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    • Finding the Balance
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    • When Life Gives You Lemons
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    • Before You Start
    • Career Direction
    • Preparation
    • Internships & Work Experience
    • Social Media
    • Job Search
    • Networking
    • Applying for a Job
    • Psychometric Tests
    • Interviews
    • Assessment Centres
    • Job Offers
    • Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)
    • Unemployment
  • Money
    • Manage Your Finances
    • Budgeting
    • Maintenance – Good Practice
    • Understand Interest Rates
    • Bank Accounts
    • Tax
    • Student Loans
    • Debt & Borrowing
    • Financial Support
    • Savings
    • More on Money
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    • Start the Search
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Useful Links

Useful Links

 
 
Life

Jobs

Money

House
 
 

LIFE

life-happy-girl-white-backgd2-smaller

Links in this section:

Professional help

General wellbeing

Stress

Sleep

Fun things to do

 

 

Professional Help

See your Doctor if you are concerned about the effects of stress on your mental or physical health.
They can advise on local support services as well as any necessary treatment.

 

Youth Counselling
Youth Counselling offer services up to age 25, often free of charge.
Google youth counselling for your area, or try Youth Access – Find Your Local Service

 

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)
CALM can help you get your life back when things get tough.
CALM is targeted at men, but they will help anyone calling within the UK – no one is turned away.
They cover a whole host of issues including anxiety, alcohol & drugs, eating disorders, financial stress, suicide etc.

The CALM Zone – Get Help

Help, information and support – online, Web-chat, through local sources or
Call the Calm helpline 0800 58 58 58 (LINK TO CALL)
(5pm – midnight, every day of the year)

They also have social media links – Facebook  Twitter

 

Mind
Mind provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. We campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.

Contact Mind here

 

THE SAMARITANS

Call: 0845 790 90 90 (UK)
(24 hours a day, every day of the year)

 

PAPYRUS – Prevention of young suicide
Confidential help and support from trained professionals, for young people and anyone worried about a young person:
HOPELineUK
Call: 0800 068 41 41
Mon-Fri: 10am-10pm
Weekends & bank holidays: 2pm-5pm
Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org
SMS: 07786 209697

 

James Wentworth-Stanley Memorial Fund
Suicide/Mental Health Advice
This is a memorial trust for James who committed suicide. It’s a great place for advice.
Also look at their Facebook page where they often post helpful articles about mental health in young people (particularly men).

 

 

General Wellbeing

Mind Body Green Blog
General wellbeing blog – from recipes, exercises at home to relationships & more

 

Exercise improves mental health

 

Running improves health & mood

 

The Connection, Mind Your Body
The link between your mind, body & health

 

 

Stress

NHS Support
The key to good stress management

 

Headspace & Headspace App
Described as ‘gym membership for the mind,’ it teaches mindfulness and meditation techniques from as little as 10 minutes a day

 

Be Mindful
Website containing Information about Mindfulness, including a directory of local classes and an online course with free introductory sessions

 

Mindfulness in Plain English
Book or eBook by Henepola Gunaratana
Bestselling classic guide to insight meditation

 

 

Sleep

The Connection
How to get a good sleep and other good mindfulness tips

 

10 Tips For a Better Sleep
Boots give their top tips to a good night sleep

 

The Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep
A great book on sleep! Book or eBook version available

 

 

Fun Things To Do

Timeout
Worldwide guide to art and entertainment, food and drink, film, travel and more

 

Groupon
Deals – local, events, getaways & goods
They have a section called Under £25 – worth a look!

 

Do – it  for fun
How to volunteer in your area

 

Virgin Experience Days
Some good deals on everything from helicopter rides to michelin star restaurant deals. Still a bit pricey but worth a look


 

 

 

JOBS

Jobs Man

Links in this section:
Career Direction

Social Media

Job Search

Interviews

Assessment Centres

 

 

Career Direction

Links in this section:

General career advice

Internships & work experience

Psychometric testing & personality tests

Further education & training

Self employment – freelance & entrepreneurs

Do something different

 

 

General career advice

All About Careers
A great website for everything careers, including an online test for career direction. They focus on different industries etc. to give you a bank of knowledge. Plus, a jobs board with lots of listings.

