Starting University can be extremely daunting but what is arguably more daunting is the ‘real world’ you have to face after graduation. This prospect is something you will be reminded about from day one at Leeds and unfortunately something you should really be thinking about asap.
Therefore, it is important to talk about how you can develop your ‘personal brand’ in your short time at Leeds so that when it comes to job time you’ll be a desirable candidate. Personally, I would say to try and get involved with as much as possible whilst at Leeds and experience as much as you can, as cliche as it sounds. I myself try and stick to one key thing per year and that’s worked for me so far, so this could be anything from joining a sports society to writing for the Gryphon and so forth. Extracurricular activities are vital to developing your personal brand and are really sought after by employers looking to differentiate between candidates.
Keeping your CV up to date is also a must. If you need any help with this then there are multiple places you can go to on campus where they will be happy to help. Another great tool provided by the university is the LeedsforLife website. Essentially this website aims to help you get the most out of university life both academically and personally. If you get a chance to visit the website you’ll find an array of useful features. Firstly, there is an opportunity page on which you can find lots of different opportunities such as volunteering, jobs and so forth. Also, on Leeds for Life you’ll find all of the discovery modules available to you at Leeds which can be fantastic in helping develop your personal brand and learning more about something you’ve never had the chance to. The Leeds for Life website also allows you to create your own log and record of what you have done with your time at university because so many people often forget some of the great experiences they’ve had. I really recommend giving the website a visit at least once! The link can be found below, and make sure you try and stay on top of your personal brand because your time at Leeds will be over before you know it!
https://leedsforlife.leeds.ac.uk
Sam Bailey