Should I go to university

Should I go to university by Michael Cheary Let’s face it, university isn’t right for everyone. For many school and college leavers, higher education might seem like the obvious next step. But if you feel like the only one struggling to imagine life after your A levels, don’t panic. There’s still time to decide what you really want to do â€" you just need to consider all the options.To help give you a little inspiration, here are few questions to ask yourself if you’re still wondering ‘should I go to university’:What do you see yourself doing as a career?First thing’s first: you need to actually start thinking about your future.Sure, going to university as soon as you finish school might seem like the easiest option, but that doesn’t necessarily make it the right move for you. And, without knowing where you want to go in your career, it’s difficult to determine whether higher education will actually start paying dividends.For certain careers, a degree will be considered an absolute necessity. For others, professional qualifications and experience might be more in demand. So figure out what you really want to be doing, and then find out what it takes to get there.Because sometimes the best way to start is at the end…Are you just following your friends?All your friends are going to uni, so you are too. Seems legit.However, although going with the crowd might work for some people, without having any solid career plans in place, you might end up picking something that doesn’t suit your skills.And, if you really lack the passion for your chosen course, having your friends around on campus might not be enough to get you through all three years of studying. So think carefully about whether you really want to stay in education before making any rash decisions.Remember: FOMO isn’t necessarily a good enough reason to go to university.Have you considered all the options?If you’re not sure what to do next, always consider alternatives before making your decision. It might be that you want to start earning money right away, so going straight into full-time work is the best fit for you. Or you might want to learn while you earn, and taking on an apprenticeship to break into your chosen industry appeals to you most.Other options include a gap year/working abroad, undertaking relevant professional qualifications (especially if you want to work in accountancy or tech, for example) and even distance learning or part-time degree options, if you’re still considering university but aren’t in a position to go full-time.Consider every opportunity available to you â€" and you’ll ensure you make a more informed decision.Why choose an apprenticeship?Have you considered cost?Unfortunately, university education does come at a cost.With current tuition fees around £9000 per year (before factoring in any additional living costs), you might not want to start building up debt if your heart isn’t really in what you’re studying.However, always bear in mind that, in the short term, the repayments are manageable and fairly small. And you won’t even start paying money back till you earn over a certain amount.And with graduates estimated to earn up to £250,000 more over the course of their lifetime than someone with A-levels but no degree, factoring potential earnings in before making your decision could also help turn your time at uni into a long-term investment.Student loan repayments: What you need to knowDo you want to keep learning?Finally, it’s time to be honest.Having a degree will undoubtedly help improve your chances of progressing in your career, enable you to earn more money, and build your expertise.You’ll also learn essential life skills, have excellent experiences and add real value to your CV (even if your chosen career path doesn’t see a degree as a prerequisite). But, to get the most out of your experience, you’ll need to actually put the work in too.Aside from the freedom, independence and nights out, the re will be hours of lectures, library evenings and late night study sessions. So always be realistic about where you see your strengths.If you weren’t really a fan of education, university might not be right for you. But if you’re someone that loves learning, and you’re really interested in learning more about your chosen subject, then you’ll have nothing to worry about.Why it’s never too late to resit your examsStill not sure? Read our guide on graduate expectations vs. reality, or view all graduate jobs now to find out what you could be earning. Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the

