Reviewing your options Informatics year 4
Carol Macdonald
Careers Adviser
Session Aim … to help you to:
 Think about the year ahead in relation
to future career plans
 Consider your options
 Take stock - recognise your progress
and identify what you need to do next
 Identify how the Career Service can
help you
SAGE Vacancy Stats
No. of Vacancies
Yearly Comparison of Vacancy Types
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2006/07
Graduate
Internships &
Vacations
Voluntary
Part Time Semester
2007/08
2008/09
Year
2009/10
Comparison 2009/10 against
2008/09
Graduate
+33%
Part Time Semester
-11%
Internships & Vacations
Voluntary
+43%
-3%
Quick Quiz…
QUESTION 1
What percentage of Informatics graduates
continue in full time study? (PhD, MSc or PGDip?)
a. 5%
b. 9%
c. 25%
ANSWER 1 – What percentage of Informatics
graduates went on to a PhD, MSc or PGDip?

PhD
 Computer Science (Ed, Cambridge &
Grenoble)
a. 5%
b. 9% 2008
c. 25% 2009


 Machine Learning (Ed)
 Energy efficient embedded
systems (Ed)
 Cognitive Science (Ed)
Masters  Computer Science (Grenoble)
 Human Centred Interactive
Technologies (York)
 Digital Games* (Brunel)
 Neuro-informatics* (Edinburgh)
PGDE –
 Maths* (Edinburgh & Strathclyde)
QUESTION 2
What percentage of Informatics graduates
were in employment 6 months after
graduating?
a. 58%
b. 63%
c. 82%
ANSWER 2 – What percentage of Informatics
graduates were in employment 6 months after
graduating?
a. 58% - 2009 Edinburgh
b. 63% 2008 UK Comp Sci & related
c. 82%- 2008 Edinburgh
Others?

Taking time out

Seeking employment

Not available
QUESTION 3
 Which of those jobs could a Informatics
Graduate NOT do?
Commercial Manager
Administrator
Fund Manager
Chartered Accountant
Management Consultant
Solicitor
Police Officer
Surveyor
None of the above
ANSWER 3. Which of those jobs could
a Informatics Graduate NOT do?
Commercial Manager
Administrator
Fund Manager
Chartered Accountant
Management Consultant
Solicitor
Police Officer
Surveyor
None of the above
QUESTION 4
 What would you expect a new graduate
to earn?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
£14,000
£19,300
£22,000
£25,000
£39,000
ANSWER 4. What would you expect a
new graduate to earn?
All are graduate salaries
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
£14,000 – bottom of Prospects range
£19,600 - HESA average 2008
£22,000 – IT Jobs Watch 2010
£25,000 - average AGR 2009
£39,000 - top of Prospects range
Examples of jobs entered by
Informatics graduates 2008
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Software developer x9
Software engineer x 3
Applications developer x2
Game developer
Web developer
Product developer
Programmer
IT Consultant x 3
Technology analyst x3
Project analyst






Project manager
Data developer
Researcher
Technical Manager
Test engineer
Process control engineer
 CEO
 Director
 Freelance designer
 TEFL Teacher
Examples of jobs entered by
Informatics graduates 2009








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Software developer x 3
Software engineer x 7
Analyst x 2
Project manager
Web developer
Broadcast research engineer
Lab support engineer
Quality Assurance tester
Technical support engineer
 Computer support officer
 Research Assistant x 3
 Corporate action processing
assistant




Pilot
Marketing Assistant
Administrator
Chalet host
Examples of Employers 2008

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RBS
JP Morgan
Barclays Capital
Deloitte
Amazon
Agilent Technologies
Nokia
McCann Erickson
Foxall Associates
S T Microelectronics
uSwitch
 Capgemini
 Tierney Strachan
Consulting
 Rockstar North
 Black Company Studios
 Edinburgh University
 FNZ UK Chambers
Dictionaries
 Spinsight Scotland
 Videowiki
 Lab 901
 Red61
Examples of Employers 2009
 Sun Micro Systems, Camberley
Amazon, Edinburgh
 Thales, Glasgow
 Standard Life, Edinburgh
 State Street, Edinburgh
 Deloitte, London
 BBC Research & Development,
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London
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Real Time Worlds, Dundee
4J Studios, East Linton
Truphone, London
MX Telecom, London
 Royal Air Force, Cranwell
 John Lewis, Edinburgh
 Ski France
Comtemplate, Edinburgh
Iformis, Edinburgh
Syngro, Livingstone
Avenade, Paris
Edinburgh University x2
Glasgow University
Scottish Government
Career Planning Review
How far have you progressed with your
career planning?
Strategy
for achieving your goals
 How will you find out what’s out there?
 Where would you like to work?
(what sector? what organisations? what roles?)




