Career Perspectives (New format)

The training Career Perspectives is meant for PhDs in their third or fourth year to prepare them for their next career step. The course is organized four times per year.

In this 5-day-training you will learn how to translate your competences, knowledge and skills acquired during your PhD to the demands of employers in various sectors, by describing them in tangible results. You’ll learn about your competences and your career values, you’ll see the thread in your development and discover what a good job context is for you. This helps to develop focus in your career. You will also train your application- and networking skills and learn to get the most out of LinkedIn. This all provides valuable input for your networking- and application process.

Expected results

• At the end of the course you have formulated a personal job seeking strategy.
• You have an overview of your competences and skills acquired during your PhD, both by your own description and through 360 degrees feedback.
• You have a collection of examples of achievements (based on the STAR-method) to share your work experience, competences and skills in networking conversations and job interviews.
• You are capable to translate your experience to employer’s requirements, both inside and outside of academia.
• To broaden your career perspective, you determine your career values, career field preferences and your search direction on the labour market.
• You will have a good LinkedIn profile and will also know how to use LinkedIn for networking.
• You will have had informational networking conversations to explore different career possibilities.
• You will have presented an Elevator Pitch.
• You will have a good CV and will know how to adjust your CV and cover letter to different vacancies.
• And you will know how to prepare for networking conversations and job interviews.

Organization

The trainer will call you sometime in the weeks before the course starts, to get to know each other, to introduce the assignments and to ask you what you want to learn in this course.

To prepare for the first day of the course you receive assignments to help you discover and describe your skills, qualities and achievements. They will cost you approximately 4 hours to finish. To prepare for the second day, you receive assignments to help you discover your search direction. The results of the assignments you make at home will be further deepened during the course.

The emphasis is on practical exercises from your personal situation and tips and feedback from the trainer and other participants to make the translation to your work and life.

General Information

Target Group:	Third and fourth year PhDs who want to prepare for their next career step
Group size:	Max. 15 participants
Course duration:	The course is 5 days. To prepare for the course you make assignments at home. The first part of the assignments (Finding your talents) you finish before the first day, the second part (Search directions) before the second day. Before the start of the course you’ll have a short phone call with the trainer.
Language:	English
Credit points:	1.7 ECTS
Self-study hours:	8
Name lecturer:	Geraldine Sinnema, Een wereld van verschil (In English: A world of difference). Senior career coach and trainer, Noloc Registered Career Coach, www.eenwereldvanverschil.nu
Venue:	Campus WUR

Programme

Day 1 Competences and achievement stories

We will discuss the assignments ‘Finding your talents’ and bring them a step further by sharing achievement stories and receiving feedback on your competences.

Day 2 Career values and personal profile

We will discuss the assignments ‘Search directions’ and bring them a step further by discussing the result of your MBT-test, your career values and your preferred career fields.

You will also write a personal profile for your CV.

Day 3 CV, LinkedIn, cover letter and networking conversations

We work on your application skills by improving your CV, Cover letter and LinkedIn profile.

We will also practice networking conversations.

Day 4 Elevator pitches and guest speakers

All participants present an Elevator Pitch.

You learn how to best prepare for a job interview.

And we will have guest speakers from different career fields, invited by the participants, to share their career story and to speed date with.

Day 5 Job interviews, next career step and personal job seeking strategy

We will practice job interviews and you will get feedback on your job seeking strategy.

Fee

Reduced fee: • PhD candidates of Wageningen University with an approved Training and Supervision Plan (TSP) who are registered at one of the WU graduate schools (EPS, PE&RC, VLAG, WASS, WIAS, WIMEK) • Postdocs of Wageningen University who are registered at one of the WU graduate schools	€ 375
University fee: All other PhD candidates / Wageningen University postdocs and staff	€ 750
External fee: All other participants	€ 1500

Fee includes study and training material, coffee/tea and lunches.

Cancellation condition

You may cancel free of charge up to one month before the start of the course. After this date you will be charged the University fee. Unless:

• You can find someone to replace you in the course and supply the course coordinator with the name and contact information of your replacement.
  In this case you will only be charged a € 50,- cancellation fee.
• You (PhDs and postdocs of Wageningen University) have a valid reason to cancel (illness or death in the family 1st or 2nd degree).
  In this case you will be charged the reduced fee and your supervisor/PI must send a mail indicating the reason for cancellation.

Information

For more information please contact Yvonne Smolders, yvonne.smolders@wur.nl