 

Harvard Business Review
If you enjoy Podcasts, this is a great one: How to Get the Right Job. Jodi Glickman, founder of the communication training firm Great on the Job and a contributor to ‘The HBR Guide to Getting a Job’ talks about finding your next job and how to zero in on realistic career possibilities before you start actually searching for jobs.

 

Target Jobs
Target Jobs has a lot of advice on many different aspects of starting a career. Find lots of good advice here for personality tests, assessment centres etc.  

 

Prospects
Profiles on hundreds of graduate jobs: includes job description, salary, entry requirements, training, career development, related jobs, vacancy sources & contacts

 

Career Builder
Career & social media advice, jobs listings in many big cities such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, South Hampton, Bournemouth. 

 

 

Internships & Work Experience

GOV Employment Rights & Internships
Use the Government website to understand your rights as an intern or employee

 

Rate My Placement
Internships & placements, plus thousands of reviews to help you decide

 

Inspiring Interns
This link takes you to London & South East but look on LHS of the page and you can switch to Manchester & The North.
Website specialises in graduate internships (up to 3 months) 
Upload your CV & apply for up to 5 internships 
Note some roles are ‘expenses only’ 
Also ‘how to’s’ on CVs, video CVs & interview techniques

 

 

Psychometric & Personality Tests

Grad DNA
Use this app to find, test & match your skills to graduate jobs, practice personality, numerical, verbal reasoning tests. They even match you to their jobs board of grad schemes based on your test results!

 

Morrisby
Personality Profiling, 50+ years of experience in the field

 

Don’t forget to look at our Personality Test for career direction and our Psychometric Testing page to understand what employers are looking for and how these tests work.

 

 

Further Education & Training<

UCAS Postgraduates
Courses, application process, fees & funding

 

Postgraduate Courses – Hot Courses
Courses, feature articles & FAQs

 

Short Courses:

FindCourses.co.uk
Portal for professional training & apprenticeships, listing courses from the UK’s top training providers

 

Code Academy  Coding

 

Skillshare  Creative & Design

 

Learn A Language For Free: 5 Best Websites

 

Hot Courses
All types of courses in a wide variety of subjects, plus feature articles and FAQs. 

Hot Courses generally charge a fee.
Postgraduate, training & vocational, online and fun short courses

 

Google Squared
Google Squared provides an overview of digital marketing, all the way from the changing digital world, mobile driven behaviour including consumer journeys to google analytics. Although it’s pretty pricey, having completed this course myself, I can’t recommend it enough. Brilliantly organised. Over 5 months you complete group work, individual tasks and lectures. 

 

 

Self Employment – Freelance & Entrepreneurs

Self-Employment – All About Careers

Helpful info on many aspects:
Making a business plan
How to set up & register a company
Freelancing
Finances: funding, self-employed benefits, corporation tax & business bank accounts

 

Freelance:

Freelancers.net
Creative & digital

 

People Per Hour
Creative & digital 

 

Freelance.com
IT, marketing and communications, journalism, translation, training & consultancy

 

Entrepreneurs:

Startups UK
Comprehensive advice platform for starting all sorts of businesses, e.g.
freelancing & contracting, franchising, tech-start-ups, service & retail.

 

New Entrepreneurs Foundation 
Blogs, news & events.
Browse the latest version of the NEF Directory – a comprehensive list of  resources in UK for budding entrepreneurs. 

