Postgraduate students

Your Future First is an online induction course for master’s students in the Business School, which has been designed to introduce you to some essential things you need to know about developing your career, so you can make an early start with your career planning and put yourself in the best position to succeed.  

You will gain an understanding of: 

• What makes one student more likely to impress employers than another. 

• Explore how and when employers recruit postgraduates, so that you can be ready and prepared to apply. 

• Discover how to make the most of your time as a student, to make yourself more employable. 

Access Your Future First via learn.exeter.ac.uk here. You have been sent a username and password to your personal email address, or you can self-enrol onto the course by clicking on the orange Microsoft Office logo and using your student IT account details.

Throughout the year, you can attend a range of workshops designed to help you gain clarity about what you want from your career, navigate and identify career opportunities, improve your employability, craft successful applications, and boost your performance in the recruitment process. Many of these workshops count towards the Exeter Award and Exeter Leader’s Award.

Career Guidance Workshops  

These workshops focus on helping you to gain clarity on your career direction through guided self-reflection and career exploration. Including: understanding your strengths, values and career motivations, researching careers, jobs and sectors, making effective decisions and finding graduate opportunities. 

Application Advice and Employability Skills Workshops 

These workshops cover a range of topics, focusing on practical activities to help you get the job you want. Including: crafting successful CVs, writing effective applications, interview techniques (including Case Interviews), mock assessment centres, along with skills for the workplace such as time and stress management, leadership and managing people.

To book a workshop, search 'Master Your Future' events on Handshake.

As a student in the Business School, you have access to 1:1 appointments with a dedicated team of staff to help you with all aspects of your career journey. Appointments can be booked on My Career Zone which you can access on this link: My Career Zone. 

Career Guidance

30-minute appointments for impartial and confidential guidance from a qualified Employability and Careers Consultant. These appointments help you reflect on your strengths, values, and interests, explore potential careers, make informed decisions, and develop a personalised strategy to move towards your career goals.

Employability and Application Advice

20-minute appointments with an Employability and Placements Adviser for application support including CVs, cover letters, interviews, assessment centres and psychometric testing. 

China Career Opportunities 

For Chinese students hoping to stay in the UK or return to China to discuss their options with a Global Employment Engagement Officer. 

Several Careers Fairs are delivered each year, which offer you access to a range of employers offering part-time work, internships, placements and graduate opportunities. These are fantastic opportunities for you to access potential future employers.  

To help you prepare, the Career Zone deliver ‘Prepare for the Fair’ sessions ahead of major fairs, which you can book through Handshake. 

Outside of Careers Fairs, employers regularly visit campus and provide online opportunities for students to connect with them. You can sign up for these opportunities on Handshake. 

You have access to several employability schemes exclusive to Exeter students, to help your career development and gain work experience. 

Ask an Alumn

Through this scheme, you can apply to be put in touch with an Alumnus of the University of Exeter to have a short email exchange with and gain an insight into a career or careers that you may be interested in.

Career Mentor Scheme

You can apply to have a 6-month long exchange with a professional working in a sector of your choosing. The scheme opens twice per year – make a note of the next opening, as places are offered on a first come, first served basis.

Exeter Award and Exeter Leaders Award

These are achievement awards for all current students. To complete these you will attend valuable sessions in professional skills and learn how to optimise your applications.

Green Consultants

This is a programme of three elements. You will complete training in sustainability consulting, work on a group project to contribute to the University’s net zero goal, and then apply your skills and experience to a paid consulting internship with an external organisation. You can start the training now, as it is self-directed online.

Professional Pathways

Through Professional Pathways you can access sector specific training in a pathway and complete a paid 35-hour internship. Applications open in November.

The Career Zone has developed a range of resources dedicated to supporting international students, whether you wish to stay in the UK after you graduate or return to your home country to secure employment.  

China Career Ready and India Career Ready

These programmes offer Chinese and Indian students support when applying for jobs in the UK and at home. They each comprise of online self-guided resources and a programme of employability workshops. 

Careers & Visas

These ‘Careers & Visas’ workshops are delivered jointly by the Career Zone and International Student Support Office to help you: 

• Maximise your time as an International Student in the UK.
• Understand the UK Jobs Market.
• Create a brilliant UK job application.
• Manage employers and visas.

Search for these workshops on Handshake. 

Student Circus

Student Circus is an online jobs platform specifically for international students, which is pre-filtered for visa-sponsoring jobs (both Graduate Visa and sponsored roles). Sign up to Student Circus using your Exeter email address. 

The university has a dedicated team who source paid working opportunties and internships to help you gain experience and earn money whilst you study.  Part-time work is available during term-time and there are full-time opportunities during the holidays. All paid work is advertised on Handshake and promoted on the Career Zone's social media channels.