Develop and participate

There are lots of ways you can become more employable whilst at university. We’re here to help you develop your skills, build confidence, and find experiences that fit your future goals. Explore our job opportunities, meet employers attending our events, and gain real-world experience through work placements, internships, and study and work abroad opportunities. We’re here to support you at every stage of your employability journey and make you UNSTOPPABLE!

Build your skills to stand out

It’s never been more important to continue learning and developing new skills. Jobs are changing fast, and employers are looking for graduates who are adaptable and ready to take on new challenges. In fact, a high number of employers say that communication, teamwork and problem-solving are just as important as technical skills. So, the more you can build transferable skills now, the stronger you’ll stand out when it’s time to apply for placements or graduate roles.

Next steps to develop yourself

The University’s Student Success team is here to help you develop your skills, build confidence and career-readiness while you study, and find experiences that fit your future goals.

Get work experience

Getting work experience is a great way to build skills and figure out what kind of role you want after university. You can do a placement year, something shorter, or both! See our guidance information booklet below for further details about finding work experience. 

Finding work experience – information guide

Consider study and work abroad

The University offers a broad range of international opportunities for eligible students to participate in global mobility during their studies. 

Visit the Study and Work Abroad pages for more information about this exciting offering and see if you are eligible to participate.

Attend employer events

Our employer-led events are the perfect way to connect with industry professionals and discover exciting opportunities. From career fairs and skills sessions to hands-on workshops, insight experiences, and even mock interviews, there’s something for everyone, whether you’re exploring options or polishing your CV. 

Our friendly Career Development Advisers also run events, so you’ll get expert advice and insider tips to help you stand out. Don’t miss out, your future starts here!

Book onto employer events via the Surrey Employability Hub 

Attend employability workshops

All students are welcome to participate in workshop programmes across semester 1 and 2. You can get employability tips from major graduate recruiters and local employers, as well as from the Student Employability team. The workshops delivered will cover key employability skills such as CVs and cover letters, interviews, assessment centres, and identifying your core strengths.

Book your place via the Surrey Employability Hub 

 

Make the most of LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the largest professional network in the world, with over 46 million recent graduate or student members. Find out here how to get started with your profile.

If you’re new to LinkedIn, read our Introduction to LinkedIn guidance document.

The University also offers students free access to LinkedIn Learning, with over 20,000 online courses from industry experts, all available whenever and wherever you want. 

With LinkedIn Learning you can:

  • Explore courses on communication, leadership, creativity, and tech.
  • Build “learning paths” based on your goals or degree subject.
  • Add completed courses straight to your LinkedIn profile (a great way to show employers you’re proactive!).

Top tip: Set yourself a mini-goal, such as completing one short course per term related to your future career. Small steps make a big difference.

Log in to LinkedIn Learning through your Surrey student account and try a short course on teamwork or communication to get started.

Your digital tools for success

LinkedIn Learning

Log in to LinkedIn Learning through your student account and try a short course on teamwork or communication to get started.

LinkedIn Learning homepage

LinkedIn Learning is an online educational platform that helps you discover and develop in-demand industry skills through expert-led course videos, brought to you by LinkedIn and accessible through your University of Surrey student account. 

With more than 5,000 courses and personalised recommendations, you can discover, complete, and track courses related to your field and interests. You can also choose to add these courses and related skills to your LinkedIn profile once you've completed them to share with your network.

If you’re new to LinkedIn, read our Introduction to LinkedIn guidance document to help you get started before you explore the LinkedIn Learning resources.

View your LinkedIn Learning homepage 

AI Coach

AI-powered coaching uses generative AI technology to help student learners like you to navigate LinkedIn Learning's content library. You can get personalised and actionable advice with practical examples to help you develop critical skills.

Learn from an AI Coach

Career paths and role guides

Use LinkedIn Learning to gain insights into potential career paths and get personalised guidance about how to develop skills which are relevant for roles you’re interested in. This is particularly helpful if you have work experience from internship and placement roles, and you’re looking for guidance to prepare you for graduate roles and opportunities.

