Realising your potential using the Researcher Development FrameworkDr Emma Gillaspy, Vitae NW Hub Manager

Objectives

An introduction to the RDF and how it can be used to:

Prepare for developmental meetingsIdentify your strengths and areas to focus development

onPrioritise development opportunitiesConsider how your skills and experiences enhance

your prospects

Are you engaged in PDP?

PDP is…“A structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development.”

PDP cycle

Why bother with PDP?

Understanding how you ‘tick’:StrengthsWeaknesses Directions for changeLearning style

Responsibility for your own developmentArticulate your skills and knowledgeFocus, motivation, confidenceMake more informed choices

www.vitae.ac.uk/careers www.palgrave.com/skills4study/pdp

Your skills

What have you developed in your career as a researcher?

KnowledgeSkillsQualitiesBehavioursEtc

Your skills

What have you developed in your career as a researcher?

KnowledgeSkillsQualitiesBehavioursEtc

What is the RDF?RDF is an operational framework for planning, promoting and supporting the personal, professional and career development of researchersHow was it created?

Core of the framework consists of data drawn from over 100 interviews Phenomenographic method* – identified over 1,000 characteristics and their variantsInput from experts, specialists and stakeholdersClustered into the 4 main areas or Domains

* See http://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy-practice/167281/Background-documents.html for further details on method.

www.vitae.ac.uk/rdf

A2 - Cognitive abilities

B3 - Professional and career development

C1 - Professional conduct

D3 - Engagement and impact

Using the RDF

What do you NEED to have a successful career?How can the RDF help?

Personal and professional development Self-assessment and review Job applicationsThinking about promotionsTransferable skills…

www.vitae.ac.uk/rdfplanner

Choose a domain for self-

assessment

Access your report and other resources

I’ve always thought of myself as being quite ambitious, driven and focussed on what I want, but the framework made me

realise I can have a much larger visions.

It was very good for me to reflect. I realised that nothing is

stopping me but myself. The sky is the limit.

Think about staging the targets; what can I do

smarter, what training do I need to request and

what do I need someone else to facilitate so that I

can move forward

I now have a path that I would like to follow

I would see this [RDF] as a barometer...to give me a bit

more clarity about what areas I could develop and what might

be most important. It’s something I could keep

returning to

It put career development back into the forefront of my mind as it can often slip back when you’re

engaged in what you’re doing day to day.

The RDF “…identified areas for me that I needed to hone and really made me think about my career development. I’ve highlighted things now that I know I need to do.

What we’ve always tried to do with the postdocs [in Edinburgh] is say 'look this is your career and it’s your responsibility'.

Read it carefully and be honest about where you are. You don’t always have to aim for phase 5 - identify shorter term goals that are more achievable.

The RDF will encourage me to be more proactive about my career development as it provides me with a framework (list of milestones).

Articulating your evidence

Pick a descriptorArticulate skills (evidence)Encourage better answersCritical & constructive feedback

Understandable?Confident?Waffle?Jargon?Improvements?

Image used: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bujiie/5440377935/

Action planning introduction

Career prospectsJob clip exercise

Browse through a large selection of job advertsPick the jobs that attract you or stand outLook at 1, 2 or 3 grades higher than yoursLook for common featuresWhat are the required/desirable characteristics

Use your networks / trainers / careers advisorsArrange job shadowingGet a mentorAsk your friends / family / colleagueswww.vitae.ac.uk/wdrd, www.vitae.ac.uk/careerstories

Pathwayswww.vitae.ac.uk/nwhub

Day 1 (10 June): Career Options Expert panel sessions ~100 doctoral professionalsDay 2 (13 June): Interviews and Assessment practical exercisesDay 3 (15 June): PhD Employer Zone @ The Graduate Fair - Exhibition of organisations who are particularly interested in recruiting people with a PhD & individual careers advice1 day £30, 2 days £45, day 3 £free

Further informationRDF: www.vitae.ac.uk/rdf RDS: www.vitae.ac.uk/rds RDF profiles: www.vitae.ac.uk/rdfprofiles RDF Professional Development Planner and screencast: www.vitae.ac.uk/rdfplanner Contact: rdf@vitae.ac.uk Research staff blog: www.vitae.ac.uk/rsblog

Vitae NW Hub:Email: nwhub@vitae.ac.uk Twitter: twitter.com/vitaenwhubBlog: vitaenwhub.posterous.com/Website: www.vitae.ac.uk/nwhub