Postgraduates and Contract Researchers
This section lists resources in the Careers Service and some useful websites. Lists of professional bodies can be found in the Careers in ... section of Information Resources. You should also refer to the Postgraduate section of our website.
You can also make use of our Postgraduate Funding Bulletin.
General
| Websites | |
|---|---|
| British Council - connects people worldwide with learning opportunities. It also includes information about qualifying in/teaching English as a Foreign Language | |
| Career paths of academic researchers - competences displayed by Academic Researchers who make a successful transition from one career to another | |
| Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills - for those interested in teaching | |
| Find a PhD - directory of scientific research aims of academics from institutions in the UK and Ireland, and database of postgraduate research degrees and PhD studentships | |
| Intute Gateway - provides a gateway to the best web resources in education and research | |
| LFHE - Leadership Foundation for Higher Education | |
| National Postgraduate Committee - the representative body for postgraduate research students and contract research staff. Contains lots of useful information, advice and guidance. | |
| Shinton Consulting Ltd - Shinton Consulting Ltd. provides careers advice, information and professional development training to scientists, academic researchers, research students and academic staff |
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Career Planning and Support
| Books, files, videos, leaflets, CD-ROMs & DVDs | |
|---|---|
| Title | Shelfmark  |
| Academic career handbook - provides good advice on how to develop careers within HE. Focuses on networking, teaching, researching, writing and managing | EDU |
| Art of building windmills: career tactics fro the 21st century - workbook style publication with lots of exercises to help you take control of your career planning. Career Management Skills text. | 1.1 |
| CVs for research students - Leaflet | |
| Managing your academic career - getting a job, managing your work, teaching effectively, getting published, obtaining research grants | 1.2 |
| Moving on in your career: a guide for academics and postgraduates - advice on continuing a career in academic research or taking alternative career paths | 1.2 |
| Recruiting researchers: survey of employer practice 2009 - survey of researcher engagement with employers in the UK, with useful key messages for doctoral graduates wishing to enter the labour market. | 1.2 |
| Skills for research students - Leaflet | 1.2 |
| So what are you going to do with that?: finding careers outside academia (rev. ed.) - sections on career decision-making, networking, applications and interviews; written for US PhD and Masters students but very relevant to postgrads in the UK | 1.1 |
| The careers service guide to successful CVs and cover letters for higher degree graduates - guide for postgraduate research students applying for academic and non-academic positions. Also offers some help with application forms and interviews. | 1.2 |
| University researchers and the job market - a practical career development resource for research staff | 1.2 |
| University researchers and the job market - written some years ago but contains useful advice on careers and job searching within and beyond H.E. | 1.2 |
| What do PhDs do? - 2004 analysis of first destinations of PhD graduates | 1.2 |
| What do PhDs do? - a regional analysis of first destinations of PhD graduates - supplements UK overview in 'What do PhDs do?' with regional variations in destinations data | 1.2 |
| What do PhDs do? - trends - commentary on 2004-2006 surveys of PhD graduates: key changes and first destination trends | 1.2 |
| What do researchers do? Career paths of doctoral graduates 2011 - explores the career pathways of doctoral graduates three to four years following graduation, their typical occupations and variations by broad discipline groupings. | 1.2 |
| What do researchers do? Career profiles of doctoral entrepreneurs 2010 - A collection of career profiles of doctoral entrepreneurs arranged by subject area. | 1.2 |
| What do researchers do? Career profiles of doctoral graduates - a collection of 40 career profiles and around 1000 first destination job titles of doctoral graduates. | 1.2 |
| What do researchers do? Doctoral graduate destinations and impact three years on 2010 - first ever analysis of employment destinations and impact of doctoral graduates three years after graduation. | 1.2 |
| What do researchers do? First destinations of doctoral graduates by subject - analysis of doctoral destinations by subject area, summary of first destinations of doctoral graduates between 2003-7, illustration of the range of occupations undertaken by doctoral graduates. | 1.2 |
| Websites | |
|---|---|
| Contract Research Staff in UK HE - list for discussion of all issues relating to the employment and career management of contract research staff within the academic community | |
| Daphne Jackson Trust - enables high-level scientists and engineers to return to their profession after a career break | |
| EMPRESS (Employers Perspectives of Recruiting Research Staff and Students) - focuses on the skills developed by researchers in terms of their employability and employers' views on the benefits of targeting them (Nov 2005 project) | |
| Higher Education Staff Development Agency (HESDA) - promotes staff development within universities and colleges in the UK. Contains information on career management for contract researchers | |
| Learning Management System - contract researchers can book courses onto the University LMS system | |
| Marie Curie Fellowship Association - includes a useful careers section, as well as a listing of research posts funded by Marie Curie Fellowships | |
| Prospects Planner - will help you to reflect on the skills you have gained and match them to potential occupations | |
| Research Careers Initiative - universities UK information on the careers management and development of contract research staff on fixed term contracts | |
| Royal Society of Chemistry - is also useful for postgraduates as it provides a skills record | |
| ScienceCareers - career resources for scientists | |
