Our Consultants can support you at every stage of your career planning. But what actually happens in an appointment? Will your career path magically open up before you during it? Will everything become clear as a result?

We would love the answer to those questions to be ‘Yes’! But in all honesty, an appointment is part of a process where you begin to figure these things out for yourself. We aim to help you clarify the issues most important to you, answer your questions and enable you to make progress, no matter what stage you come to us.

At peak times, appointments are in very high demand and you may not be able to have multiple sessions. To guarantee you get the most out of your appointment, make sure you know what to expect and how to prepare by reading the information below.

Careers Appointments

In our Careers Appointments, Consultants will help you with any career questions you may have.

We talk to students about many issues. The following list is not exhaustive. But to give you an idea, some of the questions we hear include:

• I don't know what I want to do. How do I decide?
  
• I'm not sure which jobs are right for me. Can you help me explore my choices?
  
• I want to change/leave my course. Will this be the right move in terms of my career plans?
  
• I do/don't want to use my subject when I graduate. What are my options?
• I have a practical question about approaching an employer/interview/job offer. Can I talk this through with someone?
• I'm interested in further study, but will it be worthwhile?

What to expect

This is your appointment. You set the agenda, the pace, and are totally in control. You will also be doing most of the talking. Careers Consultants are here to facilitate your career choice and development, rather than lead it.

A Careers Consultant may challenge your statements, will try to make the picture clearer for you and help you to plan your next steps. You may not leave with all the answers – but you should be closer to finding them.

A Careers Consultant may try to:

• Help draw out your priorities, values and expectations.
• Gently challenge your motivations.
• Encourage you to reflect on what you have done already.
• Help you to develop your understanding of your chosen paths.
• Help you to weigh up your options.
• Make suggestions about potential resources, strategies, sectors or pathways.
• Provide answers to some straightforward questions.

A Careers Consultant cannot:

• Decide for you which option/path to choose from.
  
• Tell you which jobs you will be suited to or what you will enjoy doing.
• Tell you which employers are recruiting.
• Tell you everything you will need to know about your chosen career.
• Tell you which employers can recruit Tier 4 Visa holders or give visa advice.
• Tell you what to do!

If you aren't sure if we can help you, please contact Careers before booking. Our Information Team will be able to advise you on appointments and resources.

Find out more about our Careers Consultants.

How to get the most out of your appointment

At peak times, particularly in October and November, you may not be able to get an immediate appointment or have multiple appointments. So, we want you to get the most benefit out of every appointment.

If you don't know where to start thinking about your career, that's fine. A Careers Consultant can help you with this, especially if you are worrying about how and where to start. Just be aware that each appointment may only help you to move a few steps along.

If you are able and willing to do a little (or a lot!) of preparation, you will find yourself further along in the process. Even a small amount of research or reflection can help you focus the appointment on what you really need.

The best way to prepare is by checking out our resources on MyFuture. These cover every stage of career planning. They are worth looking at before you book too, as you might find your question answered with a bit of research.

Even if you don’t know what you want to do, there is still some research you can do. Try searching MyFuture Resources for resources about career options. You will find advice on narrowing down your career options, information about different sectors and advice on how to do your own research.

Go to MyFuture

Information and drop-ins

If it's information you need, you may not need a Careers Appointment at all. The trained information staff at the Careers Helpdesk can give you immediate help with your career questions. You don't need to book to access this so it can be quicker than waiting for an appointment with a Careers Consultant.

The sorts of things information staff can help with include:

• how to get started with your career research and planning.
• how to research career options and job roles.
• where to look for jobs and work experience.
• how to do in-depth research on employers.
• using resources to improve your knowledge of sectors and employers.

Find out more about drop-in support from the Careers Helpdesk.

If you aren't sure if we can help, contact us and we will advise you on the best option. You can email careers@bath.ac.uk, call us on 01225 386009 or ask a question on MyFuture.

CV and applications advice

If you would like feedback on an application, please look at our information on getting the most out of our CV and Application Advice Appointments.

Go to How to get the most out of your CV and Applications Advice Appointment.