Arts & Humanities Researchers’Careers Day

June Kay

Careers Development Consultant

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

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Career Path Study 2006, AHRC(Completed PhD up to 6 years before)

94% respondents working

Of those

74% work in universities11% public sector – government depts, LAs, health authorities,

museums, galleries, research establishments etc

8% independent organisations – charity / not-for-profit, private schools, professional bodies, national Trust etc.

7% private sector

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Occupations in Universities

59% Permanent academic positions

• Lecturer 48%

• Senior Lecturer 8%

• Reader / Professor 2%

33% Fixed term academic position

• 7% Post-doc research assistant

• 6% personal research fellowship (Wellcome trust, university fellowships etc)

• 20% other fixed term academic positions (mainly lecturing)

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Occupations in Universities continued

7% non-academic posts – mainly permanent

• Librarians / Archivists

• Learning & Teaching Services Managers

• Adviser for newly appointed teaching staff

• Professional development adviser for academic staff

• Teaching enhancement Officer

• Faculty Registrar

• Research Training Manager

• Research Administrator

• Fundraising Project Manager

• Chaplin

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19% in Public / Independent Sectorof those…

11% in museums / cultural organisations

19% Government Agencies, Depts, NDPBs

21% Schools

31% charities / independent organisations

7% LAs (outside schools)

4% lecturers in FE colleges

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7% Private Sector / 82% Permanent

37% Creative Industry • Publishing (several)• Auction house• Cinema Programming• Assay Office (precious metal testing)

33% Business • Accountants• Bank• Strategy Consulting• Communications / PR• Solicitors• Management Consultants• Market Research & Business Consulting

30% other• Retail Chain• Summer Study Skills Programme provider across Europe• Power supplier• Telecommunications• Research Foundation

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PhD A&H Destinations 2006Exhibit Development Officer – Centre for Life

IT Consultant –Darlington Borough Council

Communications director – Sino Solutions

Anthropology

Archaeologist - various

Project Officer – Archaeology

Curatorial Assistant – Tyne & Wear Museum

Museum Demonstrator – Beamish

Visitor Operations Site Manager – English Heritage

Human Osteoarchaeologist

Archivist – Northern Archaeological Associates

Archaeology

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PhD A&H Destinations 2006

Policy Adviser – Dept for Transport

Classics & Ancient History

Administrative Officer – Civil Service

East Asian Studies

Administrator – Babergh District Council

Secondary School Teacher – Durham LEA

Education Worker - DU SCA

Assistant Administrator – Pilot Theatre Company

Tourism Promotion – Macerata, Italy

Dyslexia Literature Lecturer – Middlesborough College

English Studies

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PhD A&H Destinations 2006

Officer Cadet – ArmyDeputy Bill Manager – Dept for Constitutional AffairsCustomer Care Line Adviser – Proctor & GambleAssistant Director – Centre for Public Policy SeminarsEvents Co-ordinator – Loseley Park (Hotel?) HistoryProgramme Administrator – Heriot-Watt University LinguisticsDesign Assistant – Department for EnvironmentSecondary School Teacher – Durham SchoolTranslator – United Nations Modern Languages

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PhD A&H Destinations 2006

Assistant director of music – Barnard Castle SchoolAuthor – Ashgate Publishing companySinging Teacher MusicOfficer Cadet – ArmyProject Analyst – BIT10 LTDSecondary School Teacher – Coventry LEAPassport Officer – Home OfficePC Support Officer – PoliceGroup Awards Co-ordinator – Princes TrustWeb Designer – Freelance Philosophy

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PhD A&H Destinations 2006

Curate – Church of England

Minister – Methodist / C of E

Lecturer – Newcastle Sixth Form College

Research Consultant – North of England Institute for Christian Education

Journalist – Freelance

Theology & Religion

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Values Interests Personality Skills

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Values•Autonomy

•Security

•Enterprise

•Sense of Purpose

•Balanced Lifestyle

•Expertise & Challenge

•Reward & Recognition

•Authority & Influence

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InterestsSport / 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

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Constraints

Location

Mobility

Salary

Competition

Experience

Age???

Health

Family

Work Life Balance

Work Permits

Previous criminal convictions

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Personality – MBTI

To 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

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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

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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

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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

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Non-academic CVs for PhD’sA CV and covering letter should includeevidence of relevant:

Knowledge – specific or general

Experience – tasks, processes, responsibilities

Skills – specialist and transferable / generic

Interest / Enthusiasm / Commitment

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Non-academic CVs for PhD’sStructure – logical, clear

Presentation/layout – attractive / professional

Content – Relevant / Explicit

Length – 2 pages A4

Impact !!!!!

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Action words for CVs

Negotiated Devised Promoted Identified

Generated Led Delivered Tested Resolved

Facilitated

Managed Represented

Analysed

Solved Initiated

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Non-Academic CVs for PhD’s

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?

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Non-academic CVs for PhD’sWhat 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?

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CVs for PhD’sReverse chronological - Similar to academic CV

May omit:Publications Conferences

Must emphasise more:Non academic work experienceCommercial Applications / EquivalentsTransferable skills

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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

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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

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Application forms

Same general principles as CVs

Competency Based

More specific examples

Statement in Support of Application

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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.

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…….continuedA –As an arts researcher I felt that my strength would lie reading

through the extensive documents we were given and summarising the salient points, then presenting 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.

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…….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.

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Statement in support of Application

What created your initial interest in this fieldHow have you pursued this – academic / work experienceWhat particular aspects of their work interest youWhat skills have you developed that match the requirements

of the jobWhat do you really know about the role / company

Relevant Specific Evidence Enthusiasm Passion Reflection Research

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Covering lettersExplain 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

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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

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ASSESSMENT CENTRES

group discussionscase studiesin - tray exercisesrole playpresentationsaptitude / psychometric tests, eg:

– logical thinking– verbal reasoning– numerical– spatial awareness

personality - preferred styles of behaviourpanel interviews

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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)

Publications