Domain B: Personal effectiveness

This blended programme will be based on an award-winning online MOOC, created by expert researcher careers advisers from the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Sheffield.

You’ll learn alongside Cardiff early career researchers from across disciplines. You will work through parts of the first online module in the Doctoral Academy computer suite, to familiarise you with the platform and complete a series of self-assessment tasks, with guidance from careers advisers.

The final session, also led by experienced careers and researcher development staff, will be a practical workshop to help you prepare for applications and interviews. This will include a review of your CV. You’ll complete two online modules between the face to face sessions, at your own time and pace.

By the end of the programme you will:

• recognise the significant individual influences in your personal career decisions
• have explored career options outside academic research
• understand progression in an academic career and what this could mean for you
• receive personal support in building your CV, application and interview skills.

You may come away with a clearer vision of your future career journey or simply help with the areas you need to concentrate on right now.

Audience

Suitable for early career researchers.

Course dates

This is a multi-part workshop comprising of two parts.

CVs and Job Applications for Researchers is a half day workshop intended to assist staff with their writing of job applications including CVs, application forms and personal statements. It will cover both applications for academic and wider option jobs.

Audience

This course should prove to be of particular interest to those who are:

• current members of Academic staff on Research Only contracts
• interested in developing their CV and written job application skills.

Content

This workshop analyses the job application essentials including CVs, online application forms, personal statements and how they can be combined, to make effective job applications. Bring drafts of your current CV to test out in a friendly environment, gather ideas for development and tips to keep it fresh.

We will look at both Academic and wider option job formats.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this session, you should be better able to:

• appreciate the nature and purpose of a CV in the employment marketplace
• develop your own CV format and style
• present your relevant skills, knowledge and experience for the jobs you choose
• draw together a complete job application “package” with increased confidence for academic and wider option jobs.

Course dates

Audience

This course should prove to be of particular interest to those who are:

• current members of Academic staff on Research Only contracts
• interested in reviewing career options beyond research
• open to considering a range of career options.

Content

The session deals briefly with career decision making and addressing the range of reasons for considering career options outside research whether they may be directly using research skills, working in the area of current interest or a fresh start where researchers skills can be applied in very new contexts. It then goes on to examine the ways of raising awareness of common options taken by skilled and experienced researchers including some key sources, reflection methods on personal and research skills and deals with the start of the job hunt and understanding labour market information. We will also consider the experiences of staff who have moved into wider career areas.

The course is delivered in one online session with some preparation work to be submitted 1 week prior and some other self-study. This includes use of the 2020 intranet site for Researchers hosted by Careers and Employability.

It is recommended that it is followed up with an individual one to one online career consultation within 4 weeks to review an individual action plan even if this is a first sketch.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, it is expected that learners will be able to:

• understand the nature of career decision making and personal definitions of career success
• examine personal motivations for change
• identify the potential barriers to career change
• articulate the skills developed through your work in research
• articulate the personal qualities demonstrated through work and personal life
• Apply methods of researching occupational and employment sector
• identify methods of using networks and labour market information
• create or update an effective action plan
• confidently access a range of suitable career support.

Course dates

This is a half day workshop intended to help research staff plan their academic careers.

Audience

This course should prove to be of particular interest to those who are:

• current members of academic staff on research only contracts
• interested in exploring lecturer roles as part of academic career planning
• planning to apply for lecturing roles at UK Universities
• any discipline.

Content

This interactive workshop will examine the main features job specifications and expectations of lecturer jobs in UK universities, how the roles are recruited for and how to thrive in this important academic role. It will include input from current lecturers in their first few years of time in their roles providing authentic reflections on their experiences, advice from HR professionals and an overview of the competitive market for these jobs.

There will be brief coverage of recruitment and assessment methods but for help on this please see the two workshops on ‘CVs and job applications for researchers’ and ‘Job interviews for researchers’, or book a career consultation.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this session, you should be better able to:

• understand the job role of a teaching and research lecturer, how it differs from that of a research only role and a teaching and scholarship role and how to prepare for this role as part of an academic career
• examine the essentials of the job role, job description and measure this against career plans and competition levels
• prepare for recruitment processes
• appreciate the experiences of new lecturers in their early years
• form a draft career action plan.

Course dates

Introduction to planning an academic career is a half day interactive workshop intended to assist research staff with their academic career planning.

Audience

This course should prove to be of particular interest to:

• current members of academic staff on research only contracts
• those interested in reviewing and updating their plans to develop their academic career in the UK.

Content

This workshop aims to introduce new members of research staff, those within their first few years of a research career, to the essentials of planning a career as an academic in the UK Higher Education sector. It will explore an understanding of the academic sector, the roles available and examine the main skills, experience and knowledge required. It will use the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF) to help progress with your own personal plan.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, it is expected that you will be able to:

• understand the context and culture of academic work
• articulate your own reasons for pursuit of an academic career and your own concept of career success
• specify the skills, experience, knowledge, attributes and qualities required for the main range of academic roles available
• review your own personal level of skills, experience and knowledge in context of Vitae RDF (Researcher Development Framework)
• develop your own effective career action plan with reference to the Agcas Researcher to lecturer model.

