This blog originally appeared on the Develop your Career blog

Whether you’re a medical student or a foundation trainee, the prospect of divorcing yourself from a world you’ve (heavily) invested in is a huge one.

In order to be sure of making the right decision in the first place, Year 11 and 12 students spend time finding and completing work experience to test their assumptions about becoming a doctor. Once at medical school, the question of which specialty they see themselves in begins to loom. Then in Foundation training, the pressure is really on to decide which of the 60+ specialties is the right one.

So, after all this intense decision-making in the direction of Doctor, Doctor, Doctor, what should you do if you begin to think, as a student or as a trainee, that it might not be for you?

Know yourself, know your reasons for leaving

Be clear on the specific reasons for leaving, is it stress, working hours, the pull of
another profession? If you’re finding it hard to specify what your reasons are, perhaps try writing a reflective journal including the highs and lows of each day. Write down questions that occur to you about your uncertainties. Try the reflective exercises in this resource on Jobs.ac.uk: Career Change Toolkit (this will be more helpful to trainees).

Talk to someone

• in the profession – a supportive tutor, a friendly peer in the year above (at medical school or in Foundation training) or a more senior doctor. Their insights might help you establish what it is you’re unsure about, and what you need to do to confirm or allay your fears. This is all about selecting the right person, if you feel someone might frown upon your thinking then they may not be the best counsellor.
• in your family – this is a difficult one. Often the biggest investors in our futures are our families, especially parents or guardians. This may put you under extra pressure if they’re following your studies/career excitedly. However if you have really thought about your options and are certain about leaving medicine then try to be brave and talk with them; show them you’ve researched your options and explain your reasons for moving on.
• neutral – speaking with a careers consultant will bring you an impartial, neutral space to house your discussions. Careers professionals are trained in helping people establish what’s important to them and making decisions that are right for them as an individual. Check your university’s careers service if you’re studying or check the services from your Local Education and Training Board (LETB) if you’re an F1/2.

Test your reasons for leaving

If you are interested in another profession, then could you arrange to do some work shadowing? If you’re concerned with the idea of taking exams until you’re 30+ then (as above) talk to people further down the line than you in different specialties;
find out how onerous it is and how they cope with it.

Research your options

If you’re an F1/F2, firstly remember to explore specialties that might minimise or even avoid the areas of medicine you aren’t enjoying (for example consider public health if the clinical work isn’t for you). If you’re not already familiar with them, visit the NHS Medical Careers specialty pages.
Beyond that, being trained medically is a huge asset to a number of jobs. The skills and knowledge lend themselves to a wide variety of roles: medical journalism, publishing, medical law, NHS management to name a few. Additionally, think beyond the medical sphere; management consultancy, civil service etc.

Resources, career ideas and case studies

NHS Medical Careers – Alternative career options for doctors. Great list of options with descriptions.

BMJ Careers – Moving on from Clinical Practice. Article about why people leave medicine and a diverse set of case studies of doctors who have left practice.

Medical Success – Alternative medical careers. Information on medical careers beyond the hospital and GP settings.

Medical Success – When can I leave medicine? An interesting case study about an F1 trainee who embarked on a new career path.

Careers Tagged – Options and Career Choice. Resources on choosing careers, employers, and options with your degree.

We contacted the students who participated in Focus on Management 2014 to see how they’ve been getting on since the course. We saw that they were thrilled on the last day of the course … but how has completing Focus on Management impacted them and their career? Here’s a selection of the responses we received:

Marianne Thompson
Third Year, BA French and Spanish (Joint Honours)

“I was recently able to draw upon the invaluable experience that I gained from this course at an assessment centre for an international investment bank. I believe that it was my exposure to business case studies during Focus on Management that best prepared me for this process, and I was successful in gaining a place on the competitive summer internship.

