Transcript Slide 1

QUT Careers and Employment
www.careers.qut.edu.au
Marketing yourself and your research
Dr Nikki Penhaligon
Postgraduate Career Counsellor
QUT Careers and Employment
Today’s agenda
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Why are we here?
Where do we want to go? (And where can I go?!)
What’s happening in the world of careers?
How do I market my PhD to get that job?!
Who are we and why are we here?
• Name/PhD topic
• Where are you on your
PhD journey?
• What are you hoping to
achieve out of today?
• What do you want to know?
The changing world of work
• No longer a job for life
• More uncertainty in the air
• We need to self manage and
actively participate in our OWN
career journey
• Need to identify transferable skills
and be adaptable
• Need to learn new skills and
engage in life long learning
• We need learn how to market and
promote ourselves
Where can I go?
• Universities
– Academic
– Research only
– Professional
• Student administration
• Student support
• Grant assistance
• Information
management
• Research institutes e.g.,
CSIRO
• Public service
• Graduate programs
• Private
– Consulting
– Contracting
• Not for profit
Tips to effectively market yourself
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Self reflect
Define your brand
Develop key statement(s)
Do not wait to be noticed
Present a professional image
Cultivate people skills
Have a vision
Enact your strategy!
(Karalis, 2007)
1. Self reflect
• Ask yourself:
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What motivated you to start a PhD?
Where did you hope it would lead?
What challenges are you facing?
Has anything changed since you first
enrolled?
• Activity: Write them down in your booklet
Activity: Think Pair Share
Understanding my skills!
• On the post-it provided, brainstorm as many
skills as you can that you have developed
during your PhD candidature. Also indicate
where you have developed these skills (ie
the evidence). You have 1 minute!
• Now, grab a partner and brainstorm more.
You have 2 minutes!
• Share with the larger group
Valued skills
• Interpersonal/communication
skills (written and oral)
• Drive and commitment/industry
knowledge
• Critical reasoning and analytical
skills/technical skills
• Calibre of academic results
• Cultural alignment/values fit
• Work experience
• Teamwork skills
• Emotional intelligence
(including self-awareness,
confidence, motivation)
• Leadership
• Activities (including intra and
extracurricular)
Where might you have developed these skills???
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Data from 2011 survey of over 350 Australian employers. For more information see
www.graduatecareers.com.au.
Postgraduate Research Capabilities
• Advanced theoretical knowledge and analytical skills,
including methodological, research design and problemsolving skills
• Advanced information processing skills, and knowledge of
advanced information and research technologies
• Independent research planning and execution
• Research health and safety, ethical conduct and intellectual
property
• Project management, teamwork, academic writing and oral
communication
• Research results transfer to end-users, publications and
presentations, research policy, and research career
planning
2. Define Your Brand
• How do you stand
out from the crowd?
• What makes you
different from the
other applicants?
• How do you add
value?
Think Outside the Box
• The goal of the puzzle is to link all 9 dots
using four straight lines or less, without
lifting the pen.
One Solution
How do you self manage, market and
promote your skills?
• Features versus benefits
• Feature = distinctive element: an attribute, characteristic,
mark, peculiarity, property, quality or trait.
• Benefit = Something that promotes or enhances well-being;
an advantage; Something that contributes to an
organisation (i.e., enhanced profitability, better efficiency, or
reduced risk); Something that reduces hassles or
inconvenience
Employers buy benefits, not features
Features vs Benefits
Workbook activity: What are my
features?
How are they benefits?
3. Develop key statements
Have an elevator speech.
A concise 30-60 sec summary of you and your PhD. Write
it in your workbook.
Pitching your PhD
• Describe what it is (in
universal language)
• Highlight specialist
knowledge and features
• Apply the subject matter
to the organisation/uni/role
Pitching yourself
• Describe who you are
• How you will be a benefit
to the organisation?
• How are you relevant to
the role?
Remember!
• Who is your audience? Identify them:
– Academia?
– Industry?
– Colleagues?
– Peer?
– Supervisor?
• Adapt your language and message to
suit
• Believe in the product (you!) and what
you bring
4. Do not wait to be noticed
• Let people know when you are
ready for the next challenge.
• The more people you talk to
about it, the more likely you are
to hear about opportunities as
they arise.
How can you be noticed?
• Step out of your comfort zone into a
new and unfamiliar area
• Always accept additional responsibilities
that can build and diversify your
portfolio
• If there is a vacancy or assignment you
want, ask for it
• Be proactive and look for opportunities!
Make connections
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Attend conferences
LinkedIn
Join professional associations
Attend events or engage in
professional development
• Network with others
Volunteer!
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Speak at conferences/seminars/organisations
Organise conferences/symposiums
Actively participate in professional organisations
Review for publications; contribute to a blog
Chair a conference stream
Serve on university committees
Be available!
Volunteer outside of QUT
– Volunteering Qld http://www.volunteeringqld.org.au/web/
– seek.com.au http://www.volunteer.com.au/
Activity: Turn to your neighbour. Ask them where they would
like to work in the future. Spend 2 minutes brainstorming
ways they can get noticed! Then swap.
BREAK
5. Present a professional image
• First impressions are crucial
• Consider your online
presence
– FaceBook
– MySpace
– LinkedIn
• Dress for success
6. Cultivate people skills
• Good communication and
interpersonal skills are crucial
• They can enable us to advance at a
much faster pace than others with
more experience
• They help us form positive first
impressions
What are good people skills?
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Smile
Eye contact
Listen to understand
Call people by their name
Being open and confident
Being positive
Networking: why bother?
But what do I talk about?
• Write one topic on the
post-it provided
Activity: Networking cards
Activity: Team building
7. Have a vision
• Have a broadly defined goal or a
career vision
• It may be a bit unclear, but having
some direction will keep you
moving ahead.
• Activity: Think about where you
want to be in:
– 3yrs?
– 5yrs?
– 10yrs?
Write it in your workbook
How do I get to where I want to go?
• Have an overall vision of where
you want to go
• Break your vision down into
manageable steps (SMART goals)
• Look for opportunities
• Record your progress and reward
each achievement
• Revisit, evaluate and revise as you
go
Be persistent!
If you don’t succeed get some feedback and work
out what you can do differently for next time
8. Enact your strategy – Goal setting
activity
S = SPECIFIC
• Who is involved?
• What do you want to accomplish?
• Where? - Identify a location.
• When? – Establish a time frame.
• Why? – Specific reason, purpose, or benefits of achieving a goal.
M = MEASUREABLE
Helps you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience achievement.
A = ATTAINABLE
Break it down into steps - each step should move you closer to that goal.
R = REALISTIC
Personal and situational factors which may influence your ability to reach your goal.
T = TIMEBOUND
Define start points and end points to your goal and maintain commitment to these
deadlines.
Writing an effective goal statement
• Use clear, specific language.
• Start your goal statement with
TO + a VERB
• Write your goal statement
using SMART Goal Criteria
• Avoid using negative language.
Think positive!
Activity: Let’s now give it a go!
Questions?
Contact Careers and Employment
LOCATION
PHONE
Gardens Point:
07 3138 2649
Kelvin Grove:
07 3138 3488
Level 2, X Block
Reception: Room X226
Caboolture
07 5316 7400
Kelvin Grove Campus:
EMAIL
Level 4, C Block
(Above the Refectory)
[email protected]
Gardens Point Campus:
Caboolture Campus:
Student Centre - J Block
WEBSITE
www.careers.qut.edu.au