Category Archives: Career Sector

Christina, Advertising, Marketing and PR

Advertising Marketing and PR, English, ,

Christina, an English student, wanted to go into Advertising, Marketing and PR. By participating in the Career Mentor Scheme she was matched with a PR and Communications Manager at the Cass Business School, City University London. This mentor was leading a team looking after the PR and communications activities for Cass Business School in the UK and internationally.

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The partnership improved Christina’s confidence and enabled her to take an internship. It also helped her prepare for the next steps after graduation.

How do you feel the mentoring process has enhanced your employability?

Through this mentoring process, I was able to undertake an internship in PR over the summer holidays, through my mentor’s contact. It was a fantastic experience that has definitely enhanced my employability. My mentor helped me work on my CV and go through Cover Letters I sent off to various employers. I really enjoyed this scheme, and I feel that my confidence has improved.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

I cannot say what the most useful element of the experience was because everything was so helpful. I gained work experience, networked making new contacts, and understood the PR industry much better.

Why should students apply to have a mentor?

Everyone should apply. It is a fantastic way to learn about your respective industry , make the contacts and gain the confidence needed for the future.

 

Alice, Science

Biosciences, Science, , ,

Biochemistry student Alice was matched with a Biochemist at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. This mentor has completed a Biochemistry degree at Exeter and then pursued a PhD in Biological Sciences. Her main responsibilities include conducting seed Biology research at Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, publishing work in scientific journals and training and supervising undergraduate and postgraduate students.

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We talked to Alice in more detail about her experience of the Career Mentor Scheme.

How do you feel the career mentor scheme has helped you overall?

  • Improved my confidence to seek graduate level employment
  • Improved my personal skills needed for graduate level employment
  • Helped me prepare for my next steps – graduate level employment / further study
  • Professional experience to put on my CV
  • Gained work experience / internship
  • Made a friend / future professional contact in my mentor

How do you feel the mentoring process has enhanced your employability?

By participating in the Career Mentor Scheme, I have picked up valuable skills which will improve my chances of finding employment within the Science sector. Specifically, the opportunity to participate in a 6-week summer internship not only taught me important lessons in how a lab is run, but it also prepared me for my third year research project within my degree.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

For me the most useful aspect of the mentoring scheme was the opportunity to carry out the internship. This gave me time to get to know my mentor better and learn more about her experiences within the Biochemistry sector. It also allowed me to undertake my own research, giving me a level of independence I had not been able to gain through undergraduate lab sessions. The time working with her allowed us to build up more of a rapport and build a long lasting relationship.

Why should students apply to have a mentor?

Students should apply for this scheme as it gives an opportunity to experience the sector they are interested in hands on. It allows you to meet an alumnus from the University who can share their experiences with you, plus give you advice on steps to take to get further in your chosen career.

 

Alexandra, Media, Publishing and Journalism

Media Publishing and Journalism, Social Sciences, ,

Alexandra, doing a degree in Sociology, was passionate about the Media, Publishing and Journalism sector. She applied to the Career Mentor Scheme and was matched with a Producer/Account Manager at BeViacom (MTV International). This mentor’s main responsibilities at the times included producing and managing the creation of sponsorship and Co-Branded Commercial Idents for Sony Pictures and distributing to over 28 markets worldwide.

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Alexandra benefited from the scheme in a number of ways.

How do you feel the career mentor scheme has helped you overall?

  • Helped me prepare for my next steps – graduate level employment / further study
  • Professional experience to put on my CV
  • Gained work experience / internship
  • Made a friend / future professional contact in my mentor

How do you feel the mentoring process has enhanced your employability?

It gave me a chance to gain some relevant work experience, and understand what is required of me.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

The opportunity to speak to someone in the industry and who was in a position to advise me on future steps to take.

Why should students apply to have a mentor?

It is an incredible opportunity to network and understand the industry you want to go into.

The highlight for Alex’s mentor was:

“I was pleased to give Alex the opportunity to do work experience as I think this is vital for everyone.”

Adrienne, Accounting and Auditing

Accounting and Auditing, economics, , , ,

Economics student Adrienne participated in the Career Mentor Scheme and was mentored by an Executive Advisor at KPMG LLP. As such his main responsibilities were to identify sales opportunities in Technology Risk and Assurance services and to develop those opportunities into sales. This mentor also managed the delivery of Technology Risk and Assurance services to our organisation’s Construction, Infrastructure, Transport and Public Sector portfolio of clients including agreeing contracts, planning, work on site (fieldwork), financial management and agreeing deliverables with clients.

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Adrienne had an extraordinary experience in the year in which she was part of the scheme.

How do you feel the career mentor scheme has helped you overall?

