Practical tools for navigating your career path evolution

Transcription

1 Practical tools for navigating your career path evolution Teresa Evans, PhD Dir. Career and Workforce Development UT Health San Antonio

2 Resources listed during this workshop and in the accompanying handout are not endorsed by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. They are provided to you as examples of resources you may choose to use.

3 Learning objectives Learn that career paths are rarely linear and interests can change Identify values and work experiences you seek in a career Identify skills you want to learn or improve and develop a strategy for doing so Learn practical methods for exploring career paths and navigating the job market

4 Introductions

5 What do you want to be when you grow up?

6 Self- exploration Acquire job in chosen career path Career research Skill development plan

7 Self- exploration Values Strengths Interests Acquire job in chosen career path Career research Skill development plan

8 Examining your values, strengths and interests What Color Is Your Parachute? StrengthsFinder Values Card Sort myidp, ChemIDP, ImaginePhD, APA, others

9 Examining your values What gives you the greatest sense of satisfaction and reward professionally? What do you care about most in your work and in your life? What non- work related circumstances should you take into account when considering potential careers (e.g., family, health, social, financial)? American Psychological Association Self- Assessment

10 Identify 3-5 values you want to consider when exploring career paths or applying for jobs.

11 Example Values

12 Identifying your strengths: transferable skills Science skill Worked with researchers at other institutions or in other labs on a project Published a first author paper Gave a research talk Transferable skill language Led collaborative project Managed all aspects of a large, multi- faceted project Effectively communicated complex technical information

13 Identifying your strengths & interests What are your professional strengths? * Are you also interested in these areas? Strengths Basic writing & editing Planning & organizing projects Dealing with conflict Interests Editing Solving problems Baking * American Psychological Association Self- Assessment

14 Identifying your strengths & interests What are your professional strengths? * Are you also interested in these areas? What kinds of experiences do you need in your work to remain interested and motivated? * In your formal education, what subject areas have always been your favorites? Do you have any subject interests outside formal educational training? *American Psychological Association Self- Assessment N. Lundsteen, Why Career Self- Assessments Matter, Inside Higher Ed, 1/23/17

15 Identify 3-5 activities that you are seeking in a career path or job.

16 Self- exploration Acquire job in chosen career path Career research Career paths Job market Skill development plan

17 Exploring career paths 1. Identify career options 2. Research career path(s) of interest Online resources Events Informational interviews 3. Determine which career path(s) fit your values, interests and strengths

18 Your area of research doesn t define career options Rima Woods, Ph.D. Ph.D. - Biochemistry and molecular biology Current job - Staff California EPA (despite no previous experience in toxicology) Ph.D. - Chemistry Zane Starkewolfe, Ph.D. Current job - Associate Venture Catalyst

19 List 3-5 career paths you want to explore further Science policy Science education for non- scientists Research administration Sales & marketing Science writing Intellectual property Business of science Drug/device approval & production Clinical research management Public health Support of science products Clinical practice Entrepreneurship Scientific/medical testing Science education for K- 12 schools Teaching- intensive careers in academia Combined research & teaching Industry research Research staff Principal investigator * Career paths list from myidp

20 Career path exploration tools Online myidp (link) Science Careers website (link) Nature Careers & Jobs website (link) ASBMB career paths website (link) Events Career fairs at your institution or your community Seminars at your institution Webinars ASBMB career- development webinar series (link) Workshops ASBMB career workshops (link) Informational interviews Tips for how to conduct an informational interview (link) Example questions (myidp talk to people section & link)

21 List 3 people in a career path of interest to you from whom you could request an informational interview.

22 Practical tips for gaining experience Contact companies directly to ask if they offer internships Search for fellowships that offer internship experiences Utilize your network! Ask colleagues if they know of opportunities Ask your institution s postdoc office or your alma mater s career center

23 Self- exploration Acquire job in chosen career path Career research Career paths Job market Skill development plan

24 Finding your sweet spot Personal strengths & interests Sweet spot Values Job market opportunities Slightly modified from American Chemical Society Career Pathways TM

