Career Zone Podcast

Law Mini-Series: Securing a Training Contract: In conversation with Grace Light, current Law student.

In our Law mini-series podcast, our Law Employability and Careers Consultants; Rachel, Tess and Sunny, talk to experienced professionals from both legal and non-legal sectors to hear their career experiences and advice.

In this episode Tess Read, Employability and Career Consultant, talks to Grace Light, a current Law student. Grace shares her journey to securing a training contract, highlighting the value of attending events, using resources like the Career Zone and developing commercial awareness.

In addition to this episode you can find more information to help with career planning here; University of Exeter Career Zone , Law and legal services: Information for Law and Non-Law Students  and Employability for Law Students. 

How to network at a careers fair

In this episode, Employability and Careers Consultant Sunny Lalli, is joined by BSc Human Sciences graduate Zack Islam. Recipient of the University of Exeter Student of the Year award at  2024 Success for All conference, and also the Academic Success Award at the 2025 Student Social Mobility Awards, Zack shares his insights on the art of networking and how preparatory research can power conversations at careers fairs.

 

Useful Links:

• Career Zone information on careers fairs (exeter.ac.uk/students/careers/events/careersfairs/)
• Employer engagement information on careers fairs at University of Exeter (exeter.ac.uk/students/careers/employer-engagement/fairs-events/careers-fairs/)
• Career Zone Help with Networking (exeter.ac.uk/students/careers/research/explore/networking/)

Other podcasts you might be interested in:

• How to prepare for Career Fairs - https://pod.fo/e/2d536d 
• Preparing for career fairs and employer events - https://pod.fo/e/2d53c6 

Law Mini-Series: Community Law Clinic. In conversation with Evalyn Anstiss, recent Law graduate

In our Law mini-series podcast, our Law Employability and Careers Consultants; Rachel, Tess and Sunny, talk to experienced professionals from both legal and non-legal sectors to hear their career experiences and advice.

In this episode Tess Read, Employability and Career Consultant, talks to Evalyn Anstiss, a recent Law graduate, about her experience working with the Community Law Clinic. Evalyn shares the benefits of working at the Community Law Clinic and how it helped to develop her professional skills and confidence.

Useful links:

• Exeter Award,
• Community Law Clinic
• Access to Justice clinic (module)

In addition to this episode you can find more information to help with career planning here; University of Exeter Career Zone ,  Law and legal services and Employability for Law Students

Exploring sustainability at a careers fair

In this episode, Sunny Lalli, Employability and Careers Consultant and Rachel Haddy, Employability and Placements Adviser, explore ways to investigate values of sustainability at a careers fair.

Useful Links

• B Corp: https://bcorporation.uk
• Windo: https://csrwindo.com

Listen to associated Career Zone podcast episodes:

• What is a B Corp and why might you want to work for one? https://pod.fo/e/2be941

Planned Happenstance: Turning Chance into Career Opportunity

Ever wondered if ‘luck’ is something you can prepare for and use to your advantage? In this week’s episode, Dave Gyll-Murray, an Employability and Placements Adviser, explores Krumboltz’s Theory of Planned Happenstance – a mindset that encourages you to be open to unexpected opportunities and turn them into meaningful career steps. Dave shares five key skills to help you make the most of the unplanned, including curiosity, flexibility and risk-taking.

Reflect: Know yourself

Understanding who you are is an incredibly important first step in thinking about what you want to do after you graduate. In this episode Dawn Lees, Student Employability and Development Manager, explores how you can reflect on what interests you, what your strengths, skills, preferences, values and motivations are and how this can help you with your career planning.

Useful Links:

• Attend one of our workshops, including Exploring and researching career decisions and Discover your strengths to find a job that suits you. Book via Handshake.
• Profiling for Success
• Skills Audit, as part of Create Your Future.

• Motivations questionnaire in Handshake.

• Exeter Award and Exeter Leaders Award

• How to research an employer
• Help with developing your skills. 

• Consider how to identify your skills with Sarah Blunt, Employability and Careers Consultant, by watching this short video: https://youtu.be/NvqKFQ--f54

Listen to our other podcast episodes on:

• Reflection: Why is it important for employability: https://pod.fo/e/2d5359 
• Should you do something you're passionate about or something you're good at: https://pod.fo/e/2d534a
• How to choose a career: https://pod.fo/e/2d53c4

Getting Focused: Using your decision-making skills to choose a career

Once you have done your research, you’ll need to start making informed and realistic decisions to narrow down your options. In this episode, Dawn Lees, Student Employability and Development Manager, explores how you can use what you have discovered about yourself and learnt about the job market to decide which jobs or sector interests you most.

Useful Links:

• Placements section 
• Jobs section 
• Employability programmes 
• Professional and personal development sessions 
• Professional Pathways

Explore your options

Exploring your options involves expanding your knowledge of the range of occupations, sectors and organisations that may be of interest to you. In this episode, Dawn Lees, Student Employability and Development Manager, discusses how you can explore the opportunities available to you, whether that's applying for graduate roles or further study.

Useful Links:

• Getting the most from LinkedIn  
• Networking for career conversations 
• Exploring options with a degree in… 
• Researching employers 
• Careers fair resources 
• Sector pages 
• Self-employment: Student Startups | Student Startups | University of Exeter
• Choosing Postgraduate Study 
• Lib Guide: About this Research Guide - Researching companies and organisations for your job search​ - LibGuides at University of Exeter

Taking Action

If you have reflected on your values, motivations and skills, have explored your options and have then decided what it is that you want to do, it is now time to take action. In this episode, Dawn Lees, Student Employability and Development Manager shares how you can actively seek the graduate level role or further study opportunity that you have decided is right for you so that you can transition into the workplace.

 

Useful Links

• CVs cover letters and applications 
• Interviews 
• Assessment Centres 
• Psychometric testing 
• Using AI 
• Disclosing a disability session
• EDI support pages
• Creating career confidence programme
• Podcast Accessing the Hidden jobs market – 2021 (Listen here: https://pod.fo/e/2d5396) 

 

Thinking of a career in the Civil Service?

In this episode, Kate Foster, Employability and Careers Consultant, is joined by Maddy and Stephen to discuss the Civil Service Fast Stream. With 17 specialist schemes across the country, it’s designed to fast-track you into management roles and give you the skills to shape national policy and services

Maddy and Stephen share how they see the Fast Stream champions inclusivity and social mobility, with the Social Mobility Network. Maddie and Stephen share details on the recruitment process* and share their tips on how you can best prepare to succeed.

 

*The group exercise at the assessment centre has now been replaced by a personal development conversation.

Useful links:

• Understanding Assessment Centres skill session.
• University webpage on National Government and Civil Service Fast Stream
• Careers in Public Policy and Government Week, 13-17 October 2025
• Civil Service Fast Stream website

Upcoming events with the Fast Stream Social Mobility Network

• Mentoring Programme
• National Outreach Events - Fast Stream Social Mobility Network
• Virtual Event Week, which include workshops for each part of the assessment centre:
  • Introduction to the Fast Stream | 22 September 14:00-15:00
  • Choosing the Right Fast Stream Scheme | 23 September 14:00-15:00
  • Online Test Workshop | 24 September 14:00-15:00
  • Fast Stream Assessment Centre and Final Selection Board | 26 September 14:00-15:00