  • Improved my confidence to seek graduate level employment
  • Improved my personal skills needed for graduate level employment
  • Helped me prepare for my next steps – graduate level employment / further study
  • Professional contacts from networking
  • Made a friend / future professional contact in my mentor
  • Greater idea of what the career path involves (audit)

How do you feel the mentoring process has enhanced your employability?

Gained greater knowledge of the field (audit)(good for interviews), greater knowledge of the professional qualifications open to me after university, improved personal skills (more confidence in interviews) and CV enhancement.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Insights into my chosen profession/sector, greater knowledge of the professional qualifications open to me after university.

Why should students apply to have a mentor?

Now I have a greater idea of the career I would like to go into, the possible qualifications that I could partake in after my studies, an insight into where said career could take me. Really great insight!

 

Yazmin, Law and Legal Services

law, Law and Legal Services,

Yazmin joined the Career Mentor Scheme to gain an insight into a career in Law and for guidance on employability skills and applications. She was paired with a solicitor at Irwin Mitchell. Like Yazmin, this mentor studied an undergraduate Law degree at Exeter. She then went on to obtain a training contract and has since worked as a solicitor for several law firms before obtaining her current at Irwin Mitchell.

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Yazmin achieved several objectives, including experience in professional CV writing, obtaining work experience and gaining an invaluable insight into the sector. Here is what she shared with us.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

I enjoyed my week of work experience at Slater & Gordon, and felt as though I developed my employability skills during this week. I also gained an insight into what a career in the legal sector may be like.

Also, my mentor was always willing to read my applications and give me constructive feedback on how I could improve them.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

The week of work experience.

 What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

This is an ideal opportunity to gain an insight into a career that you may be interested in. There is also the chance to develop employability skills and to gain valuable contacts.

Sam, Surveying and Property Management

Geography, Surveying and Property Management, ,

Sam joined the mentor scheme to gain some insight into the property sector. He was
paired with a Housing Development Manager for Exeter City Council. This mentor’s previous roles have included a Development Manager and a Consultant Project Manager for other organisations.

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Sam achieved many of his objectives through the partnership, including guidance towards finding a job in the sector, professional experience to add onto his CV and help preparing for graduate level applications.

Please let us know some of the highlights for you during the scheme.

I attended a number of conferences and managed to hear influential people speak and listen to interesting discussions. This included the Exeter Breakfast Forum and a conference where many of the regional leading renewable energy companies had representatives at.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Insight into chosen profession.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

It’s definitely worth your time.

Sam’s mentor added some comments on her highlights.

“Enabling an undergraduate to widen their horizon on career opportunities. Assisting an undergraduate with shaping the topic of their dissertation and providing them with contacts to assist them in their research.
Sharing with an undergraduate the work and role of the public sector. Observing an undergraduate develop their confidence and self-awareness skills.”

Rebecca, Law and Legal Services

English, Law and Legal Services, ,

Rebecca, an undergraduate student studying English, was looking to gain some support and guidance into Law. Through the Career Mentor Scheme, she was assigned to a partner at Ropes & Gray LLP. Within this role he is focused on private equity, public and private M&A and innovative special situation deals.

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Following regular communication with her mentor, Rebecca told us about the most valuable aspects of the scheme for her. Rebecca met all of her objectives, including gaining a greater confidence for the application process and gaining a training contract.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

Every time I spoke or met with my mentor, he always gave me a real confidence boost that helped me persevere through the gruelling application process to become a trainee solicitor. My main highlight was sharing the news of my job offers with my mentor at the end of the summer. He supported and guided me through the decision of which offer to take. My mentor’s advice was impartial and insightful, and I feel that he helped me make the best decision for me.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

My mentor’s insight and advice were extremely useful, from application/cv proofreading to general advice about self-confidence and personal development. His help didn’t just help with an insight into the industry and finding a job, but with the whole process, including dealing with rejections, interview stress, and balancing my job hunt with academic work and personal life.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Schemes?

The Career Mentor Scheme is invaluable. In building a relationship with my mentor I received honest advice and a genuine insight into the legal profession. I feel that the scheme works best if you are well-prepared and hardworking; your mentor is not there to do the hard work for you, but to help refine your skills and direct your drive so you can achieve your maximum potential. I felt that my mentor genuinely cared about my development, and it was great to have someone in the profession to share both my difficulties and successes with.

Rebecca’s mentor also noted several highlights from the scheme:

“The highlight was Rebecca being awarded a first class degree and then going on to secure a training contract with Allen & Overy.”

 

Jack, Media, Publishing and Journalism

Media Publishing and Journalism, Politics and International Relations, , , ,

Jack, a second year Politics student, interested in Media, Publishing and Journalism was assigned a mentor who is the Home Affairs Correspondent for BBC South West, based in Exeter.

