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Career development workshop may 2018 summary

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Sarah Blackford
Sarah Blackford

A summary of my career development workshop for bioscience PhD students and postdocs (May 2018) including skills analysis, job seeking, CVs and interview technique.

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WRITING AN EFFECTIVE CV Thursday 3rd May 2018 Sarah Blackford Academic careers adviser www.biosciencecareers.org Sarah Blackford Career Consultancy www.biosciencecareers.org
Workshop Aim and Outcomes The aim of the workshop is to: 1) help you to recognise your skills and capabilities 2) how to apply them to the job market and 3) how to write an effective CV At the end of the session you should feel more informed and confident about: ? types of careers of potential interest to you ? what are your unique personal attributes ? what you need to do to improve your CV
PhD The Scientific Century: securing our future prosperity. Royal Society Policy document 2010
PhD Apprentice/junior management Post-doc 1 Junior management Academic Middle/senior management Professor/PI Leader Associate professor Assistant professor Research fellowship Teaching fellowship Postdoc 3 Postdoc 2 ACADEMIC CAREER PYRAMID Publications International profile Evidence of independence Evidence of funding success Teaching Supervision
THE CAREER TREE
Professor PhD student Postdoc 1 Postdoc 2 Postdoc 3 Fellowship Assistant prof Associate prof Research scientist Science writer Head of Education Patent lawyer Regulatory affairs Teacher Executive Director Business Partner Chief Executive officer Head Teacher Communications director Medical Science liaison THE CAREER TREE Biostatistician Senior scientist Policy
Possible careers for bioscientists ? Academic Research (universities, research institutes, government) ? Research in Industry/Business (Biotechnology, Pharma, Contract Research Organisations (CROs), agricultural companies, bioindustry, food technology, medical industry, policy think tanks, media) ? Scientific services (advisory, medical science liaison, clinical) ? Associated commercial careers (technology transfer, patent agent, data management, regulatory affairs, marketing) ? Communication (publishing ¨C editorial, commissioning, production - press officer, journalist, outreach, medical writer) ? Teaching (university, schools) ? Administrative/Policy work (policy officer, conference organiser) ? Self Employment/Freelance consultancy work ? Something completely different - Finance, project mgt, electrician
What do you see yourself doing? What do you enjoy?
WHAT ARE YOU INTERESTED IN DOING ? FUNCTIONAL Technical, systems, services INVESTIGATIVE Discovery, Research, Curiosity ADMINISTRATIVE Admin, management, organisation ENTERPRISING Leadership, commercial, consultancy CREATIVE Visualisation, artistic, writing SOCIAL Advising, cooperating, instructing
WHAT TYPES OF JOBS INTEREST YOU? FUNCTIONAL Technical work Specialist scientific services INVESTIGATIVE Researcher: eg Academia & industry Analytical and interpretive work MANAGERIAL Administration Manager Operations ENTERPRISING Group leader, Entrepreneur Consultancy, self-employment CREATIVE Science writing Outreach Creative Design SOCIAL Teaching Advisory and support work
10 types of scientist Business scientist Found in science and technology companies in a wide variety of roles, from R&D or marketing, and to the C-suite itself. Communicator scientist Found across TV and radio, advertising and promotion, regulation and public affairs as well as social media. They may also have a full time job as another type of scientist. Developer scientist Work in a research environments and may work with Entrepreneur/Business scientists to help bring their ideas to market. Entrepreneur scientist Blend their science knowledge and credibility with people management skills, entrepreneurial flair and a strong understanding of business/finance, to start their own businesses or help grow existing companies. Explorer scientist They are likely to be found in a university or research centre, or in Research & Development (R&D) at an organisation, and are likely to be working alone. Investigator scientist They are likely to be found in a university or research centre, or in Research & Development (R&D) at an organisation, working in a team and likely in a multi-disciplinary environment. Policy scientist This type of scientist is employed and involved at many levels and in many environments including government and Parliament, NGOs, campaigning groups and charities. Regulator scientist Found in regulatory bodies, such as government agencies, and in a wide range of quality control services. Service provider scientist Found in laboratories and other support service environments across a wide variety of sectors. Teacher scientist Works in schools, colleges, universities and other educational organisations, developing their tools and experience for teaching and learning.
What next ?
SELF e.g. skills, personality, Values and interests OPPORTUNITIES (jobs, networking) DECISIONS Taking action TRANSITION (CVs, interviews) Planning your career
What do employers want? ? A new employee to fill a gap in their expertise/needs ? A new employee to take the organisation forward ? A new employee to fit into their team ? A new employee who can communicate ? A new employee with the right attitude and enthusiasm
Someone who fits
Hiring is a risky business How do they do it? Advertising Networking
What do academic employers want? H ? Publications in well-regarded journals ? Experience of applying for and securing research funding ? Delivery of high quality research projects on time and within budget ? Experience of successful collaborations ? Experience of designing and delivering teaching ? International experience ? Experience of managing staff / teams
What do non-academic employers want? SKILLS and EXPERTISE ? Specific technical skills and expertise ? Writing skills ? Project management skills ? Communication skills ? Commercial awareness ? Teamwork ? Leadership ? Particular professional qualifications/experience
PhD Non-subject careers Increasing need for transferable skills and general knowledge Decreasing need for specific subject knowledge and skills SKILLS vs K N O W L E D G E Subject-related careers Academic research
JOB ANALYSIS
EMPLOYERS WANT ¡­
SELF e.g. skills, personality, Values and interests OPPORTUNITIES (jobs, networking) DECISIONS Taking action TRANSITION (CVs, interviews) Planning your career
PERSONAL INFLUENCES Analytical Personality VALUES Interests SKILLS Status Creativity Altruism Work:life balance Challenge IdeasFacts Leadership driven Expressive Environment Teaching Communication Problem-solving Technical Teamwork YOU Organisational Motivational Reflective Stability Concepts Decisive Details Art Research Travelling Plants
F cus on SKILLS
What have you gained from your research experience? ?Specific research knowledge ?Research/Technical skills and techniques ?Teaching/supervising ? ?Funding and independent activities ? Communication skills: presenting, writing, negotiating, building relationships Management skills: managing time, projects, resources, people Problem-solving skills: designing, conducting experiments, troubleshooting Research skills: critical analysis of literature, data, conceptual thinking Fund-raising: seeking and preparing funding applications Self-motivation: self-starter, able to keep going under pressure Multi-tasking: able to organise your research, teaching, administration Networking: collaboration with other groups (within and outside of your discipline/department), industry, conferencing, organising seminars
SKILLS AUDIT
SELF e.g. skills, personality, Values and interests OPPORTUNITIES (jobs, networking) DECISIONS Taking action TRANSITION (CVs, interviews) Planning your career
? To get you to interview ? To use as a ¡®business card¡¯ ? To apply for funding ? As a record of your experience What is a CV for?
