Resources

A Comprehensive Guide to Fellowship Applications

A PDF guide for those seeking fellowship opportunities.  This guide provides information on the different types of fellowship, has guiding questions for self-reflection and covers the essentials of a compelling narrative for an application.  This guide covers the following:

• What is a fellowship?
• Finding opportunities and the preparation required
• Application essentials and formalities
• The evaluation process
• Truths about rejections
• Resources

The PDF guide includes two tables that invite reflection in preparation of a fellowship application.  For better use, these tables can be downloaded here as MS Word Versions.

Mentoring Resources

A suite of mentoring resources for research staff. 

The aim of these resources is to support individuals to consider mentoring as a career development opportunity, from both the mentor and mentee perspective. They explore what mentoring is and what it is not, the role of the mentee in finding and building mentoring relationships and the skills required in the role of the mentor.  They also include resources for further reading and support. 

Mentoring Resources 

Building Employability: Micro Workshop Videos

A series of miniature workshops developed into short videos, based on materials drawn from already successful live workshop sessions and aimed at success in the job market.  There are four videos available, including:

1. Career values and drivers
2. Capitalise on your research skills to find a career path

3. Benchmarking

4. Creating CVs for careers beyond academia

Micro Workshop Videos

Career Conversations

Career conversations is a series of recorded interviews with people who have transitioned from university research positions to careers outwith academia.  Participants discuss their research background, their motivations for moving into a new sector, how they found out what CV, skills, experience were required and how they then acquired the necessary skills and experience.  Participants also provide reflections on what they would do differently now, and on what, in their experience, is required for career success.  There are 6 interviews available:

1. Dr Sara Shinton discusses how she moved from a physical chemistry postdoc into career services
2. Dr Sara Shinton discusses how she moved from running her own consultancy into researcher development
3. Dr Emily Woollen discusses how she moved from a fixed-term research contract to academic development
4. Dr Caroline Proctor discusses how she moved from research in medical history to managing the administration of the School of Biological Sciences' Postgraduate Research Programmes
5. Dr Katrina Castle discusses her move from conducting research in agricultural microbiology to becoming Head of Strategic Partnerships and Transitions
6. Dr Francesca Baseby discusses moving from a PhD in Art History to become Service Manager in the Centre for Research Collections

Career Conversations

Career Conversations with your PI

A guide with information and questions to consider when preparing for a career conversation with your PI / Supervisor

Career Conversations with your PI

Narrative CVs

Information and guidance on Narrative CVs, as well as steps to take to make your own Narrative CV.

Narrative CVs

Academic career journeys at Edinburgh

Video and text case studies from PhD students, research staff, lecturers and Heads of School across all three Colleges at the University of Edinburgh showing the challenges and rewards of an academic career, and what can aid career progression.

Academic Career Journeys at Edinburgh

College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine: Careers Beyond Academia Seminar Series & Career Conversations

Video recordings of seminars are available on the Early Career Researchers web pages in the College.

Careers beyond academia seminar series and career conversations

Developing your leadership as a researcher

A free, 8-module online course created by leadership development experts to support academics to focus on their research and priorities.

Access Developing your Leadership as a Researcher

Prosper Portal (University of Liverpool)

Developed at the University of Liverpool, Prosper is an online resource freely available to Postdocs, Managers or Researchers and institutions, it contains a wealth of information relating to all aspects of postdoc career development.

Postdocs can access a range of materials designed to help identify career goals, learn about opportunities beyond academia, and develop lifelong career skills, and managers of researchers have access to a range of resources to support their postdocs’ career development and foster a positive and inclusive working environment.

Prosper. [external link]