Research for staff & students
Key resources
Here are some key resources to help get you started with the process of career planning.
Web pages
- Prospects
This invaluable website contains the computer-aided guidance suite Prospects Planner, which allows you to find jobs that might suit your mix of skills and motivations. There are also hundreds of Occupational Profiles giving up-to-date information about jobs, entry criteria, case studies and useful links. - Vitae
This researcher development website contains lots of targeted information on careers for researchers, whether staying in or leaving academia.
See the vacancies section for important job-search sites for researchers.
Blogs
There are several blogs which contain information on career paths for researchers, including some written by former PhD students. Here are some useful blogs to follow:
Manchester University Careers blog
Kings College London Graduate School
Queen Mary Researchers Careers Blog (includes links to an extensive list of resources fo for researchers)
Books
The University library houses a selection of career development books particularly suited to researchers. These are the ones we recommend for those wanting inspiration to plan either a successful academic career or take a new direction.
The book titles link directly to the library catalogue record.
- Moving on in your career : a guide for academic researchers and postgraduates
Lynda Ali and Barbara Graham - The academic career handbook
Loraine Blaxter, Christina Hughes and Malcolm Tight - Successful research careers
Sara Delamont and Paul Atkinson - Success strategies for women in science : a portable mentor
Peggy A. Pritchard - Build your own rainbow : a workbook for career and life management
Barrie Hopson and Mike Scally - Changing your career : practical advice to help you move on
Sally Longson - Be your own career consultant: how to unlock your career potential and help yourself to your future
Gary Pyke and Stuart Neath - Career networking: networking for career and job success
Brian Sutton - What color is your parachute? A pactical manual for job hunters and career changers
Richard N. Bolles
Other useful resources
- Career Development Planner
This worksheet was developed at Swansea University to help researchers prepare for and obtain employment (primarily in academia but also elsewhere) by identifying the knowledge and skills they have, enjoy using, or would like to develop.
Available online - 1:1 guidance interviews
If you'd prefer to talk to someone about your career development, then book a guidance appointment with a Careers Adviser. (Research staff should contact Anne Cameron Careers Advisers can help you formulate plans, choose future directions and focus on strategies (but not tell you what to do next!); all meetings are confidential. - Careers Advisory Service Information Room and online Information Resources catalogue
Much more information about career choices, occupations, employers and skills.