Careers outside of academia
The process of making a career transition from research to a non-research role
Anne Forde, Careers Consultant, highlights some of the take-home messages from a guest speaker at our Careers Beyond Research event.
Careers Beyond Research Networking Event
What I learned about radio broadcasting and podcast careers
The biggest growth seems to be ‘behind the scenes’ – producing content”. Anne Forde, Careers Consultant here at the CS, dives into some top tips from a recent panel we held
Thank you, Postdocs! – Postdoc Appreciation week 2021
Academia to Industry: Chiara Giuliano on the shift from specialised to dynamic work
Chiara Giuliano talks about taking her research expertise from academia to her role as in vivo scientist, central nervous system expert in the Safety Pharmacology Team at AstraZeneca, which she started in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020
Entrepreneurship in Challenging Times – top tips from Cambridge Enterprise
Jennie Flint, Senior Commercialisation Associate at Cambridge Enterprise, shares her top tips for budding entrepreneurs during the pandemic
Handshake – a guide for postdocs
As a postdoc, you might be wondering how to utilise Handshake Cambridge – the new digital platform recently launched to connect with the Careers Service.
Whether you are thinking of pursuing academic research or looking for opportunities beyond the ivory tower (or both!), we wanted to make sure you were on track to making the most of this innovative careers development platform.
In a hurry? You can book an appointment and complete your profile later…
Do you have an interview looming? Or maybe you need urgent help with a fellowship submission? Perhaps the deadline for a job application is fast approaching?
Do you have an interview looming? Or maybe you need urgent help with a fellowship submission? Perhaps the deadline for a job application is fast approaching?
When you first activate your Handshake account, you will be prompted to fill in your profile, which may seem daunting, and in ways, irrelevant to academic careers.
Don’t worry.
You can skip this step by simply pressing the “EXIT” in the top righthand corner, and then access the Careers Centre from the top menu bar, where you can book appointments, workshops and events. You can always return to filling out your profile later by clicking on “My Profile” under your initials.
Access postdoc careers workshops and events
We continue to offer a great range of workshops and briefings specifically tailored to researchers for careers in academia and beyond. Booking now takes place for all these activities through Handshake
Academic careers on Handshake
Handshake might look like it’s only for career options outside academia but it’s not. It’s a gateway to a rich range of academic career resources to give you the best chances to you present yourself.
Handshake might look like it’s only for career options outside academia but it’s not. It’s a gateway to a rich range of academic career resources to give you the best chances to you present yourself.
Through Handshake, you can quickly access our CV and Cover letters guide for PhDs and postdocs to help you prepare for interviews in academia and beyond . We’ll continue to add curated resources for you.
See what’s on offer outside academia and start connecting with employers
Interested in exploring ideas for careers outside of academic research?
Handshake Cambridge is an powerful tool to help you consider this.
As more people and organisations join Handshake, the opportunities to connect directly with employers and fellow postdocs and find jobs increase. And, of course, the more complete your profile is, the better chance you have of making relevant and useful connections.
Filling out your interests on your profile is also key to letting us, the Careers Service, know what areas you are interested in so that we can send your information about opportunities and information in the sectors you like (similar to the CamCareers emails in our old system.)
Be mindful of uploading an academically focussed CV as Handshake will autofill your profile using this information.
Be mindful of uploading an academically focussed CV as Handshake will autofill your profile using this information. Building a profile that highlights key elements of your research career and includes relevant activities and interests outside of your primary research focus is key to utilising Handshake to transition out of academic research.
For a step-by-step guide and tips, check out our blog post on building a great profile for students.
Register for Handshake now
Don’t hesitate to contact us through postdocs@careers.cam.ac.uk – our team is always ready to help you on your career journey.
Our Postdoc Careers Advisers are standing by to help you with your career.
Pictured from top to bottom are Diane Cardwell (AHSS), Anne Forde and Sally Todd (Life Sciences), Susan Gatell and Sonali Shukla (Physical Sciences).
The Postdoc Careers Service has launched Handshake today!
Jenny Blakesley, Director of University of Cambridge Careers Service, shares an update about the launch of Handshake Cambridge.
What is Handshake?
A new digital careers platform called Handshake to provide you with an up-to-date, mobile-friendly way to engage with us. With this system, you can book appointments and careers events, access our tailored resources and find opportunities.
Handshake has replaced most of current web systems and offers you many great new features in a personalised and interactive experience
Handshake has replaced most of current web systems and offers you many great new features in a personalised and interactive experience, including:
• Book careers appointments, workshops and events, and sign up for our Postdoc Careers Service newsletter
• Create a personalised profile and receive tailored information relating to your areas of interest
• Discover the best opportunities that match your experience and ask fellow users and employers questions
• Find the answers you need – learn more about industries and job roles to see if they’re right for you; get an inside look at employers with reviews; message employers with your questions
• Access a rich range of our tailored in-house resources for careers in and out of academia from the Postdoc Careers Service
• And more…
We want to reassure you that the Careers Service still exists in every other way, and we are excited to bring this new platform in to enhance our services.
If you are registered with us, you will have received an invitation from Handshake inviting you to set up your profile. If you are not registered yet, you can go directly to Handshake and select the University of Cambridge to join, or click the link at the side of this blog.
We strongly encourage you to do so, and look forward to welcoming you to the platform.
As always, please contact us at postdocs@careers.cam.ac.uk with any questions.
Weighing up job offers – how to make the best choice for you
Sally Todd, postdoc careers adviser, discusses the factors to take into account when considering job offers.
The other week I saw a postdoc who had the good fortune to have a number of job offers. In case you ever find yourself in a similar position, I thought I’d share some of the criteria (not all of equal weight to her) she was using to help her decide which was the best next step for her.
Would she enjoy the job and be likely to succeed in it?
The postdoc I met was weighing up a lectureship, an in-house fellowship that would lead to a tenured position and a prestigious, fixed-term fellowship. They were at different types of institution in different countries. She was considering:
- Would she be able to do the research she wanted?
- Was there suitable infrastructure in place?
- Could she access the data she wanted?
- What sort of colleagues/collaborators would she have?
- Would she be able to attract good staff/students?
- How much teaching would suit her?
If you’re comparing jobs outside academia, consider which components of the job really attract you, and what circumstances and support you would need to do it well. For example, for a job in science communication, would you prefer more written or verbal communication? How well you could communicate the science might depend on access to source material and deadlines.
When you are making a choice, it’s worth thinking about where you want to be further down the line. What will you gain to help you secure the next job or promotion?
Would the job help her career in the longer term?
- Would she be able to fill gaps on her CV/ acquire new skills/ make herself more employable?
- What training would she be able to access?
- Would she be able to raise her profile?
When you are making a choice, it’s worth thinking about where you want to be further down the line. What will you gain to help you secure the next job or promotion?
What were the terms and conditions of the job?
- Would she (and partner/children accompanying her) like to live in that location?
- How much job security was there at the end of the probationary period/fixed term contract?
- What were the salary and other benefits?
T&Cs are not just fine print, they can have a profound impact on whether a job is right for you.
What else would be important to you? Do add a comment!