Virtual Career Day 2023

 

On Thursday, April 27, 2023, our second Virtual Career Day 2023 "Transition Possible" took place in collaboration with seven other research institutions. The graphic recording of the main panel can be found ▶ here.

This year's focus was on "Recruiting Postdocs in Industry". Participants could expect panel discussions, networking opportunities and contact with renowned international companies from several sectors: automotive, aerospace, IT, life sciences, steel and many more. Participants were also be able to choose from a range of workshops to help you prepare for your move into industry. For a short overview, you can take a look at our ▶ flyer or browse the comprehensively listed program on this very website.

This graphic recording visually summarises the content of the main panel.

Program

08:45 - 09:00 a.m.  I  Opening
by ▶ Lia Lang

09:00 - 09:05 a.m.  I  Greeting & Introduction
by ▶ Lia Lang

09:05 - 09:15 a.m.  I  Keynote "5 Interview Lessons"
by ▶ Dr. Karin Bodewits (Trainer at & Founder of NaturalScience.Careers)

09:15 - 10:00 a.m.  I  Panel Discussion "Transition Possible"
moderated by ▶ Lia Lang with company representatives and representatives from science management and science communication.

Panelists:

10:00 - 10:15 a.m.  I  Coffee Break
and breakout-rooms for networking

10:15 - 10:50 a.m.  I  Subpanel Session 1: Transition Possible
in breakout-rooms. Presentation of with representatives from recruiting and a postdoc from various companies.

10:50 - 11:00 a.m.  I  Networking and Exchange
in Breakout Rooms

11:00 - 11:40 a.m.  I  Subpanel Session 2
with all of the panelists listed above.

11:40 - 12:30 p.m.  I  Networking

12:30 - 14:00 p.m.  I  Lunch break

14:00 - 18:00 p.m.  I  Workshops
on career specific topics such as presentation of values and skills, career orientation, career decisions, CV check, effective self-presentation in interviews, use of social media in job applications, and much more. A comprehensive list of all eight workshops and their specific criteria to register can be found below.

Workshops
Workshop 1: Active Workshop on Assessment Center
Duration: 3 hours

Registration: ▶ online
Assessment Centres are often the final part of a selection process and to get there you will have beaten much of the competition to reach this stage. Your written application and your performance at earlier tests and interviews have convinced the employer that you have the potential to succeed in their organisation. You are now being offered the chance to demonstrate your skills at first hand in order to get that job offer. Assessment centres allow employers to gather evidence about your skills and behaviours by observing you carrying out a range of activities in a structured environment. Our purpose in this workshop is to provide you with an opportunity to gain some insights into the process of assessment centres and why they are used;  and in particular to experience the dynamics of assessment centre group activity, as this is often the activity that is unknown and of the most concern to people.

This workshop will be held by ▶ Emma Ford and ▶ Steve Hutchinson and is hosted by ▶ GEOMAR.

Workshop 2: Effective Self-Presentation During Interviews
Duration: 3 hours
Registration: via ▶ mail
Successful interview technique and other forms of professional self-presentation need to be mastered in order to create a positive impression to potential employers. This on-line workshop aims to demonstrate effective techniques to present oneself professionally and convincingly at interview, whether it is a formal job interview situation, or a more informal informational interview to find out more about a particular role. The workshop is presentational and interactive,providing the opportunity to practice in small confidential groups, as well as giving and receiving constructive feedback.
This workshop will be held by ▶ Sarah Blackford and is hosted by ▶ DZNE.
Workshop 3: LinkedIn – The Agile Approach (FULL)
Duration: 3 hours
Registration: ▶ online
Headhunters select candidates by skills, so why don’t you think like a headhunter and use the same strategy in the job search? AI and algorithms control the platforms and make the jobs find you! Therefore, learning how the algorithms work and the critical skills defining your future job are essential for a successful career development and job hunt.
This workshop will be held by ▶Tina Persson and is hosted by ▶ IPP.
Workshop 4: With a Doctorate into Industry (FULL)
Duration: 2,5 hours
Registration: ▶ online
For some researchers the decision is clear: they see their career in academia. But many others see their professional future outside of scientific research or they weigh up different alternatives. One interesting option for scientists is the switch to industry. How do employers view scientists with a doctorate? What are important requirements? What are success factors when applying in industry?
The workshop will take up these questions and help you to find answers for your own decision-making process and strategy.
This workshop will be held by ▶ Andrea Bosten and is hosted by ▶ FZJ.
Workshop 5: Interviews: Making the Unpredictable, Predictable (FULL)
Duration: 2,5 hours
Registration: ▶ online
Interviewing is a two-way process—it helps you learn about the organisation and the role you could play there, and it helps the organisation to learn about you as a potential colleague. Overall, you have your wish-list about your new job and the organisation has specific skills and personal traits they are looking for too. If there is a match between the lists, you will be successful. A good preparation is key to "sell" yourself well to an employer. And, that is what today will be all about.
This workshop will be held by ▶ Dr. Karin Bodewits and is hosted by ▶ DESY.
Workshop 6: Use LinkedIn Strategically: Be visible to recruiters and establish early relationships to companies (FULL)
Duration: 3,25 hours
Registration: ▶ online
What does a professional looking and fully completed profile entail? How to work with the LinkedIn algorithm to be found better by recruiters and on the search engine? Get educated on these questions and learn how to strategically research company profiles to build and maintain long-term relationships with companies and HR leaders to foster your career in the industry. Interactive online class with breakout sessions and breaks in between.
This workshop will be held by ▶ Maia George and is hosted by ▶ HZDR.
Workshop 7: Win-Win Strategies for Negotiators in Science
Duration: 3 hours

Registration: ▶ online
Negotiation is far more than deal making. It is a structured, professional form of communication which we are likely to use frequently in our work environment and in particular for career progression inside or outside of academia. In this course we will provide a framework and practice how to prepare and conduct negotiations in an effective and assertive way.

Goals
In this practical workshop, participants will learn how to:
• position themselves strategically in the best possible position within their organization
• evaluate their own and their partner's interests
• reach better results in negotiations with partners and suppliers
• maintain solid and sustainable relationships with collaborators and co-workers
• be more comfortable when proactively asking for things
• transform conflicts into solutions of mutual benefit


This workshop will be held by ▶ HFP Consulting and is hosted by ▶ MDC.

Workshop 8: Don’t be part of the crowd! A different approach to job hunting (FULL)
Duration: 4 hours

Registration: ▶ online
Uploading your CV to the web and / or answering job advertisements can work but the success rate is extremely low. By job hunting in this way, you are cutting yourself off from the vast number of unadvertised positions (approx. 80%) and placing yourself in a lottery of thousands of other similar CVs for the openings that are left. This workshop will provide alternative methods to the usual and well-known ways of job hunting. Methods that will allow you to:
 
•    Reliably determine a career/job that is right for you & then get that job
•    Access the hidden job market of unadvertised positions
•    Actively manage the progress of your search
•    Determine and proactively sell your unique skillset
•    Give yourself the edge over others using CV and covering letter
•    Become the “preferred candidate” or even have positions created for you.
•    Make a lasting positive impression in interviews
•    Gather the information & skills needed for salary negotiations
•    Job hunt in a way that is interesting and less demoralising
 
The workshop will be very interactive. Expect to be asked lots of questions, expect to be challenged, expect to participate!

This workshop will be held by ▶ Robert Thompson (RTTA) and is hosted by ▶ KIT.