Originally published 15 June 2004

Whether you are returning to Warwick in October or whether you are about to graduate, now is the time to think about your career plans.

If you are about to leave Warwick, don’t forget that your Careers Service is still happy to help you for up to three years after your graduation, to help you kick-start your career. You can continue to use our library and have appointments with Careers Advisers. If you are no longer in the area, you will find our website has a huge amount of useful information available to help with any aspect of career planning, from choosing a career to job hunting and interview techniques. Find us at http://www.warwick.ac.uk/careers.

If you are returning to Warwick in October, you can usefully use your summer to think about your career options and plans. We have received strong messages from employers about the advantage that some students gain in the job market through having relevant work experience. You could use your summer to gain this experience to put you ahead of the crowd, and also to find out whether a particular sector is for you.

Some other things you could be doing this summer to support your career planning are:

1. Researching your options, reflect on your preferences and skills to formulate a plan. Our Careers Service website has been designed to respond to your needs. Special features you might use include Weblinks for useful careers-related information, elibrary, our database of resources, and our Careers Management Skills course.
2. Getting an insight into the work you hope to go for or think you might be interested in. Work experience is really valuable but even a short visit will demonstrate your motivation and help you to understand the work. Talk to people in the sector you are interested in and make contacts for your future.
3. Imagining your future: Give yourself some time to do this and you'll be ready to hit the ground running in the Autumn term. Remember, if you will be looking for a graduate job next summer, some application deadlines are very early in the autumn - there is even a civil service deadline in September!
   Whatever stage you are at, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you need help with your plans. The Careers Service is here to facilitate your decision-making and to help you make effective applications.

Enjoy your summer!

Best wishes,

The Careers Service