On Tuesday February 5th, the Music Department held its annual ‘Careers with a Music Degree’ evening, organised in conjunction with the City Careers Service.
The panel was hosted by Antonia Clark from the Careers Service and included 8 speakers from a range of different professional areas, including a number of City alumni, as follows:
- Jim Harrison, Head of Music, Latymer School
- Eve Carpenter, Promotions Coordinator – Partnerships, EME, The Walt Disney Company
- Guy Davis, CEO, Hilton Grove
- James Perkins, Head of Quality Assurance and Enhancement, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
- Sean Hendrie, Event Ticketing Coordinator, Sponsorship at O2 (Telefónica UK)
- Ben Cook, Composer
- Leslie East, former Director of Music at ABRSM publishing
- Karoline Zobens-East, Paralegal, Warner-Chappell Music
Panel members spoke about their particular areas of work, and offered valuable advice on the kinds of skills, qualifications and work experience needed in order to secure a placement or graduate position. They also offered useful tips on CV writing and interview skills.
The evening was attended by about 40 BMus and BSc students, who were able to find out more about the breadth of professions open to music graduates. They also pointed to the kinds of transferrable skills that music students develop – including team-working, time-management, presentational skills and creative thinking – which are widely recognised and valued by employers.
Students were encouraged to make full use of the City Careers Service, where they can access a range of support including mock interviews, CV writing and information on jobs, as well as opportunities to gain valuable experience through placements and volunteering.
The main panel was followed by a networking session where students could talk informally with speakers.
