UG Handbook - Personal Development and Employability

Our Careers and Placements team can help you with career planning, getting experience, developing your skills and strengths, job hunting and making applications, preparing for interviews and aptitude tests, as well as providing information about further study and funding. 

York Futures, our personal and professional development journey, helps you build a portfolio of skills and experience by outlining a timeline of activities we offer. Our unique York Strengths programme helps you understand both what you are good at and what you enjoy doing, so that you can focus on preparing for a career that suits you. You can apply for the York Award, the University’s certificate of personal and professional development, to demonstrate that you have taken a proactive approach to your time at university. 

We also organise careers fairs and events, volunteering opportunities, internships and support for enterprise to ensure you progress with a competitive edge.

Psychology Career Support

Developing your employability is about extending skills, making contacts, broadening ideas, and understanding how to gain and use your experiences to enhance your future prospects. It is a good idea to start exploring career options in your first year.

The Department provides guidance on Careers via these Student Documentation Pages. Note that the Careers pages have several subsections packed with useful resources and links provided jointly by the Department and the University Careers Service.

The Department also maintains a digital notice board for jobs, career opportunities and other useful resources which can be found here. This is kept updated and is worth bookmarking in your internet browser.

The Department also provides guidance on Careers via our Careers Co-Ordinator, Prof. Katie Slocombe, and through your supervisor, who will discuss your Employability Plan with you.

The University’s Employability tutorial enables you to assess your skills, research career options and access guidance on how to gain experience and develop new skills to prepare for your future.

 It can be accessed via the VLE: http://vle.york.ac.uk. Note that you will need your University login to access the tutorial.

For further information on Careers and employability, visit: www.york.ac.uk/careers or see the University handbook.

Personal Development Planning (PDP)

As you work through the Employability Tutorial, you will complete your Employability Plan. You should discuss this with your supervisor on an annual basis; they will arrange a time for this.  This is a great opportunity for you to reflect on your personal, academic and professional development and plan for the future.

Your supervisor should:

• encourage you to think through and articulate personal ambitions and possible career paths
• encourage you to think about the skills and attributes you will need to develop and demonstrate in order to achieve your personal, academic and professional aims
• encourage you to seek relevant advice and guidance on these matters from other academic staff, the Careers team, the College System and YUSU and signpost development that is available within and beyond the curriculum.