Decision making – have you got what it takes?

Two computing professionals working together around a laptop

Decision making – have you got what it takes?

2 July 2021

What do you want to study? Where do you want to live? Life can often feel like it’s one decision after another. Some are small everyday decisions and others can have big impacts on our lives. Being able to make good, fast decisions can help you stand out to an employer.

How can you be better informed about graduate roles using academic research? Teamwork, group activities and decision making are all key skills that many employers look for in job interviews. On 14 July, the Careers Team is running a workshop where you’ll experience a real-life situation in a game format.

To get a flavour of what you’ll learn, the Careers Team has come up with these top three tips for improving your decision making.

1. Become familiar with time pressured judgements

We don’t always have the luxury of time to make important choices, and this can increase pressure which may prohibit us from making the best judgement. By becoming familiar with pressured judgements, you will be able to make the best possible decisions in a limited time frame.

2. Use your academic research skills to make informed decisions

When you write academic papers, you extensively research a topic so that your argument is logical and justifiable. The same applies to making decisions. Research helps us make informed, intelligent and wiser choices. The link between academia and decision making will be explored, showing you some of the ways your university experience will prepare you to secure a great job after graduation.

3. Recognise how you react, and reach group decisions

Making decisions isn’t always individual - we often find ourselves in a position where we need to reach a group decision. How we react and reach group decisions is vital in any career.