CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR PHD STUDENTS

DAH INSTITUTE 2014

UCC Careers Service

Activity

Whose expectations should you be taking into account in your decision making?

Expectations

Who is in the best position to give you neutral, constructive feedback on your ideas?

Feedback

What kind of support do you need now and in the future? How could you get that support?

Support

Where can you find role models for your future career direction? Who has faced similar challenges?

Modelling

Who may have the information you need in order to better understand your options?

Information

•What observations do you use to predict what will occur in the future? Or in other environments? •Do you need to expand or test those informal theories?

Beliefs

A PhD Graduate with career management skills will be able to:

Demonstrate an awareness of transferable skills and their applicability to academic and non-academic roles

Take ownership of personal career management, forming credible career plans

Initiate and sustain networks and relationships that may encourage opportunities for employment

Present themselves to prospective employers through effective job applications, CVs and interviews

Understand the broadest possible range of employment opportunities

Irish Universities’ PhD Graduate Skills Statement, 2007

What can Humanities PhDs offer the world?

PhD graduates of AHSS are well placed to:

Address social, civic and economic issues Equip employers and employees with key

communication and analytical skills as well Stimulate imagination and criticism Facilitate problem-solving

“Playing to Our Strengths” (HEA, 2009)

Drivers of Change

Career Management Today

* Mitchell, Levin and Krumboltz, 1999

“Planned Happenstance”: Creating unexpected opportunities

Five qualities needed to recognize, create, and use chance as career opportunities:

1. Curiosity: exploring new learning opportunities

2. Persistence: exerting effort despite setbacks

3. Flexibility: changing attitudes to circumstances

4. Optimism: viewing new opportunities as attainable

5. Risk Taking: taking action in the face of uncertainty

Chaos Theory and Careers

Accept that career planning is a complex process. So look for patterns, look for connections, look for meaning. What do you enjoy? Where do you get your energy? What has been the source of your success so far?

Accept that you don't control ALL the variables. Developments will impact your career that are beyond your control... Control what you can.

Accept that life isn't always linear. The "5 steps to the perfect job" plan won’t always work. Sometimes jobs come along at the most unexpected places and times. You can work on different steps at the same time.

Helpful Resource:

“You Majored in What? Mapping Your Path from Chaos to Career”, by Katherine Brooks

Thinking of broadening your horizons?

Some things you’ll probably need – and demonstrate:

Genuine career motivation Adaptability Tenacity Empathy and interpersonal skills Team skills Commercial awareness Language skills IT skills

Today, I hope you will leave with...

ONE person whose opinions matter to you. ONE person you will contact for neutral,

constructive feedback. ONE support that you will need now and in the

future (this can be a person/thing/network). ONE role model you can learn from ONE potential source of relevant information. ONE observation to test/challenge.

And one list of helpful resources! http://fromphdtolife.com/resources/  http://chronicle.com/article/The-PhDs-

Guide-to-a/143715/ http://cheekyscientist.com/ www.vitae.ac.uk www.beyondthephd.com www.prospects.ac.uk www.gradireland.com

www.ucc.ie/careers