Welcome to King's Careers & Employability

We are a dedicated team of three Careers Consultants that work closely with the Centre for Doctoral Studies to provide bespoke careers support for King's postgraduate research students. We offer a combination of online resources, webinars and virtual one-to-one appointments to help you think about your next steps after your PhD and how to prepare for them, as well as helping you articulate your value as a researcher.

Please find details of our support below and on our KEATS Careers Support for Researchers pages (King's log in credentials required).

To view the programme of upcoming Careers & Employability events, please look at the ‘Events & Event Recordings’ tab on our KEATS Careers Support for Researchers pages. You can find a full list of events along with booking information on this KEATS site.

Webinars are up to an hour long and provide an opportunity to gain specific insight into the topic with our trained careers consultants, as well as the chance to ask questions and learn from your peers. If you have any topics you would like us to cover please email: anna.favalessa@kcl.ac.uk..

Please note, to access SkillsForge you will require King's log in credentials. 

Beyond Academia: Career Opportunities and Ideas for Researchers (Access through SkillsForge PGR339)

If you're contemplating making the big leap out of academic life then this workshop is for you. We'll look at the range of opportunities open to you, how to find and research them, how to match your skills and experience and how to communicate effectively in networking, application and selection processes.

Career Vision (Access through SkillsForge PGR355)

A career plan is like a map. You need to know where you're starting from and where you're going to if the map is to be of any use to you. In this workshop we'll look at how to analyse your current career position and decide how to move forward. As part of the workshop we'll help you craft a short and compelling statement about yourself and your vision that you can use in person and online to get people excited about what you're doing and motivate them to help and support you. Come along with your ideas and be prepared to try building and sharing your vision. This session is suitable for people planning careers in academic life and beyond.

Careers Evening for Researchers with Employers and Alumni (Access through SkillsForge PGR360)

We are holding an in person careers evening for PhDs and research staff to explore opportunities beyond academic research and to develop an understanding of the types of roles available, how researchers have made that transition and what researchers need keep in mind when marketing their skills to employers.

Developing a Portfolio Career (Access through SkillsForge CRSD99)

Navigating the academic job market can be a daunting prospect. With various statistical measures suggesting only a relatively small proportion of doctoral graduates will find long-term academic positions, many academics and researchers are considering a move outside academia, in industry, the charity sector, or "alt-ac" positions. However, for some, both the idea of a solely academic career or a permanent move outside it may feel restrictive or simply unrealistic. Instead, a “portfolio career”, working across a range of jobs in both academic and non-academic sectors may be a more suitable and fulfilling career path. Covering both practical guidance and reflective, interactive work, this workshop will demonstrate how researchers can assemble a portfolio of projects and roles and experience that satisfy their career goals.

From mentee to mentor: how mentoring can transform your opportunities in your career (Access through SkillsForge PGR356)

One of the most powerful experiences anyone can have is being mentored and then being a mentor themselves. This can lead to deep changes in the way both mentees and mentors see themselves and how they operate in the world. People on both sides of the discussion gain confidence in communication skills, thinking skills and problem solving as well as a host of other benefits. Join us for this online discussion where our guests will share their experiences of being mentored and providing mentoring. Come along prepared to ask questions and open up to new possibilities for your own career.

How to Write a Good Research Grant Application (for the Inexperienced Grant Writer) (Access through SkillsForge PGR281)

This course is aimed at those who are starting to look for funding schemes and planning to prepare an external research grant application within the next 18–24 months or sooner. Theis workshop will focus on how to prepare a proposal for external funding, paying particular attention to what the funders and the peer reviewers are looking for. Tips on presentation and writing will be provided.

Inside Academia: Understanding the UK Higher Education System (Access through SkillsForge PGR267)

The UK Higher Education system can look very complicated, even when you work inside it. To an outsider it can look baffling. In this online workshop we'll take an in depth look at how UK universities are set up, what the differences are between them and to choose the right sort of institution for your career aims. Everyone is welcome but this session will be especially useful for researchers from outside the UK who are considering or planning an academic career.

Inside the Consulting Industry (Panel) (Access through SkillsForge PGR353)

In this online event, we'll be meeting researchers who have moved beyond academia to a variety of consulting roles. Each of our guests will speak briefly about their career history and how they made the decision to work as a consultant. We'll then open up for your questions. This is an excellent opportunity to get some personal insights into this exciting career path and pick up wisdom and advice from those who are successfully travelling it. The session will be very interactive and driven by your curiosity so please come along with lots of questions.

