Genetics : Your skills

In addition to the in-depth subject knowledge you gain, you develop a range of practical and technical skills from laboratory sessions. You will be able to use specialist techniques and highly technical equipment. Furthermore, you will confidently handle masses of diverse data and draw conclusions.

Genetics degrees can also give you:

• specific skills in logical thinking, numeracy and computing;
• awareness of current issues and ethical debates;
• preparation in the skills needed for a career in academia;
• a chance to develop areas of technical expertise and interest.

Your specific knowledge of genetics will be important if you are intending to pursue a career in a genetics-related job (e.g. scientific research), but for all other jobs your ability to learn, together with other skills you gain as a consequence of studying at university (through your study and your personal university experience), is what will be important to secure a graduate job.

If your course included group project work and seminars, these enable you to develop team skills and communication skills, such as report writing and making presentations. Relevant placements can help you develop project and time management, problem-solving, self-reliance and initiative, business awareness and strong interpersonal skills.

Your genetics course may include an extended research project, possibly based in an existing research group, enabling you to develop your project management, teamwork and organisational skills, as well as the ability to understand complex scientific data and information.

Consider the skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile. Take a look at job application advice for some useful tips.