Application content Germany France UK CV CV CV Covering letter Covering letter Covering letter Copy of your degrees / / Copy of your marks / / Work certificates / /
What should you do? Targeted applications, which ? Show awareness of the job requirements ¨C match your relevant skills and experience ? Explain your interest and motivation for this job/company ? Provide evidence which can set you above the average
Writing your CV Germany France UK Length 2 pages for industry longer for academia 1 page for the industry longer for academia 2 pages but you can add appendices Title Lebenslauf Targeted position, professional objective Name Objective not essential Layout tabellarisch, conservative Can be creative (but not too much) Conservative Picture Highly recommended Up to you! No Referees For academia For the industry: in case you don¡®t have work certificates Only for academia Yes Or upon request Hobbies and engagement It should shed a new light on your personnality / your professional identity (recommended in German and English speaking countries) Date and signature yes no No
CV Exercise 1 ?Look at the three CVs ?Compare them ¨C what are the main differences between them? ?For example, the content, layout and order of the information ?For a one-page CV, what would you take out?
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
What to Include on your CV ? Personal Details (including social media/website) ? ?Career Goal/Key capabilities ? Work History ? Education ? Skills and competencies ? ?Publications, Conferences, Professional Memberships, Interests ? Referees
Personal details ?Your name - the title of your CV ?Contact information (address, phone, email) ?Photo? Only mandatory in some countries ?Social media extends your profile (e.g. Researchgate for academic jobs; LinkedIn for business/industry jobs; Twitter for communication jobs)
Career goal/capabilities Optional. Advise to use as follows: 1) If you can satisfy the vast majority of the job requirements, and more and you want to make sure you write this prominently on your CV so it can be seen easily. 2) If you are not sending a CV, e.g. when attending a careers fair.
Education Place this Section first if you are a PhD student. ¨CInclude your current PhD details - write the title of your thesis, supervisor and description of your project for an academic CV; for other posts make the information more general). ¨CThen place information about your master¡¯s degree and undergraduate degree after this. ¨CYou can include other training in this section if it is relevant to the post.
Work History Place this Section first if you are a postdoctoral/early career researcher/fellow. ¨CInclude your current post with details of your project aims and description for academic posts. ¨CAdd in previous research posts in reverse chronological order including internships. ¨CDepending on the seniority of an academic post, you may need to add in considerable detail. ¨CFor non academic posts this section can be shorter and less detailed.
Skills & Competencies For most jobs this will be the most important section of your CV as it demonstrates your skills and personal attributes. ¨CInclude 3 ¨C 4 subtitles according to the skills specified in the job description: Eg. Research & Technical; Communication; Teaching & Public Engagement Teamworking & collaboration; Project management; Organisational & Planning. ¨CProvide evidence of these skills taken from your experiences (work, education, personal).
?Publications & Conferences ? Cite your publications in the body of your CV if you only have one or two. If you have a long list (lucky you ?) you can add an appendix and refer to them on page 1 of your CV (eg ¡®See Appendix on page 3 for list of publications and conference presentations). This will keep the main part of your CV at 2 pages in length. ? For non-academic non-research jobs you may need to exclude your publications and simply refer to the fact that you have published papers from your researcher work, showing evidence of your output and success.
?Awards, membership, Interests ? Depends on the job: you need to decide whether and how to display these in your CV. ? Eg they could be evidence of positions of responsibility, achievement, motivation, desire for success, working towards a goal. ? As a rule, only include interests if they add to your personal profile and show evidence of skills such as teamworking, leadership, achievement. ? Can depend on the country: www.totaljobs.co.uk
Referees ? Try to choose referees who will give different perspectives of you. ? If you¡¯re able, tell your referees what you are applying for and even remind them in the type of key experiences and skills you have. ? You can choose to say ¡®Referees available on request¡¯ especially if sending your CV to a recruitment company. It means your referees won¡¯t receive too many requests during your job-seeking ventures. ? Sometimes you can include a letter of recommendation with your CV
Types of CV Format CHRONOLOGICAL (Reverse) TARGETED
CHRONOLOGICAL CVs Types of CV Format? A good starting point for your basic CV ? List your work experience and education by reverse date ? Communicates that you are experienced and established in one career area
TARGETED CVs ? Organises information according to the knowledge and experience needed for The Job ? Focuses on a clear, specific job target: E.g. ACADEMIC CV; INDUSTRY CV ? Matches appropriate capabilities and supporting accomplishments
Where do people go wrong?
How Long Will an Employer Spend Reading Your CV? 20-30 Seconds
1. Untargeted/generic 2. Disorganised 3. Too long 4. Misspellings, Typing Errors, Poor Grammar 5. Too Many Irrelevancies 6. Too Sparse ¨C Gaps 7. Misdirected 8. Not Oriented for Results 9. Trying Too Hard 10. Overwritten Where do people go wrong?
Use the same language WHAT ACADEMIA SAYS: Publications Impact Drosophila/PCR Research work Move research forward Collaboration Technology transfer Papers & Presentations WHAT BUSINESS SAYS: Products Output Technology/cutting edge Project management Drive projects forward Teamwork Product application Communication
Give specific examples I am a strong communicator, a very experienced presenter and I am good at writing. Strong communicator: During my PhD I presented to audiences of several hundred people and received excellent feedback. Wrote concise project reports during my first degree and received high marks. Authored popular articles for the student newspaper.
CV Exercise 2 ?Compare Clara Goodman CVs (academic and targeted for industry) ?Compare and contrast the corresponding cover letters
Presenting yourself in a CV and covering letter Sarah Blackford Career Consultancy www.biosciencecareers.org
Covering letters should include: ? What you are applying for and where you saw the advert ? Why you are applying ¨C refer to research group/company ? Highlight your Key Points ? Matching Skills and Experience ? Confident Conclusion ? Availability for Interview
This is where you should Write your address and Date Employer¡¯s name and Address here written out As it appears in the Advert Job Title Dear Sir/Madam (or their name as it appears in the ad), I am applying for the post of XXXX which I saw advertised in the Journal/Newspaper/website on (date). Explain what you are doing now (e.g establish yourself as a postgraduate/postdoctoral) keen to develop a career in XXXX. Use this paragraph to explain why you are interested in the job and the key skills or experience that you have which make you suitable. Don¡¯t be modest!! Match up the most important skills wanted in the advert to those that you have. The 3rd paragraph is to explain your suitability and to say why you are interested in this company, course, job etc. So find out about them but use your own words. Finish on a positive note ¨C e.g. I hope you will consider me for this post and I look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully/ Yours sincerely, Signature Name
Dear Professor Lake, I am a post-doctoral researcher currently working in Professor Bean¡¯s research group at the University of Montpellier. I am very interested in the research you are conducting, in particular your recently published work on day/night temperatures affecting fish circadian clocks temperature. My work is based around the temperature compensation of the Arabidopsis circadian clock in which we have found that it is a useful probe for the circadian clock. My contract will be finishing in 6 months¡¯ time and I am keen to pursue my interest in circadian rhythms but within animal systems. I am using similar molecular and biochemical techniques as you use in your lab and I have a thorough background knowledge of circadian clocks and related biochemical processes. If you are planning to take on any new researchers this year I would be very interested in being considered for a post with you to continue my research interests but in a different model system. I think my additional skills will enable you to take your research further and consolidate your current line of thinking. Please find my CV attached where you will see I have published consistently during my postdoctoral research following completion of my PhD in 2005. I have presented my work at international conferences and have also had some teaching experience. I look forward to hearing from you.