Writing a Resume to Apple

Writing a Resume to AppleIn this article I will talk about writing a resume to Apple. A career is such a large topic that it may become overwhelming for someone looking to improve their own employment status. This article is going to help you get a fresh perspective and keep in mind a few things to keep your resume from becoming one of those many hundred thousand resumes out there.One of the first things you want to do is to make sure you have an impressive resume. While you don't need to be the greatest worker on the block, you do need to put a decent amount of effort into making sure your resume stands out and leaves the right impression with the potential employer. The job you choose to send your resume to is going to be a big determining factor on how well your resume is received.The next thing you need to know about when writing a resume to Apple is that you are not going to be choosing a job that is available right now. Instead, what you should be doing is choosing a job that i s going to be open in the near future. This way, you can still show off your knowledge to potential employers by putting the appropriate amount of time and effort into researching and preparing yourself for the new career opportunity.After you have made sure you have put enough time and effort into research, you need to let your personal experiences and accomplishments shine through. While this is not a rule, what you do need to remember is that if you are going to be mentioning your past accomplishments, you do want to be sure to be honest and as specific as possible. Your resume will be a major selling point for a potential employer and the last thing you want to do is to misrepresent yourself. Remember, this person has already shown interest in you and will likely be looking for more in the future.Something you also need to consider when writing a resume to Apple is how well you can represent yourself as a professional. There are many things that you need to think about when you are deciding how you want to present yourself. Not only will a potential employer be looking for an employee that they feel is a good fit, but they also need to have a picture of you that they can see in their mind. For this reason, it is essential that you know how to properly put yourself across when writing a resume.One of the things that you want to remember when writing a resume to Apple is that you should not have personal preferences. What you need to do is to focus on what a potential employer needs to see. You are not going to be able to just get in front of a computer and write your resume all day.At the end of the day, the one thing you need to do before writing a resume to Apple is to take your time. When it comes to writing a resume, you want to make sure that you are not rushing yourself. Remember, a potential employer is not looking for a resume, they are looking for someone who is skilled and a person who can succeed in the work environment.Once you have decided how you want to write your resume, the next thing you need to do is find a way to make it look professional. You want to make sure you are following proper formatting rules and that your resume is neatly arranged. This will make a big difference in how professional your resume looks and how it is received by the potential employer.

Internships; a competitive advantage University of Manchester Careers Blog

Internships; a competitive advantage University of Manchester Careers Blog Guest blog post written by Todd Davies, Computer Science graduate from The University of Manchester Imagine an opportunity where you spend a summer travelling around, meeting amazing, clever and inspiring people on a daily basis, get to work on interesting and impactful projects, yet all the while getting paid for your trouble. In case you hadnt guessed from the title of the post, I’m talking about internships. On being asked to write a post about my internship as a Software Engineer at Google, I realised that merely describing what spending four months at a major tech company is like just wouldnt do. I did other internships before going to Google, and my experiences at each have all contributed to who I am; I suppose it’s unsurprising that I feel moulded in this way, considering that these programmes are designed to grow and nurture students into somebody efficacious and employable. As far as I can see, employers are looking for three things in new graduates; qualifications, qualities and experience. Since I’m writing to students at The University of Manchester, I’m going to assume that you’ll be suitably qualified when it’s time to look for graduate roles; a strong set of A-levels, and an Honours degree (lets assume everything goes well) will make up the backbone of a strong graduate job application. However, the other two dimensions of an ideal candidate qualities and experience have a far more ephemeral path to fulfilment, with no ‘set formula’ (ie. work hard and pass your exams) like getting qualifications has. Recommended for decomposing hard problems. It’s easy to consider soft skills as easily acquired, less important trivialities in the grand scheme of things; boiling down to a good phone manner, grammatically correct emails and the ability to hold a conversation at the water cooler. Yet I think the phrase encapsulates far more than just being able to communicate. I was exposed to office politics for the first time on a previous internship, where I witnessed a meeting in which software engineers from two teams literally argued over which data format to use when encoding messages and where project allocation could be a function of your manager’s standing with your department’s VP. At Google, I realised how a seemingly large and intractable problem could be decomposed into small, independent and manageable chunks to be solved one at a time. While rarely revelatory, these skills can only really be learnt by doing, and if youve acquired them as an intern, then you can really hit the ground running after graduation. While I don’t consider myself an extrovert by any means, meeting new, interesting people is certainly a hobby of mine. Ive found internships to be an excellent way of expanding my social horizons outside an immediate peer group. Ive been lucky enough to intern with people from a diverse set of backgrounds, and can now count students and alumni of Stanford, Princeton, Harvard, Cambridge, Imperial, MIT and many more universities of note as my friends, plus Ive had the chance to work with people with all sorts of amazing interests, such as those who compete in ballroom dancing, Sudoku and Rubiks Cube speed-solving world championships (those are not the same person). If the phase “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” holds any merit, then growing your ‘network’ as early as possible in your career should see a very good return on investment in the future. But let’s not forget, the internship programmes of most companies are designed to be fun, and since they’re aimed at students, tend to involve plenty of opportunities for travelling, partying and other pastimes favoured among our generation. Morgan Stanley put on regular drinks events for us in Canary Wharf, as well as the promise of a month of expenses-paid training in New York should we accept offers to become full-time employees. I was actually taken for interviews in NYC by Palantir off the back of a small phone interview and them seeing that I’d interned at Google. Speaking of Google, since I was based in the Munich office, travel was inherent in those internships too; I visited their Zurich, Dublin and Prague offices and had my weekends (plus seven days holiday) free to roam around Europe as I wished. Of course, there are lots of other (free) perks to working at Google, from having delicious food (breakfast, lunch and dinner) every day, on-site massages, off-site events ( including three days in an Austrian ski resort with my team, including e-mountain biking and white-water rafting), cool offices, awesome co-workers and the fact that the code I wrote is being used to help serve web-pages and services to millions, if not billions of people. E-mountain biking in the Alps with my team Google. I now have a graduate role as a Software Engineer at Google (starting in December), and while I passed my interviews, according to my recruiter, what really convinced their hiring committee to extend me an offer was the work I did on my internships there. Without an internship, perhaps my interviews alone wouldnt have passed muster with no feedback from my peers to support them. Internships really are a competitive advantage! Lastly, I want to point out that while applying for (and undertaking) internships at big companies may seem really quite daunting, there is absolutely nothing to lose (except perhaps time) from having a go; I have been rejected from more internships and jobs than Ive been successful, and there’s really nothing to fear from the pain of rejection. If you have any questions for Todd, you can contact him on Twitter, @Todd__Davies. Join our Facebook group to stay up-to-date with summer internship opportunities. All International Internships Student blogs Undergraduate Undergraduate-highlighted internship my story work experience

