Well, have we got a week for you! We want to give you one full-on shot (call it a vaccine?) to protect you in an uncertain job market. We’ve got a jam-packed week of activities for you to get involved in, entirely free.

For our 2020 and 2021 graduates, we’ve got a range of interactive workshops for you to get involved with, to boost your confidence, provide you additional qualifications, and to help you secure your next role. Did you know you still have access to all our services and workshops for 3 years post-graduating? Yep, we’re the gift that keeps giving!

Are you a current student? You’re not left out, we’ve got a challenge for you, so keep an eye on our social media on 7th June! We also have Launch Into Business the following week beginning on 14th June, for any of you who are aspiring to start your own, so watch out on our social media for more about that.

So, graduates. We challenge you to equip yourself fully and completely for your next steps, and here’s how:

1. Attend as many workshops as you can.

Get stuck in and learn something new. Check your diary, and then book in via our Eventbrite here – looking for the images with the blue space-launch theme! Spaces are limited so if your chosen workshops are already fully booked, add yourself to the Waiting List – spaces do often come up. Each workshop is separately bookable and on a first-come-first-served basis for places. (We also run workshops throughout the year, open to all current students and alumni within 3 years of graduation, so pop a note in your diary to check back for more workshops in October too!)

Here’s the low-down on Launch Your Career Week sessions (if you’re a visual person, scroll straight down to the week planner!):

• Make your CV Shine – This session will be led by our Careers Advisor. We’ll be giving advice and guidance on targeting your CV to the job/further study opportunity you are applying for. We’ll tell you about CV360, and other ways you can quickly and easily make a difference to your CV.
• Social Media Masterclass – In this punchy and engaging session, you’ll learn about lots of different social media platforms, how they’re best used for different businesses and how to make the most of them, as well as a bit about scheduling too. You’ll see great live examples of how it’s used in industry, and be able to hold a strong grasp of the benefits. You’ll be able to ask questions too, this is a session not to miss.
• Your Journey from Uni to Business Owner – Come and hear from The Kent Foundation, Kent’s leading business support organisation for young people as they talk through the steps of developing an idea for your own business.  You’ll learn about the attributes of an entrepreneur, the different reasons that lead people to start a business and how you can develop your business idea.  They’ll also be joined by a local young business owner who will talk about why they started a business and their journey so far.
• The Content Creatives – This session will run you through Media and Personal Branding, as well as Digital Storytelling and Smartphone Content Creation. If you fully engage and participate, you’ll receive 4 AQA certificates for this session (on us – no cost to you, and we’ll even pop them in the post for you).
• Interview Preparation – One of our Careers Advisors will be facilitating this session. They will be showing you the different types of interviews that recruiters use and teaching some top tips on how to prepare for your interview, even in this digital world. Explore the different types of questions you are likely to be asked at interview and how best to formulate your responses to these questions.
• The Negotiation Club – This exclusive session is offered as a way of encouraging you to learn about something new (knowledge and techniques) on a subject that you may not have considered before…. negotiations. This amazing online 90 minute session provides that opportunity to find out more about how we can practice negotiation skills with others, in a safe, practical environment. This event is an excellent chance to participate and develop our negotiation skills to navigate difficult conversations, difficult changes and difficult circumstances. The Negotiation Club will introduce the fundamentals of Negotiation Practice through simple scenarios generated using Negotiation Cards and allows for feedback and reflection.
• Your Personality, Your Career – This fully interactive and fun workshop is designed to help you identify your True Colors™ personality type and enable you to understand how to use this knowledge in the world of work. True Colors™ helps people recognize their personality and temperament types. It evolves around four colours: Green, Orange, Blue and Gold. Each of us are a blend or rainbow, usually with one predominant colour. Identifying your colour preferences can help us in many areas of your life, career and job search.
• Your Career Support – Find out about the wealth available from your Careers & Enterprise Hub here at CCCU, both whilst you’re a student as Alumni once you’ve graduated too!
• Productivity Ninja – Overwhelmed? Struggling with constant distractions, information overload and a rapidly changing business environment? Struggling to juggle productivity and wellbeing? The Productivity Ninja® approach turns traditional time management on its head. Time is not your most precious resource: your attention is. This session will help you manage attention and focus, projects and actions, as well as choices and habits. A Productivity Ninja® is calm and prepared, but also skilled and ruthless in how they deal with the many enemies of productivity and wellbeing. We’ll share with you the 9 Characteristics of the Productivity Ninja®, and help you identify specific ways you can implement them.
• HSBC HIIT: Budgeting – HSBC will be leading this high intensity seminar to aid your Financial Wellbeing. One of the key ways to take control and manage your Financial Health is creating a budget. Budgeting can help you to create a spending plan for your money so that your money could work harder for you and that you stay on the right track to reaching your financial goals. Financial Health Check Available on Request: You can book an appointment with an experienced HSBC personal banker to go through a quick and easy 30 minute Financial Health Check, allowing you to ask any financial questions you may have. This complimentary service is available regardless of where you bank personally. To book this, email health-check@hsbc.com directly, and quote CANTERBURY CHRIST CHURCH UNIVERSITY in the subject bar.
• Alumni Panel – We’re inviting back some of our Alumni to talk to you about what it was like transitioning into the world of work, and the careers they’ve enjoyed. We’ll also introduce you to the Alumni Team here at CCCU, so you know how you can stay in touch! Come to be inspired, come armed with questions, come and join in the fun and put your networking skills to the test and make some great connections with fellow CCCU Alumni!
• Microsoft Specialist Workshops – We have these available in Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook. After each you can take the corresponding exam, then display the badge on your LinkedIn, and add your new skill to your CV! We run these through the year, but the ones at the beginning of June are especially for you. If you can do evening sessions only, catch the first two of these in May, and the second two on the 8th & 10th June! More about these workshops here…

