As part of his ‘Literature at Work’ placement, current student Carl Shepherd has been catching up with some of the recent Literature graduates we fortunately didn’t need to say goodbye to… Because they’re still here and now working for the University!
In our for installment, Carl reflects on the top 5 lessons to learn from all the graduates we have heard from.
By Carl Shepherd
Welcome back to YSJU: Beyond Graduation – the blog series that has explored post-graduate employment opportunities available to us here at York St John University.
Over this series, I have spoken with three graduates from the English Literature department who are all – in some capacity – now employed by YSJU. In the process, I hope to have shed light on how our University can help us in the first steps towards a career.
Today, reflecting on my interviews with Nicoletta, Rebecca and Tom, I wanted to provide you with a quick summary of what I think are the key-takeaways from this series:
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You can work at York. St John!
Forgive me for the (now) obviousness of this point – but before this project, it never really occurred to me that YSJU could offer us post-graduate employment opportunities. Perhaps this was naïve of me… but if you, too, were also unaware of this avenue, I hope that my entries have given you some food for thought.
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Research is key!
If you are interested by the prospect of working at York St. John University, it’s super important to remain up-to-date with the careers team, and your email inbox. It’s also important to keep your ears to the ground on different developments within higher education, as this could push you a step ahead when seeking university-based employment.
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We are the perfect candidates for student-facing jobs!
As my interview with Tom shed light on, our experience as students equips us perfectly for a career that involves helping other students. Beyond that, our experience of studying a degree here at YSJU has also developed skills in confidence, communication and diligence – skills that will really help within the university sector specifically… and beyond!
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York St John University can be a stepping-stone…
As with Nicoletta and Rebecca, post-graduate employment at YSJU doesn’t have to be something permanent. There are many internships available to us that could either lead directly onto a fixed role within the university or pave a pathway towards a completely new and external industry. A short-term internship after graduation could be the perfect stepping-stone towards something even better.
- You don’t have to choose between study and employment!
If you’re someone who has always wanted to further your education, postgraduate employment at YSJU will not force you into sacrificing this. As Tom – a Programme Administrator and PhD student – evidenced to me, there are positions available within the University that are perfectly matched to further study… without sacrificing much needed experience in the workplace.
And that’s it – they are my top five points that I think are worth considering if you’re interested in post-graduate employment at YSJU.
I hope you have enjoyed this blog series, and I hope it has provided you with a helpful insight into an alternative path available to us beyond graduation. I have certainly found it enlightening.