25 Navigating the job market Biomedical research workforce Adapted from the 2012 NIH Workforce report PhD graduates 30% skip postdoc 70% postdoc 5,800 (2009) Postdoc training 37,000-68,000 (2009) Median length 4y 30% do more than one postdoc 1,900-3,900 (2009) International Post- training workforce Data include U.S.- trained PhDs (2008) Science related non- research 18% Government research 6% Academic research or teaching 43% * Industrial research 18% Non- science related 13% Unemployed 2% *23% tenured

26 Tools for navigating the job market Start by reading these two articles: J. Mervis, 'Employment crisis' for new Ph.D.s is an illusion, Science, 5/19/16 G. McDowell, The fool s gold of Ph.D. employment data, Science, 6/9/16 Browse the NSF s Survey of Doctorate Recipients is the latest year available.

27 NSF data: example #1 Employed scientist by sector of employment biological/ agricultural/ environmental life sciences State/local government Self- employed Other Federal government Non- profit Four- year academic institution Private, for- profit Other educational institution NSF 2013 Survey of Doctorate Recipients

28 NSF data: example #2 $140,000 Median annual salaries of full- time employed doctoral scientists biological/ agricultural/ environmental life sciences $120,000 $100,000 $80,000 $60,000 $40,000 $20,000 $ Years post- PhD NSF 2013 Survey of Doctorate Recipients

29 Self- exploration Acquire job in chosen career path Career research Career paths Job market Skill development plan

30 Creating your skilldevelopment plan 1. Identify your strengths and weaknesses 2. Talk to other people about the skills they need and how they learned them Informational interviews 3. Identify gaps in your skill set 4. Find tools and resources to help develop fill in the gaps

31 Hindsight is 20/20 Job responsibility Skill that needed building What I did to develop these skills What I should have done to improve skills Science communications Translation of complex science to a lay audience Gave talks about my research to advocacy groups Volunteer to write copy for newsletters, blogs, website, etc. Education program development Design and use student and program evaluation instruments Nothing Seek evaluation information from programs I was involved in Strategic partnerships Build network across multiple organizations/sectors Met people and filed away their information Proactively communicate and follow- up with contacts

32 Skill-development advice Job responsibility Project management Personnel management Skill that needed building Effective multitasking Getting the most out of staff or team What I did to develop these skills Lab work Directed undergraduates Grant writing Selling the science Write proposals for class or fellowships What I should have done to improve skills Take time- management courses, take on additional duties Lead projects and collaborations, serve on committees, take HR courses Participate in grant- writing workshops, volunteer to work on mentor s proposals Many of these skills will be transferable to ANY career.

33 Implementing your skilldevelopment plan Prioritize the gaps you need to fill Create a feasible action plan with resources/opportunities Assign a time line for the development of each skill Check in with yourself to assess your progress

34 Your action plan Skill Current ability Target ability Development opportunities Criteria to judge success Time frame Evidence #1 #2 #3 What are your top 3 priorities? How will you develop your skills? What is your the timeline? How will you measure success? Specific Measurable Action-oriented Realistic Time-bound Goals

35 Sifting through career advice

36 Tips for sifting through career advice Is the advice accurate? Does the advice fit with your values? Does the advice apply to your current situation? Know your limits. Don t read too many articles. * *M. Elliott, Money & Career CheatSheet, 3/3/17

37 Navigating your career path doesn t have to be overwhelming Define your values, strengths and interests Explore career paths that appeal to you Acquire job in chosen career path Self- exploration Career research Create and implement a skill- development plan Skill development plan

38 Acknowledgements All below have contributed to the development of this session and this presentation Erica Siebrasse, Ph.D. (Van Andel Institute) Kathleen Goss, Ph.D. (University of Chicago) Shea Feeney (University of California, Davis) Rita- Marie McFadden, Ph.D. (PRA Health Sciences)