Adapting to change

Dealing with change and uncertainty can often bring out the best in us. In this blog we look at how ARU students have risen to the challenge of a trimester like no other…

We are nearly at the end of this year, and what a year it has been. No-one could have predicted the turn of events in the Spring and how they have shaped our lives since then. We all had to make changes to the way we work and live, and those changes had to happen very quickly. Staff and students needed to adapt to a new way of teaching and learning and employers had to rely on remote recruitment – all of which involved dealing with, at times, some challenging technology and situations.

There was little time to reflect on the right way – the best method. It was more a case of fighting fires and trying to make the transition as seamless as possible. However, through all that happened then and is still part of daily life, the ability to deal with studying from home, uncertain job prospects and in some cases, furloughs or loss of part-time work, has made you increasingly more adaptable and resilient. Can you imagine how important those skills are to employers? Being able to deal with change, find new ways and not give up, are essential elements of a successful business and employees with those qualities are in demand.

Talking with current students and recent graduates, at events and individual meetings, I have been really impressed with the way you are dealing with these uncertain times. Plan A career plan may have been overtaken by a Plan B, formed from an awareness of important transferable skills. New and different opportunities have been discovered through ‘thinking outside the box’ during conversations and support from The Employability Service team.
If you have been reading our recent blogs, you will know we have spotlighted industries that currently have high levels of vacancies, as well as graduate schemes that are still recruiting in good numbers. In order to take advantage of students’ flexibility and willingness to consider different options, since March last year, The Employability Service has organised and hosted Careers In…webinars (everything from construction to counselling). These, together with several virtual Careers Fairs, means we have seen more than 100 organisations keen to meet our students.

By the way, if you didn’t catch them, many webinars were recorded and are available on our Events pages.

When we return next Trimester, I would really advise those looking for graduate jobs, postgraduate study, or some work experience for the summer, to start your search if you have not already. Get in touch with your Employability & Careers Adviser (email [email protected]) for support with this, as well as advice on how to make your application stand out from the crowd. Keep an open mind when it comes to your next steps. Make an appointment to talk to a careers adviser if you are still working on career plans.

We’re not out of the woods yet but knowing that you have the skills to bounce back and move forward, may give you choices you had not considered before. The coronavirus pandemic has brought difficult times but you have proved to yourself – and potential employers – how your willingness to adapt and maintain resilience got you through them and will continue to serve you well in the future.

We wish you a happy and safe Christmas break and look forward to seeing you in the New Year!

By Kim Holbrook
Employability & Careers Adviser

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Our Employability Service works with students throughout their time at ARU and after they graduate. The Service offers careers advice, online resources, and help with job searches, applications and interview preparation. Our Employability & Careers Advisers may mention some of these resources and services in their blogs, to give you an idea of the careers support that's on offer at ARU. Some of these resources sit behind a log in and can only be accessed by current students.