CV Exercise 3 Peer review Pair up. Examine each other¡¯s CV against the job description ¨C give constructive feedback
REVIEW AND REFLECT
SELF e.g. skills, personality, Values and interests JOBS NETWORKING Decision-making Action planning SELLING YOURSELF CVs, interviews Career Planning Theory RISK
How do you find a job? Replying to job adverts: Job sites, noticeboards, Careers fairs, Conference job boards NETWORKING Personal & professional contacts Word of mouth Social media
Glassdoor
Indeed
Specialist websites ¨C jobs.ac.uk
Recruitment websites
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
Company websites
Company websites
Company websites
Company websites on LinkedIn
Company websites on LinkedIn
LINKEDIN ¨C job searches
LINKEDIN ¨C job searches
RESEARCHGATE ¨C job searches
RESEARCHGATE ¨C job searches
TWITTER ¨C job searches
TWITTER ¨C job searches
DISCUSSION LISTS ¨C JISCMAIL ARAB (Plant science)
DISCUSSION LISTS - JISCMAIL PSCI-COM (sci comms)
Career Fairs ¨C BCF Career Fair (Utrecht, 24th May 2018; Ghent, November) 2018)
The hidden job market NETWORKING WORD OF MOUTH CONTACTS SOCIAL MEDIA
Why network? Because: ? It gets you noticed ? Over 50% of jobs are not advertised ? It helps you to be more informed ? People are usually happy to help, especially if they think you are making an effort ? Work is people! S
Who¡¯s in your network ?
The three important things get you noticed: ? Your performance ? Your image (= your personal brand) ? Your exposure (= your visibility to others) Getting noticed Coleman 2005: Empowering Yourself
EXERCISE: What networking do you do? Your task, with a neighbour What do you currently do to ¡®publicise¡¯ yourself? 1. Who knows about you and what you do? 2. In what ways could you raise your profile?
Networking Opportunities ? CONFERENCES/seminars/workshops ? Activities, social events ? Informal: Chatting in the coffee room/corridor ? Industry/business: internships-collaborations-visits ? Specialist clubs and LEARNED SOCIETIES ? Social media: Blogging (Twitter, Blogs), LinkedIn Online platforms: Researchgate, Mendeley ? Online networks: Google+ ? Email, Discussion lists
F Information gathering/disseminating ¨C Attending/presenting talks and view posters Career/specialist workshops Job shops Networking ¨C Talking to people Giving your name/contact details Getting names/contact details cus on conferences
Preparation ? Have a plan of action for a conference ? Post an appropriate (and full) profile and photo according to the social media platform ? Research! Google people/read papers/ company profiles etc.
Post-meeting ? Contact people you met and try to keep in touch ? Use social media ? Join organisations of relevance ? Set up a departmental group ? Attend meetings and seminars ? Keep practicing ¨C outside + inside institution
F Dozens of Bioscience societies ¨C Europe/USA ? Reduced registration to conferences ? Travel grants ? Lab visits ? Specialised workshops ? Newsletters ? Mentoring ? Networking with members cus on learned societies
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
F LinkedIn Used by professionals/business Company & job searches Can join specialist groups Professional personal profile Twitter More casual/random Gathering information/signposting papers, blogs, etc. Jobs, courses and meetings mentioned cus on social media
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
Career development workshop may 2018 summary
email signature! Sarah Blackford Career Consultancy www.biosciencecareers.org
SUMMARY ?Applying for jobs is a MATCHING process ?You need to know the JOB LANDSCAPE ?Find out about EMPLOYERS ¨C who are they, what are they offering? ?Be aware of YOU ¨C who are you, what do you have to offer? ?You have to SELL yourself to the employer ?Your CV is a DYNAMIC document that needs to be targeted to every application. ?The aim of your CV is to get you to INTERVIEW
SELF e.g. skills, personality, Values and interests JOBS NETWORKING Decision-making Action planning SELLING YOURSELF CVs, interviews Career Planning Theory RISK
SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE Friday 4th May 2018 Sarah Blackford Academic careers adviser www.biosciencecareers.org Sarah Blackford Career Consultancy www.biosciencecareers.org
Workshop Aims and Outcomes The aim of the workshop is to give participants guidance and practice on interview technique. This will be done by presentation and practical exercises. At the end of the session you should feel more informed and/or confident about: ? Communication and presentation skills ? Types of interviews ? The interview process ? What makes for good interview performance
CONGRATULATIONS! You have been invited to an interview What is its purpose?
The Purpose of Interviews ? Find out about you ? Will you 'fit in¡¯? ? Verify details ? Evaluate your communication ? Ability to think on your feet ? Sell yourself ? Check if the job is right for you and vice-versa A conversation with a purpose
PERSONAL IMPACT ! ¡°You never get a second chance to make a first impression.¡±
Self Presentation ¨C getting it right!
What makes a great presenter? Think of someone who¡¯s a great communicator/presenter.
EXERCISE : Presentation Your task, with a neighbour Think of some presentations you have attended. 1. What makes a great presentation? 2. What makes a great presenter?
What makes a great presenter? Presence Body language Language is appropriate Know their audience Tell an interesting story Captivate/enthuse/interest their listener(s) Relevant Informed Prepared
Communication situations Job interview Public engagement Teaching Social media Scientific conferences and meetings CV
RULES OF COMMUNICATION THREE factors which constitute SCIENCE COMMUNICATION: WORDS (content of the message) TONE OF VOICE (eg varying pitch) BODY LANGUAGE (eg eye contact) 38% 7% 55% Prof Albert Mehrabian¡¯s communications model
¡°Tell me about your research¡±
Make it interesting and engaging What field are you working in? What contribution are you making with your research? In order to do this what are you doing? Any key findings so far? In one minute
¡°What will you bring to this role over and above other candidates?¡±
CONGRATULATIONS! You have been invited to an interview What does the Employer want?
