Ilia Korolkov, PhD

1. 2014
   I look for a PhD position in Europe with no connections at all. Programs that used to accept Polytechnic graduates close their doors to me. I still find a place through cold emails and a strong research proposal.
2. 2015
   I move to France, work at Université de Rennes 1 and teach physics. At the same time I advise graduates from post-Soviet countries who are looking for PhD positions abroad. Within a year, consulting earns me more than my university salary.
3. 2016 and 2017
   I score 8.5 out of 9 on IELTS Academic and start teaching technical English. I pass French exams first at C1, then at C2. I defend my dissertation in materials science.
4. After the defense
   Together with the Scandinavian School in St. Petersburg, I set up a steady pipeline preparing students for European universities. At the same time I work as a regional director at a manufacturing company and gain management experience.
5. 2022
   I hire a team for a Dutch consulting startup. After that I start filling hard, niche vacancies for companies that are difficult to hire for off the street.
6. Now
   I prepare very different specialists, from frontend developers to R&D engineers in refractory glass. Companies I've prepared candidates for include Corning, Saint-Gobain, Umicore, Bosch and Shell.

1. 1A resume tailored to the company and the job
2. 2A cover letter to a specific person
3. 3Applications every day
4. 4Serious interview preparation, researching the company and the interviewers

2018

PhD in materials science

Université de Rennes 1, France

Dissertation on HAL

2014

MSc with honors, electronics and nanoelectronics

Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University

2012

BSc, electronics and microelectronics

Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University

Languages

Let's get acquainted

Tell me on Telegram or by email where you are now and where you want to go, and I'll suggest a suitable format.