Securing A Position Outside Academia

1. Securing A Position Outside Academia June Kay Careers Development Consultant www.durham.ac.uk/careers j.e.kay@durham.ac.uk

2. Content • Destinations • Sources Vacancies • CVs • Application forms • Interviews • Assessment Centres • Questions

3. What do PhDs Do? • Work in UK 69% • Work & study in UK 11% • Education Sector employment 50% • 36% Research all areas • 22% Research in HE • 13% Teaching in HE 2006 Graduates, 6 months after graduation

4. Durham PhD Graduates 2012

5. Durham A&H PhD Graduates 2012 • Army Section Commander • Youth & Family Coordinator, Christian Centre • Parish Priest, Church of England • Archivist, Durham University • Faculty Support Officer, Durham University • Secondary School Teacher, France • Curator, Historic Royal Palaces • Superior of a Monastery • Company Stage Manager

6. Durham SS PhD Graduates 2012 • Chief Investment Officer, 3i • Freelance Researcher, Arab Centre for Research & Policy • Solicitor / Trainee Solicitor • Community Research Officer, Community Links • GP Doctor • School Head Teacher, Geography Teacher • Research Coordinator, Durham University • Consultant in Public Health, NHS • Managing Director, Food Manufacturer • Political Producer, Sky News • Project Conservator, Torbay Council • VLE Manager, Regional Healthcare Strategy • Consultant • Soil Mechanic Scientist, New Zealand • Freelance Archaeobotanist • Engineering Geologist • Web Literacies Lead, Mozilla • Volunteer Outreach Programme Coordinator, National Trust • Research Assistant, Our Food • Communities Assistant, Project Dirt • Freelance indexer & permissions negotiator • Project Manager, Rivers Trust

7. Durham Science & Engineering PhD Graduates 2012 • Magician • Petrophysicist, Baker Hughes • Patent Attorney, various • R&D Engineer, BBC • Test Engineer, Bergstrom Europe • Process Technologist, Centre for Process Innovation • Geologist, Conoco Phillips • Commodities Consultant, CRU Group • Principal engineer, CSIR • Software Support Engineer • Research Engineer, Hua Wei Software • US Treasury Bond Trader Assistant, J P Morgan • Accountant, KPMG • Mechanical Engineer, Cummins Turbo Technologies • Research Geoscientist Geospatial Research Ltd (Durham Uni)

8. Durham Science & Engineering PhD Graduates 2012 • Physics Teacher, Grammar School • Publishing Editor, Royal Society of Chemist • Exploration Geoscientist, Shell • Science Teacher, 6th Form College • Development Engineer, Geofire • Trainee Engineer, Dredging & Marine Contractors • Detector Development Engineer (Kromek) • Research Chemist (Lubrizol) • Company Director, self employed • Trial coordinator, NHS • Applications Scientist, Renishaw PLC • Manufacturing Laboratory Technologist, Rolls Royce

9. Read Durham PhD AlumniCase Studies @ • duo • Postgraduate Training & Development • Careers • Alumni Case Studies • Sciences / Arts & Humanities / Social Sciences

10. Sources of Vacancies Websites e.g. prospects Directories e.g. Times 100 Durham University Careers Fairs – October, February Employer Presentations – something every day in Michaelmas Press – National, local, specialist Professional bodies e.g. British Psychological Society Recruitment Agencies e.g. Kelly Scientific Networking– face-to-face, social media Speculative Applications !!!

11. Social Media - LinkedIn • http://www.linkedin.com/ • Profile • Recommendations • Make Contacts • Join Groups • Researching employers

15. www.durham.ac.uk/careers E.G. Economic & Social Research Consultant, Research Chemist, Trainee Patent Attorney, Quantitative / Risk Analyst, Academic Publishing etc

16. What some employers say about PhD’s “They have good learning skills, a commitment to the task and need only minimum supervision.” “They are able to work on their own and have the benefit of logical thinking. Also their research field might be relevant.” “Employers can benefit from their research skills and research experience but will have to invest in commercial training for these candidates.”

17. What some employers say about PhD’s “Try and gain some industrial consulting experience and prove that you can deal and liaise within a commercial environment.” “Don’t over rely on academic achievement – stress transferable skills such as team working, report writing and leadership.”

18. 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

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

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

21. 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? CVs for PhD’s

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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 ‘mirrors’ the advert • Then follows on with a standard reverse chronological CV

25. 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

26. Examples Researcher Skills CVs • http://www.vitae.ac.uk • Researchers • Careers • Marketing Yourself • Creating Effective CVs • Skills-based CVs • Arts & Humanities or Science & Social Science

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

28. 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 July 2011 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.

29. …….continued • A –I felt that my strength would lie in preparation of financial figures for use in press statement and negotiations. 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.

30. …….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.

31. Competency Question Give me an example of a time when you challenged the established way of doing things and what was the outcome?

32. 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

33. TOUGH INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Why do you want to work for…? What is it about the position that you most like? Take me through a task that you have completed from beginning to end? Was it successful? Why? What were the main obstacles that you had to overcome? What would you describe as your greatest strength? What would you say is your major weakness? What would you say is your greatest achievement and why? Give me an example of when you have worked in a team and tell me what role you took on? What are the current issues facing…?

34. PREPARE AND PRESENT • Be yourself • Give interesting examples to questions that they ask • Be willing to expand on any responses that you make • Don’t be thrown by the unexpected question • Stay calm • Buy time to think • Remain positive throughout • Show them that you are right for the position and for them! • At the end of the interview think about what impression you want to leave with them: ‘If you can’t think of good questions [to ask them] don’t ask stupid ones.’ Ian Jackson BT

35. YOUR INTERPERSONALSKILLS/REACTIONS What impression are you hoping to create? Dress code: • formal/informal • ‘company culture’ • Body Language • handshake • eye contact • mannerisms • open/close posture • Smile What approach are the interviewers adopting? • style of questions • pace of interview • body language inc. note taking • friendly/business like

36. Making An Impact – DVD https://www.dur.ac.uk/careers/password/s/cvapp/int/vid/

37. www.durham.ac.uk/careers

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 behavior • panel interviews

39. Useful Websites • www.durham.ac.uk/careers Support & Vacancies • www.vitae.ac.uk Researcher Development • www.prospects.ac.uk Information & Vacancies • www.beyondthephd.co.uk Arts & Humanities • www.thepaperboy.comoverseas job search • www.rec.uk.com Find recruitment agencies • www.ktponline.org.uk/Undertake a postdoc within Industry

40. Any Questions? Contact June j.e.kay@durham.ac.uk