The Essential Guide to Getting a Job for Postgraduates: Part 1 – Postgrads and The Job Market Elizabeth Wilkinson University of Manchester Careers Service

This Slidecast Are There Any Jobs Out There? False Assumptions? Employers and Postgraduates Which Jobs To Target Selling A Postgraduate Degree To Employers

Are There Any Jobs Out There?

False Assumptions?

Employers and Postgraduates

Which Jobs To Target

Selling A Postgraduate Degree To Employers

Are There Any Jobs Out There? 2007/8

Are There Any Jobs Out There? 2007/8 2002/3

Are There Any Jobs Out There? 2007/8 2008/9 2002/3

How Do Postgrads Fare? National “destination” information – it pays to be a postgrad, even in a recession Unemployed Postgraduates (2007/8) – 4.6% Unemployed Graduates (2007/8) – 8.4% Researcher Career Zone launched in June 09 at The Manchester Graduate Recruitment Fair Organisations still investing in R&D and strategic recruitment requiring “higher order skills” The rush to postgraduate study instead of a job this year means there will be more competition

National “destination” information – it pays to be a postgrad, even in a recession

Unemployed Postgraduates (2007/8) – 4.6%

Unemployed Graduates (2007/8) – 8.4%

Researcher Career Zone launched in June 09 at The Manchester Graduate Recruitment Fair

Organisations still investing in R&D and strategic recruitment requiring “higher order skills”

The rush to postgraduate study instead of a job this year means there will be more competition

Employers’ Perceptions Advantages of PGs maturity, specialist knowledge, research & analytical skills Disadvantages lack of commercial awareness inability to articulate skills in the language of employers difficulty adapting to non-academic environment unrealistic expectations Surveys of Employer Attitudes to Postgraduates - University of Leeds & Sheffield, 2005/6

Advantages of PGs

maturity, specialist knowledge, research & analytical skills

Disadvantages

lack of commercial awareness

inability to articulate skills in the language of employers

difficulty adapting to non-academic environment

unrealistic expectations

Surveys of Employer Attitudes to Postgraduates

- University of Leeds & Sheffield, 2005/6

Mismatch of Employer / PG Perceptions? Surveyed 80 non-academic recruiters attending Autumn recruitment fairs Only 5 targeted PGs specifically All but 2 happy to accept PG applications Advertised jobs as “Graduate” jobs Most expected PGs to start on same level as UGs – including salary Surprised that PGs might object to being classified as “Graduates”

Surveyed 80 non-academic recruiters attending Autumn recruitment fairs

Only 5 targeted PGs specifically

All but 2 happy to accept PG applications

Advertised jobs as “Graduate” jobs

Most expected PGs to start on same level as UGs – including salary

Surprised that PGs might object to being classified as “Graduates”

Which Jobs To Target? “ Graduate Entry Schemes” competitive, may be fast track to management, generally only large employers likely to accept Masters, probably accept PhDs non-academic qualities often more important than qualification (as long as you have right 1 st degree/UCAS points) Postgraduate Entry “Schemes” Masters entry schemes - some, particularly for international programmes PhD entry schemes – a few, mainly strategy consultancy and some industrial/social science research posts

“ Graduate Entry Schemes”

competitive, may be fast track to management, generally only large employers

likely to accept Masters, probably accept PhDs

non-academic qualities often more important than qualification (as long as you have right 1 st degree/UCAS points)

Postgraduate Entry “Schemes”

Masters entry schemes - some, particularly for international programmes

PhD entry schemes – a few, mainly strategy consultancy and some industrial/social science research posts

Which Jobs To Target? Direct entry Where the majority find jobs “ Experienced Hire” For jobs related to PhD research topic, don’t ignore “up to 3 years experience needed” adverts Smaller employers Cutting edge technology/research often found in “SMEs” now – not just big corporations Look at Science/Innovation parks, University spin-out companies

Direct entry

Where the majority find jobs

“ Experienced Hire”

For jobs related to PhD research topic, don’t ignore “up to 3 years experience needed” adverts

Smaller employers

Cutting edge technology/research often found in “SMEs” now – not just big corporations

Look at Science/Innovation parks, University spin-out companies

Selling Your PG Experience Higher order skills may be even more important than subject knowledge or qualification level Part of any postgrad degree: Need evidence of applying skills Need to articulate them effectively to employers Analytical skills Self motivation Independent thought Project management Organisation / planning Time management Research Extra maturity

Higher order skills may be even more important than subject knowledge or qualification level

Part of any postgrad degree:

Need evidence of applying skills

Need to articulate them effectively to employers

Analytical skills

Self motivation

Independent thought

Project management

Organisation / planning

Time management

Research

Extra maturity

Some Resources Destinations of UK/EU Masters www.prospects.ac.uk /links/WDPD Destinations of UK/EU doctoral researchers www.vitae.ac.uk/wdrd Your Masters, What Next? General careers information for Masters www.prospects.ac.uk/links/YourMasters Your PhD, What Next? General careers information for PhDs www.prospects.ac.uk/links/YourPhD

Destinations of UK/EU Masters

www.prospects.ac.uk /links/WDPD

Destinations of UK/EU doctoral researchers

www.vitae.ac.uk/wdrd

Your Masters, What Next? General careers information for Masters

www.prospects.ac.uk/links/YourMasters

Your PhD, What Next? General careers information for PhDs

www.prospects.ac.uk/links/YourPhD