Are you a PhD student or postdoc? Please check out our Career Essentials for Researchers.
The aim of the Career Essentials programme is to aid our clients to:
- utilise core career planning strategies;
- understand the labour market;
- define and practice recruitment processes to achieve progression.
We advise our clients to access these resources before booking an appointment in order to maximise your time spent with a Careers Consultant.
Our Career Essentials programme is made up of recorded resources, which can be found on the Cambridge Careers Service YouTube Channel. Check back regularly for new content, and take a look at the video descriptions for additional resources from the Careers Service and beyond.
In addition to our recorded sessions we also run Q&As and live sessions. You can view the events calendar and book on to an event via your Handshake account.
The 'Building Your Network' series supports you to identify and utilise networks to support career planning.
Sessions available in this series:
Enhancing your Handshake profile to build your network
How to make the most of a (virtual) careers fair
Interacting with employers in a virtual world
- Watch 'Networking questions to ask an employer'
- Watch 'Formal interactions with employers in a virtual world'
- Watch 'Speculative interactions with employers in a virtual world'
Creating your Cambridge network & using it effectively
Using LinkedIn
- Watch 'Using LinkedIn’
These topics are often covered in our recorded resources in the Building Your Network playlist on the Cambridge Careers Service YouTube Channel. We also run Q&As and live sessions for some of these topics. You can view the events calendar and book on to an event via your Handshake account
There is another video on using LinkedIn under the "Using LinkedIn to connect with alumni and enhance your job search" tab.
The aim of our 'Get Recruitment Ready’ programme is to enable clients to recognise the qualities of a competitive applicant, practice recruitment processes and evaluate their performance to modify practice.
Topics in this series include:
Succeeding at assessment centres
- Watch ‘Succeeding at virtual assessment centres’ (Playlist)
- Download our ‘Succeeding at Assessment Centres’ guide in Handshake
Successful CVs
- Watch ‘Successful CVs’ (Playlist)
Cover Letters & Personal Statements
- Watch ‘Cover Letters & Applications’ (Playlist)
Successful application forms
- Watch ‘Cover Letters & Applications’ (Playlist)
Get ready for Interviews
- Watch ‘Get Ready for Interviews’ (Playlist)
Kickstart your Job Search
- Watch the ‘Smart job searching’ (Playlist)
- Download the PDF ‘Smart job searching’ guide in Handshake
These topics are often covered in our recorded resources in the Get Recruitment Ready playlist on the Cambridge Careers Service YouTube Channel. We also run Q&As and live sessions for some of these topics. You can view the events calendar and book on to an event via your Handshake account.
You can also find useful information on recruitment practicalities through our webpages, including:
- CV & Cover Letters Guides
- Interviews - including access to practice interviews
- Psychometric Tests
The aim of our 'Career Planning Tools' programme is to enable clients to recognise and utilise a variety of tools to support them in exploring viable career options.
Topics in this series include:
Employer insights into work experience, industry insights and skills
- Watch ‘Getting experience in a Pandemic and beyond’
- Watch ‘Sector Insights’ (Playlist)
- Watch our collection of podcasts ‘For Researchers’
I don’t know what I want to do, where do I start?
- Access our ‘Exploring your options’ toolkits
- Watch ‘How to pick a career’ (Playlist)
Developing your skills at Cambridge
How to find an internship
- Watch ‘How to find an internship’ (Playlist)
Adapting your job search in uncertain labour markets
How do I know an employer is right for me?
Creating a personal brand and marketing your skills
- Watch ‘Personal Branding and Marketing your Skills’ (Playlist)
You, Your Degree and the Skills Employers want to see
These topics are often covered in our recorded resources in the Career Planning Tools playlist on the Cambridge Careers Service YouTube Channel. We also run Q&As and live sessions for some of these topics. You can view the events calendar and book on to an event via your Handshake account. Handshake also offer a 'Self-Reflection Toolkit' resource which may prove helpful.
You can also find useful information on career planning through our webpages, including:
- Toolkits for working out what you want from a career
- Career Sectors A-Z
- Explore careers based on your degree subject
The aim of our 'Postgraduate Study' programme is to enable clients to evaluate postgraduate study options and create competitive applications.
Topics in this series include:
Postgraduate study options
- Watch 'Exploring Your Postgraduate Study Options'
- Watch ‘Should I PhD or Not?’
- Watch ‘STEM PhDs: Is it right for me?’
- Watch ‘Considering a PhD when working’ (part of the Career Adaptability playlist)
Making successful applications for postgraduate study
- Watch ‘Writing successful personal statements’
- Watch ‘STEM PhDs: Making applications’
- Watch ‘Applying to Grad School in the USA’
- Watch 'CVs for Postgraduate Study'
Most of these topics are covered in our recorded resources in the Postgraduate Study playlist on the Cambridge Careers Service YouTube Channel. We also run Q&As and live sessions for some of these topics. You can view the events calendar and book on to an event via your Handshake account.
You can also find further useful information on postgraduate study.