Careers Advice Tutors
How do I choose the right career for me?
Firstly, it is important to remember that when it comes to careers, there are no right or wrong answers for you. While in the past individuals were expected to commit to a particular career until they retired, in today’s world you have the luxury of being able to move between careers as much as you like. Moreover, there are so many career options out there that there are likely multiple different jobs and different industries that would suit you. With this in mind, it is worth considering what is important to you. Our careers advice tutors can help you guide your career goals. Some questions you might ask yourself to help narrow down your options could include:
- What skills do I possess, and what types of careers might put these to use?
- What are my main interests? Are these interests something I could develop in a particular kind of job?
- What is my ideal starting salary?
- What accomplishments do I have already? Is there a pattern in the kinds of work experience/volunteering/academic achievements I possess that might indicate an industry I might like to work in?
- Which industries are of interest to me, and what roles within these industries would suit me?
- Do I prefer working alone, or in a team?
- Do I have any connections that I might benefit from using to get my foot in the door or more clarity on what jobs are out there?
There are many options when it comes to finding and applying for a certain career. You might choose to search for job vacancies on individual company websites (e.g. specific publishing houses) or set up an account on career-centred websites such as indeed.com or LinkedIn. Alternatively you could directly email companies or friends/acquaintances who work in your area of interest.
Top tips for finding a career
- Be open minded and positive. Try to picture yourself in each of the job vacancies you come across and think about what the pros and cons would be of working there. Take risks and apply to industries that you might not have thought you were interested in. Who knows, maybe it’ll become a career that you love.
- Be prepared to send out lots of applications and to sit lots of interviews. Getting a job is not an easy process, but with each application you are developing your skills. Applying for jobs is never time wasted, and you will find something that is right for you.
- If you are making use of connections or directly contacting individuals in the organisation in which you wish to work, be sure to ask specific questions. This will allow them to help you more effectively or pass on your details to someone who can really assist you.
- Remember that your first job might not be one that you keep for the rest of your life.
- Tailor each application to each job, so that you foreground the skills and experiences that would be most beneficial when working there.
- Apply for jobs that you would like to work in. Try not to make your career decisions based on the expectations of others.
- Make your CV and cover letters strong.
- Browse the internet, take careers quizzes, read guides on how to strengthen your application. Increasing your awareness of the jobs market and what it takes to be successful can only help your application and your chances of finding a job that suits you.
- If you wish to go down a particular career path, having work experience or completing internships can greatly increase your chances of success in your application.
Writing a CV
Your CV will be an essential aspect of every job application. It is in your CV that employers will be introduced to you and familiarised with your experiences and abilities. Since employers will likely be reading a lot of CVs (and, in some cases, cover letters where you discuss your suitability in more detail) for any one role, it is very important to make yours stand out. Typically, CVs will include personal information (like name, date of birth, email address), academic achievements, work experience, and details of references. They should be brief, to the point, and spotlight your key desirable qualities. Writing a good CV can be difficult so it is useful to look up guides, use CV writing software, or request advice from connections who might be knowledgeable in how to write one. CVs can look different depending on the industry, so it is important to research what kinds of format and information is necessary to include.
Top tips for writing a CV:
- Use a clear and concise format that is easy to look at. Make the layout consistent (e.g. how you use headings and subheadings) and aesthetic (e.g. choose an attractive, readable font)
- Use active, assertive language that depicts you as proactive
- Be selective: include only the information that is relevant
- Be positive about yourself, but ground your claims with evidence
- Be sure that you use impeccable spelling, punctuation, and grammar
- Adapt your CV for your different job applications
- Look at example CVs to guide your writing
Careers Advice & Guidance Tutors
At Mayfair Consultants we are proud to offer excellent careers advice. Our unique approach to delivering a variety of careers-based options means we can tailor our resources to your individual needs. From discussing careers options or crafting personal action plans, to developing your CV or helping you write a cover letter, we are ready to assist you. We also offer careers advice on work experience, internships, and languages, all of which may add to your applications. Our experienced careers advisors will help plan your applications, both for internships and university.
We understand that applying for jobs or university early in your education or career can be a complicated and competitive process. To this end, we offer careers coaching and advice for those preparing for applications across all disciplines including gap years. We can support you throughout the process – from writing personal statements, preparing for interviews, and ability and aptitude testing. Many of our tutors hold undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications from leading UK universities, making them best placed to advise and support you. In offering this support we hope to boost your application and maximise your chances of securing your placement or internship or degree course. If you’d like to arrange a careers tutor or have any questions about our tuition services, please call us on 02076656606 or send us an email via our contact form.
Careers Advisors & Students Resources
Careers:
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk
https://www.ucas.com/careers-advice
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice
https://jobs.theguardian.com/careers
https://jobhelp.campaign.gov.uk/government-services/national-careers-service/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhpcgpqWc1Q
CVs
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/cvs-and-cover-letters
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/cv-sections
https://www.ucas.com/careers/getting-job/how-write-cv
https://jobs.theguardian.com/article/how-to-write-a-cv-video-