What support can I get from the CAS?
During your postgraduate study you are entitled to use the full range of services offered by the Careers Advisory Service. This includes:
- the Information Room
- friendly and knowledgeable staff
- drop-in sessions
- full-length guidance interviews with a Careers Adviser
- skills presentations
- searchable vacancies in MyFuture
- and the extensive on-line resource you are looking at now!
Information Room
We hold information on a large range of occupations and also the employers offering them. Charity and voluntary work as well as ethical careers are also represented. We can also help you with information on selection procedures, from CVs and covering letters up to selection tests and assessment centres. And if you want to get in touch with someone who's already doing your dream job, we have a graduate contacts database.
Our staff
If you know what you want but aren't sure where to find it, speak to one of our information staff who will be able to point you in the right direction. If you're not sure what you want from your career or want advice on a specific aspect of jobhunting (eg CVs, interviews) then one of our team of Careers Advisers can help you. Each is knowledgeable about a wide range of occupations and has links with certain departments (see here for details). We also have an Employer Services team who liaise with employers offering presentations, workshops and vacancies, and organise the Careers Fairs throughout the year. If you want to know who's who, visit our profiles.
Drop-in sessions
If you have a quick question or want some pointers on where to start, why not come to a drop-in session? They run every day (typically 10.15 - 12.00 and 14.15 - 16.00 in semester time, check here for current timings and for instructions on how to sign up). You can see a Careers Adviser for up to 15 minutes; sessions are bookable online on the day you wish to be seen. If you need help with CVs, you might also want to go to a CV workshop - see the Development programme to check for forthcoming dates. If you are an international student, the English Language Centre also run workshops on CV writing.
Guidance interviews
If you would like a more in-depth talk with a Careers Adviser then you can book a guidance interview. They normally last up to 45 minutes and are completely confidential. The Careers Adviser will help you define what you want from your career and give you guidance on planning your next steps. However, they won't tell you what to do - your career is your choice!
Skills Development programme
This offers a huge range of presentations on topics like applications and interviews, assessment centres and aptitude tests, as well as business games and case studies. It's not just banks and accountants (nor are their presentations only open to people wishing to become bankers and accountants!) - recent presenters include Motability, Research Machines, Procter&Gamble, ExxonMobil and Rolls-Royce.
Website (including Information Resources)
Our website is packed full of information about jobseeking, career planning, employers, occupational sectors, presentations, equalities issues, and vacancies. Of particular interest might be our occupational resources and employer database. We also have links to the Graduate Prospects website, with its extensive range of occupational profiles and the Prospects Career Planner computer-aided guidance programme.
MyFuture
This includes a fully searchable vacancies database; all the jobs are advertised by employers targeting University of Bath students. As a PhD student you can go to the advanced vacancy search and select 'For PhD students' under the Service category. You can also select 'For final year/Masters students' or 'For graduates' for more general opportunities open to the whole range of students. You can search using your discipline area, or select 'All' if you wish to move away from your subject. MyFuture can be accessed by clicking on its logo wherever you are on the Careers Advisory Service website or following this link.