Beyond Lecturing: Careers in Higher Education. Workshop for postgraduate students and early career researchers about the variety of careers in HE (originally designed for Women in German Studies conference, November 2013).

1. Beyond Lecturing:
The Many Uses for Your PhD Skills
in Higher Education Careers
WOMEN IN GERMAN STUDIES
8TH NOVEMBER 2013
DR. ELLIE KENNEDY
NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY

2. Workshop Aims
Raise awareness of the variety of career options
within Higher Education
Raise awareness of the skills and knowledge gained
through pursuing postgraduate study and consider
how these can translate to para-academic careers

3. Introduction
Tell the group:
your name
one word or idea
that comes to mind
when you think of
Higher Education
fu-berlin.de

4. Familiar Conversation?
So what do you do?
That’s
impressive!
What
subject?
Oh. What are you going
to do with that…?
I’m working on my
PhD
German
Studies
I’m hoping a
lectureship will open
in representations of
gender in C19th
drama. Otherwise …
um…

5. What are you going to do with that?
Lecturing
“academic”
Other options
within HE
You have
options
“alt-” or “paraacademic”
Beyond HE
“postacademic”

6. What makes a university run?
Example – Sheffield University
Registrar
Accommodation and Commercial Services
Corporate Affairs
Computing Services
Development, Alumni Relations and Events Office
Estates and Facilities Management
Finance and Commercial
Human Resources
Planning and Governance Services
Research and Innovation Services Student Services
The University Library

7. Types of HE institution
Universities
Private colleges
FE colleges
Other institutions
HEA
HEFCE
Funding councils (AHRC, ESRC, etc.)

8. I know what you’re thinking…
“This is all well and good, but
what use is my specialised
knowledge of Weimar cinema
in a university Corporate
Affairs department?”
In addition to your
specialised knowledge,
you are gaining a
tremendous wealth of
skills and knowledge
related to HE

9. Skills and Knowledge
In groups, take one of the following areas and
brainstorm skills and/or knowledge you are gaining
through your postgraduate work.
Teaching
‘Soft’ skills
Example:
giving lectures
Example:
working to deadlines
Research
Knowledge of HE
Example:
finding information
Example:
working with academics

10. Research Skills
Finding information
Synthesising information
Analytical skills
Writing persuasively
Using evidence to support arguments
Delivering a conference presentation
Writing successful grant proposals
All of this in more than one language!

11. Teaching Skills
Preparing and delivering lectures
Teaching language
Teaching large and small groups
Making complex concepts accessible to non-experts
Marking
Adhering to standardisation & QA procedures
Creating teaching materials
Using a VLE
Advising students (e.g. on year abroad)

12. Knowledge of HE
Working with undergraduate and postgraduate
students
Communicating with academic and non-academic
staff
Knowledge of university governance structure
Participating in committees/representation
Knowledge of HE sector and relevant issues

13. ‘Soft’/Transferable Skills
Communication – with different audiences
Time management/working to deadlines
Organisation/project planning
Working independently
Teamwork?
Presentations
Intercultural competence
Attention to detail/precision
Explaining complex ideas and information
Versatile ways of thinking

14. Let’s look at some examples to see how some of these
skills can translate into real HE jobs…

15. Case Study: Sara
PhD in: English Literature
Job title:
Research Facilitator, College of Law/Research Services,
University of X
Key Activities:
Mentoring faculty towards research success, strategic planning,
commenting on/editing grant applications
Useful skills from PhD:
Editing skills, presentation skills, experience doing research and
knowledge of the research process, awareness of granting
agencies

16. Case Study: Brenda
PhD in: German Studies
Current job title(s):



Director, University of Missouri-Kansas City Women's Center
Director, Women's & Gender Studies Program
Affiliated Faculty in German, UMKC
Skills from my PhD that I use in my work:



Writing
Research skills
Teaching skills (through actual teaching & delivering workshops)
Link to dissertation topic:

Feminist literature/issues

17. Case Study: Ellie – Journey
First degree in German
 CELTA (“get some professional qualifications”)
 Teaching English in Germany/internationally
 MA & PhD in German Literature

Including teaching German language
 Lecturing
 Teaching EAP

English for Academic Purposes to international students
 Academic Development

18. Case Study: Ellie – Role
Position: Learning and Teaching Officer, Centre for Academic
Development and Quality, Nottingham Trent University
What drives me? I want to make students’ academic
experience the best it can be
How do I go about this:
Through my job: working with academic and managerial staff
across the university on strategic Learning & Teaching projects
Networking within the university
Participation in a wider scholarly community (EAP in EM; ISEJ)
Use: research skills, teaching knowledge, HE experience

19. Your PhD – help or hindrance in job applications?
Don’t omit it from your CV
Don’t expect it to speak for itself
 Explain how it is relevant to the position sought:

My academic and professional experience have enabled me to
develop extensive research skills. I completed a doctoral
dissertation on contemporary German literature in 2004, a
long-term project which involved a considerable amount of
planning and research. Through my scholarly work I learned
to identify, locate and evaluate relevant materials, to read a
range of academic texts and to synthesise the results.

20. Evidencing Skills
Imagine you are applying for a job in the
International Office of a university. The office is
seeking someone with ‘an international focus’. How
would you argue that you fit this description?
You have 2 minutes to convince a partner!

21. Summary/Key Message from this Session
You have options:
Academic
Para-academic
Post-academic
You are gaining valuable skills and knowledge for all
of these.

22. Strategies
Identify what you love about working in HE

researching? teaching? writing? being part of a scholarly
community?
Keep yourself informed about current discussions in
HE (via THES, Guardian, HEA etc.)
Look for jobs via the above and filter your searches
on jobs.ac.uk
Make a list of your HE-related skills and knowledge
and update it regularly
When applying for jobs, explain how your PhD work
is relevant to the job description

23. Resources
Specifically Para-Academic Career Tips for Humanities Postgraduates:
http://www.alt-academix.com/
Both Post-Academic and Para-Academic Careers
VITAE have many resources: www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1270/Careers.html
Useful blog from Canada: http://nonacadinfo.blog.lib.mcmaster.ca/
Versatile PhD (mainly US but very helpful) http://versatilephd.com/
Example of German PhD graduate www.universityaffairs.ca/from-phd-to-life/
Staying abreast of current topics in HE:
Guardian HE: www.theguardian.com/education/higher-education
Higher Education Academy: www.heacademy.ac.uk/
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/arts-and-humanities
Times Higher Ed Supplement www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/

24. Sources for Job Vacancies
In UK: www.jobs.ac.uk
Academic and Research Jobs in Europe
http://academicpositions.eu/
Media sources on previous slide
LinkedIn
Local university website job pages

25. Research
Teaching
Skills &
knowledge gained
via your PhD work
Knowledge
of HE
‘Soft’ skills