Leaving Space For the Potential You Marla Gottschalk

Leaving Space For the Potential You Marla Gottschalk Photo by Fab Lentz on Unsplash Life isnt about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. George Bernard Shaw Career exploration really begins within our own imaginations â€" well before we utter a single word or visit a job board. We consider where we currently find ourselves and where wed like to go, trying on jobs and titles and experiences in the process. Its a very quick exercise within our minds eye. However, it is a vital step in the career growth dynamic. How we visualize ourselves in the future matters. I happened to be reading about mindfulness yesterday, particularly discussions about carving out space between a stimulus that we encounter and our reaction to it. (See a discussion of the one-second rule here.) Research has revealed that taking a moment to suspend making a decision, forming an opinion or choosing a behavior, can have a significant impact upon our work lives. That has me thinking about our initial responses as we consider our own abilities or potential. Conventional thinking tells us that all human beings seek pleasure and avoid pain. Yet research has shown that our own regulatory focus â€" or the way we typically approach risk plays a role. (Some of us are more naturally promotion focused and embrace more risk; others choose a safer path and are more naturally prevention focused). So, do you dismiss yourself too quickly? Pass over a path that may be fruitful long-term because of the risk or disruption involved? Do you have moments where you consider ourselves in a non-reactive way? Does a prevention focus hold you back? (Read more about that here.) We cant build careers if we dont fully consider all of the possibilities. Yes, there are risks. But, we can be aware of our reactions to those risks and manage the associated fear. If you respond with an immediate nay when contemplating a pivot or challenge, be mindful of your own natural tendency in that regard. When you pause at that window of possibility â€" envision yourself succeeding, not drowning â€" and see what that brings. Keep your desire to prevent failure in check. I challenge you to hold on to the possibilities just a bit longer. See what you do next. Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist.   She is the Director of Organizational Development at Allied Talent. A charter member of the LinkedIn Influencer Program, her posts on workplace topics have appeared in Forbes, The Huffington Post, US News World Report and The World Economic Forum.

