Moving on in your Career

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Moving on in your Career

• Dr Sara Shinton
• www.shintonconsulting.com

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My Background

• Research in Physical Chemistry and Polymer
  Science (PhD and postdoc)
• Skills Development and Careers Advice
• Heriot-Watt Newcastle
• Own consultancy since 2000
• GRAD, universities, professional bodies, Science
  International
• Vision for PhDs, Postdocs and Academics to be
  more effective, more fulfilled and in better
  control of their careers

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Introductions

• Interactive session
• Opportunity to raise personally relevant issues
• More effective at connecting you with the
  material
• You arent alone - find people with similar
  opinions/interests
• More stimulating
• Introduce yourself to partner/neighbours
• Explain to them why you are here
• After a few minutes, Id like to know
• Your expectations for session
• Any particular challenges that are relevant

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Moving on - structure

• Working out your alternatives
• Maximising the value of your experience
• Anticipating employer perceptions
• Making the transition
• Not covered in the session, coming in January
• CV principles
• Interview Technique
• Other recruitment practices

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The alternatives

• Career possibilities- some ideas from me and
  other resources
• A process for working out the alternatives that
  might appeal to you
• Then, over to you to work through the process for
  yourself

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Chicken or egg?

• Common practice in careers guidance
• Work out your preferences, your strengths etc,
  then compare to opportunities
• My personal approach
• Looked at what was out there, got some ideas,
  then worked out what was realistic
• Echoed my approach to research - facts first,
  then hypothesis
• Try to find an approach which will suit you -
  perhaps a combination of the two

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Getting started

• Which careers have other experienced academic
  researchers moved into?
• Which careers support the research process (and
  will therefore value research experience)?
• Which careers will value academic experience?

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Other researchers

• Case studies from professional bodies http//www.r
  sc.org/Education/SchoolStudents/profiles/index.asp
  
• http//www.iop.org/Our_Activities/About_Careers_in
  _Physics/Resources/Case_Studies/index.html
• http//www.immunology.org/careers/default.htm
  http//www.biocareers.org.uk/research.html
• To find other professional bodies
  http//www.careers.lon.ac.uk/output/page212.asp?no
  de347
• Science Careers (not just scientists)
• AGCAS-RCI case studies (Internet Archive)
• University phone directory!

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So, what are the alternatives?
Academic Research
Or something completely different!
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The process

• Stage one - generating ideas
• DIVERGENT and OPEN
• Job clip
• Careers software
• Opinions of others
• Research into career pathways
• Creative thinking
• Dreams and talents

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What do others think I should do?
What vacancies can I see?
What jobs might involve things I enjoy or am good
at?
Which jobs does the computer match to my skills
and personality?
What is my dream job?
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Your turn

• Get into groups of around six
• Try to mix your disciplines
• Introduce yourself to the others
• Now generate as many career ideas as you can -
  anything goes

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Your task

• What careers might appeal to academic
  researchers?
• Try to identify themes (i.e. research/creative/edu
  cation etc)
• Be as creative as you can-consider anything
  initially!
• FIVE minutes

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The process

• Stage two - filtering out possibilities
• CONVERGENT and RATIONAL
• Filters
• Dislike
• Retraining required/skills gap
• Opportunity seems hidden

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The process

• Stage two - filtering out possibilities
• DIVERGENT and RATIONAL
• Filters
• Dislike BIN
• Retraining required/skills gap PARK
• Opportunity hidden RESEARCH

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It didnt start out as a Christmas tree
Seek assistance to connect with jobs which arent
advertised or obvious
Set aside anything which seems distant from
your experience or qualifications - for now
Discard the obvious nos
POSSIBILITIES
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Your turn

• As an individual, spend a few minutes looking at
  the jobs on the sheets
• Write down anything of interest and rank it on
  the handout
• Think about what YOUR filters are - what must
  your career choice take account of?

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Another approach

• In groups or pairs
• How do you want your next career to feel?
• What opportunities would a change offer which are
  unlikely to be found in academia?
• Identify the working conditions, location,
  working environment, performance measures etc
• FIVE minutes

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For more ideas

• www.sciencecareers.org
• www.prospects.ac.uk
• www.hesda.org.uk/subjects/rs/case.html (via the
  internet archive at http//www.archive.org/)
• Or, all these and more at
• http//www.shintonconsulting.com/
• Postgrad page

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Maximise your value

• I dont want to enter at graduate level
• I cant afford to work for less money than Im
  on now
• How do I know where to pitch myself to
  employers?

