scholarly journals Insights and Perspectives from the PhD to Employee Forum

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-104
Author(s):  
Emily Bell ◽  
Helen Miliotis ◽  
Lorna MacEachern ◽  
Luciana Longo ◽  
Costas Karatzas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Career Development ◽  
Life Science ◽  
Career Planning ◽  
Doctoral Degree ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Career Preparation ◽  
Tenure Track ◽  
Canadian Universities ◽  
Faculty Positions

Data shows that PhD graduates pursue diverse careers. Recent data from Canadian universities report that fewer than 35% of health-science PhD graduates are employed in research intensive, or tenure-stream, faculty positions up to seven years after graduation. Perhaps surprisingly, this is higher than previous estimates, which indicate that up to 80% of basic biomedical PhDs are employed outside of tenure-track positions within 6-10 years of obtaining their degree. The “From PhD to Employee Forum” was born out of a pressing need to identify specific solutions to manage the challenge of effectively engaging trainees in career development during their doctoral degree. To address this challenge, we sought to bring together career development experts to collect insights regarding the approaches of different institutions to address the career planning needs of life science trainees. Here we summarize key presentations at the forum, review what we see as some of the key challenges in the career preparation of life scientists and summarize three key insights raised in the forum.

Anxiety and self-efficacy as sequential mediators in US college students’ career preparation

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
LillyBelle K. Deer ◽  
Kelsey Gohn ◽  
Tomoe Kanaya
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Career Development ◽  
Job Search ◽  
Positive Feedback ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Career Planning ◽  
Career Preparation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Search Behaviors ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Current college students in the USA are reporting higher levels of anxiety over career planning than previous generations, placing pressure on colleges to provide effective career development opportunities for their students. Research has consistently found that increasing career-related self-efficacy is particularly effective at increasing career-related behaviors among college students. These studies, however, do not account for the potentially negative impact of anxiety on cognitive, mediational pathways, including self-efficacy. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to determine if anxiety plays a sequentially mediating role in the relationship between self-efficacy and job search intentions among college students. Design/methodology/approach Participants who were currently looking for a job or an internship were recruited to participate in an online study regarding career development preparation. Participants completed a job search behaviors “quiz” and were randomly assigned to either a “no feedback/control” condition or a “false-positive feedback/experimental” condition. Their career decision-making self-efficacy and state-trait anxiety were then assessed, as well as their intentions to engage in job search behaviors. A sequential mediational pathway analysis was performed to determine whether anxiety plays a mediational role in the relationship between self-efficacy and job search behaviors. Findings The hypothesized sequential mediational model was statistically significant. More specifically, participants who were randomly assigned to receive positive feedback experienced significantly lower levels of anxiety than participants in the control condition. In turn, lower levels of anxiety led to significantly higher levels of self-efficacy and significantly higher levels of job search intentions. Practical implications These findings have immediate implications for practitioners and educators who work with college students or any population that may be facing anxiety regarding the job search process. More specifically, these underscore the importance of lowering anxiety in order to lead to significantly higher levels of engagement in the career preparation process. Originality/value Currently, few studies (if any) have examined the potential mediating impact of anxiety on career-related self-efficacy and career development. Furthermore, no study has incorporated experimental methodology to test multiple pathways between anxiety, self-efficacy, and career preparation.

scholarly journals Non-academic employability of life science PhDs: the importance of training beyond the bench

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sohyoung Her ◽  
Mathieu D Jacob ◽  
Sharon Wang ◽  
Songyi Xu ◽  
David CF Sealey
Keyword(s):  
Career Development ◽  
Life Science ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Program Completion ◽  
Career Preparation ◽  
University Of Toronto ◽  
Perceived Impact ◽  
Academic Job Market ◽  
The University ◽  
Academic Sector

