Q. How long have you worked at LSE and what is your current job?
A. I have worked at LSE since 2008 as a Careers Consultant. My previous professional background was in Government and Higher Education, with a focus on information and research work. Six months after joining the team at LSE I took on responsibility for working with recent alumni – providing careers coaching and advice for students graduating from all programmes across the school.
Q. What is your favourite part of what you do?
A. The coaching work I do with recent alumni gives me a real buzz. Job searching in the current climate requires a lot of resilience, and I particularly enjoy working with graduates on developing confidence in their own skills and abilities. It's great to receive emails from graduates I've coached telling me they've "got the job".
Q What do you find most interesting about the students of LSE?
A. The high calibre and international focus of LSE students is something that sets the School apart from other universities. As a Careers Consultant I've never stopped learning from the students here, and I respect and admire the drive and academic ability that motivates them to study at the School. Our students come from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds and this very much influences the diversity of their career goals.
Q. What do you think makes the School such a special place?
A. The focus on global issues, whether political, economic or social, and the exceptional calibre of the academic staff and students makes the School a very exciting place to work. The regular presence of high profile speakers, including returning LSE alumni, reinforces LSE's position as an influential environment.
Q. How does the Careers Service help students reach their career goals?
A. One thing that we're very proud of in the Careers Service is the work that we do engaging with employers. We are continually working to find news way to help organisations connect with LSE students, whether through careers fairs, panel and forum events, or via our online jobs board where employers can advertise opportunities. We combine this external facing engagement with the professional development and support offered to students via careers appointments and seminars. Our position, as a link between students and employers – many of whom are LSE alumni – enables us to effectively support students in reaching their goals.
Q. How will the New Students' Centre improve your work?
A. The New Students' Centre will give us a much more visible presence on campus, and enable us to work even more closely with other student support services at LSE. Lack of space has been an issue for us in our current location, particularly as we are a busy service, having to manage growing demand from students. The New Students' Centre will provide us with an exciting and innovative environment, which we feel will reflect the growing importance of the work we do with students and alumni.
The New Students' Centre
In 2013 LSE Careers will move into the New Students' Centre helping this department do an even better job. In preparation for this the Friends and Family programme is seeking to raise £100,000 towards the centre and this support will be recognised by naming the Careers Information Library.
Please donate| and support the Friends and Family programme to enhance the student experience.
For more information visit the Friends and Family webpages|.