Short interactive presentation on professional development for postdoctoral researchers on the COFAS programme (see http://cofas.fas.se/). Presented at kick-off meeting in Stockholm on 12 December 2011
2. This afternoon
Introduction to Vitae
Explore your career to date
Recognise the skills and interests you
currently have
Think about where you would like to be
Identify actions to help you move forward
3. Vitae
For the UK to be world-class in
supporting the personal, professional
and career development of researchers
Influence policy development and implementation
Enhance HE provision to train and develop researchers
Empower researchers to make an impact in their careers
Evidence the impact of professional and career
development support
RCUK funded
Delivered regionally and nationally
8. What makes a successful
researcher?
What:
Knowledge
Skills
Qualities
Behaviours
Etc
would they exhibit?
9. Researcher Development
Framework (RDF)
RDF is an operational framework for planning,
promoting and supporting the personal, professional
and career development of researchers
How was it created?
Core of the framework consists of data drawn from
over 100 interviews
Phenomenographic method* – identified over 1,000
characteristics and their variants
Input from experts, specialists and stakeholders
Clustered into the 4 main areas or Domains
* See http://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy-practice/167281/Background-documents.html for
further details on method.
11. My career journey
You have loads of skills that you can use in every walk
of life, not just research. Make sure you grab every
opportunity that comes your way and network as
widely as possible. Remember, your possibilities are
endless....
20. Making it happen
What are your first
steps towards reaching
your first goal?
What actions do you
need to take?
What will you do in the
medium term?
And later?
21. Professional development
Where am
I now?
Where do I
Taking
want to
action
be?
What’s
How do I
stopping
get there?
me?
Notas do Editor
What am I going to give you?Space to thinkAbout what you’re currently doingWhat you want to do
Build human capital by influencing the development and implementation of effective policy relating to researcher development This includes running an annual conference and policy forum and regional networks that enable the quick and effective development and implementation of new policy Enhance higher education provision to train and develop researchers through generation of key resources/programmes and regional implementation, e.g. Effective Researcher and CPD for researcher development staff Empower researchers to make an impact in their careers through UK-wide researcher web resources and support and targeted activities to meet specific needs, e.g. creative industries careers in focus programme with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Evidence the impact of professional and career development support for researchers through implementation of the impact framework and the ‘What do Researchers do?’, series of publications and research reports
Give them RS postcardPolicy e.g. Conference and policy Forum, Concordat implementation, HR excellence in research award, UKRSA
Training e.g. Development and delivery of high quality programmes for researchers, providing training for staff who support researcher development
Information and community e.g. Website, training for researchers, blogs, facebook, twitter, UKRSA
Research and evidence e.g. Impact framework, WDRD
What skills, knowledge, behaviours does a successful researcher have?In groups of 6, 3 minutes to list as many ‘things’ as you can on the post it notes and put them up on the wall. Have a look at what other groups have put. Common themes? Funny examples?Being successful as a researcher requires you to think carefully and strategically about your skills, objectives and the areas in which you need to developWe went through a similar process to this in our creation of the Researcher Development Framework
We asked that question in semi-structured interviews with over 100 experienced researchers (mostly profs and PIs). The RDF was the result of that research.The RDF has been designed to help you plan, promote and support your personal, professional and career development. It was developed by you for you.The project began with an initiative at the 2008 Roberts Policy Forum. Vitae pulled together a working group in March 2009 and the project got underway.How was the RDF created?Empirical data from analysis of audio-recorded,.Everyone was asked to identify what they thought was important for a research career.Representative sample: range of experiences, institution types, geographical context, disciplines and demographics.Results: > 1000 characteristics and variants, clusteredinto common groups’This provided the core of the framework – then consulted all the stakeholders who have a view on researchersCross-referred results with other competency type frameworks, expert and specialist input – Research councils, careers, RIN, UCU Built a larger picture of what is means to be a researcher. What does the end result look like?
Give them RDF leaflet4 domains which form the strategic RDS12 sub-domains63 descriptorsUp to 5 phases of development for each descriptor.Need to consider all of these areas – BUT they may not all be relevant to you or at a specific point in time.Careers like people, move on.
Who am IWhat is my backgroundWhat experience do I have of working with researchers
Use for intros – get them to talk to each other and discuss which picture(s) represent where they are at the moment (or previously), then ask them to comment in turnEg. Just starting out; Looking as far as graduation; Lost in a fog; Overwhelmed by it all; Drifting / treading water; Held back by something; Aiming for the winning post; Running fast, but can’t see what’s ahead; At a crossroads; Worried about being just like everyone else / boring career; Struggling up a steep hill; Worried about being stuck in an office job, surrounded by paperwork; Can see the summit and intend to get there; Looking forward to early retirement - or want to get more balance into your lifeWho they are?Why they are here?Ft / pt a job / not in a jobEnjoy current / job don’t enjoyCareer aspirationsDo they want to pick up tools and tips on getting into a careerWhat is their career plan? Do they have one?Etc get the pairs to introduce each other to the group.Talk about this over coffee
Given them skills and competencies leaflet. Ask them to draw a 4x4 circle and complete each square with one skill or strength
What would other people say? Friends, family, critics, bosses?
What are your current priorities? Draw your own wheel. What areas would you choose?Family, Health, Work, Career, Friends, Fitness, Partner, Children, What else?
What would perfect look like in each section? How would you be feeling? What would you notice? What would others notice about you?Imagine you could look into the future. Imagine looking at yourself in 5 years time. Everything has gone really well for you and you are living your perfect life. What does that look like? How do you wake up?What are you wearing?What does your working day entail?When do you get home?What else do you do?
Where are you now in each of these areas? If 10 is your perfect score, what is your current score?
Out of your wheel of priorities, what do you want to change the most? What is your first goal on getting to the perfect ten?
It’s all very well knowing where you are going, but this is the real world and there are obstacles in your way. What could stop you from reaching 10/10?In groups (4 -5 people) brainstorm all the barriers that might get in the way of your career development. Which of these career barriers are internal (anxiety, procrastination) or external (state of the labour market)Which of these barriers have you got control over? Circles of influenceACT Barriers that are within your control and important A common barrier is procrastination. If it is internal then we do have some control over it so you can act on it (get someone to make sure you do you work)REFRAME Barriers that you can’t control and are importantThe uninviting state of the job market – external and beyond any one person’s control but still crucial, so how can view this barrier as more positive and manageable you can’t deal with it outright but you could improve your chances by going on more training, making use of networking oppsCHOOSE Barriers that you can control but that are not importantBarriers you can control but you don’t perceive as important you put in the choose boxIGNORE Barriers that you can’t control and aren’t importantBarriers which you can’t control and are not of great importance you should put in the ignore box.
If your 1st goal is to reach the North Pole, maybe just go to Stockholm airport and start heading North!You don't need to have all the answers but you do need to take the first step.Be specific and have a target date.
What are you good at?Where do you want to be? What would perfect look like? Within that, what is your first priority/goal?What might get in the way?How do I get there? What are my first steps?Take actionReview, where are you now, what are you good at?
This is your life, no one else is going to look after this for you. Being proactive about your professional development will help you take ownership of your direction and help get you to your goals.