Careers

“Nottingham is a top university with a 91% Excellence rating, and Nottingham students have a 77% chance of graduating with a first or upper second class degree. More than this, it is one of the most employer-friendly universities in the world…” The Virgin 2007 Alternative Guide to British Universities

How far will you go?

Pioneering scientists, international policy makers, leaders of national charities, newspaper editors, Olympic medallists, and a Nobel Prize winner. With a worldwide network of more than 190,000 alumni, you can find former University of Nottingham students making a real contribution to today’s society, in countless different ways and in 190 countries. With our help, you could make a difference too.

Did you know?

• The University’s Centre for Career Development organises more than 200 employer-led events
each year so you can learn about the various graduate career opportunities on offer
• Our careers website is updated daily and receives information on up to 2,500 job vacancies every year
• The University maintains close contacts with businesses, and many degree courses feature
site visits as well as presentations from visiting

Life after University

The sky's the limit. We have one of the best records of successful graduate employment in the country. As well as gaining academic experience during your time at Nottingham, the rich diversity of extra-curricular activities on offer will help you develop personal qualities, such as leadership and communication skills, which are highly valued by employers.

Graduate destinations

Many Nottingham graduates go immediately into employment in a variety of sectors including industry, healthcare, accountancy and finance, public administration, civil service and defence, retail, business and management, construction, architecture, law and media. Others go on to further study, both academic and vocational, while some go abroad or do temporary work before starting a career.

A quality qualification

A Nottingham degree is highly regarded by employers and we are one of the most popular universities amongst recruiters nationally. According to a survey conducted by the University, the average starting salaries achieved by our 2008 graduates stood at over £21,023 a year, with 27 per cent starting on salaries in excess of £25,000.

Helping you carve your career path

The University’s Centre for Career Development enjoys excellent relationships with employers nationally and internationally and these close links continue to deliver results for our graduates.

Through the Centre, you can discuss your career prospects with a professional adviser, use a variety of computer programs and databases and take advantage of the well-stocked Careers Resources Area. You can also take part in organised sessions on handling application forms, one-to-one interviews and group selection methods.

Alerting you to opportunities

Our careers website is updated daily and receives information on up to 2,500 job vacancies every year. Some firms interview applicants on campus, and our Summer Recruitment Fair in June is attended by major companies all looking to recruit graduates.

The Centre for Career Development maintains a dynamic website at www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers – it includes nationally and locally produced graduate careers information, postgraduate study opportunities, graduate vacancies and direct links to employers', and other relevant, websites.

Employers who have visited us recently:

Anheuser-Busch InBev
Barclays Global
Bloomberg
BP
BSkyB
BT
Deloitte
Ernst & Young
Experian
IBM
JP Morgan
KPMG
L'Oreal
NHS Management Training Scheme
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Rolls-Royce
Sainsbury’s
Shell Malaysia and Shell UK
Sky
Teach First
Territorial Army

Building your skills

Our Centre for Career Development has taken steps to address national concerns about graduate skill shortages through the organisation and promotion of a range of opportunities, including:

skills workshops led by representatives of well-regarded graduate recruiters. These are generally interactive events, providing students with the opportunity to experience and develop vital employability skills such as teamwork, communication, presentation, problem solving, leadership, commercial awareness, creativity and negotiation.
skills workshops led by careers advisers and employers on aspects of the recruitment process including writing applications, interview techniques and telephone interviews.
case studies similar to those used in assessment centres and management training and facilitated by employer contacts or careers advisers.
The Student Business Planning Competition is a series of workshops facilitated by the University of Nottingham Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (UNIEI) helping students to gain the skills they need to set up their own business after graduation.

We work with a range of employer partners to deliver our events programme, including RBS, KPMG, Deloitte, Lovells, HBOS, E.ON, Barclays Wealth and Accenture.

You will also have the opportunity to get involved with the Nottingham Advantage Award – a new programme of modules developed to recognise and reward extracurricular responsibilities. The Advantage Award allows you to accrue 30 credits over the duration of your degree programme and
these are added to your degree transcript. The Award shows employers that you have gained a variety of skills during your time at University, improving your employability in a competitive recruitment market. Just some of the activities that current students are being accredited for include
researching career sectors, volunteering in local schools and becoming active in the local community.