Make yourself as employable as possible after university with these helpful tips from Nadim Choudhury, the Head of Careers and Employability at The London Institute of Banking & Finance.
Updated: 05 Sept 2025
Gaining work experience while undertaking a degree is now considered just as important at the degree itself. In fact, many employers won’t consider graduates who haven’t undertaken work experience while studying.
Here are my six tips on how to make the most of your university experience for career success:
In your first year of studies make sure you get engaged and involved in extracurricular activities, whether it’s sports, clubs and societies, volunteering – anything that will expose you to different people and interests is important – and you will slowly start to build up a better picture of what your interests are.
Getting a part-time job while studying is also a good idea. Most jobs can help you develop strong transferable skills such as communication, team working, time management and leadership.
On many degrees programmes undertaking a work placement is compulsory, and even when it isn’t it’s often strongly encouraged. So, if your course offers you a placement, take it, as it’s an excellent way to get real life experience. Many companies offer placements and they cross many different sectors, and it can even end up with a job offer after graduation.
If your degree doesn’t offer formal work placements, there are still plenty of opportunities to arrange your own during, or outside of, term time. And it shouldn’t be too hard to find either, as usually companies will advertise their vacancies through the university’s career service. You may have to complete an online application form and attend subsequent assessment centres and interviews, so seek out the advice of your careers service as they can help you prepare.
If your university offers formal mentoring programmes, these are a fantastic way to gain meaningful insights and support from someone who is already working in the sector. Many ex-students also offer their time to mentor current students, guide them through applications or offer impartial advice on how to increase their networking and confidence skills. These mentoring relationships are not only beneficial for the mentee but are also hugely rewarding for the mentor.
To seek out a career mentor, first identify what sector you are interested and then approach your alumni office. They can usually put you in touch with recent alumni who have indicated a desire to help other students.
Many universities offer students the chance to register their skills and build up a portfolio of activities that count towards an employability award which develop and highlight the skills employers want. So, if you lack significant work experience, this could be an alternative way to show a potential employer that you’ve developed the relevant skills for a role.
Similar to placements, taking a job or a paid internship over summer is probably the best way to gain new skills and show off your CV to prospective employers.
Internships differ from placements as they’re not usually a formal part of a degree programme. They are often offered as short-term contracts by employers and usually have a learning element but are arranged between the employer and student themselves. In some sectors, such as in financial services, a summer internship in your final year is often seen as a must in obtaining a graduate role after your degree.
Speak to your careers service as they will usually be able to direct you to the latest summer internships on offer.
Studying and living in another country is a fantastic way to gain experience of different cultures and international experience is often very much desired by employers. If you manage to learn a new language during your time abroad then your chances of career success are even higher. European languages such as French, Spanish and German in particular are often highly sought after by employers.
Finally, don’t give up. The graduate job market is very competitive. If you get rejected on your first few attempts, just keep trying. Ask for feedback from employers, reflect on whether there are areas you could improve and try again. Gaining employability skills and work experience during your degree is vital if you want to succeed in your career after graduation, so making an effort will reap rewards!
The London Institute of Banking & Finance (LIBF) is an awarding body, delivering degree courses for students aiming to pursue a career in banking and finance at their university campus in central London. LIBF is a registered charity, incorporated by Royal Charter.
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