| Supporting Research Staff - focuses on career planning and support | |
| Survey of Employer Attitudes to Researchers - evidence of skills that employers look for can be found in the 2006 survey produced by the University of Sheffield Careers Service. One significant part of the survey is the need for researchers to be proactive in searching for jobs and to be aware of the various entry points into employment. It also focuses on skills sought by employers outside academia. | |
| University and College Union - the recognised union for academic and academic related staff, including contract researchers. UCU provide advice, information and support to staff on fixed term contracts. | |
| University researchers and the job market - practical career development resource for research staff | |
| Vitae - national organisation championing the personal, professional and career development of doctoral researchers and research staff in higher education institutions and research institutes. Contains an extensive careers section. |
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Employers and Vacancies
| Websites | |
|---|---|
| Academic 360 - gateway offering sources of vacancies | |
| Academic Employment Network - lists available positions in mostly American colleges, primary and secondary institutions for faculty, staff and administrative. | |
| Academic Jobs in the UK - posts available in universities | |
| Association Bernard Gregory - anyone interested in a PhD in the last 6 years who is looking for employment in France, Belgium, Uk and Japan | |
| Civic Education Project - a not-for-profit educational organisation which arranges for Western academics and advanced post-graduate students and researchers to work in universities in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union | |
| CPL Scientific Employment Services - for the life science and chemical industries, including biotechnology, environment, fine chemicals, food and pharmaceuticals. | |
| Find a PostDoc - advertises Post-Doctoral positions | |
| PhDjobs - for postgraduates who wish to work in industry or academia | |
| PhDs.Org - a US site with resources for science and engineering job-hunters | |
| Postgraduate jobs - provided by Graduates Yorkshire | |
| Science's Next Wave - advice, articles and vacancies for researchers in the sciences | |
| Supply Curve - vacancy website for economists, econometricians and statisticians and related postgraduate researchers, with searchable database of opportunities | |
| University Jobs - University jobs in the US |
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MBA
| Books, files, videos, leaflets, CD-ROMs & DVDs | |
|---|---|
| Title | Shelfmark |
| Prepare for tests at interview for graduates and managers - psychometric tests (with answer key): personality, verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, clerical, non-verbal reasoning, mechanical reasoning | 3.4 |
| Websites | |
|---|---|
| A.T.Kearney - case study interviews | |
| Bain & Company - case study interviews | |
| MBA Direct - can be used to access job postings and to monitor trends and developments in the job market. Students pay a "nominal fee" to register | |
| MBA Exchange - select the "Candidate" option for a lot of useful information and career resources, including background information on companies that typically recruit MBAs, a section for women MBAs and advice on CVs, interviews and networking. Free registration f | |
| MBA Info - includes a Jobs & Careers section (provided by www.mbajobs.net) with advice on applications. NB: Not a vacancy site | |
| MBA jobs - a dedicated recruitment site for employers looking to recruit MBA graduates and MBA graduates seeking employment. Free registration for jobseekers | |
| MBA Match - offers free registration for its job search and CV posting facilities. You can also get advice on your CV and download e-books on CVs and interview technique (there is a charge for these products and services) | |
| Top MBA - includes the MBA Career Guide, guides to business and industry sectors and information on some MBA recruiters |
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Professional Groups
| Websites | |
|---|---|
| Arts and Humanities Research Council - funds research into the arts and humanities | |
| Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) - a funding agency for academic, research and training in the non-medical life sciences | |
| Economic & Social Research Council - provides research funding and training to address economic and social concerns | |
| Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council - EPSRC is the UK government's leading funding agency for research and training in engineering and the physical sciences | |
| Environmental Division Postdoc - the website for postdoc researchers in the Environment Division. This is a forum for facilitating collaborative environmental research at the University. The website provides specialist support to the postdoctoral research community in the area of preparing applications for research funding with a particular emphasis on research fellowships. It also has an excellent networking forum. | |
| Medical Research Council - developed a joint scheme with ESRC to provide funds where research is of interest to both medical and social sciences | |
| Medical School Postdoctoral Society - formed for postdocs, contract research staff and anyone interested in issues relating to postdocs. It aims to analyse and try and improve the career development needs of postdocs, develop links with research leaders in the Medical School and improve communication and social interaction between postdocs. The Society is currently working with key parties to implement and deliver a pilot Research Leaders Programme for postdocs in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences | |
| Natural Environment Research Council - promotes and supports research | |
| Research Councils UK - RCUK is the strategic partnership of the seven UK Research Councils, to which the website contains links. Information is available on funding for research. | |
| Science and Technology Facilities Council - supports science and technology research in the UK |
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