1. Introduction to the Careers Service School of HCA Postgraduate Induction
Craig Phillips
Careers Consultant – School of HCA
13/09/2017

2. About the Careers Service
Information – online and in person and regular updates through social media and .
Advice and Guidance – 20/45 minute appointments bookable in advance - available in person/phone/Skype.
Programme of events – career fairs and festivals, employer led presentations, skills sessions, panel events and forums. Online/face-to-face personal development group sessions.
Access to internships, jobs and opportunities - vacancies database of graduate jobs, internships, placements, vacation work, part-time and seasonal employment. Opportunity to meet prospective employers

3. Key Messages for HCA PG Students
Begin early:
Researching potential employers, job roles, institutions or courses takes time
Applications for many graduate positions and PhDs are open now & have early deadlines.
Applying for a PhD? Might also need to research funding opportunities
Balance academic study with career research/planning:
Opportunities could be advertised at any time of the year
Bookmark sites to ensure you don’t miss out
Set aside time on a regular basis for career research/planning
Attend careers events:
Lots of opportunities for you to meet employers on campus (many events take place early in the semester and at lunch time and evenings)
Find out what they are looking for – do you have what they need?
Get feedback:
Opportunities for you to obtain feedback on application forms, CVs, covering letters via our appointment system. We also run Mock interviews and Assessment centres

4. Key Messages for HCA Postgrads
Masters – start planning early for your next steps as one year goes very fast!
PhD – more time to better position yourself for an academic career and/or explore alternative options.
Leaving career planning and decision making all to the end of your course of study is not the most effective use of your time at UoE.

8. The research masters take a similar format and layout, with a specific focus on research masters.

10. What’s happening this semester?
The UK Graduate job market - what you need to know for International PGTs (14th September)
Finding a part time job whilst studying (14th & 25th September)
Volunteer Edinburgh Fair (20st September)
Improve your job applications (26th September)
Improve your CV (27th & 29th September)
Improve your cover letters (28th September)
Improve your interview skills (2nd October)
Careers Fair (10th & 11th October)
Careers Fair: Third Day (12th October)
Go Abroad Fair (18th October)
Regular employer presentations and workshops
Postgrad Launchpad - series of information events about further study -
This is just a small selection – see the full list on MyCareerHub!

11. Criteria you need to fulfil: The job must be “graduate level”
International (Tier 4 visa) students: Applying for graduate jobs in the UK
Criteria you need to fulfil:
The job must be “graduate level”
It must pay a minimum salary of £20,800 or the industry minimum
The employer must be on the Home Office register of sponsors
To find out more come along to one of our “Working in the UK” talks or visit:
Be prepared and start early!
These are the criteria for the Tier 2 visa which is the most common route for Tier 4 students.
The register of sponsors is a regularly updated PDF – you must search it using ctrl+f. It has many thousands of employers listed.
We would not recommend that international students apply for a job with an organisation not already on the list – unless they already have a relationship with the employer and can enter a dialogue about applying to become a sponsor.
Minimum salary of £20,800 or industry minimum – whichever is higher. For industry minimums see Home Office website
It is so important Tier 4 students start early if they want to stay in the UK. And to have a plan B for a return home
Postgraduate taught students can only work up to 20 hours per week over summer as you will be working on your dissertation

13. PhD Support PhD Career Courses: (1) Your Career Beyond Academia
(2) Marketing Yourself Effectively
Academic career (1) what you need to succeed
Academic career (2) job search and applications
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
Horizons conference – showcasing PhD career opportunities
Research Student Careers Blog – WordPress

14. Edinburgh Award About the Award
The Edinburgh Award is a programme and award you can do alongside a particular activity such as part-time work, volunteering, sports clubs and societies.
The Award aims to recognise your involvement in these activities on your degree transcript and enhance these experiences.
Why it matters
Many students volunteer, work part-time, or get involved in the University community alongside their studies.
You can use these activities to stand out from the crowd, and the Award allows you to get official recognition for your involvement and help you get the most out of your experiences.
To learn more:

15. Use the Careers Service
Main Library, 3rd floor: 9.15am – 4.45pm (Tuesdays 11am - 7pm)
Drop-ins and bookable appointments available daily
Book on MyCareerHub –
‘Q&A’ function
Appointments, events and opportunities
- labour market info, job-hunting resources
Craig Phillips:
Office hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm