Feedback

STUDENTS - YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT TO US

We use it to improve the services we offer you, and lets us know what to keep doing and what we need to develop. 

When you have an appointment with one of the CDC team, we would encourage you to fill out our feedback form. This is available when attending your appointment, or online via a link sent once your appointment is completed.

Career Event - we arrange and deliver many seminars, workshops and panel discussions during the year. At many, a survey is circulated for your thoughts and feedback. A link may also be sent to participants.

We hope you find our website both useful & informative and if you have any further queries related to Careers or our services, we are happy to hear from you.

Thank you for your suggestions and comments

Getting updates:

• ’An email service that would send you on job information in your study area.’
  We say: All students can log into Careers Connect and opt in for weekly opportunities and events emails. Once you select the sectors that interest you, you'll get regular updates on jobs. 
• ’For one of the jobs fairs this year I only found out about it after the event! I received no emails nor seen any posters or flyers about the event.’
  We say: sorry to hear you missed out. We do put up posters around campus each week but these are easily covered up. Again, you can sign up for events alerts through Careers Connect. 
• ’My research is straddled across many disciplines and at times I hear about events pertinent to my professional development in other disciplines after they have happened!? I would like to know more about events that are held in other disciplines - How can I do this?’
  We say: Careers Connect will allow you to sign up for automatic emails on all our events in the 'update your profile' section, they are also all available to browse and register for from your Careers Connect homepage. 
• ’Being active on Facebook and through email helps, as do flyers.’
  We say: we're trying not to flood your timeline with posts on Facebook so will do a weekly 'what's on next week' post along with any updates or changes. Also daily updates on Twitter. 

Information and appointments:

• ’make a booklet for the social media elements (like LinkedIn) as you do for other such things as writing up your CV and personal statements’
  We say: we'll look at doing one in the future (budgets permitting). In the meantime, we have a factsheet written and  web pages on Using Social Media       
• ’Waiting times for appointments could be improved on.’
  We say: we're trying to have more appointments during the semester (but at times our advisers are also committed to careers modules and seminars). Students can help by cancelling appointments they cannot attend as more than 10% of students that booked did not show up (despite reminders).
• ’Reserve an 'emergency' time slot late in the day.’
  We say: most days we do have one, but these can fill up early in the day. We will look at the possibility of reserving more 'last minute' appointments, however this would reduce the number of bookable appointments.
• ’Have folders on each field as in a folder for science then one for physics then one for astrophysics and a list of jobs available to them.’
  We say: we have lots of folders in the Information Room that you can access without making an appointment. We can't cover everything, but we do have a few on the sciences including physics. We also have a selection of careers related books that you can read in our information room.
  
• ’i have one year left before i qualify as a doctor. we have had no one to one guidance throughout the course. i have friends graduated law and friends graduated from engineering. apparently they only had one day at the beginning of their final year where there were signs up for career development. thats no use at all. almost everyone in uni needs a sit down to really work out what the hell they are going to do afterwards.’
  We say: We have appointments that can be requested by any student throughout the year - these are not mandatory or pre-scheduled for you, you need to contact us.
  We're looking at the possibility of doing more 'pop-up careers' around campus so that those with busy schedules can meet with one of our advisers (e.g., in the Engineering Building during Engineering Week). 
  We are also involved in 1st year orientation, and other induction days, where we detail the services available to students (which may be what your friends were talking about).  

Events:

• ’At the career events, it would be great to have students in to talk about where there career has gone one year after completing their degree. Would be very good to get a fresh perspective on life after college.’
  We say: At our many careers talks during each semester, we try to get recent graduates to take part. Usually we look for an alumni working in the field. If anyone interested in taking part in a seminar in the future, we'd love to hear from you (we're on LinkedIn!). 
• ’A talk to perhaps my class or even all the health sciences in moyola at once could be very useful. As we wouldn't tend to be applying for postgrads etc but would still like guidance on how to shape our careers.’
  We say: we have such a talk as part of the Nursing 'Transition to Practice' module, and speak to final year health sciences (SLT, OT, Podiatry) during 2nd semester as well.
• ’Work with students from specific courses/fields rather than more generalised workshops.’
  We say: we do, but these workshops are not advertised on Careers Connect or our Events Calendar as they take place as part of your normal lectures or are a specific module. Class reps or academics can contact us to set something up for a particular class. We held 30 such workshops in 1st semester.
• ’running the seminars twice, once early in the day and once in the evening to suit everyone…  or alternatively, record them and post on blackboard.’
  We say: we have found in previous years that very few students showed up to a repeated talk (and with invited speakers it is rare that they would be available for a second session). We recorded some sessions during lockdown which are available on the Careers information for students sharepoint. However, many speakers do not wish to be recorded.
• ’I would like a seminar or lecture on how to apply for a PhD, and how to increase your chances of getting your PhD as well as a section on things to consider before applying.’
  We say: thanks for the suggestion, we'll look into running or facilitating this, perhaps in conjunction with the Postgraduate Open Day. You can see Postgraduate Open Day recordings here.
• ’Activities such as aptitude test days, where each student could take one and see what may suit them best.’
  We say: check out our resources at Careers information for students sharepoint (students only).