How This Forward-Thinking Careers Service Helps Students Turn Degrees into Jobs

A university degree can be a valuable first step into your future career. Yet, according to one study of students in the UK, only about 50% feel prepared for life after graduation. With only one-third of students (from the same survey) using their university’s careers services, it’s clear that many students leave university uncertain about their future path.

At the University of Pécs Faculty of Business and Economics, students have access to a dedicated service designed to bridge the gap between their life as a student and their future career: CareerSpot, the university’s Competence and Career Centre.

Rather than focus exclusively on pairing students with job opportunities, CareerSpot offers a range of workshops, coaching, and career counselling to help build their soft skills.

“The CareerSpot focuses on developing both the individual and group competencies of economics students,” says Dr Gábor Balogh, Head of CareerSpot.

Finding Direction from Day One

The first year of university (or first semester, in the cases of a shorter postgraduate programme) is for finding your feet. Instead of guiding students towards particular careers as soon as they arrive at university, CareerSpot takes a more flexible and comprehensive approach.

Unlike traditional university career services, students can come to CareerSpot for the usual career-focused guidance and find a range of services focused on their personal development. One of these services is coaching.

“CareerSpot provides personalised development through individual counselling and coaching tailored to students’ needs,” Dr Balogh explains.

Of course, you might meet with a coach to discuss your interests and possible career paths. However, coaching can also support you with problems you might have with your studies (such as how best to manage exams) and personal challenges (such as time management or adapting to student life).

If you’ve already got your eye on a particular job, CareerSpot also provides specific career support, such as job interview simulations and CV development.

Gaining Valuable Skills For the Future

As part of CareerSpot, students can participate in a variety of soft skills workshops that address skills useful for both university life and future employment. These are delivered as group workshops, giving students the chance to meet their peers and strengthen valuable communication skills.

Topics covered in these informal workshops include:

• Time and stress management
• How to write a successful CV
• How to communicate assertively
• Editing with Word and Excel
• How to use AI

Workshop topics are evaluated and updated each year – for example, AI is now a crucial part of the offering. Students also earn credits for attending workshops – each workshop is worth 25 microcredits, and 100 microcredits equals one full credit.

“CareerSpot takes into account ongoing labour market changes and continuously updates its offerings, placing particular emphasis on the effective and ethical use of AI,” adds Dr Balogh.

Outside of employment-focused skills, CareerSpot can also help organise study sessions if you need help getting to grips with a particular topic in your degree.

“As part of the workshops, participants also learn about the specific expectations that different sectors and workplaces have toward graduates, and how university students can prepare for these requirements,” adds Dr Balogh.

Mentoring That Makes a Difference

Mentoring has been part of the CareerSpot offering since the service started in 2014. However, beginning this academic year, bachelor’s students at the Faculty of Business and Economics are required to participate in at least one mentoring session during their studies – though you may return to your mentor throughout your degree.

There are now 50 trained faculty mentors, including associate and assistant professors. “They know their students personally, which enables them to provide individualised support, including career guidance,” explains Dr Balogh.

While students can use meetings with their mentor to discuss career-related queries, their guidance extends to other academic and personal subjects.

Confidently entering the world of work

While CareerSpot aims to make each student’s journey in the Faculty of Business and Economics less challenging, there’s evidence that its benefits extend further.

“Feedback from partner companies indicates that students who participate in CareerSpot’s soft skills development workshops have a better chance of succeeding in the labour market,” explains Dr Balogh.

The varied services offered by CareerSpot, from mentoring to study skills workshops, mean students don’t just gain a degree at Pécs – they also develop personally and professionally, preparing them well for their life after graduation.

Want to find out more about what it’s like to study at the University of Pécs Faculty of Business and Economics? Read our interview with bachelor’s student Draha.