An Employer wants: ? To meet you ? To see if you match up to your application form and CV ? To check what you know about the job and the organisation ? To verify if you are suitable for the job
What do you want from the interview?
What do you want from the interview? ? To create a positive impression ? To market your suitability ? To collect information ? To see if you want the job
Maximising performance on the day
Are you nervous? ? Natural! ? Can be helpful ? Relaxation techniques Great PREPARATION generates confidence
The employer Research the Job itself - Tasks in the job description Research the organisation, research group etc - What is their purpose/products/recent achievements? - How can you add to their organisation?
Be familiar with your application ? What skills, experience and examples did you use? ? Prepare answers to obvious questions ?Rehearse your answers ?Practice out loud ¨C in front of the mirror/ to a friend/record/video/mock interview
What sort of questions will you be asked at Interviews?
Types of interview ? Phone/Skype interview ?Face-to-face ?Structured ?Competency ?Behavioural
Types of interview STRUCTURED More popular style: ?Review of experiences ?Questioning your CV information ?Finding out what you know about the job and the company ?Questions related to the skills required for the job ?Eg Technical, interpersonal ?Questions about how you envisage your job progressing
Types of interview COMPETENCY Finding out more about how you go about tasks: Tell me a time when you have had to ¡­. ?Organise an event ¡­. ?Solve a problem ¡­. What did you do, what was your strategy, what role did you play, what was the result?
Types of interview BEHAVIOURAL Finding out more about your personality: Talk about a time when you had to work closely with someone whose personality was very different from yours. ? Give me an example of a time you faced a conflict while working on a team. How did you handle that? ? Describe a time when you struggled to build a relationship with someone important. How did you eventually overcome that? ? We all make mistakes we wish we could take back. Tell me about a time you wish you¡¯d handled a situation differently with a colleague. www.themuse.com
Academic Interviews usually cover: ? Technical/discipline specific skills ? Challenges/difficulties you have faced ? Research Potential (outputs + ???) ? Leadership Capability ? Teaching (if appropriate) ? How you see yourself and the job developing in the future
Non-Academic Interviews ? First could be a ¡°screener¡° ¨C usually 1 ¨C1 ¨C commonly by an agency ¨C Increasingly by telephone Types of questioning ? Why are you applying for this job? ? What exactly attracts you to working for this organisation? ? What are your favourite lab techniques? (depends on type of job) ? What challenges have you faced and how did you deal with them? ? What can you bring to this job over and above other candidates? ? Where do you see yourself in 5 years¡¯ time?
EMPLOYERS WANT ¡­
The STAR Technique
SITUATION Explain the situation that you were in. This should be a short description, it could be: ¡®during my degree¡¯ or ¡®whilst working in a bar¡¯. TASK You need to briefly explain what it is that you had to do, and what the success criteria was. If you were working as a group explain what the overall task of the group was but be clear about your own role. ACTION This is the most substantial part (around 50-70%) of any example and you need to include: What you did. Why you did it. How you did it. What skills you used. RESULT There is little point in explaining the situation, task and action if the employer or course provider is left wondering whether what you did made any difference. So be prepared to explain: What happened as a result of the actions you took? What you would do differently or improve? What impact the result had overall on the team task? Leeds University Careers Service
The STAR story-telling technique SITUATION TASK ACTION RESULT Think of a situation or project you¡¯ve been involved with ¨C could be individual or team-based, work or personal. Don¡¯t spend too much time explaining this. Consider a particular task, problem or activity you¡¯ve had to tackle within this situation or project. Describe what role you played, what activity you did personally to demonstrate your approach, a particular set of skills, competence or strength. This is the part of the story which is the most important at interview. What was the final outcome of your action and that of your team members? State in an exacting way using quantities what was the impact/final result.
TELLING A SHORT STORY ¡­ SITUATION TASK ACTION RESULT As a member of the departmental seminar committee during my PhD, I took responsibility for scheduling and advertising the talks. In liaison with the university timetabling administrators, I successfully promoted the speakers, attracting consistent audiences of over 100.
Exercise ? Choose 4 of your skills/experiences: ? Use the STAR technique to tell a short story about how you have used this skill in your work or personal life SITUATION TASK ACTION RESULT As a member of the departmental seminar committee during my PhD, I took responsibility for scheduling and advertising the talks. In liaison with the university timetabling administrators, I successfully promoted the speakers, attracting consistent audiences of over 100.
Let¡¯s give it a go!
On the Day - Arrival ? Bring copies of your CV, job description, list of questions and the interview invite letter ? Be nice to EVERYONE ? Get there early! ? Remind yourself of the reasons why you should get this job
Interview First Impressions ? Find common ground ¨C a connection ? Interviews not good at assessing ¡®real¡¯ personality. ? 1st Impression ¨C Handshake ¨C Make eye contact ¨C Show positive body language and enthusiasm
Panel Interviews ? Who is on the panel ¨C what is their purpose? Could be: ? Line manager/research group leader ? Colleague(s) [who you would be working with] ? Human resources manager ? Member of another group
During the Interview ? Think about each QUESTION¡­¡­¡­.. ? Relate answers back to the person spec and make it relevant to the employer ? Don¡¯t make answers too long or too short ? Treat ALL Question as OPEN Questions ? Bait the end of answers if necessary ¨C ¡®No but I can do¡­.¡¯
Practice Interviews ? Decide who to interview ? Choose three questions ? Stop and give feedback ¨C Interviewee to interviewers ¨C Interviewers to interviewee ? Swap ? Group Feedback
FISHBOWL
After the Interview ? Reflection: ¨C What went well ¨C What you would do differently next time ? Get Some Feedback ¨C Ask for comment about your performance, so you can learn from the experience ¨C Discuss interview with a Careers Adviser or a mentor
Other possible activities on the day
Making a presentation ? What is the subject of the talk ? ? Who is the audience ? ? How many people ? ? Is it a broad presentation or specific and detailed ? ? How long is it ? Less is more! Visuals Time for questions NEVER go over time.
? Tour of organisation/department ? Lunch and introductions to other staff Typical Additions to an Interview Day Remember: EVERYONE is assessing you
Assessment Centres ? Psychometric tests ? Personality tests ? Group discussions ? Presentations Individual or group ? Skills based exercises Leadership, team work, logistics, planning ? In-tray exercise ? Residential?
Interview Summary Purpose ¨C conversation with a purpose Plan ¨C where/when? Prepare ¨C review your CV/company Predict ¨C the questions Practice ¨C your answers Perform ¨C to everyone Persist ¨C if you are unsuccessful keep going!
