Studying at Durham gives you the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally. Your first year is all about settling in, making new friends, and developing academically - but it’s also a great time to start thinking about your career. Careers and Enterprise is here to support you, and there are fantastic development opportunities available for first year students.
Here are our top ten tips to help you get a head start with all things careers.
Start exploring our wide range of resources, support, activities, and opportunities as soon as you can. We’re here to support you from your first year - whether you need help developing your skills, building your CV, finding employers, or applying for jobs.
Many Durham students work during their time at university. If you're considering getting a part-time job while studying, it's a great idea to start exploring the types of roles available. There are opportunities available in the University - such as open day ambassadors, roles in colleges, or positions in services such as Careers and Enterprise, Marketing and Communications, and Catering. In the local area, students often find work in retail and hospitality.
When you start your studies, Careers and Enterprise's Student Employment Service can help you search and apply for jobs. Durham students can search for part-time jobs on CareersConnect. Even before you start your course, you can explore casual and flexible roles at the University via the Job Search page.
Think about the skills required for the roles that interest you, and how you can demonstrate them - this will help when creating your CV or completing application forms.
Preparing your CV early gives you a head start when applying for part-time jobs and other opportunities that are open to first year students, such as insight days, and work experience including internships.
Explore these resources to build or update your CV before you arrive in Durham:
Once you have your Durham IT log-in, you can access the following via the Careers and Enterprise Hub and CareersConnect:
Leading graduate employers are keen to meet Durham students - and they like to meet you early to help you learn about their opportunities, including work experience such as internships and placement years. Michaelmas (term 1) is a busy term for careers fairs and employer events, both on campus and online. Even if you're unsure about your future plans in your first year (which is completely normal), attending these events can help you learn about industries, employers, and career paths.
When you have your Durham IT log-in, you can browse events on CareersConnect and through our weekly event emails.
Many employers also host their own events, open to students nationally and internationally - check their website and social media channels for details.
Durham offers a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities to help you build your skills - including student theatre, volunteering, sport, music, and leadership roles in student groups. These experiences can help you discover what you enjoy, develop transferable skills like teamwork and communication, and provide real examples to use in applications and interviews for internships, placements, and graduate roles.
Get involved in the wider student experience, and watch the Opportunities Galore episode on @thedurhamstudent podcast to learn more about developing skills through student life.
If you're interested in innovation or entrepreneurship, start by having a conversation with our Venture Lab team when you arrive in Durham. You can book a quick chat to discuss your goals and how we can best support you in achieving them. There are also plenty of activities and challenges to take part in to help you develop your entrepreneurial skills - and win prizes!
You can approach Venture Lab for support at any time, even if you don't yet have an idea to work on. If you're looking for ways to get started, need guidance on your next steps, or want to connect with people who can help you move forward, we're here to help.
If you'd like to explore entrepreneurship in a supportive environment, consider joining one of our societies:
Visit the Start New Ventures pages on our website and watch this introductory video to find out more Start New Ventures at Durham.
Once you have your Durham IT log-in, you'll start receiving weekly emails from Careers and Enterprise, highlighting a range of upcoming careers activities, events, and development opportunities. These emails include information about employer presentations, panel discussions, our 'Careers Essentials' programme - a series of workshops hosted by Careers and Enterprise, and pop-up food and interactive stalls with graduate recruiters on Library Square.
Check your Durham inbox regularly to stay up to date with upcoming events.
Careers and Enterprise offers a wide range of exclusive resources tailored to Durham students. You'll gain access to these once you have your Durham IT log-in:
Opportunities such as work experience, mentoring, internships and placement years, graduate jobs, and part-time or vacation work are provided exclusively for Durham students and graduates. These opportunities may be with local, national, and global organisations.
Find out more about our Exclusive Opportunities once you arrive in Durham.
Not sure what you want to do in the future? That's perfectly normal. Exploring your options, gaining experience, and reflecting on your strengths can all help you shape your future.
Once your Durham email is set up, you can make use of our career planning resources, attend events, and take advantage of our wide-ranging support. You'll also be able to access the Career Interests Inventory to help generate career ideas. Book a 1:1 appointment with a careers adviser to talk you through your ideas or get help with next steps - whatever stage you're at.
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