ABSTRACTTo better understand how PhD graduates have prepared for the non-academic job market, we surveyed life science PhD and postdoctoral graduates from the University of Toronto who were employed in non-academic sectors. We also surveyed life science PhD and postdoctoral trainees to assess their engagement in career preparation activities. PhD professionals employed in non-academic sectors had engaged in various career preparation activities during their training. Some activities had a higher perceived impact on the path to employment than others. Trainees had also engaged in such activities, but those rated by professionals as having a highly positive impact on their path to employment were engaged in by only a minority of trainees. The proportion of trainees who wished to work in a non-academic sector was higher among those who were closer to program completion. Like professionals, many trainees reported facing barriers to pursuing career development activities. Our findings suggest that PhD trainees seeking to work in non-academic sectors should engage in career preparation activities, particularly those that involve experiential learning. By supporting co-curricular programming and reducing barriers to participation in career development activities, academic administrators and faculty have the opportunity to support trainees’ professional development beyond the laboratory.

scholarly journals A cross-sectional study of the use and effectiveness of the Individual Development Plan among doctoral students

F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan L. Vanderford ◽  
Teresa M. Evans ◽  
L. Todd Weiss ◽  
Lindsay Bira ◽  
Jazmin Beltran-Gastelum
Keyword(s):  
Career Development ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Career Planning ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Development Plan ◽  
Individual Development ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Individual

Background: The Individual Development Plan (IDP) was introduced as a tool to aid in career planning for doctoral trainees. Despite the National Institutes of Health and academic institutions creating policies that mandate the use of IDPs, little information exists regarding the use and effectiveness of the career planning tool. Methods: We conducted a multi-institutional, online survey to measure IDP use and effectiveness. The survey was distributed to potential respondents via social media and direct email. IDP survey questions were formatted using a five-point Likert scale (strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree and strongly disagree). For data analysis purposes, responses were grouped into two categories (agree versus does not agree/disagree). The data were summarized as one-way frequencies and the Pearson chi-square test was used to determine the statistical significance of univariate associations between the survey variables and an outcome measure of the effectiveness of the IDP. Results: Among all respondents, fifty-three percent reported that they are required to complete an IDP while thirty-three percent reported that the tool is helpful to their career development. Further, our data suggests that the IDP is most effective when doctoral students complete the tool with faculty mentors with whom they have a positive relationship. Respondents who are confident about their career plans and who take advantage of career development resources at their institution are also more likely to perceive that the IDP is useful for their career development. Conclusion: Given the nuanced use and effectiveness of the IDP, we call for additional research to characterize the overall use and effectiveness of the IDP and to determine whether there are unintended negative consequences created through the use of the tool. Furthermore, we recommend an enhancement of career development infrastructure that would include mentorship training for faculty in order to provide substantially more career planning support to trainees.

scholarly journals Lecturer Career Management at Muhammadiyah Higher Education in the Era of Pademi Covid-19 (Case Study at UM Jember)

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-87
Author(s):  
Saipul Wakit ◽  
Ainur Rhain
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Career Development ◽  
Career Planning ◽  
Career Decision ◽  
Career Management ◽  
Career Decision Making ◽  
Professional Management ◽  
Evaluation Phase ◽  
Planning Development

The large number of lecturers in Indonesia is clear evidence that there is still a large number of people who choose lecturers as their profession and career. So that the career of a lecturer in a university requires serious and professional management. One of the lecturers' career management processes in tertiary institutions can be done with career management. The purpose of this study has concrete objectives, namely to identify and describe the planning, development and career decision-making processes of lecturers at Muhamamdiyah university in the Covid-19 Pademi Era. The research method used a qualitative approach with a case study design at UM Jember with data collection techniques through interviews, observation and documentation. Lecturer career management at the University of Muhammadiyah during the Covid-19 pandemic includes several stages, namely career planning, career development and career decision making. Each of these stages has an operational process with its own methods and objectives. In lecturer career planning, it is divided into two, namely individual and organizational career planning which consists of several processes, namely the planning phase, the briefing phase, the development phase and the evaluation phase. Of all the stages of career management during the Covid-19 pandemic above, starting from planning, development and decision making, it is not much different from the conditions before the pandemic. But what distinguishes it is in terms of the career development method which in its implementation uses an online system with virtual methods, geogle meet and room zoom.

