Developing your career is important at all stages of your working life. Whether you’re starting out and need to gain new skills to enter a profession, or are an experienced professional who needs to remain up-to-date with skills in their job, developing your career is vital to being successful in your particular line of work. Career development has various meanings; acquiring new skills, carrying out further study or undertaking an internship, to name but a few. There are four things that employers take into account when looking to recruit candidates: academic achievements, practical experience, international experience and extracurricular activities. Higher Education admissions officers will do the same; they will want evidence of your enthusiasm for a particular course demonstrated through relevant work experience or extracurricular activities. Contrary to popular belief, employers and Higher Education admissions officers are not just interested in your academic ability – they will look at your personality, social skills, ambitions and attitude too when deciding if you are a suitable candidate. 

Academic achievements  

Academic achievements are evidence not only of your intellectual capacity but also your determination and individual strengths. They show employers and Higher Education admissions officers where your interests lie and how committed you are to achieving success. 

For students aiming to access a Higher Education course, admission officers will be looking to see that you have excelled in subjects related to the course you wish to study. For example, if you want to study journalism, then good grades in subjects such as English, Politics, Media studies and Foreign Languages will be highly regarded. Admissions officers will also favor students with additional qualifications gained outside of the classroom, for example, through night classes or online courses.  

For experienced professionals, academic achievements are equally important. It may be the case that your qualifications are somewhat outdated and you have not acquired any extra qualifications at work. It may therefore be worthwhile taking a night class or enrolling on a distance learning course to update your skills. For graduates, depending on which career you choose, you may need to undertake further studying or specialize in a particular subject. If you want to move into a new field in which you are not qualified, a postgraduate course may be necessary. For example, in some well-paid careers such as law, a conversion course or a certain amount of postgraduate study is needed whereas in others, such as environmental work, further study could give you the edge over the competition. People generally choose further study to: 

• Continue with a subject of interest to gain more specialist knowledge
• Convert to a new area of work or add vocational (professional) skills to a non-vocation first degree, e.g. IT, law or journalism
• Gain a professional qualification needed to enter a profession, such as teaching (PGCE)
• Gain practical skills, e.g., teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) or basic computing

No matter which stage you are at in your career there are various study programs to help you acquire new skills, experience and training – please read on to find out more. 

A Bachelor's degree, also known as a Baccalaureate degree in many countries, is the first-level academic degree (often called an undergraduate degree) undertaken at university and usually lasting three or four years, but more in some medical subjects. There are several types of Bachelor's degrees but the most common are Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS). The Bachelor of Science degree is tailored to those who want to branch out into the world of science, while the Bachelor of Arts degree is awarded to those studying humanities and the arts. Some other popular Bachelor's degrees include the Bachelor of Applied Science, the Bachelor of Economics, the Bachelor of Business and the Bachelor of Medicine degrees.

A Master's degree follows a Bachelor's degree and is therefore referred to as a postgraduate qualification. A Master’s degree allows you to develop expertise in a new area and people usually study a Master’s degree to advance in their career fields or in order to change careers. The Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Science (MS) are the most common Master’s degrees but Master’s degrees are offered in a variety of fields and some subjects have special degrees, like the MBA (Master of Business Administration) for business. Most Master’s programs require students to complete a thesis or an extended research paper but some offer alternatives to the thesis, such as written comprehensive exams or other written projects that are less thorough. In service-oriented fields like social work Master’s degrees usually involve an internship. 

A Doctorate (Ph.D.) is the highest level of academic achievement. It is awarded to students who have completed at least three years of graduate study beyond the Bachelor's and Master's degrees and who have demonstrated their academic ability in examinations and through original research presented in the form of a dissertation.  

Executive Education is the term used for programs delivered at graduate level business schools to Chief Executives and managers. Executive Education involves working with clients to identify their exact needs and learning objectives, and then developing the appropriate content and delivery format to suit their requirements. Such programs do not usually end in a degree but many Executive MBA programs offer a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) upon completion of the coursework. Executive Education aids business people in both their professional and personal growth and such programs ultimately contribute to the overall success of business schools, as Executives go on to share their knowledge with the younger MBAs and help them to find jobs.  

