Case studies
We asked two English graduates to talk about their career progression after leaving the university.
Amelia Shipley, Employability Adviser, Nottingham Trent University
What is your current role and what does it involve?
I work as an employability adviser at Nottingham Trent University, where I support students with any career-related queries. This can include showing students where to find roles, reviewing CVs and cover letters, and delivering pre-placement sessions.
I also have the opportunity to be involved with some really exciting projects; so far, I've assisted with a LinkedIn headshot booth at a careers fair, had a workshop on content creation and supported with a fashion show focused on professional clothing.
How did you become an employability adviser?
By chance! I was unsure what I wanted to do after my degree until my second year, where I applied for a marketing internship with a local church. From here, my confidence grew and I continued to apply for short placements to build up my CV, predominantly in marketing.
A few months before I graduated, I secured a part-time role within student accommodation, where I supported students through the entire process – from the initial query to moving in. I realised that I enjoyed working in a student facing role and so started looking for professional service roles at different universities.
I was interested in going into marketing, but I realised that my skill set matched the employability adviser role nicely and decided to apply. I had used the careers service at UoN on several occasions, so when I got an interview, I felt prepared.
Although I did not have experience in careers guidance, I utilised my experience of being a recent student and graduate to demonstrate an understanding of the industry. I've only been in my role for a few months so far, but my team has been very welcoming.
What advice would you give current students?
Use the careers service as much as possible. It's a brilliant service which helped me to secure a role in a competitive market.
I would also recommend trying to gain some work experience, either through the university or externally. This doesn’t have to be directly related to the industry you are looking to go into, as you can focus on the transferable skills you developed.
Alice Thébault, Media Executive, Mark Allen Group
What is your current role and what does it involve?
My official title is Media Executive at Mark Allen Group (MAG), who are a publishing group. Within the company, I work as a reporter for Optician magazine and have recently started doing some marketing for Farmers Weekly.
This is the advantage of their graduate scheme: you can choose to move around and try out editorial, marketing or events. Day to day, my reporter role involves writing news stories from press releases we receive; writing features and longer-form pieces based on interviews I conduct or events I attend; and proofreading all the different articles before they are sent off to print.
Alongside my work, I’ve also been pursuing a Level 4 NCTJ qualification in magazine journalism, which is offered by the company.
How did you become a media executive?
In my third year of university, I took on the role of travel editor for Impact Magazine. I think the editing and writing experience I gained from this would have definitely worked in my favour.
Other work experiences I had included a month-long stint as a brand ambassador for HelloFresh, which was essentially door-to-door sales. While I can’t recommend the work (it was entirely commission-based and quite a shock to the system at times, as you can probably imagine), the experience was certainly a good way of showcasing my perseverance and communication skills to employers.
Of course, I can’t downplay the value of my English degree in pursuing a career in publishing, particularly the writing skills I gained from it and ability to juggle competing deadlines.
What advice would you give to a current students considering this career?
This goes without saying, but seek out relevant experience, such as writing for Impact or Lingo Magazine (and I think there are others), or get involved with NSTV and URN, which will also stand you in good stead.
Alternatively (I didn’t personally do this, but I think it’s a good idea), start your own blog or engage in other content creation — it shows initiative and a genuine interest or passion.
I will say I spent most weekends during my final year firing out job applications and, I’ll be honest, it took me almost the whole year to land something. But in the end, I was in the fortunate position of being able to choose between two job offers. So I would say: when applying for jobs, strap in for a fair amount of rejection - as uninspiring as that sounds.
Finally, take advantage of the careers service, who organise mock assessment centres and offer CV reviews — which I personally found helpful — as well as general advice and support.