Growing numbers of institutions now offering lifelong careers support as older alumni seek help to change jobs
University careers advisers are used to steering fresh-faced students towards the labour market – but they are now increasingly seeing graduates in their 40s and 50s looking for help to revive their careers.
More UK universities are now giving their graduates lifelong access to campus careers services, including advice with job applications and interview preparation as well as helping to find new opportunities for those who feel stuck.
Gil Hamilton had been in the same job for 17 years and was increasingly unhappy. She said she had no idea she could still access careers advice at the Lancaster University, where she studied in the mid-2000s, until a chance remark earlier this year.
“I was really quite worried about changing jobs, I hadn’t had a job interview in 18 years, I hadn’t had a different job in all that time, I didn’t have a CV, I didn’t have anything. It was quite daunting. I couldn’t remember how to write a CV or cover letters, interviews were obviously terrifying.
