Making the most of career support opportunities and making yourself employable  

Victoria is one of the newest members on the Sutton Trust Alumni Advisory Board, and first got involved with the Sutton Trust in 2016, taking part in their Cambridge University Geography Summer School at Queens’ College. 5 years later, she graduated from Queens’ College, Cambridge with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography, and has undertaken a range of internships including with Boston Consulting Group, the Civil Service and Accenture. 

Victoria’s advice: 

During my time in Sixth Form, I had realised that taking initiative was not only relevant for applying to university but also regarding internship opportunities and finding what career path I might like to pursue after graduation. Considering how competitive the graduate job market is, I was determined to gain a wide range of experience to develop my skills and build my CV.  

Having undertaken a range of different internships and schemes, I have learnt that it is very important to be proactive when conducting your own research about career pathways you may be potentially interested in. If there is any career path you are curious about now is the time to explore that. This can be through attending national career fairs, or career fairs organised by your university, joining career specific societies at your university to meet other like-minded individuals and company insight days or alumni panels to network with those in your desired industry. During your first and second year at university, there are many opportunities to attend insight days and events, as well as to secure a place on a insight/spring week. If successful at this stage, there is the possibility to be fast-tracked for a summer internship and subsequently secure a position on a graduate scheme.  

“I’ve signed up to the Sutton Trust insight sessions because they are not just a great opportunity to explore more about fields I am potentially interested in, but also to engage with alumni who may be from similar backgrounds to my own. Being able to see people like you in fields you want to go into is powerful, and I’m hoping to learn more about what I can do now to improve my employment prospects, alongside gaining commercial awareness about different sectors”. 

Daniel Dipper, 2nd year undergraduate, Alumni Leadership Board member 

There’s an abundance of careers websites which provide events, connect you directly to employers and provide advice. You can even subscribe for emails with job updates. You can also do research through websites such as Sutton Trust Alumni (STA) online, Creative Access, Bright Network, and Target Jobs to name a few, which are a great starting point in learning about the fundamentals of specific industries e.g: Tech, Banking & Finance, Law and Consulting and offer a plethora of information related to applications, interviews, and deadlines. 

Several major graduate recruiters have policies and processes that are proactive in recruiting students and graduates from diverse backgrounds. 

Promoting diversity and inclusion has become a priority across many professions and there are people who want to help young people like you. 

There are a lot of resources available to help underprivileged students and graduates on securing internships and graduate jobs. Organisations such as the Sutton Trust, Creative Access, upReach, SEO London and Rare recruitment do a lot of work to help underrepresented students get into their desired field. The training and advice they offer is vital in giving underrepresented students and recent graduates the best opportunity to gain internships and further employment. This is done through assistance with applications, interview preparation, offering industry insight days, work experience opportunities and developing your wider competencies and commercial awareness. 

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies have partnered with organisations like Forage to now offer virtual internships.. By getting involved in these activities and utilising the career support from the Sutton Trust, you will not only boost your CV and enhance your employability, you’ll also be able to build your network by meeting experienced and aspiring professionals gaining key insights and support on your career journey. I’d definitely recommend to make the most of the different opportunities available to you! 

If you’re a Sutton Trust alumnus feeling inspired to start working towards your dream career, you can sign up now for the Sutton Trust Careers Insight Month in February 2022. You’ll be able to connect with alumni across these sectors and start building your network. There’ll also be the chance to ask top employers such as Bloomberg, PwC, and the Civil Service Fast Stream all your questions about applying and succeeding in different careers. Attending a session is your first step to completing the Sutton Trust Careers programme and gives you early access to apply for work experience through the Careers Plus programme.

Find out more about the programme at https://www.suttontrust.com/alumni/sutton-trust-careers/