Social Science Researchers’ Careers

1. Social Science Researchers’Careers June Kay Careers Development Consultant

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

3. HESA 2005 PhD Social Science Graduate Destinations • Work in UK – 67.9% • Work & Study UK – 15.6% • Study or Training UK – 1.4% • Working or Studying Overseas – 5.4% • Not Available for Work / Study – 3.9% • Unemployed – 2.3% • Other – 3.6%

4. Key Finding - Employment • 64% HE • 47% Lecturer / Postdoctoral role • 13% Finance / IT / Business • 8% Public Sector Administration • 6.5% Health & Social work • 5.2% Manufacturing • 4% Other sectors • 2005 – number entering finance, business, IT and manufacturing exceeded health, social work & public administration (reverse true in 2003 & 2004)

5. PhD Social Science Destinations 2006 • CASS • Researcher University of Glasgow • SOCI • Local Government Professional – Durham County Council • Principal Travellers’ Liaison Officer – Durham County Council • Development Manager – Social Care • Practitioner – Hartlepool Children’s Services • Social worker – various • Community Partnership Manager – NHS Trust Sedgefield • Team Manager – Sunderland City Council

6. PhD Social Science Destinations 2006 • Business School • Mortgage Manager – Bank • Performance Manager – AMEC • Commercial business analyst – Anglia Components • Retail Manager – ASDA • Regional Manager – Asset Skills • Performance specialist – Audit Commission • Consultant – Augmentis • Business Transformation Leader – Avery Ltd • Executive Assistant (to MD) – BAE Systems • Corporate finance Analyst – Baker Tilly

7. PhD Social Science Destinations 2006 • Head of Vendor Management – Betfair • Manager Network Power operations – BT • Regional Director – Business in the Community • Product and Pricing Manager – Carnival Corp • Project Manager / Shared Services Manager – Caterpillar • Lead Business Analyst – CE Electric • Management Consultant – Celerant Consulting • Development Manager – Centre for Excellence for Life Science • Accountant / Practice Leader– Deloitte • Head of Corporate Procurement – Chester Le St LA • Marketing Co-ordinator – DGM • Service Manager – D-Line Europe Ltd

8. PhD Social Science Destinations 2006 • Local government Corporate Policy Officer – Durham County Council • Financial Controller – Egger Ltd • Risk Analyst – Euler Hermes UK PLC • Commercial/Area Sales/ Strategic Projects Manager / Credit Adviser – HBOS • Managing Director – IAW Fertilisers UK • HR Business Partner – Lloyds TSB • Regional Director – MacDonald Hotels • Consultant Psychiatrist – MoD • Investment Writer – New Star Investment funds • Recruitment Consultant – Nigel Wright

9. PhD Social Science Destinations 2006 • Commissioning Manager for Child Services – North Tyneside NHS Trust • Area Manager Children’s Services – NSPCC • Global Co-ordinator – People Movers Ltd • European Sales Manager – Perkinelmer • Business Relations Manager – Places for People • Strategy Development Director – Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance • Mergers & acquisitions Professional • Sales Manager Shell (China) Ltd • Financial Trader – Tisbury Capital Management • Postdoc Research Fellow – University college Dublin • Head of business Assurance / Programme co-ordinator – Uni of Durham • Head of UK Tax Planning

10. PhD Social Science Destinations 2006 • Psychology • Neuro Researcher – Brandeis University • Senior Residential Children’s Support worker – Care Assured • Research Fellow –Kings College, London / RNIB / Uni of Durham / Max Planck Institute for Human Development • Psychologist / Nursing assistant - NHS • Trainee Auditor – The Audit Commission • Lecturer – University of Hull

11. PhD Social Science Destinations 2006 • Geography • Trader – Citigroup • Environmental consultant – Faber Mausell • Lecturer – Exeter / Sunderland Universities • Research Associate – University of Durham • Forestry Consultant – Poyry Forestry Industry Ltd

12. PhD Social Science Destinations 2006 • Government & International Affairs • IMEIS • Editorial Producer – CNN • Lecturer – University of Durham • Teacher & Head of Dept – Private Boys School • Politics • Trading Regulations Adviser – BP • Senior sales Co-ordinator – Corus International Projects • Instant Manager –Dept for Development • Researcher – National Centre for Social Research • Junior Surveillance Analyst – Standards & Poor’s • Emergency Access Service Manager – Surrey NHS Trust • Tutor – University of Durham

13. PhD Social Science Destinations 2006 • Economics & Finance • Financial Analyst - ABN AMBRO / Barclays Capital / European Investment Bank / Deloitte / Societe General / Mergel Market / Procter & Gamble • Underwriter – Greece • Investment Banker – JP Morgan • Higher Revenue Officer – HM Revenue & Customs • Operational Risk Consultant – Legal & General Insurance • Client Services Agent – Thompson Trade Works • Lecturer - University of Durham • Investment Manager – Wise Speke

14. PhD Social Science Destinations 2006 • Education • Teacher – Secondary / Primary /Advance Skills • Head of Dept • Accountant – Evanshouse Shore • Teaching Fellow - Genetics Education • Senior School Improvement Officer • Lecturer- Manchester Metropolitan University / Newcastle College / Oxford Brookes • Associate Professor – Miral Diagako • Outreach Drug Worker / Project Manager – NE Council for Additions • School Counsellor – Newcastle City Council • Counsellor / Nurse Therapist – NHS • Diversity Officer – LA • Co-ordinator of Admission – NHS Trust • School Project Manager – Place2Be • Management Consultant – Shell International

15. Values Interests Personality Skills

16. Autonomy Security Enterprise Sense of Purpose Balanced Lifestyle Expertise & Challenge Reward & Recognition Authority & Influence Values

17. Interests • Sport / 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

18. Location Mobility Salary Competition Experience Age??? Health Family Work Life Balance Work Permits Previous criminal convictions Constraints

19. Personality – MBTITo 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. Non-academic CVs for PhD’s • A CV and covering letter should include • evidence of relevant: • Knowledge – specific or general • Experience – tasks, processes, responsibilities • Skills – specialist and transferable / generic • Interest / Enthusiasm / Commitment

24. Non-academic CVs for PhD’s • Structure – logical, clear • Presentation/layout – attractive / professional • Content – Relevant / Explicit • Length – 2 pages A4 • Impact !!!!!

25. Action words for CVs • Negotiated Devised Promoted Identified • Generated Led Delivered • Tested Resolved • Facilitated • Managed Represented • Analysed • Solved Initiated

26. 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’s

27. Non-academic CVs for PhD’s • What 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?

28. CVs for PhD’s • Reverse chronological - Similar to academic CV • May omit: • Publications • Conferences • Must emphasise more: • Non academic work experience • Commercial Applications / Equivalents • Transferable skills

29. 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

30. 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

31. Application forms • Same general principles as CVs • Competency Based • More specific examples • Statement in Support of Application

32. 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.

33. …….continued • A –As a social science researcher I felt that my strength would lie in analysing the statistics we were given, evaluating their relevance, then presenting how we might use these 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.

34. …….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.

35. Statement in support of Application • What created your initial interest in this field • How have you pursued this – academic / work experience • What particular aspects of their work interest you • What skills have you developed that match the requirements of the job • What do you really know about the role / company • Relevant Specific Evidence Enthusiasm • Passion Reflection Research

36. Covering letters • Explain 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

37. 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

38. ASSESSMENT CENTRES • group discussions • case studies • in - tray exercises • role play • presentations • aptitude / psychometric tests, eg: • logical thinking • verbal reasoning • numerical • spatial awareness • personality - preferred styles of behaviour • panel interviews

39. Publications • 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)