Higher education careers adviser : Employers and vacancy sources

Higher education has expanded substantially in recent decades. Almost all institutions employ careers advisers and since there are more than 130 universities in the UK, job opportunities are good. Employment may be within an independent careers service or within a student services department, which provides other services such as counselling, welfare and financial advice, or an academic support or external relations department.

Higher education careers advisers may be employed at:

• traditional and older universities established prior to 1992;
• new universities established from former polytechnics in 1992;
• former colleges of higher education established as universities or university colleges in the past decade;
• colleges of higher education or specialist colleges in single subject areas of HE;
• some colleges of further education with HE students.

Universities vary in mission, size, culture and ethos, range of subjects taught, and mix of students. With the expansion of higher education, access and participation rates have increased and student intake reflects the diversity of institutions. Some universities will have a significantly higher proportion of older students. Others may draw students from a local or regional area or may have a high percentage of international students. Courses may be highly vocational or traditional academic disciplines. The nature of the student population will impact the work and demands on the careers service and careers advisers.

Sources of vacancies

• Search graduate jobs on this site.
• Guardian Jobs  
• Times Higher Education (THE)  
• Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS)  
• Jobs.ac.uk  

Vacancies are usually advertised on an institution's website and occasionally in local newspapers.

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