I would highly recommend the Focus on Management course to anyone who is thinking about applying for internships or graduate schemes, as it is the perfect introduction to the kind of work you will be expected to complete at assessment centres, as well as providing you with the skills and knowledge to impress employers in the future.

The diversity of the business case studies presented, along with the intensive nature of the course, means that you are always kept on your toes and you are constantly being challenged in new ways.”

Andrew Dunn
Graduated with an MA in History, 2014

“Focus on Management was marketed as an opportunity to network with some of the brightest sparks of UCL’s student body – and they were! It was a practice run at many of the exercises that one might find at an assessment centre. The opportunity to work with other students to solve these exercises helped me develop a greater awareness of my own skills as a leader and team-worker.

Shortly after taking part in Focus on Management, I put the skills learnt to the test during an assessment day. I’m pleased to report that I must have picked something useful up, as I was subsequently offered a position! I strongly recommend any student at UCL to have a go at Focus on Management 2015 — you won’t be disappointed!”

Pancali Hume
Graduated with an MSc in International Public Policy, 2014

“I found out about Focus on Management after seeing an email about it from UCL Careers and there was a part of me that almost didn’t apply – but I am so happy that I did!

The 3 days we spent on the course prepared me for my upcoming assessment centre at a professional services company far better than my individual research or any practice interviews I did. It challenged my thinking and allowed me to practice vital presentation skills and teamwork exercises in a realistic context.

I would recommend Focus on Management to all UCL students as I sincerely believe this is the prime time to be thinking about leadership and creating concrete goals to champion and lead change in our generation.”

Inspired by the words of last year’s participants? – you have until Wednesday 8^th April 2015 to apply. Go to http://www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/recruiters/events/focus for more details and application instructions.

Focus on Management 2015 is sponsored by leading global healthcare company GSK

Emma House, Director of Publisher Relations at The Publisher’s Association tells us why Publishing is an important sector.

Book and Journal Publishing: one of the UK’s largest creative industries. It generates almost £5 billion for the UK economy; it brought us book-to-screen phenomena such as Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and Paddington Bear. If you have ever considered a career in publishing, you would likely have been attracted to the glitz and glamour of trade publishing and working with famous authors – or the delights of working in children’s publishing. You would likely have considered bringing your skills in marketing, publicity and editing to a career in publishing. Yet this is only a small insight into an innovative, forward-thinking, global, and creative industry with a strong and exciting present – and future.

The UK’s publishing sector can be divided into 5 sectors: trade/consumer (fiction and non-fiction including children’s); education (school books); higher education textbook; English Language Teaching and dictionaries; and academic journals. All aspects of publishing have been and are going through considerable change. The internet, Amazon, government policy and changing consumer tastes and needs have all driven change in the way we consume content and publishing is building its own pathway through these changes.

Publishing will always require the traditional roles that it takes to run a business in this sector. A good eye for writing talent, strong editorial acumen, and knowledge of the various ways to take content, to curate and market it and finally deliver it to the consumer, are key skills that the industry values. The industry prides itself on having the very best these roles in order to add value to the author and the consumer. Non-traditional “publishing” process roles such as Legal, HR, Finance and IT are all essential to the industry and anyone studying these disciplines could do far worse than consider bringing their skills and qualifications to publishing.

What is little known however is the range of new roles and new skills that publishers now seek to bring to the industry. Over the last 5 years, digital has become fully embedded in publishing and we are now seeing a need for people with strong skills in data analytics, digital marketing, digital production and design. Consumer insight teams have grown, as have departments looking to transform book IP into other multimedia. The industry has never been more international and “sales” roles encapsulate the need for export sales, translation rights sales and skills in building global partnerships. The academic book and journal industry is crying out for scientists, researchers and engineers to bring their knowledge and talent to the industry and the education publishing industry values those with a strong background in the education sector – especially teachers. Entrepreneurism, imagination and a passion for content are attributes which are attractive to employers and a demonstration of innovation and flair long way.

