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Looking to the future – Career options? John Kirwan Oxford University Careers Service

Looking to the future – Career options? John Kirwan Oxford University Careers Service. Department of Materials 25 January 2005. Scope of Talk. Employability? What careers are open to you? How do you arrive at an effective career decision? What do employers look for? Work experience?

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Looking to the future – Career options? John Kirwan Oxford University Careers Service

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  1. Looking to the future – Career options?John KirwanOxford University Careers Service Department of Materials 25 January 2005

  2. Scope of Talk • Employability? • What careers are open to you? • How do you arrive at an effective career decision? • What do employers look for? • Work experience? • Resources to help you

  3. Employability? • ‘To be employed is to be at risk, to be employable is to be secure.’ Windmills Programme

  4. Employability - LTSN • A set of achievements – skills, understandings and personal attributes – that make people more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community & the economy. • Not just SKILLS!

  5. Employment ‘capability’(LTSN)…confidence in ability to: • Take effective & appropriate action • Explain what they are seeking to achieve • Live & work effectively with others • Continue to learn from their experiences both as individuals and in association with others, in a diverse & changing society. • UUK 2002 Essential to develop: • 1. Employability attributes • 2. Self-promotional and career management skills • 3. Willingness to learn and reflect on learning (CPD)

  6. Employability –AGR21st Century graduates • need to demonstrate to employers that they can hit the ground running • should engage in extracurricular activities and obtain work experience in order to develop skills that will make them better prepared for the world of work… • important for them to become self-aware and develop the confidence to market themselves effectively when they come to apply for jobs’.

  7. Questions you may face? • Why do you want a career in this area? • Which of your achievements/ideas do you feel most proud of? What was your contribution? • What do you see as the most significant personal challenge for you in this career? What will you have to learn or develop to be successful? • When have you had to think through a complex problem, which involved analysing data, developing options and implementing a solution (outside academic work where possible)?

  8. Jobs directly related to your degree (AGCAS) • Research & Development (R&D) – scientific or engineering investigations into products or processes, improving product specifications/performance and manufacturing • Production/Process Management- organising and scheduling production, controlling process variables. • Quality Assurance – establishing and operating systems that ensure quality standards in products/packaging, etc • Customer Support – technical advisory work, technical sales

  9. Destinations of Oxford Material Scientists • (FDS/DLHE 1998 -2003 figures) • Post-graduate study 34 • Finance 20 • Industry 15 • IT 5 • Other 10 • Departmental estimates: • P-G Study 1/3 • Finance 1/3 • Industry 1/3

  10. Employers of Oxford Material Scientists • British Aluminium • BAE Systems • Corus • Deloitte & Touche • JP Morgan • John Lewis • M&S • Rolls Royce • Schroders

  11. Actual work roles of recent Oxford Materials graduates • Army Cadet • Business Analyst • Materials Engineer • Market Research Executive • Media Account Executive • Production/technical graduate trainee • Programmer/software developer • Researcher in HE • Trainee Fund Manager • Trainee Accountant • Trainee Patent Agent

  12. Where might your degree be useful? • HE & Research organisations • Materials industries (metals,ceramics, composites…) • Engineering industry (aerospace, automotive, oil..) • Electronics/telecoms/IT • Energy industries • Patent work • Technical journalism • Finance/commerce sectors

  13. Careers open to all graduates? • 40% of UK graduate vacancies – require no specific degree • Administration • Advertising • Broadcasting • Computing/IT • Librarianship • Marketing • Production Management • Publishing • Purchasing • Retail Management

  14. Effective Career Decisions? ‘Self Awareness’ ‘Occupational Awareness’ Decision ACTION!

  15. ‘Self- Awareness’ • Abilities & Skills • Values • Interests • Personality factors • Going to work or getting a buzz?

  16. Job Satisfaction & motivation (Hertzberg) • Fuller Job Satisfaction • (Satisfy:‘Motivators’) • Sense of achievement • Recognition • Responsibility • Nature of the work & fit to aspirations • Personal growth and advancement • Basic Job Satisfaction • (Satisfy: ‘Hygiene’ factors) • Salary • Job security • Working conditions • Supervision • Policy and administration • Interpersonal relations

  17. What needs/motivations do you want to satisfy at work? • What’s important to you? • Salary? • Professional qualifications? • Career progression? • Location? • Job security? • Work/life balance? • Travel? • Other….

  18. What sort of skills will you be able to offer? • Think of your achievements… • School • University • Extra-curricular activities • Projects & placements • Travel • Other work experience

  19. Examples of competencies,skills & attributes required • Problem solving • Analytical skills/logical thinking • Team working skills • Communication – oral and written • Negotiation/persuasiveness skills • Planning and organisation • Drive and determination • Motivation/interest • Business awareness

  20. Importance of transferable skills to employers - AGR 2002 (rank order) 1. Motivation & enthusiasm 2. Team working 3. Oral communication 4. Flexibility & adaptability 5. Initiative/pro-activity

  21. Skill shortfalls – AGR 2002 • Interpersonal skills • Initiative/proactivity • managing own development • Business awareness • Oral communication • Problem solving

  22. ‘Occupational Awareness’ • What’s out there? • Careers Services - Information • Careers Directories – Prospects • Websites • Vacancy bulletins • Contacts/Networking • Work experience/work shadowing

  23. Work Experience? • Valued by employers • Builds CV • Develops transferable skills • Check out occupations & employers • When? • Vacations • Work shadowing • Visits • Placements

  24. Finding Work experience vacancies • Advertisements/guides • Web • Careers Service • Prospects • Networking • Speculative approaches

  25. Career Decisions • Careful assessment – NOT risk free • 1. Identify key factors of importance to you in your career • 2. Consider various occupations in light of key factors. Check “fit” – expectations v actual requirements • 3. Evaluate key issues arising +- • 4. Decide upon “Best fit” option & accept any compromises

  26. Job Search - what do you need to research? • Yourself – transferable skills, etc • The Sector – trends, issues • The Organisation – “health”, prospects, training • Job requirements –”selection criteria” • Selection process – Who? What’s involved?

  27. The Selection Process Analysis job requirements Vacancy Appointment Decision Job description & ”Selection criteria” Assessments Shortlist via Selection criteria Advertise?

  28. Selection criteria • Analysis of ‘ideal’ candidate • Essential & desirable attributes • Qualifications • Skills • Knowledge • Experience • What’s your degree of “fit” ? • Where is the evidence?

  29. Careers Service - what we can do for you… • encourage and help students and contract research staff to make well- informed decisions about their careers… • deliver high quality Careers Education, Information and Guidance to promote the development of effective career management skills. • Not just for new graduates!!!

  30. Careers Service Resources I • Website • Register on-line - Free • Job & Work experience • Term Programme – events/talks • Improving applications • Interview preparation • Handling assessment centres • Postgraduate study • Aptitude tests

  31. Careers Service Resources II • Information Room – Tactics Sheets, Careers Directories, student feedback files • Careers Advisers – 1:1 discussions & quick query ‘Duty Adviser’ sessions • Computerised Careers guidance – Prospects Planner • Work Experience Section • Postgraduate study section • Work overseas section

  32. Useful Websites • www.careers.ox.ac.uk • www.prospects.ac.uk • www.targetedGRAD.com

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