From Graduate School to working life: career planning in doctoral studies

Career planning

It is good to start reflecting on your aspirations regarding postdoctoral employment already during your doctoral studies. This will facilitate decisions related to your studies and research plan, creating contacts and gathering experiences that will support your employment goals. During the doctoral studies, you should update your CV and potentially prepare a larger academic portfolio, which will help you to piece together the development of your competence. They will also facilitate the marketing of your competence to potential employers later. It is advisable to discuss your career plans and employment goals with your supervisor and follow-up group.

More information and tools for career planning and employment is available at the following pages. In addition, some unions offer career services such as career courses or career coaching.

Research career

If you are planning on continuing your career in research, it is a good idea to find out about funding opportunities for postdoctoral researchers already before completing the doctoral degree. Research and Innovation Services of the University of Jyväskylä have created a self-learning course Introduction to Applying for Research Funding, which contains information about various post doc funding opportunities, such as funding opportunities from the Academy of Finland, Business Finland and the EU.

The purpose of the Postdocs in Companies program is to connect newly graduated PhDs and Finnish companies. PoDoCo facilitates novel meetings and matches of post docs and companies and offers young scholars funding from one source for academic research having strategic importance for Finnish companies. PoDoCo program is aimed for young doctors who have recently completed or will soon complete their doctoral degree. The Euraxess service provides information on both job and funding opportunities.

Experiences of our graduates

We are currently collecting stories from doctoral students at the University of Jyväskylä. You can read about their experiences of the university, their doctoral studies and where their path has taken them after their doctorate.

Support for career planning

The University of Jyväskylä Career Services assists doctoral students in getting a foot on the career ladder. Visit the Career Services website to find information about topics such as working life studies, tailoring your CV, support for job search and entrepreneurship.

It is also supervisors' task to support doctoral student’s career planning by collaboratively discussing their career plans and postdoctoral employment opportunities, as well as encouraging the student to proactively create contacts with potential employers already during the doctoral studies.

In addition, it is also follow-up group's task to to support doctoral student’s career planning.