Talk to us

For more in-depth advice and guidance, book a careers advice appointment with one of our Careers Consultants. They can offer impartial and confidential advice on topics including

• considering career options and making decisions
• understanding your careers research, and planning next steps
• knowing what you want to do, but needing help with achieving it
• identifying and addressing problems such as concerns with your CV, unsuccessful job interviews or
• struggling to gain relevant work experience.

Try this first:
If you’re just getting started, you could come to a drop-in, book a First Steps appointment, or find the information you need on our website.

Special circumstances

If your circumstances mean that you would benefit from a longer appointment (for example to discuss issues related to a disability), or you would like to bring a support worker with you to your appointment, please email careers@york.ac.uk providing as much information as possible, to arrange this.

Slightly longer (30 minutes) careers advice appointments tailored to the specific needs of final year students and graduates. 

Use this appointment to help you:

• Reflect on your current position and, if applicable, your work history
• Target your information search and plan your next steps
• Consider career choices and gain support with your decision making
• Get advice on preparing for your interview or assessment centre
• Deal with unsuccessful job applications, identifying problems and finding solutions
• Consider ways to maximise your current career opportunities
• Consider solutions to barriers you feel are impacting on your career goals

Feel free to book a careers advice appointment (as described above), if the times available suit you better, or if you just have a quick question.

Whether you are hoping to stay in academia or are looking at careers in other sectors, use this appointment with the Careers Consultant for postgraduate researchers to discuss any aspect of career management, including:

• Building skills and experience
• Generating career ideas and exploring options
• Decision making and identifying next steps decision making
• Applications and recruitment 
• Interview preparation/mock interview (please state in the appointment booking notes what you are applying for).

See also: Graduate School careers site

We can discuss your CV, LinkedIn profile or any job application you are making at the drop-in or a first steps/careers advice appointment. If you want written feedback, you can request it via Handshake:

1. Upload your CV/application to your Handshake Documents (no need to make it 'visible'; read the guide to uploading a document)
2. Message the Careers Information Team requesting a review and tell us as much information as possible, such as:

• • your latest CareerSet score
  • the job you are applying for, with a link
  • the application deadline, if important
  • any particular concerns or questions you have about your CV

We give feedback within five working days. Due to student demand we can't give repeat feedback on the same document and we don't proofread for grammar and spelling. Use a checking tool like Grammarly, or the tools available in MS Word or Google Docs to help with this.

Try this first:

• Use the resources in Applying and interviewing for help with CVs, cover letters and applications, and Applying for further study for personal statements.
• Get immediate feedback on your CV from CareerSet - we expect you to use CareerSet before booking a review.

If you have an interview scheduled, for a job or further study, practise answering competency-based interview questions in a safe environment, with expert feedback on your approach. A Careers Consultant will use generic interview questions, so you do not need to send us your application and job description in advance.  The focus will be on how you answer questions and perform during an interview.

Try this first:

Prepare for your interview by using the tips on the interviews page, and practise answering interview questions using Shortlist.Me.

Postgraduate Research students, please book a Postgraduate Research student careers appointment (details above) for your mock interview if possible.

Help with considering the Placement Year programme available through Careers and Placements. Available to second year undergraduates in semester 1, and to first and second years in semester 2.

Use a Placement Year appointment to help you:

• understand the placements process
• get support with your placement search
• get feedback on your placement application.

Try this first:
Visit the Placement Year web page for initial information.

If there's a placement year available through your academic department, you should speak to the relevant member of staff in the department.

Book an Enterprise appointment in Handshake to

• discuss your business idea
• test your proof of concept
• find out about funding your business idea

Try this first:
Find information and advice on the Enterprise web pages and get involved with Enterprise courses and activities.