Course dates

Job interviews for researchers is a half day workshop intended to assist research staff with their job interview preparation and performance.

Audience

This course should prove to be of particular interest to those who are:

• current members of academic staff on research only contracts
• interested in developing their job interview skills.

Content

This workshop will examine the essentials of preparation and performance for job interviews. It will include some interview practise in a safe environment and explore the recruiter perspective. This workshop aims to give increased confidence in planning how to deal with interview situations.

We will look at both academic and wider option job interviews.

You are welcome to bring specific questions on job interviews or scenarios for review in the workshop.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this session, you should be better able to:

• appreciate the nature, purpose and variety of formats of the interview in the job selection process
• prepare for the interview and a range of question types
• perform on the day
• tackle those awkward questions
• understand the use of feedback.

Course dates

How can it be that so many clever, competent and capable people can feel that they are just one step away from being exposed as a complete fraud? Come along and hear what the latest psychological research has to tell us about ‘The Imposter Syndrome’ and, more importantly, some strategies for dealing with it. The session will explain why high performing people often doubt their abilities and find it hard to enjoy their successes. It will also show the links to perfectionism and self-handicapping strategies such as procrastination, avoidance and over commitment.

At the end of this session you will:

• Know what the latest psychological research tells us about the imposter syndrome and how it operates.
• Realise how widespread imposter feelings are and why highly successful people can feel like frauds.
• Be aware of evidence-based strategies that reduce imposter feelings.

Course date

Coaching and mentoring are complementary and highly effective approaches to helping people learn and develop, usually through supportive, one-to-one partnerships which can occur through both formal and informal opportunities. Both approaches work well in virtual settings, as well as face-to-face.

In this webinar, you will:

• understand the difference between coaching and mentoring
• recognise the skills involved in coaching/mentoring conversations
• try out an online helping conversation.

Course dates

As a developing researcher, you will encounter a range of situations where you may need to project yourself with confidence e.g. when networking, talking about yourself and your research, during job applications and interviews. This session will draw on a personalised strengths profile report to help you:

• understand the difference between true strengths and learned strengths
• identify your most positive qualities and attributes and how you may be using them
• recognise untapped talents and how you may develop and use them more.

Course date

Research work can be challenging with its requirements for high standards, strict deadlines, uncertain funding landscape and competition.

If this sounds familiar then please come along to our Stress and Resilience for Researchers course. This course has been tailored to the specific needs and issues that come with a Researcher’s role.

Thinking about the research career pathway, this is an opportunity to reflect on your wellbeing and the way you respond to the challenges of working in the University and maintaining a life outside.

Take back control as we explore what stress is and how it affects you. You'll also learn about the biological process that kicks in when we are stressed and the signs and symptoms of stress.

As everyone’s experiences will differ, the aim is to help you think about your personal relationship with stress, what your personal stressors are and how you are personally affected.

Audience

This training will be of interest to anyone concerned about their wellbeing or who may be struggling with:

• feelings of being under pressure
• change and uncertainty
• juggling conflicting demands
• work/life balance
• symptoms of stress and anxiety.

Content

This session will use zoom as a platform.

Throughout the session we will cover evidence based coping strategies such as the Five ways to wellbeing and CBT techniques that have been proven to be effective in reducing stress and building resilience.

This is an experiential session, combining lecture style presentationand discussion, with the use of breakout rooms and chat function. You will go away with a personal stress management action plan and a toolkit of resilience, to develop your strengths, strategies, resources and insights, to boost your resilience so you feel more confident about responding to the obstacles and challenges that come with the pressures of a Researchers role.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, it is expected that learners will be able to:

• Understand what stress is – signs and symptoms
• have a better understanding of their own personal relationship with Stress
• identify tools and strategies for responding to stress in a more helpful way
• reflect on their wellbeing and their response to the challenges of their career pathway
• have a better understanding about resilience and it’s practice
• personal action plan.

Course dates

This programme consists of a number of short modules (available as videos, podcasts or written handouts) completed at a time of your choosing; followed by an online workshop to explore and trouble-shoot the ideas presented in the modules, and develop a robust action plan.

Audience

This course should prove to be of particular interest to those who:

• want to review their time management practice
• struggle to reconcile conflicting priorities
• find it hard to find time to make real progress on substantial tasks
• are swamped by a multitude of demands from others
• need to develop practical solutions to complex time challenges
• want to achieve a better balance between work and life beyond work.

Content

• The Fundamentals of Time Management.
• Staying Fit for Life.
• Thu Urgency Trap and the Time Management Matrix.
• Planning: why it works (even when you think it doesn’t).
• Planning to Achieve.
• Planning to Survive.
• Reflexivity and Weekly Planning.
• Real Problems and Real Solutions.
• Action Planning.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, it is expected that you will be able to:

• describe their overall purpose at work and the multiple roles necessary to accomplish that
• implement a strategy designed to keep them fit for work and resilient to pressures
• distinguish between urgency and importance and plan their time accordingly
• structure their working week to ensure that both long term and short term priorities, and routine 'maintenance'  tasks are addressed
• identify, and generate solutions to, particular time management issues they face
• implement and review a robust action plan to improve their time management practice.

Course dates