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Understand the politics

• Big picture - what are the commercial/political/so
  cial factors affecting each organisation?
• Apply to academia first - if you understand
  academia as a commercial environment, you may
  find it easier to articulate and relate your
  experiences to other sectors

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Understand the details

• What do these jobs involve?
• What personal qualities do successful people
  demonstrate?
• What are likely to be skills gaps I can exploit?
  (Rather than thinking - Im overskilled)

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Unspoken prejudices

• Not just on the part of the employers
• Dont be tempted to show off in an interview -
  particularly if the person interviewing you
  doesnt seem to be as intelligent as you are!

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The Babel Fish Principal

• Academia is separated from other sectors by
  language
• Employers perceptions will be hugely influenced
  by your language and your measures of success
• Make these relevant and interesting

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babel_fish
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Employer Attitudes

• In groups or pairs
• What are the main NEGATIVE perceptions you think
  employers outwith academia have of academic
  researchers?
• FIVE minutes

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Employer Attitudes

• Lack of industrial experience/awareness
• Lack of commercial awareness
• Difficulty of adapting to a commercial
  environment
• Also..difficulty differentiating between first
  degrees, postgraduates and academic researchers

Use http//www.archive.org to find http//www.hesd
a.org.uk/subjects/rs/attitude.html
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Their misconceptions?

• "Academic Researchers are too theoretical, not
  practical enough"
• "Age can be a factor for some functions"
• "Too closeted in academia, not employable"
• "Often too specialised"
• "Difficulty adapting to younger age group of
  trainees."
• "Similar age are further advanced."
• "Not keen to do admin."
• "Commercial acumen rather than commercial
  awareness (which can after all be learnt) can be
  the issue."

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Employer Attitudes

• In groups or pairs
• What are the main POSITIVE perceptions you think
  employers outwith academia have of academic
  researchers?
• FIVE minutes

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Employer Attitudes

• Specialist knowledge
• Maturity
• Interpersonal Skills
• Up-to-date methods/applications
• Project Management Experience
• Ability to work independently
• Established publications 0 in AGR survey

Association of Graduate Recruiters
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Positive perceptions

• broader approach to problem solving"
• Academic achievement and focus"
•  "Confident and apt to progress faster
• "Exceptional intellectual and mathematical
  ability"
• "Intellect and problem solving"

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Key message

• "Personal qualities are the yardstick on which we
  judge our candidates for selection. Academic
  prowess is important but without the necessary
  leadership and management potential they would be
  found wanting."
• Public Sector employer

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How do you address this?

• What can you do to demonstrate the relevance of
  your background to employers in different fields?
• Into groups again please

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How do you make the transition?

• Learn from experts
• http//www.hesda.org.uk/subjects/rs/case.html
  (via http//www.archive.org)
• Start with low risk investigations
• Career transition model
• Network
• Let others do some of the work!
• Online - Institute of Physics book
• http//www.iop.org/Our_Activities/About_Careers_in
  _Physics/Resources/Career_Resources/file_5463.pdf
  
• Case studies and an action checklist for people
  leaving academic careers

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Read
Keep vacancy adverts and articles Build a
scrapbook Directories of courses Professional
journals Careers publications
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Attend
Jobs fairs Professional network
meetings Conferences Taster courses Internal
seminars and events
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Talk
Tell people your plans Maintain your
network Identify useful people Find new contacts
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Interview
Formalise contacts Structure interview Follow up
and keep updated with progress
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Work shadow
Detailed insight into work environment Expand
network further Follow up and update with progress
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What are you offering?

• In groups or pairs
• What are the main selling points (in terms of
  skills or achievements) of academic researchers?
• Focus on non-academic employers
• FIVE minutes

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Marketing Yourself

• You are not a contract researcher
• You are not an immunologist/chemist/social
  sciences researcher etc
• You are someone with skills, enthusiasm and drive
• who can make a difference to any organisation

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Resources

• www.sciencecareers.org
• www.hesda.org.uk/subjects/rs/rs.html
• www.grad.ac.uk/ (POSTGRAD section - Just for
  postgrads)
• www.prospects.ac.uk

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Summary

• Always make an application based upon the
  employers needs
• Apply the principles to produce an effective CV
  or application
• Prepare for interviews with the support of others
• Be positive about your experiences and skills