Are you in the right place?Are you in the right place?

Beyond the Bench: Beyond the Bench: Training for a CareerTraining for a Career

Bob Tillman, Ph.D.

You and your PI You and your PI

You

Be aware of your career and development needs

Capitalize on your skills, achievements, motivations, and personal qualities

Communicate your development plan to PI

Your PI

Provide guidance for career direction

Provide resources and trainingthat will allow you to advance

Provide tools to help find right direction

Help! I need a job plan! Help! I need a job plan!

Training is ending (Denial)What is available? (Anger)Write CV/resume Search job ads (Bargaining)Send out CV/resume (Depression)Go to interviews (Grief?)(Acceptance?)

Typical approach

Self-AssessmentCareer ExplorationNarrowing Options

The Job Search

How about this approach?

Values

Skills

Anchors

Anchors:ManagerialTechnical/FunctionalIndependence/Auton.EntrepreneurialService OrientedChallengeSecurity/StabilityWork/life integration

Skills:Speaking?Critical thinkingWriting?Specialized training

Values:Ethical/moralIdeological Social

What makes you tick? What makes you tick?

ActivityActivity Write down three of your strongest skills and three that are weak

Write down your strongest 2-3 anchors Managerial Service OrientedTechnical EntrepreneurialChallenge SecurityWork/life integration Independence

Assessment: experiencesAssessment: experiences

What jobs / activities do you enjoy the most?

What about your current work do you currently like / dislike?

What do other people say about you?

• Complements: written or verbal

• Nicknames or tag lines

• Ask for feedback - remember, good feedback is specific, clear and constructive

Self-Assessment excerisesSelf-Assessment excerises

Copyright: Jorge Cham

Self-assessment exercisesSelf-assessment exercisesSelf-assessments can provide insights into values, behaviors, attitudes, interests, etc.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): personality inventory developed Katharine Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers

Strong Interest Inventory (SII)shows how certain interests compare with the interests of people successfully employed in specific occupations

Personal Interests, Attitudes and Values Assessment (PIAV)

Skills your training gives you Skills your training gives you Transferable skills

Public speakingTeaching skills: conceptualizing, explainingMentoring skillsAbility to communicate ideas and concepts in writingAdaptability to a variety of environments and rolesDevelop and design studies and projectsProject managementOrganize and analyze dataCombine and integrate information from disparate sourcesCritical thinking and critical evaluationProblem-solve and trouble-shootAbility to work with othersAbility to acknowledge different viewpoints and argumentsAbility to suspend judgment, to work with ambiguity

Sources: Peter Fiske & Friends

Where do I fit in?What jobs are out there for me?

ActivityActivity

Write down three jobs you think you would be interested in.

Write out three things you have done with regards to a job search.

Gather information on & contacts for careers Read books, career oriented websites Internships, experiences Network

• take advantage of seminar speakers

• conduct informational interviews

• find a career mentor

• attend conferences, interest groups, etc.

• online networking: Linkedin, etc.

People like to talk about their jobs too!

Looking Outward: Career InquiriesLooking Outward: Career Inquiries

Networking is essentialNetworking is essential…connections are crucial in today’s work environment

We hire known quantities

Your network helps keep you informed as to what jobs are out there and what advances, trends, etc. are happening

Network when you don’t need a job

You are always networking

My labmates:

Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Academia (8), Genentech, IAVI, Sanofi-Adventis, Regeneron, Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Life Technologies, Postdoc (4)

Looking forwardLooking forwardMake choices on careers/jobs to explore

furtherSet goalsUse SMART to set goals

Specific : Define Who, What, When, Where”, WhyMeasurable: How will I know I have accomplished my goal?Attainable: Are my goals attainable and how do I obtain them?Realistic: Am I willing and able to reach the goal (motivation) Timely/Tangible: Setting times or having a tangible outcome increases motivation and chances for success.

ActivityActivity Write down three things you can do to learn more about various jobs?

• Skills/experience required

• What is your day like?

• Structure/culture of organization

• Where are jobs located?

• What opportunities for promotion are there? What is required?

• Typical salaries?

• What does future for business/market look like?

(What trends or issues are present in those career paths)

• What is involved in the hiring process?

What to ask about jobsWhat to ask about jobs

You have developed a better self-awareness for your qualities and attributes.

You know how to get information on careers

You can assess what careers or jobs you are best suited and competitive for.

Putting it togetherPutting it together

The discipline of writing something down is the first step toward making it happen. - Lee Iacocca

Getting the jobGetting the jobFive Points:

Networking Search Savvy Well written C.V., resume, cover letter Expected level of accomplishment Evidence of self-motivation, interest & involvement Interviewing well

Plenty of resources are available to help you with all points.

Make sure to have anything you write for a job application reviewed by a knowledgeable person for content and by others for grammar and spelling.

ResourcesResources

http://bobtillman.squarespace.com/career-essentials/

http://www.scienceallianceforum.org/