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The respondent to this survey is Thea who is from a White British background.
| What qualifications did you hold prior to starting university? | GCSE'S and A-level's |
| What was the name of your course? | Biology - BSc/Biol |
| While at university have you worked part-time? | Yes |
| While at university have you performed any voluntary work? | Yes |
| While at university have you undertake any work experience? | Yes |
| Please give details of your experience? | I worked during my holidays in various temporary jobs i.e. kitchen work, shop assistant, chamber maid.
In my holidays I worked at a wildlife hospital (something I had done before uni)
I did work experience at the uni's botanical gardens which I organised myself. |
| How useful did you find this work experience when it came to find a job after graduating? | Useful as it gave me something else for my CV and was a good talking point in interviews. |
| What is your status? | Studying |
| 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 started to think about it after second year. Its difficult to do application forms, research careers options in your third year due to the workload so I don't think its a matter of leaving time, its a question of priorities and obviously your studies should come first. |
| Did you experience any difficulties when it came to finding work after graduation? If yes, please describe some of the problems you faced? | Lots of rejections! Can be difficult to maintain a positive outlook. |
| What do you wish you had known before you started applying for jobs? | Not to panic if you don't find something straight away, its better to do a non ideal job and take your time to find the right job for you. |
| What advice would you give to someone applying for jobs now? | Try and focus your application towards the particular position. Think about what skills the employer will want and spin your CV accordingly. |
| Would you have done anything differently while at university to prepare for your career? Please give details. | No. University is a time to study something because you enjoy it, there is an intrinsic value in learning and you can't second guess what an employer might look for. If you work hard and get the best degree you can that is all the preparation you can. |
| How do you feel your degree has prepared you for today's labour market? | I'm still studying (for my PhD) so I don't really know. I am confident that my time at Sheffield Uni equipped me with good transferable skills. |
| What impact did your course have on your career aspirations? | Affirmed job choice |
| Did you make use of the careers service at university? | Yes |
| If yes, please describe how you used the careers service. | Went to various seminars etc, have to say didn't find it remotely helpful. Lecturers were far more useful as they tend to have contacts in academia and in bio companies could help to make the most of your CV. Careers service too generalised, job markets are very subject specific. |
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