Exploring hesitant students' perceptions of career planning

Research conducted at Sheffield Hallam University explores why some first year students are particularly hesitant about career planning and how services can encourage them to engage earlier

Key findings

• Students who recognised the ongoing nature of career planning were more likely to access one to one support from the careers and employability service than others who often thought that they needed to have a specific goal to access this support.
• Participants' careers research and information skills were quite weak, with many relying on Google and therefore not receiving information suited to their stage of career planning or job search.
• All participants recognised some value in gaining experience - generally because of a perceived benefit in terms of transferable skills.
• Participants showing lower self-efficacy and confidence were often the most reluctant to be proactive and access opportunities.
• Student communications must be adapted to explicitly bust misperceptions of career planning, emphasising its ongoing nature. Careers and employability services must work closely with wider university staff to disseminate this message.

About the report

This HECSU-funded report is based on qualitative research with Sheffield Hallam first year undergraduate Humanities and Social Science students, who are particularly hesitant about career planning.

Careers professionals noted a tendency for some final year students to regret not starting career planning earlier, and became curious about how to prevent this from early in the student experience.

Laura Kerley works as an employability adviser at Sheffield Hallam University.

Written by

Laura Kerley

Employability adviser

Sheffield Hallam University