Postgraduate career support

Careers welcome all Postgraduate taught students. We support you alongside your degree, as you develop your knowledge in your chose area of study.

Your course may have a vocational focus or link to a professional qualification. It may be the case that you are already working towards a career in a specific field. Or, you may feel completely unsure about what to do next. It doesn’t matter where you are at, we are here to help and support you on your journey.

It is never too early to start! We encourage you to begin exploring your career development and employability from the autumn onwards. This is especially important if you are considering applying to graduate schemes.

Getting started with Career support:

Here are some simple steps you can take to get started:

When you begin your course and have enrolled, register with MyJobsOnline (MJO). This online dashboard is where you can book appointments, careers events and search for vacancies.
Enrol on Careers 24/7 Blackboard, where we host a range of webinars and career resources.
Connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay up to date with the latest.
Subscribe to the Careers blog.

Access Career Services:

Find out about the wide range of services provided by the Careers team and how to access them in About Careers.

You can reach us by emailing careers@reading.ac.uk, calling 0118 378 8359, or by asking a question on MJO.

What support is available for you?

Career advice and support

Book a one-to-one careers appointment with an experienced Careers Consultant. In these appointments you can discuss your individual career needs and goals. We’ll get to know you and you'll get support for your career planning, on how to grow your experience, and achieve your career goals.

Our confidential and impartial guidance is available to all students. All you have to do is book through MJO!

Our Careers Consultants can help you:

Explore your options in employment, further study or work abroad,
Develop your CV and application forms
Prepare you for interviews and assessment centres
Recognise and develop your graduate employment skills
If you have an interview coming up, book a mock interview to practice your technique or to discuss interview preparation.

Further advice:

The advice and development section of our website offers resources to support your career journey,
If you’re applying for roles, check out the online advice on applications and interviews,
You can find a range of articles and advice on many different topics on our careers blog,
Read careers publications from experts in graduate recruitment,
View our helpsheets dedicated to helping you compete for success.

Careers fairs, events and workshops

Each semester, we host a full programme of careers workshops. These are designed to support your professional development and employability. We list upcoming events on our website, and you can book onto them via MJO.

We believe in connecting you with future employers and giving you the best opportunities from leading national recruiters. That’s why you can attend our larger careers fairs throughout the year and talk to a range of recruiters. It’s also why we provide you with information on events hosted by external employers.

Fairs include:

JobFest
Careers and Placements Fair
Law Career Fair
Built Environment Career Fair
Science, Health and Environment Career Fair
Graduate Recruitment and Internship Festival

You can keep up to date with the latest on our events pages.

Career mentoring

If you are studying a postgraduate-taught master’s degree - and are within one of our participating departments - you may be eligible participate in THRIVE.

THRIVE is our professional mentoring scheme. It offers you the chance to work with a mentor who can offer you insights and opportunities within the workplace. Having similar academic interests and understanding, our mentors are a real source of knowledge and expertise.

To find out if your department is eligible for THRIVE, drop us an email: mentoring@reading.ac.uk

PLEASE NOTE: Henley Business School students have access to a separate mentoring programme. Find out more.

Career options

You might have a clear idea of what you want to do, or you might not know yet. Either way, now is a great time to explore your career options. You can start by:

Looking at our career options webpages
Browsing careers publications
Attending upcoming careers events
Booking an appointment to discuss your options.

Sector specific support:

We provide subject and industry guides for an extensive range of courses and sectors – take a look!

You can explore your options with events and resources during our themed career weeks. Past themes include:

Business, Finance & HR Week,

Marketing, Media & Communications Week,

Postgraduate Study Week,

Social Impact Week,

Science, Health & Environment Week,

Creative & Culture Week.

Career and development opportunities

There are plenty of opportunities to gain experience and work on your professional development. Take a look at our gaining experience webpages, and sift through relevant opportunities. Here are some to get you started…

MyJobsOnline – browse part-time jobs, internships, graduate roles, and more from hundreds of employers.

Campus Jobs – need to earn money while you study? Find convenient part-time jobs on campus through the Campus Jobs Portal!

THRIVE mentoring – sign up for a professional career mentor.

The RED Award – Complete the Reading Experience and Development (RED) Award. This is the official University of Reading Employability Skills Certificate. It helps you to make the most of the extra-curricular activities and experiences on offer outside of the academic degree.

If you complete the award, you can also complete our advanced levels, RED Award Plus and RED Award Xcel.

LinkedIn Learning – as a University of Reading student, you have FREE access to LinkedIn Learning. We’ve put together recommended courses from the platform. These courses will support you at different stages of your career journey and boost your employability.

Employer Events – throughout the year, employers host a range of events. These are brilliant opportunities for you to develop your career, skills and employability. Not to mention, you’ll get to network!

Careers Fairs & Events – attend our fairs and events throughout the year.

Internships – look into sourcing an internship suitable for you.

Volunteer – a great way to build experience and get involved in the community. We update a list of latest volunteering opportunities.

Excel skills – grow your knowledge of Excel and become more desirable to employers.

Dedicated support before you graduate

Not only do you have access to all the services outlined above, we also have a dedicated Careers Consultant who champions support for postgraduate students. We share communications offering tailored advice, events, and opportunities. We also have dedicated support around:

Career support after your graduate

You can access alumni career support for up to 24 months after you complete your course.

Here’s what you can do after you graduate:

Create a graduate account on MyJobsOnline to access vacancies posted by recruiters actively seeking to employ Reading students and graduates
Book a careers advice appointment with our Careers Consultants via My Jobs Online. You can also do this by calling 0118 378 8359 or emailing careers@reading.ac.uk
Join our UoR Careers Alumni Network on LinkedIn to connect with fellow Alumni, sharing advice and opportunities
Attend careers and employer-led events. View and book onto events via your MJO alumni account, including our alumni webinar series.
Sign up to receive our alumni newsletter! This is full of careers news, events and jobs: alumnicareers@reading.ac.uk
Get access to our digital tools (you may need to do this before you graduate!) Read about the tool's available and email us for support: alumnicareers@reading.ac.uk

Digital tool and resources

You have 24/7 access to all our online resources and digital tools, all year around.

Read our digital tools roundup, written by a Student Ambassador, to find out more about each tool.

Find out more by visiting each individual tools’ webpage:

Graduates First – get information on and practice psychometric tests
Forage – virtual experience programmes with leading employers
LinkedIn Learning– LinkedIn’s online learning platform
Future Learn – free access and digital certifications on Future Learn Campus
GoinGlobal – find extensive resources and roles working anywhere in the world. Useful for UK students looking to find work abroad and International students seeking work in their home country or elsewhere in the world
Lockin China – this Asia-based recruiter works with a large network of employers in China. They look to match you with the right job after your studies (suitable for Mandarin speakers)
GCF Learn Free Excel Course - grow your knowledge of Excel and become more desirable to employers

What support is available for you?