Indian students will be probably be familiar with placement cells. It’s the department in the university that invites recruiters on campus and ‘places’ students at companies.
It's different in the UK - most universities will have a careers service instead. They're similar as they both help with your future career. But there are some differences. So, what is a careers service and how can it benefit you as a student?
The placement cell is a department at the university that talks to and invites recruiters on campus and ‘places’ students at companies. The cell organises career guidance programmes for all the students starting from the first year. It supports the placement process by identifying relevant career opportunities for those who are seeking placement assistance.
The placement cell arranges training sessions like mock interviews, group discussions and communication workshops. They'll take the right steps towards identifying the demands of industry and prepare the students for these needs.
A university's career service is a little different. They'll help you prepare for the needs of your ideal industry but they won't 'place' you in a job the way placement cells do.
Instead, they'll provide you with advice on career paths, such as helping you plan for your ideal role and organising internships/placements. They'll also help you with your CV, cover letter and even how to prepare for job interviews.
Let's discuss in a little more detail…
Career planning isn't about finding the ideal job straight away. Instead, it's about taking the time to research and test out ideas.
Here at Newcastle University, you can drop in and speak to one of our expert careers consultants who will help you to explore your future ideas and plans.
The Career Compass can help with your career and guide you towards information and advice that can support you. Whether you’re in your first year and unsure of how to make the best use of your time or in your final year worrying about options after studies, this can help get you on track.
Meeting the careers service when getting settled at the university can help you in identifying your skills and making career-related decisions.
Careers services provide opportunities for you to make connections, through employer events, information sessions, and recruitment fairs.
At Newcastle University we have a mentoring platform, NCL Spark, which connects students with alumni and other professionals working in a range of sectors.
We also have a recruitment team who maintain connections with a wide range of graduate employers to ensure they are targeting our students with their recruitment campaigns. We advertise all these vacancies on MyCareer which is a resource exclusively for Newcastle University students. You can use their employers’ directories and other relevant materials.
It can take time to get your first job or placement. The Careers Service at your university can help you with this, by giving you feedback on your applications.” You can visit the Careers Service at your university to find out how they can help you.
You may also have to complete a recruitment test - often known as psychometric tests. This can often be early on in the process and can involve tests such as verbal and numerical reasoning, situational judgement and behaviour tests. We can help students prepare for these recruitment tests, by giving them access to free online practice tests.
If you would like some feedback on your CV, covering letter, application or LinkedIn profile and you study at Newcastle University, you can come along to a drop-in session. There’s no appointment needed.
At Newcastle University’s Careers Service, you can use our interview simulator to practise your interview skills and get advice for what you should do before, during and after the interview.
You may also have to complete a recruitment test - often known as psychometric tests. This can often be early on in the process and can involve tests such as verbal and numerical reasoning, situational judgement and behaviour tests.
These aren't the only things a careers service can help you with. Whether you're looking for a graduate career, starting your own business or further study, read more about Newcastle University's award-winning careers service here.
If there are three things that our careers team are particularly good at, it's giving advice on how to write great cover letters and CVs, and impress recruiters in interviews. That's why we've created a resource that covers all of these things (and a few more). Of course, you can always visit our careers team if you're a Newcastle University student or graduate any time but you might want some advice right now.
We know it’s exciting to start your career, but before you get there, things like cover letters and interview prep need to be complete. That’s why we created our ‘‘Getting Work Ready’ guide, which is full of all the information you might need to increase your employability and prepare you for working life.
You’ll also find some information on building your brand. Download your copy below.