Career Development Essentials
We have a range of online resources to support you in your Career Development throughout your research degree.
We have developed an open access PGR Career Planning Guide to provide in-depth information and practical guidance specifically tailored towards postgraduate researchers, whether you are thinking about working in academic, industry, self-employment or research. This resource is based on the Career Management Cycle and organised in to sections as follows:
- Who Am I?
- Researching Opportunities
- Making Relevant Choices
- Preparing Applications
- What Next?
You will be able to work through each section progressively, or dip in and out as you have time. Of course, in order to be competitive we recommend that you begin this process early in your PGR journey so that the transition into work/further research is as smooth as possible; for your own well-being as much as for your success!
Beyond your research degree was a podcast from the Doctoral College Researcher Development and Research Culture team. In this podcast, you will hear talks from a range of doctoral graduates, all from different disciplines, working outside academia.
The podcast is intended to give our postgraduate researchers an insight into the career routes open to them and how to prepare for a career beyond academia.
You can listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music!
If you are listening from an computer please click the links below, which also include full transcriptions of each episode.
The Profiling for Success online self-assessment tool is available free of charge to University of Exeter students and graduates. It includes a range of psychometric tests and other assessments which are commonly used as part of the recruitment process. Profiling for Success can also help with career planning/development by increasing your self-awareness. It can help you to:
- Understand your values and learning style
- Evaluate your career interests
- Describe the ‘type’ of person you are
- Identify things you might find difficult and develop strategies to deal with these
- Understand how you relate to others in different situations (e.g. team work, leadership/management, socially)
It is not necessary to complete all individual assessments; you can select the ones most relevant to you.
What assessments are available?
Profiling for Success assessments can be divided into two main categories:
Psychometric tests
The following tests measure your ability in a specific area and are commonly used in the recruitment process for graduate jobs, particularly with larger employers. Questions in these tests have definite right and wrong answers and are also timed.
- Abstract, Numerical and Verbal Reasoning
- Situational Judgement
Self-awareness questionnaires
These questionnaires can help you to better understand your preferences and interests, and can also clarify your career interests. After you’ve completed a questionnaire you receive a report summarising your results by email. These questionnaires, and the accompanying reports are designed as an exploration tool; you may not agree with all the results but they can help you to generate different perspectives or ideas which you have not considered before.
- Learning Styles Indicator - discover your preferred style of learning
- Type Dynamics Indicator - understand your personality type
- Values-based Indicator of Motivation - learn more about your values and how they motivate you
- Career Interest Inventory - understand more about your interests and the kind of work that may be suitable for you
Accessing Profiling for Success
To access the assessments (if you have an @exeter email) visit www.teamfocus.co.uk/establishment/university-of-exeter/ (if you no longer have an @exeter email then see below for access).
Click the Register/Log In button on the page. You will then be able to complete the tests, view test results and get further information about psychometric tests.
Please note that personal information is used only for generating your personalised report and for data monitoring purposes. All information is stored securely in accordance with GDPR.
If you are a graduate and no longer have access to your @exeter email then complete this form.