This mentor graduated with a Natural Sciences degree in 1990 and went onto do a Postgraduate diploma in Broadcast Journalism. Previous to his current position at the BBC he was a Deputy News Editor and before that he worked as an ITV news reporter.

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Jack said that he felt he’d achieved his objectives through the Career Mentor Scheme. The following are a few that he mentioned:

  • It improved my confidence to seek graduate level employment and helped to prepare me for my next steps after graduation
  • It improved my personal skills needed for graduate employment
  • The scheme developed my professional contacts and networking opportunities as well as making a professional contact with my mentor
  • I gained an insight into the profession/sector as well as receiving advice and tips for applications and CVs
  • Gained academic support from mentor for degree programme

What was the highlight of the scheme for you?

Meeting with my mentor was both enjoyable and insightful. Having him as my mentor was a huge highlight in itself!

When we asked Jack for his feedback he said he’d like to stay in contact with his mentor after the scheme had finished and would recommend the Career Mentor Scheme to a friend.

We spoke to Jack’s mentor who said that some of the highlight of the scheme for him was:

“Meeting and getting to know an excellent, highly motivated young man who wanted to do his best in the world and being able to help in that.”

 

Lucas, Science

Geography, Science,

Lucas, a second year Geography student, was interested in Science and Geography. He was assigned the Head of Centre for Research at the Forestry Commission in Farnham. This mentor graduated from Exeter in 1998 with a BA (Hons) in Geography. From there he went on to further study an MSc in Environmental Forestry and then a PhD in Remote Sensing of Forests. He has been working at the Forestry Commission in the department of forestry research since 2007 where he has worked his way to the post of Head of Communications and Operations.

Lucas said that he achieved the objectives he was hoping for in taking part in the Career Mentor Scheme.

  • It improved and required management skills, it was down to Lucas to set up and organise meetings with his mentor at a time that was suitable for both of them
  • The mentor scheme improved the students confidence for seeking graduate level employment and gave guidance to help prepare for the next steps after University
  • The mentor scheme gave a useful insight into the profession with helpful advice on good/bad aspects of a career from someone in the know
  • Useful to understand if your current career ideas are right for you and how you can go about getting into that career

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

  • Meeting with someone who is employed in the field you are interested in to give you useful insights and information about the career field to explain real life positives and negatives
  • Having someone to discuss your future career with is very useful with someone asking specific questions about what sort of business size and team dynamic is important to define exactly what direction you want to go in and what kind of company is most suitable for you
  • Expanding network and encouraging and helping student to find internship opportunities
  • Mentor discussing University work with student and discussing ideas and progress to help with perspective of degree in career path

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Getting advice on the career I wished to go into from someone in the know and the wealth of resources and people I could talk to about career opportunities.

Isabelle, Healthcare and Wellbeing

Healthcare and Wellbeing, Psychology, , ,

Isabelle, a third year Psychology student, interested in healthcare and wellbeing took part in the Career Mentor Scheme and was assigned a Service Development Facilitator at Royal Devon and Exeter NHS trust since 2013. This mentor had a variety of qualifications including BA (Hons) in Music in 2000 from Exeter, a Professional Diploma in Financial Services Management, 2011, BSc (Hons) in Adult Nursing in 2012 from Plymouth, and became a Registered Nurse in 2012.

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Isabelle said she achieved all of the objectives she had set-out for the Career Mentor Scheme including:

  • Improving her personal skills for graduate employment e.g. listening skills, general confidence
  • Gathering information about how to get in to the career she was interested in, and obtaining help with these next steps
  • Gaining help with cover letters and application forms
  • Making a future professional contact in her mentor
  • Gaining insight into the industry she was interested in and finding out about good and bad aspects

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

A particular highlight included visiting my mentor’s place of employment for a shadowing experience which was extremely interesting. It was also eye-opening to see another industry that I previously had not considered for graduate employment. More generally, an outside perspective and opinion on my choices for graduate employment was extremely beneficial.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Personally, the major benefit from the scheme was gaining the confidence to seek graduate level employment, specifically outside the sector I had been narrowing my search to previously. In addition, there was a number of hints and tips given to aid my seeking of graduate employment which I would have otherwise not have been aware of.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

The Scheme is an extremely useful tool provided by the University to allow students to gain insight into real-life graduate recruitment, and the options available after the particularly scary reality of graduating. Personally, I have gained invaluable experience that has boosted my confidence to allow me to seek graduate employment with more belief in oneself.

Isabelle’s mentor added his thoughts about the scheme –

“ It was lovely to work with a younger person and give them the encouragement and insight I wish I had had.”