The right subject?

"Have I chosen the right subject?" - Is a question that most of you embarking on university will have asked yourselves at least a dozen times even after sending off the UCAS form.

You believe you will enjoy your chosen subject, but are now anxious that your career prospects may have been better if you had listened to your well-meaning but interfering Uncle George and elected to study Mathematics rather than History of Art.

But, is all this worrying really necessary?

Careers in Medicine, Dentistry and Architecture do tend to require a specific degree, however; a glimpse at the top 100 graduate employer's requirements reveal that very few state a specific subject prerequisite.

Instead, employers tend to require a 2.1 from a well-regarded university and the candidate to possess a number of skills.

An extensive study conducted by the University of Sheffield found that the top ten skills valued by employers in order of importance, are: oral communication, teamwork, enthusiasm, motivation, initiative, leadership, commitment, interpersonal skills, organisation and foreign language competence.

Thus, possessing these skills in addition to having a 2.1 or above from a good university, is likely to be more essential than your degree choice!

Work experience is frequently cited by employers as a sign of motivation and commitment and although the summer months are usually dedicated to earning some much needed cash, a work placement can significantly increase your employability.

Regardless of your degree subject, many firms offer work placements lasting from anything from one week to the whole summer.

This is a perfect time to develop the soft skills graduate recruiters seek in prospective employees and it makes no difference whether you are reading Japanese or Astrophysics at university, a wide range of work placements are available for you to choose.

Most good guides to choosing university courses will emphasise the importance of having selected a subject that you will enjoy studying for the next three/four years of your life.

There is no point simply choosing a course with the presumption that a 'good job' lies at the end of it, indeed you are more likely to perform better at university if you actually enjoy your subject(s)!