Frequently asked questions

Can't students just research careers online ?

Yes of course. However students often do not know either themselves, or what they could be interested in, very well. Nor do they know much about the world of work. This makes identifying satisfying and enjoyable educational and career pathways very difficult. My role is to help them broaden their understanding of themselves, of their preferred skills and interests and coach them in how these relate to careers areas and respective educational/professional pathways.



How to tell if your son or daughter needs help?

If your son or daughter has not had a Morrisby (or other) psychometric evaluation, to help them self analyse and understand all the careers that could really suit them, then they may need and benefit considerably from, careers tutoring. If you feel your son or daughter is nervous or worried about their current college or university decisions this year, particularly in the light of Corona and would like the opportunity to discuss with an impartial professional. Careers tutoring focuses, energizes, motivates and reassures students. If you'd like this reassurance for your son or daughter, please get in touch.



My son or daughter seems ok about it all...

Great! He or she is good at research already. A fantastic skill. If you would like a qualified, experienced and impartial professional to double check they have considered everything they should, then tutoring is ideal. Especially if they have no thoughts as to what they wish to do later on. This is where Morrisby careers profiling really helps students to pick pathways wisely and keep lots of options on the table. Both graduate roles and employment in general, are going to be competitive for the next few years - not least due to Corona removing thousands of jobs. Tutoring will help students to understand how to keep motivated and focused on their future employability and to consider which areas (that they might enjoy) could also provide the best opportunities for secure future employment.



They want to work 'in business'..

Fantastic! Careers Tutoring will help a student understand how vast this is. And which areas of it they could really love. Many students considering a vocational degree e.g. Business, do not take the time to really analyse what they loved best about their Business A level or BTEC (if they took this). So many go on to general business degrees. These can work out well of course, however students may be missing a trick by not also considering more targeted degrees e.g. Marketing, PR, Logistics. Perhaps with a paid year in industry. In short, ensuring they pick degrees which ensure they are completely employer-ready when it comes to graduate jobs. Nor do many (sadly) seriously consider a Higher or Degree level Apprenticeship. Too hard to find, too difficult to apply to, very limited practical support at college. And due to Corona, many will not undertake work experience either to help them consider this more fully. This is also where Careers tutoring will really help - coaching students to evaluate all their options, holding their hand through the whole process of applications, keeping them motivated and positive. And ensuring they know what being employer-ready looks like e.g. coaching them to work on upskilling in key office skills. Overall; meaning that if they do the homework set each week as part of careers tutoring for Degree Apprenticeships, they are more likely to achieve success, more quickly.



Vocational or traditional degree?

Careers tutoring checks students understand why they are taking a degree and what they wish to gain from it. We discuss the reality of work today, key skills for 2021+, local and national labour market intelligence and how to ensure their own employability via applying for internships, placement year (when these return) and Masters etc. Meaning that whatever their degree, they remain focused on becoming highly employable. The question therefore is not a simple one. Students will be guided through homework (research) and discussion, to pick the right route for themselves.



He/she doesn't fancy University..

Great that your son or daughter already knows their needs well enough to start to evaluate the right choices for themselves. Careers tutoring can walk students through the amazing other options available. For those that like the idea of gaining a degree, just not full time, nor away from home, we look at a range of options including commuting to University, Degree Apprenticeships (tuition paid), Open University or degrees provided by local sixth form or technical colleges. There are SO many ways to gain a degree education - whilst living at home. If they simply do not wish to study academically any more at age 18, we look at ideal first professional roles via apprenticeships and learning on the job.



How can I help my (returned home) graduate?

If undergraduates did not apply for, or gain, a graduate job during their Final Year (if they welcomed this), then they often need to return home. Life becomes quite difficult with no more student loan. At home, as jobsearch is hard and relentless, they can find they slip into lower paid 'stop gap' roles just to gain some finance. This can sometimes last a number of months and cause frustration and upset. Tutoring will help them work out what they want to focus on career-wise, identify the right organisations to target, create effective CV's, support them to apply, to practice interviews, prepare for ability tests and cope with full on assessment centres. Having support which gently encourages and motivates them to keep going, can make all the difference.



What are the benefits of private Careers Tutoring?