Making Connections for your Career (Access through SkillsForge PGR295)

Many senior people, when asked, will say that they wish they had devoted more time, in the early years of their career, to building connections to people who share their interests. In this workshop we'll show you how to do this in person and online. We'll look at how to approach people, who to approach, what to ask them for and how to keep the relationship friendly and productive. This session is suitable for everyone whether you're planning to stay in academic life or move beyond it.

Prepare for the Crick Life Sciences Careers Fair (Access through SkillsForge PGR354)

In this workshop, we'll show you how to get the best out of a careers fair. We'll look at how to target potential employers, how you should approach them and what to ask about as well as advising on what to do if they are interested in further conversations. Finally, we'll look at keeping in touch and developing a longer relationship with them.

Succeeding at Job Applications (Access through SkillsForge PGR283)

Writing an effective job application is one of the hardest things to do. In this online session we'll show how to write an effective and persuasive application that increases your chances of that all important interview offer. We'll look at how to talk about your research, demonstrate your motivation and evidence your skills, knowledge and experience. This session is suitable for people applying for roles in higher education and beyond.

Supercharge your Career (Access through SkillsForge CRSD101)

This workshop aims to create an opportunity for researchers to reflect on how their unique set of personal resources has contributed to their career so far, explore what drives and motivates them and how they can harness this information in their professional development and progression

What Researchers Offer – Understanding and Communicating your Professional Value (Access through SkillsForge PGR296)

Researchers are highly skilled and very employable but sometimes struggle with recognising their own skill and value and therefore also with communicating this to others in job applications or other settings (such as networking). In this workshop, we'll provide you with some frameworks for analysing you knowledge, attributes, skills and experience and then move on to thinking about how best you can communicate them effectively and persuasively. We'll spend some time looking at the concept of the professional brand. This workshop is suitable for you if you are applying for jobs, pitching projects, seeking research funding or wanting to make the most out of networking opportunities.

Winning at Job Interviews (Access through SkillsForge PGR143)

Interviews are all about preparation and planning. In this workshop, we'll take you through the most common forms of interview you're likely to face and provide you with some techniques for preparation and performance on the day. As a result, you'll be more confident and persuasive on the day and increase your chances of securing that all important offer. This workshop is suitable for all types of roles, within and beyond academia.

Advancing in Academia Series

Developed by Career Consultants specialised in working with King’s researchers, Advancing in Academia (KEATS) (King's log in credentials required) gives you insight into the realities of an academic career and helps you plan for the next stage of your career. Learn from people who recently transitioned into an academic job and senior academics making recruitment and funding decisions. The series includes courses for PGR Students in Arts and Humanities, Health Professionals, Health Sciences, Nature, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences, and Social Science & Political Policy.

Careers Support for Researchers

Self-enrol in Careers Support for Researchers developed by King's Careers and Employability service specifically for researchers. You can read researcher alumni case studies, watch previously recorded webinars and find resources to support you such as making applications, articulating your value as a researcher and deciding what comes next after your PhD.

We offer free, confidential, one-to-one advice sessions to all postgraduate research students. This year, our one-to-one appointments are all delivered virtually online.

Support with choosing, planning and creating your career

Our careers consultants support you to plan effectively for and manage the transition to your future in or beyond academia. You can book a confidential appointment with one of our impartial, professional and experienced careers consultants.

Appointments are for any conversation relating to your career including CV checks, interview coaching and career decision making. We look forward to meeting you.

Please book the Careers one-to-one appointments at: King’s Career Connect (look out for PhD & Research Staff under appointment type).

Discover Careers events

These events comprise of short talks from a panel of speakers, followed by a lively Q&A. Each Discover Careers panel focuses on a particular sector, eg management consultancy, science communications and policy. For more details & booking, visit King's Careers webpage.

Careers In Your Ears

Our podcast, features interviews with PhD holders, providing insights into their career journeys. It’s available from the Apple and Google podcast stores.

KCLDo1Thing

Follow us on Twitter @kcldo1thing to get the latest news, opportunities, and events for PGR careers.

Jobs, internships and employer events

You can find lots of job opportunities and relevant employer events listed on KCC (Kings CareerConnect) in addition to the specific researcher webinars listed here. Use the search terms ‘internship’ and ‘PGR’ to see what’s available in the jobs section. Alternatively, search through jobs/opportunities where PGRs are tagged so you can find employers who are interested in PGRs.

For more ideas on where to look for jobs both in all sectors including academia please see our Careers Support for Researchers pages (King's log in credentials required).