Careers In Academia – Making Successful Applications

1. Careers In Academia – Making Successful Applications June Kay Careers Development Consultant j.e.kay@durham.ac.uk

2. Programme for this morning • Routes into academic career • Sources of Jobs • What do academic depts want? • Academic CV – rules, examples • Application Forms • Interview Questions • Mock Interviews • Questions

3. Routes to an academic career • First Degree • Higher Degree Post-doctoral fellowship & publications Research assistant & publications Research officer * publications Senior research officer Tutorial Assistant & Publications Temporary Lecturer & publications Lecturer

4. Academic Jobs • www.phdjobs.com • www.jobs.ac.uk • www.findapostdoc.com • The Time Higher Education Supplement • www.timeshighereducation.co.uk • Professional Bodies e.g. BPS, IMechE etc

5. Five Key Aspects of Professional Activity for An Academic Career • Networking • Teaching • Researching • Writing • Managing • Blaxter, Hughes & Tight (1998,22)

6. What do academic departments want? • Research Reputation • Teaching experience • Administrative Competence • Others

7. Research Reputation • Publications in well recognised, high impact journals • Collaboration with other groups, nationally & internationally • Experience of applying for and securing research funding • Giving talks / papers here and at other universities • Attending / contributing to conferences to raise your profile within your discipline (peer reviewed practice first) • Demonstrating good project management skills – deliver within budget & on time • Investigate reputation of colleagues before accepting short-term work

8. Teaching Experience • Contributing to the supervision of PhD students • Demonstrating to undergraduate and postgraduate students • Running tutorials • Gaining experience of designing, delivering and evaluating degree level courses • Giving papers at inter-departmental or inter-university level

9. Administrative Competence • Involvement in grant proposal writing and funding/budgeting issues • Project management experience e.g. taking on a supervisory role • Organising a symposium / conference / guest lecture series • Representing the department / unit / group on relevant university committee • Responsibilities re equipment . Materials and licences for experimental work • Volunteering for unpopular administrative tasks

10. Other….. • Prizes / Awards & Professional Membership • Networking • Extra Qualifications e.g. management, IT • Knowledge of bigger picture in your field • Awareness of current issues in HE e.g. RAE

11. Academic CVs • Longer than business / commercial CV • More emphasis on academic achievement • Specific details of research, publications, conferences etc • Smaller sections on • other work experience • transferable skills • hobbies

12. Education • PhD • Specific Details of Current research • Title • Description • Supervisor • First Degree • Grade • Dissertation Title and brief description

13. Professional & Research Experience • Techniques / Methods used • Industrial Placements • Professional development courses attended • Teaching / Demonstrating • Publications • Conference Papers

14. Other • Other work experience – for transferable skills • IT skills • Interests • Achievements • Positions of Responsibility • Membership of professional bodies • References

15. Example CVs

16. Application Forms • Personal Statement / Why do you want the job / What can you bring to the post? • Match your education / experience / transferable skills to those on the desirable / essential criteria • Be specific, relevant & give evidence • Vital to show passion and commitment

17. Vacancy Examples

18. Interview Format • Panel Interview – 4/5/6 members, • Impartial Chair – represent the interests of the university not dept. • Head of Department • Head of Section (research group / area of teaching) • Member of different department – lateral comparability • Questions split according to panel members area of interest and map onto person specification

19. Interview Techniques • Research – department, staff, HE, subject • Preparation – anticipate questions and prepare possible answers • Match your selling points to their wish list • Body Language – eye contact, handshake, posture etc • Voice – pitch, tone • Time to think • Enthusiasm & PMA

20. Interview Videos Clips • DUO • Postgraduate Training & Development • On-line courses • Supporting your Career • Arts & SS or Science

21. Time to have a go…… • Split into groups of 3 • Rotate • 1 interviewee • 1 interviewer • 1 observer • Each chance of every role • 10 mins question plus 3 mins feedback (first from observer & then from interviewer) for each “candidate”

22. Top Tips from a Deputy Dean • Answer interview questions giving example and output • Be prepared to discuss how your publications have been received • Publication and Research Grant Applications are paramount in CV • Must demonstrate well guided career decisions and where this role fits • Do your homework on the department – staff and areas research

23. Help Available • Careers Information Room • Researchers Section – books, DVDs • One-to-one advice • appointment for up to 1 hour • telephone / e-mail / call into CAS to book

24. Questions / Discussion