The University of Reading Difference

The careers market is more competitive than ever. Having a good degree isn’t always enough to get the graduate job you want, but at the University of Reading we'll support you and help you develop the skills and abilities you need to stand out from the crowd.

As well as your academic skills, employers want to see extra curricular activities and examples of work experience. We include placement support and training, as well as career and employability learning, in all our undergraduate courses.

We offer you a wide range of career schemes and programmes to take part in, and there's plenty of support on hand to ensure you can have fun and increase your employability at the same time.

94 percent of graduates in work after 6 months

Employment

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Our Careers team

It’s never too early to think about what you want to do when you leave university, and our Careers team are here to help you. They offer advice and support, online resources and a full events programme.

The range of employability support on offer from the Careers Centre includes:

Professional careers consultants who can provide you with specialist and personalised advice, including CV-checking and mock interviews.
Dedicated placements officers to support and train you in preparation for your placement.
Student experience and development schemes to help you boost your employability.
Online resources, including free videos and assessment tools.
A full events calendar to help you explore your options, build professional skills and meet employers.
An online jobs board exclusively for University of Reading students – My Jobs Online. You can access this service from the September before you arrive giving you a headstart on finding a part-time job in the area.

Learn new skills and abilities

Placements

Placements give you a chance to get real-world experience and increase your employability. They also provide useful examples of work experience for your CV.

Whatever course you choose at the University of Reading, you'll have the option to do a placement. Over 50% of our undergraduates choose to do a placement year as part of their degree; others carry out a shorter internship or gain work experience in their own time.

Over 50% of our undergraduates choose to do a placement year as part of their degree; others carry out a shorter internship or gain work experience in their own time.

You'll receive placement training and support from both your Department and the Careers team. All placements are screened for suitability and safety, and you are fully insured by the University. Placements that are organised by the University are paid but if you find an unpaid opportunity there are bursaries available.

Your placement could be local, national or even international. Whether working for a top investment bank or law firm or volunteering in Africa – anything is possible.

You can take your placement as part of a module, a whole module or as part of a four-year course. A year in industry is often taken at the end of your second year. You can also work throughout the year or just during the holidays.

Paid summer schemes:

The Reading Internship Scheme (RIS) and The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP).

Student experience and development schemes:

Reading Experience and Development Award (RED), Students in Schools, STaR Mentoring Partnership, and Thrive Career Mentoring.

Learn new skills and have fun

Studying abroad

Want to try something different? Would you like to boost your future employability whilst having fun? As an undergraduate at Reading, you'll have the chance to go places and experience life in another country by studying abroad.

Where could I go?

You could travel to a range of countries, and our list of destinations is always growing. Popular choices include universities in Australia, Canada, USA and Europe.

You can spend as little as a few days or as long as a year in your chosen country. The options available to you will vary depending on your degree, but can include the following:

A year abroad
A semester abroad
Work placements
Summer schools
Field trips.

You don't have to speak another language, but if you want to brush up your communication skills this is the perfect opportunity.

Find out more about this unique opportunity here.

Do I have to spend a whole year abroad?

For me, the best way of making yourself more employable is to have a range of different experiences that you can talk about and draw upon in applications and interviews. Deciding to take a placement year was one of the best decisions I've made. I spent 13 months working in the Windows and Internet Explorer marketing team at Microsoft, and I've learnt more than I ever could have imagined. As a result of my placement, I was offered two graduate positions.

Students studying together in the library

Language classes

A recent survey by the Confederation of British Industry reported that 36% of employers recruit employees specifically for their language skills.

In today's global society the ability to speak more than one language can be hugely beneficial, both on a personal and professional level. Knowledge of a second language can improve your career prospects and give you access to new cultures and experiences.

At Reading, every student has the option to study a foreign language through our Institution-Wide Language Programme (IWLP). You can choose from a wide range of different languages to learn, including Arabic, Chinese Mandarin, French, German, modern Greek, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. Moreover, you can do this in a number of different ways, whether as a part of your degree or for a modest fee.

Visit the Institution-Wide Language Programme (IWLP) website.

Learn a second language and broaden your horizons

Part-time jobs

As well as supplementing your income whilst at university, part-time jobs are the perfect way to develop your professional skills and gain real world experience.

Part-time work on campus

Campus Jobs is the best way to find a job right here on campus. There are plenty of opportunities available – you could be working in the bars, giving tours, or even helping with academic research. We are committed to finding new opportunities for students and this year, we have paid out over £1 million to students.

Visit the Campus Jobs website.

