If you're currently starting out on a doctoral programme, you've probably got lots of things to think about: possibly getting used to a new environment, meeting supervisors and research groups, narrowing down research questions etc. But at the start of the year we just wanted to add a note of welcome, wish you all the very best as you embark on the exciting journey or exploring an original research topic, and fill you in on the ways we can support you in Careers throughout your doctoral programme. Many of the ideas below came out of a recent conversation with my colleague Neil Bannister who runs the Doctoral Skills programme.
Quick Questions and a few tips
You may feel it's too early in your PhD journey to start thinking about where you might be going afterwards. However, as this article shows, careers are like chapters in a book - what you are doing now will often be inextricably linked to what you've done before, and what you might do next. So, can I suggest that sometime in the next few weeks you pause, grab a cuppa and ask yourself: what motivated me to do a PhD in the first place? The answer to this question can have implications for how you spend the next three or four years and where you might focus your energy. For example, the answer might be, 'I'm really passionate about my subject/research area'. Great - when did this passion start? What particular aspects are you passionate about? Who else might share that passion or be interested in your research? The answers to these questions might help to inform your thinking about future career direction. Your answer to 'what motivated me to do a PhD might be 'I need it for the career option I'm considering. If that's the case, do you know what you need to focus on to work towards your desired career option? Start to look at job descriptions to find out what skills and experience are needed; you can source these from our careers web pages for researchers. Equally your answer to 'What motivated me to do a PhD might be a little hazy - perhaps one was offered to you and you took it. Absolutely valid, but do be sure to use the PhD process as an opportunity to reflect on what's important to you and where you might want to go next. We're aware that PhD researchers come from a range of backgrounds and previous experiences - think about how what you've done up until now might inform your next steps.
Career Management Quick Tips
1. Build experience Through the doctorate itself you'll develop a wide range of skills that are valued in a range of sectors, but there's also value in developing skills through other activities. Consider teaching, public engagement, https://bath-setsquared.co.uk/ented, volunteering and internships, as well as conferences and research seminars.
2. Pay attention to what you enjoy and are good at - keep a note of how you feel about what you're doing day-to-day and week-to-week - this can really help to inform your career thinking.
3. Take a look at our career planning timeline which has suggestions of low-stress career-planning activities for each stage of your doctorate.
4. Network like there's no tomorrow. Building relationships with people inside and outside of research is crucial for your professional development. Go to conferences and careers fairs. Engage with Professional Bodies and Learned Societies relevant to your field. View your research collaborators as career contacts - find out what they do and what path they've taken. Use LinkedIn and Bath Connection to build your networks - here's how.
5. Don't be surprised if your career plans/ideas change. This is completely normal - chat things through with a careers adviser to get some clarity on career direction.
So how do we help?
1. One-to-one appointments. You can book yourself in to CV and Applications Advice appointment or a Careers Appointment (useful for talking through career ideas or interview preparation through Myfuture
2. Vacancies specific to Bath students - and there's a specific vacancy section for doctoral students.
3. Tailored web resources for researchers - and a lot more resources too on Myfuture
4.. Events and careers fairs to help you meet employers and gain insights into career sectors.
5. Tailored career management sessions run as part of Doctoral Skills
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