I chose to study politics because I wanted to leave my options wide open. Many social science students I know worry that they cannot use their degrees to get the job they want. But, if you can tailor your CV and experience to suit your application, you could be in the running for most of the below.
10. Overseas volunteers, Raleigh. If, like me you want to get out of the rainy UK; if you are struggling in the current job market; or if you are actually just a good person wanting to make a difference to the world, this is a great chance to volunteer abroad in either Costa Rica, Nicaragua, India or Malaysia. Plus, the bursaries provided mean you don't have to work for a year to save enough to be able to do some volunteering. Very tempting.
9. Media executives, radio and TV PR company. This one sounds too good to be true if you want to get into the world of TV, plus there's a great starting salary. There are actually two vacancies with the company — media liaison executive and a junior account executive. The roles do look for a lot of previous experience but if you fit the bill this looks like a great opportunity to meet a lot of people in the business and could provide a great stepping stone into the world of broadcast and TV journalism. The personal spec says you need to have a big personality and be good at interacting with people; all skills that could later help you in your career as a budding TV presenter or broadcast journalist. Plus, located just down the road from the BBC studios at Elstree, the Eastenders fanatics among you will be pleased at the prospect of bumping into Peggy during your lunch break.
8. Marketing and communications officer, Oxfam. I know a lot of graduates who get involved with fundraising at university, either for a society they run or for charities they support. If this sounds like you then you could put your experience into practice working for this worthwhile organisation. Plus those transferable skills (gained from all our hard work researching and writing those monumental dissertations) that we all hear so much about, are bound to come in handy as the job advert requests candidates with strong analytical skills.
7. Policy researcher, Victim Support. Politically savvy? Moi? If you are, this role could suit you down to the ground. It's a role working with Victim Support, a national charity helping more than 1.5 million people affected by crime every year. Also, if you want to work in the charity sector, this job could also serve as a great stepping stone into the world of think tanks as there will be much scope refine your skills and knowledge of policy and research.
6. Community co-ordinator, Groundwork Leeds. I think this vacancy sounds like a great chance to really do some good at a local level. If you believe in the importance of community cohesion and in local people influencing local decisions working for a Groundwork community programme will probably appeal. Plus, I can personally recommend a move to Leeds; it provides for an excellent social life at half the price of London Town.
5. Adviser on paralympic games, London 2012 Unit. This opportunity may appeal most to politics graduates, like me, as the chance to get a foot in the door at the Greater London Authority. That said, getting involved with one of the biggest events the Capital has ever seen will probably appeal to most social scientist graduates. And, erm, what could be more appealing than a job advising Mayor Boris Johnson? Every job has its ups and downs, of course.
4. Recruitment roles for graduates, Venor Resourcing. Although working in recruitment may not be everyone's cup of tea, the possibility of £60k a year will appeal to many of us broke graduates. If you are open about the industry you want to go into or if you already know that you want to get into recruitment and would like a career with good prospects and a great salary (likely to rapidly increase!) this vacancy working for a "market-leading" recruitment company could be the perfect role for a social science graduate. I'm no expert but there seem to be a lot of recruitment vacancies for graduates at the moment, hopefully something to do with things picking up.
3. PA to partner, European real estate investment firm. Parlez-vous français? If so, this job could fit the bill, especially if you are looking to break into the property industry. The job advert is a little sketchy as to what the role actually involves but if you really want to make the most of your French language skills it may be worth contacting the company, Orion, for more details. It never does any harm to seem keen over the phone, in my view. And, if you're keen to specialise, this role could be perfect as it leads into a definite industry and may also need relatively practical skills compared to some of those general research and analysis ones used throughout your degree.
2. Hub economist, London School of Economics and Political Science. If you didn't get one of the sought-after places to study at LSE, you can do one better and work there. The role sounds quite intense to me as a lot of specific skills are necessary. But if you are an economics buff, and have acquired such skills while studying, it could be right up your street. Bear in mind that an undergraduate or advanced degree in economics or a related discipline is a must.
1. PA in an advertising agency. The film? What Women Want. The dream? To be a top-notch advertising executive just like Helen Hunt. For those of you who have the same awful taste in films as myself will understand the appeal here. Either way, this is a great chance to get on the first rung of the career ladder at an advertising agency. You need some experience as a PA which at first I found a little off-putting, but then I started thinking about how I could tailor my experience to show that it is suitable and what do you know, I reckon it might be worth applying. Plus, as it's a temporary post, this could be a good way to try out the sector. Media experience is important to the agency too, so if like me you've worked on the student paper or dealt with media enquiries for your society at university you'll be sorted.
