Your foundation degree, what next? : Getting a job

While most foundation degree graduates continue straight into further study, many combine this with paid work and a significant minority work full time. Of these, most will be continuing with an employer they had prior to commencing the degree, perhaps in a promoted role or working with an employer they met while doing work experience.

As foundation degrees are highly vocational, most graduates seek a job closely related to their subject, however with a good set of transferable skills it may be possible to find work outside the industry you have studied in. If you are considering a change from the subject studied you might want to try what jobs would suit me? (login required).

Your experience

It is rare for anybody to get a job on the basis of a qualification alone and experience often counts for more. Employers are increasingly seeking an array of employability skills as well as academic qualifications in their candidates. Consider the vocational aspect of your degree, which can be attractive to employers, as well as any work experience that you may have. This could include paid jobs, voluntary work, internships or work shadowing.

If you have significant experience in an industry, you may already be aware of progression opportunities and pathways. If not, these can be investigated through talking to your employer and relevant professional organisations. The possession of transferable skills is likely to mean that you have more options than you think, should you want to move beyond your current position. Start by listing your general skills and then use this list to investigate new possibilities. Compiling a CV is also a good way to evaluate the skills, experience and qualifications that you have.

If you are a career changer, you will be focused on gaining a new set of specialist skills for your intended destination. It is likely you can use some of your previous experience and skills; think about how the general skills you developed in your previous career could be used to help towards your new direction.

Your current employment status

Most foundation degree students are working and may have options related to their current employment. It may be worth investigating options with your employer. Research shows that a large number of career moves are made within the same or related companies, often through promotion. Some organisations create new roles for those with initiative. The key is to plan carefully before talking to your employer; think about your contributions and achievements and what you could offer the company.

On the other hand, you may want to look for a different employer. You may know the industry well or may need to research new opportunities. Sources of information include sector skills councils, your careers service, local and national newspapers, professional journals and bodies, and employer literature. The National Guidance Research Forum  provides impartial, reliable and up-to-date labour market information at local and regional level, focusing on future changes in the UK labour market and skills.

Informal contact with others in the industry can also be valuable in finding work elsewhere: make a list of who you know within the industry and ask them who else they know who could answer your questions. For a list of employers and job opportunities, find graduate employers. It is also a good idea to get your CV checked by your university careers service or a professional within your industry.

Where you want to work

The experience of honours graduates has shown that geographical mobility can be an important factor towards success in the labour market, particularly within industries concentrated in one or two regions. If you need to stay within the same region, it is important to investigate the economic make-up of local industry and the types of opportunities available.

Self-employment is becoming increasingly popular with graduates and establishing your own business usually means you will be able to stay in your current location. However, it is important that you consider whether a different location would make the business more successful.

If you are an EU citizen, you have the right to live and work in other EU states. For countries outside the EU, different restrictions will apply and you will usually have to obtain a work permit to allow you to become employed within that country. For further information on working in EU states and other countries, see country profiles and working abroad.

Dealing with vacancies

On the whole, it is probably not worth applying for jobs where the advertisement states that a ‘good honours degree’ is required. Employers often use such requirements as a way of sifting out a large number of applicants. If employers ask for a general degree or specifically seek a graduate, it may well be worth applying, particularly if you are ready to sell the benefits of your qualification. You could also contact the employer to explain what qualifications you have and to ask whether you could be considered for the role to find out if it is worthwhile to make an application.

Do not assume that vacancies are not worth considering just because they do not specify levels of qualifications; graduates often find they have to take a position that does not necessarily require a degree for entry in order to get into the industry or profession of their choice. This will also help to develop your CV and employability skills.

Networking and speculative applications

Although it is important to look at vacancy sources, research shows that a large amount of jobs are never advertised. Internal promotion, networking, direct and speculative approaches, and personal contacts are all alternative ways of finding or creating opportunities. You can make this work to your advantage by looking beyond advertised vacancies; if you can find companies who are expanding, they may be persuaded to create a vacancy for the right person.

Seeking professional membership within your sector is an ideal way to keep abreast of labour market changes and may also aid you in making useful contacts. Research all local trade associations and organisations affiliated to your specialist field and consider registering with professional social networking sites such as LinkedIn  to gather contacts and promote yourself.

AGCAS

Written by Emma Bumpus, AGCAS

Date: 

May 2011

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