The Careers Chat

In this episode Siobhan and Konstantina chat with Lee Griffin Academic Director (Postgraduate Taught) at University of Warwick, about the impact of AI on Careers and Education. Careers services can help students avoid making decisions based on AI fearsThe GenAI Divide STATE OF AI IN BUSINESS 2025Please note this episode was recorded near the end of 2025 and additional links for content mentioned within the podcast will be added asap. The video version of this podcast is available on our YouTube channel with a transcript and subtitles. https://www.youtube.com/@TheCareersChatThe audio version of this podcast is also available on other Audio podcast platforms including Amazon, Apple, Castbox.

In episode 3 of season 3 Siobhan and Konstantina chat with guest Dhruv Khrisnaraj the Director & Co-Founder at Student Circus a job search platform for international students. ⁠Find out more on the Warwick University Careers pages for International Students⁠⁠The full video podcast is available on YouTube⁠⁠International Graduate Success with Dhruv Khrisnaraj SpotifyUK government's immigration White Paper (The Careers Chat Bonus Episode Season 3) YouTubeTranscript: "Siobhan Qadir: And you mentioned the dreaded white paper I guess, you know, we've had a lot of really stressed out students, current students, and I’m about to start working with pre-arrival things, events and such like. But what do you think moving forward with... we've got to give people an idea of what they can do if it is shortened, what would your advice be? Dhruv Khrisnaraj: So the good part is they've now got rid of it. It's shortened there was a lot of talk that they want to get rid of it. And they've not kind of done any sort of requirements where you have to get a graduate level job.You can do anything even for 18 months even if they go through with the proposal. So look, Yes you think it's shorter by six months, which is a big deal, I don't think so I still think that it's not just 18 months that students have.Funnily enough, after you finish your course you have four months on your student visa, which is the amount of time it takes to pass your degree and get your certification and all that kind of stuff and then apply for the Post-Study work visa.So technically it's not 18, you still have a good 20 to 23 months. You know, between you finishing your course and your post-study work visa ending, that's almost two years.You can do a lot in two years honestly speaking you can hustle your way, you can network with people you can do so many different...you can get work experience. You know, a lot of the time students are kind of stuck up on...I'm not advocating non-paid work, but what I'm trying to say is look when you don't when people don't know, companies don't know what you can deliver you might want to give your skill set as a trial to the companies and then say, look, if you like what I've done and supported you can we work on an internship and then convert to a job etc?You don't have to go in with the mindset that I need to get 40 grand, If you going to go with that mindset you're going to have lesser number of roles but if you can prove that you're worth 40 grand it's going to be much easier for you to convince them."

In episode 3 of season 3 Siobhan and Konstantina chat with guest Dhruv Khrisnaraj the Director & Co-Founder at Student Circus a job search platform for international students. ⁠Find out more on the Warwick University Careers pages for International Students⁠⁠The full video podcast is available on YouTube⁠⁠International Graduate Success with Dhruv Khrisnaraj SpotifyTranscript: "Siobhan Qadir: I mean, we could talk to you all day. But I just want to ask you one last question. Dhruv Khrisnaraj: Sure. Siobhan: What would you tell your 21...24 year old self? What advice would you give?Dhruv: Okay, so the first thing I would give is start early way earlier, so right from the time you landed. I’m guilty as charged for the first three, four months I was so enamored by the beauty that the UK education system living in the UK and everything else around you gives, that, you know, you're totally defocused and by the time you start focusing, it's too late.So start early. The second advice that I would for sure give is make the most of the career services and the resources. I am telling you now, after working with universities across the UK, with so many of them, I know how much blood, sweat, and tears the careers consultants like yourselves put to support students and I it just breaks my heart to see that when I'm talking to students, the first thing they come and do is they complain about not being helped and when you ask them why and you ask them if they visited the career services, most of them say yes or no and they say yes, but I know about them I didn’t visit them I didn't take their support or it wasn't enough and stuff like that. And when you start probing them, you realize that they've not even attended any sessions, they're not done much.So again, you know, make the most of all the resources I always kind of make it a joke in my presentations to go and say, you know, it's free you've already paid for it, so make the most of itbecause a lot of international students, unfortunately, are being targeted by a lot of scammers around and saying you know what, pay us and we will give you jobs and visas.You don't need to pay anyone in the uk for jobs and visas and I know, companies trying and going and saying pay us a couple of quid a month to access jobs you don’t need to pay anyone your university is giving you access to all of that stuff It's all free, all that you need to do is spend less time on Instagram and more time on LinkedIn, and more time on your job search.And you should be fine."

