Early career planning: Managing your academic ‘self’

1. Early career planning: Managing your academic ‘self’ Graham Crow John Holmwood

2. Context • Always an issue of transition from doctoral study to first ‘permanent’ job • Implications of changing environment of higher education • REF 2014 ‘hiatus’ • Uncertainty over future financial position of universities, but not all gloom • Need to think in terms of ‘bridges’ –postdoctoral and other forms of funding (not just in UK – also abroad)

4. Distribution of HEI incomes in England, 2009/10 (Source: HESA 2011)(Where does the elite, ‘bundled’ university begin? – first cut off, gives us 5, next gives 10, then 16 (with just a further 28 above the mean, providing 44 on the most generous estimate)

5. Being ‘Ref-able’, some myths • Impact agenda doesn’t disadvantage early career staff. You don’t need it and staff applying from another institution can’t bring it! • You do not need a full set of publications and you frequently have the ‘ideal portfolio’ (research-based monograph plus journal articles).

6. Being ‘ref-able’, some issues • You must be aware of the issues and constraints. • You should read up on the impact issues – ESRC ‘Pathways to Impact’ and their Impact ‘toolkit’ http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/tools-and-resources/impact-toolkit/index.aspx • Although the Panel will read all items, be ambitious in where you think of placing them – general/specialist journals. • Note: those funded by ESRC/AHRC will be subject to RCUK ‘open access’ policies with effect from • (Rejection is a ‘pathway to success’ )

7. Although the Panel will read all items, be ambitious in where you think of placing them – general/specialist journals. • (Rejection is a ‘pathway to success’; importance of reviewer feedback ) • Note: those funded by ESRC/AHRC will be subject to RCUK ‘open access’ policies with effect from 1st April 2013. Seek guidance. http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/research/Pages/outputs.aspx

8. Build your research capacity • Ensure you build your research methods skills - NCRM. http://www.ncrm.ac.uk • Think of attending Essex Summer School. http://www.essex.ac.uk/summerschool/ • [secondary data analysis; mixed methods are a current ESRC interest]

9. Beyond the first job… • What is your next big project.... • It should be a ‘gear change’ up from your PhD, but you won’t have the same amount of time and supervision

10. Some sources of post-doc funding: • ESRC Future Leaders scheme • British Academy • Leverhulme • Nuffield • Individual university schemes (generally advertised on jobs.ac.uk) • Think overseas; India, for example, has many new awards and ESRC is interested in international networks

11. Applications: dos and don’ts. Do • Familiarise yourself with a funding body’s strategy and ethos • Make sure that you are eligible for the scheme for which you’re applying (and check with them if you’re unsure) • Start the application process in good time (various things can take a long time to get e.g. institutional signatures)

12. Applications: dos and don’ts. Do • Make the case for your project directly and strongly – why should your project be prioritised (given that it will be in competition with others)? • Set out your research questions and objectives clearly (a research proposal is not a literature review; get right the balance of background and proposal)

13. Applications: dos and don’ts. Do • Set out your methodology clearly, and flag up where it is cutting edge and interdisciplinary • Remember: appropriate research design is crucial • Ensure that methods address the research questions set out • Acknowledge awareness of possible criticisms of approach chosen • Include a timetable for your activities

14. Applications: dos and don’ts. Do • Use the bibliography to show up-to-date knowledge of the field • Choose an appropriate and reliable nominated reviewer (and make contact with a first draft) • Engage with potential research users • Address the issue of knowledge exchange • Draw on other people’s expertise (e.g. that of staff in the research office, academic colleagues)

15. Applications: dos and don’ts. Don’t • Promise to solve all the problems in your field in one project. The research should be specific and do-able • Assume that key points are too obvious to need stating explicitly (referees can comment only on what is before them) • Undersell yourself or your project (the total cost may look dauntingly big, but that is for funding agencies to worry about)

16. Applications: dos and don’ts. Don’t • Miss the opportunity to spell out how well your project fits the scheme/call • Give up at the first hurdle, or be put off by the odds of success of the average application • Be afraid to ask colleagues to see applications they have made (successful and unsuccessful, with comments)