scholarly journals Departmental Engagement in Doctoral Professional Development: Lessons from Political Science

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loleen Berdahl ◽  
Jonathan Malloy
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Political Science ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Department Chairs ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Career Preparation ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Canadian Universities ◽  
Communication And Coordination ◽  
Science Departments

There is widespread discussion about the need to develop and enhance the career prospects of PhD graduates, and many Canadian universities are seeking to provide professional development programs and mentorship specifically for doctoral students. This paper considers doctoral career preparation from the department level through an in-depth examination of how Canadian political science departments approach the issue, drawing on a survey of department chairs. We find that departments are supportive of professional development; while departments are not in the position to provide extensive programs and struggle to integrate efforts systematically, they are well-positioned to participate in collaborative approaches and welcome improved communication and coordination. We argue that graduate faculties should consult with departments and engage them in professional development program design, perhaps tailoring to specific disciplines as needed, and that departments should look for opportunities to work with graduate faculties before initiating their own programs.

Career Development

2018 ◽  
pp. 210-239
Keyword(s):  
Career Development ◽  
Career Planning ◽  
Planning Models

This chapter will help you understand the importance for career development, how to plan a career and the career planning models, and understand the Millennial Generation's viewpoint on career development.

Exploring the Post-Doctoral Journey

2021 ◽  
pp. 85-103
Author(s):  
Lynne Orr ◽  
Linda Weekley
Keyword(s):  
Career Development ◽  
Education Program ◽  
Academic Career ◽  
Doctoral Degree ◽  
Development Plan ◽  
Career Experiences ◽  
Doctoral Graduates ◽  
Career Options ◽  
Career Development Plan ◽  
Minimal Research

The purpose of this chapter was to promote a supportive journey of the postdoc candidates to collaborate and discover a career position upon the completion of a doctoral degree. Examples of safe harbors for moving through the post-doctoral career experiences will also be provided. Specifically, this chapter will focus upon post-doctoral education program graduates, of which there are minimal research and programs available directly related to education doctoral graduates. There is a decline of PhD students entering the academic career. Additional career options beyond the academia will be discussed. Lastly, the postdoc career development plan will be recommended along with viable services for the postdoc who remains in academia.

scholarly journals INTEREST GROUP SESSION—INTERGENERATIONAL LEARNING, RESEARCH, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: USING INNOVATIVE INTERGENERATIONAL STRATEGIES TO BOOST CAREERS IN AGING

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S567-S568
Author(s):  
Joann M Montepare ◽  
Laura K Donorfio
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Career Development ◽  
Career Planning ◽  
Minority Student ◽  
Intergenerational Learning ◽  
School Students ◽  
Career Information ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Populations are aging dramatically, and call for higher education to be more age-friendly and pave the way for career paths in aging. The Careers in Aging Week (CIAW) program sponsored annually by the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) of GSA has been a core stimulus for building career interest – however, more could be done to strengthen and invigorate this effort. This symposium will show how intergenerational exchange can be used to mount interest in careers in aging and create new pipelines to gerontology programs in higher education. Examples of innovative approaches will demonstrate how career information can be communicated to students in more creative and compelling ways. The first paper will set the stage with an evidence-based overview of emerging areas for career development, and a presentation of career planning models to aid student understanding as to how to make aging career decisions. Two presentations will then focus on different aging-workforce initiatives aimed at building educational pipelines that connect high-school students with college students studying gerontology. In addition to highlighting the oft-overlooked population of high school students, attention will be given to the importance of including minority student populations in career development efforts. The final paper will describe the utility of broader intergenerational strategies that build bridges across students, educators, aging professionals, and community collaborators via campus career events. The discussant will bring these efforts together with an intergenerational programming lens that higher education can use to amplify awareness about the wide-range of career opportunities aging offers.

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