Geography

Geographers look at issues from a wide perspective and develop a range of skills which are attractive to a very broad range of future employers.  Over the course of your degree you develop a wide mix of subject-specific and technical skills, you should consider these skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile.

Working as a Planning Policy Officer

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Prospects

A 2010 HESA study of 2009 graduates show that six months after graduating just over half of geography graduates had entered paid work, with a further 8% combing work with study.

Geography graduates entered into a wide range of jobs in a variety of sectors. Initially, around 30% of those employed went into non-graduate roles, such as clerical/secretarial positions, retail, catering or bar work.

Of those who entered graduate-level jobs, roles in private and public management were the most popular with 13% of graduates entering this type of work. A further 12% went into business and financial occupations, while 9% started work in the marketing and sales sector.

Many organisations are interested in the analytical and research skills developed by geographers during their degrees. For example, The Ministry of Defence (MOD) employs geography graduates as research analysts, and the Police Service offers civilian careers in intelligence analysis and research. Companies also recruit geography graduates as trainee account executives, with responsibility for developing knowledge of their clients’ accounts and understanding their research needs.

Where are the jobs?

Examples of employers include local government, the armed forces, private companies, environmental consultancies, environmental protection agencies, utilities, charities, information systems organisations, education authorities, further and higher education institutions, commerce, industry, transport, tourism and the civil service. Geography graduates have excellent transferable skills, which also attract employers from the business, law and finance sectors.

The career area you choose may depend on whether you are more interested in physical or human geography. You can consider jobs that are degree-related, jobs that appeal because they incorporate other interests or elements of your degree, or jobs that are not related to your degree at all.

These job options are just a small sample of the jobs open to geographers. Most will require some experience or further training after your degree. The Royal Geographical Society website has a useful careers section, and its booklet 'Going places with geography' includes interesting case studies of geography graduates and their varied career choices.

Jobs directly related to your degree

• Cartographer
• Environmental consultant
• Geographical information systems officer
• Planning and development surveyor
• Secondary school teacher
• Town planner
• Urban general practice surveyor

A range of jobs in physical systems and the natural environment is also available to geographers who undertake postgraduate study or research, including pollution analyst, earth scientist or coastal engineer.

Jobs where your degree would be useful

• Logistics and distribution manager
• International aid/development worker
• Local government administrator
• Market researcher
• Transport planner.

Although some of the jobs listed here might not be first jobs for many graduates, they are among the many realistic possibilities with your degree, provided you can demonstrate you have the attributes employers are looking for. Bear in mind that it's not just your degree discipline that determines your options. Remember that many graduate vacancies don't specify particular degree disciplines, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

You can find more about the skills you develop during your course, the jobs listed above, plus case studies and where to find these jobs at Prospects.

Included with the permission of AGCAS. For the latest version of this publication, see www.prospects.ac.uk. For permission to reproduce, contact copyright@agcas.org.uk