In episode 3 of season 3 Siobhan and Konstantina chat with guest Dhruv Khrisnaraj the Director & Co-Founder at Student Circus a job search platform for international students. Find out more on the Warwick University Careers pages for International StudentsThe full video podcast is available on YouTubeInternational Graduate Success with Dhruv Khrisnaraj SpotifyTranscript: "Siobhan Qadir: So would you recommend contacting sort of smaller businesses? Because I think when I talk with international students... Dhruv Khrisnaraj: absolutelySiobhan: I want the big name and you go but there’s the flexibility of a smaller company.Dhruv: absolutelySiobhan: the chance to do more.Dhruv: so I always follow a 3 to 1 methodology. It's three applications for start-ups, two applications for mid mid-level companies, and one application for a large company.And the reason why I follow that is the large company applications are so much longer compared to a mid-level company in a small scale.So the amount of time it takes to apply for a start-up for three applications is equal to the amount of time it takes to apply for two companies to mid-sized companies and one large scale company.So as an international student, do your own research.Make a list of small scale maybe medium scale and large scale companies and follow the 3 to 1 approach.That way you’re spreading your wings and you're seeing what works."

An Introduction to Assessment Centres (S3E4) full episode SpotifyAn Introduction to Assessment Centres (S3E4) full episode YouTube Assessment Centres playlist Interviews and Assessment Centres courseTranscript: "Konstantina Dee: So, can you tell me what happens on the day of an assessment centre? Siobhan Qadir: So, this can vary depending on the organisation because they will get their assessment centres created for them by professional agencies. Usually, you will have an icebreaker, and this is to introduce you and to get that team dynamic going and also to see your personality. Then you will have maybe an e-tray exercise. You might do a personal presentation and that could be just with flip charts and pens or it could be you've been asked to do something using PowerPoint. There is going to be a group exercise of some kind. Now it depends on the area you're going into. This could be everything from a group discussion to a case study to a discussion where extra information is introduced over a period of time and you've got to come to a shared consensus on what you're going to do."

Full episode: LinkedIn Groups Season 2 Episode 4 SpotifyFull episode: LinkedIn Groups Season 2 Episode 4 YouTube Transcript: "Konstantina: How do you feel that your comment is valid? Siobhan: If you believe it, if you have factually checked it, I think it's valid. I follow a podcast where there is a, what is the greatest song of all time? Now, my perception of what is the greatest song of all time is not the same as yours. Konstantina: I'm sure it is. Siobhan: But move away from that. Talk about, well, actually, this is really important to me. This is what I really enjoy and reframe it in that way. So, you know, to me, this is the greatest song. To me, this point I think is valid, but I would like to hear what other people think about it. Konstantina: But I think you also need to evidence why it is valid for you. So, you need to provide some context, some explanation, why do you believe and then it will be more likely other people will relate with your comment and engage in the conversation. Siobhan: Some will disagree and that's fine, but as long as they explain why they disagree, and I think that's an art we've lost with social media, is that for a lot of people, no, you're wrong, you're an idiot. No, I disagree with you because I think this, and this, but I see the point you're making here and I respect it, but I don't quite see it as being valid for me. That's a great interchange."