REVIEW AND REFLECT FINAL ACTION PLAN
Sarah Blackford www.biosciencecareers.org www.sebiology.org https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sarahblackford @Bioscicareer s.blackford@lancaster.ac.uk Wishing you success! Sarah Blackford Career Consultancy www.biosciencecareers.org

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Career development workshop may 2018 summary

  • 1. WRITING AN EFFECTIVE CV Thursday 3rd May 2018 Sarah Blackford Academic careers adviser www.biosciencecareers.org Sarah Blackford Career Consultancy www.biosciencecareers.org
  • 2. Workshop Aim and Outcomes The aim of the workshop is to: 1) help you to recognise your skills and capabilities 2) how to apply them to the job market and 3) how to write an effective CV At the end of the session you should feel more informed and confident about: ? types of careers of potential interest to you ? what are your unique personal attributes ? what you need to do to improve your CV
  • 3. PhD The Scientific Century: securing our future prosperity. Royal Society Policy document 2010
  • 4. PhD Apprentice/junior management Post-doc 1 Junior management Academic Middle/senior management Professor/PI Leader Associate professor Assistant professor Research fellowship Teaching fellowship Postdoc 3 Postdoc 2 ACADEMIC CAREER PYRAMID Publications International profile Evidence of independence Evidence of funding success Teaching Supervision
  • 6. Professor PhD student Postdoc 1 Postdoc 2 Postdoc 3 Fellowship Assistant prof Associate prof Research scientist Science writer Head of Education Patent lawyer Regulatory affairs Teacher Executive Director Business Partner Chief Executive officer Head Teacher Communications director Medical Science liaison THE CAREER TREE Biostatistician Senior scientist Policy
  • 7. Possible careers for bioscientists ? Academic Research (universities, research institutes, government) ? Research in Industry/Business (Biotechnology, Pharma, Contract Research Organisations (CROs), agricultural companies, bioindustry, food technology, medical industry, policy think tanks, media) ? Scientific services (advisory, medical science liaison, clinical) ? Associated commercial careers (technology transfer, patent agent, data management, regulatory affairs, marketing) ? Communication (publishing ¨C editorial, commissioning, production - press officer, journalist, outreach, medical writer) ? Teaching (university, schools) ? Administrative/Policy work (policy officer, conference organiser) ? Self Employment/Freelance consultancy work ? Something completely different - Finance, project mgt, electrician
  • 8. What do you see yourself doing? What do you enjoy?
  • 9. WHAT ARE YOU INTERESTED IN DOING ? FUNCTIONAL Technical, systems, services INVESTIGATIVE Discovery, Research, Curiosity ADMINISTRATIVE Admin, management, organisation ENTERPRISING Leadership, commercial, consultancy CREATIVE Visualisation, artistic, writing SOCIAL Advising, cooperating, instructing
  • 10. WHAT TYPES OF JOBS INTEREST YOU? FUNCTIONAL Technical work Specialist scientific services INVESTIGATIVE Researcher: eg Academia & industry Analytical and interpretive work MANAGERIAL Administration Manager Operations ENTERPRISING Group leader, Entrepreneur Consultancy, self-employment CREATIVE Science writing Outreach Creative Design SOCIAL Teaching Advisory and support work
  • 11. 10 types of scientist Business scientist Found in science and technology companies in a wide variety of roles, from R&D or marketing, and to the C-suite itself. Communicator scientist Found across TV and radio, advertising and promotion, regulation and public affairs as well as social media. They may also have a full time job as another type of scientist. Developer scientist Work in a research environments and may work with Entrepreneur/Business scientists to help bring their ideas to market. Entrepreneur scientist Blend their science knowledge and credibility with people management skills, entrepreneurial flair and a strong understanding of business/finance, to start their own businesses or help grow existing companies. Explorer scientist They are likely to be found in a university or research centre, or in Research & Development (R&D) at an organisation, and are likely to be working alone. Investigator scientist They are likely to be found in a university or research centre, or in Research & Development (R&D) at an organisation, working in a team and likely in a multi-disciplinary environment. Policy scientist This type of scientist is employed and involved at many levels and in many environments including government and Parliament, NGOs, campaigning groups and charities. Regulator scientist Found in regulatory bodies, such as government agencies, and in a wide range of quality control services. Service provider scientist Found in laboratories and other support service environments across a wide variety of sectors. Teacher scientist Works in schools, colleges, universities and other educational organisations, developing their tools and experience for teaching and learning.
  • 13. SELF e.g. skills, personality, Values and interests OPPORTUNITIES (jobs, networking) DECISIONS Taking action TRANSITION (CVs, interviews) Planning your career
  • 14. What do employers want? ? A new employee to fill a gap in their expertise/needs ? A new employee to take the organisation forward ? A new employee to fit into their team ? A new employee who can communicate ? A new employee with the right attitude and enthusiasm
  • 16. Hiring is a risky business How do they do it? Advertising Networking
  • 17. What do academic employers want? H ? Publications in well-regarded journals ? Experience of applying for and securing research funding ? Delivery of high quality research projects on time and within budget ? Experience of successful collaborations ? Experience of designing and delivering teaching ? International experience ? Experience of managing staff / teams
  • 18. What do non-academic employers want? SKILLS and EXPERTISE ? Specific technical skills and expertise ? Writing skills ? Project management skills ? Communication skills ? Commercial awareness ? Teamwork ? Leadership ? Particular professional qualifications/experience
  • 19. PhD Non-subject careers Increasing need for transferable skills and general knowledge Decreasing need for specific subject knowledge and skills SKILLS vs K N O W L E D G E Subject-related careers Academic research
  • 22. SELF e.g. skills, personality, Values and interests OPPORTUNITIES (jobs, networking) DECISIONS Taking action TRANSITION (CVs, interviews) Planning your career
  • 24. F cus on SKILLS
  • 25. What have you gained from your research experience? ?Specific research knowledge ?Research/Technical skills and techniques ?Teaching/supervising ? ?Funding and independent activities ? Communication skills: presenting, writing, negotiating, building relationships Management skills: managing time, projects, resources, people Problem-solving skills: designing, conducting experiments, troubleshooting Research skills: critical analysis of literature, data, conceptual thinking Fund-raising: seeking and preparing funding applications Self-motivation: self-starter, able to keep going under pressure Multi-tasking: able to organise your research, teaching, administration Networking: collaboration with other groups (within and outside of your discipline/department), industry, conferencing, organising seminars
  • 27. SELF e.g. skills, personality, Values and interests OPPORTUNITIES (jobs, networking) DECISIONS Taking action TRANSITION (CVs, interviews) Planning your career
  • 28. ? To get you to interview ? To use as a ¡®business card¡¯ ? To apply for funding ? As a record of your experience What is a CV for?
