Career development resources for researchers
Find more information, different tools and traning resources at the European EURAXESS portal - but first, see the short video presenting the contents of the section, including the tools available there.
Contact your EURAXESS Centre regarding career development services. Click on the link and choose Expertise to see if career service is available.
Career outside academia digital programme spring 2025
Are you an international PhD student or postdoc currently at a Swedish university and curious about a potential career outside academia?
During the spring of 2025 EURAXESS Sweden will offer a fully digital Career Outside Academia Programme, where you can deepen your understanding of your possible future career moves outside academia in Sweden. You will get the chance to listen to inspirational speakers, work with other junior researchers as well as get the chance for individual coaching.
The outline of the programme:
- Session 1 (25 March): Welcome to your future! Meet two international PhD who stepped outside academia to a job and starting a business.
- Session 2 (7 April): Transitioning from academia to industry. How to handle the mental shift going from academia to the industry and translating your academic and research skills to match what the industy is looking for.
- Session 3 (22 April): Market yourself to possible employers. Write a selling application and CV.
- Session 4 (6 May): The power of networking. How do you expand your network and how can you use it finding and landing a position.
- Session 5 (20 May): The Swedish job market and its employers. EURES will explain the Swedish job market and you will meet a panel of employers and representatives from the business sector.
- Session 6 (3 June): Stepping into your own future. What kind of support is out there for your after this programme? Meet representatives from the unions, find out about the career support from the Job Security Foundation etc.
Application is closed.
In May 2025 a digital half-day seminar on a career outside academia will be open for all junior researchers who wants to participate. More information will come later.
Can Sweden afford to lose them?
Swedish companies are facing an unprecedented skills shortage, which is expected to worsen in the coming years. Many companies now realise that international recruitment is needed to fill the skills gap. However, there is no need to necessarily look abroad, as the most low-hanging fruits to pick are international academic talents already in the country – meaning primarily students and researchers currently at Swedish universities. While the work of retaining international students has begun, the effort to include international researchers, especially junior ones, as a possible and valuable infusion into the Swedish industry has not yet been emphasised.
With the above in mind, EURAXESS Sweden received funding from, the Swedish Innovation Agency (Vinnova) to investigate possible actions to be done at Swedish universities, as well as the role of industry and other organisations, to support international junior researchers to find a possible career also outside academia in Sweden.
The report is set up from four different perspectives:
• The researcher´s view on a career outside academia
• The role of Swedish universities
• The role of industry
• External actors/organisations – hindrance or enablers
Six representatives from four different Swedish universities (Linköping University, Karolinska Insititutet, Malmö University and University of Gotheburgh) onducted the investigation and co-wrote the report.
Did you miss the launch event 14 May?
The event was recorded and you can watch it afterwards.
Full report - English version (revised 8 May 2024)
Supporting international junior researchers' career opportunities outside academia_rev.240508.pdf
Full report - Swedish version (revised 8 May 2024)
Stöd till internationella juniora forskares karriärmöjligheter utanför akademin_rev 240508.pdf
Staying within academia or leaving for a career outside of academia
SULF, the Swedish Association of University Teachers and Researchers has put together a guide to support you when you are thinking about your academic career choices and what to consider when changing jobs. Read more at https://sulf.se/en/about-sulf
You will find career service for students and graduates at many Swedish universities and higher educational institutions. See an overview of Swedish Higher Education and Researchs. Once you have found your HEI, search for career services on their website.
On the website of The Swedish Public Employment Agency you can find a Do-it yourself-guidance to find your career path.