I am now fully in the swing of lectures and seminars. But I have done something slightly different this week. Not only am I a mentor for applicants, hence why I am writing this blog, I am also a mentee for the Career Mentoring Programme.

The Career Mentoring Programme pairs you up with a working professional, usually suited to your career interests or your degree. My mentor also did Religious Studies at Lancaster and now works for Lancashire County Council. He has been so helpful for me, in helping to update and change my CV. He has also given me invaluable tips on how to perform in an interview, the most significant being that just because you don’t get a job doesn’t mean your interview went badly. It all depends what the employer is looking for and doesn’t make you unemployable, only that that job isn’t right for you at that time. He drew on his own experience when he discussed this with me. He is now in a job which he feels suits him perfectly and one which he would not have been in had he succeeded in every job interview.

This week I shadowed him at his workplace, at County Hall in Preston. This was a really insightful and rewarding experience. I had never been in an office setting before. I have previously done work experience in schools as I originally wanted to be a teacher but have since decided to change my career path and I work part time in a bar, so this was a totally new working environment. I got to oversee what he does day to day, but as a policy officer, this changes week by week. At this point he was editing a visual diagram to be used in a presentation and booklet on the procedures for homeless teenagers. It was great to see how varied his workload was and how interesting each case is. I also got to speak to an apprentice who had been at County Hall for six months and really enjoyed her job and had learned so many skills in such a short amount of time.

Without the mentoring programme, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity to get a real insight into what working in the local government is like. Lancaster University has so many opportunities to enhance your career prospects, from the Career fairs, study abroad, Richardson Institute Internship Programme and the mind out programme. They care not only about you getting a good degree, but also making the most of your time here and ensuring that your time spent after university is best suited to you.

So, make sure that when you do get to Lancaster University, make the most of the extra opportunities available and make yourself the best prospective employee you can be.