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School of somethingFACULTY OF OTHERSchool of Chemistry
Job and PhD Applications
Dr Bruce Turnbull
Where are you going after your MSc degree?
• What sort of position are you looking for next?
• Industry
• PhD/Academic job
• Don’t know….
• What is your career route?
• Finding the next position
• Job/PhD Applications
• Interview tips
What is your career route?
MSc degree Industry job (chemical/pharmaceutical/financial etc)
PhD degree Postdoc Academic job
Other scientific careers:Science policyScience publishing
What is your career route?
MSc degree
PhD degreeInternships
Ed Hayes MSc Chemical Biology 2005-06
Short term contracts
Permanent jobs in public affairs
Finding the next position
• Websites/job adverts
• Obvious route to jobs, PhD adverts etc
• Networking
• Let people know you exist!
• Visiting lecturers (academic and industrial)
• Speculative emails
• Can be useful but…
Professor Sir Fraser Stoddart FRS
Finding the next position
Dear Sir, Dear Dr emails
• Just don’t do it….
Finding the next position
Speculative emails – some tips
• Start with their name – Dear Dr Turnbull
• Tell them why you are emailing (get to the point)
• Show them you actually know what they do (e.g. research
area)
• Keep it brief – no epic personal statements
• Keep CVs to a few pages
• Don’t send 20 Mb of exam certificates
• If they seem positive, keep in touch
Finding the next position
CVs – some tips
• Keep it brief – 2-3 pages maximum
• No big blocks of text – bullet points are best
• Industry CVs – emphasise key skills with examples that
show you actually have those skills
• Academic CVs – emphasise your best module grades and
research experience
• Keep the format clean, but beware of being too innovative
Finding the next position
CVs – some tips
• Keep it brief – 2-3 pages maximum
• No big blocks of text – bullet points are best
• Industry CVs – emphasise key skills with examples that
show you actually have those skills
• Academic CVs – emphasise your best module grades and
research experience
• Keep the format clean, but beware of being too innovative
CV format
CV format CV format
CV format PhD applications
some tips
• Always contact the prospective supervisor
• It makes them aware of you and shows you are keen
• Follow the instructions on the application website carefully
• Do they want CV, Personal statement, Cover letter, transcripts?
• Academic- focussed CV- emphasise research experience
• Keep cover letter or personal statement to 1 page maximum
• Keep to the point – tell them you want a PhD in their area, don’t
start with visionary quotations
• Choose referees who can say something insightful about you!
Other job applications
some tips
• If there is someone listed for informal enquiries then make contact
• It makes them aware of you and shows you are keen
• Follow the instructions on the application website carefully
• Do they want CV, Personal statement, Cover letter, transcripts?
• Skills-focussed CV with examples
• Keep cover letter or personal statement to 1 page maximum
• Address each of the person specification criteria
• Choose referees who can say something insightful about you!
Job advert
some tips
Job advert Job advert
Person specification
some tips
• This is the list of criteria that they will use to score applications
• Address each point in order
• Make it easy for the assessor to see that you have evidence that
shows you meet each of the essential criteria (or as many as possible)
• Don’t just answer yes
• Don’t be put off if you miss one or two of the person specifications
Interviews (PhD)
We will help to arrange mock interviews for PhD or job interviews when
you need them
• A typical PhD interview will have a panel of people with different
backgrounds to you
• Why do you want a PhD?
• What personal characteristics are needed for a successful research student?
• Tell us about your research experience – give them the big picture first!
• A technical question – think on your feet and explain what you are thinking!
• What is your broader interest in science – do you read about science?
• Any questions from you?