 

Enterprise Nation
A supportive community, resources & events geared to helping people start and grow their own businesses

 

Entrepreneur – Virgin.com
‘Inspiration, innovation and advice’
Blogs, interviews, tips & support 

 

Informi – How to start a business in 20 days
Free service recommended by one of our HG Hustlers, who used it to kickstart her design business

 

Funding for Entrepreneurs:

Kickstarter
Kickstarter helps artists, musicians, filmmakers, designers, and other creators find the resources and support they need to make their ideas a reality. Crowd-sourced funding for creative projects:
Creators describe their project, setting a funding goal and deadline. If people like the project, they can pledge money, and if the target is reached, it goes ahead.

 

Start Up Loans
A government-funded scheme, which provides loans and mentoring to start-up businesses;
borrow up to £25,000 at competitive rates, with no penalty for early repayment.

 

Shell LiveWIRE
Online community for young entrepreneurs aged 16-30.
Free tools, resources and guides in the Business Library
Funding opportunities via the Smarter Future Programme, which awards start-up grants of £5,000 plus mentoring support to young entrepreneurs with initiatives in sustainable living

 

Incubators & Accelerators:

My Incubator
Provides workspace, training & support networks for new start-ups – free of charge for first 3 months.

 

Entrepreneurial Spark
‘Free business accelerator for early stage & growing ventures’ – Offers resources & advice in various centres around the UK.

 

Seedcamp
Accelerator programmes. (London only)

 

List of Business Accelerators in UK – Entrepreneur HandbookCapital Enterprise
Support services for entrepreneurs & small businesses: advice, technical expertise, finance & workspace.

 

Entrepreneur Hubs:

Google Campus
Community hubs ‘where entrepreneurs come to learn, share ideas, and launch great startups.’

The Drugstore
(You won’t find any actual drugs here) – they offer ‘funding for a few start ups with real potential’ and also areas to work.

 

Entrepreneurship Courses:

Business & Enterprise Skills – Alison
Free online courses, which could benefit someone starting or running their own business.
Google Entrepreneur Courses or search ‘Entrepreneurship’ in Hot Courses or All About Careers

 

New Entrepreneurs Foundation
This education charity offers a free one year learning and development programme, which includes an entrepreneurial placement, workshops, events & networking opportunities, with support from mentors & coaches. Strong competition for places (over 500 applicants for 30-40 places annually).

 

The Escape School – Escape The City
London-based start-up accelerator programme, online course, events, workshops & tools

 

Stanford Ignite – Stanford University’s Entrepreneur Course in London
‘This certificate program teaches innovators to formulate, develop, and commercialise their ideas.
Combines current graduate students and entrepreneurs with innovators, scientists, and engineers from leading companies.
Intended for innovators who do not have graduate-level business degrees.

 

Do Something Different

Non-Corporate Opportunities – Escape The City
All types of fulfilling jobs around the world – from volunteering and internships to full-time professional roles.
Or join a development programme, or connect with the community of like-minded people to share ideas.

 

Jobs – British Council
Opportunities to pursue personal/professional development via training & study, whilst working

 

Year Here
Build solutions to social problems.
A postgraduate course in social innovation – demanding but rewarding; explore different ways of working, develop projects, pitch for investment, make a difference.
Likely to lead to an entrepreneurial career dedicated to social change.

 

Study abroad? – Educations.com
Helpful resource for finding and comparing courses, for anyone considering studying abroad
 

 

Social Media

LinkedIn Blog
LinkedIn tips for online job seekers, creating a positive presence etc.

 

 

Job Search

LinkedIn Company Searches 
Stay up to date with news and company accounts, discover job opportunities, find out if you are connected to employees.

 

Graduate Recruitment Fairs
An opportunity to meet the top UK graduate employers; benefit from expert advice on your CV, career direction and job-hunting.

