If you are fresh from nursing your freshers' week hangover — and perhaps scratching your head trying to figure out why you joined the tiddlywinks society — you might be surprised to find out you could already be on your way to improving your employability.
In a recent Guardian Careers podcast, careers consultant Ruth Wilcock says freshers' week is a great way to find out more about the opportunities available at university — think everything from joining a club to becoming a student ambassador — and getting involved is an important way of developing the skills employers look for.
In fact, Ruth pointed out how many savvy students are already thinking about life after university — she has seen a rise in visits from first year students who are keen to find out how they can make themselves more appealing on the jobs market when they graduate.
So, if you are already thinking about how you can make the most of university to start preparing for your future career — or if you'd like to know more about what employers want to see from your time spent studying — join our panel of experts in a live Q&A, 19 October at 1pm.
Our panel:
Becky Ascough is internship project manager at Graduates Yorkshire, a social enterprise which matches graduates to businesses in the region. Becky's CV includes a graduate employability role for The Higher Education Academy and working in knowledge economy at Yorkshire Universities.
Andy Lloyd is link consultant to the School of Engineering at the University of Warwick. Andy has more than 12 years of careers guidance experience, including roles at Connexions and with university students and graduates at Birmingham Institute of Art and Design.
Anna Crilly is senior client development manager in the Learning and Professional Development department at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Anna works with employers and students, and has links in the accountancy industry, the financial services area and the public sector.
Bob Griffiths is a chartered accountant and a careers consultant. Bob started his own consultancy offering financial advice as well as careers coaching. Some of his clients include the Ministry of Defence, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Goldman Sachs and the DVLA. He also works with creative professionals such as actors and musicians.
Dr Martin Patrick is university partnerships manager at video recruitment specialist Meet The Real Me. Martin has 20 years' experience working with students in both higher and further education, and is a former senior university lecturer and third year coordinator at Bucks New University. He is currently leading Meet The Real Me's partnership programme with universities across the UK, providing final-year students with a platform to launch their job campaign.
Lucy Madahar is assistant director of Student Services at Birmingham City University and a director of the Association of Graduate Careers Services (AGCAS), where she works closely with UK and Irish university careers services.
Dr Paul Redmond is head of Careers and Employability at the University of Liverpool and one of the country's leading experts on generational theory and the graduate labour market. Paul is vice-president of the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Helen Buzdugan is an experienced careers consultant at the University of Manchester, who has spent a number of years working on the graduate employability agenda in various capacities, from developing employability policy and strategy to advising students and developing practical tools for career planning.
James Eder is co-founder and commercial director of studentbeans.com, a website for students in the UK. James became one of the youngest entrepreneurs in the UK when he founded his business at the age of 22, two weeks before graduating from university. Encouraging the next generation of entrepreneurs, he is a frequent speaker at conferences, schools and universities on subjects including marketing, entrepreneurship and establishing a successful brand. James is also a guest lecturer at the University of Birmingham.
