1. Everything you wanted to know about careers, but were afraid to ask Geography 2008 Emma Baker Careers Adviser

2. Where are you now?

3. Aims of the session: How can you chose the ‘right’ career? What do Geography students go on to do? What are employers looking for in applications and interviews? How can you sell a Geography degree?

4. Common Myths A Careers Adviser will tell you what job to do Most graduates will get a place on a graduate training scheme You have to get a job related to your degree It is always better to have a postgraduate degree

5. Self Knowledge Knowledge of the Options Researching Options Making Decisions Getting the Job

6. What do you want? What skills do you like using? What factors are important when choosing? E.g: –Earning over £30k within 2 years –Having weekends off –Travelling –Having lots of responsibility –Location –Not working in an office www.careers.lon.ac.uk/sortit

7. What do Geography graduates do? 80% of the 2007 graduates were in work 6 months after graduation Inspector- Laboratory technology company Geotechnical Consultant- Environmental Consultancy Assistant Architect- Architecture and Building Company Trainee Traffic Control Engineer- Transport for London Geospatial Analyst- Defence Geographic Centre Sales Negotiator- Foxtons Asset System Management- The Environment Agency Officer Training- RAF Graduate Engineer- Engineering Consultancy IT Manager- Logistics Company

8. Further Study 18% went on to further study MSc Sustainability and Management MSc Quaternary Science MA Cultural Geography PGCE Primary MA Management MSc Sustainability and Management MSc Quantity Surveying

9. What jobs are out there? www.rhul.ac.uk/careers www.prospects.ac.uk –Prospects planner –Occupational profiles Newspapers e.g. Guardian Saturday Networking Careers directories Careers service events Recruitment Consultancies Professional bodies Employer websites

10. Careers in Geography www.rgs.org our work schools careers and further studywww.rgs.org www.careers.lon.ac.uk/development Conservation www.environmentjobs.co.uk www.newscientistjobs.com Cartography www.soc.org.ukwww.soc.org.uk Town Planning www.rtpi.org.ukwww.rtpi.org.uk

11. What are employers looking for? Mouchel- Engineering Consultants Throughout the recruitment process, we’ll be looking for a number of things: good business awareness, a flair for generating and communicating ideas the ability to work well as part of a team to deliver results. graduates who can think around a problem and have the drive and ambition to make an impact on the business.

12. Selling your Geography degree

13. Selling your skills in applications and interviews Situation Task Action Result e.g. I looked after a small team of helpers in my part time job as an Events Assistant. I made sure that each member of the team was aware of their tasks on the day and who to go to if there was a problem. The result went very smoothly and we received a letter of thanks from the customer.

14. Getting Skills on Your CV MSc Geography, Royal Holloway Communication skills- regularly delivering presentations to small groups in seminars Analytical skills- Analysed numerical data from questionnaires as part of project Work Experience Commercial Awareness- learnt information about the company brand to increase persuasive sales to customers

15. Getting some extra skills on your CV Volunteering Geography Ambassadors –www.geographyteachingtoday.org.ukwww.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk Clubs and societies Part time work Work experience Travel

16. Further Help- Careers Service Ground Floor, Horton Building www.rhul.ac.uk/careers Library Quick queries 11- 12 and 2- 4pm Mock Interviews Career Discussions Alumni Evening

17. Further Further Help Employer presentations –How to sell yourself at interview Tues 18 th –Procter and Gamble-Monday 24 th Lunchtime seminars –CV workshop- Wednesday 19 th –Practice psychometric tests- Wednesday 26 th University of London courses –Careers in Charities- 26 th November