Breaking up with your Bachelor’s
It’s the break-up nobody talks about…
Break-ups can be hard on anyone, particularly when you’ve invested so much time and effort to then realise that it just wasn’t meant to be. But with any break-up comes a lot of positives. You learn so much about yourself, gain lots of new skills and experiences, and you will have discovered what you do and don’t want in a relationship — and it’s no different for your career.
More often than not, we’re still not sure what we want from our careers when we begin the search for a degree. Most people will either base their decision on what they found interesting during school, use league tables, or because they were told it has good career prospects. But many students and graduates find later down the line, that their career goals no longer match up with their degree specialism…
The good news is, there is no need to be afraid of exploring a different career path that doesn’t involve your degree specialism — there are millions of people out there now working in a career that has absolutely no relevance to their degree. Here’s why;
Transferrable skills
Part of the university learning experience is developing a range of skills that can be transferred to any job, in any field. This can include skills in leadership, project management, written and oral communication, negotiation or problem-solving — and that’s just to name a few.
Whatever the degree, your time at university has given you the skills you need to make you the ideal candidate for jobs you may not have even considered yet.
It’s all about you, not your degree
Most people don’t know what they want to do when they start or even finish their degree, but those skills you’ve acquired will mean that you’ll probably really enjoy a career that’s unrelated to your degree.
For example, just because you studied Law, doesn’t mean a legal career is the best match for you. This is why lots of graduate schemes out there that don’t require a specific degree because your degree alone isn’t proof that a role is right for you.
Be open to opportunities
There are very few degrees out there that limit you to just one career path, even a degree in medicine. So by being more dismissive of your degree specialism, you open yourself up to a world of possibilities that your peers may not have even considered.
Employers want you, not your degree
Most employers will open their doors to graduates with degrees in any discipline because they’re looking for a mixture of personalities, skills, and experiences in their workforce.
If you’re considering breaking up with your degree to explore new career options, or you have a specific career in mind, here are some key steps to making sure you find that perfect match;
Research
Whether you’re exploring options or you’ve got a specific career in mind, remember that it’s important to consider what you’re passionate about.
Whether that’s writing, designing, cooking, fitness, photography or even playing video games — there is a job out there that will cater to your interests and skills.
The key to finding that perfect match starts with research — find out what roles are out there, trawl through google, look at job advertisements, speak to friends and family, attend networking events or reach out on LinkedIn.
Find a mentor
If you’re still exploring what you’d like to do, a mentor can be really beneficial in providing you with some insider knowledge and advice. The University of Birmingham offers a great mentoring scheme to current students and recent graduates, but there are lots of ways to reach out and find a mentor.
Work Experience and Internships
There are thousands of internship opportunities out there, whether that's with a top employer such as PwC and Deloitte or a smaller local business — just make sure that the company is not exploiting free labour.
Here at the University of Birmingham, our students and recent graduates can explore approved internship opportunities on careers connect, by talking to one of our expert internship officers, or by meeting employers at our different events on campus.
You can also research opportunities using Google and LinkedIn, by utilising your mentor or networks, or by directly contacting companies you are interested in to see if they have any opportunities available.
Don’t be afraid to meet employers
A key way to explore what opportunities are out there, or what skills employers are looking for, is simply by asking them! We have a number of events running throughout the academic year, where employers have actively sought out to come to campus and meet with our students and graduates. So if you’re exploring alternative career options, meet as many employers as you can and find out what roles are on offer, what they’re looking for, and even get some recruitment insights.
If you’re a current student or recent graduate at the University of Birmingham, and you need some additional support in exploring alternative career options to your degree, then we have a wealth of support available.