There are now so many options; subjects, colleges, apprenticeships, Full time University, Part time university, Degree Level Apprenticeships. Unsurprisingly many students and parents find it hard to navigate between multiple pathways. Or identify the values/consequences of each option. And most students simply do not know themselves well enough to 'future proof' their selections. Careers tutoring responds to all these issues and provides enough sessions to support individuals fully. So in a nutshell - private careers tutoring offers 1:1 support and peace of mind.



Difference between school careers/private careers sessions?

I work as a Careers Adviser in state, academy groups and private schools in Hampshire and privately with students/families. Quality careers guidance uses many approaches: dialogue, gentle questioning, exploring multiple ideas, psychometric evaluation, coaching (how to research, the world of work, work experience, qualifications etc). All this takes time and of course, budget. Sadly in state funded schools/academies, Careers Advisers are not given the time to offer this level of support. Indeed, not all year 11 students across the UK are even offered a full 1:1 Post 16 Careers Interview. Or it is cut to 20 minutes - not 45. Sadly, funding for careers interviews was pulled in 2011. So schools can only offer what they can afford, despite Statutory Duty. Unfortunately also most state schools do not offer careers profiling such as Morrisby which is standard in the private sector for year 10+. . So there is a considerable difference. I look forward to this changing one day.



Don't schools/colleges check students are aiming for the right year options?

All staff in schools/colleges will do their best to ensure students pick the right courses. However, school and college Personal Tutors are relied on to help students choose. Yet PT's do not have time to keep abreast of all courses and options. Nor do they have time to work 1:1 with students, to help them research and moot ideas fully. So it is usually left to families to support - and some have more time than others. Careers Advisers are trained to Degree and/or Masters level to support students, not least to have the correct 'body of knowledge' to answer all questions and help students future proof decisions. If you had toothache, would you wish to visit a Hygienist or a Dentist? One can give you basic pointers, the other would usually be able to really help!



What about the UCAS process? How will it work this year during Lockdown?

Y12's are not going to be attending on site presentations on the UCAS process. They will receive PPT's via email. They will be less likely to be badgered by Personal Tutors to book online virtual Uni tours- and now. And despite excellent careers staff and Personal Tutors, there will be even less bandwidth than usual to help students. Colleges will have upwards of 500-1000 students applying at any one time to university. Students used to book a session at college and wait sometimes weeks to be seen. This is now being done online, remotely. However, one session cannot cover all that needs to be discussed. So they will then have to book another. And again, wait for weeks for their new remote slot. It can be highly frustrating, particularly when it is holding up deciding which courses universities to online visit. Working on your Personal Statement and ulitmately, filling in UCAS by deadline is going to need to be mostly self managed. This is where Morrisby Profiling and Careers Tutoring can really help; supporting students to choose the right courses/opportunities to apply to, and helping with editing a Personal Statement/Degree Apprenticeship applications (which can be a year in advance).



My son or daughter wishes to apply for a Degree Level Apprenticeship...can you help?

Yes! Careers tutoring helps students to research and identify interesting local degree apprenticeships and to understand the practicalities of each. It coaches them to write a Master CV & how to adapt this to each application. Tutoring goes through ability and personality psychometric testing, Digital Interviewing, Telephone Interviews, In Person interviews and most importantly, assessment centres. Just knowing these recruitment steps and how to deal with each, gives students much greater confidence, meaning they can show their full potential to employers.



What about private schools? Surely their students do not need private careers tutoring?

Private schools are in a better position to offer careers support as they have an actual budget and as parents will insist on better access. However a classic approach is not to encourage students/parents to consider what is available at other sixth forms i.e. in time for applications. Many parents of private school students are not aware that you apply a year early for state colleges. State colleges will usually have many more A level and BTEC subject choices/combinations; which could really suit the student. Many private schools also focus heavily on full time degrees at university as the main pathways for their students - with less (or even no focus) on Degree Level Apprenticeships. This doesn't suit all individuals. So actually many private school parents do choose careers tutoring- to ensure they know all options.



When do families consider careers tutoring? How often?

Careers tutoring supports students and their families at each key stage of their educational journey; through GCSE options, mid year 10 college visits, year 11 college applications, year 12 university visits, year 13 university applications. Also as undergraduates finding internships and graduates finding graduate jobs. Melanie works with many families over a number of years, helping their students from one stage to the next. Families value having a trusted expert they can turn to at any point. So students might have 3 or 4 sessions per year during key stages. The first session is always a Diagnosis (of needs) and subsequent sessions are to coach students in all they need to know.