Career planning for doctoral students
Plan and prepare for your career during your doctoral studies
Mentoring for Doctoral Students
You see career paths that fit your expertise
Doctoral researchers spend years building deep expertise, but very few get the chance to see how that expertise is used outside the university.
Doctoral researchers spend years building deep expertise, but very few get the chance to see how that expertise is used outside the university.
Why mentoring?
Mentoring fills that gap by giving direct access to people who have already made the move, honest conversations about what different sectors actually look like, and connections that are never visible in job adverts. It turns an open question about life after the doctorate into concrete, informed next steps.
Mentoring programmes
| Format | Length | What you get | When we recommend it |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Students apply in November |
6 months, often continues after | Paired one-to-one with a mentor from working life, for career direction, decisions and networks | From year 2 onwards, when a direction is forming and there is time to test it |
|
Aalto International Talent mentoring Students apply in October |
3 months, five meetings | Small-group mentoring built around companies and fields, including company visits | International doctoral researchers, mid-doctorate onwards, especially those aiming to stay in Finland |
|
Speed mentoring Through the year |
One session, alone or in a group | Short conversations with several companies in one sitting, in small groups | When you want a first contact with industry and are still exploring options |
|
Coming soon |
One session, alone or in a group | A single focused conversation on one question, with no long commitment | At the very start, or any time one specific question needs an answer |
|
Through the year |
One session, alone or in a group | A business lunch combining mentoring and informal networking | Any stage, for those who prefer a low-pressure, informal setting |
