Employability

In today’s competitive global market, you need more than a strong academic qualification to achieve your potential as a graduate.

That’s why we give you countless opportunities to make the most of Manchester as an undergraduate student, boost your employability and set yourself up for success throughout your life.

Manchester graduates: targeted by employers in the UK and worldwide

Recruiters target Manchester because our graduates are highly employable. We're among the best universities in the world for the employability of our students – ranked 42nd in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings (2022). 

In the UK, we're the most targeted university by the nation's top graduate employers (High Fliers, 2022).

Education that prepares you for employment

At Manchester, we encourage independent critical thinking and analysis.

Rather than teaching you to pass exams, we assess you on skills that employers value, such as how to work as part of a team, deliver presentations and tackle problems creatively.

Career development opportunities throughout your degree

As a student, and for two years after you graduate, you’ll have full access to our proactive and comprehensive Careers Service. 

Thanks to our long-established relationships with business and industry, we have more employers recruiting on our campus than at any other university in the UK – more than 7,000 graduate recruiters, from major multinationals to small and medium-sized enterprises. Each year our careers fairs, workshops and presentations attract more than 600 exhibitors.

Other careers services include:

• advice on CVs and interview techniques;
• guidance on career options;
• 'My future profiler' - to help you identify the skills you need for your career;
• skills-development workshops and courses;
• work placement and internship opportunities;
• career mentoring by industry professionals;
• job vacancies via email;
• the most comprehensive university careers website in the UK.

Our Manchester Leadership Programme could form part of your degree, blending community volunteering with a course unit that explores topics such as ethical leadership and social responsibility – or you could combine your studies with a year abroad and take the Manchester Global Challenge.

Stellify: do more, be more

The University of Manchester offers you the opportunity for true personal and professional change and growth. We call it Stellify.

By participating in some of our most transformative extra- and co-curricular activities, you’ll be able to broaden your horizons, understand the issues that matter in contemporary society and step up to make a difference to local and global communities.

You’ll do more, dream more, try more and be more. And if you complete a set of actions, you could be eligible for our Stellify Award.