In today’s competitive graduate job market, you will need to be able to demonstrate that you have developed the key skills that employers are looking for. You can develop your employability skills through:
Employers are more likely to recruit graduates who have gained work experience alongside their studies.
An effective CV or application form will give an employer a good insight into your relevant skills and experience in relation to a job opportunity. Knowing how to effectively present your skills, knowledge and competencies to employers when applying for jobs is key to securing an interview.
See CVs and Applications for help and advice in creating a great CV or application.
Researching your career options is the first step to finding your graduate role. While many opportunities are open to graduates from any degree subject, some may require specialist qualifications and experience. Researching your options early will help you to find relevant experience and gain the transferable skills that employers are looking for.
MMyou Careers Centre provide ideas for future career pathways (log in through My Career Hub using your student ID and password):
Assessing your skills, values, interests and motivations will help you to clarify your understanding of yourself. Listing your strengths, weaknesses and the requirements that your career must meet, will help you to identify different occupations and sectors that might be of interest you.
You can understand your motivations, preferences and values by taking the career assessments on MMyou Careers Centre (log in through My Career Hub using your student ID and password).
Other online resources include:
You can also get expert advice from a careers advisor linked to your faculty. See Get expert career advice below.
We organise a range of employer events, recruitment fairs and presentations where you can meet employers to find out more about the roles available and how to stand out from the crowd.
Visit Careers and Employer Events.
MMyou interactive careers centre provides unlimited access to over 5,000 career and professional development resources that will boost your employability and help you attain your career goals. Log in through My Career Hub using your student ID and password. Some key resources include:
You can also access a range of employability sessions to help you plan and prepare for your next steps. We run sessions throughout the year on a wide range of topics.
To find out more visit Career and Employer Events.
Book a careers advice appointment with a member of the careers team. Each faculty has a team of career experts. Appointments are 30 minutes long and can provide advice on a wide range of subjects including:
Log in to My Career Hub using your student ID and password to book an appointment with a member of your faculty careers team.
You can also visit a careers drop-in session in your faculty building. See our Faculty Careers Support webpage for times and dates.
Jobs Hub drop-in
We also run a daily Jobs Hub drop-in for one-to-one support and advice on CVs, finding opportunities and making applications. Check the drop-in times for your faculty.
If you are a graduate, find out more about our support services for graduates.
Keep a list of the skills that you have gained from your degree, work experience, voluntary work, societies, hobbies and any additional positions of responsibility. This will help you to provide evidence of your abilities on your CV or in a job application. Look over the list you have created. What were your achievements? What skills did you learn from completing these tasks? Write examples using the STAR format:
The following webpages will help you create a great CV or application and prepare you for interview:
Interviews and assessment centres
How you go about improving your employability in your first, mid or final year at University will depend at what stage you are at in your career thinking. When you enrol each year, as part of the registration process we will ask you two questions about your career thinking and work experience. This allows us to provide you with information which is relevant to your career plans.
Here are some suggestions on developing your career plans and employability during your time at University (some resources require you to log in through My Career Hub using your University ID and password):
First year
Mid-degree
Final year
As a student at Manchester Metropolitan University, you have access to a huge range of events, opportunities and services. Being actively involved in university life will help you to meet new people, build your confidence and develop employability skills such as planning, teamwork and communication.