2. Book a Careers Advice appointment.

We have two fantastic advisors, who are waiting to chat to you – on Microsoft Teams, Skype or Facebook Messenger. Sessions are typically 45 minutes, and they’ll help you think about your next steps. You can access these appointments before, after, or during the Launch Your Career week, so if you’re keen, do book in now! This video shows you how. You’re able to access these appointments for free within 3 years of graduation, so make the most of it. Even if you’re not sure where to start… especially if you’re not sure where to start. Book an appointment.

3. Use the Careers & Enterprise Hub.

You have access to the Careers & Enterprise Hub for life because you have studied with us. Need help accessing it/ not got a login? Watch this video and it’ll tell you what to do! Use CV360 and Interview360 on the Careers & Enterprise Hub, and have a look at the Job Search Tool. All our services are available to you for 3 years post-graduation (including Advice Appointments and workshops), and the online Hub is available to your for life – you’ll just need to remember to set up

4. Make LinkedIn Work Harder for You.

Your LinkedIn profile is a precious asset. If you don’t have one, get one. If you have one, sit with this blog, and measure your LinkedIn profile and use to this standard… and make LinkedIn work for you! Want someone to check it for you? Email us on careers@canterbury.ac.uk

5. You don’t know, what you don’t know.

See if there’s anything else you’ve not yet tapped in to. Watch this video which explains all of our services, and see if there are more ways we can support you.

Getting further support from The Careers and Enterprise Team at CCCU

You can get ongoing careers support via the following ways:

• Email careers@canterbury.ac.uk
• Log onto the Careers and Enterprise Online Hub to access resources such as CV360, Interview Simulator and more. Our Live Chat function is also available for you to speak to us 10-12 and 2-4 Monday to Friday
• Check out our YouTube channel for more advice and signposting
• Don’t forget our workshops – all online and free and for all current students and recent alumni (up to 3 years post-graduation).