ABSTRACT
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the world have become increasingly international, and lately, increasing attention has been drawn towards graduate employability in HEIs worldwide. The National Student Survey and Teaching Excellence Framework in the UK have brought graduate employability to the forefront of discussions. Much research has been devoted to enhancing undergraduate students’ employability skills and attributes through curriculum design and work-based learning; however, little attention has been paid to the employability of international students, particularly, that of doctoral students. This chapter aims to explore the perspectives and experiences of Chinese international doctoral students seeking employment and to identify commonly used resources for career planning among the participants. Results show that students acknowledge a significant difference between Chinese and Western employers when it comes to recruiting graduate students, with employability of doctoral students in the West often heavily influenced by the nature of research projects and subject disciplines. In addition, there is a shared concern over reverse culture shock towards working in China after receiving training in the West. Participants of this study found that personal connections are considered critical, even more than the commonly used online career platforms. While this study is limited in terms of generalizability, it provides a start to a larger investigation into international doctoral student perspectives towards jobs and social mobility.
