Your PhD...what next? : Finding vacancies

Academic vacancies

• Jobs.ac.uk - the most comprehensive website for academic jobs in the UK.
• Find a PostDoc - postdoctoral research positions.
• PostdocJobs - postdoctoral research positions and fellowships.
• Times Higher Education - jobs and news in the higher education sector
•  Individual university websites - not all academic vacancies are advertised on the websites above. If you have identified a certain research group at a university, check their own jobs webpage regularly. Try to arrange a visit to the research group.
• Journals relevant to your research area.
• Research Councils UK- for details of available fellowships. Website includes links to the seven research councils that have details of funding opportunities. Your supervisor may also be a good source of fellowship information.
• Your department - many academics circulate information about postdoctoral research positions, fellowships or lectureships to their colleagues at other universities, resulting in posters in the corridor, or emails giving information about relevant vacancies.
• Your supervisor - they are likely to put you in touch with their own network of contacts, one of whom may be about to write a grant proposal. Your supervisor may have contacts outside of academia too.

Non-academic vacancies

• PhD Jobs - job vacancies for those with doctoral qualifications.
• Times Higher Education - for academic-related and non-academic jobs in the higher education sector.
• Job websites of major newspapers, e.g. Guardian Jobs.
•  Jobs.ac.uk - includes non-academic higher education jobs.
• Professional journals and specialist magazines relevant to your employment area, e.g. Nature and New Scientist.
• Professional associations and bodies relevant to your employment area - often advertise job opportunities.
• Careers service - many employers contact universities directly to advertise their positions. Visit your university’s careers website frequently and sign up to any careers talks in your area of interest. These talks are usually given by employers and can be great opportunities for networking.
• Register your CV online - many recruitment websites allow you to post your CV online and then wait for employers to contact you. Examples include PhDJobs, Guardian Jobs and Monster.
• Employment agencies - some employers use recruitment agencies to find staff. Visit the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) website for a list of member agencies in your career area. Even if the employment agency doesn’t produce your dream job, temporary jobs found through an agency can be an excellent way to find out more about a particular career area, and are a great way in to an organisation.

Hidden vacancies

Some vacancies are not advertised at all. In academia, for example, some research grants are written with a named researcher to do the work. If the project is funded, the named researcher is taken on. In other career areas, an individual may sometimes approach an employer, offering a set of skills or a solution to a problem, and they are recruited on this basis.

The key to accessing hidden vacancies is networking. Talk to your supervisor, friends and colleagues about what you are looking for in your next career step - they may know someone who can help you. Try to find ways in to organisations that interest you. For example, offer to do some voluntary work, or see if you can shadow someone. Be proactive, professional and put yourself forward as this way people will remember you should an opportunity arise.

For more information on hidden vacancies, see job hunting.