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.

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.”