Workshop: How to get into the non-academic German job market! 

Details

Date: Thu, 19 + Fr, 20 November 2026, 09:00–12:00h
Location: online via Zoom
Target group: International Postdocs of all research fields of the UA Ruhr universities (max. 12 participants)
Trainer: Dr. Philippa Cook
Registration deadline: 05 November 2026
Contact for organizational Questions: research-academy@uaruhr.de

Description

For (post-)doctoral researchers with an international background, it can be a real challenge to get into the (non-academic) German job market at the end of an academic position.

The entry routes into jobs are not always transparent, candidates are often not well-informed about what to expect in the application process and not everyone can offer German language skills. Where and how you can look for a job outside classic academia depends on your qualifications and skills set, on your individual life situation as well as on knowing about possible entry paths, the (unwritten) rules of the game and other additional parameters.

This workshop offers assistance with this and will encourage participants not just to prepare for this transition in a focused way but to create an action plan which they can implement.

This workshop has four components:

1. Sketching your profile: What can I do and where do I want to work with that? 
2. Information about the landscape of the German job market for international postdocs
3. Planning the next steps: Which factors do I need to consider in planning my next Steps?
4. Empowerment: Drawing on numerous case studies of international doctorate holders who have successfully entered the German job market, strategies for success will be highlighted. 

In this workshop participants:

• learn some facts about possibilities and challenges that international postdoctoral candidates face on the German job market
• begin to sketch out their own profile as a basis to develop their ideas about different career options
• are inspired to let their international background strengthen their profile
• will be empowered by case-studies of numerous international doctorate holders who have already successfully entered the German job market
   

Trainer

Dr. Philippa Cook is a specialist careers coach and workshop designer who is an expert on supporting international PhD-candidates and PhD-holders in crafting their career path in Germany. She has an international background herself – born and raised in England – and worked in research and teaching in German academia for several years before she became a careers advisor and coach. For this workshop she has conducted numerous interviews with international PhD-holders who have successfully entered the German job-market and draws on these real-life experiences to inform and to empower the participants. All workshops are conducted with sensitivity to issues of inclusion and diversity.

* In order to provide you with a comfortable registration process, we use registration forms of our service partner eveeno®. Please note the information on the allocation of places on the program overview page.