Research Skills and Career Development UCD Research Skills and Career Development
Get the most out of your time as a Post-Doctoral Researcher... As a Post-Doctoral Researcher at UCD you are entitled and encouraged to avail of the professional development support available to you, the design of which is informed by feedback from Post-Doctoral Researchers and Principal Investigators at UCD. Introduction At UCD Research Skills and Career Development is an integral part of the Post-Doctoral Researcher experience. It facilitates career planning, increases labour market awareness and supports the development of tangible relationships with key employer partners who seek to recruit Post-Doctoral Researchers. Evidence suggests that investing in professional development is likely to enhance performance in your current role in addition to developing future job opportunities and is critical to career progression whether that is within or outside of academia. The range of professional development options available to you via the UCD Career Development Centre and UCD Learning & Development will support you as you plan and implement the next step in your career. Aims and Objectives The aim of the Career Development Centre s services for Post-Doctoral Researchers is to equip researchers with the skills, and occupational and labour market intelligence, to facilitate professional development and career plans. The objectives of the service are: that Post-Doctoral Researchers identify, develop and relate their unique strengths to a range of employment and career scenarios. that Post-Doctoral Researchers develop awareness of relevant Labour Market Information, related job opportunities and make effective applications. that Post-Doctoral Researchers develop the skills to plan their own career development strategy. Use your time as a researcher at UCD to actively plan and develop your career. This should include taking on additional responsibilities which give you experience that will be of value to you in pursuing career aspirations (e.g. organising conferences and seminars, drafting bids for funding and report writing, lecturing and demonstrating, being a member of a committee and teaching responsibilities). 2
Professional Development Courses/Workshops UCD Learning & Development offers a wide range of courses and workshops geared towards Post-Doctoral Researchers. Topics include: Writing Effective Research Proposals This programme will enhance your skills in writing research proposals and enables you to communicate more effectively with your target readers. Grant Writing Learn how to radically increase your success rate in obtaining grants What makes a proposal successful? Which grants should you apply for? Why did one grant fail and another succeed? Innovation in Research Supporting progression between industry and academia. What can you learn about innovations and commercialisation that will be valuable in your career? What happens if you have an invention and you think it has a commercial application? Presenting Your Research Effectively The ability to present confidently can be crucial for Post-Doctoral Researchers to gain support and recognition. This programme will provide you with the skills to communicate your research with clarity, confidence and flair. Managing Research Projects Awareness of the structures and requirements of project management can make it easier to write grant applications, to plan project work more effectively, to identify risks, to manage resources and task plans more efficiently. Developing Professional Researcher Networks This programme is vital for early career researchers who wonder whether they should be networking or are keen to develop practical networking skills and strategies. Learning to Teach, Teaching to Learn This programme provides Post-Doctoral Researchers with the opportunity to explore theoretical principles of teaching and learning and to implement best practices in a live undergraduate module. Statistical Support for Post-Doctoral Researchers Have you ever wanted help in setting up your study or experiment? Have you ever needed advice on statistical analysis? Have you ever thought you would like advice in promulgating your research? These, and many more statistical issues, can be solved through a consultation with one of our experts. All courses and workshops are free of charge. Should you require a particular course or workshop that we do not offer please let us know so that we can explore options for you. Enquiries If you have any queries relating to the supports available, please contact: Eamonn McHugh (Learning & Development) E: researchcareers@ucd.ie T: 01 716 4930 I knew I was not going to pursue an academic career, so I worked on building a network and getting involved in communication activities. UCD Research Skills& Careers organised a career coaching session that I found very useful. Eventually I chose between two good job offers, one in the private and one in the public sector Dr Elena Martines School of Chemistry & Chemical Biology 3
Career Development Consultations Meetings last for up to one hour and provide Post-Doctoral Researchers with an opportunity to discuss their career and professional development with an experienced Career Development Adviser. These confidential interactions are person-centred and aim to help Post-Doctoral Researchers identify and manage the next step in their career development. Typically, these interactions can cover any career-related issue including: exploring academic and non-academic career options developing a personal career action plan and implementation strategy identifying potential local, national and international job opportunities making effective applications (including reviewing CVs and covering letters for specific roles) developing interview skills and techniques to facilitate success contract negotiation preparation reflection on the decisions and experience that have gone into your career development to date, and their implications for the future To make an appointment with the Post- Doctoral Researchers Career Development Adviser please contact Mark Cumisky. Email: mark.cumisky@ucd.ie Tel: 017167679 Appointments: 9:00 17:00, Mon. - Fri. Internet based Information Detailed information and links regarding: Creating Effective CVs Interview Strategy and Techniques Accessing the Hidden Job Market Current Labour Market Information nationally and internationally Job listings for researchers nationally and internationally, plus links to other sources www.ucd.ie/researchcareers/ careerdevelopmentsupport 4
