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Science & Engineering Researchers’ Careers June Kay Careers Development Consultant

Science & Engineering Researchers’ Careers June Kay Careers Development Consultant

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Science & Engineering Researchers’Careers

June Kay

Careers Development Consultant

Career Thinking…..…….Where are you at the moment?

HESA 2005 Destinations – Biomedical ScienceWork in UK –75.6%

Work & Study UK –11.5%

Study or Training UK –2.3%

Working or Studying Overseas –4.3%

Not Available for Work / Study –2.1%

Unemployed –2%

Other –2.2%

Employment – Biomedical Science

Health & Social Work Sector – 45%

Education – 40%

Most popular Occupation – Researcher (within & beyond academia) – 32%

Post-docs in HE – 23%

Commercial, Industry & Public Sector Managers – 3%

Teaching Professional (all sectors) – 14%

HESA 2005 Destinations – Biological SciencesWork in UK –64.5%

Work & Study UK –9.4%

Study or Training UK –4%

Working or Studying Overseas –11.6%

Not Available for Work / Study –4.5%

Unemployed –4.5%

Other –1.5%

HESA 2005 Destinations –Physical Sciences & EngineeringWork in UK –69.2%

Work & Study UK –9.4%

Study or Training UK –2.8%

Working or Studying Overseas –9.5%

Not Available for Work / Study –2.4%

Unemployed –4.8%

Other –1.9%

Key Finding - Employment

HE - Lecturer / Postdoctoral role

Finance / IT / Business

Public Sector Administration

Health & Social work

Manufacturing

Other sectors

Some options for quantitative PhDsFinance – Investment Banking, Consultancy, Trading

IT – Business Consultancy

Patent work / Intellectual Property Solicitor

Technical Author / Academic Publishing / Scientific Writing

Production Management / Quality Assurance

Scientific Research / Data Analysis

Scientific Policy work – civil service / regional development etc

Research / Management / Operational roles in Industry

Values Interests Personality Skills

Values•Autonomy

•Security

•Enterprise

•Sense of Purpose

•Balanced Lifestyle

•Expertise & Challenge

•Reward & Recognition

•Authority & Influence

InterestsSport / Arts / Science / Commerce etc

Environment – office / outdoors / factory / laboratory

People – teaching, persuading, treating, providing service

Managing staff V responsibility for self

Analytical V Creative

Workplace based V visiting clients / sites

Project Based / Consultancy V long term strategy & development in-house

Facts Figures V Machinery V People

Profit V Altruism

Reaction to pressure, deadlines, stress V self motivation

Constraints

Location

Mobility

Salary

Competition

Experience

Age???

Health

Family

Work Life Balance

Work Permits

Previous criminal convictions

Personality - MBTI

To complete this inventory on-line contact the CAS for details

E v I – Where do you get your energy from?S v N – What kind of information do you value?F v T – How do you make decision?J v P – How do you deal with the outer world

What skills do Employers Want?

“Researchers do not appear to be able to articulate their personal skills well and are unable to talk to employers in their language”

Empress Study, Leeds University

CVs for PhD’s

You should have a different type of CV for

posts outside of academia

Many same skills and experience

Different Focus / Language

Commercial application

Academic CVs for PhD

Focus on Academic Achievement

Publications & Research grant applications – paramount

Research V Teaching

Activities which raise profile of your research, subject, dept, university

Transferable skills related to academic

Additional Contribution to the dept / university as whole

Non-academic CVs for PhD’sA CV and covering letter should includeevidence of relevant:

Knowledge – specific or general

Experience – tasks, processes, responsibilities

Skills – specialist and transferable / generic

Interest / Enthusiasm / Commitment

Non-academic CVs for PhD’sStructure – logical, clear

Presentation/layout – attractive / professional

Content – Relevant / Explicit

Length – 2 pages A4

Impact !!!!!

Action words for CVs

Negotiated Devised Promoted Identified

Generated Led Delivered Tested Resolved

Facilitated

Managed Represented

Analysed

Solved Initiated

Non-Academic CVs for PhD’s

What would you include under:

Personal details?

PhD research?

Other education?

Work experience?

Publications and Conferences?

