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

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