Graduate jobs

Lots of graduate job opportunities are advertised from the autumn of your final year for programmes that begin in the summer, so it's important to plan ahead to make sure you are maximising your chances of success in finding a role you're happy with. However, many graduate schemes accept graduates one or two years after finishing and there are other routes into graduate-level employment.

Types of graduate employment

• Graduate jobs are those which usually require a degree from the start, either because the degree gives you the specific knowledge and qualifications to do a job, or because employers value the skills and experience gained from a university education.
• Graduate schemes are training programmes over a set period, usually one to two years, which offer work experience and training within a company with the opportunity for ongoing employment afterwards (providing you pass the training).
• Internships offer work experience and training but unlike graduate schemes do not necessarily end in a formal job offer. However, they can be a good way to improve your employability skills and find out whether a job is right for you without signing up for a long period of time. Be aware that some internships are unpaid; think carefully about applying for these. See more on the law on unpaid internships on TARGETjobs.

Below is a range of sources for job opportunities arranged by sector and your faculty. Please feel free to come and see us to find out more.

Researching your career

This Build My Career video gives advice on focusing your job search on relevant organisations: student link / graduate link.

As well as searching via job websites, looking at Labour Market Information (LMI) can help you make realistic plans for your career by giving you a better understanding of what kinds of jobs are available and where they are. Read more about LMI.

You can also search for businesses and organisations by location and sector using resources such as Kompass, and Crunchbase is a platform for finding business information about private and public companies.

Websites by subject 

Creative arts and culture

Engineering

Environment and Agriculture

Healthcare

Media

Science and laboratory work

Social care and guidance

Websites by faculty

Life Sciences

Jobs for postgraduate researchers and MBAs

See a list of useful websites on our postgraduate students and MBA students.

Job opportunities abroad

Information on working abroad

As well as the Goinglobal resource below, these websites also feature useful information to help you plan for a job outside the UK.

• Prospects - Working abroad
• TARGETjobs features advice and an international jobs board
• JobTeaser includes job opportunities across Europe and internationally.
• Our information for international students also has useful links.
• The International Opportunities team can offer advice about work placements abroad after graduation.