Distance Learning is learning through printed or electronic media, outside of a classroom. For example, teachers and students may correspond via the internet, with the student submitting work and receiving feedback online. Other types of distance learning courses include: 

• Broadcast – where content is delivered via radio or television
• CD-ROM – where students interact with computer content stored on a CD-ROM
• Mobile Learning – where students access course content stored on a mobile device or through a wireless server

Radio learning is particularly popular in developing countries because of its reach. Furthermore, the increasing popularity of mp3 players and other similar devices has provided an additional medium for the distribution of distance education content.  

Further study allows you to open new doors in your career and to boost your CV. Moving up the career ladder will always be easier with more qualifications and extra study is just one way of setting yourself apart from the competition. As mentioned above, certain professions demand a particular degree before you are even considered for a job. Yet, before deciding to carry out further studies, you need to be sure that you are willing to spend on acquiring more advanced or new skills – if a career holds all the qualities you find appealing but demands a great deal of time in terms of training/studying, would you be willing to make this time commitment? Also, further study often means extra debt so there’s a financial commitment too. It’s worth investigating all possible sources of funding, such as grants and scholarships to help you. Always think carefully before committing to further study – make sure it’s the right thing for you in terms of career path, time and budget.

Practical experience

Work experience is just one way of broadening your career skills, gaining insight into particular industries and getting on the graduate job ladder. It is valued by employers and Higher Education admission officers because it shows that you can apply your skills within a business environment, you are motivated to find out more about your chosen field and want to develop your skills within a professional setting. If you proactively sought a placement and arranged it independently, this also shows potential employers that you are tenacious, focused and able to use initiative. 

There are many benefits to carrying out a work experience placement and these include: 

• Meeting people during your placement who could be useful contacts in the future, either as referees, providers of career advice or can inform you of vacancies
• Interviews for work placements will improve your interview technique
• Gaining experience of different workplaces will help you to decide which kind of employer is right for you
• An opportunity to try out different industries and develop your transferable skills at the same time
• Earn money, as many forms of work experience are paid

Practical experience is hands-on training in a particular field and is often referred to as vocational training – training that prepares learners for manual and traditionally non-academic occupations, such as carpentry and plumbing. This is sometimes called technical education as the learner develops expertise in a particular field, and this can be at the high-school or post-high-school level. Apprenticeships are one of the most common forms of vocational training and are becoming increasingly popular in countries like England as they allow students to train on-the-job. As well as on-the-job training, vocational education is also provided by institutes of technology as well as local community colleges. 

Traineeships are very similar to apprenticeships in that students learn on-the-job through practical work. Traineeships can be full or part-time and students can start a traineeship whilst at school. The length of a traineeship depends on the industry, the specific job and the needs of the individual trainee. Graduate training schemes are usually run by large corporations and designed to provide graduates with experience of both a particular job and the organization as a whole. Formal graduate training schemes generally last one year but again, it depends on the specific employer program. Some of the benefits of graduate training schemes include: 

• Intensive training, development and support
• Fast-track to more responsible roles within the organization
• Opportunities to network and make contacts not only within the organization but in other companies, which will serve you well in the future
• An excellent platform to start your career
• Access to a mentor to discuss your personal development
• Rotation around different departments within the company, providing insight into different company functions
• Opportunities to study for a professional qualification that may be funded by your employer

Internships are another way of gaining practical experience and distinguishing yourself from the competition. An internship often takes the form of a vacation placement, lasting between 4 to 10 weeks over the summer and is a great way of gaining insight into a particular industry and finding out how a particular company operates. Like with entry-level jobs, by making a good impression you stand a good chance of being asked back, most probably to complete a graduate placement. Longer internships are available and can last up to six months, but these are not so common and if they exist, there is fierce competition for places. Normally, the length and scope of an internship depends on the industry you will be working in and the requirements of the individual company.

