Geography
Planning your
Undergraduate Thesis
Making contacts and networking
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Geography:Planning your Undergraduate
ThesisSkills, making contacts and networking
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Your Research projectWho could you contact?
Previous Theses included:
• Problems with locating a new public facility: a new stadium for Brighton & Hove Albion
- Brighton & Hove Council, South Downs Joint Committee, Brighton & Hove Albion
• Cliff retreat at Birling Gap- Wildlife trusts, South Downs Rangers, Local Councils
• Contradictions and dilemma of responding to Famine: The NGO perspective
- Aid Agencies and charities like Oxfam, IDS, Dfid
Skills- what will you develop?
• Interpersonal/ Communication Skills
• Research Skills
• Self promotion/ self marketing
• Resourcefulness/ ability to use initiative
• Creativity
• Organisational skills/ managing your time/ your workload
• An ability to plan
• Ability to work with people at all levels/ in many situations
• Networking
• Interviewing & presentation skills
How can you make use of these skills?
• In your career planning as you may have a clearer idea of what you enjoy doing
• During your job searching- you will have a better sense of your abilities and experience
• On your CV to market yourself and your abilities
• In job applications / competencies • During interviews
Why is networking important?
• Generate careers ideas
• Gain experience
• Find out about jobs you may not have ever considered
• Find out what a job is really like- insider information
• See how your skills and interests fit those of the job
• Try a career for size without commitment
• Explore the hidden job market- not all jobs are advertised
Where to look for contacts
• Family, friends, personal contacts
• Colleagues, tutors, supervisors (part- time work, University)
• Web pages - www.sussex.ac.uk/careers
• Sussex contacts network- Alumni
• Prospects – www.prospects.ac.uk
• Graduate Recruiters
• Local business directories/ councils/ newspapers
• People you meet at conferences/ seminars/ visiting organisations
• Voluntary work- www.ussu.info/getinvolved/volunteering/projectv
• Searching the web- www.yell.com
How to approach contacts
Speculative approaches are most common:
• Letter or email – www.sussex.ac.uk/cdec/apply- examples
• Phone call- its good to speak to someone! Employers may not
respond to a letter or email if they are busy so follow it up!
• Arrange a visit / meeting
•Do your preparation-
www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/make_contacts - examples of
questions you could ask
Networking and future career planning
• Finding out about upcoming vacancies
• Arrange work experience
• Internships/ work shadowing/ paid vacation work
• Attend conferences & meet people
• Find out about their contacts and networks
• Visit related organisations - make links
• Mentoring
• Thank them- Its good PR to keep the door open!
Careers & Employability Support
• Our information centre - Falmer House
• Short interviews with a form / letters (20 mins)
• Events- grad fair/ law fair/ employer presentations
• Sussex Plus Workshadowing Programme
• Web based information and resources – look in research section of our website for further information about making contacts
www.sussex.ac.uk/careers
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