At Assessment Centres you're always being assessed (YouTube version with subtitles)An introduction to Assessment Centres (S3E4)Assessment Centres YouTube playlistInterviews and Assessment Centres course YouTubeTranscript: "Siobhan Qadir: One thing I always tell everybody, and there is a video that you can watch on our YouTube channel, you're always on. You're always being assessed. You're always, your behaviour is always being considered. Never let your guard down. Always be friendly. From the moment you arrive, be polite to everybody and be friendly and engaging with everybody. It's going to be tiring, but it's worth you doing it. Because if there is such a narrow margin between you and someone else, and you have been on your phone during the lunch break, and not interacting with other people, well, how are you going to behave in their organization if you weren't polite to the receptionist? Receptionist, they talk to the managers and they will let you know. So... What I would say to people is from the moment you arrive, be the best you that you can. Don't complain. Don't be on your phone all the time. Talk to the other candidates. What you often will find is you're not going for the same position. You will often be at an assessment centre with someone who is an engineer, someone's doing the HR stream. Find out about them. I do know one graduate who actually met his fiancé at an assessment centre, yeah. (laughs) Konstantina Dee: (laughs) That's the most romantic story ever. I could never imagine that. Siobhan: Well, they just got chatting and she got through, he didn't, but they kept in touch. Yeah. So yeah, it does happen. I'm not, I'm not saying that's the way to meet people. (Laughing) Konstantina: It could happen. And you're right. And even I know someone who actually failed the assessment and at the end, when he was walked to their car, this person just patted the manager on the shoulders like, oh, good chat. We had a good chat mate or something like along these lines. And I'm afraid that was the end of the story. You're right. From the moment you entered the building, from the reception staff until you get in your car outside, just be your best self."

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBcZACnF_ZQ Assessment Centres playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OkTPBH-4Xw&list=PLC5ZVOnetS_ws0uPT8im1CBrSwrT7SjfeInterviews and Assessment Centres course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1CRudrzspk&list=PLC5ZVOnetS_xhYntOMgkbAU6RM3V7pdVMIn this episode Siobhan and Konstantina talk Assessment Centres providing an introduction to what to expect should you take part in one and tips for a successful day. "Welcome to The Careers Chat and today we're talking all about Assessment Centres and yeah the topic that currently a lot of people are facing and something that this is basically I think we'll use this episode as an introduction to what assessment centres are. Okay. So, we'll mainly talk about what these are, why employers run assessment centres and what to expect and how to prepare..."

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vhmWxWrWw4In this episode Siobhan and Konstantina chat with guest Dhruv Khrisnaraj the Director & Co-Founder at Student Circus a job search platform for international students. Find out more on the Warwick University Careers pages for International Students: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/careers/findingwork/international/student_circus/Topics covered in this podcast include, the state of the job market, why students need to have a plan B, the whitepaper and much more. The video version of this podcast is available on our YouTube channel The Careers Chat: https://youtu.be/_vhmWxWrWw4

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTbMKCxWmGcIn this episode Shiv and Konstantina chat with Dill Sanghera about CVs and her experience of working with students to craft a good CV. Topics include tailoring a CV, researching for your CV, Personal profiles, using tools like STAR and TAR to write your CV.

Podcast clips YouTubeWarwick CareersWarwick Careers Help and advicemyAdvantageWarwick Careers EventsIn this bonus clip from episode 1 of season 3 Siobhan and Konstantina discuss being new to university and what events you might need to watch out for. Check out the full episode Making the most of your Careers Service Transcript: "you're excited, you're enthusiastic, and you want to have a look around the campus. You want to know where everything is that you're going to use. But what you might not do is you might not realize the events that are coming up for the autumn term. You might not realize all of the services that the career service offers to you. And so you might miss out on things. And that's a quite a common thing. People will have a chat with you in November, December time and say, "Oh, when's the autumn fair happening? It's happened." Oh, okay. Okay. So, I come and where can I find information about the autumn fair at Warwick? That would definitely be on myAdvantage. So, getting kind of conditioned into using whichever platform I'm thinking beyond Warwick here. We use myAdvantage. Get to understand how myAdvantage works. Understand what it does. It doesn't just have vacancies. It doesn't just allow you to book for events and workshops and employer presentations. It will also allow you to track your development. It will allow you to sort of book appointments with skills advisors, the placement, the work experience people."