Mark strongly encouraged me to have a proactive career planning strategy and offered me valuable advice regarding potential opportunities for my profile. I now have a clearer vision on my short and medium term career and I would highly recommend the service of the career development centre to any post-doctoral researcher going through this transition phase. Dr Ahmed Chebbi School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering Opportunity and Labour Market Intelligence Did you know that an estimated 80% of all vacancies in Ireland are not advertised? Knowing how and where to identify opportunities seems obvious but in reality understanding how to access the labour market is often difficult without the inside track. These services aim to give Post-Doctoral Researchers the tools and awareness to develop and exploit available career opportunities. The sessions include: Career Seminars Accessing the Hidden Job Market This workshop enables participants to uncover hidden opportunities and develop an awareness of how to find relevant positions using social media in addition to traditional online, offline and professional networking methods. Making your Case translating your experience into future potential Based on national and international surveys of employers preferred key skills and attributes this session highlights the transferable skills developed through Post-Doctoral Researchers experience, and shows how to identify, relate and articulate these skills in various job roles and sectors of the labour market. Researching Career Sectors and Employers how and where to source reliable information on career areas and professional fields With so many web-based databases of employers available it is difficult to identify which are most reliable and this session will identify internet-based tools for researching career areas and employers. 5
Creating Synergies: The Employer / Researcher Interface Employer / Researcher Networking Events These events bring Post-Doctoral Researchers and Employers together in a relaxed informal atmosphere to explore the types of opportunities and current state of play in different sectors. Typical themes include: job availability and outline of such roles key attributes and employability skills valued by employers. challenges faced by the sector and opportunities for growth likely and /or possible trends in the sector over the short to medium-term future. Feedback from participants in previous networking events rated them highly, valued the open and frank discussion with employers, and recommended them to other researchers. Future events are currently scheduled for the Bio/ Pharmaceutical, Medical Technology, ICT, and Financial Services sectors. Suggestions for other sectors are welcome at any time, simply e-mail Mark.Cumisky@ucd.ie or call at 01 716 7679 to discuss. Employer Recruitment Events These events are focussed on specific employers with current recruitment needs. This career consultation was far more beneficial than I anticipated. I would strongly recommend that Post-Docs avail of this service. Dr Barbara Roe National Virus Reference Laboratory The workshops for post-docs on CV writing and interview techniques provided lots of useful tips and practical advice. They are well structured and enthusiastically delivered, and there is plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion. I would happily recommend them to other post-doctoral researchers. Dr Selena Daly School of History and Archives 6
Applications that Succeed Making effective job applications and knowing how and when to use a CV or make a direct call is critical to Post-Doctoral Researchers future. The services outlined below provide tailored sessions that enable Post-Doctoral Researchers to manage their career development effectively. Career Seminars Applications that Work As an outcome of this session, Post-Doctoral Researchers will produce focused, relevant and successful applications suitable for career sectors such as industry, academia and the public sector. How to Succeed at Interview As an outcome from this course, participants will gain an insight into interview structures, competency based interviewing and develop an awareness of how to present themselves effectively. Professional Development Planning for Success The concept of Lifelong Learning is now a key part of any successful career. Being able to plan ahead and make best use of training, education and experience in career development is critical to future job success. This session provides the tools to start the process of career management and continuous professional development for future success. LinkedIn Workshop LinkedIn is the pre-eminent player in the professional social media market. This workshop, facilitated by LinkedIn staff, will give Post-Doctoral Researchers the tools to: use LinkedIn to source information on, and jobs in, specific organisations and industry sectors create an effective professional on line profile that appeals to relevant industry sectors. www.linkedin.com Euraxess Euraxess assists researchers in developing careers in Europe and supports research organisations in their search for outstanding research talent. This workshop, facilitated by Euraxess Ireland, will outline how Post-Doctoral Researchers can develop their research careers across Europe. www.euraxess.ie I add new information to my CV regularly so thought I was on the ball when it came to keeping it up to date. However, having someone outside of your discipline look over your CV is very enlightening! I found the advice on tailoring it to each opportunity very useful and Mark made a number of excellent suggestions that really improved the look and readability of my CV. I would recommend the service to everyone! Dr Erin Williams Reproductive Biology Research Cluster, School of Veterinary Medicine 7
Towards the end of my first postdoc contract I faced the daunting task of searching a new job and I found valuable help at the Career Development Centre. Individual consultations with a career adviser helped me explore potential career paths and choose the right step to take. Also the career adviser feedback has been really valuable to tailor perfectly CVs and cover letters for each job application and to prepare for job interviews. During the whole process of job searching I felt really supported by the staff at the Career Development Centre and I learned valuable skills I will be surely using in my next job-search Dr Alexia Massa-Gallucci School of Biological and Environmental Sciences Enquiries If you have any queries relating to the supports available, please contact: Eamonn McHugh (Learning & Development) E: researchcareers@ucd.ie T: 01 716 4930 Mark Cumisky (Career Development Centre) E: mark.cumisky@ucd.ie T: 01 716 7679 www.ucd.ie/researchcareers During my time as a postdoc in UCD, I have found the support offered by UCD Learning & Development and the Career Development Centre to have played a vital role in supporting my development as an academic. I was afforded many opportunities to gain valuable skills in areas such as grant writing, project management, and supervisor and team leader skills. In addition they have also taken an interest in my personal development. Learning to manage my time effectively and being encouraged to develop a comprehensive career plan has been invaluable in planning my next career move. Dr Niamh McNamara School of Medicine & Medical Science