Additional skills and achievements?

Interests?

Who will be your references?

Non-academic CVs for PhD’sWhat might you leave out?

CV at the top of the page?

A career goal/personal profile?

School record?

Work experience that does not sell skills?

Anything else?

CVs for PhD’sReverse chronological - Similar to academic CV

May omit:Publications Conferences

Must emphasise more:Non academic work experienceCommercial Applications / EquivalentsTransferable skills

Other types of CV- Targeted•Useful if you know what the employer is looking for

•Highlights on Page 1 the key skills and qualities you possess which are relevant to the post (skills profile) and where you have obtained these

•Therefore ‘plagiarises’ the advert

•Then follows on with a standard reverse chronological CV

Page one might start like this…

Communication: Excellent oral and written skills required for planning preparing and leading seminars with undergraduate students. Several conference papers presented and well received by a wide academic audience. Active listening and diplomacy as demonstrated through voluntary work on student helpline for 3 years.

Team Working: Demonstrated when rowing for university where I proved my commitment to succeed and encouraged others to also do so, as part of a successful multi-disciplinary research group and whilst working in a pressured retail environment part-time for 4 years.

Project & Time Management: Successfully planned the most effective use of my time and resources to complete my research project ahead of schedule whilst submitting papers for publication, supervising undergraduate students research and renovating my new home.

Computer literacy: Confident user of a wide variety of packages including Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, SPSS and C++. Designed, developed and updated the International Students Society website. Easily adapt to specialist employer software e.g. stock control in retail

Application forms

Same general principles as CVs

Competency Based

More specific examples

Statement in Support of Application

Tell us about a time when you have worked effectively as part of a team. What was your role and what did you contribute to the team? What did you learn for the future?

S - In August 2007 I participated in the residential GRAD school Course, Communication Skills + More , run by Durham university. At the start of the 4 day course I was allocated to a group of 9 researchers from all faculties whom I had never met before.

T –On day 3 all teams participated in a 3 hour environmental impact simulation, where the remit was to represent your own interests in negotiation with other stakeholders. As representatives of the chemical company we had to consider the financial implications, adverse publicity and legal obligations.

…….continuedA –As a science researcher I felt that my strength would lie in

analysing the data we were given, evaluating the impact of the incident, then presenting a summary to the group for discussion. I told the rest of my team this and asked the other members which skills they felt they could bring to the team. I lead a discussion on allocation of roles and division of tasks then identified priority actions. Since some elements could not be started until others were completed I suggested a system whereby the strongest member for a particular task led a subgroup of two or three members, who could all contribute ideas and assist with practical tasks.

…….continued

R –All team members engaged with the task and developed an insight into an area of communication they felt was new to them. The team spirit was high throughout and individual members gained new skills and confidence. We managed to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement with all but one of the other parties involved, but this one group managed to raise this very successfully at the final “press conference”. In future I would suggest the team allocate time to practice for media interview, rather than relying on knowing their facts.

Statement in support of Application

What created your initial interest in this fieldHow have you pursued this – academic / work experienceWhat particular aspects of their work interest youWhat skills have you developed that match the requirements

of the jobWhat do you really know about the role / company

Relevant Specific Evidence Enthusiasm Passion Reflection Research

Covering lettersExplain who you are

Say why you want the post

Give examples of your suitability

Explain why you want to work in that organisation

Provide other general information

Say when you are available for interview

Academic Interviews

Panel – membership

Split by area of expertise

Questions – example and output

Demonstrate well guided career path

Where do you see yourself in future

Research on dept

Current issues in HE

But same general principals as non-academic interviews………DVD

ASSESSMENT CENTRES

group discussionscase studiesin - tray exercisesrole playpresentationsaptitude / psychometric tests, eg:

– logical thinking– verbal reasoning– numerical– spatial awareness

personality - preferred styles of behaviourpanel interviews

Lynda Ali + Barbara Graham, Moving on in Your Career; A guide for academic researchers and postgraduates (RoutledgeFalmer London + New York 2000)

AgCAS/University of London Careers Service, University researchers and the job market

Mary Anne Thompson, The Global Resume and CV Guide (John Wiley + Sons New York 2000)

Publications