Career Planning for 2nd Year HCA

Craig Phillips

Careers Consultant – HCA

31/10/2018

Action Planning: Early Years

Your future starts here:

• Get involved in university life: explore the huge range of activities you can

get involved within and outwith the University experience. Take part in the

Edinburgh Award to get recognition for things you do outside your degree

• Get experience: your early years are the ideal time to get experience before

you get too busy with academic work. Look at part-time work, work

experience and volunteering.

• Think ahead: never too soon to think about how you might develop and test

career ideas during your studies.

• Still unsure what you want to do? Make use of the Careers Service.

• http://www.ed.ac.uk/careers/your-future/year-by-year

What we offer:

• Information – online and in person and regular updates through social

media and email.

• 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

Key Messages for 2nd Year HCA:

• What you do over the next few years will really matter and leaving it all

until 4th year is too late

• Career Planning is easier than you think – making the most of your time at

university will help with the process

• Career Planning doesn’t commit you to anything - you don’t need to know

yet what career you want, so try things out

• Having different experiences is never wasted and is an essential part of

marketing yourself effectively.

• Employers value HCA degrees but will look at your experience as a whole

What is Career Planning?

• Career planning - process of making and implementing career decisions.

• Not a one-off event – an ongoing process that you use throughout life

when making career decisions.

• Learning about this process will stand you in good stead:

• Short-term (making most of time at university)

• Medium-term (graduate labour market)

• Longer-term (reviewing your career path and moving forward)

Career Planning – Why?

Broadens your horizons – new experiences can change your perspective, provide new insights

and alter your outlook

Exploring career options – putting yourself in different environments and taking on new roles

gives you a chance to explore options and see how you feel in different situations.

Developing your ‘offer’ – new experiences and responsibilities enhance the quality of what you

can offer and how you market yourself: CV/LinkedIn/Cover Letters/Applications

Expanding your networks – having different experiences develops your contacts and can

broaden your awareness of opportunities.

Increases your funds – if it’s paid work, this is an obvious one. We all need it, to reduce loans,

pay for semester-time expenses, fund interests, travel etc.

How to Career Plan

Step 1:

Know

Yourself

Step 2:

Research Opportunities

Step 3:

Make

Choices

Step 4:

Take Action

Step 5:

Gain Experience

Lifelong Career

Planning

Learning about career paths

3 main ways to learn about Careers:

• Read about occupations and labour market sectors

• Talk to people working in the roles

• Gain experience in different sectors

Generate, research then confirm ideas

•Generate ideas:

• Online assessment tools – Prospects Planner, Career Ed and Career Explorer

• http://www.ed.ac.uk/careers/your-future/career-planning

• Look at HCA Graduate Destinations

• http://www.ed.ac.uk/careers/your-future/options/degree-options/dlhe

•Research ideas:

• Read ‘Options with’ Your Subject…’ & ‘A Degree’

• http://www.ed.ac.uk/careers/your-future/options/degree-options

• Read Careers Service Occupational Pages:

• http://www.ed.ac.uk/careers/your-future/options/occupations

• Attend Employer and Careers Events; test out ideas

• https://mycareerhub.ed.ac.uk/

•Confirm ideas:

• Talk through ideas;

• Implement job search strategy – market yourself effectively, navigate the market

and compete;

• http://www.ed.ac.uk/careers/looking-for-work

HCA Broad options:

Linear Progression (Directly related):

• Academia, Teaching and Education

• Cultural Heritage

Changing emphasis (applying skills elsewhere):

• Media and Culture

• Public Services, Charity and Development

• Legal Services

• Business and Finance

• Information Technology

New direction

• Defined by you and your interests: external interests, retraining or self-

employment

http://www.ed.ac.uk/careers/your-

future/options/degree-

options/dlhe/chss-destinations

Different ways to gain experience:

Gaining Experience

Internships

Work Shadowing

Volunteering

(Formal

& Informal)

Part-time Jobs/

Vacation Work or Placements

Extracurricular Activities

Personal Projects/ Business

Competitions

Company Insight

Days/Spring Week/Courses

Developing Skills and Abilities from your University Experience

Employ.Ed on Campus

• At least 50 internships

• Open to 2nd, 3rd and penultimate year UGs

• Mostly, full-time 10-12 week internships.

• Well paid, £9.31 per hour.

• Complete an Edinburgh Award

• Optional Summer workshops to help you make the most of your internship

• Advertised from 1st February, start date 4th June

• Advertised mid Semester One

• 1 week in a global city or 2-5 days in a local company

• Meetings, tours, small projects, presentations

• Receive full funding

• In 2018 – 50 places across both strands

• Eligible students will receive an invitation to apply

Insights Programme

http://www.ed.ac.uk/careers/looking-for-

work/internships/employed-internships

HCA 2nd Year: Questions to think about?

• What led you to study for your degree subject?

• What motivates and enthuses you? What’s your values system?

• What experiences have you already had?

• What did you learn about yourself and your skills from these?

• What are your career areas of interest? What’s on offer?

• Where are the opportunities? How do these employers recruit?

• What sorts of experience are useful to your areas of career interest?

• What skills gaps do you currently have? How do you address them?

• What do you want to get out of your wider time at university?

• What are my short, medium and long term goals?

Use the Careers Service

Main Library, 3rd floor: 9.15am – 4.45pm (Tuesdays 11am - 7pm)

Drop-ins and bookable appointments available daily

MyCareerHub – https://mycareerhub.ed.ac.uk

‘Q&A’ function

Appointments, events and opportunities

www.ed.ac.uk/careers - labour market information

Craig Phillips: craig.phillips@ed.ac.uk 0131 651 1569

Office hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm