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Jobs and careers
Employability and skills
Find out more about the careers-focussed courses, guidance and opportunities we offer on our Employability and skills page.
Employers are looking for more than just academic knowledge: they expect you to use your time at university to gain employability and life skills. At Kent, the University, Universities at Medway Students’ Association (UMSA) and Kent Union (the Students’ Union) combine to offer you a comprehensive package of volunteering opportunities, paid work while you are at university and careers advice for when you leave.
Kent also gives you opportunities to enhance your CV by studying abroad, going on a sandwich year, or taking a module in Enterprise, in addition to the transferable skills training you get on your course. Kent also has its own student website promoting all the events on employability that run on campus, RoundOne. It’s easy to see why; in 2007, only 3.2% of Kent graduates were still looking for a job six months after graduation.
Careers advice
Career Management Skill
We distribute a careers pack to all first- year students to introduce the Careers Advisory Service and to advise on how the skills gained through your studies, work experience and other interests can help you to make career decisions. This helps you to make a good start in your career planning and, along with the other support and resources we offer, to continue this process.
The Careers Advisory Service is available at any stage of your studies for advice and information on your options after you graduate. These options may include employment, further study or time out before making a career decision.
The careers advisers at the University of Kent are not here to tell you what you ‘should’ do; our role is to provide a full range of information, advice and guidance to help you come to your own decisions. We believe that choosing a career is a process, not an event, that all aspects of your time at University contribute to that process and that it should begin as early as possible.
This support includes:
- an extensive website which includes introductory information on 90 popular graduate careers and also covers topics such as career choice, employability skills, work experience, and postgraduate study
- an online vacancy database with a wide range of local and national employment opportunities
- a well-stocked Careers Information Room, providing reading material on occupations, employers, job-seeking skills and much more
- personal advice and guidance from careers advisers including in-depth vocational guidance interviews and a ‘drop-in’ service to help students with quick queries
- careers education programmes and information linked to specific degree subjects
- talks and seminars on general topics related to choosing a career and opportunities for graduates
- help with developing employability skills through work experience, including career- related vacation experience
- talks and workshops on job-seeking and selection, with advice on making successful applications and honing your interview technique
- visits and talks from graduate employers
- help with CVs, application forms and interview preparation
- information on graduate destinations
- an Alumni Careers Network that puts you in touch with Kent graduates for a first-hand insight into careers.