  • 29. Application content Germany France UK CV CV CV Covering letter Covering letter Covering letter Copy of your degrees / / Copy of your marks / / Work certificates / /
  • 30. What should you do? Targeted applications, which ? Show awareness of the job requirements ¨C match your relevant skills and experience ? Explain your interest and motivation for this job/company ? Provide evidence which can set you above the average
  • 31. Writing your CV Germany France UK Length 2 pages for industry longer for academia 1 page for the industry longer for academia 2 pages but you can add appendices Title Lebenslauf Targeted position, professional objective Name Objective not essential Layout tabellarisch, conservative Can be creative (but not too much) Conservative Picture Highly recommended Up to you! No Referees For academia For the industry: in case you don¡®t have work certificates Only for academia Yes Or upon request Hobbies and engagement It should shed a new light on your personnality / your professional identity (recommended in German and English speaking countries) Date and signature yes no No
  • 32. CV Exercise 1 ?Look at the three CVs ?Compare them ¨C what are the main differences between them? ?For example, the content, layout and order of the information ?For a one-page CV, what would you take out?
  • 35. What to Include on your CV ? Personal Details (including social media/website) ? ?Career Goal/Key capabilities ? Work History ? Education ? Skills and competencies ? ?Publications, Conferences, Professional Memberships, Interests ? Referees
  • 36. Personal details ?Your name - the title of your CV ?Contact information (address, phone, email) ?Photo? Only mandatory in some countries ?Social media extends your profile (e.g. Researchgate for academic jobs; LinkedIn for business/industry jobs; Twitter for communication jobs)
  • 37. Career goal/capabilities Optional. Advise to use as follows: 1) If you can satisfy the vast majority of the job requirements, and more and you want to make sure you write this prominently on your CV so it can be seen easily. 2) If you are not sending a CV, e.g. when attending a careers fair.
  • 38. Education Place this Section first if you are a PhD student. ¨CInclude your current PhD details - write the title of your thesis, supervisor and description of your project for an academic CV; for other posts make the information more general). ¨CThen place information about your master¡¯s degree and undergraduate degree after this. ¨CYou can include other training in this section if it is relevant to the post.
  • 39. Work History Place this Section first if you are a postdoctoral/early career researcher/fellow. ¨CInclude your current post with details of your project aims and description for academic posts. ¨CAdd in previous research posts in reverse chronological order including internships. ¨CDepending on the seniority of an academic post, you may need to add in considerable detail. ¨CFor non academic posts this section can be shorter and less detailed.
  • 40. Skills & Competencies For most jobs this will be the most important section of your CV as it demonstrates your skills and personal attributes. ¨CInclude 3 ¨C 4 subtitles according to the skills specified in the job description: Eg. Research & Technical; Communication; Teaching & Public Engagement Teamworking & collaboration; Project management; Organisational & Planning. ¨CProvide evidence of these skills taken from your experiences (work, education, personal).
  • 41. ?Publications & Conferences ? Cite your publications in the body of your CV if you only have one or two. If you have a long list (lucky you ?) you can add an appendix and refer to them on page 1 of your CV (eg ¡®See Appendix on page 3 for list of publications and conference presentations). This will keep the main part of your CV at 2 pages in length. ? For non-academic non-research jobs you may need to exclude your publications and simply refer to the fact that you have published papers from your researcher work, showing evidence of your output and success.
  • 42. ?Awards, membership, Interests ? Depends on the job: you need to decide whether and how to display these in your CV. ? Eg they could be evidence of positions of responsibility, achievement, motivation, desire for success, working towards a goal. ? As a rule, only include interests if they add to your personal profile and show evidence of skills such as teamworking, leadership, achievement. ? Can depend on the country: www.totaljobs.co.uk
  • 43. Referees ? Try to choose referees who will give different perspectives of you. ? If you¡¯re able, tell your referees what you are applying for and even remind them in the type of key experiences and skills you have. ? You can choose to say ¡®Referees available on request¡¯ especially if sending your CV to a recruitment company. It means your referees won¡¯t receive too many requests during your job-seeking ventures. ? Sometimes you can include a letter of recommendation with your CV
  • 44. Types of CV Format CHRONOLOGICAL (Reverse) TARGETED
  • 45. CHRONOLOGICAL CVs Types of CV Format? A good starting point for your basic CV ? List your work experience and education by reverse date ? Communicates that you are experienced and established in one career area
  • 46. TARGETED CVs ? Organises information according to the knowledge and experience needed for The Job ? Focuses on a clear, specific job target: E.g. ACADEMIC CV; INDUSTRY CV ? Matches appropriate capabilities and supporting accomplishments
  • 47. Where do people go wrong?
  • 48. How Long Will an Employer Spend Reading Your CV? 20-30 Seconds
  • 49. 1. Untargeted/generic 2. Disorganised 3. Too long 4. Misspellings, Typing Errors, Poor Grammar 5. Too Many Irrelevancies 6. Too Sparse ¨C Gaps 7. Misdirected 8. Not Oriented for Results 9. Trying Too Hard 10. Overwritten Where do people go wrong?
  • 50. Use the same language WHAT ACADEMIA SAYS: Publications Impact Drosophila/PCR Research work Move research forward Collaboration Technology transfer Papers & Presentations WHAT BUSINESS SAYS: Products Output Technology/cutting edge Project management Drive projects forward Teamwork Product application Communication
  • 51. Give specific examples I am a strong communicator, a very experienced presenter and I am good at writing. Strong communicator: During my PhD I presented to audiences of several hundred people and received excellent feedback. Wrote concise project reports during my first degree and received high marks. Authored popular articles for the student newspaper.
  • 52. CV Exercise 2 ?Compare Clara Goodman CVs (academic and targeted for industry) ?Compare and contrast the corresponding cover letters
  • 53. Presenting yourself in a CV and covering letter Sarah Blackford Career Consultancy www.biosciencecareers.org
  • 54. Covering letters should include: ? What you are applying for and where you saw the advert ? Why you are applying ¨C refer to research group/company ? Highlight your Key Points ? Matching Skills and Experience ? Confident Conclusion ? Availability for Interview
  • 55. This is where you should Write your address and Date Employer¡¯s name and Address here written out As it appears in the Advert Job Title Dear Sir/Madam (or their name as it appears in the ad), I am applying for the post of XXXX which I saw advertised in the Journal/Newspaper/website on (date). Explain what you are doing now (e.g establish yourself as a postgraduate/postdoctoral) keen to develop a career in XXXX. Use this paragraph to explain why you are interested in the job and the key skills or experience that you have which make you suitable. Don¡¯t be modest!! Match up the most important skills wanted in the advert to those that you have. The 3rd paragraph is to explain your suitability and to say why you are interested in this company, course, job etc. So find out about them but use your own words. Finish on a positive note ¨C e.g. I hope you will consider me for this post and I look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully/ Yours sincerely, Signature Name
  • 56. Dear Professor Lake, I am a post-doctoral researcher currently working in Professor Bean¡¯s research group at the University of Montpellier. I am very interested in the research you are conducting, in particular your recently published work on day/night temperatures affecting fish circadian clocks temperature. My work is based around the temperature compensation of the Arabidopsis circadian clock in which we have found that it is a useful probe for the circadian clock. My contract will be finishing in 6 months¡¯ time and I am keen to pursue my interest in circadian rhythms but within animal systems. I am using similar molecular and biochemical techniques as you use in your lab and I have a thorough background knowledge of circadian clocks and related biochemical processes. If you are planning to take on any new researchers this year I would be very interested in being considered for a post with you to continue my research interests but in a different model system. I think my additional skills will enable you to take your research further and consolidate your current line of thinking. Please find my CV attached where you will see I have published consistently during my postdoctoral research following completion of my PhD in 2005. I have presented my work at international conferences and have also had some teaching experience. I look forward to hearing from you.