So if you thought you knew publishing, or thought it was only for English literature graduates…….think again! Our industry needs YOU.

Hear more from the Publishers Association in a free webinar available to all University of London students on Wednesday 25^th March, 1-2pm.  Register here.

This blog post originally appeared on the Develop your Career blog

Paul Kilbey, Editorial Assistant at the Royal Opera House, shares his experiences in Arts publishing.

How did you get into your role?

I’ve wanted to work in publishing for a long time.  I studied music at university but was always more interested in writing about it than performing or composing, so I gravitated towards jobs where I used language.  After a while teaching English as a Foreign Language abroad, I moved to London and was lucky to be able to do a couple of internships, building up my professional experience.  There were then a few years working in and around classical music for startups, and I got my current job in the Royal Opera House’s Publishing and Interpretation team a couple of months ago.  I am also a freelance writer specializing in classical music; I write for a few magazines.

Over the last few years I have written a lot of articles for a number of predominantly online publications.  This has been really important for developing my writing skills, although it hasn’t always been the same as a conventional grounding in journalism or publishing – it has all been fairly off the cuff, and online is totally different from print, both in terms of how it works and also the standard expected.  All the writing made me well qualified for my current role – I’m an Editorial Assistant – but I still have plenty to learn.

What do you do day to day?

It’s very varied, and the workload changes depending on what projects are coming up.  There is always work to do preparing for future productions, although of course it gets busier in the immediate run-up to a show.  I have work to do in a number of areas including writing, proofreading, liaising with advertising clients and also working with publishing software.

What are the best things about working in your role?

My colleagues are very nice, and it’s an exciting place to work, with the rehearsals and performances happening all around us backstage.  And after a few years with very small companies, I am still hugely enjoying the perks of working for a major employer – cafeteria, IT support, payroll department, etc. Most of all, the job is an ideal mixture of my interests – classical music and publishing.  I’m lucky to be able to work in both at the same time.

What top tips would you pass on to a student interested in this type of work?

Firstly, it’s worth remembering that any sort of office experience is good.  Employers want to know that you can be trusted to correspond with people in a professional manner.  I had done very little office work on graduation, and this probably set me back a bit.

As for writing online – there can be huge benefits to doing this, but only if you’re serious and sensible about it, and aware of its limitations.  Blogging can lead to all sorts of interesting things, and so can writing for the many websites out there that will take your content, publish it, and not pay you.  But, unsurprisingly, doing this can also be very unrewarding, both financially and professionally.  You shouldn’t confuse success in these media with professional experience in journalism or publishing per se.  My advice is that if you’re considering writing for a blog or another website, it’s crucial to remember the value of what you’re doing.  This means two things: firstly, that you know what you stand to gain from your writing, even if you’re not being paid (are you gaining useful experience? Exposure? Nothing at all?); and secondly, that you only write things that you’re confident are good enough to merit publication.

Do you….

> Want to develop the vital skills you need to stand out in the workplace?

> Want to learn how to handle a case study and gain commercial awareness?

> Want to improve your understanding of management?

Apply for UCL Careers’ Focus on Management 2015 course!

This year GSK ,a leading global healthcare company, is sponsoring and contributing to the course. GSK actively recruit talented UCL students to help their business develop innovative products across pharmaceuticals, vaccines and consumer healthcare. Get your applications in by Wednesday 8^th April 2015.

What will I do during Focus on Management?

Focus on Management is a 3 day course (10th – 12th June) packed full of activities which will give you an interactive and rewarding immersion into the world of business. Your team-working, problem solving and presentation skills will be put to the test as you work in small groups to crack a range of business challenges.

• Day 1 prepares you for the upcoming employer-led cases studies by focusing on management essentials, team work and skills you need to stand out in the workplace

• Over Days 2 and 3 you work in teams, facilitated by a team manager, on business case studies from four major graduate employers. The team managers, from a variety of organisations, will trial different managerial styles over the two days giving you the chance to observe what is most effective.

