career Zone Digital has lots more, including videos and articles, to help you identify your strengths, including:

• Recognising strengths & weaknesses
• Strengths vs Skills: what’s the difference?
• Strengths assessment
• Asking questions at interview

 

Top Tip for CVs, Cover Letters and Application Forms: Writing in Plain English

In this week’s episode Rachel Sloan, Employability and Career Consultant explores why it’s important to write in plain English when applying for jobs and shares 5 things to avoid when writing CVs, cover letters and application forms. 

  

This episode was devised by Dawn Lees, written by Rae Roberts and recorded by Rachel Sloan.  

  

Links: 

Link to CV, Cover Letter and Application Forms sessions on Handshake 

Help with CVs, Cover Letters and Application Forms: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/research/helpwith/helpwithcvscoverlettersandapplications/ 

You can book a 1-1 advice appointment with an Employability and Placements Adviser by contacting Career Zone online, by phone or in person. 

 

 

Re-energising your placement search

Kathryn, an Employability and Placement Adviser speaks with Samah, a current 4^th year Accounting and Finance student who completed her industrial placement at Warner Bros. Discovery UK last year.  Samah shares her experience of searching for and securing a placement and her top tips on how to stay motivated and resilient during your placement search. 

 

You can book a 1-2-1 appointment with a member of the Career Zone here

 

 

In conversation with Green Consultants alum Alice Dunsmore and Barnaby Tagart

As part of Go Green Week, Helen Hicks, Programme Officer for Green Consultants, talks to Alice Dunsmore, an Environmental Adviser at Costain and Barnaby Tagart, an Environmental and Sustainability Manager at BW. Alice and Barnaby share how completing the Green Consultants programme has helped then with their careers. They also discuss the impact they have on sustainability in their current roles and share advice to current students interested in working in the sustainability sector.

Green Consultants is an interactive programme, designed to provide students with the additional skills and experience required to work in the highly competitive environmental and sustainability sector. It is open to all students, and you can start now! Find out more on our Green Consultants webpage - https://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/careers/employability-schemes/greenconsultants/

You can find out more about Green Consultants by listening to 'Introducing Green Consultants'.

Career support for neurodiverse students

As part of Neurodiversity celebration week, Mel Nearchou, Faculty Lead in the Business School, discusses the careers support available to neurodiverse students. Mel is joined by colleagues from the Career Zone including Employability and Career Consultant, Kate Foster, who discusses the support available to students on disclosure, including how to disclose, when to disclose and how to look for employers who are supportive. Katie Stote, Employability and Placements Adviser, shares her thoughts on her research project, Engaging Students in Knowledge Exchange and how it links with neurodiverse students. Finally Gemma York, an Employability and Placements Adviser shares how the Skills Team are making their skills and advice sessions more accessible to all.

We welcome any feedback or suggestions to help make the Career Zone accessible to all our students.  

At 1:39 Mel mentions 'WP' students, which stands for 'Widening Participation'. If you're not sure what that means, have a look on our website here: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/wp-support/

Link to resources:

Katie Stone’s research: https://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/co-developing-inclusive-and-accessible-e-learning-resources-placing-disabled-and-neurodiverse-student-voices-at-the-centre-of-our-practice

Link to the Supporting Equality and Diversity page: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/careers/equality/

Link to the Wellbeing page: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/wellbeing/