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClCBM-mh6TkIn this episode Siobhan and Konstantina talk about what why and how to make most of a careers service.

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTeGWqETJToPlease note this episode does discuss loneliness and homesickness throughout, if you are having similar feelings the following links could be of help. ⁠Self-help resources | Wellbeing & Student Support⁠⁠Students | Wellbeing & Student Support⁠⁠International students studying at WarwickIn this second episode featuring a student we talk with Gayan Wickramaratne about his experience as an international student. He talks about why he came to Warwick, his feelings of loneliness and homesickness and what he did to overcome that through developing resilience and confidence with the help of other students and his WBS course. What he enjoyed about life in the UK, from the food to the people he met. And his tips for other international students coming to or already at Warwick. Subtitles and Transcripts for this episode are available on the YouTube Channel for this podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCareersChat

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel:⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTeGWqETJTo⁠In this episode we discuss student life with MSc student Raj, his experiences as an International Student at Warwick's WMG, making friends and much more.

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNqOZwgTE88In this episode we discuss the UK labour market, AI and where to get the best pie in Wigan with our guest Charlie Ball who is a Public-facing expert on graduate employment. 00:00 Welcome to the podcast and introductions01:09 Charlie can you give us one sentence overview of the graduate labour market in summer 202501:35 How long do you think that's going to continue? 03:10 While we are waiting for the economy to become unstuck what can an international graduate do to get a step ahead? 04:25 Other big cities that have good strong labour markets05:00 Belfast IT labour market06:30 AI has not yet had a big impact on the jobs people do in the UK07:15 AI has seriously affected recruitment because everyone is using it to write applications. 08:42 My advice for international student is to go to your careers service and learn to write a CV without AI, and then learn to write one with AI that is still authentically you09:45 The third thing is you still have to be able to do interviews10:05 Employers are being more strict at the interview stage 10:25 Our candidate used AI to write the application but we couldn't tell because she'd done it well, she was great at interview11:05 Questions we have had raised recently is around the use of paid for AI vs free AI11:40 If you are going to use AI at all your skill needs to be in prompt writing and then curating of the content12:31 The interview stage is the point at which you show face to face that you have done the work13:50 The other thing is don't over estimate how much businesses are using AI right now15:00 What do you think International Students can do for themselves in talking about their expertise, previous work experience, qualifications, skills etc17:00 Some rejections International students receive are due to lack of UK experience, how do they tackle this specific issue?18:20 Do you think that's an excuse some employers use because they don't want to sponsor...?18:50 What do you think about student society activity, volunteering, virtual internships...? 19:28 Our weird British cultural ways20:01 Their pies are all wrong...20:15 A brief introduction to Wigan 20:45 Student Societies serve duel purpose for international students22:00 What are the main frustrations for employers in finding and keeping international students? 24:28 Just be really clear that you are really keen on the job and you will give 100% while doing it. 26:00 The mobility of international students is a bonus and show a wide breadth of experience27:15 The question we need to tackle with this change from 2 years to 18 months what do you think the impacts are going to be for the students and employers? 29:00 Goodbyes and go to Wigan and get a pie from Galloways piesWarwick student societies https://www.warwicksu.com/societies-sports/societies/Warwick Careers https://warwick.ac.uk/services/careers Podcast ep white paper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhT_8qVYz4wWigan https://www.visitwigan.com/ Galloways: https://www.gallowaysbakers.co.uk/

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZfs1iG9J8kIn this episode Konstantina and Siobhan discuss the art of saying no. When was the last time you said no? How to say no in a professional way. Why it is important to be able to say no? And how does Siobhan answer Konstantina's question?