  • 57. CV Exercise 3 Peer review Pair up. Examine each other¡¯s CV against the job description ¨C give constructive feedback
  • 59. SELF e.g. skills, personality, Values and interests JOBS NETWORKING Decision-making Action planning SELLING YOURSELF CVs, interviews Career Planning Theory RISK
  • 60. How do you find a job? Replying to job adverts: Job sites, noticeboards, Careers fairs, Conference job boards NETWORKING Personal & professional contacts Word of mouth Social media
  • 71. LINKEDIN ¨C job searches
  • 72. LINKEDIN ¨C job searches
  • 75. TWITTER ¨C job searches
  • 76. TWITTER ¨C job searches
  • 77. DISCUSSION LISTS ¨C JISCMAIL ARAB (Plant science)
  • 78. DISCUSSION LISTS - JISCMAIL PSCI-COM (sci comms)
  • 79. Career Fairs ¨C BCF Career Fair (Utrecht, 24th May 2018; Ghent, November) 2018)
  • 80. The hidden job market NETWORKING WORD OF MOUTH CONTACTS SOCIAL MEDIA
  • 81. Why network? Because: ? It gets you noticed ? Over 50% of jobs are not advertised ? It helps you to be more informed ? People are usually happy to help, especially if they think you are making an effort ? Work is people! S
  • 82. Who¡¯s in your network ?
  • 83. The three important things get you noticed: ? Your performance ? Your image (= your personal brand) ? Your exposure (= your visibility to others) Getting noticed Coleman 2005: Empowering Yourself
  • 84. EXERCISE: What networking do you do? Your task, with a neighbour What do you currently do to ¡®publicise¡¯ yourself? 1. Who knows about you and what you do? 2. In what ways could you raise your profile?
  • 85. Networking Opportunities ? CONFERENCES/seminars/workshops ? Activities, social events ? Informal: Chatting in the coffee room/corridor ? Industry/business: internships-collaborations-visits ? Specialist clubs and LEARNED SOCIETIES ? Social media: Blogging (Twitter, Blogs), LinkedIn Online platforms: Researchgate, Mendeley ? Online networks: Google+ ? Email, Discussion lists
  • 86. F Information gathering/disseminating ¨C Attending/presenting talks and view posters Career/specialist workshops Job shops Networking ¨C Talking to people Giving your name/contact details Getting names/contact details cus on conferences
  • 87. Preparation ? Have a plan of action for a conference ? Post an appropriate (and full) profile and photo according to the social media platform ? Research! Google people/read papers/ company profiles etc.
  • 88. Post-meeting ? Contact people you met and try to keep in touch ? Use social media ? Join organisations of relevance ? Set up a departmental group ? Attend meetings and seminars ? Keep practicing ¨C outside + inside institution
  • 89. F Dozens of Bioscience societies ¨C Europe/USA ? Reduced registration to conferences ? Travel grants ? Lab visits ? Specialised workshops ? Newsletters ? Mentoring ? Networking with members cus on learned societies
  • 92. F LinkedIn Used by professionals/business Company & job searches Can join specialist groups Professional personal profile Twitter More casual/random Gathering information/signposting papers, blogs, etc. Jobs, courses and meetings mentioned cus on social media
  • 103. email signature! Sarah Blackford Career Consultancy www.biosciencecareers.org
  • 104. SUMMARY ?Applying for jobs is a MATCHING process ?You need to know the JOB LANDSCAPE ?Find out about EMPLOYERS ¨C who are they, what are they offering? ?Be aware of YOU ¨C who are you, what do you have to offer? ?You have to SELL yourself to the employer ?Your CV is a DYNAMIC document that needs to be targeted to every application. ?The aim of your CV is to get you to INTERVIEW
  • 105. SELF e.g. skills, personality, Values and interests JOBS NETWORKING Decision-making Action planning SELLING YOURSELF CVs, interviews Career Planning Theory RISK
  • 106. SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE Friday 4th May 2018 Sarah Blackford Academic careers adviser www.biosciencecareers.org Sarah Blackford Career Consultancy www.biosciencecareers.org
  • 107. Workshop Aims and Outcomes The aim of the workshop is to give participants guidance and practice on interview technique. This will be done by presentation and practical exercises. At the end of the session you should feel more informed and/or confident about: ? Communication and presentation skills ? Types of interviews ? The interview process ? What makes for good interview performance
  • 108. CONGRATULATIONS! You have been invited to an interview What is its purpose?
  • 109. The Purpose of Interviews ? Find out about you ? Will you 'fit in¡¯? ? Verify details ? Evaluate your communication ? Ability to think on your feet ? Sell yourself ? Check if the job is right for you and vice-versa A conversation with a purpose
  • 110. PERSONAL IMPACT ! ¡°You never get a second chance to make a first impression.¡±
  • 112. What makes a great presenter? Think of someone who¡¯s a great communicator/presenter.
  • 113. EXERCISE : Presentation Your task, with a neighbour Think of some presentations you have attended. 1. What makes a great presentation? 2. What makes a great presenter?
  • 114. What makes a great presenter? Presence Body language Language is appropriate Know their audience Tell an interesting story Captivate/enthuse/interest their listener(s) Relevant Informed Prepared
  • 115. Communication situations Job interview Public engagement Teaching Social media Scientific conferences and meetings CV
  • 116. RULES OF COMMUNICATION THREE factors which constitute SCIENCE COMMUNICATION: WORDS (content of the message) TONE OF VOICE (eg varying pitch) BODY LANGUAGE (eg eye contact) 38% 7% 55% Prof Albert Mehrabian¡¯s communications model
  • 117. ¡°Tell me about your research¡±
  • 118. Make it interesting and engaging What field are you working in? What contribution are you making with your research? In order to do this what are you doing? Any key findings so far? In one minute
  • 119. ¡°What will you bring to this role over and above other candidates?¡±
  • 120. CONGRATULATIONS! You have been invited to an interview What does the Employer want?