Part-time work in Reading

Reading has a large town centre just 25 minutes’ walk from campus, with two shopping malls, plus a busy high street with pubs, bars and restaurants. Not far from the heart of Reading, you’ll also find the Madejski Stadium; home to Reading FC and London Irish Rugby Club. If you want to work off-campus whilst you study, our dedicated online portal – My Jobs Online – provides exclusive access for our students to view advertised opportunities all over Reading.

Part time jobs on and off campus

Careers events

Every year the Careers team host an extensive programme of events, including recruitment fairs and workshops.

These events provide you with opportunities to meet and speak to employers and recruitment specialists, perfect your interview skills and seek advice and guidance on how to make your CV stand out.

Careers Event Programme

Delivered by our professional Careers Consultants, employers and expert speakers, we offer four distinct areas within our programme that allow you to:

Explore your options
Build your employability skills and ace the recruitment process
Build professional skills
Meet employers

We also have a number of careers fairs, including:

Part-Time Jobs Fair
Careers & Placement Fair
Law Careers Fair
Construction Fair

Your department may also organise careers fairs to help you find graduate roles and placements

Recent events

'LinkedIn for beginners', 'Recruitment boot camp', 'Effective interviewing skills' and 'Making your CV work for you'.

A selection of our career related events

Learning at the University of Reading has opened a lot of job opportunities for me. The University has a RED Award scheme which documents the extra work that you do. The fact that employers recognise this award is great and will give me an edge when looking for jobs after university.

Red Award

The RED Award offers you the chance to develop new skills and gain experience through a variety of different activities – volunteering, working, training, and interacting with others.

To gain your RED Award you will need complete 50 hours of extra-curricular activities. These must include:

Volunteering for a minimum of 10 hours
Training and development for a minimum of 5 hours
Core activities for a minimum of 35 hours. Activities can include more volunteering, work experience, paid work or an internship, or a combination of all of these.
Open to all students at the University of Reading, the RED Award gives you the opportunity to gain new skills and demonstrate old. You will develop employability skills and learn to recognise your achievements, and we will teach you to consider your experiences from an employers' point of view.

Over 1100 students have completed the RED Award at Reading and many have gained further work - both paid and voluntary - through connections made during the award.

Benefits for international students: Great way to improve your language skills and mix with students from all years and other disciplines.

Want to stand out from the crowd?

RIS and Thrive

Two very different schemes giving you the opportunity to develop professional skills and increase your employability.

Reading Internship Scheme (RIS): offers paid, project-based internships.

Thrive: a career mentoring programme, overseeing the transition from education to employment.

RIS

Internships allow you to sample a particular sector or career, develop and strengthen your skills, as well as build your professional network and contacts.

Examples of recent vacancies:

Volunteer and Events Coordinator
Sustainable Fashion and Design internship
Marketing internship
Estates Management intern

Thrive Career Mentoring Programme

This programme for second year students, pairs you with a University of Reading alumnus, who studied your subject and maybe your course. You will meet on a regular basis to discuss your future career ideas. Your mentor will support you in setting objectives and securing work placements.

Our mentors graduated a few years ago and are well-placed to offer advice on CV and cover letter writing, interview skills, and business etiquette.

What are the benefits of RIS and Thrive?

University of Reading graduate, Dan Le Marquand

RIS Case Study

Dan Le Marquand took part in the Reading Internship Scheme (RIS) in the summer of 2014. He worked with the Office of the Independent Adjudicator in Reading for 12 weeks and recently secured a graduate position with PwC.

Did you enjoy your internship?

It's been lovely and I've learnt a lot more than I originally thought I was going to learn. I have been given genuine responsibilities, including coordinating the different working groups within the office. It's been immensely rewarding overseeing everything as I know all the ins and outs of what is happening within the organisation.

Would you recommend the internship to other students?

Yes, it's good experience to add to your CV and you're also getting paid which is a bonus. I think it helps you with your degree - it raised my awareness of the variety of options open to me after my degree.

Read about Dan's experience

University of Reading graduates with impact

Linda Bennett, BSc Land Management

Linda is best known by her initials, LK - she's the founder of the international luxury fashion brand L.K. Bennett.

Jamie Cullum, BA English Literature and Film Studies

The renowned musician studied English Literature and Film Studies here at Reading.

Rhianna Dhillon, BA English with Film and Theatre

The Radio 1 film critic was discovered by the Radio 1 team during a visit to the University.

Julian Richards, BA Archaeology

Julian has presented several series of "Meet the Ancestors"on BBC 2, and continues to work protecting archaeological sites across Hampshire, Wiltshire and the Isle of Wight.

David Watkins, BA Fine Arts

Jewellery designer David had the honour of designing the London 2012 Olympic medals.