You will get plenty of opportunities across the three days to meet and learn from different companies. Last year included contributions from P&G, Capco, Civil Service, PwC, Wellcome Trust, ICAEW and WaterAid.

See what last year’s students said about the course:

 How do I apply?

For further information and to apply for a place, click http://www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/events/focus. The deadline is Wednesday 8^th April 2015 11:59pm. We can only accept applications online; if a disability means you need the form in a different format please contact UCL Careers (careers@ucl.ac.uk).

Demand for this course is high and we receive many more applications than there are places, so take care when completing the form.

As part of our #UCLInspireMe series, Matt Pelly, Documentary Producer/Director talks to us about how he got started in the Documentary Production  sector.

I’m a documentary producer/director for BBC and Channel Four, making things like 999: What’s Your Emergency and Routemasters. I always wanted to work in TV/Film, and made lots of rubbish films as a kid with my brothers. I studied Drama & French and university and got my first job as a runner on Bargain Hunt at the BBC a year after leaving University.

How do I get in to a role like this?

There are two ways in. One is to make your own films until someone realises how brilliant you are, but they are difficult to fund, it can take years, and you’ll need to get lucky or have rich parents.

The other, and more common way, is to start at the bottom as a runner making tea. As they say, the cream will rise, and it generally does. Apply to everyone and anyone, but more importantly meet people, get work experience and keep going til someone gives you a job.

You need to have passion to make films/tv programmes professionally. Its hard work and long hours, and you won’t survive if you don’t really care about it. Don’t do it for the glamour. It is fun but it takes a toll on your social life, and there’s more than a few single 30 & 40-somethings out there in TV world. Make student films, and learn how to make them better. Make it your business to know the sector, and meet people making the kinds of films you love. Keep moving and keep learning. Don’t be too proud to work hard and make the tea. Be nice to people, have a ready smile, and show passion and interest. People will remember you and help you if you’re good to have around.

What are the pros/cons of your role?

Best things are I get to be self-employed, be creative, work with creative people, musicians and sometimes actors, meet/interview famous people, and travel the world. But that’s all gloss on the whole; the best thing is I get to make films which i love.

Getting in is hard, but it’s hard all the way if you don’t want to be pigeonholed, so you have to be focussed on what you want to do. It’s hard and not for everyone, but it beats the 9-5 in my book.

And one thing I read in a magazine once: the hardest thing is knowing what you want, the easy thing is doing it.

Good luck and enjoy.

Visit Careers Tagged to find out more information about Documentary careers

Ahead of UCL Careers Media week, Grace, UCL Geography Graduate,  gives us her insider’s view on what a Programmatic Account Manager does.

After studying a Ba Geography degree at UCL for 3 years and finishing with a 2.1. I had no set idea what career I wanted to pursue. After toying with a few career paths I was informed by a recruiter that my life was destined for digital marketing. My recruiter promised I had the ideal transferrable skills; good balance of numeracy and writing, some experience in the online world (marketing an event on social media and getting involved in a blog) and an eagerness and confidence to learn and get stuck in.

I was intrigued by this suggestion but also slightly hesitant because I didn’t know what this industry was all about. One of the first roles I was put forward for was for a ‘Programmatic Account Manager’ position with a small but growing company called Periscopix and since then I have not looked back! One of the most exciting aspects of my job is that no day is the same, however here is snippet of my working life here at Periscopix!

First things first:

In a nutshell my role is to purchase online advertising space on behalf of my clients. I buy this ad space using DoubleClick, a bid managing platform owned by Google. I select inventory that will be relevant for my client and only enter an auction if the ad space fits the criteria I’ve chosen. This auction then takes place programmatically, i.e. as a page loads DoubleClick will work out who has selected this particular criteria and who has the highest bid and that person will serve the ad. So you’ve got the gist.. how does my working day pan out?

