If you’re reading this, chances are you’re applying to study at LSE or have applied and need to make a choice at some point. There are lots of things to consider when choosing a university, especially from a careers perspective. What careers will be open to you with an LSE degree? What careers support will you have whilst you’re here? And what happens after you graduate? Here’s a guide to how we can help:
Before you apply
We cater our services to match LSE student makeup, keeping undergraduates and postgraduates in mind as well as UK and international students, people with previous job experience, and those looking to change careers. If you want to work in the UK or internationally, we offer support with that too. We also have bespoke services for students with disabilities and PhD students, including dedicated careers consultants.
Follow us on social media and browse our website
Our main social media accounts are on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn so check those out for more information and articles and to see what you have to look forward to if you come to LSE. The LSE Careers website is one of the best resources you can use when trying to kick-start, change, or advance your career and will also give you an idea of what’s available to you.
Check out LSE graduate destinations
Our alumni go into pretty interesting careers and work in a variety of different sectors, as our most recent data shows:
If you’re researching a course on a topic you’re passionate about but have no idea where it could lead, our graduate destinations page can give you some great ideas. Take a look at what students who studied in your prospective department have gone on to do, or search by degree course. You might also be interested in the graduate profile of the week section on our blog, for a more in-depth look into how alumni got into their current careers.
We also contact graduate six months after they graduate as part of the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey. In our most recent survey, 90.5% of LSE graduates were in employment or further study and the average starting salary was £26,400 for undergraduates and £33,000 for postgraduates. (Note: the salary question is optional to answer so is more of an indicator rather than a complete picture).
Careers, volunteering and entrepreneurship
The LSE Volunteer Centre and entrepreneurship programme (LSE Generate) are also part of LSE Careers. Alongside being a great way to give back to the community, volunteering can be very beneficial to both your personal and professional development. Our research shows that nearly all those that volunteer recommend it to a friend and almost three quarters of LSE students feel volunteering has increased their employability.
Generate is targeted towards entrepreneurial students interested in starting their own business or joining an organisation that promotes entrepreneurship as one of its core values. Generate offers a skills development programme and a series of networking events which, together, offer a unique platform from which students can learn, market test their ideas, and identify key relationships within their immediate and wider entrepreneurial community.
Whilst you’re at LSE
Services
You won’t be able to access our services fully until you’re registered when you arrive on campus, but there are lots of things you can do to prepare as an offer holder.
Once you’re here, we’re on hand to help whether you know what you want to do after you graduate or not, and whatever role or sector you’re looking to work in. Look at our service guide and mission statement to get a fuller idea of what services we offer to current students and recent alumni. From appointments and events to advice on starting your own business, we can help you in a variety of ways and you can learn more about how we engage employers and connect them to you too. We also connect current students to alumni through our “Meet an Alum” programme and networking events.
Planning your career
The career planning section of our website – especially our Career Builder tool – will give you some tips on how to begin.
During your studies, you may even find that your career goals change as you learn, so it’s important to keep an open mind. But don’t worry if you don’t know what you want to do – we can still help! We also have an exclusive jobs board, LSE CareerHub, which lists hundreds of full-time, part-time, graduate, internship, experienced hire, or volunteering (here and overseas) opportunities.
When you graduate
As LSE alumni you still have access to LSE Careers for up to five years after you complete your course.
We hope to see you at LSE next year!
