Our Graduate destinations website has 100s of profiles of LSE alumni talking about how their careers have developed since leaving LSE and what they gained from their time here. We’ve drawn on a few of these to give you some useful words of wisdom from alumni who were once where you are now…

The first comes from Doran Bar-Gil who graduated with an MSc in Global Politics. He emphasises the importance and enjoyment of taking in all that LSE has to offer and in particular connecting with your classmates:

LSE is a truly amazing place and the academic programmes are extremely interesting. But look around you too: the students that sit with you in your class most probably have amazing stories, life wisdom and some might carry opportunities with them that you can’t even imagine. Also, LSE offers many events, fairs, societies, and more. Take advantage of it as much as you can.

Emily Murrell, BSc Social Policy with Government, expands on this theme of making the most of LSE by talking about the importance of gaining experience and testing things out whilst you’re here:

I took every opportunity while I was a student at LSE and after graduation to try different internships and voluntary roles to test what type of jobs I enjoyed and excelled in. Having LSE on your CV makes it much easier to get interesting internships and I highly recommend getting a few internships under your belt before graduating, as sadly a degree alone is not enough for graduates these days. I learned it is important to apply for jobs you are genuinely passionate about, not simply follow the dreams and career plans of others, be it friends or family, as you are likely to sell yourself well as a result and get the job you really want.

For those of you who are planning to return home at the end of your degree, Ashley Kelmore, MSc in Philosophy and Public Policy, has some useful advice:

I think that if you are interested in work in your home country it is crucial to spend the time while at LSE staying connected to that work. Whether it is finding a way to volunteer remotely, write articles for non-profit newsletters, or staying connected with leaders in the field, I think that is the best way to make sure that the skills you learn at LSE can translate into work in your home country.

And finally, some wise words from Balthasar van Roosendaal, BSc Economics and Economic History, who articulates a theme expressed in many of the case studies about the importance of working out what you want in life.

I think that the only thing you can really plan is what direction you want to take in life. The finer details are dependent on circumstances. [You] should spend your time getting to know what you want to do in life, to know yourself, to be able to put yourself on the right track as soon as possible. The earlier you start, the more chance you will have of being truly happy. Also, as you can see from my short career path, I took some decisions to fit into an image of success, or to please my family, rather than because I deeply desired it. My advice to you is to take advice from people regarding your career, but then choose what you truly desire. It can take some time to find that out, and little experiences such as internships help us find this out.

There are many, many more profiles on our website – all of which have something useful to say to help you get the most from your time at LSE!