Career planning – My Future

Assess your professional opportunities in the academic world and beyond by looking at possible future areas of work and building a picture of what is required. external page MyIDP is a well-established online tool that has been tried and tested in the field of science and can help you evaluate areas of work that might suit you.

MyIDP is sponsored by «Science Careers» and the external page American Association for the Advancement of Science. Any information you enter into the myIDP website is considered personal and will be kept strictly confidential.

external page Consider Career Fit (free external page myIDP account required)

Obtain feedback on your strengths and areas for development from people who know you well and are familiar with your working methods.

external page Skills Assessment (free external page myIDP account required)

Carry out your own evaluation of your skills, strengths, areas for development, interests and values and use this to examine compatible career paths (we also recommend using the external page myIDP “Assessments” for this). Alternatively you will find helpful information and guidance to evaluate your compentencies, interests and values in the Application Guide of ETH Zurich.

Your network can also be a useful source of information to find out more about possible career options. On social media platforms such as external page LinkedIn you can see some fo the career paths of ETH alumni and find alternative options to working in academia.

external page Skills Assessment (free external page myIDP account required)
external page Interests Assessment (free external page myIDP account required)
external page Values Assessment (free external page myIDP account required)

Please also check the Development & Leadership course offering for alternative support re. your upcoming career decisions.

Find a reliable sparring partner (this could be your professor, a mentor or someone else you trust from within or outside ETH) and discuss your skills, ambitions and opportunities with them.

Define your next career goal (in consultation with your sparring partner if possible).

Use the Download career planning form (PDF, 49 KB) to plan very specific steps in your professional development for the next 18 months to ensure that you achieve your targets by the time your ETH employment contract ends.
Remember to set yourself milestones as well as reminders. Note down your plan in writing to increase commitment in implementing your plans.