  • 121. An Employer wants: ? To meet you ? To see if you match up to your application form and CV ? To check what you know about the job and the organisation ? To verify if you are suitable for the job
  • 122. What do you want from the interview?
  • 123. What do you want from the interview? ? To create a positive impression ? To market your suitability ? To collect information ? To see if you want the job
  • 125. Are you nervous? ? Natural! ? Can be helpful ? Relaxation techniques Great PREPARATION generates confidence
  • 126. The employer Research the Job itself - Tasks in the job description Research the organisation, research group etc - What is their purpose/products/recent achievements? - How can you add to their organisation?
  • 127. Be familiar with your application ? What skills, experience and examples did you use? ? Prepare answers to obvious questions ?Rehearse your answers ?Practice out loud ¨C in front of the mirror/ to a friend/record/video/mock interview
  • 128. What sort of questions will you be asked at Interviews?
  • 129. Types of interview ? Phone/Skype interview ?Face-to-face ?Structured ?Competency ?Behavioural
  • 130. Types of interview STRUCTURED More popular style: ?Review of experiences ?Questioning your CV information ?Finding out what you know about the job and the company ?Questions related to the skills required for the job ?Eg Technical, interpersonal ?Questions about how you envisage your job progressing
  • 131. Types of interview COMPETENCY Finding out more about how you go about tasks: Tell me a time when you have had to ¡­. ?Organise an event ¡­. ?Solve a problem ¡­. What did you do, what was your strategy, what role did you play, what was the result?
  • 132. Types of interview BEHAVIOURAL Finding out more about your personality: Talk about a time when you had to work closely with someone whose personality was very different from yours. ? Give me an example of a time you faced a conflict while working on a team. How did you handle that? ? Describe a time when you struggled to build a relationship with someone important. How did you eventually overcome that? ? We all make mistakes we wish we could take back. Tell me about a time you wish you¡¯d handled a situation differently with a colleague. www.themuse.com
  • 133. Academic Interviews usually cover: ? Technical/discipline specific skills ? Challenges/difficulties you have faced ? Research Potential (outputs + ???) ? Leadership Capability ? Teaching (if appropriate) ? How you see yourself and the job developing in the future
  • 134. Non-Academic Interviews ? First could be a ¡°screener¡° ¨C usually 1 ¨C1 ¨C commonly by an agency ¨C Increasingly by telephone Types of questioning ? Why are you applying for this job? ? What exactly attracts you to working for this organisation? ? What are your favourite lab techniques? (depends on type of job) ? What challenges have you faced and how did you deal with them? ? What can you bring to this job over and above other candidates? ? Where do you see yourself in 5 years¡¯ time?
  • 137. SITUATION Explain the situation that you were in. This should be a short description, it could be: ¡®during my degree¡¯ or ¡®whilst working in a bar¡¯. TASK You need to briefly explain what it is that you had to do, and what the success criteria was. If you were working as a group explain what the overall task of the group was but be clear about your own role. ACTION This is the most substantial part (around 50-70%) of any example and you need to include: What you did. Why you did it. How you did it. What skills you used. RESULT There is little point in explaining the situation, task and action if the employer or course provider is left wondering whether what you did made any difference. So be prepared to explain: What happened as a result of the actions you took? What you would do differently or improve? What impact the result had overall on the team task? Leeds University Careers Service
  • 138. The STAR story-telling technique SITUATION TASK ACTION RESULT Think of a situation or project you¡¯ve been involved with ¨C could be individual or team-based, work or personal. Don¡¯t spend too much time explaining this. Consider a particular task, problem or activity you¡¯ve had to tackle within this situation or project. Describe what role you played, what activity you did personally to demonstrate your approach, a particular set of skills, competence or strength. This is the part of the story which is the most important at interview. What was the final outcome of your action and that of your team members? State in an exacting way using quantities what was the impact/final result.
  • 139. TELLING A SHORT STORY ¡­ SITUATION TASK ACTION RESULT As a member of the departmental seminar committee during my PhD, I took responsibility for scheduling and advertising the talks. In liaison with the university timetabling administrators, I successfully promoted the speakers, attracting consistent audiences of over 100.
  • 140. Exercise ? Choose 4 of your skills/experiences: ? Use the STAR technique to tell a short story about how you have used this skill in your work or personal life SITUATION TASK ACTION RESULT As a member of the departmental seminar committee during my PhD, I took responsibility for scheduling and advertising the talks. In liaison with the university timetabling administrators, I successfully promoted the speakers, attracting consistent audiences of over 100.
  • 142. On the Day - Arrival ? Bring copies of your CV, job description, list of questions and the interview invite letter ? Be nice to EVERYONE ? Get there early! ? Remind yourself of the reasons why you should get this job
  • 143. Interview First Impressions ? Find common ground ¨C a connection ? Interviews not good at assessing ¡®real¡¯ personality. ? 1st Impression ¨C Handshake ¨C Make eye contact ¨C Show positive body language and enthusiasm
  • 144. Panel Interviews ? Who is on the panel ¨C what is their purpose? Could be: ? Line manager/research group leader ? Colleague(s) [who you would be working with] ? Human resources manager ? Member of another group
  • 145. During the Interview ? Think about each QUESTION¡­¡­¡­.. ? Relate answers back to the person spec and make it relevant to the employer ? Don¡¯t make answers too long or too short ? Treat ALL Question as OPEN Questions ? Bait the end of answers if necessary ¨C ¡®No but I can do¡­.¡¯
  • 146. Practice Interviews ? Decide who to interview ? Choose three questions ? Stop and give feedback ¨C Interviewee to interviewers ¨C Interviewers to interviewee ? Swap ? Group Feedback
  • 148. After the Interview ? Reflection: ¨C What went well ¨C What you would do differently next time ? Get Some Feedback ¨C Ask for comment about your performance, so you can learn from the experience ¨C Discuss interview with a Careers Adviser or a mentor
  • 150. Making a presentation ? What is the subject of the talk ? ? Who is the audience ? ? How many people ? ? Is it a broad presentation or specific and detailed ? ? How long is it ? Less is more! Visuals Time for questions NEVER go over time.
  • 151. ? Tour of organisation/department ? Lunch and introductions to other staff Typical Additions to an Interview Day Remember: EVERYONE is assessing you
  • 152. Assessment Centres ? Psychometric tests ? Personality tests ? Group discussions ? Presentations Individual or group ? Skills based exercises Leadership, team work, logistics, planning ? In-tray exercise ? Residential?
  • 153. Interview Summary Purpose ¨C conversation with a purpose Plan ¨C where/when? Prepare ¨C review your CV/company Predict ¨C the questions Practice ¨C your answers Perform ¨C to everyone Persist ¨C if you are unsuccessful keep going!