Find LinkedIn careers guides

AI role play scenarios

With LinkedIn Learning, you can use AI-powered coaching to build confidence and improve your ability to handle challenging conversations at work by using role play to practise interactive work-based scenarios.

What you can do:

  • Choose your scenario: Select the type of workplace conversation you want to practice—whether it's giving feedback, resolving conflict, or navigating a tough negotiation.
  • Interact your way: Engage in the role play using either text or voice, depending on your preference.
  • Get dynamic responses: AI adapts its replies based on how your conversation unfolds, creating a realistic and responsive experience.
  • Receive personalised feedback: After each session, you’ll get actionable insights to help you improve.
  • Close skill gaps: LinkedIn Learning content is recommended based on your performance, so you can continue developing the skills that matter most.
  • Create your own scenarios: You can design custom role plays to prepare for specific professional situations.

View scenarios

My career plan

My Career Plan enables you to create a personalised LinkedIn Learning plan which is tailored to you based on your career goals. This digital career plan includes:

  • The skills you’ll need to focus on
  • The specific goals you need to work towards
  • A sequence of learning activities to get started

View your career plan

Shortlist.Me

With Shortlist.Me, you can:
Make sure you're fully prepared for job applications and interviews with Shortlist.Me, a brand new online platform available to you for free through the University of Surrey's Student Employability service.

Practise

real interview questions in a no-pressure environment.

Try

aptitude tests, including verbal & non-verbal reasoning

Experience

employer-led situational scenarios to improve decision-making skills

Complete

self-assessments to understand your strengths, values, motivations, and skills.

Book a Shortlist.Me practice interview

It only takes a few minutes and gives you great feedback. Reflect on what you’ve learned. Think: How can I use this in class, during a placement, or in my next application?  Talk to the Student Employability team if you want help planning your next steps — we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Access Shortlist.Me to benefit from CV Co-Pilot and AI Interview Simulator

Shortlist.Me Marketplace

Explore the Shortlist.Me Marketplace to view all employability resources, and get easy access to workplace simulations, learning activities, aptitude tests, and more!

Explore Shortlist.Me

CV Co-pilot

Get high-quality, instant CV feedback with CV Co-Pilot on Shortlist.Me. CV Co-pilot is a fantastic new tool you can access to boost your confidence and make you stand out with employers. 

Explore Co-pilot 

AI interview simulator and virtual interview top tips

Nervous about interviews or assessment centres? You’re not alone!
Shortlist.Me lets you practise mock interviews and scenario-based questions in a realistic, but stress-free, online environment.

The platform is designed to look and feel just like a real interview, but without the pressure! You can record your answers, review your performance, and get instant feedback on things like your tone, pace, and structure. Whether you’re preparing for a placement, part-time job, or graduate role, Shortlist.Me is a great way to build your confidence and get comfortable talking about your skills before the real thing.

Additional useful resources

International student portal

We have useful resources specifically for international students to help you navigate the UK job market when applying for jobs and placements.

Access the International student portal on Shortlist.Me.

Equality, diversity and inclusion careers resources

A set of resources curated to support students from diverse backgrounds and neurodiverse students.

Find a career mentor

Have you tried Networking with SurreyConnects? We know that kickstarting career can be a daunting process. SurreyConnects is a Surrey-specific networking site, and is your place to connect with Surrey alumni and find a career mentor.

Jobs search engine

You can search for graduate roles, placements, internships, part-time and vacation roles and insight experiences on Surrey Employability Hub.

Careers and employability reading list

You can borrow careers-related books from the University library. Many of these publications are also available to read online. Subjects include:

  • Assessment centres
  • Psychometric tests
  • Careers research
  • Personal development.

Visit the Careers and Employability reading list

Student testimonials from skill sessions

What were the most valuable takeaways or insights you gained from the skill session?

Testimonial 1

"Transferable skills are more important than technical skills when starting to look for a job, and that I really need to open a LinkedIn profile."

Testimonial 2

"Greater insight into interviews, helped me see more opportunities to further myself when presenting and as well keep the interview memorable.”

Testimonial 3

"The guidance to navigate in competitive UK market as an international student and how UK industries generally works and what is preferable for international students."

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