Senior Tutors, Directors of Study, other academics and senior administrators within the University
We are willing and able to assist Departments and Colleges anytime throughout the year in a number of ways:-
- Delivering talks to groups of students, usually in Departments, on topics such as how to make the most of the Careers Service, how to research and reach decisions about future careers, how to recognise and develop transferable skills, how to secure a job without jeopardising degree class. These talks are highly relevant and tailored to the subject being studied. We tend not to deliver talks to College audiences, since numbers are either very low (if subject specific), or lack sufficient focus, owing to the diverse range of subjects being studied by attendees at a larger College-based event.
- By providing information, by subject or by College, on what your students were doing 15 months after graduating (whether further study or employment). This data is derived from the Graduate Outcomes survey conducted by HESA. You will need access to Tableau Server in order to view detailed breakdowns.
- We can offer literature, advice, and a presence at any College-organised careers-related event.
- We can give advice and an opinion on the efficacy or legitimacy of any third-party commercial provider approaching your College offering careers advice, CV services, or a ‘we'll get your students a job' scheme.
- We may be able to help your College student societies by putting them in touch with recruiting organisations which might be willing to offer sponsorship, give brief presentations, or arrange visits.
- We can meet your College Tutors and give an overview on the current recruitment market, major issues facing our students and share best practice.
- If you have graduate-level temporary or permanent vacancies to fill, you can advertise them on Handshake.
How you might help us
- If you have not already done so, please put a link to our website prominently on your website.
- Many commercial, profit-making recruitment agencies target Cambridge students with sometimes over-inflated claims of the help they can offer your students. If you are approached by these agencies asking for mass emails to be sent to your students, or links to their website, or by distributing their marketing material, do ask us first. We find it useful to know the activities of our many competitors.
- An invitation to a short meeting between our careers adviser contact and your Tutors and DoSs would be invaluable. It would help us hearing of students' concerns, ambitions for the future and to be made aware of any developments in teaching and learning. Our services are constantly developing to meet student needs; Fellows may be unaware of what we currently offer.
If you have any vacancies in your College or Department suitable for a Cambridge student, you can advertise them on Handshake to over 20,000 current students and 20,000 recent alumni.
The Careers Service is tasked by the University to collect information on what your students were doing 15 months after graduating (whether further study or employment). This data is derived from the Graduate Outcomes survey conducted by HESA. You can help by encouraging students to enter their new address after Cambridge into CamSIS.
Please forward to the Director, any comments or observations on the work we do, students we’ve helped (or failed to help) and any suggestions on improving our service.
Referring students
If you know a student who, for whatever reason, requires our help please encourage them to come and see us.
However, there may be exceptional circumstances where you want to refer a student directly to us. With their prior permission, please let the Director know of these special circumstances and we will help ensure they are seen sympathetically, by the most appropriately experienced person and quickly, if the matter is urgent.
Recent examples of exceptional circumstances where students have been referred to us by their Tutor or Director of Study include:-
- Degrading through ill health and advice on presenting this to employers.
- Advice on using an unexpected year-off constructively.
- A student being unfairly treated by an employer through their application process.
- Advice on later career options as a consequence of changing degree subject.
- Advice for students leaving Cambridge prematurely, for whatever reason.
- Advice on handling a criminal conviction during application and interview stages.
Careers Consultant Contacts
All of our Careers Consultants have individual portfolios of Colleges, Schools and Departments with whom they act as a first point of contact. The careers consultant contact for your College will be able to help you. We would all welcome an opportunity to meet you and your students.
If you are passing the Careers Service with a few minutes to spare, do call in. We are happy to show you round, talk about our Service and the current issues our students are facing in more detail.
All Cambridge University staff
Much of the information and expertise of the Careers Service is focused solely on current and recent Cambridge graduates and junior researchers for their first move into graduate-level entry opportunities. However, there are number of resources we offer that might be useful to all staff of the University, whatever level and role you're working in and whatever employment sector you're aiming to join.
If you currently work for the University and want to develop your career by seeking opportunities outside, or within the University, you will find career planning and professional development resources on the Cambridge LinkedIn Learning site. This is accessible with your Raven ID and you do not need a LinkedIn Profile. You are also welcome to browse our website where you will also find advice on making successful applications and being interviewed.
If you are a graduate of Cambridge University, join Handshake of access a range of one-to-one sessions with one of our team of careers consultants. The only limitation on this is that during Michaelmas Term (October - November) we are unable to offer appointments to alumni who graduated more than one year ago due to the high demand for appointments within the current student population at that point every year.
For further details of eligibility and levels of access, please see here