Career Smart | University of Reading

Career Smart is our online course that has been designed to support students graduating in 2021. You’ll learn more about the graduate recruitment process, how to get started and what actions you’ll need to take in order to secure a great graduate role.

Hosted on the FutureLearn platform, this course is exclusively available to University of Reading students graduating in 2021. Career Smart will go live in the week commencing Monday 08 June and will be facilitated by the course educators until the end of August.

There are four parts to the course, with each section taking approximately 2-3 hours to complete – this is something that you can work through at your own pace and in your own time. This is the second year that the course will run and it has received excellent feedback from those students who completed the course previously:

“Career Smart is a great course - everyone who led it was very engaging and enthusiastic and this was reassuring! I feel less scared about my future now and now I am just excited!”

Final year, Psychology student

“I found the course very enjoyable and extremely useful! I was not sure what my next steps were going to be after graduating this year but thanks to Career Smart, this is not the case anymore!”

Final year, English student

“Try not to let the prospect of life after university panic you – this course is designed to help you and put you at ease to make you feel in control of the process.”

Final year, Geography student

During this course, you will:

•  Understand how the recruitment cycle works for graduates
•  Hear about the differences between graduate schemes and direct-entry roles
•  Receive top tips from recruiters about what they are looking for
•  Discover the best way to find graduate jobs and how to research companies and industries
•  Find out how to demonstrate your skills, knowledge and experience for applications
•  Learn the foundations of writing a good CV, cover letter and how to prepare for interview

As well as interacting with other students who are in their final year on the course, you will hear from experts in the careers service, recent alumni and a wide range of graduate employers.

We appreciate that your final year is likely to be busy, so this course will offer you a great opportunity to get ahead during the summer! Places are limited, so use the link below to register your interest and secure a place today.

GET CAREER SMART

Questions about Career Smart?

Who can take part in Career Smart?
The course has been designed for University of Reading students graduating in summer 2021.

Who’s the course for?
If you will be looking for a graduate level role in 2021, then this course is for you. You’ll receive relevant information in a variety of different formats including articles, videos and audio clips, as well as interacting with others through the discussions. Once completed, you’ll be fully prepared - even for early autumn deadlines!

I’m only graduating in summer 2021… why do I need to do this so early?
Graduate roles for students graduating in 2021 will start to be advertised from August 2020 – a large number of these will have application deadlines in October (yes, for roles starting September 2021!)

When does the course run?
The course will launch on Monday 08 June and will be facilitated by the course educators until the end of August. You’ll have access to the course throughout your final year and can complete all of the content in your own time and at your own pace.

I’m not going to be in Reading – does this matter?
No! The course is completely online and can be accessed worldwide 24/7.

Do I need to be available at a specific time each week?
No! You work through the course at your own pace, so you can work on the course at whatever time is convenient for you.

How do I sign up?
Sign up here and complete the short online form to register – you’ll join the mailing list and be kept up to date with the very latest information. Then, about a week before the course goes live, you’ll receive a personalised invitation link to join.

Is sign-up limited?
We do have a large number of spaces available but… places are limited – we recommend signing up as soon as possible to guarantee your place.

I’ve already attended a number of Careers workshops – is this going to be useful?
Yes! Career Smart will sit alongside our workshops and will offer you a different experience. As well as hearing from our Careers Consultants, you’ll hear advice and top tips from a range of graduate recruiters and University alumni.

I’m not planning to take part in the autumn graduate recruitment process – is still this relevant?
Yes! Even if you are not currently thinking about applying to graduate schemes (these are the opportunities advertised first) this course will cover the whole graduate recruitment timeline! You’ll also hear from SMEs and charities, who are likely to advertise roles later in the year.

I’m doing an internship/part-time job/going on holiday this summer – can I still take part?
Yes! After you’ve enrolled, you can work through the course at your own pace and you can revisit any part of the course throughout your final year.