Career Zone Podcast

In our Law podcast mini-series of Autumn 2024, our Law Employability and Careers Consultants; Rachel, Tess and Sunny, talked to experienced professionals from both legal and non-legal sectors to hear their career experiences and advice.

In this bonus episode, Sunny Lalli, Employability and Career Consultant, talks to Ben Ainsley Gill, an international law arbitration lawyer.

Ben and Sunny seek to define arbitration in international business law, examining the skill sets required to work in international arbitration, discussing differentiation between practice in private international law and public international law. Together they recount tips on how to prepare a for a career in arbitration.

Further resources touched upon in the episode:

Personal responsibility is about acting with integrity, honesty and self-awareness – owning your actions and learning from your mistakes.

In this week’s episode, Rachel Haddy, Employability and Placements Adviser, highlights three key aspects of personal responsibility: accountability, following through on commitments and authenticity.

Rachel shares how admitting mistakes, managing your workload honestly and owning both your strengths and weaknesses can empower you to take ownership of your performance and personal growth.

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We last looked at the Graduate Labour Market in December 2024 and a lot has changed since then. In this episode, Dawn Lees, Student Employability and Development Manager, looks at the current state of the graduate labour market, focusing on the relationship between politics and the economy.* Dawn shares insights on how the global situation has impacted the graduate labour market as well as sharing advice to help you succeed if you’re looking for a graduate job.

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*Data mentioned in this podcast is from May 2025

In this week’s episode, Andrea Hodges, Employment Schemes Manager, is joined by second year student Olivia Osborne, to discuss how you can develop your skills, gain experience and build your connections. Andrea and Olivia share their advice on how you can demonstrate the skills you have when applying for jobs. Andrea also highlights the schemes you can utilise at the University, whether you are looking for a placement, internship or graduate role.

Although this episode focuses on the South West, the skills and experience discussed are relevant to all work experience opportunities.

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Listen to our Placements 101 podcast episodes. 

The second episode of Placements 101 focusses on money – how to manage your finances while on placement. Everyone’s financial situation is different and how you manage money is a personal choice. In this episode Anya and Immy share their experiences and offer practical advice on how they handled their finances during their placements. 

If you're unsure what you want to do with your third year, or need some extra support/guidance from students who have recently returned from a year out, then check out our new placements 101 mini-series. Join Anya and Immy, fourth year students as they share their experiences of placement life.

In this week’s episode, Nicky Hutchinson, Employability and Career Consultant is joined by Scott James, Partner of Ward Williams Associates – a certified B Corp. Scott explains what it means to be a B Corp, how it has shaped Ward Williams as a business, and  the benefits of working for one. He also shares valuable insights on what prospective job applicants should know about B Corps when preparing for interviews.

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If you're unsure what you want to do with your third year, or need some extra support/guidance from students who have recently returned from a year out, then check out our new placements 101 mini-series. Join Anya and Immy, fourth year students as they share their experiences of placement life.

The first episode of Placements 101 focuses on prioritising wellbeing whilst on placement - a really important topic. Life abroad or working can be a huge shift from student life and many struggle with the initial adjustment period. Take reassurance in the fact that you are not alone and the majority are feeling the same way. Anya and Immy discuss what they did whilst on placement and what they would appreciate knowing in hindsight with regards to wellbeing and mental health.

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Helen Hicks, Programme Officer, talks with Bella and Raishal, students who have completed Green Consultants. Bella and Raishal explain what the Green Consultants programme is and share the skills and benefits they gained from completing the programme.

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Helen Hicks, Programme Officer at the University of Exeter, introduces the Aspiring Teachers programme and the range of opportunities available to you. Helen is joined by Leanne Galloway, an Early Years Adviser and Ofsted Inspector, who shares her top 5 skills that you need if you are thinking about a career in teaching. Helen also discusses how you can go about gaining teaching experience to work out where your passion lies.

Useful Links

Current fourth year students, Immy and Anya, share their experiences of working within the Placements Team in their role as Student Campus Partner (SCP), a paid internship with the University of Exeter. They discuss how they secured their roles, what they enjoy most about the position, and the benefits it offers students. SCP roles are available in other sections of the Career Zone and across the university.

The Student Campus Partnership (SCP) is exclusively for Exeter UK and international students who want to secure paid work on campus. The scheme promotes paid internships that are available across the university's campuses in Exeter and Penryn.

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