Applications are currently open for the Manchester Gold mentoring programme and for PhD students that means you can match with a mentor with a doctoral research qualification from the University.
A mentor can provide advice on the challenges of studying for a research degree, and tips and advice on career success after completion. The programme isn’t about matching with someone who has expertise in your research area but about working with someone who has experienced the highs and lows of a undertaking a research degree and looking at how they have used that experience to shape their career.
In fact talking to someone not so engrossed in your research area might add a different perspective and really help you to explore how to best utilise and talk about the skills you are gaining no matter what your future ambitions or their past research.
Applications for the mentoring programme are open now until Monday 15 October at 12pm. For further information visit the Manchester Gold webpages.
If you don’t want a semi-formal mentoring relationship you can also use The Manchester Network to ask alumni one off questions about their career. The ‘Ask Me About’ feature allows you to connect with multiple alumni on a one-off basis for careers-related advice. There’s no application process and you can contact alumni at any point throughout the year with your questions.
There are currently over 250 University of Manchester alumni with a PhDs active on The Manchester Network working in various industries including Education, Consulting, Medicine / Health Care, Scientific Services & R&D as well as others. And they’re waiting to answer your questions.
To get started register on The Manchester Network using your University login details to browse the full list of available mentors. To find out more visit the alumni webpages.