Career Development is broken down into a number of different segments. Unlike Professional Development, Career Development is a not-for-credit programme and therefore it is up to you how much you would like to participate. The important thing to remember with Career Development is that the more you put in, the more you get out.
Firstly, before you arrive we will ask you to complete the Career Leader test. This will provide a focal point for our initial one-to-one meeting with you to discuss career opportunities and will provide an opportunity to discuss the findings in the report, and understand how that translates into your next steps in your career.
The next stage in the Career Development programme is workshops split into a number of areas which will take you step-by-step through the job search process from beginning to end. Workshops will include:
- Job Search Strategy
- CVs and Cover Letter writing
- LinkedIn and your digital brand
- Interview Skills
As well as the workshops, there are opportunities throughout the year to meet with our team on a one-to-one basis, as we are fully aware that there will be very individual aspects to each of your job searches. As such, we are available to meet and discuss this with you.
The University also subscribes to LinkedIn Learning, an online resource offering courses in many professional skills from Excel to video editing and time management.
Alongside the Career Development workshops we have other resources that we would recommend you use to help you throughout the year which can be found in the resources tab.
Edinburgh Award
This is a new and exciting Edinburgh Award Pilot which will have a group of up to 30 Postgraduate students working towards an Edinburgh Award in Digital Leadership. The award will allow you to develop and reflect on your own involvement with Digital Leadership while also allowing you to engage with companies who will guide you through their own best-practice in this area.
More information about the Edinburgh Award will be available to you as you start the programme and applications will open in Semester 1. The Award will then begin in January 2021 and run until July.
Study skills
Returning to study after being in the workplace for years can be a difficult transition initially, however help is on hand. Julian Rawel has written a short guide to help you prepare for returning to academic study.
During your induction period you will take part in a workshop which will provide tips and suggestions around academic writing. Our Institute for Academic Development (IAD) has a vast array of resources to help you prepare for and succeed in your studies including resources on effective studying and learning, time management, managing reading workloads, writing at postgraduate level, and group working. We particularly recommend their Independent Learning and Critical Thinking section. For additional help on academic reading and writing, further book suggestions can be found on the IAD’s Study Skills Guides page.