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Thinking about your career?

History Postgraduate Researchers

Dr. Tracy BussoliCareers Consultant for Researchers

Dr. Rhodri Hayward

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What will we cover?

• A bit about career planning

• Academic Careers and funding–Rhodri Hayward

• Alternative Careers

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Current Career Climate

• Disintegration of old work models (globalisation, recession, changing markets etc.)

• Increasing competition in academia as funding streams change. REF - The bar is rising and demands on research output/quality are higher than ever – Plan B?

• People are increasingly having a number of jobs and careers over their lifetime. Adaptability: goal is to remain employable by collecting attractive skills and experiences.

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Career Planning and Management

Self AwarenessWho am I?

e.g. What skills/knowledgedo I have?

ResearchWhat’s out there?

e.g. The labour market: academic positions, NGOs, think tanks

Action PlanHow do I get there?

e.g. Activities to get involved in now.

Review, evaluate, adjust depending on your satisfaction

and changing labour market

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Self Awareness

• A PhD enhances your CV and gives you high-level transferable skills. Think about what they are and learn to articulate them.

• What type of job will suit you? Working environment/culture, hours, academic stimulation, autonomy, etc.

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Research Your Career Options and The Labour Market

• Time to research different jobs/sectors

• Making a transition from the academic sector to another sector/role is challenging and takes longer than you think. Find out how people have made the transition.

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Action Plan

• Start now…don’t put it off!

• Pursuing a career (academic or not) is an active process. Ensure that you have some plans....they can change!

• Look at some of the gaps in your CV and start to put together a plan for how to bridge them.

• Keep options open and have a good spread of activities.

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Plan A Academic Careers

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Career Aspirations of PhD s

PRES 2011: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/postgraduate/PRES_report_2011.pdf

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What academic employers look for

• Publications, publications, publications - !Review books for journals, publish articles in book chapters and refereed journals.

• Understand REF: What standard does my research output need to be? 3* and 4*? http://www.hefce.ac.uk/research/ref/

• Understand the nature of HE funding http://www.hefce.ac.uk/http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/

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What academic employers look for

• Research experience especially on funded projects, get experience of research as an ORA, RA or RO

• Relevant teaching experience e.g. GTA, teaching qualification, designing courses, supervising coursework/dissertation, examining/assessing student work.

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Underrated Skills• Networking

– Colleagues in your institution– Other researchers in your field– Journal editors– Funding bodies– Professional bodies

• Managerial– Technicians and Research Assistants– PhD students– Postdocs– Undergraduate students

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Plan BAlternative Careers

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Alternative Careers - employers look for• High level transferable skills –

analysis, communication, project management etc.

• Relevant knowledge of/to the sector

• Real world wants less detail than a PhD! – can you adapt?

• Understanding of non-academic sector culture and values

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Alternative Careers - by sector• 3rd Sector - research, policy

development• Public Sector• Think Tanks and Interest Groups• Public Affairs - lobbying, PR

• Specialist Consultancies • NGOs and IOs• Private - corporates

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Alternative Careers -by role• Researcher/analyst• Writing/editing • Project management/evaluation • Communications – lobbying,

training, facilitation, liaison, diplomacy

• Other sector roles – consultant, trader, HR manager etc.

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Jobs Beyond Academia

• Museum Collections Manager• Investigations Executive

examining advertising complaints

• Office Team Leader in Customer Services

• Part Time Examinations Assistant

• Fraud Prevention Manager

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Alternative Careers –what can you do now?

• Research your sector – Know the jobs, internships, employers,

clients, consultancy work

• Identify and learn how to articulate your strengths

• Start to identify gaps in your CV and start to bridge them

• Build your network in the sector• Consider what you would bring as a

PhD grad – start building an identity

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Alternative Careers –what can you do now?• Gain wider experience in key

skill areas, e.g. writing, facilitation, project management

• Focus on developing new skills

• Make part-time work or casual jobs count

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Translate your Skills for non-academic employers• Scholarship = planning, research

ability, creativity, analysis, fieldwork• Academic Rigour = continual

scrutiny, quality control, quality assurance

• Lecturing, Giving Seminars = presenting

• Tutoring = motivating, monitoring• Examining, Marking Essays =

appraising, assessing

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Translate your Skills for non-academic employers• Thesis, articles = reports,

publications• Supervising = instructing, training,

communication skills• Research Group = Teamwork,

creativity• Surveys, Fieldwork = Project

management, problem solving• Multi-disciplinary = Flexibility,

versatility, lateral thinking

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Careers Support for PhDs

• One to one advice for academic and non-academic careers (call Careers 8533)

– CVs, cover letters, application forms– Interviews, presentations, assessment centres– Career planning and job search

• Careers Seminars, Workshops and Events

• Careers Bloghttp://qmresearcher.wordpress.com/