Careers and employability support for graduates

New for 2022! Graduate horizons - summer internships

Are you graduating this year, or did you graduate in 2021? Are you looking for paid professional experience and training over the summer? Then apply for Graduate Horizons, a 12 week internship programme where you will:

  • collaborate with peers and employers to work on real business challenges
  • work on projects that support the UN Sustainable Development Goals and contribute towards sustainable futures
  • develop a report for your business partner and showcase to employers through a graduate exposition in September
  • be paid 11.05 per hour for your work and all associated training

Interested? Applications are open between 11 April and 12 June.

Find out more and apply

Support for all graduates

For up to two years after graduation, all Kingston graduates can access the careers and employability support that was available to them while studying. This includes:

  • Access to the Handshake platform where you can find jobs, internships and placements, book workshops and webinars, connect with employers and book appointments.
  • Access to Career Zone you will be able to discover career possibilities, search for jobs, prepare for interviews and optimize your CV.
  • Attend employer events such as Careers Festival where you can learn about different career options and meet employers that want to hire Kingston graduates.
  • Access to LinkedIn Learning for two years after graduation. Please complete this short form, after which you will be invited by email to activate your LinkedIn Learning Alumni account.

Graduate Support Package

Those who graduated from undergraduate courses in the last two years are also invited to sign up to the Graduate Support Package, where there is access to:

  • One-to-one support from a dedicated graduate careers coach.
  • Access to LinkedIn Learning as a graduate. Specialised Learning Pathways for faculties and industries to help improve your skills and personal development.
  • .Handshake job postings, events and more.
  • CareerZone resources, including CV assessors, interview simulators, sector reports and more.
  • A full personalised Cappfinity strengths profile. Understand your strengths and weaknesses in the workplace and how to increase your performance in your future roles.
Sign up to the Graduate Support Package

Looking ahead

Everyone is at a different point in their journey towards graduate success, whether it is pursuing a career in a finance firm or a role within a start-up or SME, it is a good idea to find out where you're at in your career journey. As a graduate, knowing where you are in your journey can help you articulate your next steps.

Explore

What does Explore mean?

Do any of the following statements relate to how you feel about your career?

  • I am not ready to start thinking about my career.
  • I have no ideas about my future career but I want to start thinking.
  • I thought I knew what I wanted but I've changed my mind.

If you said yes, then it's likely you're in the Explore phase of your career thinking.

Exploring is all about understanding yourself, your skills, strengths and working preferences so you can build a picture of the kind of person you are. Knowing this will help you figure out the types of jobs and industries that would suit you well.

For all Explorers we recommend the following things to get you started:

  • Arrange a 1-2-1 appointment: Speak to a Careers and Employability Advisor who can help you with the next steps in finding a career you love. To arrange your appointment, book via the Appointments section of Handshake. Please note there are limited appointments available at any one time so you may need to wait for one to be available.
  • Utilise Career Zone: Check your CV using CV360, explore career options, learn how to make great applications, practice your interview technique and much more! Log in here.

Plan

What does Plan mean?

Do any of the following statements relate to how you feel about your career?

  • I have some ideas about my career and I am ready to start finding out more.
  • I know what I want to do but I am not sure how to get there.
  • I have some short term ideas but lack long term career plans.

If you said yes, then it's likely you're in the Plan phase of your career thinking.

Planning is all about gaining a deeper understanding of the career paths and industries that interest you. Building your network, enhancing commercial awareness, speaking with employers, and gaining some experiences are all positive actions you can take in this phase.

Apply

What does Apply mean?

Do any of the following statements relate to how you feel about your career?

  • I have a career in mind and am ready to gain relevant experience.
  • I am ready to apply for graduate jobs and would like support to do this.
  • I am applying to postgraduate study.
  • I have been applying for opportunities but have so far been unsuccessful.
  • I am planning to start my own business and would like support to do this.


If you said yes, then it's likely you're in the Apply phase of your career thinking.

Applying is all about finding jobs, making great applications and developing skills that help you succeed in all stages of the recruitment process. Developing your CV, creating an elevator pitch, building your presence on LinkedIn and practicing psychometric tests and interviews are all positive actions you can take in this phase.

Thinking of postgraduate study?

If you are thinking about doing postgraduate study after your first degree, it is important to find a postgraduate course that is right for you.

You can discuss your postgraduate study options with a Career Adviser, who will also be able to support you with the application process once your decision has been made.

To make an appointment to speak to an adviser, please email us at careers@kingston.ac.uk.

Explore postgraduate study at Kingston University
Kingston Alumni

Kingston Alumni

Don't forget that when you graduate from Kingston University you become part of Kingston Alumni, a global community that brings with it a wide range of benefits.

Find out more about the alumni community

Graduate Outcomes Survey

15 months after you graduate you will be contacted in relation to the statutory Graduate Outcomes Survey by email or phone. The Graduate Outcomes Survey is a national survey of all UK university leavers and it lets us know what you're doing after you've graduated.

Taking the survey allows you to reflect on the value your studies have played in your current activities, how this compares to your original plans and how you're using skills you've picked up whilst in education.

We also want to understand the non-traditional routes that graduates are taking following education. Employment isn't the only successful outcome: we want to know what you do, and really understand what you see as fulfilling.

If you have updated your contact details since graduating, please let us know.

Frequently-asked questions

My Handshake access isn't working; how can I get this resolved?

Please email us at careers@kingston.ac.uk with the subject: Graduate Handshake Access.

How can I find out about my graduation ceremonies or certificates?

All graduate information is available on the Kingston Graduation pages.

I am struggling with my future plans. Can you help me as a recent graduate?

Yes we can, we recommend signing up to the Graduate Support Package, as you will get access to more tailored support and help identifying your needs.

What happens if I need support over two years from graduation?

When you graduate from Kingston University you automatically become part of Kingston Alumni. You will be able to network, keep in touch and continue to develop your skills together with over 200,000 fellow alumni.

Contact the Careers and Employability team

If you would like to find out more about how we can help you, please contact us via email at careers@kingston.ac.uk 

Careers and Employability team
Room JG0004
John Galsworthy Building
Penrhyn Road
Kingston
KT1 2EE