 

The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers

 

The Guardian – Graduate Jobs
Jobs & graduate schemes

 

Bright Network
Jobs & internships for graduates of Times Top 20 or Russell Group Universities

 

Types Of Jobs – Prospects
Profiles on hundreds of graduate jobs: includes job description, salary, entry requirements, training, career development, related jobs, vacancy sources & contacts

 

Profiles of individual employers, including:
Advice about researching them
Info about their recruitment process, what they look for & tips on how to get hired

 

Highfliers – The Graduate Market
Annual review of graduate vacancies and starting salaries at Britain’s leading employers
See PDF

 

Graduate-Jobs
Jobs, schemes & internships

 

Milkround

 

 

Interviews

Glassdoor
Information on hiring processes for many companies, including questions asked at interviews

 

Please see our content on Interviews – how to prepare, questions you might be asked

 

Keep up to date with our YouTube Channel – Hello Grads for interviews with employers, employees about their experiences of interviews and other grad experiences!

 

 

Assessment Centres

Job Test Prep
Prepare for assessment centre tasks, exercises & psychometric testing

 

Assessment Centre HQ
Very good assessment centre advice for all different exercises you might be asked to do


 

 

 

MONEY

Money girl holding piggy -wb

Links in this section:

Manage Your Finances

Tax & National Insurance
Working for an Employer, Self-Assessment, Self-Employed, Tax on Savings & Investments, National Insurance

Debt & Borrowing

Student Loans

Savings

Pensions

Investing

Financial Support
Debt Advice, Benefits, Resolving Problems with Financial Services

General Money Advice

 

 

Manage Your Finances

Budgeting & Managing Money – Money Advice Service
Advice on planning a budget, managing on a low income & cutting costs
Includes a personalised Money Health Check tool with tailor-made tips to start sorting your finances

 

Money Tips for Graduates – Money Advice Service
Tips for staying on top of your finances, whether you’re starting your career, planning postgraduate education or travelling

 

Graduate Bank Accounts – Money Saving Expert

 

How to set up Direct Debits & Standing Orders – Money Advice Service

 

 

Budgeting Tools

Online Budget Planner – Money Advice Service

 

Budget Planner Tool – Money Saving Expert
Online tool, spread sheet or printout version

 

UK Salary Calculator
Free iPhone/iPad app that calculates take-home pay, taking into account tax rate, student loan repayments, national insurance & pension contributions.

 

 

Tax & National Insurance

 

Tax – General Help

Get Help With A Tax Problem – Citizens Advice

 

Tax Rates, Allowances & Amounts – Which?
A good starting guide

 

Income Tax – GOV.UK
The full details!

 

Glossary of Tax Terms – Citizens Advice

 

Tax – Working for an Employer

Income Tax Enquiries – HMRC
Including incorrect PAYE tax code or payments, change of personal details etc.

HMRC Taxes Helpline:
0300 200 3300

 

Claim a Tax Refund – GOV.UK

 

Tax Tools for Employed

HMRC Tax Checker
Check whether you have paid the right amount of tax, for the current or previous years

 

Income Tax Calculator – Money Saving Expert
Tool to estimate your income tax bill, National Insurance & take-home pay

 

Self-Assessment Tax

Check if you need to complete a Self-Assessment Tax Return – GOV.UK

Register for Self-Assessment

 

Self-Assessment Tax Returns – GOV.UK
Sending in your return, paying your bill, where to get help etc. 

 

Self Assessment Tax Returns
HMRC webinars & videos – information & help

HMRC Self-Assessment Helpline:
0300 200 3310

 

Tax for Self-Employed

HMRC Newly Self-Employed Hotline:
0300 200 3504

 

Register with HMRC as Self-Employed

 

Check if you should register for VAT

 

Find out how much National Insurance you need to pay

 

Self-employed Ready Reckoner Tool – HMRC
Estimate your Tax & National Insurance bill; work out a monthly amount to set aside for tax payments

 

Tax Guides for Self-Employed

Tax & National Insurance (For Self-Employed) – Money Advice Service
Free advice online, web chat, phone or social media

 

Tax Guide for Self-Employment – HMRC
Helpful guide if you are starting a business

 

Self Employment
HMRC webinars & videos about starting a business, what expenses & allowances you can claim etc.