A gap year (also known as a "year out", "year off", "deferred year" or "time out") is a term that refers to a period of time – usually one year – that is taken either before starting university in order to travel and gain life experience or taken as a ‘career break’. Many people take a gap year to figure out which career is right for them and some take it much later in life, even after retiring. Lots of people use their gap year to travel, see the world and explore other cultures while others see it as a time to give something back to society, often in the form of volunteer work. Volunteer work can be very rewarding in that it allows travelers to help out in developing countries and not only explore the local culture but also engage in it and live as the locals do. There is a vast selection of programs available – from healthcare work and cricket coaching to journalism and conservation projects, and programs can last anywhere between 1 week and 1 year. Click here to find out more: http://www.vsointernational.org/. Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) is one of the most popular volunteer programs.

Night classes are another way of acquiring additional skills and experience in a particular field, and the subjects you can study range from painting and photography to learning foreign languages – there’s something for everyone! Night classes are held pretty much everywhere – from schools, colleges, universities and church halls to community centers and youth clubs. 

You should weigh up the pros and cons of carrying out further study before you decide it’s the right thing for you. Not only is it a huge commitment in terms of both time and money but acquiring lots of qualifications and skills without gaining supporting experience may not be as good for your CV as you think. You need to ensure that further study will enable to you to access your desired career more easily and it’s important to work out what career doors a course or extra training will close, as well as open before you start. Most importantly, further study should not be seen as an alternative to starting your career but a means of making you better suited to your desired job.  

International experience 

Working or studying overseas not only allows you to gain experience of new cultures and working practices but also to develop a range of skills which are highly regarded by both universities and prospective employers. If you have studied abroad or have experience of traveling or working in a different country then you’re on the right road to distinguishing yourself from the competition. Working internationally impresses potential employers because it demonstrates the employee’s initiative in finding a job abroad and shows that the candidate has developed cross-cultural communication skills through interacting with people from a different culture and in a different language. It also proves that the candidate is flexible and open to new ways of thinking and living, which encourages personal development and resilience. Living abroad is a challenge and allows you to be more independent than you ever thought possible. It is also an opportunity to learn about yourself; you will develop a variety of skills and discover talents and traits you didn’t know you had! 

An international career is employment in another country or a job that allows a great deal of overseas travel. You may wish to work abroad to learn new skills or languages or to gain experience of a new culture. It is possible that working overseas will provide more job opportunities or a better salary, or you may be relocating with your current employer, your family or are simply looking to change your career.

The benefits of an international career:

• Travelling overseas
• Networking abroad
• Utilizing and expanding your skills within an international environment, particularly your communication skills
• Experiencing a new culture/way of life
• Gaining insight into different working practices

It’s never too early to start preparing for an international career. The key to gaining relevant experience is to immerse yourself in all things international – learning new languages, school and university exchanges and volunteering abroad are all ways of improving your CV and chances of finding a job abroad.  

As well as learning languages at school, it might be worth investing in a night class, online course or a language school course abroad because acquiring foreign language skills increases opportunities in the job market. Moreover, if you are competent in foreign languages then once you are working it’s likely that there will be more opportunities to travel and that you will be involved in more international projects too. Click here for more information about studying a foreign language: http://www.ialc.org/. Also refer to our country profiles and the language schools listed there!

It is also possible take part in a formal exchange program through your school, college or university whereby you study in another country and (often) experience living with a local family. Your careers adviser/tutor will be able to tell you more about this and help with your application. Studying overseas is the best way to gain in-depth knowledge of another country, its culture, customs, people and language, and having international education experience looks great on your CV. Yet, like further study, studying abroad often requires a significant personal and financial commitment so it’s important to think carefully about why you want to study overseas and what you expect to gain from it. You should look at all of your options carefully and assess the quality of programs available – course titles, content, entry requirements and duration can vary and institutions within a single country may have differing reputations and academic standards. Visit our country profiles for information about education structures and standards in specific countries.

