Initiative

These ideas are ways to start taking the initiative. You’re unlikely to use these as evidence of initiative in a written application, but they might be things you reference in conversation at interview.

• Suggest activities to do with your group of friends, and make it happen. Don’t just be responsive.
• Use social media to network.
• Arrange a couple of information interviews.
• Solve minor problems in your department/college in conjunction with staff. For example, issues which affect your mail room, catering, or welfare support.
• Know when to seek help or advice!
• Read about people who have taken the initiative.

These are all quick ways you could take the initiative, and you could refer to in applications.

• Solve a problem, or make something new happen in your college, department, or in a society.
• Organise your own work experience by making a speculative application.
• Take part in Oxford Entrepreneurs‘ 3 day pitch

• Volunteer – for example with Nightline, or with local community initiatives through Oxford Hub.
• Learn, or teach yourself, a new skill that might be helpful in your career – for example coding.
• Join The Student Consultancy or The Researcher Strategy Consultancy and solve a real business problem for a local organisation.
• Create a new speaker series for your department or a society.

• Apply for Laidlaw internships. These give you funding to do research of your choice, in leading institutions worldwide.
• Start a campaign about something you care about, and get others involved.
• Start your own business or social enterprise.
• Set up a society, journal or club.
• Set up an Oxford student arm of a professional organisation or a charity.

Click on the 'CareerConnect EVENTS'  tab below to see upcoming events from the Careers Service where you can build on this skill.