Careers and employability
Our graduates are highly sought after by leading employers. As well as a broad range of career support, we link our students with partner organisations and support them to find, apply and thrive in their chosen career.
How we can support you
The school benefits from dedicated Employability Advisers to develop tailored and bespoke career development support for our students. Take part in:
Career Development sessions
Our current in-school topics include Options with Your Business Degree, Effective Networking and Succeeding at Interviews. Our sessions are interactive and respond to changes and trends in the labour market and recruitment processes, so you can be sure to keep up to date.
Prepare for Career Success Course
A bespoke career development course for Postgraduate students in the school, to guide you from exploring your options to researching employers and preparing applications and interviews, with input from previous Bristol graduates. Tailored to students looking to work either in the UK or internationally.
The Prepare for Career Success course is also linked to the PGT International Mentoring Scheme, a fantastic opportunity for our international students to build their networks.
Careers Common Rooms
Available regularly, linked to sectors or career development topics, these are an informal setting to give you opportunity to get advice and work collaboratively on career aims.
How to get into… panel events
A series of events led by professionals working in a range of popular Business-related sectors. Previous topics have included how to get into Business Analytics, Supply Chain Logistics and Fintech.
Employability activities included in your units
You will have opportunities to engage with industry experts, work with real life case studies and experience work related learning. This will help you develop valuable skills sought-after by employers.
Careers Service
The University’s Careers Service offers a variety of opportunities including work experience, internship opportunities and guidance on becoming more employable. You can also access support to help develop potential start-up ideas and entrepreneurial skills.
Professional Liaison Network
Our Professional Liaison Network (PLN) run initiatives and partnerships connecting you to alumni and external organisations related to your academic discipline. Activities include placements, projects mentoring, panel and networking events.
Bristol Futures Initiative
Become an adaptable, successful graduate through our Bristol Futures Initiative.
Jobs and work experience
There are lots of opportunities available to you through part time jobs, work experience and internships. Graduate level roles are advertised on mycareer.
Connect with our alumni
We are deeply proud of our highly successful alumni community who have gone on to pursue a broad range of careers and opportunities across the globe. Students can connect with our global alumni community through Bristol Connects an exclusive, online space for alumni, students and staff. After graduation, overseas alumni events can help to enhance your professional network. You can also connect with 19,000 alumni through our University of Bristol LinkedIn group.
The Careers Service at the University is fantastic. I’ve been to a CV drop-in session and workshops from various employers to help further my employability. They also hold multiple careers fairs with some big names attending, so there’s been plenty of opportunity to ask questions to professionals in my industry of interest.
5th most targeted university by the top UK employers (High Fliers 2024).
The mentoring scheme has really helped me hone my career aspirations, in part because my mentor was so well suited to me. It has refined my goals and will allow me to carry out more research into the job role to find out how I can develop my skills more specifically in this area.
Develop your skills
PLUS award
The university’s employability award, Bristol PLUS is a tool to help you maximise the opportunities available to you as a student and support your future ambitions.
Meet and network with industry leaders
We run events inviting social science graduates to talk about their career pathways. They show how their degree has provided the expertise for their employment and where your studies can take you. Speakers come from a diverse range of organisations. These have included PwC, Triodos sustainable bank and central government think tanks.
The QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022 placed Bristol at 49th in the world.