If you are looking to stay here, it's best to start the job seeking process early. Try and build up valuable experience and make useful contacts prior to leaving your course.
Research local industry
Like anywhere, there are good and bad things about working in Norfolk. Despite a number of larger companies based in Norwich, up to 95% of companies in Norfolk are Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). As a consequence there are a lower number of graduate-level jobs in the region, whilst salaries in East Anglia tend to be lower than the national average. On the positive side there is often a greater chance of really making your mark when working for an SME. Norfolk can be split into seven main areas: Breckland, Great Yarmouth, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, North Norfolk, South Norfolk and Norwich. Each of these areas has it's own strengths and characteristics which are worth researching when looking for employment. See our links to local Labour Market Information (LMI).
Be creative in your job hunting
60-80% of jobs are never advertised because they are filled by job hunters who use other methods to find work. These include speculative approaches, networking, door stepping, voluntary work, gaining new skills and finding new alternative routes. Find out more about creative job hunting techniques, talk to a careers adviser or attend one of our creative job search workshops.
Make contacts before you graduate
Vacation work, work experience, work shadowing, project work and voluntary work before your final year may help you to make contacts that may be useful when you leave. Make use of Employability for work experience, part time and voluntary work. You can register on line or visit the notice boards in the Student Union Advice Centre. The EDP has a new feature giving profiles of different careers written by people who actually do them, which could be a useful resource for people searching locally for jobs. Spend some time researching the types of organisations that you would like to work for and write to them speculatively. Look through the vacation and work experience files in the Careers Centre. Penultimate year students can register on line with STEP. They offer paid work experience placements with SMEs in Norfolk. Use CareerLink, our network of professionals who are willing to share their experience of many different fields of employment. Many of them are former UEA students and based in East Anglia.
Be flexible
Whilst it's helpful to be clearly focused when looking for employment, it's also important to be flexible in your attitudes. Think about applying for jobs that are similar to, or close to, what you want to do. Be open minded; sometimes just getting your foot in the door somewhere can lead to greater things. Talk to a careers adviser if you are unsure.
Be prepared to keep on learning
Don't regard your degree as the end of your learning. Employers look for candidates who are motivated to improve their skills and learn new ones. Check with Norfolk Adult Education for local providers.
