Computing

Whatever career you choose, future employers will want to see evidence of the skills you have developed in your studies. Your degree programme equips you with essential core skills, but you’ll also learn how to adapt to technological change, with its challenges and opportunities. Your computing degree combines theoretical study and practical project work teaching you subject specific technical skills and coding while also developing ‘soft skills’ in teamwork; communication; problem-solving; negotiation; organisation and report writing etc. You’ll also have opportunities to develop your commercial awareness and professional networks through industry talks, internships, and placements (MEng).

The skills you’ll develop are highly valued by employers in many sectors which is why our graduates go on to work in very broad areas. It’s good to reflect on your abilities and consider what skills you can evidence and which skills you may need to enhance. Use our Self reflection webpage to help you understand and document your abilities. This will underpin your career plans and applications for future opportunities.

During your degree you will have many opportunities to develop and learn new skills. Employers will want to see what you have been doing to develop your skills and knowledge outside your course while you have been a student. Experiences such as student societies, part-time work, volunteering and sports can develop your skills and will be valuable additions to your CV. Work experience can also help develop skills and help you decide what career direction you want to follow. These experiences also make you more competitive in future job or further study applications as they show a breadth of experience beyond pure academic study.

As an Imperial student you can participate, or take a leadership role, in a wide variety of Students’ Union activities where you’ll develop many skills. You also have free access to LinkedIn Learning and can use this to develop or improve your knowledge and abilities with software tools and skills through instructional videos taught by industry experts skills. You will also have access to several DoC presentations and workshops providing you with advice on career planning and giving you industry insights. Many of the session recordings are held within the DOC Blackboard VLE or on our Department of Computing (DoC) recordings webpage which is updated throughout the year.

Throughout your DoC degree you can also learn and develop the skills required to be successful in the job or internship market. For example, you will need to know how to create a strong CV, write a good cover letter and perform well in interviews. We can help you to learn these skills. Start with the Applications and interviews section of our website, and by attending our skills training and workshops.

For more personalised support once you've made use of the aforementioned resources, you can book a one-to-one appointment to speak with a member of our team.

When you understand your skills through self reflection it’s a good idea to then learn about the range of career areas that might be of interest. Having a broad understanding of what you can do with a degree from DoC at Imperial is a great starting point to gain inspiration and deeper insights into career paths. For example, you could pursue a career in computer gaming, special effects, machine learning, cyber security, cloud engineering, data science, AI, UX or venture into the world of management consultancy or banking and finance. Our what do Imperial Graduates Do? contains our Graduate Outcomes data which gives examples of employers and further study options of previous graduates. You can search the data to find what DoC graduates went on to do immediately after graduation and you may also find it useful to explore Imperial College LinkedIn – “Computing” where you can discover the career paths of our DoC alumni as their careers develop over time. However, don't feel limited by what others have done, but instead, follow your own interests.

It’s helpful to consider whether you want to use your technical knowledge in a job. If so, would you like to be working with other specialists or have more of a client facing role? Our Exploring options resources can help you to learn more about different jobs including desirable skills, responsibilities, professional development and salary expectations across different roles and industries. You can also meet employers from many of these areas through Careers Service events and fairs which are advertised on JobsLive and in our weekly newsletter. 

Through your research you’ll see that there’s a very wide range of options open to DoC graduates. Some of these are directly accessible from a first degree while others may require additional further study. This can create many questions that you’ll want to answer. Speaking to a careers consultant through one of our one-to-one appointments may help after you've done some initial research.

In addition to our resources you may also find the Options with Computer Science, Options with Information Systems and Options with Web Design and Development from Prospects.ac.uk to give a similar but alternative commentary to the resources we’ve specifically curated for you here. The Career Sector - IT & Technology from TargetJobs may also be a useful additional resource for you. Finally, you may find some of the degree specific resources for other departments to be of use to you as they have similar skills and career trajectories, specifically, Mathematics, EEE and Physics which can be accessed from the What can I do with my degree? webpage.

A professional body, association or society seeks to further a particular profession and the interests of individuals engaged in that profession. The body maintains an oversight of the knowledge, skills, conduct and practice of that profession and can offer accreditation or chartership. You can often use professional bodies to access training or networking events and explore related career options.

Below are some links to professional bodies that deal with various areas related to DoC. Many offer student memberships which can give you access to job listings and careers information while offering great networking opportunities. Some memberships may even allow you to register your CV to vacancy matching services or to be viewed by other members of the community.

