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Careers Service resources

In addition to the bespoke events run by Jesus College’s innovative Careers and Mentoring Programme, there’s a wide range of free resources and events available via the University Careers Service and the platform Handshake

The service is open to current Cambridge students and graduates, who can continue to access the Careers Service to help build their career. 

This page has information and free resources to help you with the following:

Help finding work abroad

You can get free access to GoinGlobal via Handshake. GoinGlobal offers:

  • Search sources
  • Work permit/visa regulations
  • Information on remote job searching
  • Resume writing guidelines and examples
  • Employment trends
  • Salary ranges
  • Networking groups
  • Cultural/interviewing advice. 

Help updating your CV

There is a wealth of resources on CVs and cover letters available via the University Careers Service. This information includes a downloadable Undergraduate and Masters CV book and PhD and Postdocs CV Book.

Before writing your CV, ask yourself these questions. 

  • Is there a clear narrative in my CV and have I really accentuated my skills, passion and interests?
  • Have I tailored my CV to the type of role I am applying to? If I haven’t, could I adapt my CV to give more relevant examples of the skills an employer from my industry of interest would be looking for?
  • Have I focused too heavily on duties? Could I document the value I have added in any roles I have held, not just what I was responsible for doing? Can I add more action words such as ‘achieved’, ‘developed’, ‘managed’?
  • Is the text I have used too lengthy, are there any long paragraphs which could be broken into shorter punchier sentences or bullet points?
  • Is the spelling, grammar and punctuation all correct? Have I used a professional font of a reasonable size (11 or 12)?
  • Is the most relevant information on the first page?
  • Is the CV correctly and consistently formatted? 

Review your CV with CareerSet 

Once you have written your CV you can visit CareerSet, an online CV optimisation platform provided by the Careers Service which allows students, staff and alumni to:

  • Submit their CV 24/7 and receive an instant overall score
  • Learn how to improve it via suggestions related to language, style and presentation
  • Adjust and see how their score improves
  • Find out where their CV ranks amongst their peers
  • Target their CV to specific job descriptions, based on keywords and skills.

For quick access:

  • Students and staff: use your @cam.ac.uk email address
  • Alumni: use @cantab.ac.uk or @alumni.cam.ac.uk if you hold one of those address types
  • Postdocs: use your work email address.

Enter your email address on CareerSet, follow the email validation link, and you will be logged in for one session. You can have as many sessions as you need. If you then need more help, please book a follow up appointment to discuss your CV with one of the University Careers Advisers.

Prepare for recruitment tests and interviews

What are psychometric tests and how can I practice them? 

Many graduate employers use psychometric tests as part of the recruitment process. They are a range of tests often used to determine the skills, knowledge, personality and behaviour of applicants, helping to identify the strongest candidates.

Get prepared before the interview by practising different types of psychometric tests to give yourself the best chance for success. Assessments include verbal and abstract reasoning, numerical problem-solving, personality and learning styles. 

Graduates First allows you to practice a wide variety of tests in timed conditions. You'll be able to view your result as a percentile of other candidates and get feedback on the questions and areas where you didn't perform as well. You'll also be able to access numerous short videos with expert advice on how to approach the tests, and tips for success. 

Profiling for Success provides examples of a personality questionnaire similar to Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and a range of numerical, verbal, and diagrammatic tests. Some of the tests are accompanied by online tutorials, giving you the chance to practice and learn before taking the test. It also has a careers interest questionnaire. Now includes examples of EIQ (Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire) and RSQ (Resilience Scales Questionnaire). 

Do you want to improve your interview skills? 

Video interviews are becoming increasingly popular with graduate employers in the early stages of recruitment. To help you prepare for them, it’s really useful to practice to get a sense of what it’s like before you do the real thing. 

Current students and members of Jesus alumni have free access to Shortlist.me via Handshake. While it is especially useful if you have a video interview coming up, it is also helpful for face to face and phone interviews.

Shortlist.me offers: 

  • Opportunity to practice video interviews
  • ‘In-app’ immediate feedback
  • Preparation for a wide range of interview types
  • Representation of a wide range of sectors.

Help getting a job in consultancy 

As a current student or member of Jesus alumni, you can enjoy free access to CaseCoach – the market-leading toolkit preparing you for all aspects of consulting interviews.  

Built on the expertise of former McKinsey interviewer Enguerran Loos, Casecoach offers: 

  • Consultancy interview preparation and advice
  • Access to a wide range of ‘cases’
  • Practice tools
  • Video lectures and interviews
  • Students can enroll on a range of courses.

Current students and alumni should access CaseCoach via Handshake.

Hear from our alumni

  • Mark and Janet Hayes

    Mark Hayes and Janet Livesley

    Architecture (1976) and Architecture (1980)

    We first met in 1980 when Mark returned to Jesus to study for the postgraduate diploma in Architecture and Janet joined the college on the same course. Graduate dinners in Upper Hall were a highlight of the week and an opportunity to meet socially with other Jesuans. Part of our studies included trips to Zambia and an earthquake-hit area in Southern Italy. We were married in the College Chapel just after completing our studies in the summer of 1982 and remained in Cambridge for a period following Mark’s election to...

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    Architecture (1976) and Architecture (1980)
  • Ilana Cohen

    Ilana Cohen

    Human, Social and Political Sciences (2022)

    I arrived at Jesus College in 2022 as a Harvard Social Studies Exchange student. Initially, I was compelled to pursue the program due to the academic freedom it offered, excited to work closely with leading thinkers in self-directed studies around climate change ethics. Upon starting at Jesus, though, I realised that I also gained the opportunity to join an incredible community of wonderfully eclectic and deeply welcoming scholars and peers. My Jesus experience was also formative for me as a climate justice activist. Sharing knowledge and building relationships with Cambridge...

    Read more
    Human, Social and Political Sciences (2022)
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    Johnny Harounoff and Stephanie Posner

    Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (2013) and Classics (2012)

    We met 10 years ago as undergraduates living in the same staircase in North Court and have since been studying and working in the United States. The College was so accommodating to us by providing us — and other Jewish students — with kosher facilities and by supporting the creation of the College's first Jewish Society. For us, the College is full of happy memories thanks to the friends we made and for all of the kindness shown to us from the porters, professors and staff. That sense of community...

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    Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (2013) and Classics (2012)
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    Lene Northwood

    Criminology (1996)

    As a person who grew up on the opposite side of the planet to a family that had no history of attending university, the idea of me attending Cambridge was, quite frankly, laughable. Then I fell in love with Criminology and wrote a thesis that caught the attention of the College. It is just one example of the incredibly outward looking approach that, in the decades that I have known the College, has defined Jesus College. One letter with a now familiar letterhead, quite literally raised my expectations of life...

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    Criminology (1996)
  • Rafi Levy and Max Turner

    Rafi Levy and Max Turner

    Computer Science (2019) and Architecture and Urban Design (2019)

    We first met in 2021 when we joined the May Ball committee as webmaster and graphic designer. We spent a lot of time together that year, working closely to create a graphic scheme and build a website for the event. Even though it was a lot of hard work and very stressful at times, we are so grateful to have been part of it as it is thanks to that opportunity that we became great friends. A couple of years later, we are still great friends and now have a...

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    Computer Science (2019) and Architecture and Urban Design (2019)