It can’t just be me who finds the job market completely mind-boggling. Five years of “performance-backed experience” to land a marketing assistant role? I’m juggling assignments, lectures and procrastination, not secretly running a Fortune 500 company. Instead of scrolling endlessly through job ads like a caffeinated squirrel and wondering if the internet is judging me, I realised I needed a smarter approach: focus on roles that actually fit my skills and interests, not just the ones that make me feel like I’m auditioning for Mission Impossible.

Enter Christina Cooper, Marketing Careers Coach at Lancaster University Management School (LUMS). I remembered her name from a quick intro before lectures… and, yes, her perfect curls stuck in my mind. Surely someone with that level of hair perfection could help me figure out my career.

I typed up a quick email, honestly feeling a little silly. I wondered if someone like me - minimal work experience, academically gifted but still mastering the art of not burning toast, could even benefit.

Within an hour of meeting Christina, my perspective had completely shifted. She’s practically superwoman. I felt like I had discovered a secret map to the job market… we talked CVs, portfolios, and career pathways I hadn’t even considered. More importantly, she gave me the confidence to believe in myself, something that’s easy to lose when you’re staring at endless job ads and wondering where to start.

What really set this in stone for me were the careers fairs. These events are game changers. The Management School hosts them regularly, featuring a mix of big-name companies, innovative startups and industry professionals from all corners of the business world. I’ve attended fairs where companies like Muller, HSBC, Deloitte and other leading employers set up stands with interactive activities, workshops and my favourite - free pens.

Walking through the halls, it was impossible not to feel the buzz. Every stand offered something different. I got to ask real employees about their day-to-day work, what they really look for in applicants and even how they navigated their own early careers. Christina had prepared me well, my CV and portfolio were ready, and I had a few questions in my back pocket which made networking feel less intimidating and more like chatting over coffee instead of dodging laser beams.

Beyond the immediate networking opportunities, the fairs are also a masterclass in understanding the skills employers value. Each interaction helped me see how my own experiences - internships, projects, even volunteer work could translate into real roles. And because LUMS students have early access to these events, it’s like building your network while others are still googling “how to network.”

Attending the fairs made me realise that careers support at LUMS isn’t something that sits on the sidelines but runs alongside everything we do. When you combine these events with career coaching, skills workshops and employer-led sessions, it feels intentional and genuinely supportive. As Christina puts it, “Career guidance is embedded directly into your programme - employability isn’t an add-on, it’s a core part of learning.” And after stepping into those rooms and seeing opportunities connect directly to my studies, I felt the difference for myself.

So, if the job market feels like a rollercoaster, here’s my tip: go to the fairs, talk to employers and lean on the support around you. You might walk in clutching your CV like a life jacket, but you’ll walk out feeling ready to take the plunge. As Walt Disney said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” And sometimes, that courage just means taking the first step …even if it’s a little wobbly.

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