Free job search courses for unemployed graduates

Press release issued: 2 May 2003

Unemployed graduates living in the Bristol area can now benefit from free job hunting advice thanks to a new initiative from the University of Bristol's Careers Advisory Service.

From May 2003 to September 2004, the Service will run Graduate Directions, a series of free three-day interactive courses for graduates of any university who are registered unemployed and living within a 50 mile radius of Bristol. The courses are supported by the European Social Fund.

The sessions, run by experienced graduate careers advisers, will offer practical help in developing the skills and knowledge needed to find suitable employment.

Informal and interactive, the sessions will offer plenty of scope for individual attention and help graduates to:

identify skills and strengths
clarify career direction
develop effective job-hunting techniques
produce a high quality cv
improve interview skills

After the course, graduates can become registered users of the University's Careers Service for six months with full and free access to a wealth of resources including employer and vacancy information, job search facilities and a range of psychometric instruments relating to career choice.

Jeff Goodman, Director of the Careers Advisory Service, said: "The courses will give graduates the opportunity to get together in a group with others facing the same problems and focus on how they can take practical steps to improve their job searching techniques.

"Often very small steps are needed to make a real difference. Learning from others in the same boat, together with getting advice from experts can be motivating and inspirational - a real morale booster."

Graduates who are interested in attending one of the courses should contact Brian Staines, Careers Adviser on 0117 928 8223 or brian.staines@bristol.ac.uk.

The courses will be held at the Careers Advisory Service, 11, Priory Road, Clifton.

If accepted on a course, graduates must commit to attending on all three days. Travel expenses will be re-imbursed.

The European Social Fund (ESF) is the main financial tool through which the European Union translates its strategic employment policy aims into action. The fund helps develop employment by promoting "employability", the business spirit and equal opportunities, and investing in human resources.