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Individual Guidance

Looking for individual support? Would you like to know who to talk to within your faculty or university? You’re at the right place.

Identifying possible formative and/or professional trajectories is a continuous process of self-knowledge and discovery, and as careers are dynamic, doubts and uncertainties are natural and part of the process. That’s why it is so important to have support through all the steps and along the process of career development. The help of Mentoring or Individual Career Guidance, for example, will make the process much easier.

Take a look at some more information about it and if you need additional support, get in touch with a career facilitator or counsellor from Talent and Career Office.

Mentoring involves a supportive and guidance-based relationship between a Ph.D. candidate and a more experienced individual, typically someone who has similar career paths, for example a PhD holder. But depending on your interests the mentor can also be a Professor, a Researcher, an entrepreneur or a company representative that was or not been enrolled in a PhD Programme. Your mentor or mentors can encourage and offer practical assistance to overcome challenges and achieve your goals, provide insights into potential career paths, offer advice on job search strategies, and help you to identify opportunities for professional growth. Can also provide networking opportunities, and connect you with others mentors, employers, and other valuable contacts.


If you’re interested in having a Mentor (or becoming a Mentor) please check the possibilities available at the Connecting Platform at the menu Mentoring or looking for Mentors available for spontaneous mentoring. Through a mentoring relationship you can have ongoing personalised support and guidance throughout your academic and professional journey.

At the University of Porto, you will find a team of specialised professionals in career counselling or career facilitation.

Career counselling or facilitation plays a crucial role in supporting your career development, enhancing your job market readiness, and empowering you to make more informed and confident decisions about your career. Through this service you will:

  • Clarify your Career Goals by exploring your interests, values, skills, and motivations. Career professionals will assist you in identifying potential career paths within and outside academia that align with your strengths and preferences.
  • Explore Career Option and Develop Your Job Search Strategies. Career professionals will provide you resources and guidance for exploring various career options for you and aligned with your dreams, your passions, your skills and the needs of the market. Career professionals support you in navigating this process, whether within academia, industry, government, or other sectors; offer guidance on resume/CV writing, cover letter customization, networking strategies, interview preparation, and effective job search techniques tailored to your specific career interests and goals.
  • Create your own professional development plan tailored to your needs and goals. Career professionals will assist you in setting short-term and long-term goals, identifying skill gaps, and developing strategies to enhance your employability and competitiveness in the job market.
  • Have Academic and/or Non-Academic Career Transition Support: Career professionals help you in your transition from academia to non-academic careers or between different academic roles. They also provide assistance in evaluating transferable skills, positioning academic experiences for non-academic roles, and addressing concerns or challenges associated with career transitions

Through a safe and supportive space, you can discuss your career-related concerns, uncertainties, and anxieties. You will find empathy and a professional committed to help you overcome obstacles, manage setbacks and “crossroads”, and stay motivated in pursuing your career goals.

Book an appointment through the following link.

Please select UP Doctoral Careers Appointments on “Type of Appointment”, the preferred location, and freely choose who would you like to be your career consultant.

During your PhD journey it may occur that you need to use other services than just career development support. At U.Porto you have a number of other resources and services you can use, such as: support research services, support entrepreneurship services, medical services, including nutrition, psychological support, social action services, services for students with specific needs, sports centre, among many others.

You can consult the existing services at up.pt or contact the Talent and Career service for more information ([email protected]).

Don’t forget that career is not just as a series of job roles or professional milestones, but as an ongoing and evolving journey that aligns with our values, aspirations, and personal development goals throughout life. This means that all of those services can be useful to you and to your career (as a life project) helping you to develop a more holistic and long-term approach to your professional development.

UP Doctoral Careers is a product from the PhD Career Design project, initiated in 2021 and developed by the RectorateTalent and Career Centre, Work Psychology Consulting Service (FPCEUP), FEUPs Talent Unit, ICBAS Student Support, Employability and Alumni Office, i3S, and the Teaching and Learning Laboratory (FEUP).In 2023 was supported by the Portuguese funding "Skills for a Next Generation U.Porto" (Upskilling U.Porto) under POCH-I2-2022-01 Skills4 Post Covid - Skills for the Future in Higher Education”. Now, it is run by contributions from representatives of U.Porto's faculties, Research Centers, PhD candidates and holders, advisors, course directors, companies, and institutions. It is also supported by the EUGLOH Alliance and the DocTalent4EU project.