IUPUI Resume Writing Service

IUPUI Resume Writing ServiceIn today's society, where everyone is required to have a resume and even school leavers, it's a good idea to go for an iUpui resume writing service. This is an exceptional resource that will make you a more employable individual. The best part about using this service is that you get your resume written in two hours or less.The iUpui service includes the help of an expert resume writer who has received extensive training and hands on experience in the field of resume writing. They will have experience of creating resumes for different firms. This allows them to be in a position to work with you to create a good looking and appealing cover letter that you will be proud to send out.This specialist can also handle the operation of any company that you apply to or work for. So whether it's an American, British or other international company, the iUpui services team can help you find a solution for your resume application. The company also offers a full range o f other services like making a letter of recommendation and getting interviews with a selection of top employers.The iUpui resume writing service is flexible in the sense that they will allow you to choose your own industry. This way you can ensure that you have the resume that suits your needs. In addition, they also provide support to students too who are undergoing training programs.The company provides you with an easy to use free resume template that you can download to use as a basis for your resume. Once you have downloaded it, it's then simply a matter of uploading it and sending it back to them.The iUpui resume writing service also uses a fresh approach to assess your strengths and weaknesses and recommend you a positive path to take for improvement. You can thus build on these strengths and ensure that you do get a better job as you progress in your career.The iUpui resume writing team provides excellent support to students and professionals too. When it comes to preparing a profile for professional e-mails or promotions, this service also provides assistance to streamline the process. You get your profile ready and the iUpui team will start sending out your resume to various recruiters.The professional resume writing company will also be sure to cover all details that are needed to be included in your resume including the qualification you have obtained, your experiences, education and work experience, your skills and any awards that you may have received. All of this will be duly noted in your profile and thus makes it look very professional and will be able to attract the attention of the prospective employer.

The Secret of Personal Branding Be Authentic! - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

The Secret of Personal Branding â€" Be Authentic!

Expert Insights into Planning a Successful Business Event

Expert Insights into Planning a Successful Business Event Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash Businesses in the U.S. are expected to increase their planned spending on product launches by up to 22% through event planning,  according to a Statista Report. In fact, up to 74% of consumers surveyed stated that attending a branded business event made them more likely to purchase the promoted product. There’s a lot to gain from planning a successful business event. Knowing  how to keep your business growing  is critical, and event planning offers one of the best platforms to build relationships with customers and promote business and sales.   Organizing a successful business event is no easy task. From the definition of event objectives to budget compliance and technical and human resources issues, there’s a lot to be considered. Here are some expert insights into planning a successful business event. What Type of Event Are You Planning? Are you planning a promotional business event, a fundraiser or a corporate event? From the word go, you want to be clear on what type of business event you’re planning so you can get the right participation and know the right steps to take to ensure it’s a success. Part of achieving that involves  smart event management planning and implementation. An event that focuses on the purpose of the day and the targeted participants will draw the right level of attention. Keep in mind that  customer engagement is everything in business, so make your event fun.  Business Event Location Matters The location you choose to hold your event as well as the date of the event will play a role in the level of involvement you get. You need to choose a venue that gets would-be attendees excited. Remember that you’re not just planning a business event, but also putting out your brand out there. It’s important that you search for an appropriate venue location and book it as early as you can. Timing is also critical to ensure attendee availability. Planning to hold your business event online? You should a know a thing or two about hosting virtual events, including  how to raise money online successfully  through crowdfunding websites.  Offer Giveaways and Prizes When it comes to planning a successful business event, creativity is key to ensuring continued engagement throughout the event. One of the best ways to keep your attendees interested is by offering creative giveaways and branded gifts. Consider planning an interactive experience where event attendees can participate in various activities where they can win prizes and gifts. Ask your event sponsors whether they’re willing to donate giveaways, and most of them will. Customers love freebies, and businesses that offer free giveaways always win.     Planning a business event is not just about your objectives. Apart from following these expert tips, you also need to have a reliable team in place to ensure the event is a success. You need volunteers to check in arriving guests, sell tickets, stuff envelopes and prepare gift packs. Planning a business event can be both exciting and overwhelming, but with the right strategy, you can have a fun and successful event.