In this special we hear from Manisha Arora director at LTIMindtree, she talks us through her early career journey after graduation, the choices she made and the challenges she faced.

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iouXxdgeQjQ & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFYxI8gQO24"Today we're discussing the CARR framework. So we'll go step by step what it means. How you can use it. And our tips for make it yours. Definitely. I mean, I think just to explain, the CARR is not something with an engine in the goes brum brum It's something actually. It's a framework. It's an application question framework."00:00 Hellos and intro00:25 CARR not Car 00:48 CARR Context Action Result and Reflection01:27 C Context06:41 A Action 09:14 R Result 09:48 R Reflection 10:00 Things that didn't go right for example a bridge for squirrels13:26 When applying for a job, flip CARR round15:00 Final thoughts

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhT_8qVYz4w"Hello and welcome to this extra edition of the Careers Chat podcast. We're here today to talk about the UK government's immigration White Paper, which is setting out new ways of tackling immigration into the UK. We're going to give you an update and explanation and also some ideas of how to tackle issues that arise should this pass into law."

In this episode we discuss how to research employers. Check out the video version of this episode on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/fsgasXSm_Gw 00:00 Hellos00:12 Today we are talking about Researching Employers for interview preparation00:28 Top tip for researching employers02:18 What are the resources candidates can use to research the company? 08:25 PESTLE, what it is...09:12 Value chain analysis09:35 DOTS theory, and other analysis tools10:35 Use AI to help you with the tools, for research11:00 LinkedIn groups 12:00 Final thoughts and goodbyes Prospects https://www.prospects.ac.uk/ Glassdoor https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/index.htmWarwick Careers https://warwick.ac.uk/services/careersWarwick LinkedIn Alumni https://www.linkedin.com/school/uniofwarwick/Using a PESTLE analysis for Interviews & Assessment Centres https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwg_q4twzaYWhat is a SWOT analysis: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gSZjHBmxwjkCARR https://www.youtube.com/shorts/e7oELRLno8ILinkedIn groups podcast episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdm9-vNJKpw

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4fmOSID0SkIn this episode we discuss CVs and how to approach them. Why are CVs important? A section by section discussion. Should you include a personal profile, why you need to tailor, plus a little cover letter debate. 00:00 Coming up on this Chat00:19 Hellos and we are talking about CVs00:40 Why are CVs important?01:13 Tailor your CV02:11 1 or 2 page CVs?02:35 What do you put on the top?04:37 Personal profile, yes or no?05:05 The Cover letter... debate?06:58 Always think of Taylor Swift07:05 Next section Education or Work experience first?09:00 What to do with past or old achievements09:50 Cover letter debate part 2 :-)10:15 Undergraduates, Education do they list school level qualifications?11:00 Work experience section14:00 How many bullet points? 14:45 Benefits of creating a Master CV15:25 Formatting is key, be kind to the reader16:35 Top tip: ask someone else to read your CV17:19 Spell check, but remember to change to the appropriate language17:57 References18:49 Save a copy under the company name19:50 The Skills section21:35 Last thoughts 22:00 GoodbyesHow AI tools can help in careers (The Careers Chat S2E3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh9P4PBbgyg CVs playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbxE7WTQvYI&list=PLC5ZVOnetS_y3GuAIFHpMjk2noQfoyKJP&pp=gAQBhttps://warwick.ac.uk/services/careers/

