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The respondent to this survey is Catherine who is from a White British background.
| What qualifications did you hold prior to starting university? | A-levels in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Music and General Studies. Grades B,C,C,C,C respectively |
| What was the name of your course? | Biology - BSc/Biol |
| While at university have you worked part-time? | No |
| While at university have you performed any voluntary work? | No |
| While at university have you undertake any work experience? | No |
| What is your status? | In full or part time employment |
| What is your job title? | Cryptosporidium and Microbiology Analyst |
| What responsibilities do you hold? | Carry out day to day analysis of water samples. Responsible for some training of staff, ordering equipment, stock taking, planning rotas etc. |
| What do you enjoy the most about this job? | I enjoy it when I get training on new skills and I enjoy training other people.
There is a good atmosphere in a lab environment. People are friendly, everyone works together and it is easy to make friends. |
| What do you enjoy the least? | Lab work becomes very monotonous after a while because you are carrying out the same tests every day. |
| What was involved in the recruitment process for this job? | Sending C.V. and covering letter. Attending an interview. |
| Do you feel you have a career plan? | No |
| When did you start thinking about what you wanted to do after graduation? Thinking back did you leave enough time for this? | I thought about it from time to time throughout my degree but didn't really know what I wanted to do. Most of my job application were made after I had finished my degree. I was able to do this over the summer as I could spend a lot of time on it as I was living at home and not working. Had I not got my job when I did though I would have had to get some temping work which would have given me less time to spend on job applications. I would advise people to look for jobs as soon as they can while at uni so that they do not have to worry about applications during their final exams. |
| Did you experience any difficulties when it came to finding work after graduation? If yes, please describe some of the problems you faced? | A lot of companies require experience but few are prepared to give it. It is also difficult if you restrict yourself to a particular location. |
| What do you wish you had known before you started applying for jobs? | Don't restrict yourself to a location. If you are not fussy about where you go then you will find a job much faster. |
| What advice would you give to someone applying for jobs now? | Don't restrict yourself to a particular location. It is important to get some experience. Once you have this it will be easier to get a job in a place where you really want to live.
Do not be put off by a bad interview or by being turned down for a job. You get better with practice. Your C.V's and covering letters get better the more times you do them and interviews get better too because you have more of an idea of what they will be looking for, what questions to expect and how to answer them. |
| Would you have done anything differently while at university to prepare for your career? Please give details. | Get some relevant work experience in the holidays or by volunteering during term time. |
| How do you feel your degree has prepared you for today's labour market? | My degree gave my a good background knowledge of biology and related subjects and good lab experience which is valuable in the workplace. I also made the most of my extra curricular activities, being in union societies and on a society committee. This in a way is as valuable as my degree because it helps with communication, team skills, leadership etc (and is good to talk about during interview - they are much easier if you can get talking about something you really enjoy and not just work!) |
| What impact did your course have on your career aspirations? | Undecided still |
| Did you make use of the careers service at university? | Yes |
| If yes, please describe how you used the careers service. | I looked at the types of jobs available and had advice from an advisor about my C.V. |
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