Client Case Study Lindsay Foley - When I Grow Up

Client Case Study Lindsay Foley - When I Grow Up Um, do you know that Ive coached hundreds of women since I started offering dream career guidance in 2008? And that these women are freakin rock stars, leaving soul-sucking jobs and traveling the world and launching creative, grown-up businesses and simply doing work that fits their lifestyle goals? Well ya do now and youll hear their stories firsthand in my  Client Case Studies series!  The totally incomparable, super hilarious Lindsay Foley is todays feature, and she decided to not only tell about her journey, but to add to it with GIFs. You guess correctly that we are in platonic love. Why did you decide to work with a creative career coach? Since graduating college in 2008, most of my Decembers have come with a new planner for the upcoming new year. I would always flip to the far-off December 31st and write, Where are you now?. And each New Year’s Eve, as I would come upon that question I would have another year under my belt but not an answer that felt satisfying. The lack of contentment was in large part due to not knowing what I wanted to be when I grew up (despite having already grown up). I have always likened my search for a career to floundering around in a pool of jello. I don’t like jello. So last year, while feeling unsatisfied in my then-current job, sick of jello, and wanting to take some action so that on the next December 31st I could have a better answer to my question, I signed up to work with Michelle. What were you doing work-wise when we started our sessions? I was the Director of Camp Programs for a summer boating camp. I had worked for the company over many previous summers in every role possible: dock staff, rentals manager, sailing instructor, kayaking instructor, camp counselor, assistant camp director, camp director and finally, had signed on as a full-time, year-round employee overseeing 3 different boating camps. If my job and I were in a facebook relationship, it would have held the prestigious title of Its Complicated followed by the hashtag #allthefeelings. What was your biggest takeaway from our work together? Michelle helped me leave my job, which might not be a ‘takeaway’ but had the biggest impact on my life and I think is worth mentioning. But an actual takeaway is one that should be obvious: you can do what you want and make money doing it; it’s achievable. I know that could be reworded to sound like a cliched quote from the internet, but Michelle hammered that lesson home with practical and reality-driven enthusiasm. And many, many incredible gifs. Was there anything else you tried to do as a career between the time we stopped our sessions and what you do for work now? If so, how did it inform your current career? It’s been less than a year since our sessions ended, and just a year since I left my job. For the first few months after leaving my job I played around with a few ideas: opening an etsy shop/selling paintings, exploring photography, and becoming a doula. While I value that time of exploration, I don’t think it informed my current pursuit of photography too much past teaching me what I didn’t want to be pursuing, which is equally important. What would you tell someone now that was in your shoes when we first started working together?  Whats your best tip to allow them to make a grown-up living doing what they love? Hmmm this is a tough question. Before we started our sessions, a small part of me hoped that Michelle would chat with me a bit, wave a magic wand, and tell me, You should be a ____ ! and then I’d be able to just go off and try to accomplish that. Since we don’t live at Hogwarts, this was unrealistic. She is a wizard but squash that small part of you that hopes it will be that easy! For me, Michelle’s talent and expertise was in listening to what I was saying, and helping me hear myself, too. My best tip would be, as with most things, the more you put into the experience, the more you will get out of it. So JUMP. IN. Nobody is going to figure out your grown up career for you and that’s a good thing. Whats on the horizon for your  business? I’m a photographer whose work focuses on newborns and young families. With A Lindsay Story Photography some of my current goals are to photograph a birth, improve on my storytelling through more documentary-style photoshoots, and to gain a wider and more diverse client base. I love meeting new families and helping to capture their stories; especially in our current age of selfies and camera phones. Parents are normally the ones behind the camera so while I love a picture of a sleeping 6-day-old as much as the next girl (and I do love them), my ultimate goal with my work is to capture genuine interactions and freeze those moments in the form of photographs. Wanna  coach with me one-on-one like Lindsay? We can start working together this summer. I promise you that my GIF game will be on point!