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 Careers Service

Non-Members of the University

The Careers Service is funded to offer services and appointments to current students (undergraduates, MPhils and PhDs) and Cambridge University alumni. If you don't fall in the above categories, click on the links to find out what might be on offer for you. Please note our Careers Library is open access and everyone is welcome to use it throughout the year.

Staff Members

We are always willing to help graduate members of staff of the University; we do offer appointments throughout the year but not during Michaelmas Term (October-November) and the two weeks after graduation (second half of June).

Contract Research Staff

We have three dedicated Careers Advisers with whom you can book appointments throughout the year - please see the registration page to see if you qualify in this category, and register. Check also the Postdocs portal page to see a list of advisers for CRS and departments included in this scheme.

The Mutual Aid Scheme: who can use it?

Under the Mutual Aid Scheme of the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS), to which we subscribe, many of our services are available to non-Cambridge graduates. The Scheme requires that:

  • you are a graduate of any institution of higher education which belongs to AGCAS (all British and Irish Universities and many of the larger Colleges or Institutes of Higher Education), and
  • you are not easily able to use the Careers Service of your own institution and Cambridge is your nearest university, and
  • you graduated not more than 2 years ago.

What We Offer Mutual Aiders

If you are eligible under the Mutual Aid Scheme (see above) the Careers Service is pleased to offer you the following:

  • copies of our takeaway leaflets including the guideline Finding work in Cambridgeshire;
  • short appointments with a Careers Adviser throughout the year but not during Michaelmas Term (October-November), when we have to give priority to our own current students.

What We Do Not Offer Mutual Aiders

Unfortunately, our resources do not allow us to offer you a complete service, and with regret we have to ask you to accept the following limitations:

  • Long consultations with a careers adviser are not normally available except by special arrangement: graduates who have already had a short consultation with an Adviser can be recommended for a full interview.
  • Booked events and activities: for events where booking is necessary because of limited space we have to give preference to our own students and graduates.
  • Access to the password protected areas of the website (including the Click Email Service, Vacancies & Opportunites, and Gradlink). A very good alternative, including online vacancies, is the national graduate website www.Prospects.ac.uk - see below for further details.

The Milk Round

Employers visiting Cambridge make their own arrangements for interviews and may include non-Cambridge graduates at their discretion. You should apply directly or consult the employer if in doubt.

Other Sources of Help for all Non-Members

Including both local and national agencies:

  • GradsEast, The Graduate Website for the Eastern Region is a regional graduate vacancy website for student of any UK University hoping to work in the East of England.
  • Other local providers: Nextstep Cambridgeshire offers free advice via telephone (0845 068 1400) and their website; the Cambridge Women Resources Centre offers a drop-in during term time to chat to their Guidance Worker, see their website for more details.
  • Prospects, The National Graduate Website is an essential source of help. It also has details of vacancies and employers as well as general graduate careers information. Prospects hasa wide range of online payable services such as advice via email and CV help, online chats with employers, plus Prospect Planner, free online help to find jobs that would suit you.
  • Other national providers: for the names and addresses of other Higher Education Careers Services in Eastern England who operate the Mutual Aid Scheme please see the Prospects website. Directgov Careers Advice offers an excellent free advice via email and their free telephone line 0800 100 900 on course up to higher degree plus funding, CV checks and discussions with Careers Coaches. The Alliance of Sector Skills Councils is an organisation comprising all 25 licensed UK Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) which will offer specialist careers advice.