How Can Kingston Help My Career Goals?

Whilst attending university is a great opportunity to develop personally through making friends, learning life skills and picking up new hobbies or sports, it's always important to keep your long-run career goals in mind as well. Whether you're looking for information on internships and work experience or guidance on becoming self-employed post university, Kingston University's Careers and Employability Service is here to help. :biggrin:

Drop-In Sessions
Kingston University offers weekly Drop-In Sessions across several campuses, where students can speak with Careers Advisers and Student Careers Coordinators. This is great if you've got some quick questions on how to prepare for an upcoming interview, want a second opinion on your career direction, or just want someone to run their eyes over your CV. The schedule for these drop-ins can be found on your MyKingston portal - virtual drop-ins/email support can also be arranged if you're unable to physically attend these sessions, so it's definitely worth checking out if you have any employability concerns!

Handshake
Handshake is Kingston University's online career centre, where you're able view upcoming jobs, placements and internships across a wide variety of fields. Handshake also hosts webinars to help you develop the key skills employers are looking for, notifies you of any upcoming employer events and allows you to book 1-2-1 sessions with trusted advisers. You can access Handshake online, or download the app and log in with your KU ID.

Career Zone
Sometimes, you may not necessarily feel that you need to talk to anyone - you may just want some general guidance on how to create a CV or tailor a cover letter for a certain position. If that's the case, you should check out Kingston University's Career Zone, which is an online interactive platform with a variety of quizzes and content covering topics from improving workplace skills to enhancing e-hireability. More online support can also be found through LinkedIn Learning, which all Kingston students have an automatic subscription to - complete courses and gain vital information on making elevator pitches, job hunting and making the most out of a work placement. :smile:

Support for Students with Disabilities
Applying to a job is always daunting, but it can be even more so if you have circumstances which may affect your ability to work at some stage. If you need any advice about disclosing a disability to an employer, or writing a cover letter which explains your circumstances, there are a number of resources on MyKingston and My Plus Student's Club. A number of events are also run throughout the year by the Careers & Employability Team, some of which include events specifically for students with disabilities to meet carefully selected employers.

Employment Opportunities at Kingston University
Whilst support can be great, one of the best ways to develop your workplace skills and enhance your career is by getting some genuine work experience whilst studying - and personally, one of the main reasons I chose to study at Kingston University was the fact that many current students are employed by the university itself. With a combination of reliable, fair pay (London Living Wage) and complete flexibility around my studies, working for Kingston University as a Student Ambassador has allowed me not just to get more involved in university life but also offered me employment opportunities I never thought were possible. From assisting at graduation ceremonies to running science experiments with local schools, I have gained vital work experience across sectors that I can easily utilise on a CV once I leave university, without having to worry about rigidly sticking to schedules or upsetting my studies with less understanding part time jobs. I really can't recommend working with Kingston University itself enough!

Job-hunting is always tricky but I hope this was helpful, both to current students and future Kingston applicants! If you have any career goals or concerns and don't know how to access the support you need, just pop a message down below and I'll do my best to point you in the right direction. :smile:

-Eve (BA Fine Art and Art History).