• (ACM) Association for Computing Machinery – Advancing computing as a science and profession to help solve tomorrow's problems
• (ADaSci) The Association of Data Scientists – Shaping the future of AI talent with accreditation and evaluation of professional with recognised certification and transformative training
• (AIS) Association for Information Systems - Serves society through the advancement of knowledge and the promotion of excellence in the practice and study of information systems
• (AISB) Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation of Behaviour - A thriving learned society which invites membership from people with a serious interest in Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Science and related areas
• Automate UK – A leading trade association for automation suppliers and end users of technology across processing, packaging, robotics and machine vision. Membership provides access to three core divisions PPMA (Processing & Packaging Machinery Association), BARA (the British Automation & Robot Association), and UKIVA (the UK Industrial Vision Association)
• (BCS) British Computer Society - The Chartered Institute for IT, promotes wider social and economic progress through the advancement of information technology science and practice
• (CIEHF) – Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors - Our vision is to help create a world where integrated design improves life, well-being and performance. In other words, we do it to help make life simpler, safer and more enjoyable for people
• (CRA) Computing Research Association - Uniting industry, academia and government to advance computing research and change the world
• (EAI) European Alliance for Innovation – The world’s largest open ICT society
• (IAENG) International Association of Engineers - The largest non-profit international association for all engineers and computer scientists to promote the co-operation between the professionals in various fields of the engineering and to cultivate an environment for the advance and development of the technology
• (IAP) Institution of Analysts and Programmers - A specialist professional body who believe well-designed software has a positive impact on industry, our communities and future
• (IAPP) International Association of Privacy Professionals - The world’s largest information privacy organisation
• (IET) Institution of Engineering and Technology - A world leading professional organisation sharing and advancing knowledge to promote science, engineering and technology across the world
• (IFIP) International Federation for Information Processing – A leading international, apolitical organisation in Information and Communications Technologies representing academia and industry in over 35 countries across 13 technical committees
• (IGDA) International Game Developers Association - A non-profit professional association whose stated mission is to "support and empower game developers around the world in achieving fulfilling and sustainable careers
• (IEEE) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - A professional association for educational and technical advancement of electrical and electronic engineering, telecommunications, computer engineering and allied disciplines. There’s also the IEEE UK and Ireland Section
• (INCOSE) International Council on Systems Engineering - Designed to connect systems engineering professionals with educational, networking, and career-advancement opportunities in the interest of developing the global community of systems engineers and systems approaches to problems
• (INFORMS) Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences - Supporting professionals who advance and apply science, AI, math, technology, and analytics to transform our world
• (ISACA) Information Systems Audit and Control Association – A professional membership organisation committed to the advancement of digital trust by empowering IS/IT professionals to grow their skills and knowledge in audit, cybersecurity, emerging tech and more
• (RAEng) Royal Academy of Engineers – Harnessing the power of engineering and technology to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone
• (SIAM) – Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics – A professional society dedicated to applied mathematics, computational science, and data science through research, publications and community
• (UXPA) User Experience Professionals Association - Supporting people who research, design, and evaluate the user experience (UX) of products and services

In addition to the above, your network of academic staff may be able to advise of other societies and associations within niche areas of computing and allied professions.

 Information and advice about how to find employment opportunities can be found on our Jobs and experience webpages, which discusses various strategies and resources. We also host our own jobs board within JobsLive where you can search a database of thousands of organisations and employers by their “business area”. You will also get various emails sent to you during your studies from the DoC with relevant opportunities or inviting you to talks/networking events. These can be a great way to find out about individuals working in certain industries and are an opportunity to understand the culture of various companies. We’ve created some resources to help with Networking and to improve your skills and confidence.

Finding DoC-related small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

There are many well-known Multinational Companies (MNCs) offering graduate level jobs but SMEs, defined as organisations with fewer than 250 employees, also offer a wide range of interesting and unique graduate level roles. Due to smaller marketing budgets, SMEs can be harder to find and they often rely on you approaching them with speculative applications to show your motivation and interest. They will sometimes engage with universities through incubation hubs to help them grow skills and expertise. The Imperial Enterprise Lab often runs events to help students understand and network with SMEs and start-up communities. Additionally, the DoC's Corporate Partnership Programme (CPP) and the DoC Student Society both facilitate interactions with SMEs.

Below are useful websites to find SMEs relevant to DoC. Some resources may lead to direct job advertisements while others may open a networking opportunity or enable speculative applications.

• Chamber of Commerce - These local organisations often have directories of local SMEs, including tech companies. The local Chamber may also host networking events where you could meet relevant business leaders
• Companies House - The official register of UK companies, where you can search for businesses by industry and size. Many SMEs in the tech sector are listed
• Entrepreneurs First – This UK accelerator focuses on building startups from scratch, particularly in tech. Their alumni network includes many SMEs working in computer science and their website contains company portfolios and a jobs board
• Seedcamp – A European accelerator based in London that supports early-stage tech startups, many of which are SMEs. Their portfolio of companies is available online
• TechUK - A membership organisation representing the tech industry in the UK, including many SMEs in computer science and IT-related fields. Similar organisations exist in other countries, for example National Small Business Association (NSBA) in the USA
• UK Science Park Association - contains a members list of science parks where you can find information on specific SMEs based at various geographic locations
• WorkInStartups – A listing of UK startup jobs from tech startup teams

SMEs can also be found by keyword searches on Google Maps. For example searching "cyber security" in geographic areas where you would like to work may highlight relevant companies. Often, SMEs will cluster together geographically around a larger organisation related to their work (e.g. hospitals) or transport hubs (e.g. airports) which can help you find other similar companies. LinkedIn is also a good tool to discover SMEs. Explore different people who have roles that you are interested in and use their profiles to see where they have worked. You may find SMEs and other interesting organisations that you did not know about. For further support with LinkedIn, attend a Careers Essentials: LinkedIn presentation. The Imperial Enterprise Lab also runs events to help students understand and network with SME and start-up communities.