There are various schemes and awards available if you’re considering enrolling on a course overseas. They vary from country to country and region to region and also in terms of what they offer you but our country profiles provide you with more detailed information. Your local High Commission and Ministry of Education will also be able to help you with your research and application. Some of the more well-known schemes are listed here:

• ERASMUS (European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) was introduced to increase student mobility within Europe. The ERASMUS Program counts towards the final degree and is open to a wide range of students, not just those studying languages. Individual universities will be able to tell you more about their participation in the ERASMUS scheme. For more information about the ERASMUS program generally click here: http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-program/doc80_en.htm

• Global Xchange is a program run by the British Council, Voluntary Service Overseas, and a number of local partners worldwide. Its purpose is to develop international volunteer exchanges and other global projects: http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-global-xchange.htm

• The Training and Work Experience scheme or TWES visa service allows organizations to recruit a non-EU citizen and provide training towards a professional or specialist qualification, or practical work experience, on the basis that the candidate will return to the organization's office in their home country to utilize the experience gained while working in the UK: http://www.globalvisas.com/uk_immigration/training_and_work_experience.html

• The Open Society Institute (OSI) and SOROS Foundation Network is a private foundation which works both locally and internationally to promote human rights and economic, legal, and social reform: http://www.soros.org/

Once you feel prepared and are ready to start your international career then many questions will naturally come to mind. If you have no preference about where you want to live then a good starting point is: 

• Where you have friends/family
• Where you speak the language
• A country you’re familiar with
• A country with vast opportunities in your sector
• If you have a particular skill or area of expertise a country where this is most in demand

Other important things to consider before relocating abroad are:

• How will a move abroad affect your long-term career plans?
• Is it wise to relocate now or should you gain more experience at home first?
• Have you discussed moving abroad with family and friends? What do they think?
• Will you be able to cope with a change in culture? This includes things such as diet, climate, housing and transport
• Will English be the primary language of your new country? Do you know enough to get by?
• Is it possible for your partner/children to relocate too? What does this move mean for them?
• If you own property what will you do with it? Rent it? Sell it?
• Is your salary likely to be the same? Can you survive on a lower salary?

When starting a career abroad, be ready to deal with differences in management culture between your home country and your new work environment as specific customs and ways of working vary considerably. To read about the working culture in the country you plan to move, please visit the "live" section of our country profiles.  

Once the final decision of moving abroad has been taken, finding a full-time job overseas is the crucial last step. As mentioned above, there are various resources available. Among them are: 

• Entrypark’s job board – http://www.entrypark.com/jobs/
• Your university's careers service – your university library will provide information about graduate schemes and jobs and a career adviser can offer more specialist advice
• National newspapers – typically, jobs are advertized in individual newspapers on specific days of the week
• Trade magazines – these normally advertize jobs for experienced professionals but can provide you with useful information about developments within a particular industry
• Contacts – as mentioned earlier, speak to family, friends, and colleagues and network as much as possible
• Employment/recruitment agencies – companies that match workers to jobs. Such agencies specialize in both full-time and part-time work and can tailor the job search to your skills and needs
• Speculative applications – applications that you send even though there is no job being advertized. In this case, you should target your letter and send it to the correct person whose details you can find in directories and/or online

Extracurricular activities 

Other ways to stand out from the crowd include participating in extracurricular activities, which are activities you perform outside of the classroom/workplace, in your free time. These are particularly important to employers as they not only reveal more about your personality but also prove that you are driven, committed and have developed strong social skills. Extracurricular activities tend to be heavily promoted at high schools and are usually social or sporty in nature, for example student governments and sports competitions. Other examples include: 

• Writing for the student newspaper/magazine
• Learning a foreign language
• Membership to a specific club, such as a drama club
• University organizations – most universities have a huge array of organizations you can join, ranging from religious clubs and political clubs to sports and arts clubs