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How many organisations will you approach?
How will you identify their requirements?
How will you approach them?
When you will approach them/ apply?
How can you market yourself effectively?
Case Study Exercise
 Work with the person next to you and choose one of the
scenarios on the handout to look at.
 You need to discuss
 What are they key issues for this person?
 What would you suggest they should do?
Case Studies
A
Sarah is in her final year of her computer science degree. She is ambitious and is keen
to continue her studies as she feels this will help her career to progress. She thinks a
PhD would probably be better than a Masters degree but is not 100% sure. She has
done well academically and should gain a 2.1 degree. She has not gained any related
work experience but has been very involved as a committee member in a student
society as well as working part-time and during the summer in the same bar since
second year. Prior to university Sarah gained a Duke of Edinburgh Gold award and
was captain of her school netball team. She wants to focus on her degree this year and
is thinking of leaving applications until after graduation.
B Harry is in his final year of his software engineering degree, he did an internship with
IBM which he really enjoyed and he is keen to secure a graduate traineeship for next
summer. He hopes to get a 2.1 but this may drop to a 2.2 degree. He wants to take
advantage of any opportunities to find out about what’s on offer. He wants to find out
more about the range of firms recruiting Informatics grads, the different opportunities
they offer, the training provided, & how they recruit. He has already scanned some
websites but thinks it would help to talk to people in the field. His current ideas include
the banking sector, management consultancies, or possibly accountancy firms for
technical audit roles but he has not ruled out other options.
C Alasdair is in his final year of his AI degree and he has no idea whatsoever of what he
wants to do when he graduates. His parents are constantly nagging him about his
career and getting a good job but he just doesn’t want to think about it. He thinks he is
too young to be thinking long term. Ideally, it would be good to stay in Edinburgh for
another year as his girlfriend is in the year below. Travel sounds attractive but he isn’t
sure about this.
Case Study A – SARAH
Issues
Suggestions
 Further Study - will this
improve prospects?
 PhD vs Masters?
 No related work experience
- just 1 job
 How valuable is her extra
curricular stuff?
 2.1 degree – is this OK?
 When to apply?
 Where can she get help?
 Careers interview - to discuss ideas,
identify priorities, action plan
 Research study options - check
what’s involved, destinations, funding (UK/
abroad?).
 Attend Postgraduate Fair 18 Nov &
talks, also Careers Fair 5/6Oct - find
out what’s on offer, what employers value/could
offer, consider alternatives (eg KTP, pt study)
 Network - talk to PG students, staff, use
contacts, ask orgs of interest
 Broaden work experience internship,
other pt (identify benefits from other exp)
 Good 2.1 OK
 Watch closing dates - funding & courses
Case Study B – HARRY
Issues
Suggestions
 Grad Job - but what?
 Good work experience
 Would 2.2 (or 3rd)
impact?
 Who is recruiting &
what’s on offer?
 Finding out what it’s
really like - researching
employers & talking to
‘insiders’
 Recruitment process when, where, how
 How to stand out?
 Consider sectors / roles - use Careers
Centre, www.ed.ac.uk/careers
 Check vacancies see who is advertising
 SAGE - watch deadlines
 Directories – Prospects, Get, Times top
100
 Websites – Prospects, Hobsons, Specialist
 Attend employer presentations &
‘insight’ sessions
 Attend Careers Fair 5 & 6 October
 Attend careers sessions
eg
applications, interviews, psychometric tests and
assessment centres
 Careers interview
Case Study C – ALASDAIR
Suggestions
Issues
 No career plans (Why is
he avoiding thinking about the
future?)
 Does not want to think
long term
 Pressure from parents
(& others?)
 Staying in Edinburgh
for 1 year
 Possible travel
 Identify what’s holding him back.
 Think options & what he wants.
 Don’t need to plan whole life
BUT… think about the next step.
 Think about interests, skills, motivations
- what might be fun/interesting/useful.
 Set some goals/ priorities.
 Aim to build experience, increase skills
and move career forward.
 Attend Travel & Volunteering
Fair 27 October
 Consider job in Edinburgh - use
SAGE, other grad sites, recruitment
agencies, press, creative job search
 Careers interview may help
 Take some action!
www.ed.ac.uk/careers
CAREER ACTION PLAN
 Identify:
 What you will do
 How you will do it
 By when you will do it
 Some starting points – use handout!
Some 2010 events!
Careers Fair - 5th & 6th October
Travel & Volunteering Fair - 27th October
Employer presentations
Information sessions
Job hunting sessions
PG sessions
Postgraduate Fair - 18th November
Virtual Careers in Asia Fair - 25th - 29th October
Also check Informatics website
Some 2010 events!
Informatics Careers Seminars:
Graduate Applications Tues 28th Sept 1.10pm
Successful Interviews Thurs 14th Oct 1.10pm
AT LT1
AT LT1
School Careers Drop-in sessions:
Thurs 28th Oct 1pm - 2pm
AT 4.14
Tues 9th Nov 1pm - 2pm
AT 4.14
Also check Informatics website