DoC related jobs boards and recruitment agencies

Information and advice about how to find employment opportunities can be found on our Jobs and experience webpages, which discusses various strategies and resources. We also host our own jobs board within JobsLive where you can search a database of thousands of organisations and employers. 

There are thousands of job boards and recruitment agencies operating in the UK and internationally. A jobs board essentially list vacancies and attracts applicants from an open market of job seekers while a recruitment agency attempts to find the most suitable candidate for a specific job. While an agency can bring many benefits to a job seeker it’s important to remember that the agent is working for their client (that’s the company with the job vacancy) and you are simply a resource they can profit from. While agencies can form part of your job search, they shouldn’t be your only strategy as they’re often in it for themselves. Additionally, you should remember that the agent is paid by the client, so if you’re asked to pay a fee, we’d encourage you to stop and think if it’s necessary and what you gain in return!

To find agencies operating in the area you may want to explore The Recruitment & Employment Confederation (UK) Membership Directory or speak to people within an industry sector to discover where jobs adverts are placed.

Below are useful jobs boards and websites related to DoC. Some resources lead to direct job advertisements while other may also be useful to develop your knowledge and understanding of an industry sector.

• AI Jobs - a dedicated job board for AI, machine learning, and data science roles
• AngelList - Focuses on startup jobs, including many opportunities in AI, machine learning, and NLP
• Computer Weekly - coverage of the issues, challenges and trends facing today’s IT leaders
• CW Jobs- the home for tech jobs
• Datascope - recruitment consultancy for the gaming industry
• DevIT - a job board dedicated to the IT sector in the UK with a strong candidate focus where every job has a salary bracket and tech methodology listed
• EE Times - news and analysis of the latest technologies and business development in the electronics industry
• Electronics Weekly - at the heart of the electronics industry
• EuroTechJobs - Offers job listings for tech professionals across Europe, including software engineering positions
• GamesIndustry.biz - a leading community for news and information about the video games industry
• Games Job Direct– find jobs by category and location or check salary expectations
• GamesMap – a real-time map of the UK games industry
• GitHub Jobs - A job board that caters to the GitHub community, offering various tech positions
• Graduateland - Offers graduate job opportunities across Europe, including software engineering roles
• Graduate Jobs - A UK-based job site specifically for recent graduates, with a range of tech positions
• HackerRank Jobs - Connects software engineers with companies based on coding skills and challenges
• IT Jobs Watch- perspectives on the IT labour market
• KDNuggets Jobs - Features job listings specifically for data science, AI, and machine learning positions
• NetWorkers- connecting technology and talent
• Stack Overflow Jobs - Offers job listings specifically for developers and IT professionals
• TechnoJobs– IT and technology job site
• TIGA– a network for games developers and digital publishers including a jobs board
• Web3 Jobs – browse internships, graduate roles and training provision across sectors
• Wireless Mobile Jobs- telecoms and IT jobs

While much of our service provision is focused on the UK we’ve paid a subscription to give you access to GoinGlobal which provides international job listings and employer directories alongside country specific information and application support to help internationalise your career. In addition, any student requiring a visa for work within the UK may want to explore Student Circus who provide verified job vacancies from employers who offer visa sponsorship.

Please note that the above information is not an exhaustive list and that it is provided in good faith, however, if you find an issue with a website, or have additional websites that you’d recommend, please contact us.

Career planning often takes time and can sometimes feel overwhelming. It’s a good idea to set aside a small amount of time on a regular basis to maintain momentum. Below are some things to get you started:

• Visit our Department of Computing recordings webpage (Imperial logon required) where we store recordings and materials for events specifically delivered for the Department of Computing;
• Sign up to the Imperial Careers Newsletter by checking the relevant box on your personal profile on JobsLive;
• Learn about the application timelines for applying for further study, work experience and graduate employment;
• See our what's on pages to find out about the different types of events that we run, including: workshops, careers fairs, career talks  - and hear from alumni and employers about different types of work;
• Explore the Department of Computing’s Corporate Partnership Programme (CPP) which helps connect computing students to employers and placement providers and allows students to share their CV with organisations;
• Join the Department of Computing’s student society (DocSoc) and look out for employer talks and the annual hackathon;
• Learn the skills that will help you succeed on the job market in the applications and interviews section of our website and by attending our skills training and workshops;
• Consider using Shortlist.Me to improve your interview and performance confidence.

If you feel stuck with your career planning, you could book a one-to-one appointment to talk it through with a careers consultant. Richard Carruthers is the careers consultant for DoC but you can see any of our careers consultants for your first appointment.