Quick Check:
Programmatic display is still a baby in the online arena. This fledgling industry is thriving YoY and it’s exciting to be catching the wave of such a ground-breaking practice. As with such young systems it is constantly developing, although this is all in the name of improvement, it is difficult to always stay on top of new features, settings and changes. Thus every morning we will spend 15 minutes looking into our clients’ accounts to check everything seems in order, examining performance and making bid adjustments where necessary.

New client – handover:

Then it’s straight to a meeting room for a sales handover. Eeeek very exciting! A member of the sales team confirms a fitness clothes retailer wants to launch programmatic buying with us. In this internal meeting we discuss what their goals are, what they know about programmatic buying and what they expect to get out of it. It seems relatively standard, they know a little about online display advertising, they are keen to gain brand awareness and quality traffic to their site. Meeting over and it’s straight to the desk to begin thinking about what targeting will be the most relevant and responsive to launch with.

Within around 3 months of working at Periscopix I began being solely responsible for a client from handover. This means I am in control of every aspect of an account. I am in charge of designing the campaign, building the account, ad trafficking, reviewing the set-up, optimising the account on an ongoing basis and, of course, managing all client contact.

This autonomy is unusual for a digital marketing company, but having ownership of an account means I have so much vested interest in the performance, I know the client and the account inside out and I have fantastic variety in my day-to-day working life.

Ad trafficking:

A couple hours of this day I am spending ad trafficking. This is necessary every once in a while with new clients and also existing clients wanting to change theirs up. Today is because a travel agency client has decided to carry out some rebranding. With the industry-wide developments mentioned earlier, the set-up process of uploading ads is always changing. This means there is always a new system to crack and new ad requirements to get to grips with and this process can be a challenge. With internal support from within the team and Bid Manager Support readily available when the job is done it is always a rewarding feeling finally seeing the shiny new ads uploaded into the interface we use. J Especially as they get slicker by the month!

Lunchtime!
The size of Periscopix is growing really fast and the average age of an employer is 27. With an open plan office and new starters every month it is really fun to just sit in the kitchen and meet new people. I was surprised at how quickly I made really good friends here. Often we will take a stroll to borough market or saunter to Potter’s field, a walk is often needed after the free posh coffee, toast and the array of fruits we stock up on in the mornings!

Client meeting:

After lunch I have a meeting with a B2B client that sells mobile analytics. The meeting is taking place at the client’s offices in central London. I am looking forward to the catch up as I have great relationships’ with all my clients, something that is nurtured since handover. It is easy to get on with clients whilst working at Periscopix because our USP is our transparency and commitment. We only have a handful of clients each to ensure we are able to commit time to working on the accounts. Plus we are sharers; we want the client to know what we are doing, why and how we are doing it and what we are planning.

Optimisation:

Aaaah it’s nearing the end of a busy day and I get to optimise! This is the back bone of our job, pouring ourselves into our accounts to tease out trends and work out where to go from here to progress the accounts even further. We have a dozen optimisation tasks we can tackle to improve accounts. My favourite part of my role is finding the gems during optimisation sessions; sites that outperform others, user lists that are responding really well and discovering fascinating insights using lookalike modelling to provide clients with useful insights into who their target online market really is. We foster a test and learn ethos here at Periscopix and so as long as your tests are based on data, anything is acceptable. This freedom and encouragement means although you have in mind what your clients expect, you also get to explore and test what you find interesting.

Home time!
As always the day went too quickly! However its 17:31 and I am out of the door. The directors, Simon and Marc, believe efficiency and productivity stems from a happy workforce and Simon says ‘there is nothing worse than watching the clock and having a boring job’. Hence the company are forever trying to strike a balance of being busy but getting it all done in the working hours – which is a refreshing change from the nightmare graduate schemes I hear about from my friends. Now it’s time for a quick gym session (read: sauna) – membership subsidised by the company of course!

To find out more about UCL Careers Media Week, visit: www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/getinto