{"id":7671,"date":"2024-11-01T09:00:34","date_gmt":"2024-11-01T09:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/careers\/?p=7671"},"modified":"2024-11-01T22:54:44","modified_gmt":"2024-11-01T22:54:44","slug":"mature-student-get-career-cosy-this-autumn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/careers\/?p=7671","title":{"rendered":"Mature student? Get career cosy this autumn"},"content":{"rendered":"

The warmth of experience \"Three<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Mature students offer years of experience as reliable and useful as that trusted, well-loved woolly jumper we put on again every autumn. When you think about your career journey, don\u2019t discount the value of what you already know. Like the warmth of a familiar jumper, your existing skills and experience can provide an extra layer of comfort as you explore new opportunities. Get comfortable and confident in Recognising your skills and what you have to offer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Knitting together your skills and interests<\/strong><\/p>\n

Every one of your skills and interests knits together to form your unique experience, as does every stitch in a favourite pullover. Take some time to reflect on what you enjoy<\/a> and how you can weave this into a more fulfilling future.<\/p>\n

Layering for success<\/strong><\/p>\n

Building a career is like adapting to the changing seasons by learning to layer your clothes. As a mature student, your path to success involves more than just your degree. Think about layering your academic qualifications with additional training, professional networking<\/a>, volunteering<\/a>, or even hobbies which align with your career goals. These things can help you weather the ever-changing job market and get to ready to seize unexpected opportunities when they appear.<\/p>\n

Embracing change and comfort<\/strong><\/p>\n

Your career is bound to go through transitions, just like the natural world does. These might feel challenging, but change can be a fantastic opportunity for growth. Reaching for your favourite woolly jumper as the temperature drops is a good reminder that you\u2019ve navigated changing seasons before, and you will again. Develop your career resilience<\/a> even further with our free Open Learn course.<\/p>\n

Finding a good fit<\/strong><\/p>\n

You wouldn\u2019t settle for a jumper that doesn\u2019t fit. Similarly, don\u2019t pressure yourself to rush into a job or career path that doesn\u2019t align with your interests and values. Finding a career that fits might require \u2018trying on\u2019 some roles for size, so be patient with yourself. \u2019Try before you buy\u2019 by trying work experience to test out a new field. Read about the benefits of gaining experience<\/a> and how to choose the best option for you<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Next Steps<\/strong><\/p>\n

The future is yours to shape – and just like the perfect jumper, it\u2019s about finding what works for you. OU Careers and Employability Services<\/a> are here to help you tailor your next steps.<\/p>\n

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\"X<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"OUPenny Beecroft is an OU Careers and Employability Consultant specialising in supporting students in Wales. Penny helps students navigate their futures, figure out their goals and build their confidence through one-to-one careers consultations and by designing career learning events and resources for the OU. Explore the rest of the Careers Stories page for more articles from the Careers and Employability Services team.<\/em><\/div>\n
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The warmth of experience Mature students offer years of experience as reliable and useful as that trusted, well-loved woolly jumper we put on again every autumn. When you think about your career journey, don\u2019t discount the value of what you already know. Like the warmth of a familiar jumper, your existing skills and experience can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-career-planning"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/careers\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7671","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/careers\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/careers\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/careers\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/50"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/careers\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7671"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/careers\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7671\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7715,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/careers\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7671\/revisions\/7715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/careers\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7671"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/careers\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7671"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/careers\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}