 

 Tax for the Self-Employed – Which?

 

Tax on Savings & Investments

Tax on Savings Interest – GOV.UK
How much tax you pay, Personal Savings Allowance, how to reclaim or pay extra tax owed

 

Tax on Dividends – GOV.UK

 

National Insurance

National Insurance Explained – Which?
(Video – 2 minutes)

 

National Insurance – GOV.UK
Finding or applying for your NI number, what you pay & where to get help

 

 

Debt & Borrowing

For sources of help with debt problems, see Free Help & Advice – Debts

Debt & Borrowing – Money Advice Service
Considerations for borrowing, how to borrow affordably & taking control of debt

 

Interest Rates Guide – Money Saving Expert
Explains the cost of borrowing, compound interest & APR etc.

 

Credit Cards & Loans – Money Saving Expert

 

Borrowing Tools

Loan Calculator – Money Advice Service
Work out how long it will take to pay off a loan, or how much
it will cost you

 

Loan Calculator – Money Saving Expert
Work out the cost & find the best available borrowing options

 

Credit Rating

Check your credit report:

Equifax     Experian     Callcredit

 

Credit Rating – Money Saving Expert
Useful facts & tips to boost your credit score

 

Student Loans

Student Loan Company
Information or questions about student loan repayments

 

Student Loan Repayment Calculator
Work out how much of your loan you might expect to pay back and over what period of time

 

 

Savings

Savings – Virgin Money (3 Minute Film)

 

How To Start Saving – Money Saving Expert
How to choose the right type of account in the right order to maximise your interest 

 

Find the Best Type of Savings Account – Which?
Step-by-step guide to finding the right type of account
Switching savings

 

Interest Rates Guide – Money Saving Expert
Earnings from saving or from being in credit
Compound interest, AER & tax on savings 

 

Check If Your Savings Are Protected – FSCS

 

Tax on Savings Interest – GOV.UK
How much tax you pay, Personal Savings Allowance, how to reclaim or pay extra tax owed

 

 

Pensions

How Pensions Work – Which?

Pension Need-to-Knows – Money Saving Expert

When & How to Start Saving for a Pension – This is Money

 

 

Investing

Investments – Virgin Money (3 Minute Film)

Beginner’s Guide To Investing – Money Advice Service

 

 

Financial Support

 

Free Help & Advice – Debts

Debt & Money – Citizens Advice
How to deal with debt problems, including working out how much money you owe & which debts you should pay back first

 

National Debtline
Call 0808 808 4000
or use their online service My Money Steps

 

Debt Advice Locator – Money Advice Centre
Find free confidential debt advice in England, Scotland, Wales & N. Ireland: online, telephone & face-to-face services

 

StepChange Debt Charity
Call 0800 138 1111

 

Business Debtline for the self-employed (a National Debtline service)
Call 0800 197 6026

 

Benefits & Eligibility

Benefits – Citizens Advice
Benefits for people looking for work, or in work on a low income; help with rent & council tax, health, legal costs etc.

 

Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)
Government website – advice on eligibility and how to claim

 

Benefits Calculators: find out what you could get & how to claim
entitiledto      Turn2Us

 

Guide to Universal Credit
This guide explains the various elements of the UK’s centralised benefit system, what benefits it has replaced, how to claim, claimants’ commitments, sources of help etc.

 

Jobcentre Plus
Contact your local office to get advice or make a claim

Jobseekers – new benefit claims
0800 055 6688

 

Problems with Financial Services

Contacts & procedures to follow if you have concerns about a bank or other financial service

Financial Conduct Authority – FCA
How to avoid or report scams
How to complain about banking & financial services

 

Phishing – Action Fraud
When fraudsters attempt to access personal data
How to protect yourself,  & what to do if you receive a phishing message

 

Sort out a Money Problem or Make a Complaint – Money Advice Service
Things you should know before you complain, what steps to take etc.

