What I’m learning about my career journey at YSJ
Tips on using YSJ Careers services
My Career Journey
Currently, here at YSJ, I am studying Creative Writing and English Literature; and as a result, I am working part time to fit everything into my schedule. As a disabled student, it’s safe to say job searching has, historically, been one of my worst nightmares. I was always worried about finding somewhere that would keep my needs in mind and make the working environment accessible. Being a student ambassador for YSJ has been amazing in making sure my accommodations are met, and I have been eager to prioritise this in future employment. With my undergraduate degree almost over (ahh!!!) I have been thinking about this a lot. I am hoping to go into a career of marketing, publishing or writing, and I’d love to feel confident in my ability to find a job in these sectors once I have left the university.
The Career and Employability Team
At YSJ, the career team is based in LaunchPad, in the Holgate building. It is so easy to talk to them about anything career related that you might be worried about or struggling with; such as placements, career events, opportunities for part time jobs, internships, study abroad and so much more. Their team of advisors will help provide guidance and support, and the best part is that it is so easy to request one of these appointments. Click this link for student careers support and opportunities. For graduate support, if you need help with finding jobs after university, this page is the best for you! There is also a page for recruitment for internships and part time roles.
Tips for using career services effectively
I would 100% recommend starting early! You are guaranteed to feel so much better about your options if you look at things with enough time to ponder over them, and figure out what is right for you. Setting clear goals is also a great way to plan out different career paths. For example, I planned out what I wanted to do in relation to a part time job in my second year, and then took these goals and a list of what I wanted to achieve within them to the careers team to help start the process. They did a fantastic job of sorting through the goals that I had in mind and then seeing how they could apply them to a part time job, considering all my accessibility and financial needs. The platform Handshake, which you can log into HERE is an amazing tool to help navigate these services, and find everything in one place. There are many opportunities on the site to engage with workshops and events such as interview preparation. They really cover everything!
If you are interested or need a little extra support….
Consider booking a session with the careers team or checking out upcoming workshops they have one! I wish you the best of luck on your career journey and I hope that this has helped you feel more at ease with the knowledge that there is plenty of support available at YSJ.
To find out more about how we can support you during your time at YSJ, read Ellie’s blog where she shares her experience with YSJ student services.