Steps in your career orientation process

• Explore your options through information provided about the optional courses (minor programmes, internships, foreign exchanges) and the honours curriculum.

• Familiarise yourself with the Master’s programme via open days and the career perspectives described on the Master’s website.

• Expand your interests via lectures, workshops and events organised by your student association.

• Discover your talents and develop your (professional) skills.

• Volunteer work, side jobs, membership in boards or committees.

• Attend a Skills lab training course to develop skills like: presentation, debate, pitching

• Schedule a meeting with your tutor or academic advisor.

• Attend the training course Self-analysis for Career Orientation offered by Career Services.

• Book an appointment with the Faculty of Science career officer via the online agenda, or ask a question via e-mail. The career officer can help you gain insight into who you are and what is important to you.

• Take the online tests offered by Career Services.

• The information about career perspectives gives you an idea of the paths your predecessors have followed: go to the Master’s website or check out the LinkedIn alumni tool.
• Attend a job market exploration and networking training course.
• Book an appointment with a Career Officer. The career officer can help you gain insight into who you are and what is important to you.
• Find an internship. An internship can help you get to know a company or organisation, and can improve your chances of finding your first job.

• Would you like to know what it’s like to work at an organisation? Or do you want to know what other graduates from your degree programme did to find their first jobs? Then meet an employer and get the information you need.
• Attend career-related activities and workshops. (see agenda at the bottom of this page)
• Participate in a career webinar where alumni tell about their careers. (see agenda at the bottom of this page)
• Participate in company visits and career events organised by your student association.
• Visit career days and job fairs to meet employers and see which careers best suit your interests and talents.
• Use the alumni tool to see where other alumni work.
• Side jobs and job openings
• Attend a training course.
• Networking tips

• Attend the training course Preparing for a Job Interview.
• A good CV will show whether your knowledge and skills are suited to the position you are applying for. Whether or not your CV is ‘good’ depends on the job opening, but you can make sure that the basics are in order by having someone proofread your CV.
• If you’re preparing an open application, take a moment to check these application tips first.
• Analyse the job opening: which knowledge and skills are they looking for?
• Investigate which search terms suit your expertise, for example via LinkedIn or the UU job opening databank.
• Attend a training course on Writing a CV and Cover Letter offered by Career Services.

Develop your hard and soft skills

During your studies, you will learn ‘hard’ skills that will come in handy when you start working. But job openings also often emphasise ‘soft’ skills, like those listed below. You can develop these soft skills by gaining real-world experience, for example by becoming a member of a student administration body, working a side job or completing extra training courses.

Examples of hard skills:

Knowledge of specific software or coding language, project management, data analysis, marketing, etc.

Examples of soft skills:

Adaptability, communication, finding creative solutions for problems, work ethic, etc.