 

Financial Ombudsman Service
Helps to settle disputes between consumers and UK-based providers of financial services – including banks & building societies, insurance, credit cards, financial advisers etc.

Enquiries & consumer helpline:
0800 023 4 567

 

 

General Money Advice

 

The Money Advice Service

An free unbiased financial service set up by the government (aka ‘What Does MA Think?‘)

  • Online information, tools and planners, videos and printed guides
  • Support via online web-chat, phone, social media, or email
    Contact Money Advice Service

Includes some guides tailored to graduates e.g.

Managing Student Debts

Repaying your Student Loan

Graduate Bank Accounts

Money Tips for Graduates

 

Money Saving Expert

Founded by journalist and presenter Martin Lewis (OBE)

  • Money-saving guides, tips & tools
  •  Comparison website for best buys on financial products, utilities, travel, motoring etc.
  • MSE forum for discussing financial & consumer issues

 

GOV.UK

Comprehensive information from the Government, including money and tax, benefits, pensions,  business and self-employed.

Which? Money
Free online advice plus reviews of financial products & services

The Guardian – Money
News & views on money matters

Virgin Money – 3 Minute Films
Entertaining bite size films explaining a variety of subjects e.g. savings, investments, credit cards & pensions


HOUSE

House man holding key (white background)

Links in this section:

Useful Printable Checklists

Free Help & Advice

Online Guides

 

For specific issues, see the suggested links on Help on Housing:

Tenancy Agreements & Charges

Scams, Fraud & Purchase Problems

Dealing with your Landlord/Letting Agent

Shared Accommodation

Financial Assistance

 

 

Useful Printable Checklists

Viewings Checklist
What to check & ask when you view a property

Landlord/Letting Agency Checklist
Important points to look for BEFORE you sign any contract or hand over money

Moving Checklist
Things to sort & people to contact when you move, including utilities & service providers

 

 

Free Help & Advice on Housing Matters

Shelter

The main UK housing charity, which offers advice, support & legal services

Housing advice helpline:
0808 800 4444

Online Guides to Private Renting – Shelter
(England & Scotland)
How to rent, tenancy agreements, rental costs, resolving problems with landlords & letting agents etc.

 

Citizens Advice

UK legal charity offering free impartial advice concerning people’s rights and responsibilities

Contact Citizens Advice
Webchat, phone & local offices

Online Guides to Renting – Citizens Advice
See drop down menu for content relevant to England/Wales/Scotland/N. Ireland
Tenancy agreements, deposits, common problems, rent arrears etc.

Citizens Advice also help with issues relating to buying goods & services:

  • If you think a company has acted illegally, unfairly, or provided a poor service
  • Cancelling a contract or switching suppliers

Citizens Advice Consumer Service

Consumer helpline:
03454 04 05 06

 

Law Centres

Offer free legal advice for people in their community who cannot afford a lawyer; they usually have solicitors experienced in housing matters

Law Centres Directory

 

Face-to-Face Advisers

Local Advice Services Directory
Search by postcode – includes local Shelter, Citizens Advice, council services, law centres & other agencies

 

 

Online Renting Guides

Private Renting – Shelter
(England & Scotland)
How to rent, tenancy agreements, rental costs, resolving problems with landlords & letting agents etc.

 

Renting a Home – Citizens Advice
See drop down menu for content relevant to England/Wales/Scotland/N. Ireland
Tenancy agreements, deposits, common problems, rent arrears etc.

 

How to Rent (England) – GOV.UK
Checklist covering the rental process: Before renting, living in a rented home, the end of a tenancy, solving problems

 

No-nonsense guide to renting in London – Zoopla
Where to rent, what to consider, likely costs etc.

 

Get Safe Online
Advice on safe property rental, online payments, transferring money etc.

 

50+ Renting Tips – Money Saving Expert
Rental rights, energy tips, letting fees & more

 

 The Tenants’ Voice
Tenants’ forum, FAQs, plus advice on tenancy & moving

 


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