Top tips when running a careers talk

Talking to young people can be a challenging, rewarding and enjoyable experience, and by remembering a few
key things, need not be scary.

How to plan your session

When arranging your visit and communicating with a school, it is important to be mindful that:

 Schools can be very slow to respond to emails and calls. Teachers spend their time
teaching, so it may take a number of days for them to respond to your correspondence. If you’re
phoning a school, it is best to call during lunch time or after 3.30pm. Alternatively ask the
receptionist if the teacher you are trying to contact has a free lesson.

 Lesson plans and timetables are often set in advance, and can be relatively inflexible.
Be mindful of this when arranging a time and date to visit the school. Also, make sure any client
commitments are taken into account when arranging a time.

 Do your preparation. Ask the teacher about typical questions the students might ask, so you
can talk about areas they might be interested in. Also ask the teacher for advice on topics they
might not want to hear about.

 Know your audience. It’s important to know who you are talking to. How old are they and
what do they already know about our sector? Think back to when you were that age. What was
most important to you? What made you excited? These sorts of questions will help you get a better
sense of your audience.

 Dress in the clothes you would normally wear to work. This will give the students an idea
of how someone in your profession needs to look.

Delivering the session

When running the session itself:

 Introduce yourself and the topic. Explain what you plan to cover during the time. Speak to
young people as you would adults.

 Be personable, be yourself and share how you got to where you are today. Bring
personal examples that the learners can relate to. A good example might be the football team you
support, or the A-levels that you studied; this helps break down any initial barriers. If you are
using slides, images work very well. Explain the aspirations you had when you were young and
describe the education you obtained to achieve career success.

 Use real examples. Bring to life what you do on a day to day basis through real life examples
(however, always be mindful of any confidentiality issues when using client names). Real life
examples really give students an insight into potential careers. Explain any technical points you
make. Speak honestly about your job, and tell students both what you like and what you don’t like
about your role.

 Encourage questions. As you are presenting, ask for the learner’s views and try to get everyone
in the room involved. Make it clear how you would like them to ask questions, for example if you
would like them to put their hands up. If you have picked up any of the learners names, use them.
Follow up

After the session make sure you:

 Follow up with the school. It is important to request feedback from the school, and always ask
whether they feel the session could be improved in anyway going forward. This is very valuable and
can really improve future sessions. It also shows you are taking your role seriously, and knowing
that they have some support will help the school / young people be empowered in taking action.
Also, send any useful website links for information to your contact at the school and soft copies of
any collateral you may have taken with you.