DCU Careers Service header
Careers Service

GETTING STARTED

GETTING STARTED 

Next Steps (Explore your Options)

Know YourSelf  

  • Don’t know where to start

Self Assessment is the process of gathering information about yourself in order to make effective career decisions.  Knowing what you like doing, what interests you, how you interact with other people, your personal values, abilities, interests, environment and personality type all contribute to effective decision making. Check out our online resources which are designed to support the self assessment process. 

 Options with your Degree

Further Study  

Ask yourself

 

 Graduate Employment Programmes

To find relevant employment, use the links below to explore options with your degree.  Websites (all disciplines)

Gradireland – Jobs with your degree 

Prospects – Jobs with your degree 

Careers Portal – Jobs with your degree (link)

Other useful job search sources 

What you can do while in College to make yourself more employable

Start building your career from Day 1.  Employers like to see evidence of skills

How

  • Engage with your chosen programme of study. Developing skills such as team work, writing from your studies as well as discipline specific knowledge.
  • Make new friends by joining clubs and societies 
  • Volunteer 
  • Record skills gained from your extra-curricular activities and map them to the DCU graduate attribute
  • Opportunities (Know what’s out there)
  • Sign up for Careers Service and Gradireland and the Careers Service eNewsletter
  • Carry out informational interviews (link to document on informational interviews)
  • Attend Career Fairs and Networking Events
  • Stay abreast of current employments market trends (Forfas reports etc)
  • Where have DCU Students gone? (Stats on FDRs)
  • Research sectors and employers 

Decision

 Informed by discussions with friends, family, professionals, graduates, academics, and a careers adviser you reach your decisions on the best goal for you, be it work, study or timeout.   Ask yourself (and others) what is it you like doing in your spare time.  What games did you play as a child.  What were your favourite subjects in school.  What was the first choice on your CAO form.   If you have a passionate hobby – do you wish to keep it as a hobby/recreational activity or develop it further as a career option. See:  http://www.dcu.ie/studentlearning/time-management/problems-decisions/decision-making.shtml

Action 

How to make your goal a reality (link to action sheet)

Postgraduate Study

If you are applying for a postgraduate course, check out closing dates, miniumum entry requirements and application procedures.     See if a personal statement and/or interview is required and check the format of both.

Finding a Job

Once you have decided on the type of work you would like to do – take a focused approach to your job hunting.  Find out as much as you can about the industry/organisations you would see yourself working in.    Set yourself the task of finding out as much as possible about your career. If you are unsure about your careers consider ‘informational interviewing’.   This involves talking with people who are currently working in the chosen field allowing you to gain a better understanding of an occupation or industry.   It is a powerful and accurate way to answer the following questions for you:

  • To screen careers before you change
  • To screen jobs before you take them, rather than afterwards
  • To screen places before you decide you want to seek employment there
  • To find answers to very specific questions that occur to you during your job hunt. 

Sample questions to ask during an informational interview (link to informational interview documentation).