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdm9-vNJKpwIn this episode we discuss LinkedIn and ways to get involved with groups, the benefits and the importance of being active.00:00 Coming up on this episode 00:30 Hellos and what we are talking about today 01:05 How to search or research groups using AI 02:06 Is the information on groups from AI up to date? 02:55 How do you join a group? 04:46 Groups tend to be easy to get into 04:58 Why contributing is important and ways to do it 05:45 Don't try to be perfect, you don't have to have all the answers 06:08 You will be able to converse with all the members of the group 06:37 Posting for the first time, how to be confident 08:17 How to know your comment is valid? 09:00 Evidence why it is valid for you, it is okay to disagree 10:35 Connecting with people in the group 11:50 People don't just exist online 13:00 We're all time poor 13:36 Get involved 13:47 Shiv's favourite groupLinkedIn https://uk.linkedin.com/Perplexity https://www.perplexity.ai/Claude https://claude.ai/login?returnTo=%2F%3FChatCPT https://chatgpt.com/Gemini https://gemini.google.com/https://warwick.ac.uk/services/careers/

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh9P4PBbgygAI tools recommendations, how to use them or not, examples of how we use and more.00:05 Hellos and introductions00:21 Can you tell me more about Perplexity and how you use it along with other AI tools in Careers01:59 Using multiple free AIs to help write your CV02:35 Comparison of available free AIs03:35 Inputting your data into AIs?04:51 What are your top 3 prompts you use for tailoring a CV?05:21 You want to be authentic 06:01 AI hallucinating?07:00 Using AI as a research tool07:31 AI and the perfect CV08:00 Think about your story08:16 Employers and candidates using AI09:19 They turned up for the interview and they weren't as good as their CV10:20 1 key message about the use of AI in careers10:32 GoodbyesThe Careers Chat YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TheCareersChat_WarwickPerplexity https://www.perplexity.ai/Claude https://claude.ai/login?returnTo=%2F%3FChatCPT https://chatgpt.com/Gemini https://gemini.google.com/https://warwick.ac.uk/services/careers/

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZMZKWWiXtMIn this episode we look at AI, using tools, recruiters and AI, applications and interviews.00:00 Hello and welcome introductions01:00 Using AI tools 01:35 What are employers saying about AI use02:44 Issues around free vs paid versions of AI03:21 Companies are concerned with how it enhances applications04:15 AI isn't an automatic force for good...04:49 How do we use AI to help us?05:52 Article in Financial times big recruiters want against using AI in applications06:55 Use AI but grow with it07:16 My message would be don't be scared of it but be in control of it08:17 Its still got to be your voice, you've still got to be authentic08:35 AI uses lots of American spelling, so UK recruiters know its AI09:12 Future AI podcasts and resources10:00 Get in touch and goodbyeThe Careers Chat YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCareersChat_Warwickhttps://www.ft.com/content/30a032dd-bdaa-4aee-bc51-754867abbde0https://warwick.ac.uk/services/careers/international/students/https://www.gradcracker.com/

The full episode with subtitles/transcript is available on our YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shLxdaayxHEThis episode cover tips and advice for students starting a master and for after you graduate.00:00 Hello, welcome and introductions 00:53 What I say is don't forget the fun 02:00 Networking is a key part 02:34 There is a lot more around your university experience 03:25 Getting to meet new people, getting involved in new activities 04:22 Recruiters talk about wanting that intercultural experience 05:42 Write experiences down you will use them for your interviews 06:02 Journal for your authentic story 06:32 Get your LinkedIn sorted and keep it updated 07:49 Graduates, after you leave university 08:35 Your plan for your next career stage tips 09:34 Final thoughts, get in touch, goodbyesSocieties: https://www.warwicksu.com/societies-sports/societies/Email to get in touch: [email protected](Apologies for the audio quality in this episode it was not up to our usual standard but felt it was still worth posting this episode)

How to manage rejection after an interview and why you shouldn't worry about being perfect.

What is career planning and some advice on how to tackle it.

The challenges students face, things to be aware of and some tips.

What are Graduate Schemes, what to expect, when to apply and much more.

A discussion about pay negotiation, when, how, what you need to know...

"...today we are going to discuss how it feels like to move from being a full-time student or a part-time student to being a graduate..."

LinkedIn some helpful advice for anyone new to LinkedIn or just want to use it better as part of their job search.

Resilience what it is and how you can benefit from it.

An introduction to us and some careers advice.